Demon In The Mist By Rickey Russell #horror #fiction #novel

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Find Out About The Author :http://about.me/rickey_russell

An Attempt To Re-ignite The Drive-in Passion

The 1950s and 1960s, drive-ins began to spread like wildfire, increasing to more than 4,000 locations. The new sites may have begun as a venue to watch films, but interestingly, the main films that were shown were mostly considered to be B films. Patrons enjoyed them regardless and remained enthralled with what they saw – so much so that the drive-in became a part of American culture where people came together to socialize with each other. It was an experience all of its own making and is today is considered an important part of Americana.

Today there are fewer than 400 drive-ins are currently in operation across the United States.
A movie watched under the stars and while breathing in the fresh air. Audience members could even get out of the car to stretch their legs and still hear and see the movie. The environment provided much more freedom than an indoor theater, and people appreciated the intermissions. It was a magical experience and the memory of childhood drive-ins still linger in many peoples memories.

In an attempted to re-ignite that drive-in passion, Polyscope Media Group LLC. in conjunction with The B Movie Celebration and Avery Battles, are announcing the launch of the 2013 B Movie Road Tour.

"Last year I curated the B Movie Celebration and people kept complaining that the location of the Celebration was too far , but wouldn't it be great to get emerging and classic B Movies in their town" Says Battles "This was our inspiration for the Road Tour, our goal pure and simple is to making films and film going fun again"

The Road tour heads off the first week of July and will initially feature the following line--up.

"A Boy And His Dogs' - The Classic 1975 black post-apocalyptic comedy from the fertile mind of Harlan Ellison and directed by L.Q. Jones .  
"Embedded" - New release, A news reporter and his cameraman embed themselves with a group of hunters before all goes awry, only to find themselves as the hunted. Directed by Michael Bafaro.
"The Giant Spider" - New release, Christopher R. Mihm's homage to 1950's creature features.
"Gila!" - New release, The Jim Wynorski remake of the 1959 classic "The Giant Gila Monster".
"The Lost Empire" - 30th Anniversary tour. In a land in a distant past, three beautiful women, members of a lost tribe, battle a madman with diabolical plans to destroy their "Lost Empire." Directed by Jim Wynorski.
"Nightbeasts" - New release, A father and son on a weekend hunting trip encounter supernatural horror in the woods. Ably directed by Wes Sullivan and stars Zach Galligan(Gremlins).
"Rabid Love" - New release, Paul J. Porter ode to the classic horror film of the 1980, not to be missed.
"Resurrection" - New release, Genetically modified foo begins to slowly turn the population of a small MidWest town mad. Directed by Jeff Burr.
With this lineup, the organizers of the B Movie Road Tour hope to help audiences nation wide re-discover their passion for the B Movie/Drive-in movie experience. As of the date of this release 132 theaters have committed to participating in this years tour including drive-in theaters. And by the way June 6th, 2013 is the 80th Anniversary of the Drive-In Movie Theatre.
For further information please go to our website.

"A Boy And His Dogs' -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu9fESAlGc4

"Embedded" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWqCnowo_Vw

"The Giant Spider" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeMHg5IaUg8

"Gila!" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vvbM6ZwxQE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccXaHREoCI8

"The Lost Empire" – .


"Nightbeasts" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSDg_n9aWo

"Rabid Love" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A03bXsBlFiQ

"Resurrection"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOaRQ-iwgs0

Sneak Peek At Episode 1 “In The Flesh”

Check out this sneak peek of the first episode of BBC America’s “In The Flesh”. Kieren is preparing to be reintegrated into his old community after undergoing therapy, but is he ready? Don't miss the full episode on Thursday, June 6 at 10pm/9c.

Congratulations To “Midsummer Nightmares II” On Successful Campaign

Congratulations to Ryan Stacy and Shawn Burkett over at Concept Media for a successful crowd funding campaign. Stacy posted early today on his Facebook page that “Midsummer Nightmares II: Summer’s End”  exceed their goal.  The sequel to the 2011 indie slasher flick picks up three years after the massacre. The second installment is set to star Kelci C. Magel, Stacy Freeders, Scott Gillespie, Julie Sherwood, Autumn Richardson-bringing back some of the original cast as well as some new blood! Ryan Stacy is set to direct “Midsummer Nightmares II: Summer’s End” as well with more plot details to come soon.

My Review Of “Exorcist Chronicles” 2013

“Exorcist Chronicles” is a UK paranormal thriller directed by Philip Gardiner. The film stars Rudy Barrow, Liz Mente Bishop, Nathan Head and Bob Lee. The story was built on the premise that an epidemic of demonic possessions are increasing at an alarming rate. The story-line follows a priest charged with handling an “outbreak” of these possessions in a region of England with the assistance of an Epidemiologist. This is supposedly meant as the humanizing drive of the story, which is set against flash sequences of Vatican archival footage, of possession cases, studied. I say supposedly because on all accounts the film fails to really connect on a personal level with the audience, or show any real humanizing aspects. Which is sad because this Indie flick had all the opportunities to be a decent little exorcism movie. The Vatican’s increasing collection of documented cases, Science vs. the Spiritual and a demon that hasn't been overused in possession mythos-personally one of my favorite Mesopotamian deities – TIAMAT. It was my avatar’s name in Second Life, an experience that lasted all of three days! Somehow, though- the story and production got away from the director and creative team behind this project. Big time!

“Exorcist Chronicles” starts off flat. After a pretty nice credit roll the film just lingers on the first scene as quiet as the dead. A priest residing over someone’s bedside- I am assuming death bed because two more priests enter, only to mutter in a few short sentences,  declaring the priest Father Death. No reason is given and we are forced to just take their word for it and move on. Then just as blunt as the first scene plays out another scene begins with no real dialog or story lead to suggest why or where or anything really that would give any real depth to the situation. This seems to be the running premise throughout the film. Just a series of random scenes of characters that we are shown, with very little dialog, that actually give some understanding to their purpose within the story, or why we should even care! No arcs, no real guiding stream of consciousness that would validate the characters, or hook the story’s themes together. All of this is only broken by scenes of various demonically possessed people. In a way that almost comes off as some type of Catholic compulsory  hording fetish of the possessed. Most of these almost surrealistic moments play out in grandiose artfilm fashion, that belong more in rock music videos than in movies. And sadly these little visual artistic experiences are really the only thing that  suggests any emotional involvement from the director or writers.

There is some dialog-don’t get me wrong-the cast doesn't mime out the story. The dialog is just so short and unattached to the meat of the overall synopsis that it almost seems pointless. The characters are one dimensional and way under developed. It never goes deep or offers the details needed to prove the plot, or solidify the events that take place in the film. Mostly it is just basic banter about first person necessity or requirement –like “How long has this been happening?” or “Don’t you believe in the presence of evil”. Pray, pray, pray, blah, blah, blah. Even the exorcisms were weak and not fully visualized. I don’t know what really happened with the film but it just seemed like one big carousel of randomness, hoping we understand that -“everything is implied”. It is like we jumped in in the middle of events, and only glimpsed small portions of what was happening, only to be thrown into another moment. Actually I think this may be the first film with British actors that was disappointing. The story wasn't in-depth or thought provoking-really didn't even seem smart. Even the character’s seemed contrived and almost pointless. Not to mention that the acting was way below the standard UK talent pool-which really almost never happens, except for actors like Hugh Grant-they really fell flat. And a couple of characters where so unrealistic that it seemed ridiculous. The only real quality moments in the film came from the creative expressionism style, shown with the Vatican footage or flashes of demonically possessed characters. Set those to some Death Metal and you may just have something here.

I hate when I give bad reviews. It kind of depresses me, so much negativity. However, like I always say-Don’t let anyone’s review or opinion of a film keep you from checking it out yourself. Everyone sees and relates differently and uniquely. What was lost on me with this film may connect with you-just go into “Exorcist Chronicles” forewarned.

The First Images Have Surfaced For “A Blood Story”

A slew of images have surfaced on the Facebook page for Joe Hollow’s “A Blood Story”. The indie film stars Camden Toy, Mindy Robinson, Mark Hanson, Robert Z'Dar, Melanie Robel, Debra Lamb, Linnea Quigley, Janine King, Luc Bernier and Tim Hays. The story is a blended genre premise that plays with elements of love story-all be it – a dark and twisted love story with those of horror. Check out a few of the images below then head over to the movie’s Facebook page to see the full set of stills.

“A Blood Story” follows  three strangers who meet on their journey to find the truth of an age old legend seeking the fountain of youth but uncovering much more. The evil that follows is delved in the deepest of bloody historical secrets.

Crowd Funding Started For “The Legend Of Six Fingers”

"“The Legend Of Six Fingers” is an independent, feature length horror film written and directed by Sam Qualiana (Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast) and produced by Gregory Lamberson (Slime City, Dry Bones). “The Legend Of Six Fingers” will blend the creature feature styles of 70’s bigfoot films with the “found-footage” format. Currently horror icon Debbie Rochon has already filmed several of her scenes for the Indie flick. The crowd funding campaign has kicked off over at Indiegogo. Also signed on to star in the film are Andrew Elias, Sam Qualiana and Tim O'Hearn.

Two filmmakers, Neil and Andrew, who decide to make a documentary about a rash of domestic animal slaughters.    After interviewing several local residents, the filmmakers learn about the Native American legend of Yá·yahk osnúhsaˀ - “Six Fingers” in English, a bipedal creature not unlike Bigfoot, so named because it has three claws on each hand.  Believing that Six Fingers is responsible for the animal slayings, the filmmakers set out on a terrifying journey into the woods to learn the truth.

New Teaser Poster For “Midsummer Nightmares II: Summer’s End”

A new teaser poster has been released for Indie slasher flick “Midsummer Nightmares II: Summer’s End”. This is the sequel to the 2011 “Midsummers Nightmares” Directed by Ryan Stacy. The follow up stars Kelci C. Magel, Stacy Freeders, Scott Gillespie, Julie Sherwood, Autumn Richardson. Bringing back characters from the first film as well as introducing some new juicy attitudes and blood.

 There is a crowd funding campaign still on going over at Indiegogo with 6 days left-check it out!“Midsummer Nightmares II” takes place three years after the brutal slayings. The big question that is lingering from the climactic finish of the first film is –Is Danielle Waters really dead?! This is truly homegrown-horror fan-Indie slasher material that is fun, "balls-out" and proves that the guys at Concept Media are die hard horror fans! And filmmakers.

New Images From “The Demented”

Check out five stills from Anchor Bay’s “The Demented”. The film is directed by Christopher Roosevelt and stars Kayla Ewell, Richard Kohnke, Ashlee Brian, Brittney Alger and Sarah Butler. It is due out on July 30th.

Six college friends unite for a weekend getaway where they find themselves fighting for their lives after a terrorist attack turns the local residents into rage infused zombies.

“Hayride” Slasher On VOD

The Alabama slasher flick “Hayride” is now available on VOD. The straight up horror is an Indie film from Terron R. Parsons and is based on the director’s childhood experiences. As a kid his family ran an actual haunted hayride and the film was inspired by those memories. “Hayride” stars Richard Tyson, Corlandos Scott, Sherri Eakin, Jeremy Ivy, Jeremiah Sande and will be accessible through Comcast, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS On Demand, Dish Network, Rogers, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Video on Demand, VUDU and Playstation Network. Check out the trailer below.

The film follows a college student returning home for Halloween who is forced to face his childhood fears when an escaped killer takes refuge in his family’s Haunted Hayride attraction.

U.S Release Set For “Dead Before Dawn”

Canadian horror comedy “Dead Before Dawn” finally receives a U.S. release date. The film, that focuses on a young college student and his eclectic group of compadre’s who unwittingly bring about the Apocalypse by unleashing an ultimate evil which takes the form of a curse, resulting in half demon-half zombie creatures, hits On Demand Aug. 4th followed by a theatrical release on Sept.  6th. Watch the U.S. trailer below. "Dead Before Dawn" is directed by April Mullen and stars Devon Bostick, Christopher Lloyd, Martha MacIsaac,and Brandon Jay McLaren.

Full synopsis:
“Casper Galloway’s future is one giant question mark. With only two weeks until college graduation, he still lives with his mother, is indecisive to a fault, and is one credit away from failing. But just when Casper thinks things couldn’t get any worse, he and his friends accidentally unleash a curse that causes people to kill themselves and turn into Zombie Demons, aka Zemons.

Armed with a slew of homemade weapons and a Winnebago, the team races through the night, killing Zemons and fighting time, frantically searching for a way to reverse the curse. But as the Zemon army starts to overpower the team, Casper finds himself with no choice but to face his fears and become the unlikeliest of heroes. Will Casper be able to reverse the curse and save the world, or will he and all his friends be “Dead Before Dawn?”
 

First Look At “Plan 9”

Take a peek at this clip from the remake of the cult classic film “Plan 9 From Outer Space” simply titled “Plan 9”. The sneak peek vid from sci-fi/ horror flick was posted on the movie’s Facebook Page. The remake directed by John Johnson chooses a more serious minded retelling of the cult classic. It stars The film stars Brian Krause (Sleepwalkers), Mister Lobo (“Cinema Insomnia”), Matthew Ewald (“Galidor”), James D. Rolfe (“The Angry Video Game Nerd”), Monique Dupree (Bikini Bloodbath Christmas), Conrad Brooks (Plan 9 From Outer Space), Addy Miller (“The Walking Dead”), and Angela Pritchett (Porkchop).

In 1959, a film was released that would live in the minds and hearts of science fiction and horror fans for years to come. That film was Edward D. Wood, Jr.’s, “Plan 9 From Outer Space”, a story about aliens re-animating the dead in order to kill Earth’s population. Though widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made, genre audiences could not resist the exuberance and love for the art of filmmaking that showed in Wood’s work.
 

Pagan Festival Shout Out! Festival Of Hercules

Hercules (also known as Herakles by the Greeks) was worshipped as the divine protector of mankind. He had a large number of shrines scattered throughout the ancient world and festivals were widely celebrated in his honor. His main cult center was at Thebes, his place of birth according to myth.

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Hercules was venerated as a divinized hero and incorporated into the legends of Rome's founding. The Romans adapted Greek myths and the iconography of Heracles into their own literature and art, but the hero developed distinctly Roman characteristics. Some Greek sources as early as the 6th and 5th century BC gave Heracles Roman connections during his famous labors.

Dionysius of Halicarnassus places Hercules among divine figures honored at Rome "whose souls after they had left their mortal bodies are said to have ascended to Heaven and to have obtained the same honors as the gods." His apotheosis thus served as one model during the Empire for the concept of the deified emperor.

The divine Hercules was cultivated at Rome as early as the 6th century BC, at a temple next to the shrine of Carmenta and the Porta Carmentalis. By the 5th century BC, the mythological tradition was well established that Hercules had visited Rome during his tenth labor, when he stole the cattle of Geryon in the far west and drove them through Italy. Several Augustan writers offer narratives of the hero's time in Rome to explain the presence of the Ara Maxima dedicated to Hercules in the Forum Boarium, the "Cattle Market" named because of Geryon's stolen herd.

For in relevance to today’s , other than taking a moment to acknowledge the men and women who protect us on a daily basis-Police-Firemen-Military, or enter strong man competitions, I say today is a good day to indulge in some classic b-movie flesh-tasitic awesomeness of Hercules!

“Way Down In Chinatown” World Premiere Set For Hollywood Fringe Fest

WMM Fest and 2013 Hollywood Fringe Fest present: Post-Apocalyptic Noir Feature Way Down In Chinatown. You can read my review of the film here.

THE BEST GODDAMN MOVIE SINCE ERIK VON STRONHEIM PRESENTED ‘GREED’ TO WARNER BROS. IN 1926


June 03, 2013 – Described by the director as the ”best damn thing out of old Hollywood town since VON STRONHEIM’S GREED”. The 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival in conjunction with We Make Movies’ WMM FEST is proud to present a preview screening of feature film WAY DOWN IN CHINATOWN. Written and directed by EMK (alias for director Eric Michael Kochmer, a protégé of experimental filmmaker/artist George Landow aka Owen Land) - and co-produced by Maria Olsen of MOnsterworks66, who can also be seen playing Bob - WDiC chronicles over-sexed theater couple, playwright Victor and director Jessica Mitchum who while creating a performance piece about the apocalypse begin experiencing the world slowly falling apart. They are slowly seduced by an underworld created to preserve the few who will survive an on-coming apocalypse brought on by worm-people. The theatrical preview will book-end the Hollywood Fringe Festival with appropriately timed midnight screenings on June 15th, and 29th 2013.

WDiC stars Stephanie Sanditz (Strangers with Candy) and Justin Dray (Lake City) with sparkling cameos by Lisa Loring (original Wednesday Addams) and Nancy Wolfe (Helter Skelter). The film has already polarized critics with claims that audiences will either “…love or hate [it] but whatever your reaction, it’ll get the grey matter working harder than any movie you’ll see this year.”-Knifed In Venice. Some find it “avant garde at its finest”-Gemini Moon, while other critics find it “…a stream of nonsense …”-John Sandel.


Tickets on sale now at http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1216 More information at www.waydowninchinatown.com
We Make Movies (www.wemakemovies.org) is a Los Angeles based film collective of over 2000 filmmakers dedicated to making some really cool shit. WMM gears their energy toward empowering independent filmmakers and providing the resources and connections that will help them get their movies made. Since 2009, more than 40 shorts and 6 features were developed, produced or directly funded through WMM. The group alternates free weekly writers workshops, improv nights, and industry guest interviews in an effort to help filmmakers get feedback on their work, try new ideas, and learn what's working for others. #wemakemovies @wemakemoviez





Media Contacts:
Sapna Gandhi                                  Nicole Razon                                           HWFF PR
sapna@wemakemovies.org               nicol@wemakemovies.org              PR@hwff.com

Trailer For Dolph Lundgren’s “Legendary”

The official trailer has dropped for the creature feature “Legendary” starring Dolph Lundgren. The film also stars Scott Adkins  Crystal Huang, Nathan Lee, James Lance, Lydia Leonard, Geng Le and David Thomas Jenkins. "Legendary" was directed by Eric Styles.The story follows Travis, our heroic cryptozoologist, wants to prove that a prehistoric beast killing construction workers is more than just a myth. But at the same time, his ruthless competitor, Harker, wants to prove he is the best in the business and outdo Travis in any way he can.

Travis finds himself in a race against time to preserve the rare but deadly creature because Harker thrives on trophy killings and shoots to kill…including humans if they come between him and his prey.

Travis is funded by a mysterious wealthy benefactor and finds himself escorted by their slightly overwhelmed lawyer. The rest of his team consists of two friends, seasoned field workers Katie and Brandon, and Jianyu a boy who first gave him video proof of the dragon. Jianyu has his own mission, to prove that the oil company is covering up the truth about the beast killing his father on their site; a site which is invading the creature’s time honoured home. Construction has woken the dragon from his tomb, a danger which they cannot fully understand.

As the death toll mounts, can Travis’ team outwit the company, battle against Harker and escape the jaws of death whilst saving the species from brutal extinction?
 

First Still Released From Bogliano’s Werewolf Flick “Late Phase”

Check out the tense moment from Adrián García Bogliano’s “Late Phase”. No much happening really in the image but from the looks of it something seriously vicious is about to go down! The werewolf flick will be Bogliano’s first English language film but considering the success of “Penumbra” “Late Phase” is one to anticipate! The film  stars Nick Damici (Stake Land), Ethan Embry (Can’t Hardly Wait), Erin Cummings (Spartacus), Lance Guest (Halloween II), Tom Noonan (Manhunter), Tina Louise (Stepford Wives), Karen Lynn Gorney (Saturday Night Fever), Caitlin O’Hearney (Wolfen) and Rutanya Alda (The Deer Hunter).

“Late Phase” follows a “cantankerous blind vet named Ambrose McKinley (Stake Land‘s Nick Damici) who moves into a retirement community where residents have been dying from dog attacks — although, as Ambrose starts to realize, the mutts may be more than mere canines.” The supernatural thriller is currently filming in New York and comes courtesy of Dark Sky Films.

Trailer And Clip For ‘The Tomorrow People’

Check out the preview trailer and clip for CW’s sci-fi action drama ‘The Tomorrow People’. The show debuts this fall and follows a group of young people who possess powers as the result of human evolution.

Stephen Jameson (Robbie Amell)’s life is starting to get crazier than he could have ever imagined. The series is based on the British series from the 1970’s.

Get Ready For ‘The 100’

Lately it seems CW has been slamming in the genre department. While other networks argue, or grieve over producing on or two show that deal with specific genres, it seems that CW is riding high on our love of all things Supernatural or Sci-Fi. Check out the trailer and first clip for the new young adult drama set 97 years after Nuclear Holocaust has destroyed the planet.

Ninety-seven years ago, nuclear Armageddon decimated planet Earth, destroying civilization. The only survivors were the 400 inhabitants of 12 international space stations that were in orbit at the time. Three generations have been born in space, the survivors now number 4,000, and resources are running out on their dying "Ark" - the 12 stations now linked together and repurposed to keep the survivors alive. Draconian measures including capital punishment and population control are the order of the day, as the leaders of the Ark take ruthless steps to ensure their future, including secretly exiling a group of 100 juvenile prisoners to the Earth's surface to test whether it's habitable. For the first time in nearly a century, humans have returned to planet Earth. Among the 100 exiles are Clarke, the bright teenage daughter of the Ark's chief medical officer; Wells, son of the Ark’s Chancellor; the daredevil Finn; and the brother/sister duo Bellamy and Octavia, whose illegal sibling status has always led them to flaunt the rules. Technologically blind to what’s happening on the planet below them, the Ark’s leaders - Clarke’s widowed mother, Abby; the Chancellor, Jaha; and his shadowy second in command, Kane - are faced with difficult decisions about life, death and the continued existence of the human race. For the 100 young people on Earth, however, the alien planet they’ve never known is a mysterious realm that can be magical one moment and lethal the next. With the survival of the human race entirely in their hands, THE 100 must find a way to transcend their differences, unite and forge a new path on a wildly changed Earth that’s primitive, intense and teeming with the unknown.

The series stars Eliza Taylor (newcomer) as Clarke, Paige Turco (“Person of Interest,” “Damages”) as Abby, Thomas McDonell (“Suburgatory”) as Finn, Eli Goree (“Emily Owens, M.D.”) as Wells, Marie Avgeropoulos (“50/50“) as Octavia, Bob Morley (newcomer) as Bellamy, Kelly Hu (“X2: X-Men United,” “Arrow”) as Cece, Christopher Larkin (“Squad 85”) as Monty, Devon Bostick (“Aim High”) as Jasper, with Isaiah Washington (upcoming “Blue Caprice,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) as Chancellor Jaha, and Henry Ian Cusick (“Lost,” “Scandal”) as Kane.

Based on the upcoming book series by Kass Morgan, THE 100 is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Matthew Miller (“Human Target,” “Chuck”), Jason Rothenberg (upcoming “Twilight Zone” feature), Bharat Nalluri (“Torchwood,” “Emily Owens, M.D.”), Leslie Morgenstein (“The Vampire Diaries”) and Gina Girolamo (“The Secret Circle”). The pilot was directed by Bharat Nalluri.

The Desire Of A Woman Mixed With The Blood Of A She-Monster -It's CHARACULA!

SO-CAL BASED HORROR ROCKER UNLEASHES THE
MONSTER POWER OF HER DARK IMAGINATION, DISCOVERING
SPOOKY, UNKNOWN DIMENSIONS—A 'CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
OF MUSIC'—ON HER UPCOMING FULL LENGTH DEBUT,
PRODUCED BY DITO GODWIN (NO DOUBT, GREAT WHITE,
KISS, MOTLEY CRUE)

"Ready for Love," Characula's Follow Up Single to Last
Years Debut Airplay Hit "The Mummy Dance,"
Jumped Into the Top 50 on the Mediabase
Activator Chart

More than 30 years after Michael Jackson's legendary track, album and creep-out video stunned the world, it's "Thriller” night again. Only this time, it's got the kick ass edge of spooky-wicked, dimension-busting horror rocker Characula.

More than simply a creepy-fun alter ego for multi-talented singer, songwriter and performer Cheri Anaclerio, Characula is her turned inside out, and upside down. She unleashes the demons in her powerhouse imagination to create, in a tip of the blood-dripped cap to Frank Zappa, blistering music about monsters, sex and rock 'n roll.

Lady Gaga's got her "little monsters,” named for a track on her multi-platinum The Fame Monster, but Characula is a full-time musical phantom, roaming and dreaming in a world where vampires, werewolves, space aliens and even your next door neighbor have looked good on her plate…and bed!  That is when she's not in her Clark Kent mode applying the other side of her brain to her day job as a hardware engineer working for a major electronics company.

Characula may not be able to hide her wild inner truth from anyone much longer, considering the momentum that's been building since fall 2012. Before Halloween and for a few weeks after, her infectiously ghoulish single "Mummy Dance” snagged airplay on numerous Top 40 stations across the country; her follow-up, a blazing cover of Bad Company's "Ready For Love,” recently jumped ten spots into the Top 50 on the Mediabase Activator Chart, just behind superstars Maroon 5, Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull, Bruno Mars and Mumford and Sons. Her singles are being promoted by Howie Rosen of Howard Rosen Promotion, Inc.
In her live band video for "Ready For Love,” she sports two different looks, one with a red "electro-shocked” wig, and the other with black hair and wearing a nightgown from the 1940's —because in those old black and white horror movies she loves, the female victims are always wearing nightgowns. She is also shooting videos for "Come On Baby” (a searing blend of seduction and evil) and "Mummy Dance.”



When she's not traveling back and forth in time, spending nights in the 69^th and 666^th dimension and prowling the streets after midnight hunting for lecherous monsters and lonely men, Characula is busy putting the finishing touches on her full-length debut album. The project is helmed by renowned rock producer Dito Godwin, whose vast resume includes No Doubt, Great White, members of KISS and Motley Crue.
With its over the top sound and tons of electric guitars and keyboards behind her in-your-face vocals, Characula promises the project will be "very sexy, the Cirque du Soleil of music.” The titles of some of the other tracks fit the alternate dimension theme perfectly: "Dead Light District Dolls,” "Werewolf Hunter,” "Vampire Fever” and "Graveyard Party.”

"I love the world of monsters because not only can everyone relate to them, they provide a door into an exciting life beyond my everyday reality,” she says. "I tell story songs like one of my favorite singers, Cher, did in the 1970s, but in my super-dimensional world, I'm luring in and being pursued by B-movie monsters. To me, the cheesy black and white monsters of the 1930s, '40s and '50s represent the epitome of traditional masculinity: strong, silent and slightly dangerous! What's even more alluring is that under their gruff exterior, they have the capability to be gentle and loving toward a woman they love—or are trying to seduce! Both Dracula and Frankenstein would make for much better dates than some of the ones I've had been on, believe me!  And neither requires online dating to get a woman. Imagine that!!

"In a twisted way,” Characula continues, "these songs are about female empowerment. Characula is an insatiable she-entity that takes on the guise of a seductive woman to live out dark fantasies that have preyed upon man from time immortal. It baffles me that a man can be attracted to a woman and at the same time, not respect her. Characula uses this attraction to her advantage to lure her male victims and exact whatever fate she wishes upon them! And because she is not confined to this life, she's not limited to human interaction. She can be friends with whomever she likes—space aliens, werewolves, vampires, Frankenstein. She can pick up anyone—or anything! She can cut continents and cross centuries like sailors voyage the seas. It's complete freedom and allows me to go anywhere I want to in a song.

"It comes down to exploring and exploiting the world of imagination. Everyone has a 'Characula' inside of them!”

Even before the transformation from "Cheri” to "Characula,” the multi-faceted performer embodied the sheer boldness that would later infuse the character. She explored her musical abilities during grad school at UNC, when she used a KORG synthesizer with 16 tracks to write her first tune, the racy "I.F.U.F.O's.” She began writing more and then started collaborating on tracks with a lab mate who happened to be a rock guitarist.
Though she put her graduate degrees in biomedical engineering from UNC and electrical engineering from North Carolina State to good use working as an electrical engineer, Characula couldn't shake her love for music and the belief she could best express herself through the fantasy world she created in her songs. Wanting to work again with her original musical partner, who had moved to Los Angeles, she transferred to San Diego and got the ball rolling. Undeterred even after he got married, she started dating a guitarist and, inspired by a recent trip to Egypt, wrote "Mummy Dance”—which is loaded with powerful Egyptian imagery and trippy Middle Eastern sounds.

After she broke up with her co-writer, she penned some other monster-themed tunes and hooked up with a local producer to help flesh them out. As she explains it, he took moral and religious offense to her lyrics and wasn't willing to devote the time or energy to her material that she felt it warranted. Soon after she did some online research and found Dito Godwin's vibe and resume fit her style perfectly. Summoning that Characula-like courage, coupled with frustration after the fallout with her former producer, she contacted the well-known and respected Godwin online, explaining she had a Halloween song she thought could be a hit in the right hands. Godwin immediately saw the potential, turned solid tracks into hit singles and made a suggestion that changed the singer's life. Together they created "Characula” as an outlet for her vivid musical imagination.

Like Elvira back in the day, Characula has unlimited potential as a multi-media character. One of her upcoming opportunities is appearing on the popular Texas-based TV show "Guitar Asylum,” on which she will be interviewing guitar players in full Characula hair, garb and persona.

"My parents both appreciate that I work as an engineer,” she says. "However, while my mom likes my whole musical vibe, my more conservative dad is worried that I may actually think I'm Characula! The best part of all of this is being able to create something from nothing, writing and performing a song like 'Mummy Dance' that draws people into a whole different world. I want to share my songs, inspire and perform for people and take the Cirque Du Soleil monster concept into many different dimensions. My goal is to overwhelm everyone with a glamorous horror show, featuring a hard driving rock band that will lure ALL into the cult of Characula!”

13 Minute Featurette For “Man Of Steel”

In anticipation of “Man Of Steel” hitting theatres on June 14, 2013 a featurette has been released. The film was directed by Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill as the man himself. “Man Of Steel” also stars Amy Adams,  Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe.

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Title Credits Released For ‘Teen Wolf’ Season 3

The third season of ‘Teen Wolf’ premiere's tonight at 10 on MTV. I admit I am addicted to this show-since day one! Anyway check out the new title credits roll for the new season- WHICH AIRS TONIGHT!!!! In season three the supie gang deal with a new threat in Beacon Hill. A total ferel Alpha Pack!

Trailer Released For “The Battery”

Check out the trailer for the Apocalyptic character study “The Battery”. The film focuses on two friends dealing with the zombie apocalypse and each other. “The Battery” was directed by Jeremy Gardner who stars along side Adam Cronheim, Niels Bolle and Larry Fessenden. The indie flick was made on a micro budget of 6,000.

In The Battery, the personalities of two former baseball players clash as they traverse the rural back roads of a post-plague New England teeming with the undead.

Teaser Poster For Action Thriller “Blood Sombrero”

The film is labeled as a “A TRIGGER HAPPY KILL FEST OF BLOOD LUST AND CHROME VENGEANCE!” Hell I am sold on that alone!!! But continue to read and feast on the teaser poster for this modern grindhouse/neo-western thrill ride to be! “Blood Sombrero” is  directed by Abel Berry and stars Billy Blair, Nick Gomez, Greg Ingram, Frederic Doss,Jennifer Stone, Patrick Sane, Stephen Brodie, Paula Mercenaro Solinger, Michael P. Brown, Lynn Dee, Ava Page.

Introducing BLOOD SOMBRERO! A new action-packed thriller from the mind of Abel Berry! This star-studded film is currently in production and will bring you a heart pounding thrill ride into a dark world of Ruthless Predators! Leather! Guns! Knives! Hardcore Badasses! Psychotically Gorgeous Women! And of course, Blood! War is hell, but hell is home in Blood Sombrero!Featuring the phenomenal talents of award-winning cinematographer Richard Allen Crook! Story and Direction from the dark mind of Abel Berry!
Head over to the film’s Facebook page to stay up to date on this one. They are promising a trailer soon!
 

Dark Tree - A Poem From Depressions Of The Soul

Lulu.com

Pagan Festival Shout Out! Festival Of Bellona

Tomorrow is the ancient Roman festival in honor of the Goddess Bellona-no not bologna-but Bellona. She was a true Wonder Woman of mythology.  Bellona was an Ancient Roman goddess of war, similar to the Ancient Greek Enyo. Bellona's attribute is a sword and she is depicted wearing a helmet and armed with a spear and a torch. The name "Bellona" derived from the Latin word for "war" (bellum), and is directly related to the modern English words "belligerent" (lit., "war-waging"), "bellicose" and "antebellum". In earlier times she was called Duellona, the name being derived from a more ancient word for "battle".

The first temple to Bellona was built in the year 296 by the consul Appius Claudius and it was erected by the Circus Flaminius, located in the southern end of the Campus Martius. Campus Martius was located outside the city walls of Rome and was dedicated to Mars, the Roman god of war, with an ancient altar and became closely linked to soldiers and the army. Events, rituals and festivals associated with underworld deities were held in the Campus Martius. The festival in honor of Bellona was celebrated on June 3. Bellona also had had several shrines in Rome and another temple was dedicated to her in Ostia Antica, the harbour city of ancient Rome. Priests of Bellona would perform furious dances using weapons and armor in honor of the goddess of war and were known to wound and gash themselves in a frightful manner.

The Romans were highly practical and believed that their gods and goddesses controlled everything in their lives and therefore every occupation and task had its presiding Roman goddess or god. Bellona the Roman goddess of war was worshipped in the same way as any other Roman divinity with prayers and making vows, dedicating altars, sacrificing blood, animals, birds and offerings of milk, honey, grain, fruit, cakes, flowers,  perfumes and wine. Black victims to the deities of the Underworld. The sex of a sacrificial animal had to correspond to the sex of the goddess to whom it was offered. The blood sacrifices made to Bellona, the goddess of war, would therefore have been a black ewe, cow or heifer, sow, hen or other female birds and conducted outside a temple. An even darker side to Bellona is revealed in relation to blood offerings as the earliest sacrifices are said to have been human.

Horror Classic : “Devil Times Five”

Keeping with today’s Satanic Sundays! theme I have found a horror classic that gives all the devilish frights of the day. Gather round the little kiddies and enjoy this disturbed little treat. “Devil Times Five”. The film was directed by Sean MacGregor and stars Sorrell Booke, Gene Evans, Taylor Lacher, Leif Garrett and Shelley Morrison.

Five extremely disturbed, sociopathic children escape from their psychiatric transport and are taken in unwittingly by a group of adult villagers on winter vacation.

Trailer Released For “100 Bloody Acres”

“100 Bloody Acres” is directed by Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes and stars Damon Herriman, Angus Sampson, Anna McGahan, Oliver Ackland and Jamie Kristian. Check out the trialer for the film below.

The use of dead car crash victims in the Morgan Brothers' "Blood and Bone" fertiliser has been a huge boon to business. But it's been months since their last find and an important new customer is waiting on a delivery. When Reg Morgan, the junior partner in the business, comes across three young people stranded on a remote country road, he sees a radical solution to their supply problems, and a way of finally gaining the respect of his bossy big brother, Lindsay. But things don't quite go to plan when Reg starts forming an attachment with one of their captives, Sophie. Reg must now make a decision: go through with the plan and finally win Lindsay's approval, or save the kids and destroy everything the brothers have worked for. They're not psycho killers... they're just small business operators.

Six Wicked Reads!

Have a little time to kill on this Satanic Sundays! Sunday? Then check out these six wicked reads. Gamers and Monsters-Graverobbers And Chimeras-Anthologies or what ever wicked tricks your mind likes to play with. Check these tales of terror out and allow the day to slowly decay!




Nightmare Ballad By Benjamin Kane Ethridge
One day, while instructing a swim class, Luke Rhodes hears a strange ballad in his head that twists reality. After a series of terrifying events, he escapes through a black curtain and leaves a living nightmare behind. The ballad hasn't left him though. Pieces remain. And when the song surfaces… the nightmare returns. Joined by Luke’s two wives and his miscreant friend Johnny Cruz, they resolve to discover the source of these “Lifemares,” and, more importantly, how to escape them.

But time is against them. Innocent people are dying and these freakish disturbances are devastating the world they know. Will Luke and his family find the singer of the Ballad before it’s too late? Or will horrifying nightmares roam the world… forever






Pestilence By Jason Jordan
A boy whose skin is multiple colors. A home that freezes in the middle of summer. A pair of brothers who witness the apocalypse and attempt to fight it. A boy with four arms. A rogue wave that destroys a landlocked city. A house whose occupants experience different plagues each day. The six stories that populate this chapbook slough off the notion of reality, replacing it with an unsettling irreality that may be, upon closer inspection, the work of something sinister. What cannot be explained must still be endured. And so, let there be pestilence










Unnatural Creatures By Neil Gaiman
Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds—collected and introduced by beloved New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman.The sixteen stories gathered by Gaiman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, range from the whimsical to the terrifying. The magical creatures range from werewolves to sunbirds to beings never before classified. E. Nesbit, Diana Wynne Jones, Gahan Wilson, and other literary luminaries contribute to the anthology.

Sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.






The End Game By T. Michael Martin
It happened on Halloween. The world ended. And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.


Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing. The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.

T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance.





The Resurrectionist By E.B. Hudspeth
Philadelphia, the late 1870s. A city of gas lamps, cobblestone streets, and horse-drawn carriages—and home to the controversial surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a grave robber, young Dr. Black studies at Philadelphia’s esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world’s most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs—were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind?

The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from a childhood spent exhuming corpses through his medical training, his travels with carnivals, and the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black’s magnum opus: The Codex Extinct Animalia, aGray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts—dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus—all rendered in meticulously detailed anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. The Resurrectionist tells his story.




Gods&Monsters: Unclean Spirits By Chuck Wendig
The force of nature that is Chuck Wendig returns with an original urban fantasy novel, creating a brand new series for Abaddon Books.

Five years ago, it all went wrong for Cason Cole. He lost his wife and son, lost everything, and was bound into service to a man who chews up human lives and spits them out, a predator who holds nothing dear and respects no law. Now, as the man he both loves and hates lies dying at his feet, the sounds of the explosion still ringing in his ears, Cason is finally free. The gods and goddesses are real. A polytheistic pantheon—a tangle of divine hierarchies—once kept the world at an arm’s length, warring with one another for mankind’s belief and devotion. It was a grim and bloody balance, but a balance just the same. When one god triumphed, driving all other gods out of Heaven, it was back to the bad old days: cults and sycophants, and the terrible retribution the gods visit on those who spite them. None of which is going to stop Cason from getting back what’s his.