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Thursday, August 10, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- August 10, 2006
DVD Review: 'FINAL DESTINATION 3' (2-Disc Thrill Ride Edition)
IGN DVD now has up a review of Final Destination 3 (2-Disc Thrill Ride Edition). So is it worth the purchase? Click on the click to find out.
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'PULSE' Helmer Talks Tech
Scifi.com is reporting that Jim Sonzero, the neophyte director of the upcoming supernatural film Pulse, told SCI FI Wire that the movie appealed to him because of its focus on broadband, wireless technology and its dehumanizing effect on people.
Originally, "the central theme of the film ... was about artificial intelligence, and it felt like it was dated and hackneyed and that we needed to move to bring it forward," Sonzero said in an interview. "At the time everyone was talking about ultra-wideband and wi fi and how wi fi is expanding, and I saw it as an opportunity to move the script, to move the story, into this technological area. And what was appealing about it to me [was] that the wi-fi environment could be a window, a portal, for anything to come through, any malevolent forces, things we don't even know are out there."
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An Update On The New 'FRIDAY THE 13TH' Flick
Fangoria.com is also reporting that In a recent chat with Jonathan Liebesman, who helmed the upcoming "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" for Platinum Dunes and New Line, Fango has learned the future "Friday [the 13th]" director is heading back to the studio in the coming days to pitch his take on a film that is geared to reignite and overhaul the franchise.
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DVD Details: Sullivan's 'DRIFTWOOD' and West's 'EVIL ALIENS'
Fangoria.com reports that 2 great DVD releases are coming soon on the horizon. Image Entertainment has set a February 13, 2007 DVD release date for "Driftwood", the new ghost chiller from "2001 Maniacs" writer/director Tim Sullivan (following an MTV airing earlier in the winter). Set at an “attitude adjustment camp” for troubled youths, the film follows troubled teen protagonist David (Ricky Ullman) as he deals with not only the facility’s brutal captain ("The Devil's Rejects"' Diamond Dallas Page), but the spirit of a boy who met an untimely end there. Retail price will be $24.99; details of the disc content have yet to be announced, but it’ll no doubt come with plenty of extras.
Meanwhile, Image has shifted Jake West’s Evil Aliens from January 16 to January 9, and announced the DVD supplements accompanying the outrageous black-comic gorefest:
• Bloopers and Outtakes
• A Guided Tour of Life Creations, the movie’s makeup FX outfit
• Extended, deleted, unused and unfinished scenes
• Trailer
The movie will be presented in 1.78:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, and the disc will retail for $26.99. You can see the cover art here.
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Wednesday, August 09, 2006 |
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The Tooth Fairy - Review
By: Gorefan
THE FILM
Peter Campbell (Lochlyn Munro) has just begun work on his brand-new bed and breakfast out in the country; doing his best to escape his hectic life as a doctor and trying to get some much needed relaxation and inspiration to start his writing career. Soon accompanied by his girlfriend Darcy (Chandra West) and her 12-year-old daughter Pamela (Nicole Muñoz), who have agreed to visit Peter to help out, Peter’s hopes are dashed by the mysterious history that plagues the very house he has just purchased.
Young Pamela is quick to discover the truth as she befriends a local girl named Emma (Jianna Ballard), who exposes her to the story of the evil Tooth Fairy, a witch who stole children’s teeth before brutally massacring them and who used to live in the very house that Pamela and friends are now occupying. After hearing this, little Pamela loses her final baby tooth in a biking accident and quickly finds herself being hunted by the Tooth Fairy, who will stop at nothing to reach her and her tooth, not to mention killing everyone who stands in her way. Hide your tooth... hide yourself.
THE REVIEW
The Tooth Fairy started out interestingly enough, with a young boy entering the house of The Tooth Fairy with high hopes of retrieving a brand new bicycle in exchange for one of his teeth. Needless to say he didn’t receive the bike and instead got stabbed in the back - quite literally - by the evil witch. It’s not everyday a horror film (or any film for that matter) shows the brutal death of a child. So in that rare occasion when it does happen, it’s quite shocking, only enhancing a film’s horrifying quality. However, this particular opening scene would not see the following 80 or so minutes quite as chilling. In fact, those minutes are, dare I say, quite boring. Ok, I dared.
First off, the story is, in all respects, just not interesting AT ALL. We are led to believe that this "Tooth Fairy” used to take children’s teeth and then kill them for no apparent reason. Now, in present day, anyone who loses a tooth is doomed to die... why? Well, we just don’t know. Why not just take the tooth and be off with you? Why kill them? Why kill people who didn’t even lose a tooth? No idea! Apparently, this haggard old-witch has something against bad acting and pretty people. Now, I’m not saying those are bad things, but really, come on, give us something here to make us at least interested in the story because, in the end, we just don’t give a damn.
Also, I have never seen a film (well, not one in some time) that had so many laughable reactions to extreme situations. My favorite has to be in the beginning were Darcy (West) and her daughter Pamela (Muñoz) stopping off at a gas station to fill up and seek directions. It is here they meet Chuck (Peter New) and Henry (Ben Cotton). Now, these guys are just pissed off to start with, but discovering that Darcy is off to see Peter Campbell (Munro) – the man who kicked the brothers, and their deformed sister, off his property – they see this as an opportunity to basically try and rape Darcy in an attempt to get back at Peter somehow. Alas, she gives ‘em the ole stomp on the foot maneuver, which is the universal move to escape from two rapists, and drives off with Pamela with only a broken car window being the only damage done.
When she reaches the Inn, Peter, upon viewing the smashed window, asked what had happened. Now, in that situation, I would think that upon arrival, the woman would be quite hysterical about almost being raped... but oh no, folks! Not in the world of The Tooth Fairy. You see, not only is it NOT the first thing they talk about when they reach the Inn, but when it is brought up, this is the conversation that follows:
Darcy – “I pulled into a gas station about 10 miles back. Two bubbas who look like extras from ‘Deliverance’ run the place. The minute I mentioned I was coming up here they attacked me. They were about to rape me. I almost didn’t get away.”
Peter – “What? I’m sorry. I should have told you not to stop there. Are you ok?”
Darcy – “What the hell’s their problem?”
Peter – “THAT is a long story. Let’s just get you settled, ok?”
...TIME PASSES...
Darcy – “You said you were gonna fill me in. So, who are the idiots who broke my window?” (Not asking: “Who tried to rape me?” mind you.)
Peter – “Those ‘idiots’ were the Hammond brothers. ...Listen, let’s talk about you and I.” (In the film, he sounds almost annoyed with having to talk about the whole incident.)
Pause for laughter.
...Still Pausing...
“Let’s get you settled first? Let’s talk about you and I?!” Who the hell is this guy? His girlfriend is almost raped and all he can say is, “Let’s talk about you and I?” Oh god. Why? Why must the writing suck, so? There are MANY moments like this in the film, but this was my absolute favorite and I just had to mention it to you all. Honestly, even the Tooth Fairy character, herself, was laughable. It was so poorly designed, that it looked as though someone bought a cheap-o mask from Spencer’s and threw it on some actor and said, “Ok. Now, I want you to run around and just hack people up. You character may be REALLLLY old, but still run around like you are... twenty or so. Oh! And one more thing: Don’t give the character any life. Just... be yourself.” If you don’t believe me, go and rent the film to see for yourself.
This seems like as good a time as any to mention the acting... err rather lack there of. It’s bad. I mean, I could go on and on and on about the various nuances of these characters and their back-stories and whatnot, but it would just be a waste of time because there really is no, and I mean NO, redeeming acting in this film at all. I dread, really dread, saying this because I am such a fan of hers, but even the great P. J. Soles, in her rather small role, is just not any good. Even the beautiful Carrie Fleming - who was just brilliant as Jenifer in Dario Argento’s MOH piece, Jenifer - is not all that great. Even though she exposes her... um... talents, she just wasn’t nearly as good as she was in Jenifer. But that is not her fault. The director is in charge of bringing out the great performances within each individual actor or actress and director Chuck Bowman just didn’t cut it for this film.
The one redeeming aspect of this film (other than the humor) is the gore. There are a few decent murder scenes to be had here that feature some of the glorious red stuff. We get a nice wood chipper death, a gory nail gun/arm and intestinal removal scene, a decapitation, and probably the best of all, which I’m sure my fellow guys will just LOVE (eh hem... sarcasm), the chopping off of Chuck’s penis. Hold for a moment while the guys collectively cross their legs. The make-up effects team even constructed a prosthetic bloody hand holding a penis (because Chuck was taking a leak at the time of his unfortunate... hacking), which you will see in the film. Hold again for the collective leg crossing. It is in this “death scene that shall not be re-uttered” that prompts the line: “What’s your d*ck doing over there, Chuck?” Finally! A moment where you are supposed to laugh.
So to sum up: Acting? Bad. Direction? Bad. Story/Writing? Bad. Funny? Yes. Gore? Cool. The Tooth Fairy ends up being another horror disappointment that we can add to the ever-growing pile of horror mediocrity. I thought, rather hoped, that I would be pleasantly surprised by this film, but other than the gore effects and a couple of chuckles, The Tooth Fairy did nothing to redeem itself. All this film did was leave a bad taste in my mouth, which was probably caused by the blood dripping from my recently extracted tooth, which had to be removed due to the aching pain this film forced upon it.
THE DVD
Thank god for Anchor Bay. Despite The Tooth Fairy being a bad film, Anchor Bay still treated this movie with respect and care, giving it a quality DVD release, which is no surprise considering the long line of great DVD releases to come from this great company. Here is what you will get if you decide to purchase The Tooth Fairy DVD:
Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs
Hatchet Job: The Making of The Tooth Fairy
Tales of The Tooth Fairy: A short feature with various cast and crew offering up their experiences with the 'real' Tooth Fairy.
Audio Commentary with Director Chuck Bowman, Producer Stephen J. Cannell and star Jesse Hutch
Animated Main Menu and Chapter Selection Screens
There is nothing stellar to report on the audio/video front. We get a solid video widescreen transfer that, despite some graininess, still looks quite nice. As for the audio, we get the standard 5.1 Dolby Digital track that sounds great during those moments of surround sound brutality. Other than that, it's pretty much a good end result, both visually and acoustically.
Certainly not the greatest DVD release of all-time, there is still enough here to keep those of you who enjoy this film satisfied. Some companies will just completely dismiss a film like this, giving it a bare bones treatment that ultimately hurts the film in the long run. But Anchor Bay knows that there will be people out there who will really like this indie. feature and wants to give them something to look forward to once the film has ended. That is why Anchor Bay is so respected in the horror community: They give even the smallest film some kind of special treatment, showing equal respect for each individual movie. And for that, all of us horror fans will continue to celebrate Anchor Bay and what they have done and will continue to do.
The H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index): Complete Listing of All Reviews, Top 10's, Interviews, Editorials and More! *UPDATED*
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Wednesday, August 09, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- August 9, 2006
Video Interviews: 'PULSE'
IGN Filmforce now has up two new video interviews with Kristen Bell and Christina Milian, two of the stars from the upcoming horror remake of Pulse, which hits theaters this Friday.
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Trailer: Rogue Pictures' 'THE RETURN'
Moviefone.com now has up the very first trailer for Rogue Pictures' supernatural horror thriller The Return, which stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and hits theaters on November 10th.
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Neal McDonough Joins The Cast of 'THE HITCHER' Remake
Hollywoodreporter.com is reporting that Neal McDonough has booked back-to-back features. He has joined the cast of Rogue Pictures' The Hitcher, the remake of the 1986 horror film directed by Dave Meyers. He will play a career lawman who tries to aid two college students (Sophia Bush, Zach Knighton). The pair are being terrorized by a murderous hitchhiker. Platinum Dunes' Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller are producing.
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Teaser Trailer: Lionsgate's 'CATACOMBS'
YouTube.com now has the unofficial teaser trailer for Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' Catacombs.
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Has The New Laurie Strode Been Found?
DarkHorizons.com reports that Amber Tamblyn ("The Grudge 2") is rumoured to be up for Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie's version of Halloween.
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First Look: Final Poster Art For 'FEAST'
Fangoria.com now has up a special first look at the poster being used for the Feast's theatrical campaign. Check it out.
Horror Brain News -- August 8, 2006
DEAD RISING (X360) Review
IGN Xbox 360 now has up a review of Capcom's eagerly awaited Xbox 360 zombie smash 'em up, Dead Rising. Find out if the game is a mindless misadventure or a bloody good time.
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More Mother F**kin' Clips From Mother F**kin' 'SNAKES ON A PLANE'!
IGN Filmforce now has up seven new film clips and the "Snakes on a Set" video feature from the highly anticipated, the bad-ass, Snakes on a Plane. Check 'em out!
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New Images: 'SAW III'
IGN Filmforce also has up a bunch of new stills from the upcoming Halloween release of Saw III. Check 'em out!
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Spike TV's Scream Awards - Vote For the Most Anticipated Movie
Hottopic.com now has up an online poll to help you get ready for the 2006 Scream Awards - Celebrating the best in Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Comics.
All you have to do is click on the link above and then choose your 10 most anticipated movie releases from September 10th, 2006 to Fall 2007. Once you complete that, be sure to visit spiketv.com to cast your vote for all the other categories. Happy voting!
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The Return of Universal Studios 'HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS'!
Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of LA, will blur the line between frightful illusion and grim reality with its presentation of ”Halloween Horror Nights” beginning Friday the 13th of October. The event will be helmed by “The Director” ? a sociopathic cinematic auteur – who will convert Universal’s working studio backlot and the theme park’s most popular rides and attractions into terrifyingly realistic settings for an intense and enveloping vision of mayhem. By creating the ambiance of a true “horror genre” production, “The Director” will set the stage for a transformative horror experience.
Universal Studios Hollywood presents Halloween Horror Nights on Oct. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 and 31. More information at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com
To read the official PRESS RELEASE for Halloween Horror Nights. just click here.
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'ESCAPE FROM EARTH' Rumor Is Untrue
Aintitcoolnews.com reports that the Bloody-Disgusting rumor about ESCAPE FROM EARTH, the second sequel to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, is completely False.
[John] Carpenter himself shot the entire rumor down today when AICN spoke to him. “ESCAPE FROM EARTH is an idea we had several years ago, but it never really got any further than that,” he said. When I asked him if he’d met at Paramount, he just laughed. “Nope.” In an e-mail, his wife and producer Sandy King also emphasized how untrue the story was.
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Sony To Release 'BORIS KARLOFF: ICONS OF HORROR COLLECTION'
DVDActive.com is reporting that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially announced the Boris Karloff: Icons of Horror Collection, which will be available on the 17th of October at a retail price of $24.96.
The two-disc set will contain four, new to DVD films from this master of horror, including The Man They Could Not Hang, The Black Room, Before I Hang, and The Boogie Man Will Get You. Each film will be presented in its original 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio, along an English Dolby 2.0 Mono audio track and optional French subtitles. At this time the only extras appear to be a few bonus previews, but we'll let you know if that changes. Click on the link above to check out the cover art for the set.
Press Release: 'HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS'
Official Press Release:
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD RE-INVENTS THE THEME PARK HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCE WITH “HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS” RETURNING UNIVERSAL BACKLOT TO ITS HORROR ROOTS FOR SEVEN NIGHTS OF TERROR BEGINNING FRIDAY THE 13TH OF OCTOBER
Universal City, California, August 7, 2006 —Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., will reinvent the Halloween theme park experience this year with “Halloween Horror Nights,” creating the ambiance of a true “horror genre” production, incorporating scenic and special effects resources of the studio’s famed backlot for a transformative horror experience.
“Halloween Horror Nights” will extend over seven nights beginning Friday the 13th of October and continue Oct. 14, 20-21, 27-28 and on Halloween, October 31.
The “Halloween Horror Nights” experience will be staged as a production by “The Director,” a mysterious and demented horror genre auteur who will convert Universal’s working studio backlot and the theme park’s most popular rides and attractions into terrifyingly realistic settings for an intense and enveloping manifestation of mayhem. Actors and guests will intermingle seamlessly for an immersive experience that will shatter pre-conceptions, transcending notions of horror genre theatrics and “Halloween maze” experiences to take visitors to a state of extreme dread, shock and terror.
For the first time in the studio’s 93-year history, guests will be able to disembark from studio trams and walk among the historic sets of the Universal backlot, birthplace of the horror genre. The backlot experience—incorporating such Hollywood landmarks as Psycho House and the War of the Worlds disaster scene—will play a central role in “The Director’s” Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” production, a scenario that calls for guests to be transported into eerie, darkened sets while subjected to disorienting and unnerving interactive experiences.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” will also feature multiple performances by trance music/performance artists The Mutaytor, a multi-media ensemble that was formed at the legendary Burning Man Festival by members of Oingo Boingo, Supertramp and other musical and theatrical groups. The Mutaytor’s blend of pyrotechnics, stunt performance, tribal dancers and pounding percussion--a riotously surreal techno-retro-funk-audience—will add a spine-tingling and alarming element to the overall Halloween experience.
Specially created entertainment pieces will bring added production value to “The Director’s” scenario. Among them, “Chucky’s Insultorium” will provide a mix of menace and humor to the event while the “Carnival of Carnage” will feature the best of medieval torture artists, sword swallowers, fire and glass eaters, human pincushions and those with a hearty appetite for cockroaches, worms and maggots.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s favorite attractions will remain open for the nighttime Halloween Horror Nights experience, but many will feature a menacing twist. The standing sets and themed streets of the park will be transformed into scenes from “The Director’s” dark vision. “WaterWorld” (transformed into “Slaughter World” for the occasion) “Jurassic Park—In the Dark,” the “Revenge of the Mummy” psychological thrill ride and the twists and turns of the “Back to the Future” will all seem like tranquil respites from “The Director’s” bedlam.
Universal’s “Halloween Horror Nights” comes to life for seven nights over the course of three consecutive weekends: October 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28, and 31. The event will begin nightly at 7:00 PM.
Tickets are available online at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com and range in price from $34.00 to $39.00 when purchased in advance. For more information on Universal’s “Halloween Horror Nights” log on to www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com or call 818-622-3801.
Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., is a full day, movie-based theme park featuring such unique and groundbreaking attractions as “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride,” “Shrek 4-D,” “Terminator 2: 3D,” “Jurassic Park-The Ride” and the world-renowned behind-the-scenes Studio Tour and includes the adjacent CityWalk, a unique dining and shopping promenade featuring 65 entertainment-themed restaurants, clubs, shops and movie theaters.
Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal.
NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
Horror Brain News -- August 7, 2006
Cell Phones Kill In 'PULSE'
Scifi.com is reporting that Kristen Bell, who stars in the upcoming supernatural horror film Pulse, told SCI FI Wire that the film stands as a metaphor for the intrusion of technology into modern lives.
"I thought it was smarter than a lot of the other [horror films] I read," Bell said in an interview. "I thought the fact that it was actually using something very real and very tangible to all of us, because everyone's always hooked to their cell phone or grabbing some sort of PDA or something, as opposed to just dealing with 'The murderer's out there somewhere' or 'The ghost is in the closet.' You know what I mean? It was a much different plot line than I was used to hearing, and I like, I think it's fun to be different."
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Interview: 'SNAKES ON A PLANE' Director David Ellis
Comingsoon.net reports that they recently had a chance to talk to "Snakes on a Plane" director David R. Ellis while he had a brief moment of respite amid his hectic San Diego Comic-Con schedule of interviews and presentations for the movie.
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Are Snake Plissken and John Carpenter Planning An 'ESCAPE FROM EARTH'?
Bloody-Disguting.com is reporting that it now looks as though Kurt Russell and John Carpenter are teaming up once again, this time to leave Earth. Escape From Earth is the title of the third entry into the Snake Plissken action franchise, according to BD's anonymous scooper. Click on the link above to read the unconfirmed scoop.
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Universal Donates Large Sum To 'NIGHTMARE ACADEMY'
Variety.com reports that Universal has made a high six-figure purchase of Nightmare Academy, the first installment of a trilogy of fantasy novels written by "Arrested Development" co-executive producer Dean Lorey. Stephen Sommers and his Sommers Company partner Bob Ducsay will produce. Lorey will write the script. The book revolves around a boy who learns that bad dreams open portals which allow creatures into the world.
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George A. Romero To Write and Direct 'SOLITARY ISLE'
Hollywoodreporter.com is reporting that George A. Romero has signed to write and direct the thriller Solitary Isle for Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures. The film, based on a short story by Koji Suzuki ("The Ring," "Dark Water"), marks the first project in a 50-50 joint venture between Hyde Park and Kadokawa in which they will co-finance horror-thriller films in the under-$25 million range. "Solitary" likely will be distributed by 20th Century Fox, where Hyde Park has its first-look deal. Hyde Park International will handle foreign. The story chronicles an expedition to a deserted island that turns deadly as the explorers face an unknown force.
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First Footage: 'SKINWALKERS'
About.com now has up an exclusive "First Peek" Video Clip from Lionsgate's werewolf flick Skinwalkers. Check it out.
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New Trailers: A 3D 'NIGHTMARE' Comes 'RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR'
Totalclips.com now has up the first trailer for Tim Burton's classic The Nightmare Before Christmas which Disney will re-release in 3D this October 20th.
Empireonline.com now has up a brand new international trailer for Lionsgate's Right At Your Door.
Horror Brain News -- August 4, 2006
Exclusive Script Review of 'THE WOLF MAN' Remake
Latinoreview.com now has up an exclusive script review for the classic movie remake of The Wolf Man, with Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro set to play the lead role. Check it out.
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Vosloo Has Joined The 'AFTER.LIFE'
Hollywoodreporter.com is also reporting that Agnieszka Vosloo has signed with new production outfit Constellation Entertainment to write and direct After.Life. The story chronicles a young woman in a transitional state between life and death who fights to avoid being buried alive and the funeral director who holds her fate in his hands.
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Liv Tyler To Be Targeted By 'STRANGERS'
Hollywoodreporter.com reports that Liv Tyler has signed to star in Rogue Pictures' Strangers for writer-director Bryan Bertino. Mandate Pictures' Nathan Kahane and Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee and Doug Davison are producing. "Strangers" is a suspense thriller revolving around a couple in a remote suburban house who are targeted by three dangerous masked strangers. Tyler will play the female half of the couple. The male role is out to actors, as are the roles of the home invaders. Production will begin in the fall with an eye for an October 2007 release.
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Thursday, August 03, 2006 |
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Horror Brain Headlines: August 3, 2006
Check out our review of Neil Marshall's brilliant horror film, THE DESCENT.
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Thursday, August 03, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- August 3, 2006
Trailer: 'SILK'
Twitchfilm.net now has up the second trailer for the pretty cool-looking Taiwanese horror flick, Silk. Check it out.
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Lucky McKee's 'THE WOODS' Gets North American Release Date!
Twitchfilm.net is reporting that Lucky McKee's The Woods has finally managed to escape from the studio merger hell in which it has been trapped in for some time, for it will see a North American DVD release on October 3rd. It's not a theatrical release, but AT LEAST it's something to look forward to.
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'SLiTHER' DVD Art Unveiled!
DVDActive.com is also reporting that Universal Home Video has revealed early details on horror flick SLiTHER which stars Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion and Gregg Henry. The film will be available to own from October 24th, and should set you back around $29.98. A HD DVD release will also be available for $39.98. The film will receive an anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Extras will include an audio commentary with the director and actor Nathan Fillion, deleted and alternate scenes with optional commentary, a Who is Bill Pardy? feature, visual effects progressions, a gag reel, a video diary, behind the scenes featurette and more.
Click on the link above to check the DVD and HD-DVD cover art as well stills of the DVD menus.
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'JU-ON 2' DVD Cover Art and Release Date Revealed
DVDActive.com is reporting that Lionsgate Entertainment will release the Japanese horror film Ju-on 2 on October 10th, 2006. This title comes from director Takashi Shimizu and is the original film that spawned the American remake. No details yet on the technical specs for this release other than it features a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack but it is expected to retail for approximately $26.98. Click on the link above to check out the DVD Cover art.
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'PULSE' Remake Does The Release Date Shuffle... Again
Bloody-Disgusting.com reports that Dimension Films will now release its remake of Pulse next Friday, August 11th, like originally planned.
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'PULSE' Was Hands-On For Bell
Scifi.com is reporting that Kristen Bell, who stars in the upcoming supernatural horror film Pulse, told SCI FI Wire that a key scene, in which her character is attacked by thousands of supernatural creatures, was shot with only a few very real stunt performers. In the scene, Bell's character, Mattie, is borne aloft on a sea of arms and hands, which grab her and pull her down.
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Trailer: 'THE GRUDGE 2'
Moviefone now has up the very first trailer for Columbia Pictures' The Grudge 2, which stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amber Tamblyn and hits theaters on October 13th.
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Wednesday, August 02, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- August 2, 2006
Release Date For and Music From Rob Zombie's 'HALLOWEEN' Released!
Bloody-Disgusting.com has just been informed that Rob Zombie's Halloween will officially hit theaters on October 19, 2007.
Also, check out the official website for film composer Tyler Bates ("The Devil's Rejects", "Dawn of the Dead", "SLiTHER") , where you can listen to and download his version of the classic "Halloween" theme, which will be used for Rob Zombie's upcoming version.
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'DEAD DAUGHTERS' Remake Is A Go
Variety.com is reporting that Gold Circle Films has optioned English-language remake rights to Russian horror pic Dead Daughters, with scribe Jared Rivet on board to adapt. Directed by Pavel Ruminov, original film centered on three girls who are murdered by their mother. To seek vengeance for their untimely deaths, their ghosts randomly pick people to watch. If that person does something wrong or acts out of line, the girls hold a merciless trial.
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Tim Sullivan Talks '2002 MANIACS'
Fangoria.com also reports that Writer/director Tim Sullivan prefers to stay vague, but he will say this much: A sequel to his gore-drenched romp "2001 Maniacs" is in the planning stages. “The movie will be called 2002 MANIACS: BEVERLY HELLBILLIES,” chuckles Sullivan as he drops a hint or two. “Basically, it’s the maniacs from the first film taking Pleasant Valley on the road to somewhere in California. The lunatics are heading west in search of gold and gore.”
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'ABOMINABLE' DVD Art, Specs & Release Date Unveiled
Fangoria.com reports that Anchor Bay gave them the first look at the DVD art for ABOMINABLE, which not surprisingly retains veteran artist Drew Struzan’s striking theatrical poster art. Writer/director Ryan Schifrin’s Bigfoot chiller hits disc October 3, and Fango has learned that the special features will include the following:
• Audio commentary
• Making-of featurette
• Deleted and extended scenes
• Photo, poster and art galleries
• Outtakes and bloopers
• Storyboards
• Bonus short film
• Theatrical trailers
• DVD-ROM content
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Asia Argento To Star In Father's 'MOTHER OF TEARS'
Bloody-Disgusting.com reports that that Dario Argento has cast his daughter, Asia, to star in his third mother film entitled The Mother of Tears. Dario is directing off a script by Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson.
Horror Brain News -- August 1, 2006
Bell Takes 'PULSE' Of U.S. Fans
Scifi.com is reporting that Kristin Bell—who stars in Pulse, the American remake of the Japanese supernatural horror film "Kairo"—told SCI FI Wire that the U.S. version makes changes to appeal to American audiences.
"I didn't see Kairo until I'd already booked Pulse, but when I saw it, I loved it," Bell (TV's Veronica Mars) said in an interview in Beverly Hills, Calif., over the weekend. "I thought it was really smart. I thought it was really eerie, and I think that in Americanizing it, they chose to condense a lot of the characters, because Americans look at that kind of a film, and they look at it as more of a series of vignettes, because there's so many more characters. And I think Americans are used to following the story of one person a little easier. ... And it's not that they simplified the storyline by any means. They just made less characters. They condensed it."
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Producers Talk 'HACK/SLASH'
Latinoreview.com is reporting that they recently caught up with producers Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter on the floor of the Comic-Con last week and scooped up some key updates on two of the projects fan boys all over have been salivating for! One of which includes HACK/SLASH.
Created by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli, this is a fan favorite sensation from Devil's Due Publishing, chronicling the adventures of Cassie Hack, a young woman who travels to small towns across the country hunting slashers in the vein of "Halloween"'s Michael Meyers, "Friday the 13th"'s Jason Vorhees, and A Nightmare on Elm Street"'s Freddy Kreuger.
Although Askarieh and Alter played it close to the vest, LR persistence resulted in the following revelations: (Writer/director) “Todd Lincoln is supposed to turn in the script any day now and we’re all excited about it. Fans of action and horror will not be disappointed. It’s Todd’s love letter to movies that defined this genre for millions of fans”, Askarieh said.
"HACK/SLASH" was also the subject of a very crowded panel at the Comic Con with many fans attending dressed as the lead character of Cassie Hack.
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Sony Greenlights 'HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA'
Variety.com is reporting that Sony has greenlit its third animated feature, monster comedy Hotel Transylvania, giving a vote of confidence to Sony Pictures Animation one month ahead of its first release.
Anthony Stacchi and David Feiss, co-director and head of story, respectively, on "Open Season", the unit's debut feature, will helm the film. "Open Season" producer Michelle Murdocca is producing. "Big Momma's House" screenwriter Don Rhymer, who worked on "Surf's Up", is writing the screenplay.
"Hotel Transylvania" tells of a group of classic monsters including Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula and the Werewolf who are hiding out in a hotel on the outskirts of Transylvania now that 21st century technology has seemingly made them irrelevant.
The film is tentatively set for release in 2009.
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'AVP 2' Will Be A 'SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST'
Fangoria.com reports that they have learned that ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST will begin shooting in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 23 and wrap December 14.
AVP’s Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis of Amalgamated Dynamics, veterans of the first AVP and all the previous "ALIEN" sequels, will encore on the creature FX. The Shane Salerno script places the battling extraterrestrials on U.S. soil (the Midwest); FX pros Colin and Greg Strauss make their feature directorial debuts on the December 21, 2007 Fox release.
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'SAW II' 2-DISC UNCUT EDITION' Coming In October
DavisDVD.com reports that Lionsgate Home Entertainmenthas announced SAW II: 2-Disc Uncut Edition for release on October 24th.
Presented with an anamorphic widescreen transfer of the Unrated Director's Cut, along with Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS-ES 6.1 tracks, the set includes and auido commentary with series creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell, a second commentary with director Darren Lynn Bousman, production designer David Hackl and editor Kevin Greutert, "Making of the Saw Story", "Making of Saw II", "Jigsaw" and "A Tribute To Gregg Hoffman" featurettes, Director Darren Bousman's short film "Zombies" and bonus trailers. Retail will be $26.98.
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Footage From The Set: The First From 'HITCHER' Remake'
Youtube.com now has up the first bit of on-set footage from Rogue Pictures upcoming remake of "The Hitcher".
Horror Brain News -- July 31, 2006
A Trio Of New Horror Trailers!
Twitchfilm.net now has up three new horror trailers for you to check out. Click on the individual links below to check 'em out. Enjoy:
- DEAD DAUGHTERS (Two new teasers)
- FRITT VILT
- LA HORA FRIA
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'BLOOD TRAILS' Gets Picked Up By Lionsgate
Twitchfilm.net reports that word has hit that Robert Krause's Blood Trails - co-winner of the Audience Award at the Dead By Dawn fest in Scotland - has found a home with Lionsgate for both North America and the UK. Details are sparse but word is that horror fans can expect to see a release in first quarter 2007. Awesome!
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Director Neil LaBute Talks About His 'WICKER MAN' Remake
Aintitcoolnews.comnow has up another Comic-Con '06 Interview, this time sitting down with Neil LaBute, director of the upcoming "Wicker Man" remake.
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Exclusive: 'THE DESCENT's Neil Marshall
Comingsoon.net had a chance to talk to British director Neil Marshall during the Comic-Con in San Diego, where Lionsgate was screening his film knowing that it was going to find a devout audience of horror fans there.
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WB Aquires Werewolf Novel, 'BENIGHTED'
Variety.com is also reporting that Warner Bros. and Graham King's Initial Entertainment Group have acquired the Kit Whitfield werewolf novel Benighted. King will produce the bigscreen adaptation with Andrew Adamson, who'll develop it as a potential directing vehicle.
Adamson sparked to a book with core themes of racism and alienation wrapped in a drama with vast visual effects possibilities.
Originally published in the U.K. under the title "Bareback," "Benighted" is an alternate reality story in which 90% of the population is werewolf. Everyone else must keep the peace during the full moon. Random House, which published in the U.K., will also publish the book in the U.S.
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'ELIZABETH OF BATHORY': Slovakia's Big-Budget Epic
Variety.com is reporting that Slovakia has just wrapped its biggest-budgeted feature ever, an epic by local standards. Bathory is the Gothic historic tale of Elizabeth of Bathory, a notorious countess of Renaissance Europe whom helmer Juraj Jakubisko says has been unfairly maligned by legend.
She was said to bathe in the blood of virgins, but Jakubisko maintains she was simply a powerful woman who got caught up in the politics of men.
The Slovak helmer, known to the local media as "the Fellini of Eastern Europe" and a man who favors white suits and broad-brimmed black hats, has set a new high-water mark for productions in the cash-strapped Central European country with "Bathory."
The $13.3 million shoot, which stretched over the last year, outgunned that of Jan Sverak's Czech World War II romancer "Dark Blue World," in part by incorporating battle scenes from the Turks' invasion of Renaissance Europe.
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'THE DESCENT' Keeps Creatures Real
Scifi.com is reporting that Neil Marshall, who directed the SF horror film The Descent, told SCI FI Wire he didn't reveal the film's scary underground creatures to his all-female cast until they were on set in order to get a genuine fear reaction.
"I wasn't sure what their reactions would be, whether they would really come across as frightening, so I waited until we were filming before I even showed it to them," Marshall said in an interview.
*Be sure to check out our review of Neil Marshall's "The Descent" right HERE.
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'SCREAM 4' Still A Possibility?
Moviehole.net reports that things have apparently cooled on the Scream 4 front. Courteney Cox-Arquette and David Arquette are apparently still attached, but with Arquette “busy with his own films, like The Tripper, and Cox getting some good roles again, it’s been left to simmer a little longer”, says a source.
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'TCM 2' Special Edition DVD Coming In September
Horrorhound.com reports that after 20 years, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 finally receives some respect - at least in the DVD department.
This September, MGM will release the much-wished-for Special Edition DVD of the sequel to the most shocking film in the annals of American Cinema.
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'THE OMEN' Remake Coming To DVD In October
DavisDVD.com reports that 20th Century Home Entertainment will release the nearly shot-for-shot remake of The Omen on October 17th.
*Be sure to check out our review of "The Omen" (2006) right HERE.
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'SCARY MOVIE 5' Shooting For 2008 Release
CNN.com now has up an Interview with brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans that reveals a slated 2008 release for "Scary Movie 5", the next installment into the highly successful "Scary Movie" franchise.
SURFING & HORROR – An Interview with John Philbin
By: Justin Berger
Not too long ago I drove to the ocean, but not for the reason most people would. I was going there neither for the surf nor the sun, but to interview a real Hollywood actor; John Philbin.
While some people may be asking themselves, ‘Who the hell is John Philbin?’, once you associate the name with the well known characters he has played in his career you put two and two together and realize that he is in fact someone you have known for quite awhile.
- Amos, in Stephen King’s “Children of the Corn”.
- Turtle, in “North Shore”.
- Nathanial, in “Point Break”.
- And most recently, Cable Sixx in the upcoming film, “Sin-Jin Smyth”.
John Philbin is ‘that guy’. And he is also one hell of an actor and surfer.
John first got into acting as a small boy playing war with the neighborhood kids. Favoring dramatic death scenes he would volunteer to be shot and killed in the neighborhood war battles.
Growing up on films such as “Frankenstein”, “The Wolfman”, “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and his favorite, “The Invisible Man”, John was always fascinated with movies and the escape from reality that acting offered.
“I was in love with horror movies as a little kid, so I would act out these bizarre, macabre dramas; war, horror movies, westerns – whatever. Act them out with my friends, and my imaginary life was something that I truly invested in, and it wasn’t until I got into High School where they were goin’, ‘Hey, you can invest in your imaginary life right here in school, by doing theater’. And I was like, ‘I love this, it makes sense to me, organically. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid’.”
It was in high school that John got involved with acting on a more professional level. At the time, he was wrestling and also involved in school plays. A decision came when his wrestling coach gave him the ultimatum in front of the whole class of ‘doin’ that play, or wrestling’.
Without a second thought, John opted for the play, which kept him away from sweaty armpits and instead surrounded by girls.
John was also an avid surfer at the time. It was a sport he could do independently without being on a team, which gave him the freedom to practice on his own time while still being able to pursue acting.
“When I got out of high school I went to UC Santa Barbara and I surfed on their surf team and then when I transferred to USC I went, ‘fuck I’m never gonna be able to surf again. I’m gonna be an actor, I’m gonna live in the city, so I’d better take a trip’. I went to Bali in 1980, thinking that would be the end of my surfing career. Then I didn’t surf for a long time, I was just focusing on acting. Just lived in cities and was an actor for awhile until I got the movie North Shore for Universal.”
Theater was John’s first experience as a real actor and it was after college that he decided to pursue screen acting. His first two films were “Grandview USA” and “Children of the Corn”. “Grandview USA” was, as John puts it, “my best work to date” playing a retarded guy, while “Children of the Corn”, based on the Stephen King novel, was the film that went on to launch a franchise that John was not to be a part of as his character, Amos, sacrifices himself to ‘he who walks behind the rows’.
“My first film was Children of the Corn. I was scared to death, I didn’t know what the fuck I was doin’. [But] it was so funny workin’ on that movie – that was a low budget horror movie, but it had Stephen King’s name on it.”
John went on to do a television episode of Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” where a bomber from WW2 is damaged in battle and it’s landing gears are inoperable, leaving the gunner in the belly of the plane doomed to die in the landing. It was John’s first television appearance and he starred alongside Kevin Costner and Kiefer Sutherland and learned a lot from working with Steven Spielberg.
That same year, John also appeared in “The Return of the Living Dead”, a spoof of the Zombie genre. Appearing at a Horror Convention in Baltimore, John was surprised at the reaction.
“I didn’t know there were any fans for Return of the Living Dead, little did I know – of anything I’ve ever done, there are more fans interested in that, and they’ll go to a convention. And I’m sittin’ next to Brad Dourif, and I thought, ‘Fuck, Brad Dourif’s doin’ this? I’m in good company’.”
John’s love of surfing was reborn when he tried out 8 times until finally landing the role of Turtle in the film, “North Shore”. Surfing with idols that he had had posters of on his wall as a kid, John felt like he was where he belonged. It was on the film’s set that Gerry Lopez told John that he can keep surfing and do it for the rest of his life and still act. It was this inspiration that kept John surfing and later landed him the role of Nathanial in the film “Point Break”, acting alongside Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and Gary Busey.
John has since gone on to do other films and television shows including “Tombstone” with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, an episode of the show, “Law & Order” and has started his own business as a pro surf instructor. Once again combining his love of surfing and movies, John was the instructor for Kate Bosworth for the film, “Blue Crush” and continues to be involved in surf related movies and television shows as well as releasing his own surf films.
John has two upcoming horror films he is working on. The first, “Zombie Farm”, is a low budget zombie movie in which he plays Agent Richardson. The film is a tongue in cheek film that has the Taliban poisoning a town’s water supply only to turn the inhabitants into flesh eating zombies.
John’s other film is “Sin-Jin Smyth”, in which he plays the character, Cable Sixx, a rogue federal agent who ends up going toe to toe with The Devil. The film stars Roddy Piper, Richard Tyson and Jonathan Davis from the band, Korn. The film is about two Federal Marshals sent to transport a prisoner with no past and no identity, save his name; Sin-Jin Smyth. The film also stars Kevin Gage, Greg Travis and Jenna Jameson.
John currently resides in Pacific Palisades and teaches surfing 5 days a week when he’s not acting.
http://www.johnphilbin.com
http://www.zombiefarmmovie.com
http://www.sin-jinsmyth.com
To check out our other Horror Brain interviews, visit The H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index)
My Top 10 Horror Films of the 00's
By: General Zombie
Hey everybody. I’ve not posted anything here yet, so I figure I might as well introduce myself: I’m General Zombie, and I like horror movies. Anything from Night of the Demon to Cannibal Holocaust to The Exorcist 3 and everything in between, be it gory or bloodless, popular or unknown. I’d be willing to be that my familiarity with the genre isn’t as encyclopedic as some of the established writers here, but I’m not too bad, if I may say so myself. Also, please excuse me if this post is a bit ragged. I'm not used to this format and I'm also a terrible proofreader/editor, so I'll probably make some mistakes that'll slip through.
Moving on, I figured I’d get started by taking a look at some of my favorite horror movies from the new millenium. Nowadays you hear a lot of people lamenting the state of the horror movie, and they do have something of a point: There is a lot of crap out there, and a ton of derivative, trendy films. Nevertheless, I hasten to point out that there has always been a lot of junk littering the theaters and obnoxious trends have long dominated the direction of the genre. We just tend to forget about these things once they’re gone, remembering and revisiting only the films that were worthwhile. Personally, I think things are on their way up, especially when compared to the dismal 90’s.
Anyway, here are 10 films from the double aughts (presented in alphabetical order) that I think will remain in the public consciousness, (or at least the horror fan’s consciousness) even after every horror film from before 1990 has been remade at least twice, after all the zombies have slowed back down to a more leisurely pace, and after all the dead little girls have been crammed back into their wells, once again forgotten. I know I’ll remember them, anyway.
28 Days Later...- This unexpected hit from Danny Boyle was one of the major instigators of the zombie film revival. (And yes, I do consider them zombies, though I’m certainly not interested in arguing the point as it is ultimately irrelevant.) From what I’ve seen the response to 28 Days Later... has been very mixed, no doubt due to the unwise add campaign focusing solely on the horrific aspects of the film. Of course, it is a horror film, but it’s also a much more conventionally dramatic and somber take on the end of times than your average zombie stomper, with an emphasis on character and EEP! relationships. No, this isn’t what I usually look for in a horror film, but Boyle makes it all work and gives us the best of both worlds, allowing for truly interesting and likable characters alongside the scary elements. Anyway, this is a brilliant film, one of the best ones on this list, and, finally, one of two modern zombie films which deserves to be mentioned alongside the true classics of the genre.
London... After Dark.
Bubba Ho-Tep- I was debating whether or not this should be included on this list, not because the movie isn’t good enough, but because it isn’t really much of horror film. However, horror-comedies are pretty much always lumped together with straight horror films no matter how few horror elements they actually have, and besides, horror fans are the only people who are likely interested in this kinda movie even if it is a major subversion of the genre. Anyway, Bubba Ho-Tep pairs two major horror cult figures, Bruce “Ash” Campbell and Don Coscarelli, director of the classic Phantasm films, and it contains some of their best work in years. Here Campbell plays an aged Elvis living in an isolated Texas rest home which is besieged by a country-fried, soul-stealing mummy. Goofy though this premise is, Coscarelli controls the material adroitly, making the film both funny and poignant and never letting it degenerate into a wink-at-the-camera farce. Add on terrific, funny performances from Campbell and the late Ozzie Davis (as JFK, if you can imagine that) and an unforgettable score, and you’ve got one of the strangest and best horror-comedies of all-time.
Yeah, the movie is as odd as the poster would lead you to believe.
The Descent- This Brit import has been hyped by the horror community for nearly a year now and it’s finally approaching its American release in early August. I first caught this one a few months back, and can safely add my voice chorus declaring The Descent one of the finest horror films in recent years, and indeed one of the better monster movies of all-time. Director Neil Marshall first came to prominence with the silly, violent horror-comedy Dog Soldiers, but he really takes things to the next level here with this much more serious, stylish and just very brutal little horror film. Honestly, I didn’t really find this film scary, (though I rarely get scared by anything anymore) but it’s a truly intense and just damn entertaining film. And yes, they have changed the ending for the American release, but the difference is fairly negligible in my mind, and certainly not sufficient to mean that you shouldn’t check out The Descent in the theater. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like studio meddling either, but this film is just too good to wait for any longer. (And, more significantly, you want the big screen.)
Sarah goes for a swim at a less than opportune time.
Frailty- Bill Paxton’s directorial debut received a lot of hype on its initial release, but it seems to become somewhat forgotten already. This is unfortunate, because Frailty is one of the most disturbing and original horror films of the current millenium. In Frailty Paxton directs himself as a single father and seemingly normal, upstanding man who comes to believe that God has commanded him to slaughter “demons” which disguised as humans, all with the aid of his two young sons. This is quite a daring, twisted premise, but Paxton and screenwriter Brent Hanley don’t stop there, skillfully illustrating the horrific, conflicted relationship between Meiks and his sons Fenton and Adam, and also throwing in some curve balls that actually manage to surprise in spite of our twist-addled modern cinema. We haven’t heard much else horror-wise from Paxton or Hanley since, hopefully we’ll get something else from one or both of them before too much longer. They displayed a helluva lot of potential here for first-timers. (First time in their respective roles, that is.)
Ginger Snaps- This Canadian import wins my nomination for finest werewolf movie of all-time, and has developed quite a cult following despite not receiving a theatrical release in the US. (And to think, Cursed *did* get one. Disgusting....) For me, the downfall of the werewolf film has always been that the creature itself almost inevitably looks silly rather than scary, and Ginger Snaps avoids this pratfall by focusing instead on Ginger’s slow transformation into a she-beast rather than the actual monster itself. Truth be told, the werewolves here still look pretty crappy, but the sly, legitimately clever humor and fantastic performances from Katherine Isabelle and Emily Perkins as the two formerly inseparable sisters torn apart by lycanthropy ensure that the viewer is to into the movie to care that eventual werewolf looks a bit... odd. (And seriously, though my synopsis is perhaps a bit snide, Ginger and Brigitte’s relationship is legitimately touching.) On the downside, the film’s title is a lame pun, but I’ll forgive them for that.
Land of the Dead- It was a sad sight a few years back when zombies movies were being made left and right and yet there wasn’t a Romero film to be seen anywhere, nor did funding appear to be on the way. (And don’t get me started about him getting replaced by Paul Anderson for the Resident Evil movie....) Finally, true zombie fans the world over were given a chance to rejoice as the long-awaited Land of the Dead found its way into theaters last summer. Sadly, more than a few of them ceased rejoicing after they’d actually seen the film, but I wasn’t among them. No, Land of the Dead isn’t as good a movie as Romero’s classics, but it is a lot of action-packed, gory fun and it represents a new direction for the series while still maintaining the spirit of the old films. (Though not in terms of budget. It’s wonderful to see, after all these years, a Romero film with truly first rate production values.) And, most importantly, George blew away almost all of the imitators and showed all these upstarts that he was still the king of the genre, and brought true old-school zombies into the new millennium. One couldn’t help but worry that after all these years of failing to get much of anything off the ground Romero might be a bit rusty, but this didn’t prove to be the case. And it looks like there might be more on the way, and with out another 20 year layoff this time.
The Ring- Admitting this will surely kill my credibility with many, but I think The Ring is an absolutely brilliant horror film, and a genuinely frightening one, at least the first time or two around. I’ve now seen this movie quite a few times and it has largely lost it’s ability to scare, but it still holds up beautifully due to its remarkable, rain-soaked visual style, powerful atmosphere and painstaking attention to detail. Few horror films are as precisely constructed as The Ring, and Verbinski and company create an immersive world filled with double meanings and mirror images, all of which gives weight to a central conceit which could easily be very silly. People love to accuse remakes of “dumbing down” the material, but the opposite is true here as The Ring proves more elaborate and obscure than the (very good) original, and practically demands multiple viewings. Finally, there are host of fine performances surrounding the gorgeous lead Naomi Watts, with particular kudos going to Brian Cox who manages to steal the film in his brief role as the tortured Richard Morgan.
heheladyprettyhehehe...
Shaun of the Dead- I was a bit skeptical about Shaun of the Dead initially, with its play on words title and questionable looking ads, but it won me over almost immediately once I actually started watching it. There are plenty of horror-comedies out there, but Shaun of the Dead stands out because it is far more intelligent and subtle than most of its ilk, and also contains much more genuine horror, placing it in a very select group of films which are true horror-comedies. (Rather than comedies which simply co-opt the form of the horror film for comic purposes, but which are, at heart, still just comedies.) The performances are all charming, particularly Simon Pegg as our titular Shaun, and the film displays an overwhelming affection for classic horror movies while not shamelessly pandering to the horror buff audience. Putting it simply, Shaun of the Dead is an instant horror classic.
I for one would not have gone through with this plan.
Signs- At the risk of destroying what little horror-snob credibility I have left, I must admit that I’m a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan, and of Signs, his curiously intimate alien invasion film, in particular. The film’s detractors love to quibble over the improbability of certain aspects of the plot, and while I don’t think that these accusations have much merit, I also think the overall buildup and atmosphere of Signs are effective enough to make the film worthwhile even if the final turn of events were utterly ridiculous. In an age where fast-pacing and cheap scares rule it’s a pleasure to see a film as deliberately paced and low-key as Signs, and which also dares portray an international danger on an extremely small scale, making it infinitely more personal and, yes, real than your average apocalyptic blockbuster. (Which traditionally have 100 characters, none which are of any interest.) And when the film does eventually take a more conventional turn, Signs puts most of your highly modern, jump-oriented horror movies to shame. Shyamalan has stumbled somewhat with his last two films (though I actually like them both, if to a lesser degree) Signs alone is good enough to make me look forward to his next film, whatever it may be.
Wolf Creek- As of late there has been something of a revival of darker, more violent horror with much hyped releases coming from directors as varied as Eli Roth, Rob Zombie and Alexandre Aja. I’m gonna have to fight against the tide a little here and say that while those guys have each made at least one solid horror movie, none of them can match Greg McLean's ultra-bleak debut film Wolf Creek. Yes, Wolf Creek is short on the grue, but it has an intensity and sheer nastiness unmatched by any other widely released film in recent memory, no matter how many guts were spilled or limbs severed. The highlight of the film is John Jarratt’s brilliant, sadistic performance as the murderous Mick Taylor, and he receives ample support from the eerie scenery, both in the form of the beautiful yet desolate outback, and his cluttered, filthy camp, which is topped off by the twisted, oft anti-musical score. Ultimately, Wolf Creek proves to be one of the few true modern heirs to the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and I’m hoping for big things from McLean in the future.
Well, that’s that, but just for the hell of it, here are a few random honorable mentions.
A Tale of Two Sisters- My favorite Asian horror film of the current millennium. A bit derivative, like pretty much all these films Asian ghost films, but it’s genuinely creepy and beautifully made.
Final Destination 3- I have to admit having a soft spot for this incredibly goofy series, and this one is probably the most amusing of the trio. Also, the nailgun scene is as brutal as anything you’ll see in a mainstream horror film.
High Tension- Yeah, the twist is terrible, but up to that point it’s a brutal, tense slasher.
The Others- An extremely old-fashioned ghost story. The revelation isn’t too surprising, but Nicole Kidman is absolutely great in it, and it’s one of the most legitimately sad horror films I’ve seen.
Saw- This film is not with out its problems, but it has some neat ideas and comes to a delightfully insane climax. Furthermore, the Shawnee Smith head-trap scene is classic.
Session 9- Very eerie haunted asylum film with a great locale and cool camera work. Also be sure to check out The Machinist, also directed by Brad Anderson, which would’ve likely made the main list if I could convince myself that it were a horror film. (I think it’s pretty close by my forgiving standards, but still definitely not there.)
Phew! We’re finally done! Wonder if anyone will actually read the whole thing...
-General Zombie
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