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| FEO NEWS FOR FALL 2024: - OCTOBER - The detritus of old Horror/Thriller history can be found here. These are archived news items, many of them linked outside of this website. |
HALLOWEEN Was Released On This Day In 1978
Want to make the case that John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN is passe? Not scary? Not relatable? Obsolete? You're going to lose that argument and this is why: Because it's 2024 and we're STILL discussing HALLOWEEN! And - 22 Years of GHOST SHIP
The late 1990s saw an outpouring of William Castle remakes under the Dark Castle Entertainment banner, but for me, the one that stood out was the only non-remake. We had the theatrical experience of GHOST SHIP. Plus - 12 Years of FEAR THE REAPER
"Cedo Looked Like People was an odd but captivating tale." "Some stories blur the line between fantasy and horror, like the fascinating "Cedo Looked Like People" by E.C. McMullen, Jr. with an innovative, character driven and surreal glimpse into identity and loss." "Cedo Looked Like People" - E.C. McMullen Jr.: A boy's strange next door night - and day-divided neighbors make for equally strange - and later disturbing - friendships. This Ray Bradbury-esque is one of the most memorable and one of the more original stories I've read in a long time." Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
MOTEL HELL Turns 45
Corny and knuckle-headed, with the common theme of backwoods murderous yokels, this dark Horror comedy still reaches across the decades with its redneck charm. Where did such a cheap one-off go right? I break down MOTEL HELL. Plus - FROM BEYOND Turns 38
Stuart Gordon's gory 1986 body horror, loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft's short story, got a criminally limited theatrical release yet found its audience on home video. This was an era where audiences sat in the comfort of their homes and had their wits scared out of them. FROM BEYOND. Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Today is the Second Annual National Horror Movie Day!
It is? Okay, sure! Why not? I'll take it! Yeah, it's probably a gimmick to draw visitors, but isn't that how Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19) started out? Still, why October 23? Find out why at National Day Calendar. And - John Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS Turns 36
HALLOWEEN be damned but as a Director, John Carpenter is not the kind of person who repeats himself. His every movie tried something new, something different. But that said, one of his most experimental is PRINCE OF DARKNESS. Plus - GINGER SNAPS Turns 23 in the USA
Nobody saw this coming, werewolf fans were glad it did! The movie that made Baily Downs an insider's reference in so many other Horror movies ever since, John Fawcett and Karen Walton's GINGER SNAPS. Also - A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY Turns 9
For a moment, an era, it seemed as if every low budget indie producer wanted a Krampus they could call their own. And if the title is taken? No matter, like Santa himself, his shadow belongs to everyone. And everyone belongs to Krampus, especially in A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor Ryan Reynolds (THE OUTER LIMITS [TV], BIG MONSTER ON CAMPUS, FINDER'S FEE, BLADE: TRINITY, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR [2005], THE NINES, X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, BURIED, GREEN LANTERN, SAFE HOUSE, R.I.P.D., THE CAPTIVE, SELF/LESS, DEADPOOL [all], LIFE, 6 UNDERGROUND, FREE GUY, THE ADAM PROJECT) is 46.
THE FINAL MOMENTS OF KARL BRANT
You wouldn't think that a daffy comedic actor like Pee Wee Herman could pull off such a deeply dramatic role, but Paul Reubens does in this affecting Horror short of a man who was murdered. All that is left of him is his mind in a machine. But the police cannot arrest anyone for murder as long as the victim is in some way still alive, can they? Go down the bizarre rabbit hole of M.F. Wilson's THE FINAL MOMENTS OF KARL BRANT. And - HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH Opened 42 Years Ago Today
It's 2024 and people who weren't even alive then - whose parents weren't even alive then - still debate the merits of this second sequel. HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. Plus - BATS Turns 25
I cannot believe this movie was a theatrical release, but it was. I cannot believe that this movie launched a (brief Syfy Channel only) franchise, but it did. It's a quarter century later and no one is pretending that BATS is a classic. Also - PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 is 14
I enoyed the first PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, but if this second one had been first, I'd have liked it even more. This is what I liked about PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
YOU DUG IT
1. SMILE 2 begins the birth of a new franchise and Paramount's baby starts out strong with an opening weekend of $23 million domestic against a wide release of 3,619 screens. 2. THE WILD ROBOT is holding steady with only a 28% drop in ticket sales against a screen cut of only 25 screens. This proves yet again how Animation king, Chris Sanders, is not only the best bet but also the safest bet when it comes to animated feature films. 3. TERRIFIER 3 added a whopping 248 screens and promptly dropped 51% in ticket sales. Worse, nearly all of that comes from North American ticket sales. It's doing far worse in the world market. But before you assume that's bad news, bear in mind that it has a two week total in BO sales of $39+ million against a $2million budget. Just as good, its performing within the expectations of a love budget theatrical release showing at the low end of a wide screen release. So TERRIFIER 3's performance is everything that Art the Clown is not: Comfortable. 4. BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE dips below last week's #3 to this week's #4, dropping a mere 32% against a 157 screen loss. I predicted in its 2nd week that if it lasts in the Top Ten to Halloween it should cross the half billion mark and right now in its 7th weekend, it sits at nearly $435 million world wide. 6. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX drops two places landing at 6 with another staggering drop in ticket sales at 69% against a 1,245 screen cut. 8. TRANSFORMERS ONE drops two places with a 47% loss of ticket sales against a 589 screen cut. That said, you aren't Burying this one as it remains in the Top Ten in its 5th week. 10. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is the second Tim Burton punch on the Top Ten this Holiday season. Though it dipped slightly from last week's #9, with a 49% drop in ticket sales despite a growth of 160 new screens, the fact that an annual re-release this old can make the Top Ten at all is a tribute to Tim Burton's formidable creativity. Will the new Joker movie hang on to slowly break even or will it fall off the Top Ten in the Red? JOKER isn't buried yet. Figures calibrated from reportings by Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. Should there be differences between the two, I err on the side of caution and post the most positive numbers. And - HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MEYERS is 36
The reason certain franchises can endure is that there are always those people who like or love a generally bad sequel. Some people like HALLOWEEN 2 and 3, and even John Carpenter doesn't like those (then again, there's plenty that John Carpenter doesn't like, although he personally assured me that it's "Okay to like the French." I assume he means in a general way, as he didn't mention any names). Screenwriter Ken King loves HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MEYERS. If it really eats you up to read that someone does, click on the link to get his view on it, and settle down. Plus - THE PUPPET MASTERS Turns 30
Curiously, actors Donald Sutherland and Keith David have starred in an unusual number of movies like THE PUPPET MASTERS. Also - DOOM the Movie is 19
It had Dwayne Johnson, Karl Urban, Richard Brake, and Rosamund Pike, but was that enough to make a hit out of DOOM? Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr. SUNDAY -
Actor Katie Featherston (MUTATION, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY [all], PSYCHIC EXPERIMENT, THE RIVER [TV]) is 42. OLD DARK HOUSE Turns 92
It's got Gloria Stuart at her height! It's got Boris Karloff in all his might! It even has Melvin Douglas who would eventually appear in GHOST STORY. Is it any good? Oh yeah! But do you really want to watch a black and white movie from 1932? Well, would you refuse to see any movie that takes place in the past? Do you refuse to see movies that are based on books more than a century old like FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE MUMMY? Is a modern movie like a KING KONG rebootin' sequel or anything based on H.P. Lovecraft too old for you? Hoo bee do if you said true, you ageist creep! For everyone else looking for fun and entertainment, this is why the heavily influential OLD DARK HOUSE is still copied by the latest movies to this day. VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS Turns 59
Hey, Daddy-O, do you dig that crazy Bert I. Gordon? You know, the one they call Mr. BIG? Well dig, man, you know his movies are both preposterous and ridiculous and in no way believable and yet, they are, like, you know, never, EVER boring? That's how it is with Bert I. Gordon's VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS. MULHOLLAND DRIVE Turns 23
Speaking of movies that borrowed from OLD DARK HOUSE. Even die-hard David Lynch fans are a critical lot, ready to discuss and differentiate his best movies from his worst. The problem that always arises in these conversations is, where those boundaries go. Every fan has a different opinion of where Lynch was on track and where he went off the rails. That includes my reviewer, Nick Kauffman, a David Lynch fan who has his own view of MULHOLLAND DR. (or MULHOLLAND DRIVE outside of the U.S.A. In other countries, American abbreviations get so weird when Dr. can mean both Drive and Doctor. This is definitely not a movie about a Doctor living in Mulholland.). THE PRESTIGE Is Old Enough to Vote
Not everyone is a Christopher Nolan fan, but if you are just discovering this director, this is why you should see, THE PRESTIGE. SATURDAY -
Actor Roger Cross (THE MAN WHO WOULDN'T DIE, BEYOND SUSPICION, DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF VONNIE, HIDEAWAY [1995], SUSPICIOUS AGENDA, THE SURROGATE [1995], THE LIMBIC REGION, DOOMSDAY ROCK, CLONED, NICK FURY: AGENT OF SHIELD [1998], VOYAGE OF TERROR, DOUBLE JEOPARDY, AFTERSHOCK: EARTHQUAKE NEW YORK, SOLE SURVIVOR [2000], FIRST WAVE, THE OUTER LIMITS [TV 1995 - 2002], THE VOID [2001], DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS, INTERCEPTER FORCE 2, TAKEN [TV], X2: X-MEN UNITED, THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, 24 [TV], THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL [2008], POLAR STORM, THE GATES [TV], GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER [VG], EUReKA [TV], INFEX [VG], ABDUCTED: THE CARLINA WHITE STORY, TASMANIAN DEVILS, BIOSHOCK INFINITE [VG], BIOSHOCK INFINITE: BURIAL AT SEA, ARROW [TV], MOTIVE [TV], THE RETURNED [TV], THE STRAIN [TV], CONTINUUM [TV], RE-KILL, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, DARK MATTER [TV 2015 - 2017], THE X-FILES [TV 2016 - 2018], CORONER [TV], C.O.R.N., MURDOCK MYSTERIES [TV]) is 54. 17 Years Ago We Had 30 DAYS OF NIGHT
What is it about this movie, based on the popular comic book, that made me come unglued? Read my original review, straight from the giant theater screen experience of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. HALLOWEEN From 2018 Turns 6
It was promoted as an apology for all of the decades of HALLOWEEN sequel garbage released across 40 plus years. Jamie Lee Curtis promoted it by asking for forgiveness for her appearing in some of the worst sequels and promising that this would be better. John Carpenter was onboard and providing the soundtrack with his band. Original Producer, Moustapha Akkad, was murdered by terrorists in Amman, Jordan, along with his daughter Rami in 2005. His son, Malek, who was only a child when it all started, took the reigns and was onboard with the retconning out of all the sequels and making this HALLOWEEN the canon that picks up where the original left off. Everybody repeated the same story. This would be the fan wish-list legacy that ends the franchise. So how did they do with HALLOWEEN 2018?
RE-ANIMATOR Turns 39
39 years later, can you believe it? And the mind-boggling visual imagery from RE-ANIMATOR remains one of the hottest memes in social media even to the point of becoming a musical. Reviewer Kelly Parks (UNIVERSAL DEAD) reveals why RE-ANIMATOR remains a hot ticket nearly 4 decades later. And - THE RING is 22
It was the International Horror movie phenomenon of the turn of the Century and Millennium as one country after the next remade or contributed (for better or worse) to author Kôji Suzuki's original novel or Hiroshi Takahashi's original screenplay adaptation. This is the movie that launched Gore Verbinski's career into making PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. I was there at the theatrical opening weekend to see THE RING. Plus - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Today's October Short Film: Ian James Duncan's ENTER THE FREEMAN
It's a Halloween Half-Life Horror with Ian James Duncan's ENTER THE FREEMAN. Be sure to check out the linked pages showing all of the exhausting work that went into making this fan film series. And - Buffalo 8 Trailer Drops HEATHER
Plus - I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER Turns 27
Hey! Remember when you were 17 and saw this R rated movie? Well now yer 44 and yer OLD! All of the young kids in this movie are in their freaking 50s! So are we, and this is how we felt when we saw I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. Also - THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is Old Enough to Drink
It was 2003, we were in several wars at once to root out a nest of vermin known as the Taliban, and President Bush's advisors got it into their demented little melons that we could rebuild a nation WHILE fighting a WAR with it. Since 2001, Hillary Clinton was making her usual vainglorious speeches, how she and her husband tried to warn us about the Taliban, that the Republicans didn't listen and that's why we were attacked on 9/11. Immediately ater 9/11, Senator John Kerry insisted that he and the Democratic Party passed laws to get Saddam Hussein when certain criteria were met, And They Were, and Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Energy Secretary of State, Bill Richardson, assured us that their administration's slaughter of over 500,000 Iraqis, just counting the children alone, during the Clinton years in 1995, was a best case scenario that they still endorsed. Into the mix of this dark chapter, director Marcus Nispel popped up with a remake of the original THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE that no one wanted, asked for, or cared about: where the bloodthirsty cannibals are twisted but sympathetic. They have issues and personal feelings and we should feel sorry for them And THEIR! BOY! Whew! This is what Horror writer, David Niall Wilson thought of the 2003 remake, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Today's October Short Film: Sandy Collera's, BATMAN: DEAD END
There have been many BATMAN fan films, but 21 years later, Special Effects Artist, Sandy Collora's short film, BATMAN: DEAD END, remains the hands down fan favorite. And - CANDYMAN Turns 31
Few genre actors have as large a cult following that's as strong as Tony Todd. The man accomplished this with powerful performances in both Horror (THE CROW, FINAL DESTINATION) as well as Science Fiction (Star Trek [TV]). The fact that he walked away from the CANDYMAN franchise instead of ride it to the bitter end only garners him greater respect from the fans. This is how the legend began - CANDYMAN. Plus - BRIDE OF CHUCKY Turns 26
If you're a fan of the franchise, you'll likely love this movie. If you're not a fan, like my reviewer, the Horror Geek, turned out to be, this is probably how you'll feel about BRIDE OF CHUCKY. Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO - Over 50 Years Of Stunts!
Today's October Short Film: DISGUISE
The less I say the better. Check out Tyler Czajkowski's DISGUISE. And - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Today's October Short Film: RARE EXPORTS
HALLOWEEN is around the corner, which means Christmas isn't far behind. Catching wild Santa Clauses in their natural habitat is a perilous undertaking not to be take lightly. Even more dangerous is the training period. However, if you need a genuine Santa Claus for this Christmas Season, go with the best family owned business in the world: RARE EXPORTS, INC. The 2003 short film that became the hit 2010 Horror movie. And - YOU DUG IT
1. TERRIFIER 3 is the little Horror franchise that could. It's rare that a franchise can go from direct to video to winning the weekend at the theatrical box office with its 3rd feature, but this is what's happened. Working from a $2 million budget and a low theater count of 2,514 screens, TERRIFIER 3 gutted all competition with an $18 million opening weekend domestic and nearly $2 million in the world market. 2. THE WILD ROBOT, in its 2nd weekend, dropped 26% against a 143 screen loss. With over 1,000 more screens than TERRIFIER 3, THE WILD ROBOT made about half in its 2nd weekend box office. 3. BEETLEUICE BEETLEJUICE in its 6th weekend holds steady at 3 with a mild 28% drop in box office against a 168 screen loss. 4. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX in its secondd weekend went into freefall with 81% in box office ticket sales despite no losses of its 4,107 screens and performing far below expectations. Unless there's a miracle, chances are against this movie breaking even. Next week will tell if you buried this one. 6. TRANSFORMERS ONE slow drips from last weekend's #4 with a 30% drop in BO against a 348 screen cut. 9. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is back since its that time of the year again. Despite being over 30 years old, it actually made the Top Ten in its return weekend, giving Tim Burton two movies in the Top Ten at the same time. Hey Indie filmmakers! Imagine that your little movie made a guaranteed extra $10 mil. at theaters every single time it was released? And every time it did, it boosted the value of your movie for the rest of the year all over again? And not a Halloween goes by that people do not dress like the characters in your movie? And at least one is present at every Halloween party on earth? And that also boosts the value of your movie? And this goes on for decades? That's Tim Burton's world. Three Top Ten Dropped off This Weekend 11. SPEAK NO EVIL drops off the Top Ten after 5 weeks of steady competition with a 45% drop in ticket sales against a 617 screen cut. I think this one will do well in the Home Video market. 13. THE SUBSTANCE fell off the Top Ten from last week's #8 with only a 19% drop in BO against a 130 screen cut. Never making wide release, this little indie with a tiny boutique distributor like MUBI has done well all things considered and wil likely see big returns in the Home Video market. 15. DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE dropped off the Top Ten from #6 with a 50% drop in BO against a 615 screen cut. Disney wants to get those VODs underway. Also, if this doesn't get a special release of 2 or 3 disc extras, Disney doesn't understand their audience. Figures calibrated from reportings by Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. Should there be differences between the two, I err on the side of caution and post the most positive numbers. Plus - Wes Craven's NEW NIGHTMARE is 30
The franchise was thoroughly butchered and there was no coming back. However, New Line was willing to throw Wes Craven a bone. By 1994, Wes Craven wasn't the same brazen guy. He was feeling self doubt over what his creation. New Line head, Robert Shaye, wanted the franchise to go out with a bang. Something he didn't get from FREDDY'S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE. Wes, of course, wanted that too. Due to her prominence in the series, actor Heather Langencamp wound up having a stalker. Wes blamed himself. He wanted (the then wildly successful) Johnny Depp to make an appearance in the "final" NIGHTMARE movie, but was afraid to ask. Wes and Robert Englund appeared on a talk show and he was stunned to find that his creation: a murderous pedophile of nightmares, was a hit with kids as those in the audience started chanting "Freddy! Freddy! Freddy!" as Robert walked out. All of these anxieties and more are what he brought into Wes Crave's NEW NIGHTMARE. Also - THE FOG Turns 19
Unfortunately this isn't your Grandparent's THE FOG. John Carpenter and Debra Hill's creation had a lot of problems and sadly, none of them were fixed and more were added to 2005's THE FOG. Wassmor - THE THING Turns 13
It's not easy making a sequel that can live up to the reputation of John Carpenter's THE THING. Unfortunately, the producers behind the 2011 prequel THE THING, didn't even try. This was first foisted on the U.S. on this day, gradually making its way to UK. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Horror Writer Richard Christian Matheson (Books: SCARS, ZOOPRAXIS, THE RITUAL OF ILLUSION, CREATED BY, SCARS, DYSTOPIA. SUNDAY -
Writer / Director Chris Carter (THE X-FILES [TV: 1995 - 2002],
MILLENIUM [TV], HARSH REALM [TV], THE LONE GUNMEN [TV], THE X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE, THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE, THE AFTER, THE X-FILES [TV: 2016 - 2018) who is 69. PHANTASM OBLIVION Turns 26
It was a chore for creator Don Coscarelli to find the funds for every movie in this series, but despite all of the negotiations and business wheeling dealing, he maintained the quality of the franchise. Instead of simply going through the motions of re-hashing each previous movie, like HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13th, PHANTASM (1979) through PHANTASM III (1994) told an ever evolving, growing story, adding new layers of mystery while providing answers, expanding the Phantasm universe. However, by 1998's PHANTASM OBLIVION, Don was exhausted and it showed. SATURDAY -
Actor Carlos Bernard (THE KILLING JAR, 10.5 APOCALYPSE, ALIEN RAIDERS, GHOST STORM, CSI: MIAMI, LAVANTULA, 24: LEGACY [TV]) is 62. SINISTER Turns 12
Fear, like taste, is subjective. Some folks are afraid of heights, some don't even know they are afraid of water until they first stand before an ocean and only then truly consider its expanse, power, and depth. Slasher movies are made for teens and 20-somethings. Steven Spielberg movies like JAWS and POLTERGIEST cover the range of teens to fogies. While still others are meant to scare 30-something and over adults (ALTERED STATES, JACOB'S LADDER). Whatever audience director Scott Derrickson was looking for when he made SINISTER, he found it in reviewer Ken King.
Rue Dangeau Drops Their Trailer: SÉANCE
And - Today's October Ride Through Feo Amante's Theater THE BACKWATER GOSPEL
There's a town where everybody says they're good but knows they're evil. So they look for the worst among them to sacrifice to the Undertaker. For if the Undertaker is appeased, the Angel of Death will pass them by. They can't afford to fool themselves. They must sacrifice the worst among them in THE BACKWATER GOSPEL, but who among the many sinners is the worst? Today's short Horror movie at Feo Amante Theater. Plus - THE ADDAMS FAMILY Turns an Animated 5
The original THE ADDAMS FAMILY TV show came directly from the source material, as Charles Addams himself was the "Showrunner" and co-wrote most of the episodes, laying the groundwork for all of those shows he didn't write. When Barry Sonnenfeld's delightful, THE ADDAMS FAMILY came to the theater screen, writers Caroline Thompson (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS) and Larry Wilson (BEETLEJUICE), with their Tim Burton pedigrees, took greater creative liberties. After all, they had to walk a tightrope between what the fans expected and how the characters had grown in their imaginations. Further, young actor Cristina Ricci brought an energy to her character that Wednesday never had before and it was worth exploring. The animated movie didn't base itself on the source material, it based itself on Sonnenberg's movie. Then screenwriter Matt Lieberman (SCOOB) made the odd decision of robbing Wednesday of her self-assured confidence and making her a weak, whiney narcissitic Hollywood goth kid, surrounded by love and despising every second of it to support her dramatic Tragedienne fantasy. This is how that choice worked out for 2019's THE ADDAMS FAMILY and how it crippled what could have been a great franchise. Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Take a Walk Through Today's October Short Film John Smith's STONE
Way back in 2014, VFX artist, John Smith finally completed, after 3 months and 300 hours of rendering, 2.5 minutes of FEAR he called, STONE. And - KILL BILL is Old Enough to Drink
Quentin Tarantino had an idea for one long movie: his 4th film. Harvey Weisenheimer at Miramax didn't want to say no, but, a three hour movie is like that Bonnie Tyler song: it's a Butt-ache! Nothin' but a Butt-ache! No matter how you look at it. Quentin finally cut a deal and made his one movie into two. This is what we got for his trouble. Jump back to 2003 when reviewer E.C. McMullen Jr. saw KILL BILL Vol. 1 on the giant silver screen! Plus - QUARANTINE Turns 16 Can a Hollywood remake be better than the original? Screenwriter, Ken King tells you why the REC remake rocks in his review of QUARANTINE. Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Lovecraftian Cosmic Horrors, Oh My!
You won't be short changed by this award winning animated short movie, embedded at Feo Amante Theater, CRUISE PATROL. And - WRONG TURN 2: DEAD END is 17
There are some low budget, flawed movies that came so close to great that you want to love them anyway. You look forward to the sequels, in the futile hope they'll be better. Unfortunately the stewards of the franchise have other ideas, as we saw in WRONG TURN 2: DEAD END. Plus - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Writer, Producer, Director Guillermo del Toro (CRONOS, MIMIC, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, BLADE II, HELLBOY, CRONICAS, PAN'S LABYRINTH, HELLBOY: ANIMATED [all], THE ORPHANAGE, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY, SPLICE, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, LOS OJOS DE JULIA, THE HOBBIT [all], PACIFIC RIM, THE BOOK OF LIFE, MAMA, CRIMSON PEAK, THE SHAPE OF WATER, THE STRAIN [TV], SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK, THE WITCHES, ANTLERS, GUILLERMO del TORO'S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES [TV], THE HAUNTED MANSION [2023]) is 60.
There's Horror In These Shorts
The 1993 short film calling card that got writer and director, Mark Pavia (NIGHT FLIER), an audience with King: DRAG. And - OMG! 56 Years Ago Mario Bava Hit U.S. Theaters With KILL BABY KILL
Mario Bava died 43 years ago. His films were distributed throughout the U.S. in small towns, big city arthouse cinemas, and rarely saw wide release. Yet a fandom of collectors, many whose own parents weren't old enough to see Mario Bava movies in first run theaters, keep this director's work at premium prices to this day. What's more, any major fans of movie franchises as disparate as STAR TREK, ALIEN, and FRIDAY THE 13th, find their way back to the conceptual, visual and story source of those movies, all of which converge on Mario Bava. Reviewer Nicholas Kaufman revels in their evergreen legacy that is Mario Bava in his review of KILL BABY KILL. Plus - OMEGA! 46 Years Ago On This Day John De Bello Foisted Upon the Earth...
Actor John Astin (THE ADDAMS FAMILY [TV], THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, SKYWAY TO DEATH, NIGHT GALLERY, HALLOWEEN WITH THE NEW ADDAMS FAMILY, RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, NIGHT LIFE, STEP MONSTER, GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH, KILLER TOMATOES STRIKE BACK!, ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES [TV], KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE!, THE FRIGHTENERS) revived his career in the sequels. 10 years into his movie career, George Clooney (GRIZZLY II: REVENGE, RETURN TO HORROR HIGH, RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, THE HARVEST, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, BATMAN AND ROBIN) starred in the sequel! But of course, nothing compares to the original movie that was so cheap its budget nearly killed its Star! Find out how in E.C. McMullen Jr.'s retro review of ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES. Also - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr. The most kick-ass movie heroine ever!
There's Horror In These Shorts Nothing is as it Seems in 3 VERSOS
Before he was OutTV's Production Designer on 19 episodes of The Boulet Brothers, DRAGULA (2017 - 2019), Antonio Yee wrote, Directed, Edited, and Produced this unlucky 13 minute long movie: 3 VERSOS. And - YOU DUG IT
1. JOKER: FOLIE À DUEX Enters the Top Ten in first place with just over 4,000 screens in the USA. That said, WB didn't release the budget, expecting lackluster earnings, which is what it got in its first weekend, except: JOKER performed surprisingly well in the foreign market with UK, Germany, Italy, and Mexico being the top earners and an leading an overall worldwide box office of over $113 million in its opening weekend! 2. THE WILD ROBOT gained 35 screens yet dropped 47% in ticket sales to lose its #1 spot. 3. BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE slid to #3 with a healthy 35% drip in ticket sales in its 5th weekend against a 228 screen loss. 4. TRANSFORMERS ONE in its 3rd weekend hasn't broke $100 million in the worldwide box office yet. With a 41% drop in BO against an 864 screen loss, this movie is holding on remarkably well above the Top 10 mark. 5. SPEAK NO EVIL and speaking of doing remarkably well, this low budget indie holds onto #5 in its 4th weekend with a mere 35% drop in BO against a 392 screen loss. 6. DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE, as I predicted, experienced a Dead Cat bounce back from last week's #7 to this week's #6. The movie still had a drop of 43% against a 30 screen loss, but it, like BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE might just stay in the Top 10 by Halloween. 9. THE SUBSTANCE bounced back from off the Top Ten to land at #9. This with only a 36% box office drop in ticket sales despite a whopping 1,026 screen loss! Sales per screen average means THE SUBSTANCE outperformed the #4 movie in this list and is outperforming expectations. 10. MEGAPOLIS went into free fall from last weekend's #6. In only its second weekend it dropped a staggering 73% in ticket sales despite no loss of screens. YOU BURIED IT NEVER LET GO fell with a whopping 70% drop in BO this weekend against a 1,686 screen loss. In only its 3rd weekend NEVER LET GO falls out of the Top Ten. BUBBLING UNDER
A DIFFERENT MAN, in its 3rd weekend, continues its upward climb, rising from 23 to 21 with a leap up to +191% in ticket sales and an additional 242 screens. Figures calibrated from reportings by Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. Should there be differences between the two, I err on the side of caution and post the most positive numbers. Plus - 65 Years of the 4D MAN
It's rare, bordering on unique, that a Science Fiction Horror movie isn't obsolete after 65 years, but that's how good the writing, acting, and direction was for this movie. In fact, a lot of SF fans would likely hold it in higher esteem if it wasn't for just one thing... Leap back to 1959 with E.C. McMullen's review of 4D MAN. Also - 36 Years of ALIEN NATION
Time has made this movie an alt-history or maybe a multiverse movie, in that its touchstones, modern for their time, are all obsolete. In fact, it was outdated by the time it hit video stores a year after its theatrical release. Somebody at 20th Century Fox must have realized this wasn't the fault of the movie, but of the suits, because despite mediocre theater performance, this movie found enough rent and sales in home video to warrant a successful TV show. Through no fault of the writer, actors, or director, or really anyone on the crew, boardroom decisions were made that doomed the little SciFi Horror movie that almost could, only to find redemption on television. For the next wave of filmmakers, this is the cautionary history of ALIEN NATION. Wassmor - 19 Years Since THE CALL OF CTHULHU
Here is a microbudget Indie that got more attention than most Horror movies of this scale, all because the title was well-known and so is the author. Yet with that said, it's developed its cult audience because it's genuinely good. Reviewer Kelly Parks tells us why it's worth watching THE CALL OF CTHULHU. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr. SUNDAY -
Producer Al Bravo (LA LLARONA [THE WAILER], GURDIAN, LA LLARONA 2 [THE WAILER 2], PRIMITIVE RECALL, GURDIAN, REALITY TERROR NIGHT, 2 BEDROOM 1 BATH, PROJECT LEGION) is 48. David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DR. is 22
Like all of David Lynch's work, this one falls into the camps of Love It or Dismiss It. I can't think of a single movie David has made where such lines have not been drawn and sometimes by his biggest fans who Love This and Hate That. David Lynch fan and reviewer David Kauffman explains where he feels MULHOLLAND DR. falls on his Lynchometer. And - TRICK 'r TREAT Turns 15
Now in broad strokes I wasn't technically there and my memory of any events and who said them may be a bit fuzzy after all of these years and experiences. So imagine this 2008 Warner Bros. Board meeting: "Hey everyone. This Direct to Video Horror movie we have? It is really tearing up the film festivals." "Great! That's just what we need! An audience popular title for our VOD and DtV line." "No, I mean it is REALLY tearing it up at the film festivals. Audiences are going bonkers. Online word is hot. People are raving about it on Social Media, and its playing to packed houses. They're turning people away at the film festivals." "Which is exactly why we need it in our DtV line. You think maybe we should make it the product leader of this year's DtV Horror releases?" "I'm thinking we should consider theatrical release." "Oh, you said the same thing about ALIEN RAIDERS!" "Yes! We have two unexpected hits at these film festivals and we should at least discuss theatrical releases!" "Fine! We've discussed it! Now put 'em on DtV!" This then, is our review of 2009's Direct to Video release of Warner Bros. TRICK 'r TREAT. SATURDAY -
Actor Daniel Baldwin (KNIGHT MOVES, DEAD ON SIGHT, BODILY HARM, THE INVADER, THE PANDORA PROJECT, FALLOUT, STEALING CANDY, KING OF THE ANTS, PAPARAZZI, VEGAS VAMPIRES, BORN OF EARTH, THE DEVIL'S DOMINOS, LITTLE RED DEVIL, A DARKER REALITY, NINE DEAD, THE TRUTH, DEATH AND CREMATION, STRIPPERLAND, AFTER EFFECT, CELL COUNT, THE UNBROKEN, LADY PSYCHO KILLER, SICILIAN VAMPIRE, THE GUEST HOUSE, DEADLY SANCTUARY, ANABOLIC LIFE, TWO FACED, CROSSBREED, ATTACK OF THE 50 FT. WOMAN, CHRISANDER, ENCHANTRESS) is 65. VENOM Turns 6
It's a comic book movie from a kid's comic, yet its rated R. That said, my kids were already reading the comic books so, with my adult supervision, we went to see what it was all about. For an "R-rated, No One Under 17 without Adult Supervision" movie, they loved it. On the other hand, I AM that supervising adult and I was ... whelmed over VENOM.
Today's Scary October Movie: the 2009 short, WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
You've never saw a movie like this before 2009 and you might never again. Tim Smit and Steven Roeters's WHAT'S IN THE BOX? And - Magnolia's THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT Hits Theaters and Digital Today
Plus - Shout Studios' FRANKIE FREAKO hits Theaters Today!
From Steven Kostanski (MANBORG, THE VOID, PSYCHO GOREMAN) comes... THIS! Also - 56 Years of the Dead
To his grave George Romero groused over "fast zombies" like the kind we saw in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004). "Zombies cannot run, I say this definitively, as the grandfather of zombies." But the facts are, Zombie movies throughout the world as well as the U.S., existed way before Romero. He tried many times to re-invent his legacy (which is why his version of events changes in interview after interview throughout the decades), and why the only folks who took his side on this matter were those who never watched his original more than once, if at all. He began with various undead, slow and fast, and nobody who knows the movie would honestly ever argue any different. But there's more than that to be found in Bram Stoker winning Horror writer Brian Keene's retro review of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Then - RED DRAGON is 22
In 1991, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS was a huge hit for Orion. It did boffo box office and a treasure trove of awards. Only problem was, Orion was so busy filing for bankruptcy (you would not believe the cavalcade of crap movies they greenlit back then!), and trying to remain solvent, there was little to nothing they could do with their potential cash cow. In 1997 - 1999 the revitalized MGM finally, mercifully, bought them out, laid off all but 25 workers, and put HANNIBAL on the fast track. They had to. Anthony Hopkins turned 60 in 1997 and at that age, the human body starts its own fast tracking in aging. The ten years from 50 to 60 are a lot more remarkable than the "slow aging" of 40 to 50. New problem? Hannibal Lector was the villain but Clarice Starling was the hero and star. That's Jodie Foster's face on the poster and Jodie Foster refused to return to the role that put her on the map. If for no other reason but that she didn't want to be part of the cheaper faster diminishing returns of a Horror movie franchise (which is how big studios treated their cash cows back then). Despite their new Clarice, HANNIBAL was a hit. Rock on! Let's finish this trilogy! Wait! What? Another problem? Can't anything go right? See, the trilogy of books didn't begin with THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, it began with Red Dragon. In that novel there was no Clarice, the movie starts with Hannibal Lector, and it was already made and called MANHUNTER, and with another actor in the role. Worse, MGM had the rights to Thomas Harris's novel but no rights to the movie MANHUNTER. It was immediately decided that they had to round off their trilogy with the prequel that starts the whole thing. Except Hannibal Lector had to look 20 years younger than Anthony Hopkins and he was looking 20 years older than when he started this. Okay, we can do this! We'll just get a little make-up, the right lighting, and - Oh, I know! We'll get some music video guy to direct it! This then, is how it all played out in 2002's RED DRAGON. Wassmor - BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR is 22
Three movies deep! Brian Yuzna had his trilogy and he never let us down! This is one of the rare movie trilogies that is great from start to finish and this is how Brian Yuzna won the day with BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
On October 18, Buffalo 8 will stream QUANTUM SUICIDE
And - Your Scary October Ride continues with the 2014 short movie, THRESHER
I guess I'm not the only one who has woke up to see a strange naked black man smiling at me from the corner of my room. Yeah, it's always awkward, and This short movie is always THRESHER. Plus - TERROR TRAIN Turns 44
It was 1980 and Jamie Lee Curtis had a great Horror movie run with 1978's surprise hit, John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN. There she play innocent and naive Laurie who, since she didn't have pre-marital sex, substantially increased her odds of survival. But that became the only script she was offered. In 1980 Jamie was in three different Slasher movies at the age of 22 and it was time to stop playing an under-age naif. You know, like she did in John Carpenter's THE FOG. So when Canadian producers came around Jamie Lee decided it was time to show some cleavage. For the rest of the 1980s Jamie was going to be sexy and desirable, like Kimberly in PROM NIGHT and Alana in TERROR TRAIN. Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
An October Month of Scary Short movies!
A child enjoys the snow of a Winter's day and discovers a toy store she never saw before. This is the award winning adventure of ALMA. And - STRANGELAND Turns 26
It's the first and only feature film Dee Snider ever Wrote and Produced. It's the last movie Director John Pieplow ever made, as of this writing. 1998's STRANGELAND wasn't a good movie, but it could have been a great start. Plus - FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Turns 17
Every so often you see a big budget movie with an actor or three who have made their mark in some of the worst, dullest low-budget garbage you wasted valuable minutes of your life watching. Big Budget Directors from Robert Rodriguez to Quentin Tarantino to Christopher Nolan are well-known for recognizing solid dependable actors who can deliver despite their track record of crap. What is rare though, is when a low-budget Horror indie fills its call sheet with such actors and actually makes a fun and enjoyable movie. Yet in 2006, that's exactly what Co-Writer, Producer, and Director Scott Thomas did with FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Also - ZOMBIELAND Turns 15
I had a friend who used to love Zombie Horror movies. Then came the onscreen "fast Zombies" of Zack Snyder and James Gunn's DAWN OF THE DEAD 2004. He loved that too. He doesn't like ZOMBIELAND, though. ZOMBIELAND took fast zombies to their logical conclusion regarding survivability (Survival Rule #1: CARDIO). If you were out of shape and didn't get in shape real quick, you were on the menu. Well, the beeg boi didn't like that. He felt he was smart enough to outwit any brain dead zombie. And yah, in the movies pretty much everyone is smart enough to outwit a zombie. But sooner or later you're going to wind up in a situation that requires physical exertion, not sitting in a La-Z-Boy and firing a gun at whatever revenant busts down your door and interrupts Minecraft. My old friend found exercise boring. That's puzzling to me, as a writer, because I can really get into the Movie-In-My-Head experience of the story I'm formulating whenever I'm exercising. It's one of the few times in urban life when people will leave you TFA. Soon THE WALKING DEAD came along and, once again he loved it. Right up until the moment the show made it clear that obesity wasn't a survival skill in a Zombie Apocalypse. And this came from showrunner Robert Kirkman, who is quite the teddy bear himself! His loss. Personally I have a great time with ZOMBIELAND ever since the first day I saw it on the huge theater screen. Wassmor - SAVE YOURSELVES! Turns 4
Awww! An adorable little 4 years old for an adorable little movie. And you can tell a movie doesn't take itself too seriously when the title ends with an exclamation mark. This comedy would be too cute to be mentioned here if not for, tucked warmly away in all of the sweetness, there were showstopping Holy Shit moments of Horror and Terror. Yes, made all the more WTF! by being so out of place to the tone of the movie while being so necessary to the story. Heh! Heh! Heh! It's a shame it went DtV in the U.S., but I'm here to tell you about the creepy cuddly charm of SAVE YOURSELVES! Finale - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
Actor, Director Camilla Belle (DECONSTRUCTING SARAH, POISON IVY II, THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, THE QUIET, WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, PUSH, THE AMERICAN SIDE, THE MAD WHALE, PHOBIAS, CARTER) is 38.
It's Tuesday! October 1! Start your scary ride with the animated short film, THE PASSENGER
I don't know about you, but I like animals and they all seem to like me. Don't get me wrong, I don't push my luck with it. I don't jump into someone's backyard to pet their Doberman or go out in the wild to tickle Grizzlies. But I generally get along with animals. Still, just as there are those days when you can't seem to please anyone, there are those days when every animal you meet has a problem with you. This kid in Chris Jones' THE PASSENGER has a fun solution. What else happened on October 1? THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS Is 65
You fans of cheesy SciFi Horror movies know exactly who you are and you may even know that actor John Agar threw himself into these movies with gusto. And who can blame him? The 1950s Hollywood money machine churned out daily gangster & shitkicker movies all considered high-falutin' by the major and poverty row studios. While, at the same time, looking down their noses at Science Fiction and Horror creature feature audiences with unbridled contempt. Yeah? And who's watching those dusty old Shoot-em-Ups now, see? Nyah! It's all looking to the future now, see? Nyah! And if that 1950s future never happened, why, that's just an alternate history! Yeah! Or maybe a multi-universe! So in 1957 the alien brain, Gor, was a hyper-sexualized futuristic threat in THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS. And - HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
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![Bailey Noble in TRUE BLOOD [TV]](/Movies/Vampires/images/Night_Junkies/NightJunkies_KatiaWinter_400x720.jpg)
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INTERVIEWS Matt Jarbo's interview with Feo Amante at The Zurvivalist. James Cheetham's Q&A with Feo Amante at Unconventional Interviews *. Megan Scudellari interviews Feo Amante and Kelly Parks (of THE SCIENCE MOMENT) in The Scientist Magazine. Check out our interview at The-Scientist.com. REFERENCES Researcher David Waldron, references my review of UNDERWORLD in the Spring 2005, Journal of Religion and Popular Culture entry, Role-Playing Games and the Christian Right: Community Formation in Response to a Moral Panic (downloadable pdf). E.C. McMullen Jr.
*Linked to archive.org |
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