Old News (January-April 2009) 29th April 2009
Doghouse exclusive - UK poster and sneak peak!
My mate Jake West is just the coolest guy. Not only did he let me hang out in the edit suite on Monday and watch the start of Doghouse while he and his team were adding the score - read my report here - he also sent me the UK quad poster. Check it out! 29th April 2009
Dead Girl and One Eyed Monster
Metrodome have a couple of interesting releases (UK DVDs) in the next few weeks. On 8th June they’re releasing Dead Girl (which was called Deadgirl in the States): Daring, original and utterly genre-busting, Dead Girl is a terrifying journey to the dark heart of the American high school generation. Fantastical, frenzied and darkly hilarious, this is a horror movie, a high school comedy and a coming-of-age movie all turned on their sick and twisted heads. When teenage misfits Rickie and JT cut school one day, they find themselves in the derelict remains of an abandoned hospital. The gruesome, unnerving discovery they make in the bowels of the facility will test the very limits of their sanity: a woman, naked, chained and covered in plastic. She’s abandoned, she’s beautiful, she’s dead...or is she? What follows is a warped odyssey that forces this pair of outcasts, their high-school tormentors and adolescent crushes to all decide just how far they're willing to stretch their understanding of what is right and what is very, very wrong. Dead Girl was written by Trent Haaga (Citizen Toxie, Hell Asylum) and directed by Marcel Sarmiento. The cast includes Michael Bowen (Kill Bill Vol.1, Last House on the Left remake). The DVD has a cast and crew commentary, a Making Of, a make-up effects gallery and a trailer. Before that, on 18th May, Metrodome unleash sci-fi/horror-comedy One Eyed Monster starring the legend that is Ron Jeremy. When a ferocious blizzard strands the cast and crew of an adult film on their precarious mountain shoot, this ragtag band of eccentric heroes must band together against a mysterious and deadly alien menace which has literally possessed the cast’s largest member - Ron Jeremy (naturally) After slaying Ron, his detached junk embarks on a spree of carnal carnage on a colossal scale. With the help of a half-crazed Vietnam vet (Russ Meyer legend Charles Napier), haunted by his own wartime experience with this alien fiend, the race is on to trap and destroy this penile predator before there are more victims of its vicious, utterly unique method of murder. Written and directed by Adam Fields, One Eyed Monster also stars Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), porn actress Veronica Hart and Asylum regular Jeff Denton. The disc has an interview with Ron, a feature on Ron and Veronica, a trailer and some behind-the-scenes thing called Confessions of a Dick Wrangler. 24th April 2009
Doghouse teaser posters!
I don’t normally just post links to other cult movie sites but I had to draw your attention to three cool teaser posters for Jake West’s Doghouse which have surfaced on HorrorMovies.ca 20th April 2009
Reptisaurus flies!
Chris Ray’s debut feature Reptisaurus will be released on 10th June... in Japan. The local distributor has decided that Sky Fighter is a catchier title and if you’ve got a few Yen to spare you can pre-order from Amazon Japan (or just check out the sleeve image). 20th April 2009
Local horror films play Schenectady, NY
Jeff Kirkendall of Very Scary Productions dropped me a line to let me know that his short film The Green-Eyed Monster is played a festival in his neck of the woods on Thursday (23rd April). ‘It Came from Schenectady’ will be an evening that combines the acclaimed Swedish vampire flick Let the Right One In with a bunch of locally produced shorts, including Jeff’s. More details at www.itcamefromschenectady.com 20th April 2009
Emily Booth triple feature on Zone Horror
Zone Horror is broadcasting a triple bill of Emily Booth movies on Wednesday 29th April. From 9pm, you can watch (if you have one of those satellite or cable things) Evil Aliens followed by Cradle of Fear followed by Pervirella with ‘Bouff’ introducing the films and answering questions sent in by viewers. 20th April 2009
New film from In Memorium director
Amanda Gusack, director of the sublimely creepy In Memorium, has a new film coming to DVD in June. The Betrayed is a tense thriller starring Melissa George (30 Days of Night, WAZ), Scott Heindl (Trapped Ashes), Andrew Wheeler (They Nest) and Christian Campbell (the voice of Max Steel). Here’s the synopsis: When Jamie Taylor, loving wife and mother, awakens in a cell of a remote warehouse, Alek, a masked figure, claims her husband stole 40 million from his boss' crime syndicate. Producing a box of tape recordings of Jamie's life, gathered from a bug in her home, he offers her a choice: Find a clue in the tapes, left by her husband, to lead him to the stolen money or watch her 5-year-old son die in the next room. As the 12-hour-clock ticks down, Jamie listens to the tapes, coming to terms with the possibility that her life is a lie and her husband a killer. She must use every ounce of her strength to outwit Alek and give her son a future The Betrayed will be released on R1 DVD by MGM on 30th June and is available for pre-order from Amazon. 17th April 2009
Chris Ray’s giant snake film
Christopher Douglas-Olen Ray (Time of My Life) is about to start shooting his second feature - Megaconda. The giant snake picture stars Greg Evigan (100 Million BC, Cerberus, My Two Dads) and the legendary Stella Stevens, who worked with Chris’ dad Fred Olen Ray on The Glass Trap and Invisible Mom. Also in the cast are FOR regular Ted Monte (Hybrid, Rapid Assault etc) and Mike Gaglio (Satanic, The Eden Formula). Chris’ first feature Reptisaurus is complete but as yet unreleased. 17th April 2009
Jack Says for under a fiver
Acclaimed British indie thriller Jack Says is available - for two weeks only - at a bargaintastic price on Amazon.co.uk. You can get the DVD, which includes a bunch of extras, for £4.98 instead of the usual £12.99. But hurry - these prices can’t last long! 17th April 2009
Last of the Living R2 DVD
New Zealand zombie flick Last of the Living is released on UK DVD on 11th May by High Fliers. The synopsis says: A highly contagious virus is spreading throughout the land. With one bite, it's only hours before victims will turn into zombies and hunt for human flesh. Morgan, Ash, and Johnny might just be the only humans left, but they don't seem to mind and find enjoyment lounging around in their underwear living in vacant homes. When they stumble upon a hot girl who just may have a cure, the three decide it's finally time to step up to the plate and save the world- and the girl. Now the only hope for survival lies in their hands. The RRP is a tenner but Amazon has it for six quid. No extras by the loook of it, though. 16th April 2009
The Scar Crow - premiere details
The Scar Crow, the debut feature film from Andy Thompson and Pete Benson, has been selected for screening at the closing night of the London Independent Film Festival. The film features Anna Tolputt (Hellraiser: Hellworld) and Marysia Kay (Forest of the Damned, Colour from the Dark) with special effects by Mike Peel (The Zombie Diaries, Dead Wood) and cinematography by Trevor Speed (who was camera assistant on I Love You). Here’s the blurb: The Scar Crow is a British horror-drama part set against the backdrop of the witch hunts in 1709 England and part set in 2009. As well as witchcraft, gothic gore and a bloody killing spree, the story touches on issues of incest, abuse and family ties. Four guys from a city insurance company are not interested in countryside team building exercises and assault courses. They would rather be playing or watching football and downing several beers while trying to lay anything in a skirt. Yet here they are on an all expenses paid company trip to the middle of nowhere deep in the English countryside, not their idea of a jolly weekend away. But maybe their luck has arrived in the form of three sisters living and working alone on a farm close to a small village with a pub! Other than football, everything could be catered for after all! The sisters are friendly, open and warm, but all is not as it seems as the guys begin to wish they’d paid more attention on the assault course. The film is showing at the Coronet Cinema, 103 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3LB at 7pm on Monday 27th April 2009. You can book here and watch a trailer on the film’s website. 16th April 2009
Festival of Fantastic Films announces first guests
This year’s Festival of Fantastic Films, Britain’s longest-running genre movie event, is the 20th festival and takes place in Manchester over 16th-18th October 2009. The first announced guests are Dr Phibes director Robert Fuest and Scars of Dracula’s Jenny Hanley who has actually interviewed me twice in the past in her current occupation of radio presenter! Last year’s FFF was one of the best ever and this year’s should be even better. Don’t miss it! 16th April 2009
The Bonesetter Redux
Brett Kelly obviously hasn’t got enough to do with post-production on Attack of the Giant Leeches and Pirates: Quest for Snake Island and Iron Soldier and The Scarab because he has found time to re-edit, re-score and re-master his second feature, The Bonesetter and cut a new trailer for it too. A distributor for the new version is yet to be finalised. 16th April 2009
Doghouse release date
12th June is the confirmed release date for Jake West’s Doghouse. And unlike Razor Blade Smile and Evil Aliens, this one will have a wide release. Fingers crossed, this could break Jake into the big time. Danny Dyer on his website calls it “comedy horror that will have you on the edge of your seats” and Noel Clarke says on his site “Doghouse does have the potential to be the best/funniest comedy horror that the UK has ever produced. You’re probably thinking “well he would say that” but I’m always very honest about what I do and what I feel about them. When it comes out we’ll see, but for right now Doghouse could and should be the best.” 16th April 2009
Tom Rutter goes Outside
Thomas Lee Rutter (Feast for the Beast, Mr Blades) reports that he his latest film is a change of direction, a 21-minute drama called Outside, written by and starring Russian film-maker Alex Bakshaev (Naked Trip). A screener is on its way to Leicester and will be reviewed in due course. 16th April 2009
New Blood + Roses trailer
A new trailer for Simon Aitken’s eagerly-awaited British vampire flick Blood + Roses is now up to watch on YouTube. The film stars Marysia Kay and features Axelle Carolyn (I Love You) in a prologue. 16th April 2009
Bram Stoker Film Festival
Four days of horror and fantasy films and lots of associated gothic palaver is expected in Whitby over 16th-19th October 2009 for the Bram Stoker International Film Festival. A four-day pass costs 88 quid. Guests and film programme will be announced in due course. Should be a blast. 16th April 2009
David DeCoteau’s six-pack!
Fans of David DeCoteau’s work can catch no fewer than six of his movies in two triple bills over the next couple of weeks. From tomorrow the Regent Showcase Theatre in Hollywood will be screening The Brotherhood 6, Playing with Fire and The Invisible Chronicles. From 24th April the same cinema will screen the Simon Savory-scripted Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum, The Brotherhood 5 and Leather Jacket Love Story. 16th April 2009
Platoon of the Dead
New from Tempe, released on 16th June, this sounds great: In the distant future, man’s greatest enemy is one another as the flesh-eating undead wages war against the living! A Marine platoon is ambushed during a mission, leaving only three soldiers alive to fend off the growing army of the living dead. En route to their pickup point, they come across an abandoned house with three mysterious women hiding out inside. If they can make it through the night, they’re home free...or so they think, because someone is hiding a dark secret that may alter the course of this gore-drenched war... Directed by John Bowker (The Evilmaker, Werewolf Tales), it stars Ariauna Albright (Bloodletting, Vengeance of the Dead). The R0 DVD features: audio commentary with the director and cinematographer, behind-the-scenes featurette (25 mins), zombie house tour (7 mins), Tough Tom’s Movie Boot Camp (4 mins), Tempe DVD trailers. Plus ‘iPod-compatible DVD-ROM or downloadable content’*: director and cinematographer interviews (16 mins), cast and crew interviews (7 mins), deleted scene (3 mins), blooper reel (6 mins). *I have only a very vague idea what this means and I’m probably wrong anyway. 13th April 2009
MindFlesh and London Voodoo updates
Robert Pratten reports: "MindFlesh is now available on various formats including a 2-disc DVD and on download. For audiences in the UK, the Amazon DVD mailing costs have proved prohibitive. So, for anyone that wants the movie on DVD and doesn't want to burn a copy locally via FlickRocket, or download to watch on a portable or PC, if you pay me $20 direct via PayPal (best email me to get the correct PayPal account) then I'll personally ship the 2-disc DVD myself. "We are in talks with a number of UK DVD labels but it's a tough market right now so we're not holding our breath. But MindFlesh will be available for download across a number of Internet sites as they come onstream during 2009. This is thanks to our output deal with Left Films Ltd who is representing the film internationally. "The US rights to London Voodoo expired over the summer and reverted back to us. So, I recut the film - removing eight minutes from the run time - and digitally remastered it. By which I mean I went through the film repairing the scratches and dust that was on the negative. I didn't manage to get them all but I've got most and especially the worst offenders. "The recut and remastered version is now available for download - exclusively from Caachi for now - and has been re-released on DVD. The new DVD doesn't have the extras of the original release but does have an alternative Spanish-language soundtrack and optional French subtitles. Audiences in the UK can still by the original movie - with all the extras - from Nucleus Films our UK distributor." 6th April 2009
Make a Wishbaby!
Wishbaby, the feature debut of composer Stephen W Parsons (Split Second, Food of the Gods II), turns up on UK DVD on 13th April from 4 Digital Media. Produced by Simon Sprackling (Funny Man) and executive produced by Jonathan Sothcott (Exposé remake), the film stars Tiana Benjamin from EastEnders and Fenella Fielding from Carry On Screaming with make-up effects by the redoubtable Neill Gorton. The DVD includes two short films: Rough Magik, a Parsons-produced Lovecraft tale intended as an indie TV pilot starring Paul Darrow; and Karma Magnet, produced by Sothcott, directed by Martin Kemp and starring Gary Kemp. A screener just arrived here and will be reviewed asap. Check the film’s website for more info. 6th April 2009
Lethal Contact - new British action flick
Peter Hallett sent me some info on Lethal Contact, a British martial arts feature which has just wrapped and is now in post. here’s the synopsis: Marvin Quinn is a bare-knuckle fighter who is paid to take a dive he just can’t take. This infuriates his fight arranger Jackson Vice who punishes Quinn’s disobedience by murdering his father. Quinn is not a vicious man but Vice has pushed him too far. He reacts to his father’s death the only way he knows how – with his fists, revenge, and Vice’s death. Two years later and Quinn is down on his luck, homeless and getting any work he can. His main source of income is working as a debt collector for Terry Rex, a loan shark and good for nothing. When Quinn befriends one of Rex’s clients, Ted Chan, and hands in his resignation he decides to sort out his life and start a legitimate business. Things are looking up for Quinn until his past catches up with him and an angry relative of Jackson Vice learns of his whereabouts and comes looking for his own revenge. He kidnaps Ted and his daughter Penny and, with the help of his sadistic sidekick Camilla VonKinski, tortures Quinn by forcing him to fight through a series of deadly opponents to try to win back their lives. Peter Hallett wrote and directed with Heather Hallett as producer. The experienced stunt crew have a range of credits including Batman Begins, Blade II and The Medallion. And there are some terrific name cameos: - Antonio Fargas: Huggy Bear himself! Other credits include Cleopatra Jones, Foxy Brown, Car Wash, Firestarter, Howling VI and - wow, that is weird - an episode of Holby City.
- Joe Estevez: DeathBed! Dead Season! Hell Asylum! Minds of Terror!
- Danny John-Jules: not just Cat in Red Dwarf but the only member of the cast of Blade II to appear regularly on CBeebies.
- Richard Ng: Hong Kong legend who was in In the Line of Duty 2 and 3 and ooh, loads of stuff.
- And, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Oldham... Bobby Ball! Rock on Tommy!
3rd April 2009
Lordy, it’s Lordi
Dark Floors is the film that was built around Lordi, the superbly bonkers Finnish monster-rockers who won Eurovision a couple of years ago. the film is out in the UK on 20th April through Metrodome. Here’s the synopsis: Sarah is an autistic little girl whose father is worried about her health. Concerned for her, the father sees her removal from the hospital by force as the only option. An elevator breakdown prevents a smooth exit and leaves them trapped with a group of others. Yet the incident is only the beginning of a descent into nightmare. As the doors open the hospital appears mysteriously deserted. When mutilated bodies are found, creatures from a dark world start a frightening attack. It soon becomes clear that the survival of the group may rest solely on the little girl. In the same vein as The Ruins, The Devil’s Rejects and Resident Evil, Dark Floors is set to be the one of the most terrifyingly bloody monster horror films of our time. The DVD includes a Making Of, cast and crew interviews, a featurette on the orld premiere and live footage of Lordi performing which, let’s face it, is what the punters want to see. Here’s the Amazon link. Your guess is as good as mine what “In the same vein as The Devil’s Rejects and Resident Evil” actually means... 3rd April 2009
New romantic remakes video nasty!
Journo-turned-producer Jonathan Sothcott dropped me a line to let me know that he is currently shooting the remake of Exposé (aka The House on Straw Hill), notorious for being the only British film on the original Video Nasties list. Previously announced a few years ago with Bob Keen slated to direct, the film is now being helmed by Martin Kemp who also stars, raising the question of: shouldn’t he be reheasring for the Spandau Ballet reunion tour? Also in the cast are Jane March, Billy Murray, Anna Brecon and Queen Kong star Linda Hayden who was also in the original. You can see some photos on the Fangoria website. Interesting trivia fact: Martin Kemp is the only actor to have played both Dracula and Baron Frankenstein on film. 3rd April 2009
Make space for Shuttle
Metrodome release Shuttle in the UK on 4th May. Here’s the synopsis: When Mel and Jules return from a girls’ weekend vacation, they find themselves stranded at the airport, late on a rain-drenched night. Wanting nothing more than to get home safe and sound, they board an airport shuttle with a helpful Driver and a trio of other passengers. But what begins as a short ride home slowly descends into darkness after a detour into a seedy neighbourhood leads to a series of terrifying events. As the night wears on, the Driver forces each passenger in turn to perform simple, yet strange tasks, and Mel begins to suspect there is something more sinister at work than a simple robbery. It is only in the final shocking conclusion that Mel and Jules discover the Driver’s true intentions and must summon all their wits to save themselves. The film stars Tony Curran (Blade 2, Midnight Meat Train), Cameron Goodman (The Dead Undead) and James Snyder (The Gingerdead Man). You can buy it now from Amazon. 3rd April 2009
Stitchgirl trailer
Alan Ronald sent me a link to the trailer for Stitchgirl, his segment of the eagerly awaited anthology Bordello Death Tales. Trailers for the other two bits will no doubt follow. Stitchgirl is an homage to Bride of Frankenstein starring Eleanor James in the title role. 3rd April 2009
Winning wins in Burbank
David Winning’s film Swamp Devil, starring Bruce Dern, picked up awards for Best Feature and Best Director at the Burnak International Film Festival last week. The US DVD of Swamp Devil is out on 7th April from Genius. You can buy it through Amazon, of course. 27th March 2009
Introducing a whole new type of film - the unthology
A Gothic Tale is the new film from Justin Paul Ritter, the chap who brought us KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person. Although based on three classic stories, this isn’t an anthology but rather weaves the three tales together into a single narrative, presumably in the same sort of way that The Shunned House did. Two films is a subgenre as far as I’m concerned and until someone else comes up with a better term I’m going to call this type of movie an ‘unthology’. Ritter’s sources are Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ (which has been filmed at least 38 times since 1914), Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Dr Heidegger’s Experiment’ (which formed part of the 1963 anthology Twice-Told Tales) and Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Markheim’ (which has been done five times on TV but never apparently in a film). The new movie stars Roddy Piper (Hell Comes to Frogtown) and Marshal Hilton (Sorceress II and Beetleborgs Metallix). Find out more at www.agothictale.com 27th March 2009
BloodMyth is here
Although the film’s website hasn’t been updated for a while, John Rackham’s long-awaited BloodMyth is now complete and a copy has made its way into my TBW pile. The film stars Shelley Halstead (who was in Rackham’s 2005 stage play The Werewolf), Ben Shockley (who was in Ten Dead Men and Left for Dead), Keith Eyles (also in Ten Dead Men), James Payton (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). You can see the trailer on YouTube. 27th March 2009
Delta Film Award seeking submissions
Submissions are now being solicited for the 2009 Delta Film Award, presented to the best amateur movie screened at the 20th Festival of Fantastic Films (Manchester, England, 16th-18th October). Entries should fall into the general categories of fantasy, supernatural horror or science fiction, there is no fee and the deadline is 29 August; full details are available at the Festival website. In recent years, films have been submitted from as far afield as the USA and Australia, Spain and Singapore, Canada and China. 27th March 2009
Langliena in Oz on Sunday
Emiliano Ranzani’s cracking short film Langliena will screen this Sunday, 29th March, at A Night of Horror, an absolutely terrific-looking horror film festival which runs in Sydney, Australia all next week. Langliena is part of a programme of Lovecraft-based and sort-of-Lovecraftian shorts, although it’s not really got anything to do with Lovecraft. 27th March 2009
Gorezone Weekend of Horrors
The folks at Gorezone have announced the starting line-up for their 2009 Weekend of Horror which takes place over 31st October and 1st November. The 14 films will include the UK premieres of Michael Emanuel’s Maneater, Jack Messitt’s Midnight Movie, Geoff Klein’s Bikini Girls on Ice, Andrew van den Houten’s Offspring, David Gregory’s Plague Town and Timothy Gates’ Dog. It all takes place somewhere in That London, it costs 20 quid for each day and the ubiquitous Emily Booth will be MC-ing things. Check www.gorezone.co.uk for details. 27th March 2009
Rondo results
Well, I didn’t win a Rondo Award. But it was an honour and a surprise to even find myself on the ballot. You can read the full list of winners here. 13th March 2009
Doghouse website updated
The website for Jake West’s Doghouse has been updated with a complete overhaul of the design and a bunch of great stills. The latest I hear is the film is pencilled in for a June release in the UK across 200 screens. 13th March 2009
Colour from the Dark - international news
I don’t have any details yet but Ivan Zuccon reports that Colour from the Dark has German and French DVD releases lined up and a TV debut planned in Russia. 13th March 2009
Bane and HellBride US DVDs
Pat Higgins’ HellBride is set for a US release on 5th May and James Eaves’ Bane follows a couple of weeks later. You can pre-order them both on Amazon. 13th March 2009
Pipeline: Episode II
Jeremy McDermott sent me a link to his new short film Pipeline: Episode II. It stars Marc Macauley from the My Bloody Valentine remake and cost $2,500 but beyond that I don’t know much. You can check it out on Vimeo. McDermott’s earlier film Pipeline: Retribution is on his own website. 11th March 2009
Dead Sucks premiere this Saturday
Dead Sucks, the newest short film from Biff Juggernaut Productions (who brought us LoveCracked! The Movie) will have its world premiere at Philadelphia's Backseat Film Festival this Saturday, 14th March. The film, about a sleep-deprived, loser vampire is written and directed by Elias and is intended as the introduction to a feature-length film of the same name for which Elias & co. are seeking additional financing. You can see a trailer and find out more about the project at deadsucks.com. Dead Sucks introduces Burt, a wayward vampire with a messy past, an uncertain future and a disproportionate need for sleep. Rejected by both humans and his own kind, he searches to find his place in a world where the only thing that sucks more than being alive is being dead. Elias and some of the cast/crew plan to be in attendance. 8th March 2009
Stuck on DVD
Stuck, the acclaimed new film from Stuart Gordon (Castle Freak etc) comes to R2 DVD on 11th May 2009 courtesy of High Fliers. The disc includes a commentary with Gordon, writer John Strysik and actress Mena Suvari plus a Making Of and it’s available for pre-order from Amazon. There is also one of them Blu-Ray wotsits. 8th March 2009
Bell, book and bloody candle! It’s Darius Darque - Supernatural Detective!
For some time now, my mate David Newell has been developing a superb audio series called Darius Darque - Supernatural Detective, a rip-roaring inter-war horror/crime spoof. Four episodes are being broadcast on something called Radio Six and although you’ve missed the first one, ‘The Tenement of Terror’, which went out in four slots yesterday evening and this morning, you can listen to that on the Darious Darque website. Three more episodes - ‘The Girl with the Sphinx in Her Eyes’, ‘The Dead That Walk and Skip and Play’ and ‘Spect-a-Rama’ will follow over the next three weekends. 8th March 2009
Chainsaw Cheerleaders wins! Go team!
Congratulatons to Donald Farmer whose Chainsaw Cheerleaders has been awarded Best Feature at the Atlanta Horrorfest. 4th March 2009
Reverb director Q&As
As mentioned earlier this week, Eitan Arrusi’s Reverb is playing at various cinemas around the UK and the director himself is on a mini-tour of venues, introducing the film and answering questions. You can catch Eitan and his film at the Palace Cinema, Malton on Sunday 8th March at 3.30pm; at the Reel Cinema, Loughborough on Monday 9th March at 6.30pm; and at the Stag Kino, Sevenoaks on Tuesday 10th March at 6.00pm. I’m hoping to be at the Loughborough gig. 4th March 2009
Dead Wood comes to DVD
David Bryant’s eco-horror indie Dead Wood is released on UK DVD on 13 April by DNC Entertainment. It is available for pre-order from Amazon. 1st March 2009
British rock'n'roll horror feature - Reverb
Reverb is a new British horror film written and directed by Eitan Arrusi, whose previous work includes the script for Left for Dead (and who helped me with my Douglas Adams biography a few years ago). Filmed back in 2006, it is a supernatural horror flick set in a recording studio and will be released theatrically in the UK on 6th March 2009 though Guerilla Films. The cast includes Leo Gregory (Perfect Creature, Octane), EastEnders’ Stephen Lord (Octane, LD50), Neil Newbon (who was in Hammer’s Beyond the Rave) and Eva Birthistle (who is in the new Hammer, The Wake Wood). Find out more at www.reverbthefilm.com  27th February 2009
New Colour from the Dark poster
Check out the way cool new poster for Colour from the Dark - with a quote from me! - which has been produced by the film’s international sales agent, WonderPhil Productions. The same company is also handling NyMpha, Bane and The Witches Hammer.
27th February 2009
Conor Timmis’ new website
The star/producer of Kreating Karloff and star of Pickman’s Model has a brand new blog at http://conortimmis.blogspot.com where he will be reporting on acting work and other stuff. 27th February 2009
New indie time travel feature
Ray Karwell dropped me a line about his independent sci-fi feature Time Again which is currently in post and “is a cross between Die Hard and Time Cop". Here’s the short synopsis: When a young waitress receives strange coins for a tip, she inadvertently becomes embroiled in an underworld battle that leads to her murder. Her younger sister gets a chance to go back in time to prevent her untimely death. With the aid of a police detective, she takes on the forces of evil in this sci-fi adventure. Time Again was shot over 15 days with a budget of $100,000. It features Angie Rachelle Hauk (The Kiss), Tara Smoker, Scott F Evans, John T Woods (Mega Snake, Zombie Strippers), Robert Pike Daniel (Death Racers, Freakshow), Jonathan Kowalsky (Terror Toons 2 and the new Tekken movie) and veteran actress Gigi Perreau, who was in the 1967 film Journey to the Center of Time! The film has a MySpace page with a promo clip (“The promo has not been timed or mixed,” says Ray, “but it showcases the raw action and energy of the story.”) I’ll run a review of Time Again when it’s complete later this year. 27th February 2009
Troll 2 docu premiere
Best Worst Movie, the eagerly awaited documentary about Troll 2 produced and directed by that film’s grown-up child star Michael Paul Stephenson, will have its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas next month. The first screening is on Saturday 14th March at the Alamo Lamar 1 as a double bill with Troll 2 itself. Stephenson will be there along with cast members Jason Steadman, Darren Ewing and Dr George Hardy. There are subsequent screenings of the docu at other venues in Austin on 16th and 20th March. I was interviewed at length last year for Best Worst Movie but I don’t know whether I’ve made it into the final cut. More details of the film and the premiere can be found at www.bestworstmovie.com 27th February 2009
Zombies of the Night
I’ve mentioned Stuart Brennan’s British horror flick Zombies of the NIght a few times. Here’s a press release that I received and the cool poster: Foot and Mouth has broken out in epidemic proportions and suddenly people are being turned in to zombies! It's not a scientific, discover a cure movie - it's a how the hell am I going to survive this adventure. The idea for the film was very simple. If I literally woke up to discover my parents had become zombies - what the hell would I do? Would I believe it? Would I survive it? Who would believe me? British Phoenix Films and Burn Hand Film Productions have joined together to produce Zombies of the Night directed by Stuart Brennan. The film is just wrapping up past production now and will be released in the coming months, for more information on the release and to view a trailer please visit www.burnhandfilms.com/inproduction.html 
As well as Brennan himself, the film stars Eleanor James (Colour from the Dark, HellBride), Helena Martin (Colin, A Day of Violence) and Ari Gill (Call Me a Psycho, The Beautiful Outsiders). 17th February 2009
MJS nominated for a Rondo!
Holy cow - I’ve been nominated for an award! The nominations for this year’s Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards have been announced and my interview with character actor Dabbs Greer in issue 144 of Video Watchdog is on the short-list for Best Article. I don’t expect to win - there are nearly 30 nominees, eight of them from VW - but it’s nice that somebody nominated the article (it wasn’t me!). And as you can vote for your two favourite articles, I may get a few second votes. Sadly, MJSimpson.co.uk has once again been passed over for best website - but all categories allow write-in votes if anyone cares to give me a nod. Voting ends on 21st March. 17th February 2009
Night Before the Wedding
David Branin sent me some information about his debut feature, Night Before the Wedding: “I just uploaded this video to YouTube. It is the first glimpse of what it was like to be on the set of my debut feature film. I provided my cast and crew a mini-DV camera and told them they could film whatever they wanted minus the sex scenes. This video is the result. The film itself is in its final two weeks of post-production.” The film also has pages on MySpace and Facebook. 17th February 2009
New Forry Ackerman documentary
Famous Monster is a new documentary about Forrest J Ackerman, released in the UK on 23rd March by Spirit Entertainment. It is up for pre-order on Amazon for eight quid. Ackerman, the writer, editor and literary agent who has been credited with coining the term ‘sci-fi’ in the 1950s, has inspired generations of young horror movie fans and some of Hollywood’s most successful film-makers with what will always be known as ‘the first movie monster magazine’, Famous Monsters of Filmland. Through the use of archival footage, film clips and interviews with Ackerman and some of the biggest names in fantasy films he inspired, (Roger Corman, Ray Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury, John Landis, Joe Dante, and George Clayton Johnson, among others) Famous Monster shows the journey Ackerman took as he grew up from being a kid reading Amazing Stories magazine and watching movies like Metropolis and Phantom of the Opera, to a literary agent to the biggest names in fantasy writing, to the editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland. This fast-paced, affectionate profile of Ackerman is packed full of all of extras including, deleted interviews, and a tour of the infamous ‘Ackermansion’, which houses Forry’s 300,000 piece collection of horror memorabilia, regarded as one of the world's largest personal collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia Famous Monster is a true collectable and a wonderful tribute to the man who created the world of science fiction. 17th February 2009
Brett Kelly’s new superhero flick
Brett Kelly and Mark Redfield are working together on The Scarab, a superhero action film based on a public domain character from the 1940s (no, I had never heard of him either; here’s the Wikipedia entry). Brett co-wrote the script with Trevor Payer, and Kelly regular Mark Courneyea plays the title role. The cast also includes John McLenachan (Kingdom of the Vampire, My Dead Girlfriend) as the Black Terror, Angela Parent as Lady Satan, Alix Pasquet as the Woman in Red and young Mr Redfield as General Bruce Carter with costumes designed by Jay Odjick. The unbelievably busy Brett Kelly also has Iron Soldier, Pirates: Quest for Snake Island and his remake of Attack of the Giant Leeches in various stages of post-production. There are stills and designs on the movie’s production blog. 17th February 2009
Danny Draven to share advice on indie film-making
Danny Draven will be a guest speaker at the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB 2009) in Las Vegas this April. He’ll be giving two one-time only classes: ‘Producing and Directing Indie Films’ on Sunday 19th April and ‘Distribution for Indie Filmmakers’ on Monday 20th April. 14th February 2009
The return of Kevin Lindenmuth
Kevin Lindenmuth (Blood of the Werewolf) tells me he may be returning to horror movies this summer if he can sort out the funding for a fourth entry in the Addicted to Murder series although this one will be “very, very different.” More news when I hear it. 14th February 2009
Karloff fans unite for new (non-Karloff) short
Conor Timmis (Kreating Karloff) reports that he is in a new short film called The Mandala Maker, directed by Sam Borowski. The director and the actor probably had plenty to talk about as Borowski’s previous work includes the documentary Karloff and Me. The Mandala Maker stars Courtney Hogan and also features Daniel Roebuck (who was in the Halloween remake) and Terrence Mann from Critters! 14th February 2009
Watch Out soundtrack and spoof
Three bits of news about Steve Balderson’s Watch Out. First, Rob Kleiner’s score is now available to download from Amazon, iTunes and elsewhere. Second, if you order Watch Out or Wamego: Ultimatum you can get a free DVD of Phone Sex. Unfortunately that offer ends, er, today, so you had better be quick. (You should order Phone Sex anyway - it’s great.) The third news flash is the oddest. A teenager has posted a YouTube spoof of ten films and music videos from 2008, including The Dark Knight, some things I’ve never heard of and... Watch Out. The affectionate lampoon of Steve’s film starts at 5:52 if you just want to find that. And the make of the spoofs has an online poll asking which of the clips should be remade longer. 14th February 2009
Coldspot comes to DVD
Ed Radmanich’s Coldspot is now available on R1 DVD. Well, actually it’s a region-free DVD-R. But you can order it and it’s even available on Amazon. 14th February 2009
UK DVD release for You Belong to Me
Gay horror film You Belong to Me is released on R2 DVD on 23rd February. Written and directed by Sam Zalutsky, whose shorts include Superstore and Stefan’s Silver Bell, the film is being released by Peccadillo Pictures who also brought us the excellent Vampire Diary. In downtown New York, handsome young architect Jeffrey has just moved in to an apartment building where, unbeknownst to him, residents have been disappearing. Eccentric landlady Gladys (Patti D’Arbanville, Andy Warhol’s Flesh) takes a rather unhealthy liking to Jeffrey and soon begins to lavish him with affection, from cooking his dinner to insisting he have a copy of her keys. Before long, Jeffrey begins to notice some strange goings on in the building, until one night he hears a voice crying out for help through the rotten floorboards below. Sure enough, a horrified Jeffrey discovers the source of the groaning, and finds himself in a battle to escape the deranged Gladys and the building’s screw-loose handyman. A cat-and-mouse chase sees Jeffrey attempt to be free from their clutches, and by scaling walls to jumping out of windows, he eventually gets away. Waking up in hospital, Jeffrey is relieved that it is all over. But Gladys won’t let her mama’s boy off so lightly... A tense and ingenious story wrapped up in shades of Misery, Single White Female and Rear Window, You Belong to Me is a neighbour-from-hell nightmare! Amazon have it for nine quid. 14th February 2009
I Love YouTube
Tristan Versluis’ remarkable short I Love You - once seen, never forgotten - is now available to watch on YouTube... just in time for Valentine’s Day! A teaser trailer for Tristan’s long-awaited Pixel is on there too. 14th February 2009
Korean Epitaph, American DVD
Korean horror movie Epitaph comes to R1 DVD on 24th February courtesy of TLA Releasing/Danger after Dark: Both visually lyrical and horrific, Epitaph is a bloodstained foray into the depths of obsessive love and unbearable grief. Set in a small Korean hospital, the once peaceful place is now a labyrinth of haunted corridors and the stage for frightful events: a medical student is inexplicably drawn to a beautiful dead girl; a troubled child is tortured by bloody visions of her dead parents; and a married couple find themselves investigating a series of gory murders. Certain to give you goosebumps and have you peering over your shoulder with every ghastly twist, this Korean chiller will keep you guessing till the end. Epitaph is directed by the Jung Brothers, who cut their teeth assisting Park Chan Wook on Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Old Boy and Three…Extremes. Gorgeous cinematography, high production values and a melancholy tone enhance the horror of Epitaph making it one of the popular selections at the 2008 New Films/New Directors Film Festival – Film Society of the Lincoln Center. The movie is in Japanese and Korean with English subs and includes a trailer and a stills gallery. 20th January 2009
Ivan Zuccon UK premiere this Saturday
Don’t forget that Ivan Zuccon’s terrific Lovecraft feature Colour from the Dark has a one-off UK screening this Saturday, 24th January. It’s at the Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square at 11.00am - that’s late morning so don’t turn up 12 hours later expecting a late-night show. There are still some tickets left for a measly ten quid so contact Marysia Kay at marysiak@marysia.com if you want to be there. Ivan’s films don’t get many big-screen outings so this is a rare chance to see his work in a proper cinema. Ivan and Marysia will both be there along with Eleanor James and Michael Segal. And me. 20th January 2009
Roll up, roll up for Carnies photos
Lee Perkins sent me these images from Carnies, an impressive-looking new horror film (website here) in which Lee (glasses) stars alongside Phantasm’s Reggie Bannister ('tache) and Hellboy’s Doug Jones (braces). Brian Corder (DP on Zombie Hunter and Slaughter Party) directs - he is allegedly also an executive producer on Gingerdead Man 3! Also on the way and featuring the tireless Mr P are Justin Paul Ritter’s The Living Corpse, Ford Austin’s Dahmer vs Gacy, Chris Chow’s Strawberry Cliff and Jeff Dylan Graham’s Psychosomatika.  
 
20th January 2009
New Aussie horror feature - trailer online
The very spooky and impressive trailer for Damned by Dawn is now up on YouTube. This is the first feature from Aussie film-makers the Amazing Krypto Brothers whose previous short films have included Atomic Spitballs and Cosmic Safari. Shot in 2006 and variously known during its development as The Banshee and Eternal Dawn, the film stars Neighbours lezza Bridget Neval, EastEnders vet Danny Alder and Dawn Klingberg from Prisoner: Cell Block H. It was written and directed by Brett Anstey who was DP on Watch Me. The website is www.damnedbydawnmovie.com and there are also some photos on Facebook. 13th January 2009
One Day Removals: online and foul-mouthed
Following successful screenings at Raindance and BIFA, Mark Stirton’s black comedy One Day Removals will be streamed on the net from 30th January to 2nd February via the Daily Motion website. Mark says that the DVD has temporarily sold out but more copies are due in to Stirton Productions soon and that festival screenings are lined up in Glasgow, Calgary, LA and New York. In the meantime, take a look at Sweary Movie on YouTube which is the whole of One Day Removals edited down to five minutes by taking out all the dialogue that isn’t a swear word! 13th January 2009
Cult movies at Belgian film festival
The Second Offscreen Film Festival takes place in Brussels from 5th to 22nd March and will feature strands devoted to giallo movies, post-apocalypse pictures and Ozploitation plus a William Castle retrospective. 13th January 2009
Stalking Hand and more in Chicago this weekend
The Chicago Horror Society will screen Lou Vockell’s gloriously over-the-top horror comedy Stalking Hand this Saturday 17th January at the Portage Theatre as part of their B-Movie Madness one-day festival. Lou and star Russ Hurley will be there in person for a Q&A. The other films showing that day are John Pata’s zombie/stoner comedy Better Off Undead, Tony Wash’s choose-your-own-ending feature It’s My Party, and I’ll Die If I Want To and 1980s video nasty classic Driller Killer. The whole lot runs from 5pm to Midnight and includes the expected giveaways, surprises etc. 13th January 2009
Three B-movie legends at one signing this Sunday
Actor-writer Eric Spudic has recently opened his own video store, Spudic’s Movie Empire, in Van Nuys, California and he has invited three of his mates to come to the store and sign things this Sunday 18th January. The three gentlemen in question are Fred Olen Ray, Jim Wynorski and David DeCoteau - holy cow! - and they will scribble their sigs on any tapes, DVDs, posters or whatever you care to bring along. Be at 5910 Van Nuys Boulevard between 12 and 2 (one block south of Oxnard, parking in the back) or forever regret it. Spud says: “I've invited a few surprise guests who may swing by to say hi and to also chat with the fans. Plus, it's a chance to browse my empire of thousands of DVDs, videos, laserdiscs, posters, video games, t-shirts, hats and dirty porn!” 13th January 2009
Rise of the Scarecrows
Tempe release Rise of the Scarecrows on R1 DVD on 5 May. This is the second feature from director Gino McGahee who previously brought us Evil Awakening. The disc will include an audio commentary and trailers for both of McGahee’s films. You can watch the trailer for Rise of the Scarecrows here. 9th January 2009
Alien Raiders R2 DVD
Press release: Fresh veggies on Aisle 1. Fresh kills throughout the store. Something terrible is happening at Hastings Market. Something bloody. Something deadly. Something inhuman. And caught up in the grisly horror inside the market are shoppers turned hostages, unearthly alien terrors…and a dedicated commando band of raiders on a search-and-destroy mission to stop the intruders no matter where they hide. From Raw Feed, creators of the Rest Stop and Otis shockers, comes the sci-fi/horror tale Alien Raiders, a nerve-shredding battle for human survival against aliens that invade our world by invading our bodies. Be alert. Beware. Be afraid. The creatures’ next host could be your neighbor. Your kid brother… or you! Produced by Dan Myrick (co-director of The Blair Witch Project) and directed by Ben Rock (Shadow of the Blair Witch), Alien Raiders stars Carlos Bernard (24). Special features on the R2 disc include: Hidden Terror: The Making of Alien Raiders - An in depth look at the ‘hidden among us’ themes in the film; Blood, Sweat and Fears: The Special Effects of Alien Raiders - Behind the scenes look at creating the gory effects for the alien creatures in the film; Tape #9 Sterling Explains Alien - Handheld camera footage of Sterling detailing the physiology of the alien parasites as well as her first meeting with Ritter; Tape #12 Spookie's Job - Handheld camera footage of Spookie explaining how he obtained his “talent” for spotting aliens; Whitney Cam - Postings from Whitney's blog after the Buck Lake incident; and a bunch of trailers. Warner Home Video release the film, which has won awards at several festival, on 9th February, priced £9.99. 4th January 2009
Ten, sorry 10, Dead Men US DVD
Ten Dead Men, the 2007 feature from the makers of Left for Dead starring Doug Bradley, is released on R1 DVD through MTI Home Video on 26th January. The disc includes behind-the-scenes stuff and trailers and the US title is 10 Dead Men if you’re googling it. The film should also be released in France and Japan this month. MTI has also released NyMpha, Urban Ghost Story and The Planet. 1st January 2009
Gorgo update
The latest news on Waiting for Gorgo is that a rough cut has been assembled and the finished film is expected to premiere around February or March 2009. 1st January 2009
Release dates for Ghost Month, HellBride and Leeches
A triple dose of R1 release dates for you. Danny Draven's Ghost Month will be released on 9th June 2009 by North American Motion Pictures - and my interview with Danny about the film is in the current Fangoria (issue 279 with The Unborn on the front). Pat Higgins' horror/rom-com HellBride will be released on R1 DVD on 5th May 2009 while Brett Kelly's remake of Attack of the Giant Leeches will be on sale from 7th April. Both of those are through Maxim Media, which is part of Brain Damage Films. 1st January 2009
New book: I Hate People!
Marc Hershon is justifiably proud of his forthcoming first book: "It’s a business book with a humorous edge and it’s being published by Little, Brown in New York, which is exciting. Due out in June, I Hate People! Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want From Your Job is already up for pre-sale on Amazon.com!" Marc is currently working on three screenplays incluing a comedy-horror script which he is co-writing with Wayne's World star Dana Carvey. - Old news (Jul-Dec 2008)
- Old news (Jan-June 2008)
- Old news (Jul-Dec 2007)
- Old news (Jan-June 2007)
- Old news (Jul-Dec 2006)
- Old new (Jan-Jun 2006)
- Old news (2005)
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