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Two Towns that Dreaded Sundown

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The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976) is based on a series of real murderers by a man dubbed the Phantom Killer who went on a rampage in the town of Texarkana (a city shared by Texas and Arkansas, hence the name) in 1946. The killer was never caught, though there are varying theories about who was behind the murders. So you can definitely see why this would have fascinated director Charles B. Pierce. There’s something about the mysterious killer with vague motivations that makes for great horror. It gives the legend an almost demonic strength. It places it in the realm of mythology. Which begs the question: was there really any motivation at all? Violence is sometimes the most frightening when it’s an end in itself.

Pierce was often fascinated by real-life mysteries, basing several of his movies on them. His debut film, The Legend of Boggy Creek, released to drive-ins as a double feature with Last House on the Left in 1972, examined the legends of a bigfoot-like creature in Fouke, Arkansas, near Texarkana. A faux-documentary, it features narration by Vern Stierman, who also provided narration for The Town that Dreaded Sundown. Unlike Boggy Creek, however, Sundown doesn’t pretend to be a documentary, so the narration feels quite out of place. Actually, a lot seems out of place in this movie.

While the performances in Sundown are better than the (mostly) complete amateurs Pierce used in Boggy Creek, they’re still not incredible, though it’s all serviceable enough for low-budget horror. It reminded me at times of watching an extended episode of “Unsolved Mysteries.” God, who could forget those wonderfully terrible re-enactments? The spooky voice-over certainly lends credence to this comparison. Which actually makes me wonder if perhaps The Town that Dreaded Sundown was a direct influence on the show. Probably not, but it’s fun to think about these things. Actually, there is one standout actor: Ben Johnson (The Last Picture Show and a ton of Westerns). He plays the cantankerous J.D. Morales, nicknamed the Lone Wolf, based on an actual Texas Ranger who worked on the case and actually killed a dozen people. Also notable is an appearance by Dawn Wells, famous for playing Mary Ann on “Gilligan’s Island.”

Except for the last killing, the murders all take place at a local “lovers lane.” As you might expect, the attacks are the most affecting parts of the film. There’s something so jarring about young and more-or-less innocent necking interrupted by over-the-top violence from a man with a goddamn potato sack over his head, especially during such a nostalgia-laden period like the the end of World War II. Though he never sexually assaults any of his victims, there is definitely a sexual component to his murders. He only attacks couples. Why? We never find out, and it’s just as well, I suppose.

The concept is quite good, but The Town that Dreaded Sundown is often marred by stretches of goofy comedy that are interspersed throughout the film. Pierce himself plays the patrolman A.C. Benson, who exists solely as good ol’ boy comic relief. The humor certainly undercuts the fright, but, I have to admit, it makes the movie seem more surreal as a whole, which makes it even more fascinating for a B-movie weirdo like myself. There are times where the film has the potential to be a really dark grindhouse kind of flick, especially when the killer is just murdering people in the middle of nowhere and there’s no music or dialogue accompanying the violence. This doesn’t happen often, though. The music comes back soon enough, killing the mood, so to speak. Because of this, the movie undercuts its own potential for real terror. And I think the subject deserved a more serious treatment. Real people died, after all, and 1976 was only thirty years removed from the actual incidents. It would have been the respectful thing to do. If not, well, just fictionalize things a little more, like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which was kinda-sorta, but not really based on the Ed Gein murders.

As it stands, there’s a lot of blending of fantasy and reality in The Town that Dreaded Sundown, and the boundaries only get murkier in the 2014 remake / sequel of the same name directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. It’s often called a meta-sequel, and sure, why not, that’s as good a definition as any. After all, in the reality of this movie, the original film exists. And the real murders are acknowledged, too. So the movie’s new killer is influenced by both the original film and the real-life incidents that inspired it. At the same time, the killings are an almost beat-for-beat recreation of those that took place in the original movie. (Except for a particularly gruesome scene in which the mysterious murderer breaks a hotel window with a decapitated head. Yikes.) Adding to the, uh, meta-ness of the piece is that there’s a Texas Ranger who nicknames himself the Lone Wolf, though he has no idea that there’s a similar character in the 1976 film. Until he watches the movie, of course.

Well, is that meta enough for you?

Adding to the weirdness, the movie is supposed to take place within the last decade, and yet the characters dress straight out of the 70’s and have cars to match. There are only a few indications that the movie takes place in the near-past, most prominently the use of cellphones and laptops. And that’s about it. The movie is pretty much lost in time.

This version of Sundown is a bit gorier, as you might expect. This is the 21st Century, after all, and subtlety is dead. The practical effects are damn good, though. There’s some CGI blood splatter that verges on silly, but it’s not too distracting.

The writing, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, isn’t bad at all, despite the need to constantly appear clever while winking at the audience. The tone is actually consistent and it takes its subject more or less seriously, though I wonder what Charles Pierce’s son, who’s still alive, thought about his comic portrayal as an eccentric who lives on houseboat completely surrounded by land, decorated almost entirely with memorabilia from the original Town that Dreaded Sundown. The only glaring flaw, really, is that the film completely falls apart at the end. Not only do you see the killer’s identity coming from about seven miles away, but it’s one of those final confrontations where the bad guy explains his motivations in detail in a long-winded speech, reasoning that his victim will be dead soon enough anyway. This is silly. Horror filmmakers, stop doing this. Just stop.

The odd thing about both of these movies is that they recognize that their source is a string of actual murders that happened to real people, but they don’t seem to care a whole lot, making caricatures of the victims by using their stories as a vehicle for horror movie exploitation. Without the baggage of being based on a true story, these movies would be wonderful. But the context leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. I think there’s a perfect version of this story waiting to be made, a third Town that will take the victims’ stories completely seriously. As much as I enjoyed both versions of The Town That Dreaded Sundown, I’ll be waiting for that third movie.

The post Two Towns that Dreaded Sundown appeared first on Dread Central.


Famous Monsters Convention Dallas (Event Report)

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I don’t know about you cats, but I love me some Uncle Forry.  Forrest J Ackerman and his magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland were a big part of my youth.  Thankfully, I got out to LA 20 years ago when he was still giving tours of his Ackermansion and got experience the mansion and the man first-hand.

Uncle Forry is gone, but Famous Monsters continues, and they’ve launched this new convention in Dallas starting May of this year.  They’ve done Famous Monsters cons in other states prior to this, but it was the first this side of the Rocky Mountains.

Set only three weeks after the juggernaut that is Texas Frightmare Weekend, this one confused me a bit when it popped up on my radar. Sporting a mix of sci-fi and horror guests and an interesting but scattered mix of events (laser tag? D&D tournament? Lego building?), it seemed to come together quickly.

After speaking to main man Phil Kim, I came to understand there’s a very long story behind the circumstances, and that while the con will be back in Dallas next year, it’ll be closer to Halloween to kick off that season and remain well clear of Texas Frightmare in May.

The great news is this was a fantastic little con.  It was very lightly attended for a number of reasons, but it was extremely well organized and very different from TFW.  Other cons have attempted to compete directly with TFW, and those didn’t last past their first year.  Famous Monsters fills an entirely different niche, sporting a lineup and design that meet the criteria of what Uncle Forry would have wanted.  Forry loved his monsters, but he was also the man who literally coined the term “sci-fi” (it was the license plate on his car, no joke) and had a love for genre films across specific niches like horror, fantasy, or science fiction.

This show had guests as widely ranging as cast members of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” anime voiceover actors, and horror luminaries like Felissa Rose and Sean Cunningham.  Vendors were similarly spread out, with cosplayers seated next to comic artists next to anime posters. Droid makers and Mandalorian cosplay groups mingled with Godzilla costume makers.  An ECTO-1 sat parked next to the hot rods from The Munsters.

The goal seemed to be to bring together fans of ALL genres, which is something Uncle Forry was passionate about.  In his Ackermansion you had a screen-used Cylon from “Battlestar Galactica,” but you also had one of Lugosi’s screen-worn capes and rings from Dracula.  Forry was King Geek, God bless him, and that was the feel of this con.

Some of Famous Monsters’ famous covers

Everyone I spoke to had nothing but positive things to say about the show.  The light attendance was a drag, but that should change next year with a better time frame, different location, and more lead-up time to promote.  Guests told me they were very well taken care of, vendors were pleased with how things were managed, the events were handled very well, and the volunteers were plentiful and well-trained.

I think this will be an excellent addition to the already-busy con schedule in Dallas. Right now it’s Texas Frightmare Weekend and a bunch of general comic cons, with a random corporate con oriented around one fandom or another thrown in.  This should give horror and monster nerds another party every year on the opposite end of the summer from TFW and give sci-fi and fantasy fans a brand new place to mix and mingle.

See you next year!

The post Famous Monsters Convention Dallas (Event Report) appeared first on Dread Central.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases: June 13, 2017

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Well, folks, I told you that we had a pretty hefty list of releases this week; and with 26 total items dropping, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. The only major issue this week regards titles coming out on the 12th instead of what would be typical. Those titles consist mainly of collections, such as the Box of Monsters, the Undead Collection, the Evil Spirits Collection, and Ghostbusters 1 & 2.

Additionally, a limited edition Blu-ray of Cannibal Cop will also be dropping on the 12th. Aside from these, everything should be hitting your shelves on the 13th.

Fans who followed the show “Grimm” up until its recent finale will be interested to know that the entire season will be available this week on both Blu-ray and DVD. Additionally, Seasons 1 and 6 will be getting DVD and Blu-ray releases as well.

There’s also a small handful of classics this week. One of those is the Blu-ray release for 1981’a Madhouse from Arrow Video. You can check out our review of it here. Other classics this week include an Alfred Hitchcock double feature including The Birds and Psycho, as well as 1959’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Don’t forget 1990’s Alienator as it will be coming to Blu-ray courtesy of your friends at Shout! Factory.

In terms of newer releases, this week also sees the newest entry in what seems to be the unending Amityville series, Amityville: No Escape. Another more recent release that you may want to check out this week is Dry Bones, whose Dread Central review can be found here.

There are plenty of other releases below for you to peruse so I won’t ruin all of the fun here. Have a great week, try to stay cool, and as always, pleasant viewing.



MOVIES

Alienator (1990)

Starring:

Jan Michael-Vincent, Ross Hagen, John Phillip Law

Synopsis:

In deep space, the deadliest animal is still woman!

It’s a futuristic fight to the finish when the Commander of a space station prison (Jan Michael-Vincent, The Mechanic, White Line Fever) takes on galactic archvillain Kol (Ross Hagen, Avenging Angel). When Kol escapes, on the verge of his execution, the Commander has no choice but to unleash the Alienator – a ruthless android hunter with one unstoppable purpose: terminate Kol at any cost!

Kol’s shuttle crash-lands on Earth and the Alienator is hot on his trail. She is determined to capture her prey – even if it means blowing away everything and everyone in her path.

This sci-fi action film co-stars John Phillip Law (Barbarella), P.J. Soles (Carrie, Halloween, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School) and featuring female bodybuilder Teagan as the Alienator.

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Amityville: No Escape (2016)

Starring:

Joni Durian, Alia Gabrielle Eckhardt, Allison Egan, Ira Gansler, Julia Gomez

Synopsis:

In order to raise the authenticity to a thesis film on the topic of “fear” a group of friends camp in the woods of the most notorious town in America… AMITYVILLE.

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Badass Monster Killer (2015)

Starring:

Jawara Duncan, Amelia Belle, Ryan Cicak, Stephanie Hyden, Tara Henry

Synopsis:

On the trashy side of Camaroville, there’s a mob turf war going down, but the new gang in town ain’t content with merely controlling the local dope and sex trade. They are also mixed up with dangerous black magic, intent on resurrecting hideous demon-gods who have waited centuries for the chance to eat all our souls and enslave mankind!

These blasphemous bad guys need stopping, and Jimmy Chevelle, agent of The Department of Supernatural Security, is just the cat to do the stopping. He hasn’t let the man keep him down, and he’s certainly not going to let some sinister shape-shifting suckas destroy the earth, and all of its foxy, foxy chicks, if HE can help it.

But can he stop the gangster cult’s evil plans in time? Get ready for a freaky, funky thrill ride with demonic pimps, kung fu super foxes and terrible sanity-shattering extraterrestrial horrors from beyond space and time!

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The Butcher Possessions (2017)

Starring:

Damien E. Lipp

Synopsis:

When video blogger Chris Shaw takes his friends out to an abandoned house in the desert to make a video of an urban legend ritual to see if its true, they summon an evil demon spirit and must fight for survival once it begins to hunt down and possess them one by one.

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Cannibal Cop (2017) Limited Edition, Just 100 Sold

Starring:

Jason Crowe, Channing Dodson, Roni Jonah, Kasper Meltedhair, Alaine Huntington

Synopsis:

Detective Warbeck is a little DIFFERENT. Warbeck is hungry for flesh. . .HUMAN FLESH! Detective Warbeck is a Cannibal Cop and he’s about to unleash a gut-ripping CRIME WAVE like this city’s never seen! Ever since Warbeck crossed paths with a vengeful Voodoo Queen he’s become a half-man, half zombie – cursed to a nocturnal rampage of unholy CANNIBAL TERROR! Only one woman can stop him – a crusading vigilante who wants to put the brakes on Warbeck’s blood-smeared FLESH FEAST! But who can stop a man cursed with the supernatural power of voodoo? Especially when that man is a Cannibal Cop? Cult director Donald Farmer, the creator of Cannibal Hookers and Vampire Cop, unleashes his latest nightmare with Cannibal Cop – starring Jason (Harvest Lake) Crowe, Channing (Shark Exorcist) Dodson, Roni (The Hospital) Jonah, Kasper (Hooker With A Hacksaw) Melted hair and Alaine ( HI-8) Huntington.

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The Casebook of Eddie Brewer (2012)

Starring:

Ian Brooker, Peter Wight, Louise Pars, Bella Hamblin

Synopsis:

A matter of belief becomes a question of survival as a TV documentary film crew follows old-school paranormal investigator Eddie Brewer (Ian Brooker) as he researches two disturbing and baffling cases: a suburban home where a neurotic mother is convinced something malevolent has attached itself to her ten year old daughter; and The Rookery House, a dilapidated Eighteenth Century building with strange noises and unexplained phenomenon coming from the cellar. Facing the greatest challenges of his life, Eddie confronts the source of these paranormal manifestations during an all-night vigil at the old house. What began as a mocking expose of his work becomes a terrifying battle between reason and the paranormal.

Winner of six international awards, including Best Feature film, Best Horror Film, and Best Actor.

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Documenting the Grey Man (2012)

Starring:

Various

Synopsis:

On Monday, September 10, 2007, police officers were called in to investigate possible multiple homicides at a historic Pawley’s Island, SC home. Investigators arrived to find what looked like documentary film equipment and that five members of a ghost-hunting expedition were missing without a trace.

”Extremely effective” with moments of ”sheer horror” (AintItCool.com), Documenting the Grey Man is a hair-raising paranormal found-footage investigation by a group of avaricious actors determined to exploit a family claiming to be haunted by a ghost. What they encounter will terrify you.

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­­Dry Bones (2014)

Starring:

Michael O’Hear, Debbie Rochon, John Renna, Paul McGinnis, Kathy Murphy

Synopsis:

From the director of the cult classics Slime City and Slime City Massacre comes a spine-tingling, gut-wrenching new tale of terror that aintitcool.com calls ”Ingeniously constructed…clever and original…a lot of fun”.

As a boy, Drew was terrorized by a monster under his bed. Decades later, psychiatrists have convinced Drew that his childhood trauma was a figment of his imagination until he returns home to confront his darkest fears. As the people in his life begin to disappear, Drew suspects the creature is hell-bent on his destruction. Debbie Rochon (The Theatre Bizarre) and Michael O’Hear (Snow Shark) star in this gruesome, goofy, and highly entertaining nod to classic ’80s horror.

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Forest of the Vampire (2016)

Starring:

Gary Kent, Destiny Baldwin, Paul Camp, Joe De Luca, Caitlyn Moore

Synopsis:

Four friends on a road trip to take a detour and hike into a remote forest, finding a strange local landmark named Enchanted Rock. They soon discover that the forest is under the control of a vampire and his underlings, and now they must fight for survival while finding the source of the vampires mysterious powers. Classic Hammer films meets the survivalist terror of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

Starring:

Peter Cushing, Andre Morell, Christopher Lee, Maria Landi, Miles Malleson

Synopsis:

Mastered in HD! Peter Cushing (The Skull) is a splendid Sherlock Holmes and Andre Morell (TV’s “Quatermass and the Pit”) is the perfect Dr. Watson in this terror-filled mystery classic co-starring horror legend Christopher Lee (House of the Long Shadows). With its compelling acting and spooky cinematography, this top-notch murder-mystery will keep you guessing and gasping until the final frame. A fiendish evil lurks beneath the mist-shrouded cliffs of England’s fabled moors. In the form of a hellish hound, it feeds upon the trembling flesh of the heirs of Baskerville Hall. But before this savage beast can sink its teeth into the newest lord of the manor, it must pit its vicious fangs against the searing intellect of the most powerful foe it has ever encountered – the incomparable Sherlock Holmes.

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Inquisition (1978)

Starring:

Paul Naschy, Daniela Giordano

Synopsis:

In 16th century France, Inquisitor and magistrate Bernard de Fossey (Paul Naschy) travels to the plague-ridden region of Peyriac in search of witches and devil worshippers. Local beauty Catherine (Daniela Giordano) quickly catches his eye, tormenting him with impure thoughts, although her affections lie with her handsome fiancé Jean. Meanwhile, embittered one-eyed manservant Rénover (Antonio Iranzo) presents Bernard with his first group of torture victims when he accuses several sexy young things who spurned his advances of being witches responsible for the plague.

One by one beautiful women are tortured on the rack then burned at the stake. No-one seems able to halt the Inquisition’s reign of terror or the baseless accusations that cause so many innocent deaths. When Jean dies in mysterious circumstances, Catherine allies herself with Satan to get revenge on her enemies – foremost among them, De Fossey himself.

This was horror star Paul Naschy’s directorial debut and one of his very best films. He plays three roles – Inquisitor De Fossey, the Devil, and the Grim Reaper. The film is a brutal and unrelenting portrait of a past when superstition and terror ruled the minds of men.

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Madhouse (1981) (2-Disc Special Edition)

Starring:

Trish Everly, Michael MacRae, Dennis Robertson

Synopsis:

Many people visit … No one ever leaves.

Helmed by legendary producer/director Ovidio Assonitis, the man behind such cult favourites as The Visitor and Piranha II: The Spawning, Madhouse is a crimson-soaked tale of sibling rivalry taken to a terrifying and bloody extreme.

Julia has spent her entire adult life trying to forget the torment she suffered at the hands of her twisted twin Mary… but Mary hasn t forgotten. Escaping hospital, where she s recently been admitted with a horrific, disfiguring illness, Julia s sadistic sister vows to exact a particularly cruel revenge on her sibling this year promising a birthday surprise that she’ll never forget.

An Italian production shot entirely in Savannah, Georgia, Madhouse (aka And When She Was Bad and There Was a Little Girl) fuses slasher elements with the over-the-top excess of 80s Italian terror resulting in a cinematic bloodbath so gut-wrenching that the British authorities saw fit to outlaw it as a video nasty .

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Medusa (2015)

Starring:

Jeff Allen, Tom Struckhoff, Britt Rose, Jorge Ameer, William McNamara

Synopsis:

A throwback to the campy exploitation horror films of the 1970’s. This tale of terror by renegade filmmaker Jorge Ameer (Sabor Tropical, D’Agostino) takes mythology professor Dr. Jack Peruci (Jeff Allen) on a journey into the woods to find an antique artifact called “the mirror”. This relic is said to possess the spirit of the gorgon Medusa. Upon his return with his latest finding, he must convince a group of skeptical board members spearheaded by Dr. Gleason (William McNamara) as to the validity of his research while fighting supernatural forces surrounding him in an effort to prevent his soul to be used as a vessel of resurrection for the temptress Medusa.

If you liked Andy Warhol’s Flesh for Frankenstein or Blood for Dracula, you’ll love Medusa!

A contemporary Gothic tale of terror based on Greek Mythology.

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Navy Seals v Demons (2017)

Starring:

Makil Vega, Matt Anderson, Les Brooks Jr., Sandra Villa, Pricilla Hernandez

Synopsis:

Jack County was like any other Bible belt town…. until the Demons from Hell showed up and took over the town. Navy SEALS are sent undercover and enlist the help of local bikers to take the town back. It’s a race against the clock to save Jack County, and all hell is about to break loose!

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Through the Looking Glass (2006)

Starring:

Paul Mccarthy, Jonathan Rhodes, Michael Langridge, Roz Povey

Synopsis:

The Artist lives alone in a foreboding old house in the country. Once prolific he is now a desperate man at odds with his work and unable to paint. When he discovers a mysterious package left on his doorstep The Artist finds a strange mirror within and soon becomes wracked by horrific visions. Beguiled by the mirror his work becomes fueled by the visions as he paints like never before. However, disturbing things soon begin to happen to him and those who enter the house. Escalating with each vision, with each brush stroke the mirror’s grip on The Artist tightens. Can The Artists untangle himself from the mirror’s creeping influence before it is too late? A terrifying horror, an atmospheric shocker – Festival Director SBFF 2007, winner of Best Horror.

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TELEVISION

“Grimm” Season One

Starring:

David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell

Synopsis:

And you thought they were just fairytales… The classic Grimms’ fairytales come to life like never before in this “dark and imaginative” (Mike Ayers, CNN.com Entertainment) series from the producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he’s descended from a long line of “Grimms,” who are charged with keeping balance between humanity and the creatures of myth. With newly awoken abilities to detect the evil lurking among us, Nick struggles to keep his old life separate and safe as he becomes ever more entrenched in the ancient rivalries of the Grimm world. Now, watch back-to-back and uninterrupted all 22 Season One episodes of this uniquely evocative series that critics rave “offers genuine scares” (Michelle Tauber, People).

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“Grimm” Season Six

Starring:

David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell

Synopsis:

Now that the nefarious forces of Black Claw have been silenced, Nick (David Giuntoli) faces an all too familiar foe in Captain Sean Renard (Sasha Roiz). Having gained a seat of power as the mayor-elect of Portland, Renard is poised to bring rise to his own brand of law and order. Nick must take a stand to protect his city and those closest to him, especially his child with Adalind (Claire Coffee). It will take the full force of Nick and his allies to find a way to bring peace. Meanwhile, Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) grapple with bringing a child into a new and tumultuous world, and Eve (Bitsie Tulloch) faces unsettling identity issues as her former self lurks below the surface. Own all 13 spine-chilling episodes of the final season of Grimm.

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“Grimm” The Complete Collection

Starring:

David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell

Synopsis:

The classic Grimms’ fairytales come to life with Grimm: The Complete Collection. Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he’s descended from a long line of Grimms, who are charged with keeping balance between humanity and the creatures of myth. With newly awoken abilities to detect the evil lurking among us, Nick tackles gruesome and bizarre crimes linked to creatures of lore. As even more dangerous Wesen make their way to the great northwest, it’s going to take all of Team Grimm’s strength and energy to keep Portland from bursting open at the seams. Own every spine-chilling episode of Grimm with this six-season collection.

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COLLECTIONS

The Birds / Psycho

Starring:

Anthony Perkins, Tippi Hedren, Janet Leigh, Rod Taylor, Vera Miles

Movies:

The Birds

Hitchcock’s bird’s-eye-view of the apocalypse has our feathered friends attacking the residents of a small town in northern California.

Psycho

Leigh is on the lam with stolen money and makes the mistake of checking into the Bates Motel, run by Perkins… and his mother. Hitchcock’s horror film is best remembered for the shower scene and Bernard Herrmann’s chilling score.

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Box of Monsters (6/12)

Starring:

Various

Movies:

  • Bats
  • The Blob (1988)
  • Chupacabra Terror
  • The Dark (2005)
  • Death Tunnel
  • Decoys (2004)
  • The Devil’s Chair
  • Frankenfish
  • Lake Placid: The Final Chapter
  • Loch Ness
  • Night of the Living Dead (1990)

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Death Cam Volume 1

Starring:

Various

Synopsis:

The very mention of a “Snuff Film” sends shivers of horror down the spine of most normal, law abiding citizens. But not all of us are “normal” – some crave a more primordial and warped form of entertainment for reasons beyond them, and for that reason progressive countries allow artistic expression and deem it an aspect of social service, in an effort to quell those dark and unfathomable desires that may rage within. And so for those with that penchant for that darkness within, there is Death Cam Vol. 1.

Movies:

Psycho with a Camera

Enter a world of grime and sleaze and be ready to squirm at every action of The Photographer, a sick adventure into the very real world of porn, perversion and depravity. One close-up and you’re DEAD.

Video Girl

Julie dreamt of being an actress, and when an audition comes around for a new horror feature film, she can’t believe her luck, but ends up becoming prey to a twisted psychopathic director.

Dead on Camera

All is not what it seems as an unsuspecting cast and crew enter the very real world of a perverse director as he shows them what a real snuff film should look like. Be prepared to be shocked and disgusted.

BUY IT NOW!


Evil Spirits Collection (6/12)

Starring:

Various

Movies:

Christine

A gawky teen turns cool and bad with his restored 1958 two-tone Plymouth Fury. Directed by John Carpenter. From the Stephen King novel.

Deliver Us from Evil

In Deliver Us from Evil, New York police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana), struggling with his own personal issues, begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest (Edgar Ramírez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city. Inspired by the book, which details Sarchie’s bone-chilling real-life cases.

Evil Dead

A secluded cabin. An ancient curse. An unrelenting evil. The original producers reunite to present a genuinely terrifying re-imagining of their original horror masterpiece. Five young friends have found the mysterious and fiercely powerful Book of the Dead. Unable to resist its temptation, they release a violent demon on a bloodthirsty quest to possess them all. Who will be left to fight for their survival and defeat this unearthly force of murderous carnage?

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

In an extremely rare decision, the Catholic Church officially recognized the demonic possession of a 19 year-old college freshman. Told in flashbacks, The Exorcism of Emily Rose chronicles the haunting trial of the priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of the young girl believed to be possessed and the laywer who takes on the task of defending him.

The Last Exorcism Part II

Continuing where the first film left off, Nell Sweetzer (Ashley Bell) is found terrified and alone in rural Louisiana. Back in the relative safety of New Orleans, Nell realizes that she can’t remember entire portions of the previous months only that she is the last surviving member of her family. Just as Nell begins the difficult process of starting a new life, the evil force that once possessed her is back with other, unimaginably horrific plans that mean her last exorcism was just the beginning.

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Ghostbusters & Ghostbusters 2 (2 Movie Collection) (6/12)

Starring:

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts

Synopsis:

The classic supernatural comedies that defined a generation: Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2. Revisit these spooktacular films that captured the imagination of audiences around the world—and redefined the action-comedy genre in the process.

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Killer Sci Fi Collection

Starring:

Bill Paxton, Mark Hamill, Klaus Kinski, Steven Vidler

Synopsis:

Three Full Length Sci fi Films

Movies:

Slipstream

In the near future, where Earth has been devastated by natural disasters, and giant winds rule the planet, bounty hunter Matt kidnaps a murderer out of the hands of two police officers, planning to get the bounty himself. The police officers in turn try to hunt the two men down.

Creature

A crew of scientists arrives on a far, cold planet to examine archaic artifacts of unknown origin. They discover that their German enemies already have a ship there. When they seek their help after a failed landing, they only find the Germans bodies, obviously slaughtered by one of the archaic creatures, awoken to new life. Now the alien is after them.

Incident At Raven’s Gate

Ex con Eddie Cleary gets a job working on his older brother s isolated farm. It s not long before bizarre things start happening, dead birds falling out of the sky, family pets attacking their owners, strange apparitions beginning to appear, and people who had been normal suddenly going insane.

BUY IT NOW!


Stephen King Triple Feature

Starring:

David Morse, Dean Stockwell, Frankie Faison, Baxter Harris

Movies:

  • The Stand
  • The Langoliers
  • Golden Years

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Undead Collection (6/12)

Starring:

Various

Movies:

30 Days of Night

In Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in the U.S, the winter sun sets and does not rise for 30 days and nights. From the darkness comes an evil force that strikes terror on the town, and all hope is pinned on a husband-and-wife cop team.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The vampire count of Transylvania seeks his lost love and the conquest of Britain by plague.

The Covenant

In 1692, in the Ipswich Colony of Massachusetts, five families with untold power formed a covenant of silence. One family, lusting for more, was banished – their bloodline disappearing without a trace. Until now.

Directed by Renny Harlin and written by J.S. Cardone, The Covenant tells the story of the Sons of Ipswich, four young students at the elite Spencer Academy who are bound by their sacred ancestry. As descendants of the original families who settled in Ipswich Colony in the 1600s.

John Carpenter’s Vampires

The future of mankind rests in the hands of Master Slayer Jack Crow as he moves to prevent the Master Vampire from reaching his ultimate goal for the legions of undead, the ability to walk in daylight.

Fright Night

The host of a late-night TV horror show believes a teen’s next-door neighbor is a vampire.

BUY IT NOW!

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Exclusive: Gehenna Director Hiroshi Katagiri on Practical FX, Crowdfunding Platforms, and Hellboy

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Following its premiere last October, we haven’t heard much about the practical FX-heavy horror film Gehenna and its release. While we can’t offer too much in the way regarding news on that front, we managed to steal a few minutes of time from director Hiroshi Katagiri to discuss how the film was funded, his approach towards practical FX, and what the future holds for him, which includes working on the Hellboy reboot! Head on down for this exclusive interview.

Gehenna stars Patrick Gorman, Simon Phillips, Katherine Wallace, Eva Swan, Sean Sprawling, Justin Gordon, Matthew Edward Hegstrom, and Doug Jones with a cameo appearance by Lance Henriksen.

Synopsis:
Five people travel to the remote, pristine Pacific island of Saipan to scout locations for their company’s new luxury resort. They find curious natives, strange dolls, and learn of historic curses, but they finally find an ideal spot.

On this spot is a cave – and when they enter, what appears to be a Japanese WWII bunker turns out to be much more, and they learn that curiosity can kill, that everyone has private secrets and inner demons, and that there are some places on Earth where death itself can live….

Dread Central: Before making Gehenna, you directed a few short films and did special FX for some of the biggest movies of the past 20+ years. How did that history help prepare you to direct a feature-length film?
Hiroshi Katagiri: My history of FX works definitely helped out funding my first feature-length film. I was able to present myself by referencing my past works. For the Kickstarter presentation, I created high quality FX in the clip by myself which could help so much to convince backers and investors.

DC: What were some valuable lessons you learned as a special FX artist that you feel helped you as a director?
HK: When I watch horror movie or creature movie, I watch them through professional eyes. Always criticizing effects, I imagine how they were made, or how they were shot. I always think of the behind-the-scenes as I watch the film because of my work, which can get in the way because sometimes I can’t focus on the film. But those experiences really help me when I shoot my film as I can easily imagine how to do it.

DC: By having such a history as a special FX artist, there’s clearly going to be a bias towards creating real monsters versus using CGI. But what are the challenges that going practical offer that people might not realize?
HK: There is a tendency for producers and directors now a days using a term such as “don’t shoot now, CG them later”. If you have money and time, yes, sometimes this could be a good solution. But many people don’t understand how hard it is to create something that was not there. I believe practical FX and CGI have both a good side and downside.
I had challenged myself to use as much practical FX as possible, and also add-in tiny CGI on top of that for a few shots. If you make good quality creatures, those can be so believable because those are existing in front of the camera. But even though those are realistic, they are not real. It can be enchanting to shoot.
I don’t want say which one is better, but I know the limit of practical FX and what’s missing. I challenge that limit and covered some FX by using CG. I believe that had provided believable FX for the audience.

DC: When you create your works of art, where does your inspiration come from?
HK: Through FX works, I often see various materials such as animals, dead bodies, crazy expressions etc…and I’m always seeking good references. My inspiration comes from those huge amount of memories.

DC: Tell me a bit about the process of using Kickstarter to help fund Gehenna and what benefits and negatives going such a route presented?
HK: There was a huge amount of effort for the campaign. I spent six months preparing the initial video for Kickstarter. Creating the creature, shooting the opening sequence, preparing the website, I tried to make them all as impressive as possible. It was so much work. Once the campaign started, every day I placed updates on Facebook to continue to get attention. Yes, every day. I constantly made funny videos to entertain audiences to get continuous attraction. Also there were huge amounts of daily emails, with offers, suggestions, etc…

Luckily I had a marketing person working with me and he supported me with those many emails. Once the campaign was done, there were many rewards for backers that I had to send, such as T-shirts, posters, props… To save money, I had to pack and ship everything myself, it was hundreds of items. Creating address labels were a pain too.

So, the downside of a Kickstarter campaign is I have so, so many things to do besides creating the film. But of course, the positive part is that I got funded. Without using Kickstarter, I could never have made the film. So in the end, it was all good.

DC: The film featured both Lance Henriksen and Doug Jones. What was it like to work with such iconic names from the horror/fantasy world?
HK: I had worked with Doug Jones many times in the past. I had created several characters he played, such as in The Time Machine, “Crusade”, “The X-Files”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and many more that I don’t even remember. But this was a first time to direct him. So it was a very unique experience for myself. He was so nice and took my direction very well. His attitude was exactly the same as working for big budget films.

About Lance Henriksen, I never met him before. I was like, “Oh my God! He is a Bishop from Aliens!” That of course made me very nervous to direct him because I’m such a fan of his. Same with Doug Jones, he was taking my directions very well and had an incredible performance. He is only in a cameo for this, but I had shot extra footage to please fans. You will see that extra scene after the end credits roll.

DC: I hear Gehenna is getting a sequel in the form of a VR game that will be coming out later this year. What can you tell me about it?
HK: I had put some ideas together on how to scare the audience in a different way from the film. Unlike the film, with the VR game you can be inside of the world of Gehenna, so you can experience a fear you had never experienced before.

DC: What else is next for you?
HK: I have another feature I am directing which is still low budget. It’s a sci-fi film, most of which happens inside of a spaceship. Planning to begin shooting in October.

But right now, I’m working on the Hellboy reboot to design and create many creatures for it and I’m having so much fun!

The post Exclusive: Gehenna Director Hiroshi Katagiri on Practical FX, Crowdfunding Platforms, and Hellboy appeared first on Dread Central.

Fantasia 2017: First Wave of Films Announced

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The 21st Fantasia Film Festival has announced the first wave of films that will grace Montreal, Quebec this summer and they’ve packed a ton of greatness into just this reveal, which makes me wonder what their next reveal is going to bring to the table!

When it comes to horror, Fantasia has never failed to bring the goods and this year is no different. We’ll be seeing films like Takashi Miike’s Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable, a presentation of the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs that will feature a live score, Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Cho Sun-ho’s A Day, We Are Still Here director Ted Geoghegan’s Mohawk, and more.

The festival will take place from July 13th through August 2nd and will feature over 130 feature films.

FIRST WAVE FILMS AND EVENTS:

Fantasia 2017 will start with a thunderous smash! After leaving the Cannes audience absolutely mesmerized with its groundbreaking and spectacular fight scenes and Kim Ok-vin’s ferocious, yet poignant interpretation, Jung Byung-gil’s action thriller THE VILLAINESS (North American Premiere) will be the Opening Film of this year’s edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival.

Following this astonishing jolt of raw adrenaline, who else than the Grand Maestro of international genre cinema could keep the pace? Fantasia favorite Takashi Miike, who received a well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award last year, will once again please his hordes of Montreal fans with the exuberant JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE (North American Premiere), masterfully adapted from Hirohiko Kitakubo’s cult manga and featuring a stellar cast led by Kento Yamazaki.

This Summer, Fantasia will be saluting the groundbreaking work of independent American filmmaker Larry Cohen. Widely recognized as one of the godfathers of progressive, socially conscious genre cinema with such individualistic landmarks as the IT’S ALIVE films, BLACK CASEAR, Q, and THE STUFF, in addition to his distinctive screenwriting work for a plethora of other filmmakers, Cohen’s output has always been smart, character-driven, and boldly confrontational.

Larry Cohen will be awarded before the World Premiere of Steve Mitchell’s KING COHEN, a phenomenal documentary about the filmmaker’s extraordinary history and work, that features appearances by Martin Scorsese, John Landis, Yaphet Kotto, J.J. Abrams, Fred Williamson, Rick Baker, Joe Dante, and Eric Bogosian, among many others.

Celebrated actor Michael Moriarty, who has appeared in no fewer than seven features for Cohen, and appears prominently in KING COHEN, will be in attendance at the award ceremony.

In addition, the festival will be teaming up with the Cinémathèque Québécoise to screen 35mm archival prints of IT’S ALIVE, GOD TOLD ME TO, and Q.

Following our past live performance events of METROPOLIS and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Gabriel Thibaudeau and Fantasia are re-teaming for a presentation of a unique cinematographic concert of Paul Leni’s 1928 classic THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, rightfully recognized as an early masterpiece of horror cinema. Thibaudeau’s original score for the film, which has been performed worldwide over the past 20 years, from Paris to São Paulo, Tokyo to New York, will be interpreted live by a nine-piece orchestra under the direction of the composer, featuring the Quatuor Molinari. Do not miss this true homage to silent cinema’s golden age!

Georgian-born French filmmaker Géla Babluani created one of the most significant thrillers of the last 15 years with his enthralling debut, the classic 13 TZAMETI. Now, after a seven-year hiatus following that film’s 2010 US remake, he has returned with MONEY’S MONEY – a taut robbery thriller whose stellar cast includes Benoît Magimel, Olivier Rabourdin, Vincent Rottiers, and Féodor Atkine. Fantasia will proudly be showcasing the film’s World Premiere.

Fantasia will be presenting a special screening of Luc Besson’s hotly anticipated fantasy spectacular VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS. Based on the adored French comic series by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières, the film stars Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, and Rihanna – and promises to be one of the most visually extravagant genre works the screen has ever seen.

The lives of an addict, a Luchador, a cartel organ smuggler, and an ex-con collide in this wildly original crime/drama/blacker-than-black comedy/thriller that’s as informed by Mexican subcultures as it is by American cinema. A ferocious feature debut by Ryan Prows, LOWLIFE is one of the most gobsmacking crime film discoveries that we’ve come across in years. Beg, cheat, or steal to be at our World Premiere and witness the birth of an unforgettable instant classic.

Director Cho Sun-ho amazes with his masterfully crafted first feature film A DAY (International Premiere), which tells the story of a famous doctor stuck in a time loop where he must try to save his daughter from a fatal car accident over and over again. Going far beyond the GROUNDHOG DAY concept in terms of emotional implication and unpredictable twists, this riveting thriller will keep you on the very edge of your seat! Cho Sun-ho is definitely a name to remember!

Fantasia is proud to be presenting the World Premiere of FRIENDLY BEAST, a bold and brilliant feature debut from Brazilian writer/director Gabriela Amaral Almeida. Easily one of the most provocative works you’ll encounter this year, the film concerns a restaurant owner going over the edge when an armed robbery is attempted at his establishment. He holds everyone captive at gunpoint – criminals and customers alike – and situations corrode into a nightmare state, guided by manipulation and raw compulsion.

Ted Geoghegan’s sophomore feature, following 2015’s acclaimed WE ARE STILL HERE, confronts audiences with a very different kind of horror: our collective history. Set in 1814, MOHAWK tells the white-knuckle tale of two young Mohawk warriors and their British lover pursued by murderous American military renegades Hell-bent on blind revenge, and features a striking ensemble cast that includes Kaniehtiio Horn, Eamon Farren, Ezra Buzzington, Jonathan Huber (WWE Superstar Luke Harper), and Noah Segan. History often hurts, but sometimes it hits hard enough to kill.

The CAMERA LUCIDA Section is back at Fantasia for its eighth consecutive year! Opening with the Québec Premiere of David Lowery’s A GHOST STORY, a metaphysical exploration of love, longing, destiny and mortality that reunites the PETE’S DRAGON’s director with actors Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, the section will once again showcase some of world cinema’s boldest and most innovative voices, at the very edge of genre cinema.

World premiering at Fantasia, Giordano Giulivi’s THE LAPLACE’S DEMON unfolds like an all-time great TWILIGHT ZONE episode directed by the three-headed offspring of Guy Maddin, Mario Bava, and Val Lewton! It will send you right over the edge with its unique mix of faux-vintage aesthetics, probabilistic science-fiction, and Gothic style. A total discovery, it beautifully balances pastiche, homage, and invention!

Also in the section, Yuya Ishii’s THE TOKYO NIGHT SKY IS ALWAYS THE DENSEST SHADE OF BLUE (Canadian Premiere) is an offbeat rom-com, a slacker dramedy, and a poetic ode to the Big City, all rolled into one virtuosic film from the director of THE GREAT PASSAGE, and based on the poetry of Tahi Saihate.

Geng Jun’s FREE AND EASY (also a Canadian Premiere) sees a soap salesman, a monk, and some lazy cops collide in a factory town in the Northeast of China. Putting the “dead” firmly back in deadpan, Geng’s comedy unfolds as an absurdist caper of Beckettian proportions, making for a great portrait of small-town crime in the wake of China’s rapid industrialization. The rest of this year’s Camera Lucida lineup will be revealed on July 5.

Years ago, Thailand gave the world ONG BAK. Then Indonesia surprised us with THE RAID. This year, it’s Cambodia’s turn to redefine the limits of action cinema with spectacular stunts and breathtaking fights at an unrelenting, frenetic pace. Explosively directed by Jimmy Henderson, JAILBREAK highlights the beauty and the know-how of a national cinema worth discovering. Don’t miss this!

Fantasia favorite Yuichi Fukuda (HK: FORBIDDEN SUPERHERO) is back, with his biggest film yet: GINTAMA, based on Hideaki Sorachi’s long-running, best-selling shonen manga series – adapted to the big screen in all its comedic, swashbuckling, fourth-wall-breaking glory! Fukuda runs completely wild with the manga’s many sight gags and extravagant costumes, in what proves to be at once a must for diehard fans and a treat for manga enthusiasts in general; a crash-course in live-action done right!

From the Oscar-winning director of THE COUNTERFEITERS and the ANATOMIE films comes the crushingly intense COLD HELL – a film that crackles with elements of Giallo, horror, thriller, and full-throttle action cinema, anchored with powerful doses of socio-political confrontation. A tough-as-nails Turkish taxi driver (Violetta Schurawlow) in Vienna witnesses a murder and finds herself stalked by a fundamentalist serial killer inspired by Islam. After a lifetime of being under siege, she’s not about to run from anyone. What follows is anything but the usual cat and mouse formula, as ideology and hate clash up against ferocious, end-of-the-rope anger.

ADDITIONAL FIRST WAVE TITLES INCLUDE:

68 Kill
USA – Dir: Trent Haaga
Matthew Gray Gubler and AnnaLynne McCord incinerate the screen in this crazy scumbag thrill-ride of white-trash crime and kink that manages to subversively play with gender and be a toxic anti-romantic bloodbath of a comedy in the same breathless blow.

Bad Genius
Thailand – Dir: Nattawut Poonpiriya
When Lynn (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) discovers that her academic skills can bring her thousands of baht if she helps her wealthy friends cheat at exams, she elaborates a complex scheme. What if OCEAN’S ELEVEN would somehow meet THE BREAKFAST CLUB? Well, it happened! A breathtaking coming-of-age thriller that is way smarter than anything you can expect!

Bastard Swordsman
Hong Kong – Dir: Tony Liu
Who will truly master the silkworm technique and bring balance to the martial world? The last surviving 35mm copy of the Shaw Brothers gem will blast you with its avalanche of unfettered lunacy.

Bitch
USA – Dir: Marianna Palka
The provocative tale of a woman (Palka) who snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. A sharp, feminist satire that’s alternately uncomfortably funny and confrontational with a warrior soul, BITCH is a stunning achievement in every sense.

Dead Man Tells His Own Tale
Argentina – Dir: Fabián Forte
Misogynist alpha male Angel has it all – money, power, family, sex. His only problem is, he’s dead. Gender politics are unpacked in Fabián Forte’s subversive black comedy dosed with unexpected terror.

Dead Shack
Canada – Dir: Peter Ricq
A rural Canadian mix of DEAD ALIVE, SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, and ’80s kids’ movies! Director Peter Ricq (creator of the animated series FREAKTOWN) keeps things fast, light, and full of fight.

The Endless
USA – Dir: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead
Two brothers return to the cult they fled from years ago to discover that the group’s beliefs may be more sane than they once thought. SPRING and RESOLUTION announced Benson and Moorehead as unconventional genre forces to be reckoned with. THE ENDLESS – in which the gifted filmmaking duo also star – confirms their brilliance beyond any question.

Game of Death
Canada – Dir: Sebastien Landry and Laurence Baz Morias
A hard-partying pack of teens are forced into a desperate game of kill-or-be-killed after playing the wrong retro game in this high-energy, blood-spattered brainchild of Montreal filmmakers Sebastien Landry and Laurence Baz Morais.

Killing Ground
Australia – Dir: Damien Power
A young couple (Harriet Dyer; Ian Medows) on a romantic getaway in the Australian wilderness encounter a dangerous pair of locals (Aaron Pedersen; Aaron Glenane) and a make deadly discovery in this inventively intense thriller that brings audiences back to the glory days of Aussie genre cinema and sun-drenched outback horror.

Kodoku Meatball Machine
Japan – Dir: Yoshihiro Nishimura
People are turning into bizarre organic/mechanical creatures who terrorize the last survivors of a decimated, dome-covered Tokyo. Yoshihiro Nishimura (TOKYO GORE POLICE), Japan’s master of extreme make-up effects, is back with more of his gory creativity and his formidable capacity to create hellish – but funny – monsters.

Mayhem
USA – Dir: Joe Lynch
Amid a frightening viral outbreak that leaves the infected temporarily unable to control their impulses – and subsequently not criminally responsible for their behaviour – a lawyer (THE WALKING DEAD’s Steven Yeun) and shafted homeowner (Samara Weaving) fight to confront the top executives who wronged them. A cheerfully ferocious middle finger salute to cutthroat corporate culture.

M.F.A.
USA – Dir: Natalia Leite
After being sexually assaulted by a fellow classmate, an art student (Francesca Eastwood) becomes an avenging vigilante, refusing the vulnerability of victimization and exacting cold-blooded – and bloody – revenge.

Mon Mon Mon Monsters
Taiwan – Dir: Giddens Ko
In a shabby Taipei neighborhood plagued by nocturnal killings, four teenage boys find trouble… and trouble finds them. A twisted coming-of-age film from the writer of MACHI ACTION and an impressive blend of genres, bouncing from comedy to horror in matters of seconds without ever making a mess.

Museum
Japan – Dir: Keishi Ohtomo
Fantasia favorite Keishi Ohtomo (the RUROUNI KENSHIN trilogy) is back with MUSEUM, based on Ryosuke Tomoe’s 2013 manga of the same name. It’s overworked cop vs. sadistic, frog-headed killer in this gruesome and deranged, horror-tinged thriller in the tradition of David Fincher’s SE7EN!

My Friend Dahmer
USA – Dir: Marc Meyers
Ross Lynch stars in the haunting, sad, funny, and true story of Jeffrey Dahmer in high school, based on Derf Backderf’s critically acclaimed 2012 graphic novel of the same name and Meyers’s own 2014 Black List script. Also starring Anne Heche, Dallas Roberts, and Vincent Kartheiser.

Napping Princess
Japan – Dir: Kenji Kamiyama
The divide between teenage Kokone’s fanciful reveries and the real world is crumbling in NAPPING PRINCESS, a sleek Japanese anime that blends steampunk fantasy and plugged-in techno-thrillers. From acclaimed director Kenji Kamiyama (GHOST IN THE SHELL: SAC, CYBORG 009, and EDEN OF THE EAST).

Night of the Virgin
Spain – Dir: Roberto San Sebastián
The first time is often clumsy and awkward, but for Nico the virgin, it’s the beginning of an endless nightmare. An unmissable comedy/horror rollercoaster of blood and lust that features some of the most grotesquely imaginative grossouts we’ve seen in years.

Pork Pie
New Zealand – Dir: Matt Murphy
A trio of young misfits in pursuit of lost love race the length of the country in a stolen Mini Cooper S. Avoiding the law and with nothing to lose, they become folk heroes and most wanted criminals as they find themselves caught in the crosshairs of a media frenzy and escalating police operation.

Replace
Germany/Canada – Dir: Norbert Keil
Afflicted with a dermatological disease, young and beautiful Kira discovers she can replace her skin with that of other girls. REPLACE is a visually sumptuous and grotesque horror/science-fiction creation, co-scripted by Richard Stanley and co-starring genre legend Barbara Crampton.

Ron Goossens, Low-Budget Stuntman
Netherlands – Dir: Steffen Haars and Flip Van der Kuil
A failed stunt makes Ron Goossens an overnight national celebrity in Holland, in the incendiary new comedy from the team who gave you the insane NEW KIDS films!

Sequence Break
USA – Dir: Graham Skipper
A loner’s budding romance is menaced by a mysterious arcade game that’s a portal to the cosmos in this masterful melding of retro ’80s horror nostalgia and Lovecraftian doom. The directorial debut of actor Graham Skipper (THE MIND’S EYE), SEQUENCE BREAK won Best Feature Film at the 2017 Chattanooga Film Festival.

Split
South Korea – Dir: Choi Kook-hee
A fallen bowling champion (OLDBOY’s Yoo Ji-tae) attempts to team up with an autistic prodigy (POETRY’s David Lee) to rack big money with underground bowling gambles. Built like a genuine sports drama, SPLIT has way more to offer than the traditional competition story… but it will still make you cheer for the protagonists until the end credits!

Super Dark Times
USA – Dir: Kevin Phillips
An emotionally incinerating and strangely dream-like gaze into the shadowy crevices of teenage psychology, directed with vivid imagination, telling a powerful story about adolescence’s end and the darkening of innocence, friendship, loyalty… and murder.

Thousand Cuts
France – Dir: Eric Valette
From the maker of MALEFIQUE and ONE MISSED CALL comes a compelling story about wine, drugs, neighbors, neophobia, and politics, in which a hitman seeks a place to hide. Starring Tomer Sisley (SLEEPLESS NIGHT).

Tokyo Idols
UK/Canada/Japan – Dir: Kyoko Miyake
“Idols”, girl bands and their pop music, permeate every moment of Japanese life. TOKYO IDOLS peeks behind the curtains of this industry, explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the growing disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern societies.

Tom of Finland
Finland – Dir: Dome Karukoski
Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski (LAPLAND ODYSSEY) brings the life and work of one of the most influential and celebrated figures of twentieth century gay culture to the screen in this extraordinary story of revolution and acceptance through counter-cultural art.

Vampire Cleanup Department
Hong Kong – Dir: Yan Pak-Wing and Chiu Sin-Hang
A motley crew of misfits tackle the bloodthirsty hopping vampires descending on Hong Kong! Laughter, kung fu, horror, and insanity, with a gallery of HK icons!

What a Wonderful Family! 2
Japan – Dir: Yoji Yamada
The Hirata family is back, and Grandpa is acting up again! This sequel reunites legendary director Yoji Yamada (of the TORA-SAN series) with the exceptional cast of the first film for another round of hilarious, multi-generational slapstick comedy!

Wu Kong
China/Hong Kong – Dir: Derek Kwok
Award-winning director Derek Kwok (GALLANTS) reboots the famous Monkey King legend from the popular novel, with fresh vigour of epic proportions that you’ll love for 10,000 years. To be released during the same week in China and North America.

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47 Meters Down – Exclusive Interview with Yani Gellman

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47 Meters Down is a nature’s revenge thriller about a pair of pretty divers who get trapped far beneath the surface in shark-infested waters. Sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) decide to go down in a shark-observation cage while on vacation in Mexico, in spite of some reservations about the lack of safeguards on the for-hire boat. When the cable attaching them to the vessel snaps, Lisa and Kate sink and end up trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Their air dwindles as bloodthirsty great whites circle their cage. Meanwhile, they are cursing the sweet-talking, good-looking young man who got them into this whole mess in the first place: Louis (played by Yani Gellman).

We caught up with Gellman at the press junket, and here’s what he had to say about his experience working on 47 Meters Down.

Dread Central: How do you like the movie?

Yani Gellman: I haven’t seen the film. Just a few clips here and there. I’m actually looking forward to seeing it with an audience. When we were making it, I wasn’t exactly sure how they were going to pull it off, because so much of it happens under the water. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a film where so much of the drama takes place underwater. A tremendous amount of work has been done in post to make this world and environment look as real as it does. I’m just totally stoked to see what it’s like with an audience and to see what they do. We filmed a couple of different endings, so we’re not exactly sure how it ends. There is one in particular that we really like, so we’re hoping they went with that but we won’t know until we see the film. [But] usually if I’m in a horror film there’s a good chance I die…

DC: Who is Louis, and what’s his role in getting the girls into all that danger?

YG: I’m a bit of a canary in the coal mine. I go down with my other boat hand, Santiago, to sort of test the equipment and show that it’s safe. We go down and there’s no incident. We come up and it’s time for the ladies to go in, and that’s where the story kind of takes a turn. I’m guilty really of just trying to make time with Mandy Moore’s character and getting them out onto the boat to try and show them a good time. If anything, I’m guilty of sort of a love crime.

DC: Where are the horror aspects of the film, and what sets it apart from, say, The Shallows?

YG: What was cool about this film, instead of having a haunted house kind of thing, we had almost the old haunted creaky boat. And the ocean, instead of that kind of door you go into – in a horror film you say don’t go in there – there’s this great scene where you’re saying goodbye to the girls in the water, and everyone’s like, ‘Don’t go in there,’ because you know something is going to happen. But of course, they do.

DC: You’re not trapped in the cage with the sharks, but you have your fair share of being in the water.

YG: Well, we never went out swimming with sharks, but we did take a scuba diving training course. Matthew [Modine] has done a lot of diving but I am kind of new, this was one of my first times scuba diving. I got a bit of a taste for it, just enough to know that it’s something I’d love to continue doing. It’s just a whole other world down there. You’re almost on an alien planet, because of the colors. Every element takes on new meaning, whether it’s hearing your own breath or feeling your heart beat or communicating with other people. It really makes you appreciate these things we take for granted up here on land, and you can’t be anything but changed by going down there. Your appreciation for marine life just goes through the roof. It really opened my eyes to how important and fragile those environments are and how much we need to do in order to protect them.

DC: Your locations were really amazing. What did that feel like, as opposed to being on a set?

YG: Amazing. It’s this huge, beautiful, clean saltwater. Out into the horizon you see the ocean so it seems like you are connected to the sea, so it’s like the most incredible infinity pull you’ve ever been in. The boat scenes we did [on the dock] but we also went out on the ocean as well, and did scenes out there too, which was more challenging because the waves don’t stay still. Right when you want to get a shot done [the boat rocks] but we had great fun in the Dominican Republic. We were staying in this great town, a nice little seaside community. It was lovely, and we had an amazing time. I think the ladies had a much more challenging shoot out in London because they spent so much of their time actually submersed under the water, and that’s a very difficult way to shoot a film.

DC: Have you seen Jaws, and if so – are you a fan?

YG: Oh yeah, I saw Jaws. It was probably one of the first films I ever saw and I was truly terrified. It probably did instill, in all of us, a fear of sharks growing up. It takes a while and some exposure to the ocean to realize that sharks are not our enemy and that they’re an important part of the ocean and the sea’s ecosystem. We are in fact the danger to them. I actually grew up in Australia for a few years of my life, and there was always this fear that if you swim out too far you’re going to get eaten by a shark but no, they’re more liable to be more afraid of us. They’re looking for different forms of food and only when they mistake us for a seal or something else will they attack. You have a much higher chance of being killed by almost any other means than getting eaten by a shark. But I think why these films are scary is because of that fear of the unknown: this is their domain and we’re trespassing. That’s why it becomes so scary.

47 Meters Down is in theaters June 16, 2017.

Directed by Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door), the underwater thriller stars Mandy Moore (“This Is Us,” A Walk to Remember), Claire Holt (“The Vampire Diaries,” “The Originals”), Yani Gellman (“Pretty Little Liars,” “The Young and The Restless”), and Matthew Modine (Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises).

47 Meters Down comes out June 16th.

Synopsis:
On the rebound after a devastating break-up, Lisa (Mandy Moore) is ready for adventure while on vacation in Mexico. Even still, she needs a little extra persuasion when her daring sister, Kate (Claire Holt), suggests they go shark diving with some locals. Once underwater in a protective cage, Lisa and Kate catch a once in a lifetime, face-to-face look at majestic Great Whites. But when their worst fears are realized and the cage breaks away from their boat, they find themselves plummeting to the bottom of the seabed, too deep to radio for help without making themselves vulnerable to the savage sharks, their oxygen supplies rapidly dwindling.

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Actor Christopher Denham – Exclusive Interview on Camera Obscura

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In Camera Obscura (review), Christopher Denham plays Jack Zeller, a shell-shocked war photographer who is having trouble leaving the past behind. Though he seems to be living the American Dream, shared with his beautiful bride Claire (Nadja Bobyleva), Jack is having crippling, horrible visions. Or are they actually premonitions of unspeakable horrors to come? If they are indeed supernatural, Jack is going to have to take major – and possibly deadly – action to save his loved ones and himself.

Camera Obscura is directed by Aaron B. Koontz, and cowritten by Cameron Burns. The two have partnered up on several shorts, but this is their first feature. Denham is a young but veteran actor, having been in several features, shorts, and TV shows. Denham is also breaking into screenwriting, with a project in development at Blumhouse Pictures. We caught up with Denham to ask him a few questions about working in the horror genre both as an actor and a writer.

Dread Central: Camera Obscura is going for an eerie and suspenseful vibe, and you really have to carry the burden of that since there are lots of scenes of just Jack alone with his terror. Did you like that, or was it intimidating?

Christopher Denham: A lot of the scenes are solitary, by myself. But he’s always trying to get back to Claire, he’s trying to have a normal life. But the horror is escalating. What Aaron and I were trying to do, was ask ‘How would I react in this situation?’ Not how someone in a horror movie would behave, so hopefully that makes Camera Obscura somewhat different. There’s that detail work, which shows the humanity in this guy. Even when he’s doing something bad, hopefully it’s still there.

I was drawn to ambiguity of the character in the script. I thought it was an interesting challenge to play someone on the line of maybe going insane or maybe dealing with something supernatural. The audience doesn’t quite know which it is. I gravitate toward that kind of storytelling myself. I’m interested in how you can mess with someone’s mind. It certainly was an interesting challenge to pull it off. The director, Aaron B. Koontz, knows film so well, that I felt I could really trust him – which is not always the case.

As an actor, I find the stakes are higher in horror. It’s literally life or death. I go back to Macbeth, the first horror play. To me, it’s about trying to find the truth. It doesn’t matter what genre you’re in. You’re trying to find the truth of what the hell is happening. In a movie like this, where the circumstances are a little more extreme, that was the challenge for us. Though I am alone a lot, we had a big fight scene in the middle of the movie, and you know, it had been all choreographed out. It looked really impressive, and really great. But the other actor and I came forward and said, ‘How would this really happen? Let’s remember the truth of this.’ So the fight scene became a little more sloppy with dirty punching and biting, and you know, how it would happen if I was really fighting.

DC: In your opinion, is Camera Obscura a horror movie?

CD: The movie shifts in genres more than you would expect, I think. Hopefully in an unexpected. It hits those notes, but I think more than in a typical psychological thriller or horror, you get to spend time with these characters more just as human beings before anything horrible happens. You’re not just dealing with archetypes, like, ‘Oh, you have the beautiful girl running through the woods, you have crazy-guy.’ It’s like, ‘Who cares?’ I wouldn’t have done a movie about a potentially possessed camera, had it not also been about a man dealing with his own psychological trauma. He’s basically trying to come to grips with PTSD and asking himself what’s real and what’s not. He goes on a procedural mission to solve the mystery.

DC: You mentioned collaborating with Aaron and Cameron, and also we hear you have some projects in development with you solely as a screenwriter. Even one with Blumhouse – that’s great. Are you going more into writing now?

CD: I consider myself an actor first and foremost. I don’t really consider myself a writer. I’m an actor who sometimes puts some words on a page. When I make my movies, it’s an excuse to get my actor friends together, and someone needs to put those words on the page. My blood runs as an actor. Aaron and I collaborated a bit on this, but the script that him and Cameron gave to me initially was really solid. I thought it was an interesting hybrid between a character drama and a psychological thriller.

My work with Jason Blum, it is really about ‘How do I create these really great roles for actors?’ I want to give them a chance to do something. No actor wants to play an archetype. You want something else going on there, and think the audience does too. It’s how you flesh these people out. To me, those movies have to about more than just who’s going to die later. That’s when you’re doing something special.

Camera Obscura stars Christopher Denham (“Billions”), Nadja Bobyleva (Bridge of Spies), Catherine Curtin (“Stranger Things”), Chase Williamson (Beyond the Gates), and Noah Segan (The Mind’s Eye). See it via VOD/Digital on June 13th.

Synopsis:
A veteran war photographer with PTSD sees imminent deaths in his developed photos, questioning his already fragile sanity and putting the lives of those he loves in danger.

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Camera Obscura

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Michiel Huisman Set to Star in Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House Series

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We learned back in April that Mike Flanagan will write, direct, and executive produce Netflix’s upcoming “The Haunting of Hill House” adaptation; and now we have the first casting news to share.

Shirley Jackson’s horror drama The Haunting of Hill House was previously adapted into two feature-length films, one in 1963 and one in 1999. Per THR, “Game of Thrones” star Michiel Huisman is the first actor cast in the streaming giant’s reboot of the films and book.

Ordered straight to series, the 10-episode drama is a modern re-imagining of  Jackson’s classic 1959 novel. The story centers on four people living in an 80-year-old mansion. Huisman (“Orphan Black,” The Invitation) will take on the role of Steven Crane, the oldest Crane sibling and a published writer of supernatural books — including a memoir about his family’s time living at Hill House.

The Paramount Television drama is co-produced by Flanagan’s partner, Trevor Macy. Amblin TV’s Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank are also exec producing.

Look for more soon!

Photo Credit: Marc de Groot

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E3 2017: Monster Hunter: World Features a Whole New Continent

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During the Sony press conference at E3, we were treated to an announcement trailer for Monster Hunter: World, the latest installment in Capcom’s immensely successful series of fantasy RPGs about slaying giant creatures. We see the protagonist going up against everything from T-Rex-like creatures to fire-breathing dragons, so it looks like there’s gonna be a whole ton of giant creatures on display. As with previous entries, Monster Hunter: World once again will take place in an open-world environment across a vast new continent, and there will also be large-scale co-op battles with up to four players.

To date, the series has sold over 38 million copies, and is so popular in Japan that the country even has Monster Hunter-themed cafes. So Monster Hunter: World is going to sell when it arrives on PS4 early next year, I can assure you of that. It’s also coming to Xbox One, marking the debut of the Monster Hunter franchise on the Xbox family of consoles.

Monster Hunter: World – PS4 Announcement Trailer | E3 2017
Monster Hunter: World™ introduces a living, breathing ecosystem in which players strive to become the ultimate hunter. Explore a vast new continent and slay terrifying monsters in heart-pounding co-op battles for up to four players.

http://monsterhunterworld.com

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E3 2017: Total War: Warhammer II Gameplay Looks Spectacular

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Total War: Warhammer II is quite possibly the biggest PC exclusive game of 2017, which is why it was a major focus during the PC Gaming press event. The new trailer gives us a first look at the gameplay, and it is looking spectacular. We witness a battle between the High Elves and the Lizardmen, both of whom are fighting for control of the Great Vortex.

In the second video below, Al Bikam of developer Creative Assembly talks us through what fans can expect, and I don’t think they’ll be disappointing. And I have to admit that seeing the dinosaur-like Carnosaur fighting a dragon is certainly a sight to behold.

In addition to the aforementioned factions, the game will also include Dark Elves and a yet to be announced fourth playable race (which has been strongly hinted to be the humanoid rats known as the Skaven).

Total War: Warhammer II will be published by Sega and will be released on PC on 28 September 2017. You can pre-order the standard edition here or the special Serpent God Edition here.

Total War: Warhammer 2 – Gameplay First Glance
The next title in CA’s thrilling fantasy-strategy series has an official release date: September 28th 2017. Set in a whole new part of the Warhammer world, it introduces four new playable races in a storming narrative campaign that builds to an earth-shattering crescendo.

For all the latest info, follow us on social media:
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Alien Covenant – Xenomorph vs. Neomorph Battle Nixed From Film

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Know what pains me? When we find out that a spectacularly cool idea for a scene in a movie gets left on the cutting room floor. Alien: Covenant (review) did little for me in theaters, in fact I liked Life (review) a 100 times more. But the possibility of a Xenomorph vs. Neomorph scene would have gone a long way in spicing things up.

Alien-Covenant.com reports:

According to our sources, the scene was originally going to play out when Daniels, Walter/David and Lope are running towards the lander, which Tennessee boarded to rescue the surviving Covenant crew. The Neomorph was going to be the one chasing Daniels and Lope and during that chase scene the Xenomorph would have revealed itself, attacking the Neomorph and asserting itself as the dominant Alien lifeform.

The scene was meant to convey just how much larger and nastier the Xenomorph was compared to the already aggressive Neomorph. The scene kept encountering issues, primarily with the practical suits the actors wore during the battle sequence. Apparently the spikes on the back of the Neomorph suit kept catching on the elongated head crest – causing all kinds of issues and frustration. Ultimately the scene was not included, or even completed and we’re not sure if it will ever be included in a future Director’s Cut of the film.

That’s a damned shame I tell ya. Couldn’t it be fixed or augmented with CGI? Everything else is nowadays. If only the David/Walter recorder playing scene could have had such complications. We wouldn’t have missed that.

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Happy 71st Birthday to Jason Voorhees!

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On June 13th, 1946, Jason Voorhees was born to parents Pamela and Elias Voorhees. Physically deformed, Jason has long had a strength to him, both physically and mentally, a strength that allowed him to become an incredibly important, one might even say legendary, figure to the people of Crystal Lake, New Jersey and especially at Camp Crystal Lake.

Always a people person, Jason has never hesitated to showcase his abilities at hunting, foraging, gardening, or any of his other many talents. A true outdoorsman, a man at one with nature, and an icon in our community, we send Jason Voorhees the happiest of birthday wishes and look forward to seeing whatever comes next!

Art by CyberII

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Trailer Constricts for Serpent

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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has finally released the trailer for the Distant Horizon-produced suspense thriller Serpent, and today we have it for hot, fresh, and ready to slither.

Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Amanda Evans, Serpent follows a husband and wife on a romantic escape out in the wild that quickly turns deadly when they are trapped in a tent with a poisonous snake.

Sarah Dumont (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Don Jon) stars alongside Tom Ainsley (TV’s “Versailles” and “The Royals”). The film will have its world premiere during the Nightfall portion of the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 17.

Synopsis:
A romantic escape into nature turns into the ultimate moment of reckoning when a husband and wife are trapped in a tent with a deadly snake. Unable to escape and with certain death looming, the tent becomes a heated confessional to a cataclysmic truth. Betrayed, the couple find themselves spiraling into a dark and dangerous space from which only one can survive.

Serpent

Serpent

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E3 2017: Metroid Prime 4 Announced

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Nintendo dropped a bomb during its E3 press conference by announcing that Metroid Prime 4 is in development along with providing a brief teaser trailer.

The Metroid Prime Trilogy consists of three of the most critically acclaimed first-person shooters of all time, so 4 should be nothing short of a masterpiece, even though usual developer Retro Studios is not involved.

As a lifelong Metroid fan, I have to admit that the trailer below gave me chills.

We don’t yet know who’s working on Metroid Prime 4, although Nintendo also announced that a new sidescolling Metroid game called Samus Returns will be coming to the 3DS. It launches on September 15, so we haven’t got too long to wait.

The Metroid games have been strongly inspired by the Alien movies, so much so that the antagonist of the first game was named Ridley, clearly a homage to Alien director Ridley Scott. The look of the creatures in the series are notably similar to those of the Xenomorphs from the Alien movies. Of all of Nintendo’s primary first-party franchises, Metroid has always been the most edgy, and even though Samus shows up in Super Smash Bros. and other crossover games, her own adventures have always occupied a darker world than the likes of Mario and Zelda.

Since the end of the Prime Trilogy, we were treated to the enjoyable Other M in 2010 and the disappointing Federation Force last year. Fans have been demanding Metroid Prime 4 for the better part of a decade, so I’m glad Nintendo finally listened.

Welcome back, Samus, you’ve been gone too long.

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E3 2017: LawBreakers Looks Like an M-Rated Overwatch

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Cliff Bleszinski is a name gamers will instantly recognize. The co-creator of the Unreal and Gears of War franchises has been a notoriously outspoken figure in the gaming industry over the years, and his upcoming game LawBreakers looks like it could be his best yet. A new trailer was released for the online multiplayer FPS at E3, and in pure Bleszinski-style, it looks brutal as hell. Kind of like a gorier version of Overwatch.

Visually, I was also reminded of Bleszinski’s Bulletstorm, particularly by the visceral sci-fi combat. Like Overwatch, it looks like there will also be a unique cast of characters with their own personalities and play-styles.

Japanese publisher Nexon will release LawBreakers on PC and PS4 on August 8, 2017. Originally planned as a free-to-play title, it will now be released with a fixed price, which should hopefully mean that microtransactions will be kept to a minimum.

LawBreakers | These Players Are Skilled AF
Boss Key Productions invited a group of high-skill players to the studio to play the most recent version of LawBreakers. We had no idea what to expect. Was it good or bad? After the gravity-defying competition settled and dust cleared – their testimonials will tell the tale.

LawBreakers
Discord: http://discord.gg/LawBreakers
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lawbreakers
Facebook: http://facebook.com/lawbreakers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawbreakersofficial/
Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/350280/LawBreakers/

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Monsters to Stay in The Mist

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Our friends over at Arrow in the Head had a chance to chat with “The Mist” showrunner Christian Torpe to get the skinny on the more creature-centric elements of the show. Read on for what he had to say!

I don’t want to reveal too much about what we see in there,” Torpe tells Arrow. “What I can say is [that] it is more a show about how people react to what they see [rather] than what is actually there. It becomes boring if you know everything that’s in the show, so we were mindful of not going full-blown monster show like the movie did. I still hope we will deliver to the hardcore genre fans.

Interesting? What say you?

Look for our impressions of Episode 1 of “The Mist” very soon!

“The Mist” stars Morgan Spector, Alyssa Sutherland, Gus Birney, Danica Curcic, Okezie Morro, Dan Butler, Darren Pettie, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Russell Posner, Luke Cosgrove, and Frances Conroy. It debuts on Thursday, June 22nd, at 10pm ET/PT.

When the residents of Bridgeville, Maine, find themselves engulfed by a foreboding mist containing a myriad of inexplicable and bizarre threats, their humanity is put to the test.  Based on a story by Stephen King, “The Mist” has been reimagined for television by executive producer/writer Christian Torpe and produced by TWC-Dimension Television.

Synopsis:
A small town family is torn apart by a brutal crime. As they deal with the fallout, an eerie mist rolls in, suddenly cutting them off from the rest of the world and, in some cases, each other. Family, friends, and adversaries become strange bedfellows, battling the mysterious mist and its threats, fighting to maintain morality and sanity as the rules of society break down.

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Indie Horror Sickness to Have World Premiere This Weekend at Reel East Film Festival

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Brandon E. Brooks’ indie horror/thriller Sickness will be making its world premiere at the Reel East Film Festival, which takes place in Cherry Hill, NJ on Saturday, June 17th.

Sickness stars former WWE/TNA Wrestling superstar Katarina Leigh Waters (Karate Kill, Redcon-1), Fallon Maressa (Worthless, Bloodrunners), Cyrus Samson (Night of the Living Dead: Genesis, A Man Possessed), Gary Gustin (The Gift, Down With the Boogey), Lamar Bumbrey (The Dark Military, Vector III), Dennis Ronin (Murder Below the Line, The Quiet Ones), Ruby Larocca (Jack Ketchum’s The Lost, The Super), Raine Brown (100 Tears, Sculpture), Anthony Marks (Steve Niles’ Remains, Blood Night), Kate Beaver (No Boundaries, Road to Pecumsecah), Christine Rosario (Art of Eight Limbs, Imposter), & Brian O’Halloran (Clerks, Vulgar).

Synopsis:
A viral outbreak in the Delaware Valley thrusts several strangers together for a survivalist take on chills and suspense.

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Paradise Lost to Play a Biblical Game of Thrones

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A new adaptation of one of the most iconic works in literature, John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, is on its way; and it’s taking a rather interesting approach. According to Screen Daily Dancing Ledge Productions is developing the property to be a “biblical Game of Thrones.”

The Fremantle-backed production company and “Sherlock” and The Hobbit star Martin Freeman are in early development on what could become the first ever drama series adaptation of one of the most iconic works in literature.

Freeman and Dancing Ledge CEO Laurence Bowen are currently discussing the project with writers and broadcasters in the UK and US. Freeman has a development deal with the fledgling UK film and TV outfit and is on board the project as an executive producer. His participation as an actor has yet to be decided.

Related Story: Scott Derrickson Shows Off Badass Concept Art for Unmade Paradise Lost Film

The company has signed up Harry Potter, Gravity, and Guardians of the Galaxy post-house Framestore to produce the VFX.

The Eichmann Show producer Bowen told Screen Daily: “Paradise Lost is like a biblical Games of Thrones transporting the reader into an internecine world of political intrigue and incredible violence. At stake? The future of mankind. There’s never been a better time for big, original, bold drama series; and Martin and I both feel incredibly inspired by the material.

Freeman added: “Paradise Lost is epic, exciting, and surprisingly modern. And maybe the first time the devil gets all the best tunes!

The epic poem, written in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton, concerns the biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

The first version consisted of ten books, which have inspired artists ranging from William Blake to Salvador Dali.

Paradise Lost

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Blood Drive Image Gallery Takes Center Stage

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A gaggle of imagery is here for Syfy’s upcoming “Blood Drive” series and if you have the time, we have the pixels. Dig it!

“Blood Drive” stars Alan Ritchson, Thomas Dominique, Christina Ochoa, Marama Corlett, and Colin Cunningham. The series hails from Universal Cable Productions and executive producers John Hlavin (Underworld Awakening), David Straiton (“Bates Motel”), and Frederik Malmberg (Let Me In), along with producer Mark Wheeler (“Becoming”). James Roland (“Weeds”) created the project and is a co-executive producer on the series.

“Blood Drive” Episode 1.01 – “The Fucking Cop” (airs 6/14/17)
In the dystopian future of 1999, Arthur Bailey (Ritchson) is the last good cop among a horde of corrupt officials, living in desolate downtown Los Angeles. He’s about to get caught up in a race where the cars run on human blood and the last participant to arrive at each checkpoint has his/her head explode.

Blood Drive Blood Drive Blood Drive Blood Drive Blood Drive Blood Drive Blood Drive b
Blood Drive

BLOOD DRIVE — “The Fucking Cop” Episode 101 — Pictured: Thomas Dominique as Christopher — (Photo by: David Bloomer/Syfy)

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The Friday the 13th Copyright Case Could Tear Apart Further Entries in the Franchise

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Back in August of last year, we wrote about the legal battle between Victor Miller, the original screenwriter of Friday the 13th, and Horror, Inc., and the Manny Company, who represent Sean Cunningham. The issue is that Miller is trying to use a provision in copyright law that allows authors to terminate a grant of rights and reclaim ownership, giving him Friday the 13th. Meanwhile, Cunningham and Co. are saying that Miller was a work-made-for-hire, which invalidates any right he has to claim ownership in this case.

Today, more news about this issue has come forward and it seems that there might be a compromise in the works between the defendant and the plaintiffs. However, it’s not going to be viewed as a popular one, not by any stretch of the imagination.

Attorney Marc Toberoff, who is representing Miller, has raised the following possibility (per THR): “Whereas Miller will thereby recover the U.S. copyright to his original film treatment and screenplay this does not prevent the continued exploitation by Plaintiffs or their licensees of prior derivative works, including the 1980 film and its many sequels; it solely relates to new derivative works after the effective 2018 termination date. Furthermore, as the U.S. Copyright Act has no extra-territorial application, the foreign rights to Miller’s screenplay remain with Plaintiffs or their licensees.

Alright, that’s all well and good but what does it mean, you ask? In simple terms, it basically means that Miller will retain ownership of the concepts presented in the first film on a domestic basis. That means he owns the Friday the 13th name. However, Cunningham and Co. would retain the rights to Jason, because the infamous version we all know and love was only brought to life in “derivative” works.

Ergo, Miller could make Friday the 13th films in the US that don’t feature Jason while Cunningham could make Jason films outside of the US that do include Voorhees. Is it a compromise? Sure. Is it one that we would like to see come to fruition? While I love the idea of the franchise moving away from Jason, I’d like to see them do it on their own terms and not because of some legal complication.

For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what Paramount can whip up in the midst of this situation. Until then, us horror fans will have to suffer without another Friday the 13th film.

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