Starring Nicky Henson, Beryl Reid, George Sanders, Mark Larkin

Directed by Don Sharp

Distributed by Arrow Video

It’s almost hard to remember back to a time when movies weren’t concerned with “grounding things in reality”, desperately trying to ensure that even the most outlandish ideas have some sort of pseudo-science reasoning. Sometimes a film just needs to be fun and nothing more. Back in the fast and loose days of the ‘60s and ‘70s, horror films barely took the time to dig deep into their weird and wild stories, preferring to sell the audience on a hook and some flash. Psychomania (1973) is exactly the sort of free-wheelin’, far-out fun that just doesn’t exist much these days. Although produced by Benmar Productions this picture feels more akin to those beloved Hammer horror films of the ‘60s, with credit being given to director Don Sharp who was a stalwart of that venerable English studio during their prime. Less a horror film and more of a mildly rambunctious biker flic, Psychomania is a breezy blast of nostalgia from start to finish.

Tom (Nicky Henson) is the leader of a motorcycle gang called “The Living Dead”, which includes his buds Chopped Meat (Miles Greenwood), Gash (Peter Whitting), Hinky (Rocky Taylor), Jane (Ann Michelle), and his girlfriend, Abby (Mary Larkin). Tom’s mother, Mrs. Latham (Beryl Reid), is a Satanic medium who uses her powers to communicate with the dead. It is revealed Tom’s dad died under mysterious circumstances, likely related to Mrs. Latham’s occult practices. Their sprawling estate is tended to by Shadwell (George Sanders), the family’s ever-faithful servant. Bored with his daily routine of tormenting the locals and, even worse, being among the living Tom decides to utilize an old family secret to achieve immortality.

The secret? You have to kill yourself and, if you truly want to die, you will return… looking exactly as you did in life. Seems easy enough, really.

Tom, steadfast in his decision to meet death, rides straight off a local bridge (which is awfully low and over water; his actual fate would have been having wet clothes). His mates decide to bury him in a fitting funeral (of sorts) – sitting atop his beloved motorcycle, helmet in place, covered in a mound of dirt at “The Seven Witches”, a circle of standing stones and home to an unexplained magic. Soon after the wake, Tom bursts forth from his earthen tomb, looking dapper as ever. No rotting flesh or decayed brains here. In fact, Tom is “healthier” than ever since his “dead” body can’t be killed again. His mates are naturally quite jealous, so they decide to die for themselves, making Tom the leader of an actual group of living dead. How coincidental! Everyone is having a gas experimenting with their newfound abilities, except for Abby who isn’t quite sure about joining Tom on the other side. The rowdier Tom and his cohorts get, the more apparent it becomes to his mother, too, that something may need to be done about these ghoulish hooligans.

This is an effortlessly enjoyable film that works because it never once takes itself seriously. Tom looks like he is 37 years old and still suckling off the teat of his wealthy estate, and he acts like a petulant child with no direction. His only aim in life is to cause some general mayhem and ride his bike; a simple man’s dreams. His obsession with death is clear from the get-go, and since he has so little else going on anyway might as well commit suicide and hope for the best, right old boy?

Despite the near-total lack of actual horror I was reeled in by the riotous costumes and sheer dark humor of it all. The outfits worn by The Living Dead are a hoot; their helmets resemble skull and crossbones, the face being made out of the visors along with green-tinted bug-eyed goggles. A little artistic flourish can oftentimes go a long way on a low-budget affair. The humor here is less of the written variety and more concentrated around the sheer ridiculousness of it all; the casual attitude with which nearly every character interacts with death. In fact, the film would have been improved if certain plot elements had greater attention.

Later, once nearly the entire Living Dead have been turned into their namesake, the guys (and girl) decide to have some fun with their newfound immortality. When a policeman attempts to write one of the boys a ticket for parking, the lad spots the cop from a 10th-story window and proceeds to jump on down to settle the citation. But the film cuts right after his jump, robbing viewers of a potentially funny “WTF?” moment from the ensuing meeting. These guys might be self-proclaimed hellraisers but they don’t raise much of anything aside from their own corpses. One scene sees a few of the gang harassing two old women as they drive home; hardly a “tough guy” move by any measure. Still, this isn’t the kind of film one needs to pick apart because the seams unravel faster than Tom’s motorbike. It’s best to just sit back, get lost in a haze of the Devil’s lettuce, and revel in arcane absurdity.

As noted in the accompanying booklet, Arrow Video went through a lot of work in order to bring Psychomania to Blu-ray. The original negative is considered lost, so the company had to make due with whatever elements could be located. Be sure to read up on how this transfer was achieved because it was a laborious process. Nonetheless, you wouldn’t know that from the film’s 1.66:1 1080p picture, which is remarkable given the circumstances. Colors are a touch desaturated, though some hues pop better than others. Most of this film takes place during daylight and the strong lighting allows many details in the image to be much more apparent. Definition is generally very good, though there is some softness that is simply inherent to the image. Considering the vintage and that this isn’t the most popular British horror film out there (not by a country mile), what is presented here should fall in line with what most viewers are expecting.

An English LPCM 1.0 mono track carries the excessive exhaust and funky tunes with no problems. Dialogue comes through nice and clear, with no detection of hissing or dropouts. Some of the bigger effects don’t pack much of a punch, but then I don’t think anyone is watching this film for bombastic sound design.

“Interview with Nicky Henson” is a fun, informative chat with the film’s leading man.

“Return of the Living Dead” is a 2010 making-of piece, filled with interviews and interesting facts.

“The Sound of Psychomania” is an interview with composer John Cameron.

“Riding Free” is an interview with singer Harvey Andrews, who sings the acoustic hippie track during Tom’s funeral.

“Hell for Leather” is a neat interview with Derek Harris, owner of Lewis Leathers, who supplied the outfits for this picture (and many, many more).

“Restoring Psychomania” doesn’t run very long but this shows off some of the work Arrow Video did the restore the film back to some sort of glory.

A theatrical trailer, booklet, and DVD copy of the feature film are also included.

Special Features:

• 2K restoration from preservation negatives
• High Definition (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Original 1.0 mono audio (uncompressed on the Blu-ray)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand-new interview with star Nicky Henson
• Return of the Living Dead, an archive featurette containing interviews actors Henson, Mary Larkin, Denis Gilmore, Roy Holder and Rocky Taylor
• Sound of Psychomania, an archive interview with composer John Cameron
• Riding Free, an archive interview with ‘Riding Free’ singer Harvey Andrews
• Hell for Leather, a brand-new featurette on the company who supplied the film’s costumes
• Remastering Psychomania, a look at the film’s restoration from the original 35mm black and white separation masters
• Theatrical trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector’s booklet containing writing by Vic Pratt, William Fowler, and Andrew Roberts

BUY IT NOW!

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Starring Franjo Dijak, Natasa Janjic, Janko Popovic Volaric

Directed by Nevio Marasovic

With its initial screening having passed at SXSW 2017, Nevio Marasovic’s dark feature Goran throws the audience into a downward spiral of a man’s life when he find out that a potentially happy occurrence isn’t exactly as such.

Blending equal doses of thriller, dark comedy and dramatic elements, the film uses all three to gloomily paint a picture that will pull you along very slowly at first, then begin to drag you unmercilessly throughout its final acts. Goran (Dijak) is a man making a modest living as a taxi driver in the snowy region of Gorski Kotar, and his salvation in life is his beautiful wife (Janjic), who is also blind. His care for her is something that drives him, and with the recently dropped news that she is pregnant, his existence just got a whole lot more meaningful…uh, that is until the REAL news comes to pass. I’ll keep these details under wraps, simply due to the fact that it should be checked out by your eyes, not mine, and it’s pretty damned entertaining to boot. So, Goran and his wife, flocked by some close pals, all head to a remote cabin in the snow-blasted mountains, complete with freshly-constructed sauna to commemorate the blessed announcement and blow off a little steam. At this point, Goran begins to have some serious doubts about all of the relationships he’s committed to (wife, friends, job), and we the audience begin to see this delicate tapestry of emotions begin to fray beyond repair, and what happens will shock and awe, that’s for sure.

I’m just going to throw this one out there and hopefully it will stick to the wall – the film is held high above the waterline by Dijak’s performance as the mentally worn-out soul who finds his life taking a serious swirl down the porcelain. His expressionless gaze in more than one instance implies his unwillingness to overreact to the situation at hand, and represents a person who is simply lost in a sea of emotion – classic stuff right here. What unfortunately brings the film to a halt is the way it’s paced, with an extremely sluggish build-up, then a swerve completely out of left field towards the close, and it adds up to one of those “what the hell just happened?” moments. It doesn’t waste the films progression, but it does hinder its movement towards utter believability. Also, aside from constructing a character so strongly as Goran, we’re left with empty shells all around him with the development of his wife and friends, and while it might have come with good reason, a little more framing around their ways and meanings could have brought the story full-circle. Overall, Goran isn’t a bad film to jump into for around 90-minutes – now would it be my first choice? No, but if you’re looking for a cautionary tale that would make anyone look for red flags around their inner circle, this would be it.

The post Goran (2017) appeared first on Dread Central.

We recently had a chance to check out Greg Newkirk and Dana Matthews’ Traveling Paranormal Museum in the flesh, and let us tell you these guys heralded us with some truly bone-jangling tales of the haunted objects within their collection.

The duo don’t travel with everything they have, though… If you head on over to the Week in Weird website, you can check out a section of the site in which they leave a camera streaming live on a rotating haunted object of their viewers’ choice from their vast collection.

We recently had Greg and Dana on Brainwaves, and if you get a chance to see the traveling museum live, we cannot recommend doing so more! For more information visit the Traveling Paranormal Museum website, the  official Week in Weird website, “like” Week in Weird on Facebook, and follow Week in Weird on Twitter and on Instagram.

The post Watch Haunted Objects 24/7! appeared first on Dread Central.

When it comes to horror, the term “icon” is sometimes thrown around with reckless abandon. But holy hell, is it applicable to our next guest on Brainwaves Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio… the incomparable Bill Moseley.

Bill’s done it all. From playing beloved characters to working with Coolio to even putting up with Knetter and me in person. No easy task, I tell you!

Join us TONIGHT at 8:00PM PT/11:00PM ET for all the shenanigans fit to be had! 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.

Spooky, funny, touching, honest, offensive, and at times completely random, Brainwaves airs live every Wednesday evening beginning at 8:00 PM Pacific Time (11:00 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, @JoeKnetter, or @MrDarkDC 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 TONIGHT! #Brainwaves Episode 37 – Bill Moseley appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Mimosa Willamo, Nelly Hirst-Gee, Mikael Gabriel, Santeri Helinheimo Mäntylä

Directed by Taneli Mustonen

Screened at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival

Premiering at SXSW this week, Austin, Texas is now well aware of the true story that inspired the Finnish slasher Lake Bodom. In June of 1960, four teens camping on the edge of the lake were brutally stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the early hours of the morning. The tragedy continues to be somewhat of a national obsession in Finland, still making headlines today.

The international interest surrounding the film hasn’t brought any new facts to light, but the surprises found throughout the running time certainly feed into the many theories that have circulated over the last fifty years.

Centering around four teenagers in modern day that set out to recreate the original murders, the fictional characters of Lake Bodom think that some amateur investigating may lead to a new clue. What happens to them is really the fault of their nebbish friend, Atte (Mäntylä), who has an unhealthy fascination with the infamous cold case. His much cooler, hormone-driven friend Elias (Gabriel) agrees to tag along and helps to wrangle in two reluctant girls to make the trek as well. Under the guise of a rebellious adventure under the stars, Ida (Hirst-Gee) and Nora (Willamo) essentially seal their fate. Instead of solving the mystery, they become new evidence, but the violence inflicted is carried out in unexpected ways that upend the traditional, linear slasher film.

Because of the ubiquitous nature of the original crime, intimate details are widely known about the murders, so anyone could conceivably be the perpetrator once the killings begin. Once the first revelation of Lake Bodom presents itself, a completely new dynamic emerges between the surviving teens, with school day flashbacks used to tease a possible secret alliance. Inevitably, the new blood conjures up the past, causing a new threat to come creeping out of the shadows.

There’s no one to really root for in Lake Bodom, but the characters believe their motivations are justified, much like the way teenagers sometimes have a skewed and overly emotional view of their own lives that drives them to act irrationally. When an outside presence comes in, that worldview is quickly and forcibly shattered, letting in a violence that can’t be controlled.

Fast-paced and suitably unhinged, the direction by Taneli Mustonen is confident and stylized, complemented by foreboding shots of an endless forest lensed by cinematographer Daniel Lindholm. Interestingly, the events here don’t offer any closure to the original crimes and don’t necessarily add to the now mythic stature of the 1960 murders. Smartly, the filmmakers manage to satiate Finland’s appetite for true crime while introducing the world to a local legend without exploiting the victims and without falling into typical failings of the slasher subgenre.

Lake Bodom will be released exclusively on Shudder in May 2017.

The post Lake Bodom (SXSW 2017) appeared first on Dread Central.

When it comes to voices in horror, few people have ever had one as distinct as the great Vincent Price. It’s just instantly recognizable, and for genre fans it’s akin to slipping on a nice comfy sweater. As a matter of fact, that’s what we suggest you do right now…

Grab your sweater, pour yourself a hot (or cold) cup of your own personal poison, and listen in on the 1969 Price-narrated double LP Witchcraft and Magic: An Adventure In Demonology in its entirety. Keep your bible and nightlight handy, kids. You just never know what’s waiting to grab you in the dark.

Enjoy!

The post Horror History – Listen as Vincent Price Regales You With Tales of the Occult and Demons appeared first on Dread Central.

Starring Francesca Eastwood, Clifton Collins, Jr., Leah McKendrick

Directed by Natalia Leite

Screened at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival

Rape revenge thrillers aren’t usually my cup of tea. They’re simply not the kind of horror sub-genre films that I actively seek out. However, when one is well written and dares to stare into the abyss with an unwavering gaze, I feel that it is my responsibility to check it out. And while I’m not 100% aboard with the methods of M.F.A., I feel that it is an important and necessary film.

We follow Noelle (Eastwood), an art student working towards her Masters of Fine Arts degree. One day a fellow student that she clearly has interest in invites her to a party, where he sexually assaults and rapes her. After reporting the incident and essentially being ignored and pushed away, she decides to confront her rapist directly. During this meeting there is a small scuffle, and he is pushed over the banister of the second floor, slams to the ground, and dies.

After fleeing the scene, Noelle then begins embarking upon a vigilante streak of killing rapists who were let off of their charges. As the film progresses, her methods become more vicious and the consequences of her actions become all the more poignant, culminating in a finale that is understated, yet demands introspection.

To be completely honest with you readers, I didn’t know what to make of this movie at first. It seemed to take the stance that guilt must be presumed and judgment must be swift and without remorse. But with more thought, it becomes clear that this isn’t the message that should necessarily be taken away. Rather, this is a film about a single person having reached her breaking point and taking matters into her own hands. Think of a movie like Joel Schumacher’s 1993 thriller Falling Down, where Michael Douglas simply snaps and goes on a rampage. That’s what M.F.A. now feels like to me. We’re not supposed to think that what Noelle is doing is right. What we’re supposed to feel is a sense of understanding as to “why,” yet a disagreement with the methods.

The acting from every character is fantastic, although Eastwood’s performance is something out of this world. Her transformation through the film is a sight to behold, and she maintains a delicate balance of being both a victim and a predator with stunning confidence. Leah McKendrick, who also wrote the film, is fantastic as wounded neighbor Daisy Skye, who herself was a victim of a sexual assault and is trying to maintain a mask of happiness to cover the wounds that haven’t come close to healing. Shot with respect by Natalia Leite, M.F.A. is, production-wise, an incredibly solid film.

While I have no issue with the rating I am giving the film below, I do warn readers that this is a powerful and challenging release, one that demands discussion and expects viewers to begin their own investigations and research into the subject matter. This is because the ending doesn’t find some sort of middle ground of “rape is awful, but murder is awful too.” If you’re okay with what happens in the movie and find some sort of vindication or catharsis, so be it. But for those who find that there isn’t a hero, so to speak, you’ll need to personally invest yourself into this world to find out how to help make a change.

The post M.F.A. (2017) appeared first on Dread Central.

If you’re into the synthwave scene that blew up over the past few years, then you might have heard of Hexenkraft, the darksynth artist who takes inspiration not only from all the synth composers that we know and love but also from the icy soundscapes of black metal. With a new EP coming out on April 8th, the artist has seen fit to bestow upon us horror fans a truly exciting and delightful gift in the form of two classic horror theme remixes!

First up is a remix of Goblin’s track “L’Alba Dei Morti Viventi”, from the George Romero iconic zombie film Dawn of the Dead. After that, you’re going to hear John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, which is one of the more rarely seen titles in his library, I’ve come to realize. Maybe it’s just the company I keep? If that’s so, I need to make some new friends…

Both of these tracks are set at a “Name Your Price” model, which means you can theoretically offer $0 and get them for free. That being said, if you think these tracks kick ass then I highly recommend even tossing a buck per song. The amount of work that goes into making these tracks is exhausting and every little bit helps make sure that they’ll be able to support themselves and keep making music for you to enjoy!

The post Have Some Great Covers of the Dawn of the Dead and Prince of Darkness Themes appeared first on Dread Central.

We’re only a couple of days away from the release of BH Tilt’s The Belko Experiment (review), so it’s high time to make sure that everyone gets convinced to check it out! If you’ve been on the fence, then BH Tilt is swooping in to save the day with a short series of claymation shorts done by the master himself, Lee Hardcastle (ABCs of Death, Gunship)!

You can check out this wickedly entertaining clips below and then make sure to support horror by seeing The Belko Experiment this Friday!

The film stars John Gallagher, Jr. (“The Newsroom,” 10 Cloverfield Lane), Adria Arjona (“True Detective”), Tony Goldwyn (“Scandal”), John C. McGinley (Stan Against Evil, “Scrubs”), Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”), Michael Rooker (“The Walking Dead,” Guardians of the Galaxy), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Melonie Diaz (Fruitvale Station).

Synopsis:
The Belko Experiment explores a twisted social experiment, in which a group of 80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogata, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company’s intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.

The post Lee Hardcastle Employs His Way Into The Belko Experiment With Claymation Shorts appeared first on Dread Central.

Oh, Shudder. How we love thee. An unrated cut of Lair of the White Worm director Ken Russell’s film The Devils is now streaming via the horror VOD service. This marks the first time an unedited print of the film has been available in decades.

Directed by Russell, The Devils follows the rise and fall of Urbain Grandier (played by Oliver Reed), a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest executed for witchcraft following alleged possessions in Loudun, France. Alongside Reed, Vanessa Redgrave plays a sexually repressed, hunchbacked nun who finds herself at the center of the accusations against Grandier. Russell’s controversial film was partly based on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudon by Aldous Huxley and also draws inspiration from the 1960 play The Devils – which was based on Huxley’s book.

The March 15th release marks the first time the unrated cut has been widely available to U.S. audiences since its original theatrical release in 1971.  It is the longest unrated existing version (109 minutes) of the film. The Devils has been largely unavailable on home video and was never released on DVD in the U.S. The last U.S. video release was on VHS and was the 103-minute R-rated cut of the film.

Check out a clip below, and then head over to Shudder to experience the glory of The Devils!

The post Ken Russell’s The Devils Now Streaming UNCUT on Shudder appeared first on Dread Central.

Hi everyone! Tomorrow is the opening night of the 24th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival! It will also mark the third year of Horrible Imaginings Film Festival partnering with them to bring the “Un Mundo Extraño” block of horror and fantastic cinema! This year promises to be our strongest showcase of dark films yet, and I am so excited to blast off with this tomorrow night! Just check out the trailer we put together:

Dark comedic madness with Argentine nudism fable Los Decentes, 8mm found footage possession terror with 1974, depraved explorations of the absolute limits of human behavior with the not-for-the-faint-of-heart We Are the Flesh! This podcast episode includes interviews with the directors of Histeria, an exploration of the limits of human endurance, and Las Tinieblas (The Darkness), an atmospheric post-apocalyptic horror about the demons both within and without us! You can see the showtimes and dates for each film here!

First up in this podcast, Histeria director Carlos Meléndez talks about the different types of horror, the current rise of the genre from Mexico, the very real social unrest that gave birth to his film about good people taken over by rage, and more. Then, Las Tinieblas (The Darkness) director Daniel Castro Zimbrón joins the podcast to talk about how paintings and images have influenced his filmmaking, the fascination of horror, the importance of using monsters and fantastic films as metaphor, and his own take on the contributions of Latino cinema to the horror landscape.

Even if you don’t live near San Diego, or can’t make it to the festival, there are some very strong ideas from these awesome filmmakers in this podcast! Be sure to keep your eyes open for their films, and the other films on the program. If you are in San Diego, though, join us over the next 10 days for some incredible cinema! Conveniently, there is a $45 five-pack available! That gets you into all of the “Un Mundo Extraño” films for less than 10 bucks per movie! Don’t fuck this up–get your five-pack today!

And remember! If you are a filmmaker, we want to see your latest scares! Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is now accepting submissions! Submit today to the film festival Shant Hamassian, director of Night of the Slasher, says is “five stars across the board!” Horrible Imaginings Film Festival proudly accepts entries via FilmFreeway.com, the world’s best online submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD online screeners, unlimited video storage, digital press kits, and more. Click below to submit with FilmFreeway.

Subscribe to the Horrible Imaginings Podcast right here. You can also listen here on Dread Central or on the Horrible Imaginings website. You can help keep the podcast, the film festival, and our horror community going for only $1 per month! Become a patron at our Patreon for exclusive content and perks! Find out about San Diego horror events on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages, and always stay scared!

The post Horrible Imaginings Podcast #171: Horror from South of the Border! A conversation with two Mexican filmmakers. appeared first on Dread Central.

Another true classic has been restored for Blu-ray by The Film Detective for mass consumption! Get ready to see The Vampire Bat like you never have before.

From the Press Release:
The Film Detective, in conjunction with UCLA Film & Television Archive, presents The Vampire Bat like never seen before – digitally mastered from new 35mm film elements preserved by the Archive – flying onto Blu-ray and DVD April 25.

This stylized and macabre tale was directed by Frank R. Strayer, who spins a thrilling tale from Hugo-nominated screenwriter Edward T. Lowe (House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula), that will have you craving more films from the first Golden Age of Horror!

About The Vampire Bat…

When corpses drained of blood begin surfacing in the small European village of Kleines Schloss, town elders suspect a vampire is on the loose, but policeman Karl Brettschneider (Melvyn Douglas, Ninotchka, Hud) doubts the existence of blood-sucking creatures.

Arguing the contrary is mad scientist Dr. Otto von Niemann (Lionel Atwill, Doctor X, Mystery of the Wax Museum), who is caring for the patients—terrifying his lab assistant, Brettschneider’s love interest Ruth Bertin (Fay Wray, King Kong, The Most Dangerous Game).

Amid mass hysteria, fingers point at the village idiot, Herman Gleib (Dwight Frye, Dracula, Frankenstein), who has a creepy affinity for bats. But after local vigilantes eliminate him from the picture, the killings continue … and Brettschneider tries to keep a cool head as he reluctantly starts searching for supernatural answers.

The Vampire Bat is presented in full screen with an aspect ratio of 1.33 and Dolby Digital sound. Restored from a 35mm composite acetate fine grain master and a 35mm nitrate print, UCLA’s restoration recreates the sensational Gustav Brock color sequence, unacknowledged and unseen since first run. 

Special Features:

• A Melvyn Douglas featurette with his son, Gregory Hesselberg
• Audio commentary by film historian Sam Sherman

BUY IT NOW!

The post The Vampire Bat Flies to Blu-ray appeared first on Dread Central.

We’ve been loving the paring of Titan Comics and Hammer Films, and up next for them is a new take on Brian Clemens’ supernatural cult classic Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter.  Read on for the details!

From the Press Release:
Titan Comics is excited to announce the next title from its Hammer Horror line of comics – Captain Kronos, materializing in 2017!

Based on the 1974 film, Captain Kronos will be the second Hammer title following the success of Peter Milligan and Ronilson Freire’s The Mummy: Palimpsest, which hit stores and digital devices last November.

Written by Dan Abnett (Aquaman, Guardians of the Galaxy) with stunning art by Tom Mandrake (Sidekick, The Spectre), Titan’s new series chronicles the adventures of the mysterious and powerful Kronos, who has dedicated his life to destroying the evil vampire plague. Once a victim himself, the debonair Hunter knows the vampire’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the dangers of confronting the potent forces of darkness.

Fans not wanting to miss out on further news of this exciting series should stay tuned to Dread Central and also follow Titan Comics on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook for more information.

The post Titan Comics and Hammer Team Up for Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter Series appeared first on Dread Central.

The film festival portion of SXSW may be over, but we’re still in Austin for some random shenanigans that you’ll be seeing on our Twitter, Instagram, and/or Facebook pages!

While we do have plans for some cool stuff to show you in the coming days, we want to highlight a great interview that we did this past weekend with Aaron Burns, director of the psychological thriller Madre. You can see the interview below!

For all of our 2017 SXSW coverage, click here!

Madre stars Chilean actress Daniela Ramírez (La Poseída, Los Archivos del Cardenal), Cristobal Tapia Montt (The Stranger), Matías Bassi (Pulseras Rojas), and Aida Jabolin. The film is produced by Nicolás López and Miguel Asensio Llamas.

Synopsis:
Diana Prieto (Ramirez) is a four months pregnant wife and mother of Martin (Bassi), who is severely autistic and whose special needs have become overwhelming for her. After a chance encounter with Luz (Jabolin), a gifted Filipino caretaker, Diana regains some sanity in her life as Martin begins to adapt and communicate quickly under the supervision of Luz. However, as he has only been taught to communicate in Filipino, Diana begins to suspect that Luz is using the language barrier to turn Martin against her and into something much more sinister.

The post SXSW 2017: We Speak with Madre Director Aaron Burns appeared first on Dread Central.

Alicia Vikander has been on the radar of horror fans since her turn in Ex Machina, and now she’s poised to solidify her genre status by joining Ben Wheathley’s next project, Freakshift.

According to Deadline, Vikander is in talks to star in Wheatley’s all-guns-blazing action thriller about a band of misfits who hunt down and kill nocturnal underground monsters.

Should the deal make, the much-in-demand Vikander would play the lead female protagonist in the cops vs. monsters tale. The project is eyeing an August start date, which would fit in with Vikander’s schedule as she’s due to wrap Tomb Raider in early summer.

Freakshift looks set to be even more badass and more ambitious, with Wheatley directing from a script he co-wrote with writing partner Amy Jump. Wheatley’s longtime producer Andrew Starke produces via their Rook Films banner.

More as we get it!

The post Alicia Vikander Joining Ben Wheatley’s Freakshift appeared first on Dread Central.

I’m not a parent, so I can’t speak to the difficulties of being a horror fan with a toddler that isn’t old enough to partake in my passion. However, I can only imagine it’s a challenge for those that do because then you have to constantly wonder if they’re the right age for a certain film, book, video game, etc… There has to be an ever-present mental state of, “Am I fucking this kid up for life by showing them this?” And while showing your 7-year-old Cannibal Holocaust might not be the way to go, I DO think that having a party with a horror-themed piñata is a totally reasonable path to introducing them to horror! But where might one find such a delightful product?

Enter Hang Me, an Etsy store that has a slew of horror-themed piñata’s that you can hang from a tree and let your kid bash the shit out of at their next birthday party! They’ve got Chucky from Child’s Play, Regan from The Exorcist, Pennywise from It, Jigsaw from Saw, and several more that are well worth checking out!

In my opinion, I think this is a brilliant way to show kids that they don’t have to fear what they see in movies or on TV. By allowing children to literally defeat “monsters”, they see that they are strong, capable, and able to take care of themselves. No more night lights for little Bobby or darling Jessica!

Click on the link above to get your very own piñata and check out a few samples below!

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Back in the late 1970’s, the Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., sci-fi novel The Sirens of Titan was adapted into a stage play that was directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-animator, From Beyond, Dagon). Premiering in October of 1977, it was supposedly a minimalist presentation with quite the simple production value.

Now, 40 years later, Ben Rock, who produced Gordon’s play Taste, has convinced the iconic sci-fi/horror director to update the play and bring it to the Sacred Fools Theater Company as the closing show of their 20th season. Rock himself will be directing the updated adaptation.

Nominated for a Hugo Award, Vonnegut, Jr.’s, The Sirens of Titan was published in 1959 and centers around a Martian invasion of Earth. It also focuses on the concept of free will and humanity’s ultimate purpose, at least in terms of figuring out what that might be.

Gordon’s last writing credit was for film: the 2007 crime thriller Stuck.

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Starring Drew Barrymore, David Keith, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott

Directed by Mark L. Lester

Distributed by Scream Factory

Ever since Brian De Palma kicked off the practice of adapting Stephen King’s seminal literary works to film with Carrie (1976), the floodgates have remained open for cinematic interpretations of his stories. The trickle that began with that film, Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), and Creepshow (1982) turned into a raging river that often saw multiple King films released within the same year. In fact, it would be easier to single out years when no King stories were adapted, as most saw multiple stories ushered onto the silver screen. Even now, in 2017, there are five (!) films related to King’s work on their way to audiences. The ‘80s were a wellspring for classics, though, with many of his most celebrated horror pictures debuting during that time. 1984 saw the release of both Children of the Corn (which has gone on the spawn an entire franchise… somehow) and Firestarter – and if you lived in any territory outside of North America you also got The Dead Zone (1983), too. Firestarter has the most interesting history to horror fans, since it began as a vehicle for John Carpenter before he was unceremoniously removed after The Thing (1982) bombed at the box office. Oh, sweet irony…

Director Mark L. Lester – he of Class of 1984 (1982) and Commando (1985) fame – eventually took over the reins, directing a then-fresh faced Drew Barrymore in her first feature-length leading role. Despite the prestige of both a rising child actor and a score by German electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream, Lester’s film stumbles by committing a mortal cinema sin: it too often moves at a glacial pace.

Andy McGee (David Keith) and his daughter, Charlene “Charlie” McGee (Drew Barrymore), are on the run from agents of “The Shop”, a highly classified arm of the government’s Department of Scientific Intelligence. Flashbacks reveal Andy and his wife, Vicky (Heather Locklear), were participants in a government study about the effects of hallucinogens back in their college days. The two were given low doses of LOT-6, an experimental drug that granted them telepathic abilities; Vicky could read minds, while Andy can use his mind to manipulate others into doing his will. Charlie, meanwhile, has the extraordinary ability of being able to start fires with her mind, as well as being able to predict some future events.

Another flashback shows how agents of The Shop infiltrated Andy and Vicky’s home one afternoon, killing Vicky and abducting Charlie before Andy showed up and was able to stop the kidnapping. Ever since then, the two have been on the lam and agents are never far behind. Frustrated, the commander of The Shop, Captain Hollister (Martin Sheen), calls in Agent John Rainbird (George C. Scott), a hardened professional, to capture them both. Exhausted and in dire need of respite, Andy and Charlie are taken in by a kindly old couple, Irv (Art Carney) and Norma (Louise Fletcher) Manders, who are taken aback by Andy’s story and aren’t sure what to believe until agents ascertain their location and storm the farm. Threatened and cornered, Charlie unleashes a wrath upon the feds like she never has before, revealing just a taste of the power she holds. Andy and Charlie go back on the run but they are eventually caught by Rainbird, who hauls them back to The Shop. Under Cpt. Hollister’s watchful eye, the two are separated and Charlie is subjected to further testing, the power of which could be enough to destroy the world!

Alright, maybe she isn’t going to go that far, but it is possible? Probably. Even at the end, when Charlie seems to be using all her might in a pyrokinetic display of savagery, there exists the potential for her to exponentially increase her scope. Who’s to say where it ends? Charlie, as played by Barrymore, is the heart of this film. Well, she and Art Carney who is just a class act of old-school gravitas. But as Charlie, Barrymore is required to spend nearly half of the film in a highly emotional state, crying and agitated. Acting is a lot to ask of kids in general, but to have one so capable of displaying the right level of emotion to sell a scene is impressive. There is a reason why she has stuck around in the business for so long.

David Keith is a serviceable actor but there is always some level of detachment to his performances that prevents me from completely empathizing. He is only seen as sympathetic here due to his circumstances – dead wife, “special” daughter – but Keith himself, in character, never manages to rise above barely-there for me. His range is limited here and he isn’t much for the doting father type. I find he works best as an antagonist, like in Donald Cammell’s excellent White of the Eye (1987).

The less said about Heather Locklear’s role, the better – although I will say Locklear was in her prime here, gorgeous as ever. Her role as Andy’s wife is minor and severely lacking and her – not-really-spoiler alert – death has zero impact because all we really know is the two were married and she had Charlie, but we don’t spend any time with her.

Entire paragraphs could, and should, be devoted to discussing George C. Scott’s luxurious ponytail and generally gruff, badass demeanor here. Hell, the guy kills a man with one swift smash to the bridge of his nose; it’s his signature move, one which he eloquently describes later in the film. Rainbird is a unique, lone wolf type of character and Scott was the perfect man for the job. His involvement can increase the enjoyment of any film; see: The Exorcist III (1990).

Finally, any review would be remiss not to mention the musical contributions of the legendary Tangerine Dream. Despite scoring the film cold (the band just sent over some music and told Lester to choose what he liked) the themes and melodies often work wonders, whether heightening the emotion of a big moment or simply providing some mellow tunes for the film’s slower periods. This score, combined with the strength of a nearly solid acting ensemble, is what makes Firestarter a better film than its script may have otherwise allowed.

Almost forgot, eagle-eyed horror fans keep an eye out for Dick Warlock, who just two years after Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) is once again playing a mysterious man in a tailored suit. And if you pay extra close attention, you can watch him die twice.

This film has been issued and re-issued countless times (OK, maybe, like, five but you get the point) and the last release, a Blu-ray from Universal was reviled for looking ugly as sin thanks to an overuse of DNR. Rest assured, this new 2K scan of the interpositive is a revelation compared to past releases. Scream Factory has knocked it out of the park with a 2.35:1 1080p image that is brimming with fine details thanks to stunning clarity, robust color saturation, razor-sharp definition, and a complete lack of dirt & debris (save for very minor white speckling). No problems whatsoever can see seen here, making this one of Scream Factory’s strongest visual presentations yet.

Don’t fret over the lack of a multi-channel track as Universal’s disc had because the English DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono track is true to the source. Dialogue is easy to understand and always clear. Tangerine Dream’s score soars in lossless audio quality. The mono track doesn’t carry the same weight as a multi-channel or even stereo affair but I commend Scream Factory’s commitment to purists. Subtitles are available in English SDH.

Director Mark Lester provides an audio commentary that has been described as “lacking” due to a lack of frequent conversation. It might be best to skip this and go right into the documentary.

“Playing with Fire: The Making of Firestarter” – Although Barrymore and Keith are absent from this documentary that should in no way dissuade potential viewers from missing this excellent retrospective. Many important players are interviewed here and there is a lot of great movie trivia for fans.

“Tangerine Dream: Movie Music Memories – An Interview with Johannes Schmoelling” – This is a fantastic trip through memory lane with Schmoelling, who recalls many details of Tangerine Dream’s early days and their scoring efforts. Highly recommended, especially for fans of the group.

“Johannes Schmoelling of Tangerine Dream Plays “Charlie’s Theme” is a great new rendition recorded just for this piece.

A couple of theatrical trailers, six radio spots, and a still gallery stuffed with all sorts of rare and cool photos are also included.

Special Features:

• NEW 2K scan of the interpositive film element
• NEW Audio commentary with director Mark L. Lester
• NEW Playing with Fire: The Making of FIRESTARTER – featuring interviews with director Mark L. Lester, actors Freddie Jones and Drew Snyder, stuntman/actor Dick Warlock and Johannes Schmoelling of Tangerine Dream
• NEW Tangerine Dream: Movie Music Memories – an interview with Johannes Schmoelling
• NEW exclusive performance of “Charlie’s Theme” by Johannes Schmoelling of Tangerine Dream
• Theatrical Trailers
• Radio Spot
• Still Gallery

BUY IT NOW!

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Christmas is still nine months away, but you can get into the spirit of giving by helping to finance the festive horror film Stirring from Party Night director Troy Escamilla on Kickstarter. There’s less than two days left in the campaign, so you’d better not waste any time.

Synopsis:
Stirring is the second feature film from independent film company Fright Meter Films and writer/producer/director Troy Escamilla. Post-production recently wrapped on our first film, Party Night, and early reviews have been very positive. As Party Night prepares to hit the festival circuit in 2017, Escamilla is eager to bring horror fans another blood-soaked love letter to the genre he knows and loves. Stirring can best be described as a mix of Black Christmas (Troy’s favorite horror film of all time), To All a Goodnight, and Scream.

Students attending a Christmas party at a sorority house with a sinister past are stalked by a bloodthirsty killer disguised as Mrs. Claus.

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Some sad news has come in from the convention scene. For many years Maryland’s Horrorfind Weekend was a premier stop for fans wanting a chance to meet their favorite genre stars and procure some really sweet swag. Word has that the man behind all this goodness, Mike Roden, has passed on.

The news comes from Ken Foree on Facebook, who states that he got the news via phone call just yesterday.

Roden, a pioneer of the horror convention scene, was a consummate professional and one of the best at what he did. Millions of fans made memories to last a lifetime at his shows, and he’ll be sorely missed.

At this time we here at Dread Central would like to extend our sincerest of condolences to Mike’s friends, family members, and constituents. Thank you, sir, for all that you did in the name of fandom. God bless.

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