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Japan is Making a Wicked Prop of the 1978 Piranha!

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It seems Japan is caught up in Piranha fever! Not only are they making their own film but now the Higa Brothers have committed to making 100 prop piranhas based on the 1978 film! 50 of these will be made with fiberglass (nearly $450 but without a stand) while the other 50 are latex (they’ll run you over $620 each but will include a walnut stand). You can see the differences between the two below.

Piranha featured work from both Rob Bottin, who would go on to work on John Carpenter’s The Thing, as well as Phil Tippett, the infamous dinosaur supervisor on Jurassic Park (you had ONE job, Phil!). These props aim to pay homage to the film, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.

If you want one for yourself, you can place an order right here.

The post Japan is Making a Wicked Prop of the 1978 Piranha! appeared first on Dread Central.


Outlast 2 Banned in Australia

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Outlast 2 is the latest in a long list of games to be refused classification in Australia. The ratings board’s site didn’t go into explicit details as to why, although Kotaku reached out and were given a pretty detailed report. Basically, its because of a scene of implied sexual violence. Implied. As in ‘not shown explicitly’. This is the world we live in.

Australia has a long and sad history when it comes to video game censorship. Firstly, their Classification Board refused to issue their highest R18+ rating to the medium of video games for many years, under the assumption that nobody over the age of 18 would be playing video games anyway. As you can imagine, being denied the highest rating resulted in tons of games either being banned or outright censored over the years. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the country has also now implemented a ‘do it yourself’ questionnaire for developers to fill out when it comes to mobile games. Ticking the wrong boxes has resulted in literally hundreds of titles being blocked from release.

Along with countries like Japan (where Gears of War 4 was recently banned) and Germany, Australia is one of the primary offenders when it comes to censoring video games. Whatever happened to that crazy idea that adults should be able to choose their own entertainment rather than having the government regulate what they can or can’t watch or play? Or the even crazier idea that freedom of speech and free expression are essential to democracy? Having the government choose what can and can’t be released is actually how an authoritarian society would function. Fuck censorship.

Those of us who don’t live down under will be able to experience Outlast 2 on April 25.

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Crow’s Eye, The (Video Game)

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The Crow's EyeDeveloped by 3D2 Entertainment

Available on PC through Steam

Suitable for ages 13+


Here’s a tip: If most of your story is told through audio logs, spring for some decent voice actors. When your antagonist sounds like a 13-year-old cosplayer doing his best to sell his Joker face paint, it’s going to take me out of the experience. This is a game where every character delivers their lines like they’re trying out for a high school theater production of a soap opera. I had people pop their head into my gaming cave to tell me to turn it down because it was making them uncomfortable. The grating audio is not the only flaw with The Crow’s Eye, but it is the biggest one.

Developed by the Barcelona based 3D2 Entertainment, it’s easy to forgive a lot of the rough edges. Foreign developers with only six members to their team, I can’t imagine a large amount of money was poured into The Crow’s Eye. And it shows. Animations are limited, lighting rudimentary, and the environments lack detail. This is all the stuff you overlook because they didn’t have the budget to animate every single particle of dust and crumbling pile of rocks. If a game is good enough in concept and execution, you won’t even notice that you’ve been hunting for clues in seven copies of the exact same bookshelf.

Unfortunately, nothing about The Crow’s Eye is particularly groundbreaking. Playing as a nameless young man, you awaken alone in the decrepit Crowswood University. A cackling voice erupts over the intercom, informing you that you are part of an experiment and hinting that this is not the first time this has happened. It’s up to you to solve his puzzles and escape, all while hunting for various documents and audio logs to shed some light into what exactly is going on. Amnesiac silent protagonists forced to explore the ruins of a once thriving building and solve puzzles while spooky stuff happens? Never heard that one before.

The Crow's Eye

Hey there! I’m the jump scare worm! Bet you didn’t expect me to leap at your face and make a loud noise!

What The Crow’s Eye does differently is that there aren’t any monsters to chase you around the hallways while you do your puzzle solving. Which for me is great, as I’m frankly tired of hide-and-seek simulators. Just let me solve your puzzles without having to hide in a cabinet for five minutes while a shambling horror shuffles around the room picking its navel. To The Crow’s Eye’s credit, this puzzle solving is where the game is at its best. It isn’t afraid to throw some genuinely challenging obstacles your way. I actually had to wrap my brain around some 3D math for the rotating block puzzles. It hit the sweet spot, engaging you to keep your brain active without going so far as to frustrate you.

The Crow's Eye

Ugh, God, how did you know that I just love number sequence puzzles?!

The puzzles also happen to be why The Crow’s Eye is getting its review three days after embargo. There were two separate occasions where I just could not for the life of me figure out what to do. The game goes for a “let you figure it out” approach, and 98% is easily solvable by just looking around and adding two and two together. The other 2% is where I got stuck. One puzzle in particular that gave me trouble was in the middle of the third chapter. Without spoiling the puzzle, it turns out you have to throw a cube at a panel to activate it. Sounds simple enough, but the game had never introduced me to the concept before this. With how both the panel and the cube looked, it never even occurred to me that A) the panel was a button, and B) it could only be pressed by these particular cubes. I was using my weird time slow jumps to try to get to the light fixtures on the top of the room before I guessed to just throw shit. I actually had to message the devs for the answer.

The Crow's Eye

Case in point.

The Crow’s Eye also significantly breaks tone when it gets to some of the more interesting puzzles. You early on get an electromagnet, which allows you to fly around to red magnetic points. Once this is discovered, it becomes most of what you’ll be doing. It turns the game into a platformer, which doesn’t fit with the horror theme. At the point where I’m zooming around an obstacle course and bouncing myself across platforms, I’m not exactly spooked.

The Crow's Eye

If you’re game just ain’t spooky enough, drop the contrast and make it all wobbly.

I’m not going to say that The Crow’s Eye is a bad game, as some of the individual elements in isolation are pretty cool. The jumping puzzles were fast and fun, and the cerebral puzzles were challenging. The story was pretty interesting, if not hard to listen to. The Crow’s Eye’s biggest problem is that it’s a game at odds with itself. If you want your game to be mostly audio logs, then you have to be able to afford some decent voice actors. If you want to make a scary horror game, don’t have me zipping around the air to glowing red orbs. The whole crafting system seemed totally tacked on for no reason. Why the hell do I need to find some ink and cloth to make a map? Why not just let me find a map?

The Crow’s Eye is an example of unfocused design. I’d like to be a fly on the wall of 3D2’s meetings, finding out why all these disparate elements are part of the same game. But that’s about where my interest ends. If you’re looking for a good psychological horror game, The Crow’s Eye won’t scare you. If you’re looking for a decent story, then the voice acting is going to turn you off. If you’re looking for some decent puzzles, there are better dedicated puzzle games out there. The Crow’s Eye is not a bad game, just unremarkable.

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The Sirens of Titan – Official Details and Artwork

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We told you last week that Ben Rock and Stuart Gordon were prepping another live theatre experience for you guys and today all the blanks have been filled in for The Sirens of Titan. Read on for all info and tickets!

From the Press Release:
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s science fiction masterpiece returns to the stage in an updated adaptation by Stuart Gordon (Re–Animator: The Musical)

In 1977, acclaimed writer/director Stuart Gordon adapted Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s classic novel for Chicago’s Organic Theater with the approval and input of the author himself. Now Sacred Fools will close its 20th season with the recently rediscovered adaptation, newly updated by Gordon and more timely than ever.

Director Ben Rock (“Baal,” “Occupation”) brings to the stage this visually dazzling and darkly humorous sci-fi epic about what happens when the richest man in the world loses everything, sets out on an unbelievable journey through space and time, and discovers nothing less than the meaning of life. Rock and Gordon previously collaborated on the Ovation-nominated cannibalistic love story “Taste” and are thrilled to reunite in bringing Vonnegut’s mind-blowing vision to life.

Founded in 1997, Sacred Fools Theatre Company is a 501-c3 non-profit organization dedicated to creating and fostering a dynamic, empowered artistic community in Los Angeles. Notable previous productions include the Buster Keaton comedic biography Stoneface, the award-winning action-comedy Watson, the award-winning musical Louis & Keely, the recent hit The Behavior of Broadus, and the ongoing late-night institution Serial Killers, now entering its 11th year of episodic fun. Run solely by the ensemble artists, Sacred Fools is non-dues paying company that continues its ongoing commitment to the development of new plays and projects, which challenge traditional expectations of the theatrical experience. Its goal is to produce work, which invigorates, enlightens and entertains.

The Sirens of Titan
Presented by Sacred Fools Theater
Directed by Ben Rock
Adapted by Stuart Gordon
Based on the novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Produced by Shaela Cook

Cast:
Pete Caslavka, Jaime Andrews, Eric Curtis Johnson, Jax Ball, K.J. Middlebrooks, Jesse Merlin, Dennis Neal, Tifanie McQueen, and Tim Kopacz

Sacred Fools Theater (For Ticket Info)
1076 Lillian Way
Los Angeles, CA 90038

March 31 – May 6, 2017 (Previews: March 24-25)
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm plus Sundays, April 23 & 30 @ 7pm
Tickets are $25 (previews $15).

The Sirens of Titan

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The Autopsy of Jane Doe Performed on Blu-ray in Canada

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The badass little horror film The Autopsy of Jane Doe is hitting Blu-ray in Canada sooner rather than later. How soon, you ask? Tomorrow!

That’s right, March 21st, and need we remind you that Canadian Blu-rays and DVDs play perfectly in domestic players? IFC Midnight will be releasing it later this year in the US.

From the Press Release:
The Autopsy of Jane Doe will be hitting the streets across Canada on Special Edition Blu-ray tomorrow (March 21st) available at Walmart and Amazon.ca via Raven Banner.

Synopsis:
It’s just another night at the morgue for a father (Brian Cox) and son (Emile Hirsch) team of coroners, until an unidentified, highly unusual corpse comes in. Discovered buried in the basement of the home of a brutally murdered family, the young Jane Doe—eerily well preserved and with no visible signs of trauma—is shrouded in mystery. As they work into the night to piece together the cause of her death, the two men begin to uncover the disturbing secrets of her life. Soon, a series of terrifying events make it clear: Jane Doe is not at all who she seems. The latest from Trollhunter director Andre Ovredal is a scarily unpredictable, supernatural shocker that never lets up.

Special Features:

  • Slipcover art with alternative “Eye” art
  • Andre Ovredal’s award-winning The Tunnel short film (12 mins) – “A family is caught in slow-moving traffic with the hope of making it home safely in this stunningly dark science-fiction tale.”
  • TIFF Midnight Madness Q&A
  • LA premiere Q&A with Emile Hirsch

The Autopsy of Jane Doe

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Tank 432 Rolls onto Home Video

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War and horror go hand-in-hand like an extra messy PB and J! The latest film to mix the two genres is Tank 432 and we have all the details you need to dig it when it heads to Blu-ray and DVD!

From the Press Release:
Available April 4th, 2017 from Scream Factory in conjunction with IFC Midnight comes Tank 432, a mind-bending plunge into hallucinatory terror from executive producer Ben Wheatley (Kill List, High-Rise).

Under siege by a mysterious enemy in an apocalyptic, war-torn landscape, a band of mercenary soldiers, hooded hostages in tow, seek refuge inside an abandoned military tank. But their sanctuary soon reveals itself to be a steel-walled prison. As the group succumbs to claustrophobia, paranoia, and increasingly disturbing delusions, it becomes clear that the real threat may lie not outside, but within. The directorial debut from longtime Wheatley collaborator Nick Gillespie unfolds like a delirious, pulse-pounding puzzle.

BUY IT NOW!

Tank 432

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Resident Evil: Vendetta Getting One Night Only Theatrical Release

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Get your calendars ready because Resident Evil: Vendetta, the third entry in the CG animated series, is coming to theaters for one night only on June 19th! The film continues the story that began in 2007’s Degeneration and continued in 2012’s Damnation. This third film features original voice actors Matt Mercer (Leon S. Kennedy), Kevin Dorman (Chris Redfield) and Erin Cahill (Rebecca Chambers). Tickets will go on sale on March 21st via Fathom Events.

The film is produced by Marza Animation Planet (Space Pirate Captain Harlock), executive produced by Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge), written by Makoto Fukami (Psycho Pass) and directed by Takanori Tsujimoto (Bushido Man).

Fathom Events CEO John Rubey explains:
“We are thrilled to bring ‘RESIDENT EVIL: VENDETTA’ to the big screen for its U.S. debut. This sequel is even scarier and more thrill-inducing than the previous titles, with mind blowing CG animation that should be seen on 40-foot screens with the highest quality sound and visuals to further enhance the fan experience of this beloved franchise.”

For those who have seen the CG Resident Evil titles, what are your thoughts? In general, I really enjoy them! This one definitely looks like it ups the action but it seems like they still want to pack in a few scares, so consider me intrigued.

The post Resident Evil: Vendetta Getting One Night Only Theatrical Release appeared first on Dread Central.

The Conjuring 2 Spinoff The Nun Officially Kicks Off Production

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After the smash success of James Wan’s The Conjuring 2, was it really any surprise that there would be more horror coming from that storyline? Well, most people expected that a third Conjuring movie would be announced but it turns out that the villain of the second film, the evil nun Valek, was to be the focus of a new film.

Announced last summer, The Nun is being directed by Corin Hardy, who tweeted the below photograph to announce that production on the film has officially begun. The film will be based on a script by Gary Dauberman and James Wan with Wan and Peter Safran producing. The expected release date is July 13th, 2018.

No official synopsis has been released and frankly I wouldn’t hold my breath for one to come any time soon. It’ll be a while before serious marketing campaigns begin.

The Nun

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Stalker’s Prey Brings Shark Attacks to Lifetime

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Lifetime has decided that the success of The Shallows and 47 Meters Down means they should be getting in on the aquatic horror game. Enter Stalker’s Prey, which uses a horrific shark attack as the foundation for a seemingly more traditional stalker story. Basically a young woman is involved in a shark attack which also claims the life of her boyfriend. The guy that rescued her then gets it in his mind that she owes him a date, which she’s not all that keen on offering.

Starring Saxon Sharbino, Mason Dye, Cynthia Gibb, Luke Slattery, Camrus Johnson, Alexis Lariviere, and Gillian Rose, Stalker’s Prey was directed by Colin Theys. Photos and a trailer can be seen below.

Stalker’s Prey airs this Saturday at 8pm EST.

Synopsis:
Laura’s life is turned upside down when she is attacked by a shark while celebrating her 18th birthday. She’s rescued by Bruce, a handsome young man just returned home from college. As she recovers, he becomes a local hero for his bravery. As the dust settles, Bruce seems smitten with his damsel in distress, but Laura is not ready to move past the boyfriend she lost in the attack. Bruce shows up in more and more places in her life, but her friends and family can’t see the hints of obsession that she starts picking up from her dreamy rescuer. When she tries to tell him no, she winds up being stalked by a local hero who believes that she owes him her life.

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New Trailer Breaks Out for Rupture

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With Rupture set to embark on an exclusive run on DirecTV beginning March 30th, an official trailer for the film has just been unleashed by AMBI Media Group along with a batch of stills. A theatrical, VOD, and Digital HD release follows on April 28th.

Rupture is based on a story by director Steven Shainberg and Brian Nelson. Nelson wrote the screenplay. Noomi Rapace (Prometheus), Peter Stormare (Clown), Michael Chiklis (“American Horror Story: Freak Show”), Kerry Bishé (Argo, “Sex and the City”), Lesley Manville (Maleficent), and Ari Millen (“Orphan Black”) star.

Synopsis:
Renee Morgan (Rapace) is a single mom who is deathly terrified of spiders. While en route to meet up with a friend, she is violently abducted by a group of strangers. After enduring intense, yet strange questioning and examinations, some about her fear of spiders, Renee soon discovers that she is now the subject of an underground experiment. Her captors explain to her that she has a genetic abnormality that can potentially allow her to “rupture” and reveal her alien nature. Renee must find a way to escape before it is too late.

Rupture

Rupture

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Deep Hurting Returns as Netflix Unveils a Trailer and Premiere Date for Mystery Science Theater 3000

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Long before everyone could live snark a movie on social media or ruin a retrospective screening with snickering and running commentary, there was “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Following the most successful Kickstarter campaign ever and thanks to the magic of Netflix, break out the humdingers… we will soon have movie sign once more.

With a robot roll call including Jonah Ray as the latest victim forced to watch schlock movies with a pair of wisecracking robot puppets aboard the Satellite of Love and the dynamic duo of Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt as the children of the Deep 13 mad scientists, not to mention the likes of Dan Harmon and Joel McHale contributing to some of the writing, and this guy named Mark Hamil is also scheduled to make an appearance, the new MST3K hopes to recapture the low-rent magic of the award-winning cult series that made mocking cult movies an art form.

Original creator Joel Hodgson has been adamant about keeping the fourteen movie titles to be featured on the show under wraps until airdate, but the short teaser Netflix has unveiled reveals three of the b-movie titles set to get the MST3K treatment: the 1978 sci-fi schlockbuster Starcrash (starring Caroline Munro in a leather bikini and David Hasselhoff, thankfully, not in a leather bikini), the 1964 scientists vs. future mutants movie The Time Travelers, and 1961’s Reptilicus, aka Denmark’s answer to Godzilla with a goo-spitting marionette monster.

It really will be a Good Friday when what is ostensibly Season 11 of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” arrives on Netflix April 14th.

You just know some poor bastard out there is going to binge-watch all fourteen episodes and be found dead sometime Monday like those people that die of malnutrition from playing World of Warcraft for days on ends.

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The Jurassic Games Begins Production in Oklahoma

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High Octane Pictures, in association with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO), has announced the start of production on the feature film The Jurassic Games. The movie is utilizing the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program administered by OF+MO and started principal photography as of March 17, 2017, with filming scheduled for multiple locations around the state.

Starring Oklahoma native Ryan Merriman (Final Destination 3, The Ring Two) and Perrey Reeves (pictured; “Entourage,” Old School) with an entirely Oklahoma-based crew, The Jurassic Games marks the third feature film from Oklahoma’s own director Ryan Bellgardt.

A unique mixture of The Hunger Games and Jurassic World, the film imagines a world set in the near future wherein ten Death Row convicts are chosen to compete in The Jurassic Games, the ultimate virtual reality game show that pits its players against dinosaurs and each other. However, there is a catch…

If you die in the virtual game, you also die in reality; and for Anthony Tucker (played by Oklahoma resident Adam Hampton), survival is his one chance to be reunited with his children after having been wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his wife. As the devious Gamemaster continues adding improbable challenges, the characters will find the odds stacked against them as only one victor can emerge as winner and reclaim their freedom.

“Our office looks forward to working with Ryan Bellgardt and his team on their most ambitious project to date,” said OF+MO Director Tava Maloy Sofsky. “We appreciate Ryan’s loyalty and commitment to producing films in Oklahoma, and we are thrilled the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program has afforded him the opportunity to do so as his productions continue to provide job and educational opportunities for our local talent, crew and students.”

We’ll have more info on The Jurassic Games soon so stay tuned!

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King Kong Footprints Appear All Over Los Angeles

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If you’re going to release a giant monster movie, you better include some giant marketing for it; and it seems like the folks behind Kong: Skull Island (review) did just that!

A few weeks ago, prior to the release of the film, giant footprints appeared in multiple locations in and around the Los Angeles area. It’s very similar to the Godzilla footprint that was found in Japan prior to the release of Shin Godzilla. You can see photos of the footprints below.

While you’re at it, why not check out Staci Layne Wilson’s interviews with director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, writer Max Borenstein, Tom Hiddleston, John Goodman and Brie Larson, or Samuel L. Jackson?

Synopsis:
A diverse team of scientists, soldiers, and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

Kong Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island

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Shudder Acquires Scandinavian Supernatural Mystery Show Jordskott; It Looks Fantastic!

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Shudder has announced that they have acquired two seasons of the Scandinavian noir mystery series “Jordskott.” The first season will premiere on the horror streaming service on April 6th while the second doesn’t have a release date yet.

We’re told that the series has a strong “The Killing”-esque vibe but with elements of supernatural and folk horror twists.

Shudder VP of Global Acquisitions and Co-Productions Aurelie de Troyer explains, “’Jordskott’ has thrilled us with its alternative take on the crime drama phenomenon with elements of supernatural and Nordic-Noir mystery. We are excited to bring this series to our North American members, and this is a compelling addition to the ever-expanding Shudder slate of films and series.

After watching the trailer, I am completely convinced that this is something I need to check out. It has a wonderful atmosphere and looks like it’s gorgeously shot. There’s also just enough twisted and sinister imagery to perk the horrorhound within.

The series stars Moa Gammel, Göran Ragnerstam, Richard Forsgren, and Lia Boysen. The trailer can be seen below.

Season 1 Synopsis:
“Jordskott” revolves around the seven-year disappearance of police investigator Eva Thörnblad’s daughter, Josefine. Still attempting to deal with the grief of her loss, Eva is haunted by the belief that Josefine did not drown during their fateful trip to the Silverhojd Lake, but was abducted. When a young boy goes missing in the same area, this motivates Eva to delve deeper into the mystery of the forest and confront her darkest fears.

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The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 3 Launch Trailer Goes Above the Law

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If you’ve been dying to find out what became of Clementine and Javier, then be informed that the “Above the Law”, the third episode of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, launches on March 28.

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Ep 3: Above the Law – Official Trailer
Javier struggles to find a role in his newly reunited family. Meanwhile, tension within the walls of Richmond grow. Will Clementine and the rest of the group turn against Javier? It may be time to choose between the family you’re born into and the family you’ve made. ‘Above the Law’ will be available beginning March 28.

Buy the game: https://telltale.com/series/the-walking-dead-a-new-frontier/#buy
Learn more: https://telltale.com/series/the-walking-dead-a-new-frontier/

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RoboCop 2 (Blu-ray)

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RoboCop 2Starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Tom Noonan, Dan O’Herlihy

Directed by Irvin Kershner

Distributed by Scream Factory


Following up a cinema classic is an unenviable task. There are more examples of where filmmakers got it wrong than right, but when done right you wind up with movies like The Godfather Part II (1974) and Aliens (1986). Those are extreme exceptions when the sequel arguably eclipses the predecessor, giving itself a clear reason to live. But there are also many instances where a sequel pays great respect to its forebearer and is solidly good in its own right, yet because it doesn’t match or exceed to beloved original it winds up being dismissed. A good example is Psycho II (1983), Richard Franklin’s more-than-worthy follow-up to one of horror’s top brass that remains highly underrated. Similarly, over the years very little talk is ever devoted to the sequels spawned from RoboCop (1987)… although I think we can all agree the less said about RoboCop 3 (1993) the better, right? Director Irvin Kershner, himself a last-minute replacement for Tim Hunter, takes over for Paul Verhoeven for RoboCop 2 (1990), and delivers a sequel that minimizes the humorous satire of the first film for a serious, grim affair that goes to some dark places.

Despite the presence of RoboCop (Peter Weller) crime in Detroit is at an all-time high. Omni Consumer Products (OCP) continues to run the police force – and soon the city, too, as they foreclose on a debt owed by the local government. Their plan is to take Detroit private and build Delta City, running it on their own terms. To galvanize public support for gentrification, OCP riles up crime on the streets and slashes police benefits to trigger a strike. Only RoboCop, who cannot strike, and his partner Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen), still patrol the city. A new drug on the market, Nuke, is a highly addictive injectable made and distributed by Cain (Tom Noonan). RoboCop and Lewis raid one of Cain’s factories and kill everyone after his escape, save for Hob (Gabriel Damon), an underage kid who helps run the operation. OCP, meanwhile, is trying to develop “RoboCop 2” with little luck – every officer selected winds up committing suicide shortly after resurrection. The woman in charge, Dr. Faxx (Belinda Bauer) suggests they try using a criminal.

Cain is worried that OCP’s plans to clean up the city via their new construction plans will ruin his lucrative business, so he keeps contacts within the police force like Duffy (Stephen Lee), a Nuke addict who feeds Cain information. RoboCop and Lewis track Duffy to a meeting with Cain and, although Cain escapes, they are able to get his whereabouts out of Duffy. RoboCop takes on Cain’s gang by himself but is overwhelmed and dismantled, his body parts dumped in front of police HQ. For his confession Cain has Duffy tortured and killed. RoboCop is reluctantly repaired by OCP and given all new, wholesome directives that he thankfully learns how to suppress, along with all of his old directives, too. Free to think and act how he wishes, RoboCop launches an assault on Cain and gets his man… but so does Dr. Faxx. Cain’s brain is uploaded into RoboCop 2 and he’s kept in check thanks to his reliance on Nuke, but a criminal mind like Cain’s is never stable and a confrontation with RoboCop is guaranteed.

The fact RoboCop 2 wound up being so good in spite of a troubling start – that saw original director Tim Hunter replaced at the last minute by veteran Irvin Kershner – and the loss of a visionary like Paul Verhoeven is a real testament to the production crew. Based on a script by Frank Miller and Walon Green (although reports make it sound like Miller’s vision was greatly minimized), RoboCop 2 gets it right by doing what a good sequel should – returning a number of familiar supporting elements and lead characters while also introducing new, dynamic villains and a similar but different tone. Gone is Verhoeven’s heavy satire that found humor in extreme circumstances; Kershner’s Detroit is more hardened and cold. Even The Old Man (Dan O’Herlihy), presented as an affable old fellow in RoboCop, is pretty much Conal Cochran here; he is ruthless and cunning and he knows how to play everyone like a fiddle. Remember when Dick Jones said he called him “asshole” once? Now you learn why. In addition to O’Herlihy, the returning cast includes Sgt. Reed (Robert Do’Qui), the weaselly Johnson (Felton “It tastes like baby food” Perry), and a few more minor players whose presence helps remind us we’re in the same place as before.

Also (thankfully) returning: Phil Tippett and his incredible team of animators. RoboCop 2 features the most thrilling battle of the series, when RoboCop fights RoboCop2/Cain. The stop-motion work is exciting and so skillfully executed that at times it nearly looks like actual live action footage. And it goes on for quite some time. RoboCop 2 has a bulky brute design that is evocative of the ED-209 but much more streamlined, and because Cain is established as a complex, fearsome villain throughout the film it makes his appearance within what is essentially a metal tank with legs that much more frightening. RoboCop’s rivals in the first film were threats but his real challenge was coming to grips with who he had become. This time around something more formidable was required, and Tippet and co. delivered.

There’s another reason Cain is such an effective villain: Tom Noonan is one creepy motherfucker. His involvement in a project has been shown to increase unsettling vibes by 81%.

Other than being a little long in the tooth I can’t make too many complaints about this film. Recapturing the magic of RoboCop was never going to happen; that film is an absolute all-timer and no sequel could have outdone it. What this film does is, again, just what it needed to: give fans more of the good stuff but be its own thing, too. Not an easy task by any means, but a capable team led by Kershner pulled it off splendidly. My one honest complaint: no Basil Poledouris score! He was working plenty when this was made and it may have just been a scheduling conflict but those resonant themes and soaring cues of triumph are highly conspicuous by their absence. The score provided by composer Leonard Rosenman lacks everything Poledouris’ embodied, making that my one true trouble here. Otherwise than that, this is a respectable sequel that plays nicely following Verhoeven’s masterpiece.

Previously issued by MGM in both a trilogy collection and solo disc, RoboCop 2 sports a shiny new coat of paint in the form of a new 2K scan of the interpositive. The resulting 1.85:1 1080p image is a stunner, improving on the old releases in every way. The color palette appears more vivid, with splashes of brighter shades popping off the screen. Film grain is smoother and has been returned to a more natural, filmic appearance. Fine detail and overall definition enjoy the biggest boost over prior releases, allowing so much more of the film’s minute production design to be seen. Detroit has never looked uglier! There are sporadic instances of dirt & debris, though they are fleeting. Black levels are rock solid.

As per usual, Scream Factory has provided an English DTS-HD MA track in both 2.0 stereo and 5.1 surround sound options. Dialogue is presented cleanly and without issue, striking a good balance within the mix. There are many moments of explosive gunfire and, er, explosions and while there is a decent audible response the impact could be greater. Leonard Rosenman’s score gets the job done but it in no way will inspire and elate in the way Poledouris’ themes did the first time around. Subtitles are included in English.

Two audio commentary tracks are included here – the first, with author/CG supervisor Paul M. Sammon; the second, with the “Robodoc: The Creation of RoboCop” team.

“Corporate Wars: The Making of RoboCop 2” – This compilation of new and vintage interviews features discussions with director Irvin Kershner, producer Jon Davison, actors Tom Noonan & Nancy Allen, associate producer Phil Tippett, and many more. Lots of production history is covered here and it is all fascinating.

“Machine Parts: The FX of RoboCop 2” – Tippett and most of the lead special effects technicians on the film sit down to discuss their approach to making the film’s FX stand out and push the boundaries of what current technology could achieve.

“Robo-Fabricator” – James Belohovek designed RoboCop’s armor and he sits down here to recall his process.

“OCP Declassified” is a 1989 interview with producer Jon Davison.

“Adapting Frank Miller’s RoboCop 2” is an interview featuring comic book writer Steven Grant discussing Miller’s vastly different take on the sequel.

A theatrical trailer, two teaser trailers, a trio of TV spots, a “Deleted Scenes Gallery” (featuring still shots of scenes cut from the final film along with explanatory text), “Behind-the-Scenes Gallery”, and a loaded “Still Gallery” make up the remainder of this loaded package.

Special Features:

  • NEW 2K scan of the interpositive
  • NEW Audio Commentary with author/CG supervisor Paul M. Sammon
  • NEW Audio Commentary with the makers of “RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop” documentary – Gary Smart, Chris Griffiths and Eastwood Allen
  • NEW Corporate Wars: The Making of ROBOCOP 2 – featuring new and vintage interviews with director Irvin Kershner, producer Jon Davidson, cast members Tom Noonan, Nancy Allen, Galyn Görg, executive producer Patrick Crowley, associate producer Phil Tippett, cinematographer Mark Irwin and author/CG supervision Paul M. Sammon (32 minutes)
  • NEW Machine Parts: The FX of ROBOCOP 2 – featuring Phil Tippett, Peter Kuran, Craig Hayes, Jim Aupperle, Kirk Thatcher, Paul Gentry, Don Waller, Justin Kohn, Randal Dutra and Kevin Kutchaver (31 minutes)
  • NEW Robo-Fabricator – an interview with RoboCop armor fabricator James Belohovek (9 minutes)
  • NEW Adapting Frank Miller’s ROBOCOP 2 – an interview with comic book writer Steven Grant (6 minutes)
  • NEW OCP Declassified – a collection of rare archival production and behind-the-scenes videos including interviews with director Irvin Kershner, actors Peter Weller, Dan O’Herlihy and a look at the filming of some deleted scene (46 minutes)
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Teaser Trailers
  • TV Spots
  • Deleted Scenes Still Gallery
  • Still Galleries (behind-the-scenes photos, stills, posters and lobby cards)

BUY IT NOW!

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Clive Barker Reveals Covers and Samples From Upcoming Graphic Novel Hellraiser Anthology

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Horror legend Clive Barker has just revealed the cover and sample pages from the upcoming new original graphic novel Hellraiser Anthology, a series he claims required venturing, “…where even darkness fears to dwell.” The collection will feature art from Daniele Serra, Riley Schmitz, Sam Shearon, and more. Writers include Ben Meares, Matt Murray, Christian Francis, David Ian McKendry, Rebekah McKendry, and Barker himself. You can see all the samples below.

The graphic novel will make its debut at Monsterpalooza in Pasadena, CA from April 7th-9th and will be available in hardcover and digital options via Barker’s webstore on April 14th.

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Lucifer Season 2 Shortened; Four Standalone Episodes Now Part of Season 3

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A bit of a shakeup has taken place with regard to Fox’s popular series “Lucifer,” but it’s nothing too major… just a slight shuffling of Season 2’s last four episodes, which have been described as “completely standalone” in nature, to later in the year.

Confused?  Here are the details per Futon Critic, who broke the news, and TVLine, who expanded it…

Fox has decided to shorten Season 2, which returns on Monday, May 1st, to 18 episodes, resulting in a season finale on May 29th.  As for those four “standalone” eps, they’ll kick off Season 3 in the fall.

As co-showrunner Ildy Modrovich told TVLine previously, one of them is “a flashback to Lucifer first arriving [in Los Angeles].”

Modrovich’s co-showrunner Joe Henderson explained in a series of tweets (see most of them below) that the four episodes “also pick up plots we’ve introduced and bring in new stuff we’ll play with [in] season 3… They won’t feel very standalone because they are so character focused… End of season 2 is still exactly what we planned. And it is CRAZY awesome, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

“Lucifer” stars Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Rachael Harris, DB Woodside, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Kevin Alejandro, Aimee Garcia, Tricia Helfer, and Scarlett Estevez. The series is based upon the characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg for Vertigo, from DC Entertainment.

“Lucifer” is produced by Warner Bros. Television, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Aggressive Mediocrity. Tom Kapinos (“Californication”) wrote and executive produced the pilot. The series is executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, Ildy Modrovich, and Joe Henderson. Len Wiseman serves as director and executive producer. Kapinos serves as executive consultant on the series.

In the all-new spring premiere of “Lucifer,” “Candy Morningstar,” airing Monday, May 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), on FOX, Lucifer (Ellis) has gone off the grid and cut off all contact from his family and the police department, following Chloe’s (German) near-death. But the murder of an up-and-coming guitarist causes him to resurface – with a new mystery woman. Meanwhile, Lucifer’s mom (Helfer) realizes she may have found a way to finally get them back to Heaven.

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Attack on Titan Season 2 Features Bigfoot and One Seriously Goofy Looking Titan

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A second trailer for the long-awaited second season of “Attack on Titan” has finally been released and I couldn’t make it 20 seconds in without having to pause and laugh uproariously! First of all, it starts off by showcasing a titan that looks suspiciously like Bigfoot, which is fine. But then it cuts and shows the below titan, who is one of the goofiest looking creations I’ve seen in an anime series. Seriously, how can you look at that guy and feel fear? If I were in the Scout Regiment, I’d probably see that titan, fall of my horse, and die laughing. I wouldn’t be able to help myself! Seriously, give it a watch below and let me know your thoughts!

Funimation states that the second season will premiere In Japan on April 1st, at which point they’ll simulcast on the same day.

Synopsis (courtesy of Funimation):
Eren Jaeger swore to wipe out every last Titan, but in a battle for his life he wound up becoming the thing he hates most. With his new powers, he fights for humanity’s freedom facing the monsters that threaten his home. After a bittersweet victory against the Female Titan, Eren finds no time to rest—a horde of Titans is approaching Wall Rose and the battle for humanity continues!

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New Maniac Cop Will Not Be a Pure Horror FIlm

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Some quick news is coming out from Variety regarding the Nicolas Winding Refn produced remake of the William Lustig classic, Maniac Cop.

The site reports that the film is set to shoot this summer in Los Angeles, with Wild Bunch on board to handle world sales. Paul Brett at London-based Prescience MA’s Merlin Funds has come on board to finance Maniac Cop, which is being produced by Refn and Børglum’s Copenhagen-set banner Space Rocket Nation, along with Bold Films.

The script was penned by Ed Brubaker (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Angel of Death) in collaboration with Refn and will be helmed by John Hyams (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning). Lustig and Refn, who have known each others for many years, are serving as creative producers on Maniac Cop.

Set in the present, Maniac Cop follows a determined L.A. police officer who sets out to reveal the truth about the brutal murders of innocent people by one of her fellow cops. Casting for the film is under way.

Børglum told Variety that Maniac Cop will not be a pure horror film but rather a contemporary and realistic action thriller. Børglum said that the long-gestating project took several years to get off the ground because it took some time to secure the film rights, find the right director and partners, and get the financing in place. Christopher Woodrow’s Vendian Entertainment was previously involved in the film.

Although Refn will be creatively involved in the film, Maniac Cop will showcase Hyams’ directing style. “The reason why we wanted to work with John Hyams is because we love his visual style and his ability to work extremely well on a limited budget,” Børglum said.

Maniac Cop will mark the third collaboration between Refn and Wild Bunch, which handled international sales on Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon, both of which competed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Maniac Cop

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