One of the Park City at Midnight titles Ryan Daley missed out on was Don Coscarelli's (Phantasm, Bubba Ho-Tep) incredibly bizarre and entertaining John Dies at the End, which we now have reviewed courtesy of Feed Topel.
"'John Dies at the End' is a wonderful irreverent horror movie. The great thing about irreverence is I think you have to have reverence before you can remove it. Don Coscarelli celebrates his and our love of monsters and cataclysm by reframing their cinematic power."
You'll find his full review by clicking the title above. We'll bring you distro news as soon as it's announced.
"It's a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't."
Those of you keeping up with V/H/S now know that one of the main goals of the experimental project was for it to be F/U/N. This bled into conversations about the film's conclusion and how to play out the credits.
While most found footage films end with a lame "fade to black" and no credits, we opted to rock out with some jams '80s style. The fact of the matter is, we're not trying to fool you, every viewers knows it's NOT real. You know?
The idea was to end the film on a high note and have the viewer walk out of the theater with a hop in their step. This is why we chose The Death Set's "They Come To Get Us" (purchase) as our end credit theme. In celebration of the film being acquired by Magnolia, Bloody's Jon Barkan interviewed Johnny Siera of the Aussie punk rock band over at BD's Music Section. You can rock out to the single by reading on, and purchase the sucker over at iTunes.
"HE" has returned in The Wicker Tree, a companion piece to The Wicker Man that Anchor Bay has opened in limited theaters today. Below you'll find a third clip from Robin Hardy's flick that offers advise from Christopher Lee.
"When two young missionaries (Brittania Nicol, Henry Garrett) head to Scotland, they are initially charmed by the locals in the town of Tressock, and agree to become the local Queen of the May and Laddie for the annual town festival. But the couple is not prepared for the frightening consequences of their decision, and the very disturbing secrets they are about to discover about Tressock's seemingly friendly townspeople."
Written and Directed by Robin Hardy, The Wicker Tree also features Graham McTavish, Jacqueline Leonard, Honeysuckle Weeks, Clive Russell with Christopher Lee, star of the original The Wicker Man.
As much as I'd love to see Eric Powell's The Goon adapted for the big screen, I'm frankly sick of hearing stories about it not happening. How about they stop jumping the gun with announcements and work on it behind closed doors, especially since Powell revealed the animated genre pic has NO FUNDING, and NEVER DID.
"Recently some sites have been saying the 'Goon' film has been nixed based on comments from Paul Giamatti saying he didnt know where the film was at and we must have ran out of money," said Powell on his blog. "Let me assure you we have not run out of money because we never had any money to run out of.
Its been a while since anyone spoke to Giamatti about the project and I guess he wasnt kept in the loop as to what was going on. So zip up your fly, Internet. 'The Goon' is in the exact same position its been in for the past couple of years. Prepping the design and script while searching for funding."
Good to know, maybe next time don't jump the gun on an announcement? This isn't even development hell, it's worse.
Either Nicolas Cage hasn't read the reviews or watched the hilarious videos on YouTube because the star of 2006 remake of The Wicker Man is talking sequels.
"I would like to hook up with one of the great Japanese filmmakers, like the master that made 'Ringu,' and take 'The Wicker Man' to Japan...except this time he's a ghost," joked Cage during a live webchat at Empire to promote Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance.
In the remake of the 1973 British horror thriller of the same name, Cage plays a reclusive sheriff who goes to search for his estranged daughter after she mysteriously disappears on a secluded island. When he arrives, he senses something more is amiss among the island's secretive residents as he starts to uncover a mystery involving strange sexual rituals, a harvest festival and possible human sacrifice. Enjoy the following video that sums up the movie beautifully.
Premiering on ABC Tuesday, February 7 at 9pm is "The River", which comes from the mind of Paranormal Activity creator Oren Peli. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan). ABC has launched a new website that explores what The Magus has to offer.
"The River follows the story of wildlife expert and TV personality Emmet Cole. Emmet set course around the world with his wife, Tess, and son, Lincoln, while filming what would become one of the most popular shows in television. After he goes missing deep in the Amazon, his family, friends and crew set out on a mysterious and deadly journey to find him.
Famed explorer Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood) went looking for magic deep in the uncharted Amazon and never returned. The shocking truth about his disappearance is out there, somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. To the millions of kids who grew up watching his nature show, Dr. Cole was a hero. To his own son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson), he was more of an enigma. Now, six months after he vanished, Lincoln is finally ready to bury the past when Dr. Cole's emergency beacon suddenly goes off. At the urging of his mother, Tess (Leslie Hope), Lincoln reluctantly joins her on a search for his father. To fund the rescue, they agree to let Dr. Cole's cagey ex-producer, Clark (Paul Blackthorne), film the mission documentary-style. The mixed crew of old friends and new acquaintances includes the sexy and resourceful Lena (Eloise Mumford), loyal mechanic Emilio (Daniel Zacapa) and lethal bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann)."
Outsider Pictures today announced the acquisition of the international hit Juan of The Dead (review), from Guadalajara-based international film sales and distribution company Latinofusion, for US theatrical distribution in the United States.
Juan of the Dead will be screened as part of MIFFs Gala series at the upcoming Festival, March 2 11, 2012, and will be the first theatrical screening of the film under the Outsider Pictures banner. Director Alejandro Brugus, actor Alexis Daz de Villegas, and Outsider Pictures and Latinofusion executives are scheduled to attend the screening.
Focus World, the unique digital distribution initiative owned and operated by Focus Features, will release the movie later in 2012 to EST, iVOD and VOD, along with DVD and other formats.
"After zombies take over Havana, Juan (Daz de Villegas) and his friends decide to conquer the marauding undead, reported by the government as being unruly Americans continuing their quest of undermining the regime."
Welsh production company Pillay-Evans Productions announced today that it has teamed up with independent producer Adam Stephen Kelly to produce and develop a remake of 1960's classic British horror film, The City of the Dead, known in the USA as Horror Hotel.
The film is to be written and directed by BAFTA member SJ Evans, who made his feature debut to critical acclaim with the documentary Tattoos: A Scarred History.
"A young coed (Nan Barlow) uses her winter vacation to research a paper on witchcraft in New England. Her professor (Christopher Lee) recommends that she spend her time in a small village called Whitewood. Things begin to happen in earnest when she finds herself marked for sacrifice by the undead coven of witches"
Gearing up for the February 3 release, CBS Films has provided Bloody Disgusting with an incredible The Woman in Black prize pack for one lucky reader to win. Included in said pack are one (1) of each: WIB signed Daniel Radcliffe poster, WIB branded iPod Nano ($135.00), WIB black long sleeve t-shirt ($8.00), WIB black short sleeve t-shirt ($8.00), WIB black veil ($4.00) and a WIB static cling ($2.00)!!
To Enter To Win, you must do two simple things: Put WIB PRIZE PACK in the subject line and then send YOUR FULL NAME and ADDRESS to submit@bloody-disgusting.com. Then either tweet to @BDisgusting or Facebook us your submitted name, #WomanInBlack and #WhatDidTheySee.
Winner chosen at random February 3.
"The story follows a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), who is ordered to travel to a remote village and sort out a recently deceased clients papers. As he works alone in the clients isolated house, Kipps begins to uncover tragic secrets, his unease growing when he glimpses a mysterious woman dressed only in black. Receiving only silence from the locals, Kipps is forced to uncover the true identity of the Woman in Black on his own, leading to a desperate race against time when he discovers her true intent."
Opening today from Open Road is director Joe Carnahan's (A-Team) The Grey, a thriller that stars Liam Neeson (Unknown, After.Life), Dallas Roberts (Joshua, The Factory), James Badge Dale (The Departed), Dermot Mulroney (Zodiac), Frank Grillo (My Soul to Take, Mother's Day), Nonso Anozie (RocknRolla), and Joe Anderson.
From my 9/10 Review,"As is the case with the best films, 'The Grey' isn't just a vehicle for Neeson. Or Carnahan. Or the supporting cast. It doesn't have enough lows for any one element to tower above the rest. In the weeks and years after its release the selling point of 'The Grey' will be the film itself. The rare movie about men that acknowledges insecurity and never delves into machismo, it's the first truly great film of 2012. A masterpiece of survival you'll be watching for years to come."
Now Micah Roland writes in, "Honestly, I havent been this pleasantly surprised by a film in a long time. 'The Grey' is a bleak, gruesome and horrifying action thriller featuring a masterful performance by Liam Neeson. Highly recommended."
Hit the jump for Micah's full review! And don't forget to check back in after you see the film with your review here.
Rob Zombie has shared another image from The Lords of Salem, which is currently in post-production. The still has the playful nature of Sid Haig in House of 1,000 Corpses.
"Here is a really odd moment from THE LORDS OF SALEM. Local Salem TV host Lobster Joe (Christopher Knight) gets ready to entertain the kiddies as his camera assistant (Barbara Crampton ) checks her light meter," explains Zombie.
"The story is about a local DJ who mistakenly unleashes a hellish curse on the town. 300 years earlier on the very streets of Salem that the townspeople walk on today, innocent folks were rounded up from their homes, convicted of being witches and sentenced to death. The Lords of Salem ran the town with an iron fist, but four witches who were tortured and killed in secrecy vowed that one day they would be back for revenge."
On February 3 CBS Films releases Hammer's The Woman in Black, an old fashioned ghost story starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter 1-7.2) and Ciaran Hinds (There Will Be Blood). With a screenplay by Jane Goldman (X Men: First Class, Kick Ass), based on the novel by Susan Hill, the film is directed by James Watkins who helmed Eden Lake in addition to writing The Descent: Part 2.
This film has the most wide array of marketing material I've seen recently, probably due to Radcliffe's status as international superstar Harry Potter - many different territories are getting their own unique materials. Today we have a new UK TV spot.
"In this supernatural thriller, Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career as a lawyer in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lostand no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance."
Hit the jump to check it out! And look for my interview with Radcliffe sometime next week!
Ever promised yourself you'd go running or jogging but simply couldn't work up the motivation? Well, if you sign up for this 5K you'll have it because there will be Zombies chasing you! And it's an event that could be coming to your town!
It's called Run For Your Lives and it seems like it could be pretty great. Hit the jump for more details!
Nicolas McCarthy's The Pact, which debuted at Sundance as a short some time ago, had its feature length premiere at Sundance last week and was just acquired by IFC Midnight.
According to IFC's Press Release, "IFC Midnight announced today from the 2012 SundanceFilm Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights, to writer-director Nicholas McCarthys THE PACT. The film, which premiered in the festivals Midnight section on January 20, stars Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Haley Hudson, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Sam Ball, and Agnes Bruckner. The film was produced by Preferred Contents Ross M. Dinerstein, and executive produced by Jamie Carmichael at Content, as part of a new multi-film financing deal between Preferred Content and Content Film."
Hit the jump for a clip!
Agnes Bruckner (Venom, Vacancy 2, The Woods, Kill Theory), Sam Ball ("The Event"), Haley Hudson ("Ghost Whisperer", Killer Pad) and Kathleen Rose Perkins ("Lie to Me," "Trust Me") and Casper Van Dien also star in the ghost story said to be in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, Dario Argento's Suspiria and Hideo Nakata's Ringu, "as a woman struggles to come to grips with her past in the wake of her mother's death, an unsettling presence emerges in her childhood home."
We've got episode summaries and a teaser from upcoming February 12 return of "The Walking Dead", (covering all except the return episode "Nebraska"). "Walking Dead" was renewed for a third season and bumped up to 16 episodes.
"The Walking Dead" tells the story of the weeks and months that follow a pandemic zombie apocalypse. County Sheriff Rick Grimes travels with his family and a small group of survivors, constantly in search of a safe and secure home. But the constant pressure of fighting off death on a daily basis takes a heavy toll, sending many to the lowest depths of human cruelty. As Rick struggles to keep his family alive, he will discover that the overwhelming fear of the survivors can be far more dangerous than the mindless walkers roaming the earth.
Recently the producers promised an uptick in action. We will resolve these story lines," said Gale Anne Hurd. "Certainly people earned that resolution, earned that reveal. The farm has allowed us to develop the characters because it's not a constant threat. They're not always on the run. The dynamics among the members of the group are beginning to fester and beginning to build to a climax."
Hit the jump to get spoiled on the summaries and to see the teaser!
Let this be a lesson. One that encourages you to pursue your dreams, but to avoid Dick Clark's in the Salt Lake City Airport while doing so.
I'm sure you Bloody-Disgusting readers are as caught up as you need to be on what V/H/S is. My interviews with seven of the filmmakers were all published last week, leading many of you to wonder aloud, "how many people directed this d*mn thing?" And, "Does Joe Swanberg play Dexter?" If you're not familiar with the film, feel free to click on that red title and learn all about it.
And then hit the jump for the epic story that unfolded because of it.
Ridley Scott's Prometheus is getting closer and closer to release and, while mystery is still high (and should be - I don't want to be totally spoiled), more and more is beginning to emerge.
Like this still for instance. We've seen glimpses of this imagery in the teaser, but not from this angle. It features the giant stone head from the posters amidst what looks like the egg rooms from Alien and Aliens. Only the egg-like objects in Prometheus seem to be made of granite or perhaps some alloy and they are more conical in shape. But there's no denying what they're intended to invoke.
"Ridley Scott, director of 'Alien' and 'Blade Runner,' returns to the genre he helped define. With 'Prometheus', he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race."
In theaters June 8, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Sean Harris, Guy Pearce, Kate Dickie, Rafe Spall, Logan Marshall-Green, Benedict Wong, Emun Elliott, Ben Foster, Patrick Wilson all star.
La Brea Pictures is wrapping up post production on its first feature film, Tii Ricks' slasher homage Rage: Midsummer's Eve. Tii Ricks' new horror movie, which is set in the Finnish Artic Circle, during a time of year when the sun never sets. Kind of like a reverse 30 Days of Night.
" 'Rage' is a film honoring all the great horror features I have seen in my childhood: 'Halloween,' 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and 'Friday The 13th' are all films that I have grown up with and which I secretly watched way before I was supposed to see them. This film is a tribute to all of those films.", said Ricks.
Hit the jump to check out the first teaser and poster for the film!
On February 3 CBS Films releases Hammer's The Woman in Black, an old fashioned ghost story starring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter 1-7.2) and Ciaran Hinds (There Will Be Blood). With a screenplay by Jane Goldman (X Men: First Class, Kick Ass), based on the novel by Susan Hill, the film is directed by James Watkins who helmed Eden Lake in addition to writing The Descent: Part 2.
In keeping with the marketing department of the film's recent tradition of releasing a new poster for the film every single day* - we have a new international one sheet! Uncle!
"In this supernatural thriller, Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career as a lawyer in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lostand no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance."
Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival last week was Rodney Ascher's Room 237, an experimental documentary that explores the numerous theories about the real meaning of Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining. An we have a review!
Ryan Daley writes in from Sundance, "Many of the ideas presented are preposterous and absurd, but every interview subject has a point or two thats surprisingly relevant. The film as a whole is insanely thought-provoking. And more importantly, whether its discussing subliminal Hitler mustaches or implied erections, Room 237 is consistently entertaining. But this is coming from someone who has seen 'The Shining' more than 20 times."
From the official site, "'Room 237' is a subjective documentary that explores the numerous theories about the hidden meanings within Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining. The film may be over 30 years old but it continues to inspire debate, speculation, and mystery. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments. Together they'll draw the audience into a new maze, one with endless detours and dead ends, many ways in, but no way out..."
The Official BD Podcast - Featuring discussions on all the latest horror news, reviews, and interviews. Hosted by Tex Massacre, Horror Guy Keenan, and David Harley.
Double Murder - Where horror movies are pit against eachother, featuring originals vs remakes, originals vs sequels, and more. Hosted by Danny! and Tim.
Dead PIxels - Covering all things horror in popular culture. Everything from video games to comic books to tv. Hosted by Reset, BurnTheBlueSky and the BD Video Game Blog.
