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NEWS – Tremors TV Show Now on DVD

Christian Sellers — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:36:13 +0000

Ron Underwood’s original B-movie classic Tremors was the perfect balance of horror and comedy. A throwback to the cheap flicks of the 1950s, the movie co-starred Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as handymen in a remote desert town that is suddenly plagued by underground reptiles that hunt through sound. Each sequel got progressively worse, with the fourth installment serving as a prequel.

Universal have given fans a treat this week by releasing the entire series of the small screen spin-off as one box set. Split over three discs and running over nine hours, the show comes in its original full screen ratio with a 2.0. stereo track.

Following on from the events of Tremors 3: Back to Perfection, franchise veteran Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) once again wages war against the vicious graboids with the help of an assortment of outcasts and losers.

The TV show could also feature Marcia Strassman (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), Lela Lee (Scrubs) and Dean Norris (Starship Troopers).

Whilst there is not much in the way of special features, the whole series for $19.98 on Universal’s site, or $22.99 on Amazon, is a good deal.

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NEWS – Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder Set for Blu-ray?

Christian Sellers — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:42:14 +0000

Whilst there is a threat that both Will Smith and Michael Bay are set to remake Alfred Hitchcock (did Gus Van Sant teach us nothing), there are still plenty of ways for audiences to rediscover the master filmmaker’s vintage classics without subjecting themselves to watered-down copies.

L.A. residents can check out screenings of Shadow of a Doubt (one of his most underrated) and Saboteur this evening, but for Blu-ray lovers there is also a treat in store.

Planeta HD have reported on a rumour that Hitchcock’s one and only 3D effort, 1954’s Dial M for Murder, is set for the Blu-ray treatment later this year. Whilst not amongst his best work, the movie is still a gripping thriller that co-starred Robert Cummings (Saboteur) and screen beauty Grace Kelly, who also worked with the director on Rear Window and To Catch a Thief.

No release date or special features have been announced, and until Warner Bros. may an official announcement this is not set in stone, the site also indicated that Andrew Davis’ 1998 remake A Perfect Murder may also be included. Whether or not Dial M for Murder will be released as both 3D and flat remains to be seen.

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NEWS – Showing of Adam Green’s Frozen at LA’s New Beverly Cinema

Christian Sellers — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:43:47 +0000

With Hatchet 2 expecting to splash its way across the screen later this year, director Adam Green is currently riding high on the success of his latest thriller Frozen, which was screened to an enthusiastic crowd at Sundance earlier this year. Based around the concept of three skiers trapped in a lift in the dead of night, attempting to survive both the freezing temperatures and hungry wolves, the movie has shown that Green is more than just a splatter director.

The cast is filled with attractive young, including Shawn Ashmore (X-Men), Rileah Vanderbilt (Hatchet) and Kevin Zegers (Dawn of the Dead), whilst genre veteran Kane Hodder also makes an appearance. Frozen became a surprise success, with The New York Times stating describing it as ‘a nifty little chiller that balances its cold terrain with an unexpectedly warm heart.’

For those who have not yet had the chance to see it, Frozen will be shown at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 18. As a bonus, Green’s first movie, Coffee & Donuts, will also be screened, whilst the director himself is set to make an appearance for a Q&A after the show.

For more information, visit the New Beverly Cinema’s official site!

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TRIBUTE – Georges Méliès

Christian Sellers — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:06:26 +0000

Almost seventy years before Apollo 11 made history and Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the moon, French filmmaker Georges Méliès took his audience on a fantastic journey with his twelve minute classic Le Voyage dans la lune, more commonly known as A Trip to the Moon. Shot in 1902, the film would become one of the most iconic images of early cinema and would prove to be a major influence on directors for the next century.

Méliès was forty years old when he made Le Voyage dans la lune and had directed over three hundred short films, including 1896’s Le manoir du diable/The Devil’s Castle, which many critics site as the first ever horror movie, despite being only two minutes in length. Inspired by a variety of classic science fiction literature, the film would become Méliès’ most acclaimed work.

Le Voyage dans la lune is even more of an achievement because cinema at that time was still in its infancy, with very few filmmakers (with the exception of R.W. Paul) embracing the possibilities that this new medium had to offer. Méliès was a former stage magician and would incorporate many of these tricks into his films, including matte paints.

Despite his legacy, by 1913 he had become bankrupt and much of his work would be destroyed or lost forever. It would not be until after his death in 1938 that his reputation as the first ever true filmmaker would be cemented. Along with Le manoir du diable, his crowning achievement would be Le Voyage dans la lune, which he will be forever known for.

Watch Le Voyage dans la lune below…

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INTERVIEW – Edward Douglas talks Midnight Syndicate

Christian Sellers — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:25:57 +0000

One of the key elements to a good horror movie is an atmospheric score. For over a decade, Edward Douglas and his group Midnight Syndicate have been creating music straight out of old school gothic horrors, whilst also directing his own movies. His upcoming flick The Dead Matter is set for release later this year and is an update of one of his earlier films

Edward Douglas discusses his love of horror and his career to date…

You are primarily known for your music through Midnight Syndicate, yet your new feature The Dead Matter is a remake of a short film you produced before your debut album. Do you consider yourself a musician first or a filmmaker?
“Music, horror, and the supernatural were my first loves but most of my formal education has been in theatre and filmmaking. Like a lot of filmmakers I was borrowing my parent’s camera and shooting “horror” movies at a young age. My first feature was an EC Comics and Creepshow-style film I did in college called Journey Into Dementia. The next project was the original The Dead Matter movie in ‘95. At that time I was looking for a way to combine all of my interests and that’s how Midnight Syndicate developed. Creating CDs that were soundtracks to imaginary films and then producing concerts that would combine live music, theatrics, and films I directed. I did one series of live concerts in March of ’98, but then (due to the sheer amount of time and resources involved in producing the shows) I shelved that element in order to focus on just developing the music. Midnight Syndicate was my only focus for the following eight years until Ethan Dettenmaier and Robert Kurtzman brought me back along the film track when they asked me to score their films. Scoring The Rage helped put the pieces in place for a return to directing which I eventually did with the remake of The Dead Matter (coming this July). Everything has come full circle for me but the wild thing is that doesn’t end there because just this past weekend Midnight Syndicate wrapped production on our first music video. It was directed by my friend and Mushroomhead video producer David Greathouse and co-produced by Kurtzman’s Precinct 13. Gavin and I couldn’t be more stoked about how it went. It definitely sets the stage for more video productions and possibly a return to the type of live shows I was producing back when we started.”

Your music features gothic elements and are structured like horror movie soundtracks. Was this your intention and how inspired by film scores is your work?
“From the beginning it was always my goal for Midnight Syndicate to create “soundtracks to imaginary films.” CDs that blend music and sound effects designed to transport you to a world or a movie of your own creation. Similar to film scores each CD tells a story only with our discs that story is left entirely up to the listener. We try to give enough details to spark your imagination without imposing our own interpretation. Film composers like Bernard Herrmann, Danny Elfman, John Carpenter, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer are big musical influences for both Gavin and I. That and the classical composers who influenced them as well as artists like Black Sabbath, Sisters of Mercy, King Diamond, and early Genesis. I’m also a fan of the old radio dramas and their use of sound design to create environments.”

You have collaborated several times with FX artist/filmmaker Robert Kurtzman, most notably on The Rage. How did you come to score the music for that movie and how does this differ to creating music for your own movie?
“I love working with Bob because not only is he an incredibly talented artist but he’s a great person. In addition to his team at P13, he introduced me to Gary Jones who ended up co-producing The Dead Matter with us. Bob first approached me to score The Rage because he was a fan of Midnight Syndicate’s music. Scoring that film was a good challenge for me. For one, it demanded a much more aggressive style than anything I had done with Midnight Syndicate to that point. Additionally, as a composer (and not the director or producer) I had to continually double check my work to make sure that what I was doing was best for the film and furthered the director’s vision. Quite different from the workflow on a Midnight Syndicate disc. The Dead Matter was easier to score because the film is very much in the style of Midnight Syndicate’s music. In fact, many of the first Midnight Syndicate tracks I wrote (on Midnight Syndicate and Born of the Night) were taken from my scoring sessions (and outtakes) from the original 1995 The Dead Matter. On the new score, I had some definite ideas heading into it, I also had great contributions from Gavin and was also able to hijack some Syndicate tracks that I felt really worked for certain scenes.”

When you are writing a screenplay, are you always conscious of what kind of music you would want to use for a specific scene and in what ways does your music influence your films?
“I co-wrote The Dead Matter with Tony Demci who really contributed a lot of his own scenes and vision to the new version. I suppose in some cases I definitely have strong ideas about what music I will want to use in particular scenes. For the most part though, at the writing stage I’m just trying to create a compelling story and script that will make for a film that’s strong enough to stand on it’s own without any music. That way when I finally do add the music it just takes the whole thing to the next level. Midnight Syndicate is very influenced by classic horror so as far as the music influencing the type of films I do, I would say I tend towards producing similar classic Universal, Hammer, EC Comics-influenced horror.”

You have hosted several competitions through its website, including the chance for filmmakers to make a music video or silent film to a Midnight Syndicate track and be featured on the upcoming The Dead Matter DVD. How important is it for you to interact with your fan base and have them involved in your work?
“It’s everything to us. Hearing from our fans about how they enjoy the music or use it for inspiration in their own work whether it’s drawing, writing, designing haunted houses, sculpting really fuels us. Additionally we never had the support of any major labels or commercial radio stations and we’ve never toured so we owe our success to all of our fans and supporters who bought our CDs and then turned their friends on to our work. We’ve always enjoyed MySpace but we’ve also just now started up on Facebook as well which I’m really liking.”

What are your thoughts on the current horror climate and how does The Dead Matter fit in with the current trends?
“I love horror films and I especially love old horror films – not only the way they looked but the way they were shot.. everything. I’m a huge fan of Hammer films. So that being said, I’m not really into all the remakes although I understand why they are the norm right now. The financial climate in the film industry is tenuous at best – and any type of financial success outside the blockbusters is becoming more and more rare. I think that there are still a lot of great horror films being made today. I thought Let the Right One In was brilliant. Dead Girl, End of the Line, Grace, The Burrowers, The Abandoned are just some that come to mind recently.

To answer your question, I don’t think that The Dead Matter fits in with current trends. A lot of those movies I just listed really push the boundaries – very visceral, in your face. The Dead Matter is a bit of a throwback. As I mentioned, I am heavily influenced by Hammer Horror films and EC Comics and you can tell that by watching The Dead Matter. The shooting style is a bit retro (as is our Super 16 footage) and when you take that and mix it with the classic horror influences of Midnight Syndicate’s music, you have a bit of an anachronism. However, although our themes are nothing new it’s how we present those themes along with the twists and turns we throw the audiences’ way that will engage them and keep them guessing throughout the movie. I’m really proud of how it came together. If you like classic horror and classic horror themes (vampires, zombies, séances) with a bunch of unexpected twists and turns, then you are going to like The Dead Matter. We’ll have a new trailer up in a few weeks as well as a killer, new interactive website at www.TheDeadMatter.com. The DVD will be released July 30th, and will be available at Hot Topic stores. We’re building a new Midnight Syndicate website (www.MidnightSyndicate.com) as well as releasing that new music video (for Dark Legacy off our Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates CD) in early April. It’s Midnight Syndicate’s 13th Anniversary so we have a ton of stuff planned this year including a “best of” CD, contests, and more. Hopefully some good things for folks to consider when they are looking for Halloween music this October.”

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NEWS – Corey Haim Dead at 38

Christian Sellers — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:36:24 +0000

Former ’80s star Corey Haim died earlier today from a suspected drug overdose. The troubled actor, who became a heartthrob after appearing in The Lost Boys back in 1987, had been battling a well-publicised drug addiction for many years. Alongside Corey Feldman, who he would co-star with in License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream and the erotic thriller Blown Away, Haim had attempted to make a comeback with the hit reality show The Two Coreys, which was cancelled in 2008.

Having first come to came alongside Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder in the 1986 drama Lucas, Haim would become a teen icon with roles in Prayer of the Rollerboy and Dream Machine, but the 1990s would see him gradually slip into obscurity. His disappointment at failing to land a lead role in 2008’s Lost Boys: The Tribe was documented on his show, whilst his recovery from bankruptcy also placed a strain on his career.

According to the Washington Post, ‘Haim died at 2:15 a.m. at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.’ Although no exact details have been released until after an autopsy has been performer, the cause is believed to have been drug-related. Despite a fledging career, Haim had continued to work on a variety of supporting roles, including last year’s Crank: High Voltage. IMDb currently lists several projects as being in ‘post production.’

Haim had turned thirty-eight in December.

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NEWS – Dan O’Bannon Tribute in LA Later This Month

Christian Sellers — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:36:47 +0000

It is two days since the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and fans of the legendary actress Farrah Fawcett are still stewing that the star, who passed away on the same day as Michael Jackson, was omitted from the 2010 Oscar Orbit Reel. Yet whilst the likes of Karl Malden and Patrick Swayze got the respect they deserved during the montage, one other who was absent during this was Dan O’Bannon.

Having first had a name for himself with the student sci-fi spoof Dark Star during the mid-1970s, O’Bannon has been attached to some of the most successful and popular cult movies of the last thirty years, including Alien and Total Recall, whilst his 1985 horror comedy The Return of the Living Dead is one of the most underrated zombie flicks of all time.

Sadly, O’Bannon passed away shortly before Christmas at the age of sixty-three, prompting tributes to appear all across the internet. But those in the LA area on March 25 should head down to the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd for a tribute night that will include screenings of two of O’Bannon’s classics. First up is a workprint of his 1992 H.P. Lovecraft adaptation The Resurrected, whilst the other will be the aforementioned Dark Star.

For those who are unable to attend, dig out your dusty old copy of the movie (still one of Carpenter’s finest) and pay tribute from the comfort of your own home.

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NEWS – Predator 2 Screening in LA This April

Christian Sellers — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:49:53 +0000

Whilst few fans of ’80s action will argue that the Arnold Schwarzenegger flick Predator is the ultimate macho guilty pleasure (as well as an inventive sci-fi classic), its 1990 sequel was been criminally underappreciated over the last twenty years.

Sandwiched in Stephen Hopkins’ résumé between A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and Judgment Night, the movie relocated the action from the jungle to the City of Angels, where hardnosed cop Danny Glover wages war against Jamaican and Colombian drug dealers.

Neglected by critics upon initial release, the movie also included Glover’s Lethal Weapon co-star Gary Busey and a cocky Bill Paxton, whilst the late Kevin Peter Hall once again portrayed the title character.

Whilst both films have been released as spectacular two-disc editions from 20th Century Fox, Bloody Disgusting have announced that they will be hosting a screening of Predator 2, to be held at the NuArt Theater on Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles on April 23.

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NEWS – No Right Turn Region 2 DVD Details

Christian Sellers — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:51:37 +0000

Those that have been eagerly awaiting a region 2 release of David Noel Bourke’s surreal noir drama No Right Turn will be pleased to know that the movie is finally set to surface on April 10, courtesy of Another World Entertainment.

Boasting lush cinematography and dark sexual overtones, the movie has developed something of a cult following over the last couple of years, even before it had even been screened.

Shot in Copenhagen, Denmark and co-starring Sira Stampe (Hideous Kinky), with an appearance from Kim Sønderholm (Craig), the film is a sleazy fantasy through a world of sex, drugs and violence.

The second feature from Bourke (check out an interview with him at our sister site, Hijack Hollywood), No Right Turn is unlike anything else that has been released for some time, calling to mind old school film noir blended with David Lynch’s psychodramas.

The DVD will include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, a making of, a Q&A with Bourk, trailers and more, whilst the movie itself will come in optional 5.1 and with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

The movie, which was shot in English, will be presented in this language, although the artwork will be in Danish.

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NEWS – Xtro 4 to Begin Shooting This Summer

Christian Sellers — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:30:58 +0000

With Hollywood digging up every old fossil from the 1970s and ’80s and giving them the attractive MTV makeover, fans of old school schlock may be interested to know that there are still the occasional sequels produced. Whilst the follow-up to The Lost Boys may have been a total disaster, one classic that is set to spew out another movie is Xtro, Harry Bromley Davenport’s no budget British science fiction horror that has become something of a lost cult classic over the last three decades.

The original movie was released in 1983 and was described by Roger Ebert as ‘an ugly, mean-spirited and despairing thriller that left me thoroughly depressed.’ The movie was almost included in the infamous video nasty witch-hunt of the 1980s and would eventually spawn two sequels, 1990’s Xtro II: The Second Encounter and 1995’s Xtro 3: Watch the Skies, both directed by Davenport.

Now Fangoria are reporting that the filmmaker is set to bring back the franchise after a fifteen-year absence. ‘I am going to be starting XTRO 4 this summer,’ reveals Davenport. ‘It’s going to be a very odd movie indeed. Sort of back to the roots of the first one, but much stranger and, hopefully, more uncomfortable.’ The film will see him once again team up with Watch the Skies writer Daryl Haney, whose other credits have included Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood and Emmanuelle, Queen of the Galaxy.

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