My Review Of “V/H/S” Horror Anthology

To be honest I did not know what to expect when I set down to view this film. At first I though “oh- another found footage film-cool”. The title alone conjured a lot of nostalgia of glory days running to the vid store to pick up my fair share of 10 rental/ 3 day load of horror flicks. So that alone made me want to see this film. Beyond that bit of pointless stream of consciousness I didn’t have high hopes for the film. Oh ME of little faith! A collection of short films from some of the best todays horror can conjure come together to create some truly inspiring and original views of nightmares and dreamscapes that I have ever seen. This is done in a found footage premise that begins as epic and simplistic as performing a covert task and awakening Satan himself in the process.

“V/H/S” Starts with a simple story of breaking & entering and theft. A small crew is hired to still a simple v/h/s tape. However they enter a realm that is far darker than any Rod Serling could dare to dream of. It is a collection of short and twisted delights envisioned brilliantly and uneventfully by the likes of Ti West, Joe Swanberg, and Glen McQuaid to name a few of the disturbed minds that have gathered in this truly demented Night Gallery. Each on of these directors pull us into the lives of every day people going about their lives who just happen to cross paths with a horrific fate by supernatural means. The stories are dark and at first seem simple enough. Friends on adventures or moving into life changing moments of time that unfortunately venture into a world plagued by psychotic killers, winged demons, and paranormal attacks.

I was so wrong to doubt that this film would be anything but awesome. The segments are intense and pull you into the lives of the characters long enough to make it emotional and intense to see the massacre unfold. The string of episodic nightmares flow perfectly with interludes of terror that press upon the cast in the back story – the thieves. This is truly one of the best things ever to come out of the found footage explosion in genre film making and probably an instant cult classic. For me it was like watching a fictional “Faces Of Death” tape with the same nail biting, tense enjoyment watching and waiting for the carnage to begin. “V/H/S” is definitely in the top 5 of stand out horror films to come out this year. I enthusiastically say see it.

Two More Disturbing Promo’s For ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’

Check out these two new promo’s for season two of ‘American Horror Story’ which hint at who is who in the new cast but doesn’t necessarily spare anyone from the wrath of Jessica Lange! ‘AHS: Asylum’ premieres October 17th on FX.

Psychotic Saturdays! Six Flicks Of The Truly Psychotic

Time for another Psychotic Saturdays Post! The day that we all must set back or pass out from recreational abuse after a night of debauched frenzy and truly enjoy this most psychotic of times! These films all have a common principle that applies to them. “Sometimes the truly fucked up mind is not one of self degradation but one of a more familial creation.” People are how they were raised to be and a psychotic raised by a psychotic can become so much more than a basic tragedy. His (or Her) story can be a truly twisted tale that echoes through the criminal echelon for all time.








1. Twisted (1986)

One evening the Collins find their maid Mrs. Murdock at the end of their steps: dead, neck broken. Obviously she had an accident. Consequently they need a new babysitter for an upcoming big party. The sensible Helen meets little Susan Collins at the discount market and likes her, so she offers to do the job. She doesn't know Susan's teenage brother Mark - technically skilled and good in school, but restive and cunning. As soon as the parents have left, he starts psychologically terrorizing Helen and his sister with electronic tricks.

2.  Don’t Go Into The House (1980)

Donny Kohler is a deeply disturbed guy who is plagued by the morality of an over bearing mother, a mother who even in death torments him with her constant criticism. He of coarse takes this out in a frantic and truly demented frenzy of torture on young women he lures to his home.

3. Born For Hell (1976)

After the war a Vietnam vet with truly psychotic tendencies releases his post traumatic aggression on a house of young nurses.

4. Schizoid (1980)

An advise columnist seeking help herself in group therapy session realizes she is the target of a truly psychotic individual. One by one the woman in her therapy group end up dead as the killer gets closer to knowing her.

5. What’s The Matter With Helen? (1971)


Two middle-aged women move to Hollywood, California after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder and open a dance school for children eager to tap their way to stardom.

6. Cassandra (1986)

A young woman has eerie flashes of recovered memories of her brother committing a murder, despite her parents assurance that all is well.

So as you enjoy this Saturday either with your family or trying to avoid your family take a moment to unwind with a little mental mania with these Psychotic tells for this truly Psychotic Saturday!

My Review Of “Airborne” 2012

“Airborne” is directed by Dominic Burns and follows a late night flight to New York from the U.K. The film stars Mark Hamill who is the only recognizable  American actor in this flotsam jetsam cast.  The story has a skeletal crew with a minimal group of travelers, some with more than shady backgrounds gathering on a cross Atlantic flight that is carrying some priceless cargo with supernatural presence. The film is cookie cutter British B-movie horror that is as good as some A level pictures that have come out. Like many Brit flicks before it, “Airborne” maintains a steady rise of tense sinister build-up before finishing with a cheeky tease of “evil always prevails” that flows richly through most of the British horror films.

The story is simple and yet dimensional enough to keep you interested. There is more than a supernatural evil at work in this film. The crew and passengers equally leave you feeling uneasy about which side of darkness they lean. The drama and action is spread evenly allowing for a constant flow between dialogue and suspense. There are a few times when the story seems a bit dull but before you can tire of the predictable plotline the thrills kick in and take you through the nightmarish turbulence of melodrama. Sadly the only real cheesy below par acting comes from Mark Hamill. His character almost seems pointless and stressful on the film save the very last scene which offers a twist. There is some blood and guts moments to the film but the really cool deaths happen off camera and are only offered in flash back which kind of sucks. Those action death shots would have up-ed this films likeability. “Airborne” is a fun little easy film to watch that offers some chills and drama but it is also something that could wait till premium cable runs it or DVD release.  

My Review Of “The Lost Coast Tapes”

“The Lost Coast Tapes” is a well crafted found footage styled horror movie that chronicles a small crew of Independent documentarians on a hoax busting quest to Northern California. Directed by Cory Grant the film gives a small breath of new life into the saturated and drowning genre of unintentional documentary tragedies that have inundated the horror and sci-fi genre lately. It stars Drew Rausch, Rich McDonald as two almost symbiotic frat brother styled post grad douche’s that grow on you in their fun loving, life-by-the-balls, quick wit personalities that really complete each other a little too well to be your average bromance. It works though, these two actors play their parts effortlessly with believable banter. Finished off by Ashley Wood and Noah Weisberg, a earth-mother-techno-pagan ex-girlfriend and the poor shmuck who got suckered in to carry shit and work cheap.

Tying up the character balance is the ultimate outback crypto-hunter that maybe had too many wild mushrooms and probably has a few secrets in his beastial wilderness lifestyle. All these crazy personalities would normally drown each other out in a film as they vie for attention but in this film the mad-cap cast seem to be as natural as serious reality professionals. They just happen to be exploring the world of the Bigfoot, or fabrication of said beast depending on which of these characters were to be asked. I found them for the most part to be believable and in no way feel jilted out of cinema value by the black guy bailing on the job offer. When you watch this film that statement will make sense. Anyway the parts are believable and the cast seems perfectly maintained so that even the over the top reactionary moments feel natural.

The tricks and effects stay within a limited use range in the film which put most of the chills on camera effects and actor portrayals. The story is steady and doesn’t waver in plausibility. There is a minor irritation in the fact that this is suppose to be such a big wilderness area they are in and yet they get to locations without camera pauses within a few hundred steps. That aside the location is creepy as hell and reminds me of a few episodes of ‘X-Files’ with the freakiness. The creature is bare minimal in this flick so if your looking for full on monster assault then you will be disappointed but if you take the story as it is you will leave scratching your heads, thinking on a lot of cool new questions about the legends of bigfoot. For me this film is a great burst of new energy for the slowly exhausting found footage style. I wasn’t disappointed by “The Lost Coast Tapes” at all.

Coven Mark Artwork From “Lords Of Salem”

“The Lords Are Coming…” states it best. The symbol is from art to promote the coven of 300 year old witches that are about to bound us all to their hellish dominion in Rob Zombie’s  “Lords Of Salem”. The film is set to debut at Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10th. Check out the artwork below. If only the emblem for my desired coven of my younger days would have been both so powerfully iconic and simplistically sinister maybe I would have stayed with my education in witchcraft.

Check Out the Awesome Poster For “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” 3D

Okay time to be corny! This “TCM 3D” poster is MASK-TASTIC! Well that felt good. Now to the story. No other horror flick remake, reboot or revision-what ever the hell ya wanna call ‘em- has been buzzed about more than the new “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” 3D. Everything from “was it gonna be made” or “are they still doing it” when it was first talked about a few years ago. Now finally after nearly two years we have the first impression of how this film will look. Check out the teaser poster for the film. “TCM 3D” or should we say “Texas Chainsaw 3D” will star Alexandra Daddario, Bill Moseley and Gunnar Hansen and is directed by John Luessenhop.

” Twenty years ago, the town of Newt, Texas exacted vengeance on the Sawyer family for their role in assisting and concealing murders committed by the chainsaw-wielding maniac Jeb Sawyer, aka “Leatherface.” The entire family was presume killed when Burt Hartman led the townspeople to burn down their farm house, but the Sawyer infant survived and was secretly taken away by two of the vigilante townies, Gavin and Arlene, and raised their daughter Heather. It’s not until she’s in her twenties that Heather learns that she’s adopted.
A lawyer for her grandmother tracks her down with word she’s been left an inheritance. Angry at her parents for lying to her, she sets out for Texas on a road trip with her boyfriend Ryan, friends Nikki and Kenny, and Darryl, a hitchhiker they pick up on the way.”
 

My Review Of “Knock Knock 2”

First off I have to admit that I did not see the first film and I am wagering that has no significant impact on this films value. “Knock Knock 2” after watching the found footage horror flick left me fragmented in my opinion of it. The film follows four 20-somethings on a joyful horror venture to some pretty famous haunts around the L.A. area on Halloween night. Directed by Chris Sheng and starring Adain Cardei, Jordan Elizabeth, Alexander Popovic and Stephanie Love Underwood “Knock Knock 2” is stereotypically found footage. It is a paranormal ghost story that mirrors other stories but told in a reluctantly creative way. After taking their joy ride to several areas of famous deaths such as Sharon Tate, The Black Dahlia, and George Reeves they venture to one final haunt before calling it a night. This is where the story really begins to take hold and validate the plotline and basically it’s whole reasoning for being made. I say that because although the movie starts with the innocent general get-to-know-the –cast routine and set up the following events there is really nothing of value or interest that happens for nearly thirty-six full minutes of this film, maybe longer. Even the trips to the first haunts seem trite. Harsh I know.

How this movie manages to leave me fragmented is in the sudden and emotionally charged way the action and nightmare really takes off. Once the group get to that final fucking horror house the shit really hits the fan. The tension and suspense picks up. There is a sudden chill to the atmosphere of the film that makes you thankful that you held on to the story instead of hitting stop or quitting the film. The camera stylizing is typical trick ponies as far as found footage go but in this film you are given a clear and present environment as opposed to some dark shady questionable surrounding that leaves you wondering “where are they?”. The death scenes are not all that gratuitous or gory but they happen suddenly with eerie background sound effects and the impact of what unfolds is intense and entertaining.

So “Knock Knock 2” is one of those that fits kinda in the middle of the paranormal found footage pile that has come out lately. It isn’t a bad movie to watch, just hang in through the first thirty-five or forty minutes. It isn’t one that will leave you scratching your head either- thinking how creative or intense the minds behind it must be. This paranormal ghost flick is great for the casual horror watcher that doesn’t want to be too grossed out or deal with too much suspense and yet it has enough of a scare as it picks up in the middle to really leave you holding your breath at the end. I am glad I saw the film but don’t think I would have missed much waiting for it to hit cable networks either. 

My Review Of “Rites Of Spring” 2012

Padraig Reynolds’s “Rites Of Spring” is one big one hell of a story. Well actually the film is two stories that build as steady dramatic storms before converging into one monstrous maelstrom of a nightmare. The film stars AJ Bowen (House Of The Devil, A Horrible Way To Die), Anessa Ramsey (Footloose, The Signal), Sonny Marilnelli (ER, The Fallen Faithful), Katherine Randolph (Jarhead), and Marco St. John (Treme, Monster) and follows a group of kidnappers looking for a ransom that inadvertently lead themselves into the path of a psychotic some-what supernatural killer unleashed by a farmer’s ritual human sacrifice. Yeah I know, that is an epic set up right!. Not only that but of coarse as always a couple of the kidnappers have other plans for the money situation as the story unfolds. But I don’t want to give out a definite spoiler moment of the film.

For me “Rites Of Spring” almost fails by bringing the two stories slowly together. At times you think “what the fuck- quit changin’ up the story”. It is a knee-jerk reaction when watching a film that bounces between story lines alternating scenes from the beginning. This almost makes the interest and build of the film seem pointless and boring. Don’t give into any impulse you may have to step away from this film though. It would be a mistake because this film soon lives up to the title and the horror implied within.

Just as in life there is no slow set up to a situation you may face or walk into, so to is how this film begins. The story starts as if we were always watching these characters lives with the plot already in motion. It doesn’t stop in the steady intense build from the beginning until the final moments with the scene freezes and the credits role. The movie takes place in a small town with little going on. However in this town there just happens to be a family that gives human sacrifice for prosperity of crops in the coming year. A ritual blood offering to a crazed psychotic slasher that may or may not be supernatural. There is no real detail to the origin of the monster in this film.

When the lives crash into one another the darkness intensifies and you almost hold your breath in anticipation of what will happen next. There are some pretty intense moments that give fright as they characters are cut down gruesomely one by one. When the action and horror unfolds it is sudden and none stop right up until the last scene. Then the film ends just as quick as it began with no real finish or conclusion. The story or stories as I should say at first seem scattered and confusing but before it can bother you much the plot unfolding on screen seems to hold you long enough for the nightmare to begin. I really enjoyed this film and can’t wait for another ritual sacrifice to bring on a new spring. In other words I hope there is a sequel to this movie.

Trailer For “My Sucky Teen Romance”

Teen director Emily Hagins’s new flick “My Sucky Teen Romance” will be available VOD on September 4th. On 17-year-old Kate’s last weekend in town before heading to college, she and her geeky friends head to SpaceCON, the local sci-fi convention. There Kate meets Paul, a recently turned teen vampire. When Kate tries to make a move on him, he bites her in the neck. Soon Kate and her friends discover that Paul is not the only vampire at the convention, and it is now up to them to stop the undead and find a way to save Kate before she too turns. The third feature written and directed by 18-year-old phenomenon Emily Hagins, is considered a smartly comic take on the horrors of adolescence. Check out the trailer below.

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Swamp Monster Massacre By Hunter Shea

eBook Worth Reading:

The swamp belongs to them. Humans are only prey.
Deep in the overgrown swamps of Florida, where humans rarely dare to enter, lives a race of creatures long thought to be only the stuff of legend. They walk upright but are stronger, taller and more brutal than any man. And when a small boat of tourists, held captive by a fleeing criminal, accidentally kills one of the swamp dwellers’ young, the creatures are filled with a terrifyingly human emotion—a merciless lust for vengeance that will paint the trees red with blood.
 
read excerpt:
Copyright © 2012 Hunter Shea
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
Rooster had perfect eyesight, but he still couldn’t make out the tall, broad figure through the wall of rain and gloom. It had to be a man, and one hell of a big one at that. If Rooster was right, it was over seven feet tall, if not eight. It was hard to tell with it all hunched down, wrangling the kid.
“Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Somebody help me!” the Italian kid bawled.
He was being lugged away from them by the ankle. He clawed at the sand in a futile attempt to halt his progress into the total darkness beyond the trees.
“Angelo!” his buddy shouted, running over to help.
Rooster was suddenly hit by an overwhelming odor that made the ball of mess in the water smell like potpourri. It was like a combination of gasoline, body odor, wet dog and the inside of a baby’s diaper. Everyone else must have smelled it, too, because he saw a lot of crinkled noses.
Suddenly, there was a loud roar, like what Rooster would imagine a tiger caught in a bear trap would sound like, that turned his blood to ice.
And it was coming from the thing carting the kid off.
The kid’s friend was almost on top of him, and there was another roar, followed by a hard slap and the kid went down like Tyson had given him an uppercut.
Rooster pulled the gun from his belt and cocked the hammer back.
A pair of red eyes cut through the murk, pausing for a moment on each one of them, taking them in, daring someone to make a move.
He took a few, slow steps forward, refusing to blink despite the irritating rivulets of water burning his eyes. The girl kept by his side.
That wasn’t no man holding the kid.
He couldn’t recall any man being over seven foot tall and covered with hair. Its hair was long and matted and he realized the awful stink was coming off of it in repulsive waves. There was a small, hairless patch of what looked to be rough, sun scorched skin just around the nose, eyes and mouth. But those eyes. Dear God, it was like looking into the eyes of Satan himself!
“Let me go!” the kid shouted, breaking the stare-down. He tried to kick the beast with his free leg, but it twisted his body with the ease of flicking a jump rope, causing him to miss badly. There was a loud crunch and the kid wailed so hard, Rooster thought his throat would burst.
“Was that his ankle?” the girl whispered.
Rooster nodded. He sure couldn’t think of any man that could crush another man’s bones like that.
“Shoot it,” the girl said.
He didn’t need to be told twice. Rooster raised the gun and squeezed the trigger. The gun went off at the exact same time as a flash of lightning lit up their world, temporarily blinding him. When he opened his eyes, the beast and the Italian kid were gone.
A swath of sawgrass waved from side to side, the fading sign of the monster’s quick escape. The only sound was the pounding of the rain on the water and the long, heavy leaves of the trees.
How did I miss it? There was no way it could have ducked his shot. Nothing on earth is that fast. Nothing.
He looked down at the girl. “Stay right here.”
Everyone else was huddled together by the wrecked boat. Rooster strode over to where the other kid lay, keeping his gun well out in front. His finger applied enough pressure on the trigger to make the gun go off with the slightest provocation. Bending down on one knee next to the kid, but keeping his eyes on the tree line where the monster had taken off, he gave him a soft slap on the cheek. The kid answered with a dull moan.
“You good enough to get up?” Rooster asked. His guts were pulled tight and his nose wanted to call it quits. The smell was even worse here.
“I…I think so.”
“Then do it quick. It ain’t safe here. I’ll help you.”
He lifted him with his free arm and walked backwards to the rest of the group.
The relentlessness of the rain eased up, signaling the beginning of the storm’s end. Less than a minute later, it had passed, leaving them soaked, confused and frightened. And true to Mick’s word, the heat came back with a vengeance, as did the mosquitoes.
“Anybody got a clue what the hell that was?” Rooster said. His head swiveled in every direction, waiting for it to reappear. His heart was beating so hard he thought it was going to turn his ribcage to dust.
All heads turned when the little guy stammered, “I think I do, but I sure do hope I’m wrong.”
 
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“Smiley” Making New Faces In October

AMC Theatres And Fever Productions announces that “Smiley” will be released through the Independent platform reaching 28 theatres in 14 markets on October 11th, 2012. The much anticipated horror flick follows a mentally fragile college student named Ashley (Caitlin Gerard from ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘The Social Network’) who, after learning of an urban legend in which a mysterious serial killer named Smiley can be summoned through the Internet, must decide whether she is losing her mind or becoming Smiley’s next victim. ‘Smiley’ also stars Melanie Papalia (Endgame) and Andrew James Allen (Make It or Break It), with Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives), Keith David (The Thing) and Liza Weil (Scandal) rounding out the cast. Directed by Michael Gallagher. Check out this new clip from “Smiley”.

Check Out The Trailer For Spanish Thriller “Insensibles / Painless”

Set in Catalonia, Insensibles/Painless weaves two stories: in one, starting during the Spanish Civil War and running through to the '60s, an asylum attempts to rehabilitate children who feel no pain, by teaching them physical suffering. In the second, in the present time, a brilliant neurosurgeon who needs a bone marrow transplant, discovers this dark past when he searches for his biological parents

Directed by Juan Carlos Medina and Luiso Berdejo, the film stars Derek de Lint, Irene Montàla, Juan Diego, Tomas Lemarquis, Felix Gomez, Alex Brendemühl. Check out the trailer below.

Femme By Billy Pronzini

Book Worth Reading:

Femme fatale. French for "deadly woman."
You hear the term a lot these days, usually in connection with noir fiction and film noir. But they're not just products of literature or film, the folklore of nearly every culture. They exist in modern society, too. The genuine femme fatales you hear about now and then are every bit as evil as the fictional variety. Yet what sets them apart is that they're the failures, the ones who for one reason or another got caught. For every one of those, there must be several times as many who get away with their destructive crimes...
In the thirty years the Nameless Detective has been a private investigator, he has never once had the misfortune to cross paths with this type of seductress... but in Femme he'll meet Cory Beckett, a deadly woman who has brought some new angles to the species. New—and terrible.
 
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Official Trailer For “Airborne” Unleashed

When a storm starts closing in, air traffic controller Malcolm (Hamill) sends one last plane into the sky – but after takeoff, the passengers aboard discover the pilots have been brutally murdered. Suddenly the plane disappears from radar, and one by one, the people aboard turn into dangerous, bloody psychopaths. With time running out, the survivors must unlock the deadly mystery in their midst – and find a way to land the plane before their ultimate nightmare is unleashed!

“Airborne” will be on VOD and DVD October 16th. Check out the trailer below.

Movie Poster For WWE’s “Barricade”

“Barricade” is a film about a psychiatrist, who seeks to find normalcy after the sudden passing of his wife, takes his two kids to a remote cabin for healing and bonding. Their joy soon turns to despair when the family is terrorized by unknown forces and the father will stop at nothing to save them from peril. The film comes from WWE Studios and is directed by Andrew Currie and stars Eric McCormack.

Check Out The Trailer For Russian Zomedy “Zombie Fever”

“Zombie Fever” is directed by Kirill Kemnits and stars Sergey Torchilin, Kirill Kemnits, Jaroslav Kemnits, Mikhail Malov. The story is about a group of veteran special forces and a bunch of misfits fighting to survive after a meteorite crashes to earth during a popular beach party.

Shout Factory Taken By Naked Angels

Shout Factory carrying Roger Corman’s Cult Classic “Naked Angels”. Get an inside look at the bizarre lifestyles of the outlaw bikers in Naked Angels. Many of the roles are played by actual members of the notorious Hells Angels in this classic Roger Corman production.
The story revolves around a death feud between two rival biker gangs. The Angels are out to avenge themselves on the Las Vegas Hotdoggers, who severely beat their leader, Mother (Michael Greene, To Live And Die In L.A.). After being released from the hospital, Mother sets out to get revenge on the thugs who put him there in the first place. Also starring Jennifer Gan (Women In Cages), Richard Rust (The Student Nurses) and directed by Bruce Clark (Galaxy Of Terror).

First Teaser For “The Hospital” Goes Online

From press release:
"The highly anticipated horror film from Assombrada Pictures titled THE HOSPITAL, featuring John Dugan (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), Jim O’Rear (THE DEEPENING), Daniel Emery Taylor (RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING), Scott Tepperman (GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL), and Jason Crowe (DEAD MOON RISING), has wrapped principal photography in eastern Tennessee.

The story is this… Old St. Leopold's Hospital has many urban legends surrounding it, but the residents of Bridgeport all agree on one thing: tortured souls roam its abandoned halls. The mystery proves too much for a pretty young student who decides to investigate for her senior class project. Unfortunately, she does not find ghosts. She, instead, finds Stanley... serial rapist, murderer, and psychopath. As the young girl becomes Stanley's new pet, a team of young investigators descend on the hospital to "hunt some ghosts." Stanley sees nothing but fun and games in his future. But, what Stanley does not know is that the hospital truly is haunted and the restless spirits there are not happy with what he has been doing."

Teaser Trailer For “Hells Little Angels”

A grind house style horror film with a mischievous bar owner, a mysterious drug dealer and three bad-ass chic’s that have a lust for something more.

Sky, Zoe & Raven came from childhoods of pain, abuse & sorrow. As devious fate would have it, the three girls eventually wind up at a bar searching for safety and security. They cross paths with each other there and with a bar owner named Butch, who decides to take the girls in and teach them everything about the business. Several years later once the girls become of age and Butch feels they are ready, he teaches them something else.....

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Check Out The Trailer For “The Black Dahlia Haunting”

“The Black Dahlia Haunting” premieres at Scare-A-Cuse in Syracuse NY on September 15th then moves on to other festival screening. The paranormal thriller follows a young woman, Holly (Pinn), who flies from New York City to Los Angeles to follow up on the murders of her abusive father and stepmother by her younger brother Tyler (Dahl) who is blind since childhood. She soon encounters the psychiatrist assigned to treat Tyler, Dr. Owen (Griffith), who seems to have a special connection to a spirit Tyler claims speaks to him; Elizabeth Short – known in lore as The Black Dahlia (Iacono). The film stars Devanny Pinn, Britt Griffith (Ghosthunters), Noah Dahl, Alexis Iacono, Jessica Cameron, Cleve Hall (Monster Man), and was directed by Brandon Slagle. Check out the trailer below.


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“Kill Zombie” Arrives In U.K Sept. 17th

Although there is no North American release date set for “Kill Zombie!” yet our friends in the U.K will enjoy this exciting new zombie flick on DVD September 17th. It recently showed at FrightFest and received great praise from zombie loving crowds.

KILL ZOMBIE! is one of the most highly anticipated horror films of the year - a blood-thirsty, super-sharp zombie romp that genre fans are going to devour.
When a Russian Space station crash lands on a city, a deadly virus spreads, turning the inhabitants into psychopathic flesh eaters.
After spending the night safely locked up in a jail cell, two brothers and two crazy criminals emerge to find their hometown devastated, and at the centre of a zombie outbreak. When one of the brothers receives a cry for help from a survivor, they join forces with the local police officer and embark on a reluctant rescue mission, pitting their wits, and risking their lives against these mutant killers.
The film is a visual feast from start to finish. Expect limbs to fly in this explosive bloody battle between good and evil!

Glimpses: The Best Short Stories Of Rick Hautala

Book Worth Reading:

Glimpses contains eight never before published short stories from Rick Hautala and will be released on September 4th through Dark Regions Press. Mark your calendars. You can also enter for a chance to win a copy at Goodreads by hitting the link on Dark Regions site.

Jessica Lange As The Nun From Hell!

Entertainment Weekly gives us our first look at Jessica Lange in season two of ‘American Horror Story’. The new season that takes the show to the east coast and is set inside an Asylum is gaining a lot of attention lately as promo stuff has been hitting the web. Check out the cover of Entertainment Weekly and the latest two promo clips. Set your DVR's and Calender reminders for Oct. 17th!

Check Out The Opening Credits From “Cokneys VS Zombies”

“Cockneys VS Zombies” opens in theaters throughout the U.K this Friday but you can see the opening credits sequence now!
A bunch of east-enders fight their way out of a zombie-infested London, led by an unlikely gang of amateur banks robbers and foul-mouthed plucky pensioners . Starring Michelle Ryan, Honor Blackman and Harry Treadaway.  The undead are brown bread. In cinemas August 31st 2012.
 

 
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The Engines Of Sacrifice By James Chambers

Book Worth Reading:

In hidden places, they sleep and dream, and through their dreams they touch humanity--but their touch brings only the stains of horror, death, and madness...until the day the Old Ones return.
In The Engines of Sacrifice, acclaimed writer James Chambers delivers four nightmare novellas inspired by the Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft.
Investigation 37: In the late years of the Vietnam War, Lavender May runs away from home to search for freedom and peace in New York City, but instead, she finds only a world of magic, witchcraft, and lies.
The Ugly Birds: Only one thing could save Carmine Darabont's comics magazine from going under: publishing the next chapter of the hit series "The Otherworlders." But what dark secret drives its creator--Carmine's ex-fiancé--to refuse to deliver it?
The Hidden Room: At the height of the Cold War, Doctor Calvin Lenox is a member of the Nuclear Emergency Search Team. With his life spiraling into despair, he confronts the mystery of a runaway Soviet defector and the death of three men, only to find himself at the mercy of...the Faceless God.
The Engines of Sacrifice: What is the power of words? Can they control the fabric of reality? In a horrifying new world, underground author Rowley Cray struggles against a totalitarian government gone insane and the possibility that he can control the souls of the dead.
 

 
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Check Out The Trailer For “Birdemic II: The Resurrection”3D

The sequel to James Nguyen’s cult phenom flick “Birdemic” has finally revealed the trailer. “Birdemic II: The Resurrection” has a massive surge of vultures and eagles attacking Hollywood. The sequel stars Alan Bagh, Whitney Moore, Chelsea Turnbo, Thomas Favaloro, and Rick Camp. Check out the trailer below.

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Cover Art For “Puppet Master: Axis Rising” Is Revealed”

The much anticipated new installment of the “Puppet Master” saga is one step closer to being in the fan’s hands. As Full Moon gears up to the premiere at Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo on September 15th the studio has released the cover art for the new film that will bring the story of the wicked cool little puppet crew full circle to face the Nazi’s once again in “Puppet Master: Axis Rising”.

On October 5th Get Ready To Hold Your Breath

The straight to DVD company famous for lower budget films that tend to mimic some big budget concepts are taking a big step forward as they prepare to release their first ever theater film. “Hold Your Breath” starring Katrina Bowden and Randy Wayne will be released on October the 5th in theaters. The story follows a group of college kids on a road trip that sends them across the threshold of terror. There is an old saying that if find yourself about to cross through or pass a cemetery you have to hold your breath to keep the restless spirits from entering your body. In this version of the tale it is a really evil person rejected from both Heaven and Hell.  Unfortunately the when one of the weekenders mentions this legend the others dismiss it and the nightmare begins. Check out the trailer below for the film.

Four Haunting And Macabre Posters For “American Horror Story: Asylum”

On October the 17th “American Horror Story” returns with season two which takes place in an asylum. The promo campaign has been teasingly elusive of any major give-a-ways save for the fact that Jessica Lange will return in her character role and probably some evil fucking nuns. Check out these four new teaser posters.

Check Out The Trailer For “Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning”

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s “Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning” has released a trailer for the fourth installment of the sci-fi super-soldier series. The film is directed by John Hyams and also stars Dolph Lungren, Scott Adkins and Kristopher Van Verenberg. It is scheduled to release on November 30th 2012.

Surviving Unisols Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren) must battle anarchy and build a new order ruled by Unisols without government oversight. They are weeding out the weak and constantly testing their strongest warriors in brutal, life-and-death combat. Luc has emerged operating the Unisol Church of Eventualism, a self-help organization that takes in wayward Unisols whom the government has been secretly operating as remote-controlled sleeper agents. His mission is to liberate these Unisols from the implanted memories and the lies the government has inserted in them.

My Review Of “Hybrid World” Documentary

“Hybrid World: The Plan To Modify And Control The Human Race” is a documentary that deals with the conspiracy of Transhumanism and the hidden agenda that is believed to be in play since the 1950’s. What is Transhumanism? Well basically it is an alleged movement within the world culture that believe it is inevitable that man use science and genetics to alter or improve upon the human condition through all technological and scientific means available for a stronger, more resilient species no longer plagued with aging or disease. The process would theoretically allow man to transform into beings with greatly expanded abilities. This next man-made step is referred to as the post-human stage. Transhumanists refer to themselves as H+ or h+. This is the foundational ideology put forward by both components for and against the idea of creating essentially a world of Chimeras.

This documentary takes the notion of Transhumanism and attempts to point out the beginnings of this movement from the start of mapping the human genome through the decades of transgenics that started with the food and drug research years with the sporadic enthusiasm of a paranoid schizophrenic. There are some compelling arguments in the documentary that can’t be ignored from the studies that show transgenics is having a negative affect not only on the natural world but also on man by creating new strains of ailments and an increase in cancers. However it only took around 30 minutes before the host of this documentary turns it into a fear inducing rhetoric based on Christian values. The subject of Transhumanism is a fascinating topic both the fantastical implications of possible  benefit and the argument of detriment to the natural balance that would without doubt be compromised. 

“Hybrid World” has a lot of interesting information within it and the topic is one of the hottest going around the internet conspiracy world. My only problem with this documentary is how it was represented. It tries very hard but fails at being unbiased and universally embraceable. Not everyone is Christian or a Naturalist so the argumental points used to argue against transgenics comes off as Right-Winged and abrasive. There is a specific audience that this documentary is aiming to appeal to and it is the religious, anti-Obama, liberal = evil segment of today’s society. In the beginning it is less obvious but like I said earlier within about 30 minutes the thing takes a direct and focused agenda stance that is meant to instill fear against scientific advancements.  With that said this is a killer conspiracy topic and if your against manipulation of genetics or the research and development of genetics in general then this conspiracy will speak volumes to you. If you are a member of the Transhumanist movement then this will be an offense and sound like an anthem of despise.

Reality-Entertainment Films

“Screaming In High Heels” Documentary To Have L.A. Signing Event And DVD Premiere

On Wednesday August 29th Dark Delicacies Bookstore will host a signing and DVD premiere for the release of “Screaming In High Heels” unrated.   The documentary, which began airing in an edited version on NBC Universal's Chiller TV in May 2012, follows the careers of actresses Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer, and their hand in creating the modern image of a "scream queen." The event begins at 7 p.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m.


In the mid 1980s mom 'n pop video stores filled suburban street corners and high demand for VHS rental product led to a boom in the independent film industry. Turning themselves into a marketing tool and creating a mini cottage industry of model kits, trading cards, and comic books, Quigley (The Return of the Living Dead), Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre) and Bauer (The Tomb) each headlined upwards of ten films per year, often for directors such as Fred Olen Ray (Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers) and David DeCoteau (Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama), with co-stars like Richard Gabai (Nightmare Sisters) and Jay Richardson (Teenage Exorcist) and  based on scripts written by Kenneth J. Hall (Puppet Master). This group, alongside fellow filmmaker Ted Newsom (The Naked Monster) and documentary director Jason Paul Collum (Something To Scream About)*, will be signing at the event at 3512 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91505.(www.darkdel.com). (*Please Note: All appearances are tentative based on other film work obligations.)

SCREAMING IN HIGH HEELS, which honors this group of filmmakers, is released through Breaking Glass Pictures and becomes available through most major retailers including Amazon, CD Universe, Barnes & Noble and Best Buy. on August 28, 2012 (though high demand for the product has delayed release to September 4, 2012 for some areas/retailers).
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“The Killing Games” Finds Acceptance Into The Calgary International Film Festival

Exosphere Films sent word today in this press release news on “The Killing Games”.
BANNED IN EDMONTON, “THE KILLING GAMES” GETS WORLD
PREMIERE AT THE CALGARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST.
The Calgary International Film Festival has said that THE KILLING GAMES will make it's World Premiere on Saturday September 22nd as a part of the Late Show Series. “We are just ecstatic that Calgary has accepted the movie to Premiere at their festival,” States director Barry J. Gillis.

Bruce Fletcher who is a programmer with The Calgary International Film Festival told Gillis that he watched the movie twice, and found the movie to be very entertaining. Gillis continues, “We're so happy that Bruce, Brenda Lieberman and The Calgary International Film Festival were brave enough to take a chance on THE KILLING GAMES, especially after the movie was turned down in Edmonton.” In May, Gillis was told that his feature film THE KILLING GAMES was “too violent for The Edmonton International Film Festival.” Gillis was shocked by the decision, mainly because he resides in Edmonton. “Yes, I was shocked,” laments Gillis, “but that's all in the past now. We're heading South down to the great city of Calgary where Oscar-nominated Canadian director Deepa Mehta's film MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN,” is going to open the Calgary International Film Festival. Brandon Cronenberg's movie ANTIVIRAL will also be playing in the Late Show Series, and we couldn't dream of being apart of anything bigger and better than that.”

The Calgary International Film Festival is world renowned for their hospitality and the way that they treat filmmakers and film fans alike. “Calgary gets upwards of 50,000 fans attending their festival. Tourists, fans, great films, and the best parties... I mean, this is huge for us Gillis says with a grin.
Calgary and Edmonton have been rival cities for many years. “Yes, the two cities have been at it for what seems like forever” says Gillis with a laugh, “however, Calgary is not just going to accept a movie because Edmonton turned it down. I mean, THE KILLING GAMES is entertaining as hell, just ask Jason Eisener who directed HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN starring Rutger Hauer.
THE KILLING GAMES is a disturbing feature film about a man who's wife is dying of a mysterious illness. The man contemplates taking the law into his own hands, after his daughter witnesses a double homicide and narrowly escapes the grasp of two serial killers.
THE KILLING GAMES was shot in Wabuman, Lac St. Anne, Alberta Beach and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stars Donald A. Morin, leading actor of the acclaimed French Canadian feature film Windigo. It also stars Denmark's Kim Sonderholm, who has been involved in over 100 movies, including his latest outing entitled “LITTLE BIG BOY.” Calgary actor Ace Hanna also stars in the movie as the troubled Dr. Winters. The Calgary International Film Festival is in it's 13th great year. This years festival runs from August 20th to August 30th and is guaranteed to be the best film festival that the city of Calgary, and province of Alberta has ever witnessed.

Plus they sent along these awesome stills from the film. Check them out below.