Movie Review: 'Idiots & Angels' by Bill Plympton. Rating: 9/10.
First Release Date: Apr 26, 2008
US DVD Release Date: Oct 6, 2010
Format Reviewed: US DVD release
Directed By: Bill Plympton
Written By: Bill Plympton
Animation By: Bill Plympton
Art Direction By: Bill Plympton, Biljana Labovic
Artists: Bill Plympton, Biljana Labovic, Lisa LaBracio, Kerri Allegretta
Genre: Animated/Dark Comedy
Rated: NR
Review Rating: 8/10
By far, this is Bill Plympton's best movie yet. His incredible use of angles and light make this a fantastic movie to behold. The film opens with a tongue in cheek humorous moment and as the story builds, you are introduced to a host of characters. Each character is connected to the next and our lead character, Angel, is quite a jerk. Utilizing sound effects and animation versus dialogue, Bill Plympton weaves a masterful story of redemption as Angel struggles with his own conscience and the greedy desires of those around him.
Read the Full Review
Syfy Channel premieres HORRORFEST 4 this weekend
Starting This Weekend The Syfy Channel Is Presenting Five Films From Horrorfest 4� 8 Films To Die For�!
Beginning October 2nd and continuing through the 24th, SYFY IS SHOWING FIVE NEW RELEASES from our 2010 Festival. All times are Eastern Standard Time, but check local listings to confirm.
http://www.metallife.com/news/display_news.php?id=1675
Movie Review: Ninjas vs Zombies 8/10.
In independently made movie with surprisingly good results. The basic premise is that that a group of friends have to deal with a zombie horde after one of their friends returns from the grave. Three of the friends are granted the power of the ninja and they embark on the quest to vanquish ...
Read The Full Review Here
Movie review: Dorian Gray (DVD) 8/10
A new vision of Oscar Wilde's iconic tale of a young and powerful Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes), who moves to London to inherit his father's estate. Upon arrival, he quickly makes friends with London's elite and attracts the attention of an up and coming artist. This artist creates a portrait of Dorian over which Dorian offers his soul in exchange for eternal beauty. Dorian's lifestyle spirals downwards into more and more debauchery...
Read The Full Review Here
Hatchet 2 - new poster revealed, in theaters October
Adam Green's HATCHET II unrated will be in theaters October 1, 2010
starring Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Tom Holland and more.
Terry Gilliam sponsored animated feature 'Idiots and Angels' by Bill Plympton opens Oct 6
"IDIOTS AND ANGELS" animated feature film
and
"THE COW THAT WANTED TO BE A HAMBURGER" animated short film.
Bill Plympton, Legendary Oscar�-nominated Director, has an exclusive engagement opening on Wednesday, October 6th, of his Terry Gilliam sponsored Animated Feature Film: "Idiots and Angels" (run time 78 mins.) a black comedy about a man's battle with his wings and his soul, at the IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue at West 3rd Street, NYC preceded by Plympton's new, multi-award winning animated short film: "The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger", which won the Grand Prize for animation at the Florida Film Festival.
Come and Meet Bill Plympton, who will make personal appearances at the last screening of the day on Wednesday, October 6th and Thursday, October 7th, followed by a Q & A.
Bill will be signing postcards at this event and there will be a quiz and signed poster and DVD prizes.
Tickets:
$13 general admission
$9 seniors (62+) and children (under 12)
$8 for IFC Center members
$10 for discounted group tickets
(Group Tickets by arrangement email: pbscreenings@gmail.com)
The IFC Center is located at:
323 Sixth Avenue at West 3rd Street, NYC
Box office #: 212 924 7771
http://www.ifccenter.com
For more information, please visit:
http://www.plymptoons.com/news/appearances.html
SUCK, the Best Rock n' Roll Vampire Flick
A STRUGGLING BAND FINDS FAME � AND AN UNQUENCHABLE THIRST� AFTER BECOMING VAMPIRES IN THIS ROCKIN�, COMEDY SWOOPING ONTO DVD AND BLU-RAY THIS FALL
Directed by and Starring Rob Stefaniuk, this 2010 Theatrical and Official Selection of Toronto and SXSW Stars Malcolm McDowell, Jessica Par�, Dave Foley, Henry Rollins and Moby Along with Rock Icons Iggy Pop, Alex Lifeson and Alice Cooper
IN STORES SEPTEMBER 28
PORT WASHINGTON, NY � �Twilight meets True Blood with a dash of Rock Star[1]� in SUCK, a rock-n-roll vampire spoof arriving on DVD and Blu-ray this Fall, from Entertainment One. Fresh off of a series of theatrical screenings across the country, SUCK follows a bottom-shelf bar band that�ll do anything for a record deal. After a life-changing encounter with a vampire, they rocket to stardom only to discover that fame and fortune are not all they are cracked up to be. Featuring an all-star ensemble, riotous cameos from rock icons along with a killer soundtrack � and arriving while our culture is transfixed by all things vampiric � SUCK is sure to be devoured by horror lovers and music fans alike, when the DVD and Blu-ray versions ($24.98 SRP each) are unleashed on September 28.
The Winners are a go-nowhere rock band, living out of the back of a hearse, which is also doubling as their �tour van.� When their disgruntled manager (Dave Foley, �NewsRadio�, �The Kids in the Hall�) tells them that they are getting �long in the tooth,� he doesn�t know that his words are truly prophetic. During a road trip, however, their humdrum image radically changes after bass player Jennifer (Jessica Par�, Hot Tub Time Machine, Wicker Park), disappears one night with a hip, goth vampire (played by Dimitri Coats of the band Burning Brides). Shortly thereafter, she emerges, lacking more pigment than usual, but possessing a new sexually-charged charisma that drives the audiences wild.
As the band members succumb one by one to blood lust, their new �gimmick� launches them into the limelight. Following an incident on a national radio show with �Rock�n Roger� (Henry Rollins), they hit mega-stardom beyond their wildest dreams. But fame comes with a price as Joey (Rob Stefaniuk), the front man, is haunted by a sinister bartender (Alice Cooper), who turns out to be much more. Meanwhile, legendary vampire hunter, Eddie Van Helsig (Malcolm McDowell, Halloween, �Entourage�,A Clockwork Orange), is tracking them down, despite his fear of the dark. When a veteran music producer (Iggy Pop) calls them on becoming a vampire freak show, they begin to realize that the thirst for fame may not be worth the price of their souls.
A wild ride down the highway to hell, SUCK also boasts a soundtrack that includes Iggy Pop�s, �TVeye� and �Success�; Alice Cooper�s, �I am a Spider�; Lou Reed�s Velvet Underground�s �Sweet Nuthin�; David Bowie�s, �Here Comes the Night� and The Rolling Stones, �Sympathy for the Devil.�
The DVD and Blu-ray editions of SUCK both include a mesmerizing collection of extras, including the comprehensive making-of featurette �Down to the Crossroads or: How to Make a Movie SUCK,� an audio commentary track, and Burning Bride�s music video for �Flesh and Bone.� The DVD for SUCK is presented in 16x9 anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 Surround Sound. On Blu-ray, the film is presented with DTS-HD Master Audio. Both releases include English SDH Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
[1] MTV.com
Toronto Film Festival announces initiative with Harmony Korine
Rotterdam, Netherlands (September 8, 2010) - The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), one of the leading international film festivals, announced today exciting new projects and partnerships for its pioneering Cinema Reloaded digital film production / online fundraising platform. Launched earlier this year, Cinema Reloaded allows filmmakers to directly connect with film-lovers around the world in order to finance and distribute their projects through online crowd funding.
The first trio of films produced under the auspices of Cinema Reloaded will premiere at the IFFR in January 2011. The line-up will include the next project from acclaimed American independent filmmaker Harmony Korine (Gummo, Trash Humpers). Korine, who is introducing the project today with a video message on www.cinemareloaded.com will collect finances for his new film entirely through the "Cinema Reloaded" initiative.
Korine joins previously announced participating "Cinema Reloaded" inaugural filmmakers Ho Yuhang (15Malyasia) and Alexis Dos Santos (Unmade Beds). Dos Santos and Yuhang have received more than 500 co-financiers to date and have already begun production on their films.
Cinema Reloaded is linked to a simple crowd funding system that works on the basis of donations. A 5 euro donation is enough to become a co-financier of one or more of the film projects - from 25 euros, you will also be listed on the credits. The filmmakers have until 31 December 2010 to finance their projects through Cinema Reloaded. Harmony Korine, Ho Yuhang and Alexis Dos Santos will keep their co-producers informed through blogs and video updates.
Harmony Korine entered the film industry in 1995, as the screenwriter of Larry Clark's film Kids. His sizeable and varied oeuvre has since confirmed his reputation as one of the most controversial filmmakers in cinema today. Korine made his directorial debut in 1997 with Gummo. His provocative Trash Humpers (2009) screened at festivals in Toronto and Rotterdam.
The world's first online social network for the finance of films by donation set up by a film festival, IFFR's Cinema Reloaded was born of a belief that film festivals, with their pool of enthusiastic audiences and professional contacts, need to explore and support this new way of producing and distributing films. Innovations in the film industry owing to digitalisation and new online channels are offering filmmakers, film festivals and their audiences new ways of financing, making, distributing and watching films. IFFR has been the initiator of similar groundbreaking programs in the past, such as the Hubert Bals Fund, an initiative providing grants to remarkable cinema projects in developing countries, and CineMart, the first platform of its kind to offer filmmakers the opportunity to launch their ideas to the international film industry and to find the right connections to get their projects financed.
IFFR director Rutger Wolfson said , "At a time when the international marketplace for truly independent films is rapidly changing, and many films and filmmakers are having difficulty getting exposure, IFFR has created new and exciting opportunities for a wide range of films to find funding and reach an audience. Our innovative "Cinema Reloaded" program, which we began earlier this year, will help realize films by three fantastic filmmakers, and help build a global online community of passionate film enthusiasts with the opportunity to be involved with film projects from inception through release."
IFFR also announced today an exciting partnership with the American independent film news website indieWIRE.com. indieWIRE will be devoting a permanent place on its homepage to Cinema Reloaded. The site will also co-host blogs by Korine, Ho and Dos Santos.
www.cinemareloaded.com
http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com/nl/
Grimm Up North Film Festival, horror sci-fi movie fest, Manchester, UK
Date: Oct 28-31
Venue: The Dancehouse, Manchester, UK
FILMS:
This year's films include: Aliens vs Ninjas, Reel Zombies, Evil: In the Time of Heroes (aka To Tako 2) and Slice.
GUESTS:
Special guests this year include Ramsey Campbell, David Moody, Christopher Priest, Grenville Charles, Scott MacIntyre, Conrad Williams and Richard Evans.
EVENTS:
This year's events include seminars on adapting a novel into a movie, making monsters, exploring how artificial intelligence has been portrayed in movies, and a comedy stage adaptation "How to Survive A Zombie Apocalypse."
ABOUT:
It�s grim up north, as the saying goes. But now every Halloween in Manchester � it�s GRIMM UP NORTH!
Tales of mystery, terror and the supernatural have always been with us, since the first cavemen crowded around the campfire. Forming the basis of our legends and fairytales, they are how we deal with our fears and make sense of our world. At Grimm Up North, we want you to celebrate those fears and challenge those perceptions, by offering a boundary-pushing, perception-challenging experience of the unknown and the fantastic.
Launched in 2009, Grimm Up North started as it means to go on. The inaugural festival screened 25 features, including 15 premieres, many featuring Q&As and seminars with directors, cast and crew. Last year we screened movies from Japan, Finland, Germany, Romania, Canada and Australia. Many of the award-winning international movies were UK premieres and for some will have been their only UK outing on a big screen � indeed some may never get a UK release at all.
We screened films as diverse as the Tarkovsky-influenced SAUNA from Finland and Romanian art house vampire movie STRIGOI. Supporting our homegrown talent, we covered the new wave of UK horror from the micro-budgeted COLIN, to gritty social-realist psycho drama TONY. But we never lost sight of our hardcore genre audience, with sold-out screenings of genre classics DAWN OF THE DEAD and HALLOWEEN, as well as a gala premi�re of THE DESCENT 2 that also featured a Q&A with the cave chiller sequel�s director and cast. Other guests included HELLRAISER�s very own Cenobites and author of The Prestige Ramsey Campbell. We also had an exhibition of work by SFX legend Bob Keen; props, storyboards and production stills from locally-produced shocker SPLINTERED; and a special game room set up by CAPCOM where punters could try out the new RESIDENT EVIL: DARKSIDE CHRONICLES game before its release.
All in all, even if we do say so ourselves, Grimm Up North 2009 was a Hell of a festival. It created impact at a national and international level, and in its very first year was being reviewed favourably. We intend to build on this � to truly put Manchester on the festival map with film distributors and movie fans alike.
And we�re not limiting ourselves to cinema, either. We want to spread a little GRIMMness across all of the arts and sciences. This year we are partnering with other festivals and organisations such as the Manchester Science Festival and The Manchester Literary Festival to bring more diverse, interactive events. These will include films with live musical accompaniment, a look at book to screen adaptations, and explorations of the scientific truths behind horror, fantasy and SF. There will be seminars, workshops and more. We�ll even be doing a couple of scary movies matinees in association with the Family Friendly Film Festival � we want to hook in your kids while they�re young and impressionable!
Grimm Up North: A festival of horror and fantasy, taking place on the last week of October in Manchester UK.
http://www.grimmfest.com/
Salty Horror Film Festival, Nov 4-7
The Salty Horror Film Festival is Utah�s first ever film festival for horror and sci-fi/horror submissions.
The categories are:
Traditional Horror
Science Fiction Horror
Comedic Horror
Submissions can include
Feature Length Films
Short Films
Feature Length Screenplays
Short Screenplays
Horror Film Documentary
Horror Film Music
Trailers
Music Videos
http://www.saltyhorrorfilmfestival.com/
Fantastic Fest 2010 - horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action movie festival
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past we have presented the world premieres of THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO, CITY OF EMBER, ZOMBIELAND, and GENTLEMEN BRONCOS, while our guest roster has included such talent as Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Dolph Lundgren, Jemaine Clement, Paul Rudd, Bill Pullman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau, George Romero, Darren Aronofsky and Mike Judge. We also feature world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films.
Fantastic Fest is held each year at the Paramount Theater and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience.
http://www.fantasticfest.com/
QUANTUM QUEST: 3D computer animated movie to debut at Dragon Con
QUANTUM QUEST: A CASSINI SPACE ODYSSEY, 3D COMPUTER ANIMATED LARGE FORMAT FILM, WILL PREMIERE AT DRAGON*CON
Producer, Writer, Director Harry Kloor joined by cast member Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) and Dr. June Scobee Rogers (Challenger Center)
Two Captain Kirks and Two Darth Vaders Among Voice Cast; First Film Project For Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong
Quantum Quest, a new 3-D computer animated Large Format action adventure film that interweaves animated sequences with stunning, actual space imagery captured from seven ongoing NASA and NASA/ESA space missions, will have its world premiere on Saturday, September 4th at Dragon*Con, the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe.
Quantum Quest's A-list voice cast includes two Captain Kirks (William Shatner and Chris Pine), two Jedi Knights (Mark Hamill and Samuel L. Jackson) and two Darth Vaders (James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen) - a first for Hollywood and a first for the galaxy. Quantum Quest will premiere in Large Format and conventional theaters in late 2010.
The film�s Writer /Producer /Co-Director Dr. Harry Kloor (CEO of Jupiter 9 Productions, co-producer of QQ), along with Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) and Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, Founding Chairman and Director, Challenger Center For Space Science Education, will lead a Quantum Quest panel which will include surprise guest appearances both live and virtual. The panel, "Captain Kirks vs Darth Vaders: The Inside Stories Behind the Making of Quantum Quest," will be held from 8:30pm-10:30pm, Saturday, at the Marriot Atrium Ballroom. The first 1000 guests will receive a special collectible 3D Quantum Quest lithograph.
Quantum Quest is a sci-fi action film set in a scientifically accurate rendering of our solar system in 3-D stereoscopic. Visually, the film blends computer animation with billions of dollars of fantastic images captured during recent NASA space explorations including the international Cassini Huygens mission. The audience is taken on a simulated solar safari, exploring the outer planets and moons of our solar system such as Titan, a moon of Saturn that has rainfall, rivers, and giant lakes of natural gas.
It is the first time that NASA�s JPL has ever initiated a film project and the first time that famed Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the surface of the Moon, has participated in a feature film, lending his voice to one of the characters.
Combining solid, �real� science with Hollywood-style narrative story-telling, Quantum Quest is designed to communicate the excitement of space exploration and science discovery to students K through 12. Quantum Quest will provide more free educational materials, prepared by leading educators, scientists, space and science organizations (including the Fleet Museum and the Planetary Society), than any previous Large Screen film.
�This is a stealth science education film disguised as fun Hollywood entertainment,� says Dr. Kloor. �Whenever we talk about science, it�s exact, but QQ�s message is to tell kids � and grownups of all ages - that science is cool.�
Quantum Quest tells the story of an epic battle between the forces of good and evil. The central character is Dave (Chris Pine), a photon who lives in the Sun, who with his people, is drawn into a galactic battle between THE CORE (William Shatner, the embodiment of the Sun, representing life and knowledge) and THE VOID (Mark Hamill, the embodiment of Nothingness, who wishes for total annihilation of the universe).
Quantum Quest's original soundtrack, composed by Shawn Clement (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, American Idol), was recorded with members of the San Francisco Symphony at Skywalker Sound, the renowned sound effects, sound editorial, sound design and music recording division of George Lucas's Lucas Digital motion picture group.
About Quantum Quest:
DAVE (Chris Pine) is a photon, a being of light, who lives in Sun City, located at the core of the Sun. Sun City is populated by Photons, Neutrinos, and Proton citizens, all living in harmony. Dave is forced from the Sun and drawn into an epic battle between THE CORE (William Shatner, the embodiment of the Sun) and THE VOID (Mark Hamill, the embodiment of nothingness, he is that which existed before the universe was born). Dave�s quest is to save his people, the Cassini Space craft, and ultimately humanity from annihilation. FEAR (Samuel L. Jackson), IGNORANCE (Tom Kenny), MORONIC (Jason Alexander), and ZERO (Doug Jones) seek to stop Dave from fulfilling his destiny. Diving into imaginary atomic worlds that are visual symphonies for the eye and the soul, the film ultimately takes us on a real (using radar data and images) 3-D Grand Canyon-like exploration of Titan, a moon of Saturn which has rainfall, rivers, and giant lakes of natural gas.
Since the inception of the project, the film has been closely reviewed at every stage by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for scientific accuracy. For more information, visit www.qqthemovie.com.
Missing 25 minutes of 1927 Metropolis found and restored
BBC News has reported that the 25 minutes of Fritz Lang's 1927 classic sci-fi movie "Metropolis" have been found in Argentina and now the film has been put back together as Fritz Lang had originally intended. The film is now the proper two and a half hours long.
Visit this BBC News page and watch the news broadcast video in which Stephen Smith reports on the discovery and even shows a few seconds of the missing footage.
This is one of the most influential science fiction movies and Fritz's vision of the future was eerily accurate. We are looking forward to this full version being packaged and released for general viewing.
Slumber Party Massacre Collection DVD. Release date Oct 5
All three films in one Complete Collection for the first time! This 2-disc Special Edition features new DVD extras including an in-depth, 3-part Documentary revisiting all films.
The ultimate driller-killer-thrillers are back!! In the terrifying original Slumber Party Massacre, a high school girl�s basketball team is stalked by an escaped mental patient with a portable drill. In Part 2, the killer returns this time as a physical manifestation of a young girl�s nightmares, slaying more teens in the guise of an evil rocker with a deadly guitar. And in Part 3, a new group of teenagers decide to have a slumber party when yet another unknown killer with a power drill begins attacking them.
Directors: Part 1: Amy Holden Jones, Part 2: Deborah Brock Part, 3: Sally Mattison
Stars: Part 1: Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille; Part 2: Crystal Bernard, Jennifer Rhodes; Part 3: Yan Birch, Brandi Burkett
Bonus Features:
* New Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer of the Original SPM
* 3-Part Documentary
* Photo and Poster Still Gallery
* Trailers
* Collectible Booklet
As a special thank you for ordering from ShoutFactory.com, we're giving away this amazing gift-with-purchase! It's a 30" x 20" (queen-sized) limited edition Slumber Party Massacre pillowcase! Perfect for when you invite your friends over for a triple-feature (because you know you won't want to sleep alone after). Offer valid while supplies last.
John Cusack cast as Edgar Allen Poe in "The Raven"
John Cusack posted to Twitter today:
"officiali- will play edgar allen poe in fall-a-film called the raven, send any poe- gold - my way as i begin this journey into the abyss."
The film, "The Raven" is directed by James McTeigue and tells a fictional tale of the last five days of Poe's life as he joins a detective in the hunt for his fiance's kidnapper. The serial killer is committing murders inspired by Poe's work.
The movie begins filming on Oct 25 in Budapest.
This sounds like it could be a good film, especially if they do the serial killer properly. As long as the serial killer is "worthy" of mimicking Poe's stories, the movie should be good.
Free NIGHT OF THE DEMONS showing in NYC
FANGORIA will host a free screening of director Adam Gierasch�s horror remake NIGHT OF THE DEMONS at the Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street, off University Place) on Friday, October 15 at 11:30 p.m. Gierasch co-wrote the new film with longtime partner Jace Anderson, the two having previously collaborated on AUTOPSY, TOOLBOX MURDERS, MOTHER OF TEARS, MORTUARY and the upcoming FERTILE GROUND. Gierasch will introduce the 35mm screening and conduct a Q&A.
The updated DEMONS due out on DVD and Blu-ray October 19 from Entertainment One, follows a bunch of young party animals who spend Halloween night in a haunted mansion, turning into demons and mutilating themselves and their friends. The film boasts a hot cast led by 13 GHOSTS� Shannon Elizabeth as the new Angela (that infernal troublemaker), with stunners like FREDDY VS. JASON�s Monica Keena, LAID TO REST�s Bobbi Sue Luther, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING�s Diora Baird and THE HAZING�s Tiffany Shepis playing the wild girls who turn into wilder she-demons. TERMINATOR 2�s Edward Furlong heads the male cast, while TRAILER PARK OF TERROR�s Drac Studios provided the film�s eye-popping makeup FX and monsters. The original film�s Linnea Quigley has a cameo.
The Fango NIGHT OF THE DEMONS screening will be a free show; to obtain tickets, send an email to fangoscreening@starloggroup.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You must list �DEMONS� as your subject line. Offer is good for you and one guest. Plus tell us your full name and whether you want to be added to the FANGORIA newsletter list so we can inform you about future Fango screenings and events. Names will be checked at the door. Offer is first come, first served, and we will confirm your RSVP. Seating is not guaranteed, however. This advance preview is sponsored by Entertainment One.
Gareth Jones of Dread Central called NIGHT OF THE DEMONS �a modern throwback to a simpler era of horror where boobs and blood were the main attraction,� while Steven West of The Horror Review said, �If you see only one movie this year featuring demonic anal sex�make it this one.� And Suspiriorum at Horrorview.com summed up NIGHT OF THE DEMONS as a �shamelessly trashy experience, but one which is solidly entertaining, and a rare remake which doesn�t shame the memory of its progenitor.�
Check out FANGORIA #291 for exclusive NIGHT OF THE DEMONS photos and interviews. And watch this space for more upcoming Fango screenings. See you at the show!
LAST EXORCISM opens Aug 27
A troubled evangelical minister agrees to let his last exorcism be filmed by a documentary crew. Filmed in Louisiana and directed by Daniel Stamm, this movie takes a new twist on the concept of exorcism movies.
Starring:
Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Tony Bentley,
http://thelastexorcism.com/
Human Centipede causes controversy
Tim Masters of the BBC reported that the film "The Human Centipede" is causing quite a stir. The movie is about a twisted doctor that captures people and performs hideous experiments on them. In this movie, he creates a triple conjoined "centipede" out of three unlucky victims. The film plays on the horrors carried out in Nazi Germany during WWII and uses that emotion to its advantage to upset the viewer.
The imagery is enough to make some people ill, while others have found it quite funny. Tim Maters reported that the Japanese fans laughed during the screening. Perhaps that is because they are used to monster movies.
Tim Masters went on with an interview Tom Six, the writer and director of "The Human Centipede". Read the interview here.
"Master of the Macabre" WILLIAM CASTLE speaks from the grave
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE �MASTER OF THE MACABRE� WILLIAM CASTLE
Don�t think that a little thing like being dead would preclude me from attending �The Return of William Castle� retrospective at the Film Forum in New York City beginning Friday, August 27th (http://www.filmforum.org/films/castle.html)
I am very much present. And I do so remember how I loved scaring the living daylights out of all of you��But I�m not done yet. Not by a long shot.
I am sure you are dying to know what to expect from me now that I�m back with FROM THE GRAVE!, a new tale of terror and my first novel, that will scare a corpse out of his own grave. So, everyone, if you get a whiff of my beloved Don Diego #5 cigars during �The Return of William Castle� retrospective, don�t be alarmed, know I�m there with a grin that stretches from here to eternity. And for the faint of heart, beware we might meet in the �Coward�s Corner.�
WHO: My daughter Terry Castle will be on hand Friday night to introduce the opening double bill of �The Return of William Castle� retrospective. The dear child had a most unusual childhood and has endured the legacy of a father who is indeed larger than life. I wonder what she will say about me? Does she believe I�m back FROM THE GRAVE?
WHY: I never met a gimmick I didn�t like. Many consider me to be the godfather of the modern horror movie genre and and �experiential films.� And to think I died in 1977 thinking I was unsuccessful.
Background: I made over forty B movies following a formula for box office success: low-budget chillers geared to the burgeoning Youth-sploitation market including The Tingler, House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts, Macabre, Strait-Jacket (the latter scripted by Psycho's Robert Bloch), and Homicidal � which TIME magazine liked better than Psycho. They called me a master of ballyhoo who shamelessly promoted his pictures with highly effective gimmicks, some of which will be lovingly re-created for the Film Forum�s 15 film retrospective, �The Return of William Castle� running August 27 through September 6 in NYC.
To Read the latest messages from, or leave a message for, William Castle:
http://www.williamcastle.com
Facebook Page
HATCHET II slashes ties with MPAA, out Oct 1
Dark Sky Films, a division ofMPI Media Group, announced today that in anticipation of the upcoming Halloween horror movie season, Adam Green's HATCHET II will be distributed in theaters across the country beginning Oct 1. The film will be released without an MPAA rating, marking the widest release of an unrated genre film in more than 25 years.
AMC Theatres, under its AMC independent program, will be exhibiting HATCHET II in the top 20 markets across the country. Vitagraph Films is serving as theatrical distributor.
The announcement regarding the HATCHET II release was made jointly by Adam Green with MPI Media Group's Senior Vice President of Acquisitions Greg Newman.
A ferociously fun tribute to the old-school horror sensation slasher movies of the 80's, HATCHET II is the follow-up to the popular original film, which was released theatrically in 2007 and became a sleeper-hit, gaining a wide following on DVD. The cast of HATCHET II features a cavalcade of horror movie icons including Danielle Harris (HALLOWEEN) and Kane Hodder (FRIDAY THE 13th), reprising his role as serial killer Victor Crowley. Also starring are Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) and R.A. Mihailoff (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE).
HATCHET II is having its world premiere this week in London at Fright Fest, the UK's premiere horror and fantasy film festival.
Director Adam Green said, "Having a movie as graphically over the top as HATCHET II come out in major theatres unrated is an absolute dream come true -- not only for the genre fans but for the entire make-up effects crew who normally have to watch their amazing achievements get sliced and diced for theatrical release. This is an important event for the horror genre and I hope the real horror fans support HATCHET II and help change the way genre films are released theatrically from this day forward. Kudos to Dark Sky Films and AMC theaters for truly honoring the spirit of old school American horror and doing this right. Gorehounds won't know what hit them!"
Dark Sky Films' Newman added, "We are thrilled that audiences will not have to wait for a director's cut or unrated version of Adam Green's HATCHET II. On October 1st fans will have the opportunity to see Hatchet II in theaters exactly as it was intended to be seen: full-on, uncut and uncensored! We hope that this unrated release of HATCHET II marks a new trend in providing an uncompromised theatrical experience for genre film lovers nationwide."
"Our AMC independent program embraces diverse storytelling of all types," said AMC Theatres' Vice President, Specialty & Alternative Content, Nikkole Dneson-Randolph. "Bringing a story like HATCHET II to our guests is a natural fit during this time of year and we're excited to share the filmmakers' vision on-screen in its intended state."
Francis Ford Coppola receives Academy Governor Award
Courtesy of AMPAS
Beverly Hills, CA � The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted last night to present the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producer-director Francis Ford Coppola and Honorary Awards to historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director Jean-Luc Godard and actor Eli Wallach. All four awards will be presented at the Academy�s 2nd Annual Governors Awards dinner on Saturday, November 13, at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center�.
�Each of these honorees has touched movie audiences worldwide and influenced the motion picture industry through their work,� said Academy President Tom Sherak. �It will be an honor to celebrate their extraordinary achievements and contributions at the Governors Awards.�
Brownlow is widely regarded as the preeminent historian of the silent film era as well as a preservationist. Among his many silent film restoration projects are Abel Gance�s 1927 epic �Napoleon,� Rex Ingram�s �The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse� (1921) and �The Thief of Bagdad� (1924), starring Douglas Fairbanks. Brownlow has authored, among others, The Parade�s Gone By; The War, the West, and the Wilderness; Hollywood: The Pioneers; Behind the Mask of Innocence; David Lean; and Mary Pickford Rediscovered. His documentaries include �Hollywood,� �Unknown Chaplin,� �Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow,� �Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius� and �D.W. Griffith: Father of Film,� all with David Gill; Brownlow also directed �Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic� and �Garbo,� the latter with Christopher Bird.
Coppola began his film career in the early 1960s making low-budget films with 2009 Honorary Award recipient Roger Corman. By the end of the 1970s he had won five Oscars�: Best Picture (�The Godfather Part II�); Directing (�The Godfather Part II�) and Writing (�Patton,� �The Godfather,� �The Godfather Part II�). Among his numerous producing credits are �American Graffiti, �Gardens of Stone,� �Bram Stoker�s Dracula,� �Mary Shelley�s Frankenstein,� �Jack� and �Tetro.� In 1969 he established American Zoetrope, an independent film studio that helped launch the careers of George Lucas and Carroll Ballard, and has since produced more than 30 films, including �The Black Stallion,� �The Outsiders,� �Lost in Translation� and �The Good Shepherd.�
A key figure in the French New Wave movement, Godard started out writing about cinema before beginning to make his own short films. His influential first feature, �Breathless� (1960), impressed audiences and filmmakers alike with its jazzy take on the American crime film. For fifty years, Godard has continued to write and direct challenging, and sometimes controversial, films that have established his reputation as one of the seminal modernists in the history of cinema. His more than 70 features include �Contempt,� �Alphaville,� �Weekend� and �King Lear.� Godard is also credited with having influenced numerous contemporary directors, including Bernardo Bertolucci, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino.
Born in Brooklyn in 1915, Wallach made his debut film appearance in Elia Kazan�s 1956 feature �Baby Doll,� starring alongside Karl Malden and Carroll Baker. Since then he has starred in more than 50 features including �The Magnificent Seven,� �The Misfits,� �The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,� �The Godfather, Part III� and �The Holiday.� Throughout his lengthy career, Wallach has worked with such directors and actors as Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Douglas, Clint Eastwood, John Ford, Clark Gable, John Huston, Sergio Leone, Marilyn Monroe, Al Pacino, Gregory Peck and Kate Winslet. Wallach will next be seen in �Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.�
The Honorary Award, an Oscar� statuette, is given to an individual for �extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.�
The Thalberg Award, a bust of the motion picture executive, is given to �a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.�
The Governors Awards presentation will be produced for the Academy by producer Sid Ganis with Don Mischer Productions.
Film4 Frightfest 2010, UK Film festival, Aug 26-30
FILM4 FRIGHTFEST 2010
Thursday 26th to Monday 30th August 2010
MAIN EMPIRE SCREEN
- Thursday 26th August
6.30 - HATCHET II
9.15 - PRIMAL
11.15 - DEAD CERT
Friday 27th August
11.00 - EGGSHELLS
1.00 - TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE
3.00 - TOTAL ICON TOBE HOOPER
5.00 - ISLE OF DOGS
7.15 - F
9.25 - RED HILL
11.30 - ALIEN VS. NINJA
Saturday 28th August
11.00 - CHERRY TREE LANE
1.15 - THE TORTURED
3.15 - 13 HRS
6.30 - I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
9.00 - MONSTERS
11.30 - DREAM HOME
Sunday 29th August
11.00 - THE PACK
1.00 - ANDY NYMAN'S QUIZ FROM HELL
FILM4 FRIGHTFEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
4.00 - WE ARE WHAT WE ARE
6.30 - DAMNED BY DAWN
9.00 - A SERBIAN FILM
11.30 - THE LOVED ONES
Monday 30th August
11.15 - VIDEO NASTIES: MORAL PANIC, CENSORSHIP AND VIDEOTAPE
1.15 - THE DEAD
3.30 - BEDEVILLED
6.30 - RED WHITE & BLUE
9.00 - THE LAST EXORCISM
DISCOVERY SCREEN
- Friday 27th August
10.45 - BURNING BRIGHT
12.45 - THE CLINIC
3.00 - FINALE
5.00 - WOUND
7.15 - OUTCAST
9.45 - HIGANJIMA: ESCAPE FROM VAMPIRE ISLAND
Saturday 28th August
11.00 - CHRISTOPHER ROTH
1.15 - FANBOYS
3.30 - AFTER.LIFE
6.35 - FINALE
9.00 - BURNING BRIGHT
Sunday 29th August
11.00 - HIGANJIMA: ESCAPE FROM VAMPIRE ISLAND
1.30 - OUTCAST
4.05 - WOUND
6.35 - AMER
9.05 - THE CLINIC
Monday 30th August
11.00 - AMER
1.30 - AFTER.LIFE
3.35 - FANBOYS
6.35 - CHRISTOPHER ROTH
Sci Fi movie prop auction Sep 11
Make sure to register now for Premiere Props� Huge Sci-Fi Live Auction Event on September 11! Featuring all new props and costumes from the upcoming Resident Evil: Afterlife, Academy Award Winner Inglourious Basterds, 300, Desperado, Public Enemies, Conan The Barbarian, Black Hawk Down, Battlestar Galactica and much more! Over 750 items will hit the auction block at this amazing event!
The Sci-Fi Live Auction Event takes place on Saturday, September 11 at Premiere Props in El Segundo, California (128 Sierra Street, El Segundo, CA 90245). There will be a preview from 9am � 11am, before the auction starts at 11am. The Sci-Fi Live Auction Event can be seen on Premiere Props� 3 camera LIVE broadcast show online. The catalog is online now and more major props and costumes will be added daily!
Pre-register now to be part of this amazing live event! This live auction will be broadcast live for everyone to watch and bid live!
AFTER DARK FILMS announce "Fertile Ground"
After Dark Films CEO Courtney Solomon continues the momentum of After Dark Originals �A New Brand of Fear� with his announcement of the bonechilling 5th film, Fertile Ground. Writer/Director Adam Gierasch (Autopsy, Night of the Demons) co-wrote this film together with Jace Anderson. The film stars Leisha Hailey (The L Word) and Gale Harold (Queer as Folk, Desperate Housewives).
Emily and Nate Weaver leave the city for the rural comfort of Nate�s ancestral home in the country. Once there, Emily is plagued by horrifying visions and haunted by the ghosts inhabiting their isolated new home. When Nate�s behavior undergoes a strange and fearful metamorphous, Emily fears she might be the latest target in a murderous tradition. Producer Solomon states, �Leisha Hailey is completely convincing as a woman in peril. As the plot thickens, twists and surprises unfold that keep the viewer engaged and in constant suspense.�
Fertile Ground was shot in Iowa, the home state of Executive Producer Stephanie Caleb. Release date for Fertile Ground and all eight Originals is scheduled for January 2011. The series was developed in partnership with Lionsgate.
After Dark Films made an unprecedented commitment to the production of eight original horror films this year under the After Dark Originals �A New Brand of Fear� label, continuing the Company�s mantra of supporting up and coming feature directors. The creation of the Originals slate is just another example of the Company�s commitment to the independent film industry.
Unlike After Dark�s acquisitions slate Horrorfest� � 8 Films to Die For�, After Dark Originals are wholly financed and produced by After Dark Films. The ADO slate runs the gamut of the genre, from paranormal phenomena, black magic, and vengeful ghosts to psychological trauma, murderous psychopaths, vampires and the undead. After Dark polled its fans and is delivering the kinds of movies they asked for!
Writers: Adam Gierasch & Jace Anderson
Director: Adam Gierasch (Autopsy, Night of the Demons)
Cast: Gale Harold (Nate), Leisha Hailey (Emily), JoNell Kennedy (Brittany)
http://www.afterdarkoriginals.com/
FANGORIA Frightfest debuts at Blockbuster
The eight-film FANGORIA FrightFest is finally here! All eight Fango flicks � DARK HOUSE, PIG HUNT, ROAD KILL, THE HAUNTING, FRAGILE, HUNGER, THE TOMB and GRIMM LOVE are available now exclusively through Blockbuster stores and Blockbuster By Mail, as well as digitally via Blockbuster On Demand.
It�s all here: gruesome ghosts, maniacal torturers, malevolent oversized boars, cannibal crazies and sexy scream sirens, directed and written by some of the genre�s best new talent. Learn more at www.fangoriafrightfest.com and www.blockbuster.com. And go here for a chat with the director of the Poe movie THE TOMB.
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