Poster And Trailer Released For Folk Horror "HAGAZUSSA"

Press Release: Chicago, IL (March 11, 2019) – The evocative and atmospheric HAGAZUSSA, the debut feature from Austrian filmmaker Lukas Feigelfeld, is a haunting pagan death trip—a startling vision of psychedelic horror set in a dark past when Europe suffered from the paranoia and superstition that swept the land.

HAGAZUSSA (a.k.a. HAGAZUSSA: A HEATHEN’S CURSE) will receive a limited theatrical release across the U.S. in mid-April, followed immediately by its release on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD platforms.

In the 15th Century in the remote Austrian Alps, the orphan Albrun (Celina Peter) grows up to be a simple goatherd living in solitude...and a marked woman. As a scapegoat of ancient myths and monstrous misogyny, Albrun (portrayed by Aleksandra Cwen as an adult) finds herself tormented by the local townsfolk, driving her to unleash the inner darkness that swells within her. A self-styled witch, Albrun soon exercises her other-worldly birthright and conjures a plague that makes the surrounding human cruelty look pathetic and small by comparison.

“After researching old pagan beliefs and folklore about witches that were supposed to roam the mountain woods in those times, my interest was to develop a character that these folk tales would have branded as a witch,” says HAGAZUSSA writer/director Feigelfeld on his exploration of the intersection between ancient magic, faith and madness. “[I also wanted] to dig deeper into her psyche and see her as the traumatized, mistreated and finally delusional person that society constructed.”
HAGAZUSSA is the second title scheduled released under the new distribution deal between Doppelgänger Releasing, the genre label of Music Box Films, and Bloody Disgusting, the country’s leading horror genre website.

HAGAZUSSA enjoyed lauded screenings at genre festivals across the globe, including Germany’s Filmfest Nights, Lisbon’s International Horror Film Festival and Austin’s colossal Fantastic Fest. Opening in limited theaters in top markets across the U.S. beginning April 19th, HAGAZUSSA will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD (iTunes, Amazon Instant, FandangoNow, GooglePlay, Vudu and YouTube) on April 23, 2019.

Acclaimed by Bloody Disgusting as Germany’s answer to the 2015 cult favorite The Witch, HAGAZUSSA is a creepy creation filled with just the right mix of moody atmosphere, brooding terror and supernatural dread to ignite the fire of slow-burn horror fans everywhere.
More information on HAGAZUSSA may be found on the Doppelgänger Releasing website at www.musicboxfilms.com/film/hagazussa

HAGAZUSSA -- Theater locations and dates
*Please check Doppelganger Releasing website for additional dates & info
Los Angeles (Monica Film Center): April 19
New York (Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn): April 19
Chicago (Music Box Theater): April 19
San Francisco (Alamo Drafthouse New Mission) April 19
Seattle (Grand Illusion Cinema): April 19
Phoenix (Filmbar)
Houston (Alamo Drafthouse La Centerra): April 24
Washington D.C. (Alamo Drafthouse Winchester): April 26
Portland (Hollywood Theater): April 30

Directors/screenwriter: Lukas Feigelfeld; Cast: Aleksandra Cwen, Celina Peter, Claudia Martini, Tanja Petrovsky, Haymon Maria Buttinger; Running Time:102 min.; Genre: Horror; Format: 2.35:1 widescreen; Sound Format: 5.1 Surround; Rating: NR; Country: Germany and Austria; Language: German with English subtitles.

Home Entertainment Release:
Doppelgänger Releasing and Bloody Disgusting
BLU-RAY, DVD and VOD RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2019
PRE-ORDER DATE: March 15, 2019
Price: DVD $19.95; Blu-ray $24.95
Bonus Features

• “Interference” a short film by Lukas Feigelfeld
• Select and deleted scenes with director commentary
• Music video by MMMD

"The Hole In The Ground" April Release Details

"The Hole in the Ground" is coming to DVD on April 30th from Lionsgate. From writer-director Lee Cronin (Ghost Train), this ominous, original and Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh™ film “delivers skin-crawling scares throughout” (Dan Jackson, Thrillist) and stars Seána Kerslake, James Cosmo, and James Quinn Markey. "The Hole in the Ground" DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Suspense, terror, and the supernatural meet when Sarah and her young son Chris move to a new home in the Irish countryside. One night, Chris vanishes; when he reappears, he seems unharmed and unchanged. But as Chris’s behavior grows increasingly disturbing, Sarah fears the boy who has returned may not be her son in this richly evocative feature debut from writer-director Lee Cronin.

Filming On 3rd "The Conjuring" Film Begins In June

According to DiscussingFilm, "The Conjuring 3" begins shooting this summer in Atlanta, Georgia on June 3rd. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are set to reprise their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren, respectively, in the upcoming sequel. "The Conjuring 3rd" is expected to wrap up and conclude the trilogy. The film will be directed by Michael Chaves, who recently helmed "The Curse of La Llorona". 

My Review Of "Soldier Of War"

An undead soldier rises in Uncork’d Entertainment’s "Soldier Of War" . The film is directed by John Adams, and stars John Rhys-Davies, Rosie Fellner, and Tanya Franks, It is "First Blood" with a zombie. 

Deep in the forest, two boys discover the entrance to a secret military bunker hidden since World War II and inadvertently awaken an undead soldier, who embarks on a grotesque, ritualistic killing spree. A police investigation begins, but one by one the police and other locals are murdered. Only a World War II veteran holds the secret to stop the killings, but will anybody believe him?   

"Soldier Of War" is a great microbudget fright flick that embraces all the familiar tropes and thrills British horror has always provided. The story is too original, but it is creative, and intriguing. Instead of the unknown furry beast in the woods,  the film brings in an undead killer still locked into the war that created him. It is both zombie and slasher. 

The cast offer above par,  sometimes compelling performances. Some scenes trip up a bit and the dialog gets clunky,  but most of the time the delivery and chemistry is spot on. The story becomes exciting due to the presence of some talented actors and one lethal killing machine. Even with the overall product seeming formulaic and familiar, Adams offers a great semi-indie fright flick. 

Overall I recommend "Soldier Of War". It isn't your typical zombie movie. It rests comfortably between classic and contemporary horror. The special effects, for the most part, is practical bloody awesomeness. Now there are elements that are recognizable in other films, but none of that encombers this flick, which starts of with bloodletting and maintains that level of carnage till the bloody end. ( 3.5/5)

My Review Of "The Cannibal Club"

Brazilian horror "Cannibal Club" is directed by Guto Parente and stars Tavinho Teixeira, Ana Luiza Rios, Pedro Domingues, Zé Maria, and Rodrigo Capistrano. It is a mature blend of satire and gore told through elitist melodrama and sex. 

Otavio and Gilda are a very wealthy couple of the Brazilian elite who have the habit of eating their employees. Otavio owns a private security company and is a notable member of The Cannibal Club. When Gilda accidentally discovers a secret from Borges, a powerful congressman and the Club’s leader, her and her husband’s lives are in grave danger.    

The story is an exploration into the elitist indulgent behavior when it crosses into the darkest, more sinister of tastes. It utilizes elements of early video nasty pics filled with gory visuals, and a mild exploitative sexual nature. The film also transcends its egocentric background to encompass a relatable storyline that,  minus language, could easily fit Italian / Europeanut / American giallo cinema. Basically "The Cannibal Club" is relatable regardless of demographics. 

Parente's characters do feel slightly contrived in that they never fully mature into complete characters. They seem more like mimics than completely understood personas. That being said, what we do get is enough to sell truly entertaining satires of elite psychopaths. I mean they use domestic help menus to choose a victim and use sex as a seasoning / flavor enhancement. 

The special effects are graphic scenes of gore and carnage done expertly. Most of which are practical. Even the CGI elements are a quality that have the same quality and impact of the practical stuff. I have to say that even though "The Cannibal Club" isn't what I was expecting, it was such a fun, entertaining and graphic horror drama,  one worth checking out! (4/5)

My Review Of "The Laplace's Demon"

"The Laplace's  Demon" is directed by  Giordano Giulivi and stars Alessandro Zonfrilli, Carlotta Mazzoncini, Duccio Giulivi, Ferdinando D’Urbano, Silvano Bertolin, Simone Moscato, Simone Valeri, and Walter Smorti. The film is described as part Hitchcock, part Serling and part Giallo. The black and white suspense thriller does harken back to those classically told horror stories, that built the genre, with style and intelligence.

“A team of fringe scientists researching a way to predict the future are trapped by a malevolent professor in a deadly test of their own experiment.” It is inspired by the theory of the same name, which concludes that the universe is a huge clock where humans are nothing but its cogs: predictable and incapable of free will.

The story is a smart, steady paced suspense mystery told with claustrophobic,  well thought out shots that frame the contrast between light and shadow beautifully. The characters, though not completely actualized, are both intriguing and familiar characters. They are the ideal fashion of indulgent self worth and intellect one expects to find gathered at such an outlandish, and Gothic deathtrap on an island in the middle of the sea.

The writing and dialog is clever, concise banter, super smart theoretical explanatory summary, that makes the film elevated concepts approachable and comfortable for the "everyman", and is entertaining. The scenes are stunning and the special effects are so cleverly done. Not to mention that "The Laplace's Demon" utilizes, so creatively, one of the best props to create such effective moments of suspense- a dollhouse. Overall this is a great, modern day revival of classic horror. (4.5/5)

Pagan Festival Shout Out: Festival of Neteret Renenutet

Old Egyptian festival of Neteret Renenutet (Goddess of the Harvest) and Neter Nepri (God of Grain). A harvest offering was made. [Kemetic calendar] [Alexandrian calendar 4/20 to 4/26] [Ancient Egyptian calendar: Paenrenenutet day 25 to Paenkhons day 1]

Symbols: cobra, cloth

Cult center: Faiyum, Dja, Thebes

Renenutet was a protective snake-goddess whose role evolved in unexpected ways over time. Originally, she guarded the king and later the farmers' harvests. She was depicted as a raised cobra with the sun disk and horns on her head, or two tall feathers and the solar disk. Alternately, Renenutet was shown as a woman with a snake's head, sometimes nursing her son Nepri.

A festival to Renenutet were celebrated during the last month of the winter/spring season (Peret) when crops were planted. Another celebration was held in her honor in the first month of the spring/summer season (Shemu) when the plants began to ripen.

Due to her importance to the common people in protecting their livelihoods, Renenutet evolved once again into a household deity who protected children. She was a provider and nourisher of infants, including giving newborns their name, determining their destiny and how long they would live.