The Guide to Modern Horror Movies http://www.esplatter.com 2007 ESplatter.com Ti West's well-reviewed horror film "The Innkeepers" hits theaters on February 3. A great indie horror film, which is sort of "Clerks" meets a low-key "The Shining," it solidifies West's position as one of the best directors working in the genre today. We were lucky enough to interview the filmmaker whose next work is a sci-fi film. What inspired you to write and direct 'The Innkeepers'? You apparently stayed at the inn during the filming of "House of the Devil." Did the hotel inspire the screenplay? Yes, when we stayed at the hotel during "The House of the Devil" the whole cast and crew started to believe the place was haunted. A lot of weird stuff was happening and I just sorta logged it in my brain. When I decided I wanted to make a ghost story I thought, why not just make the one we lived? The Yankee Pedlar Inn is obviously a real place where people can still rent rooms: http://www.pedlarinn.com . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1676 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1676 It's been quite a few years since the "Night Gallery" first debuted on DVD. Now, finally, we have the third season hitting disc on April 10. The third season of Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" follow up had the episodes reduced from one hour to a half an hour -- and contained some memorable stories like "The Other Way Out" and the Vincent Price episode "The Return of the Sorcerer." The episodes aired in 1972. The last DVD set, Season 2, came out in 2008. . . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1675 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1675 Just in time to cash in on the "Hunger Games," Anchor Bay will finally be releasing "Battle Royale" on Blu-Ray in the U.S. Here's their trailer! And here's their press release: Available for the first time in North America on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on March 20th from Anchor Bay Entertainment BATTLE ROYALE. A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences. A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations, including the upcoming The Hunger Games motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1674 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1674 Fourth Castle Micromedia’s The Monster Channel, the only 24/7 interactive channel for horror fans, will launch "LUNCHMEAT VHS REWIND THEATER", spotlighting 1980s shot-on-video VHS horror, Friday night January 13 at midnight EST. Hosted by JOSH SCHAFER, the editor in chief of LUNCHMEAT MAGAZINE, the fanzine for VHS aficionados, the series will feature selections from Camp Motion Pictures: "Video Violence" (1987), "Video Violence 2" (1987), "Cannibal Campout" (1988), "Woodchipper Massacre" (1988), "Splatter Farm" (1987), "Beauty Queen Butcher" (1990) and "Ghoul School" (1990). Links to purchase or download these and other Camp Motion Pictures titles will run concurrently during the screenings. Viewers can interact with hundreds of fellow fans in the embedded chatroom during the film, a feature unique to The Monster Channel. LUNCHMEAT VHS REWIND THEATER premieres this Friday night, January 13th at 12 midnight (EST), only on www.monsterchannel.tv. The films, including the entire Camp, Pop Cinema and Alternative Cinema catalog, can be downloaded or purchased at www.alternativecinema.com. . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1673 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1673 It's touted as a visceral journey across the harsh but stunning landscapes of Africa, where the sole survivor of the doomed final evacuation flight out of the continent has more than just the unforgiving terrain to deal with. Written and directed by Howard J. Ford and Jon Ford, "The Dead" has screened at festivals such as Fantastic Fest, FrightFest and the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival. Anchor Bay has announced the February 14th Blu-ray and DVD release of "The Dead", so fans at home will have the opportunity to see the film in a month. Here's the synopsis: When the last flight out of war-torn Africa crashes off the coast, Lt. Brian Murphy (Rob Freeman) is the sole survivor in a land where the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. On the run in a hostile and inhospitable parched landscape, Murphy has to use his wits and ingenuity if he is to get home alive to his family. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1672 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1672 Hitting theaters in 3D in September and featuring Paul Anderson back as director, Milla Jovovich starring for the fifth star, and Michelle Rodriquez reprising her role from the first film, "Resident Evil - Retribution" has a newly revealed storyline! Sony revealed it today: The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella's most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by new-found allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1671 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1671 After a 2011 of horror flops at the box office, "The Devil Inside" started off 2012 with a bang, generating $34.5 million and proving that mockumentaries are where the box office is at when it comes to horror. "As we've seen, the movie continues to be polarizing," a distributer for Paramount Pictures expressed in a press release. The release also stated that "The Devil Inside," viewers are, "both loving it and also being being disturbed by it." "As we've seen, the movie continues to be polarizing," a distributer for Paramount Pictures expressed in a press release. The release also stated that "The Devil Inside," viewers are, "both loving it and also being being disturbed by it." "As we've seen, the movie continues to be polarizing," Paramount said in a press release, referencing perhaps the terrible reviews in comparison to the major box office. "The Devil Inside" was directed and co-written by William Brent Bell, as a documentary-style film about a woman who becomes involved in a series of exorcisms during her quest to determine what happened to her mother, a woman who murdered three people as a result of being possessed by a demon. . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1670 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1670 Anchor Bay Films has locked in North American rights to the suspense thriller, The Victim, starring Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens), Jennifer Blanc (Badass, Dark Angel), Ryan Honey (Men of Honor, Hallowed Ground), Denny Kirkwood (Never Been Kissed), Tanya Newbould (Red Dragon, Rush Hour 2) and Danielle Harris (Halloween series). The deal was made with Preferred Content. The Victim was written by Michael Biehn and is his directorial debut. Bill Clark, President of Anchor Bay Entertainment, made today’s announcement. "This is a great grindhouse film and audiences won’t be disappointed,” commented Kevin Kasha, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Anchor Bay Films. "From the first day of shooting, I had hoped that Anchor Bay would be interested in The Victim. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1669 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1669 Premiering on video-on-demand, Ti West's "The Innkeepers" is set to hit small screens on Dec. 30. After over one hundred years of service, The Yankee Pedlar Inn is shutting its doors for good. The last remaining employees -Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) - are determined to uncover proof of what many believe to be one of New England's most haunted hotels. As the Inn’s final days draw near, odd guests check in as the pair of minimum wage “ghost hunters” begin to experience strange and alarming events that may ultimately cause them to be mere footnotes in the hotel’s long unexplained history. The film will be on VOD Dec. 30 and in theaters in February 2012.. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1668 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1668 The independent feature film, "The Summer of Massacre," awarded a Guinness World Records to Joe Castro and Steven Escobar for the "Highest Body Count in a Slasher Film" this winter. The film is set to be released to theaters January 3. "The Summer of Massacre" is a horror/slasher film that was produced by Joe Castro, Steven Escobar and Schroeder. Being independent filmmakers and having done over 10 films, both Castro and Escobar have been involved in every aspect of the film including writing, casting, shooting, editing, promoting and sometimes distributing the films themselves. Following in the footsteps of Herschel Gordon Lewis’s 1963 Blood Feast, producer/director Joe Castro takes audiences into a murder driven decathlon with 155 killings by eight maniacal, terrifying and relentless killers. Joe Castro wanted to break a world record because growing up on a goat farm in Helotes, Texas, just outside San Antonio, he was introduced to horror films by his father and his third cousin, Edward Perez. "We watched over 100 films over a summer and always longed to see more deaths in a film," said Castro. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1667 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1667 Set for filming in England this January, "The Nightmare Box" is the chilling story about a young woman who wakes up in a strange room with no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there and must unravel the mystery of her identity while dealing with a variety of fantastical and frightening characters. "The Nightmare Box is an experimental movie blending horror and psychological drama," shares director Jon Keeyes. "I've always wanted to do a movie that really twists the perceptions of reality and creates some bizarre and surreal characters that may or may not exist in reality. The movie is a dark journey filled with horror, violence, sex, guilt, shame and how people deal with the consequences of their actions." The Nightmare Box stars up-and-coming British actress Johanna Stanton (Grave Tales) surrounded by a solid veteran cast that includes Nicholas Ball (Lifeforce, Hammer House Of Horror), Debbie Rochon (American Nightmare, Tromeo & Juliet), Matthew Tompkins (Phobia, Missionary Man), and Hayden Tweedie (Suburban Nightmare, Living & Dying). The Nightmare Box was written by Jon Keeyes and writer/producer Carl Kirshner, and is being produced in association with Wolfclan Productions and Silverstrand Films. . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1663 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1663 Some people say it's pretty weak, but I kind of like the look of the new Argento 3D "Dracula" film, whose teaser trailer just leaked. Yeah, it looks cheesy but it has an eighties vibe going for it. Check it out: . . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1664 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1664 After much chanting and summoning of dark forces, indie developer Red Wasp Design have announced that the stars will be right for the release of Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land on the 30th January 2012. To seal this pact with expectant gamers they have accompanied the date announcement with a slew of never-before released High-Definition images. "Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land" is a turn-based strategy RPG based around the works of cult horror writer H.P.Lovecraft. The game is set in the midst of the First World War and pits a team of soldiers and investigators against an insidious cult intent on using the slaughter of the Great War to open the doors to an invasion of eldritch horrors. Announced in May this year and set to launch initially on iPhone and iPod (both SD and HD versions), Red Wasp Design then later plan to infect other platforms such as iPad, Android, PC and consoles with their World War One themed turn-based strategy horror. The game has been developed in co-operation with Chaosium, the purveyors of the cult horror role playing game based on Lovecraft's work, Call of Cthulhu. The much loved RPG marked it's 30th year of publication in 2011 and continues to grow in scope and reputation. . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1665 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1665 On March 27, Shout! Factory will launch into orbit Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIII, a 4-Disc collection of four Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes previously unreleased on DVD. Featuring the episodes King Dinosaur, The Castle Of Fu Manchu, Code Name: Diamond Head, and Last Of The Wild Horses, Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIII also features a MSTie-riffic collection of bonus features! Much like the country that spawned it, Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a melting pot. In every imaginable genre, Joel, Mike and their robot pals Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot have seen the promise of cinema mutilated by mediocrity. Nowhere is this highfalutin concept more hilariously exemplified than in this 23rd collection of episodes from the beloved cult comedy television series. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1666 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1666 Ken Russell, British director of "The Devils,", one of the best horror films of all time, passed away Sunday. He was 84. Russell wasn't known as a horror director really, but he did some excellent work in the genre beyond "The Devils," including "Gothic" and the fantastic "Lair of the White Worm." In 2008, he helmed one of the stories of the so-so anthology horror flick "Trapped Ashes". Another great horror filmmaker from the 1970s has left this world -- and left a legacy of excellent film titles for us to enjoy forever. Here's hoping Warner Bros. finally gets around to releasing his greatest film on DVD. They've been sitting on the rights since the movie came out on VHS in the '80s. . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1662 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1662 Dario Argento's "Dracula 3D" is starting to get some attention -- and now has it's own official Website. Check out the site here. It contains a behind-the-scenes documentary using some of Goblin's score for "Phenomena." Hopefully this film will be much, much better than Argento's "Giallo", his worst film ever. You can also show the Argento film some love on its new Facebook page.. . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1661 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1661 At the end of this month, Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" will be screening at select theaters across the United States -- to celebrate the October 24 Blu-Ray release of the film! The film is playing either October 21 or 22, at the locations below, unless otherwise noted: ALBUQUERQUE Guild Cinema (Oct. 28 and 29) ATLANTA Plaza Theatre (9:30pm, Oct. 21 only) AUSTIN Alamo The Ritz (9:30pm, Oct. 24 and 7:00pm, Oct. 31) AUSTIN Alamo S. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1660 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1660 I met David Hess about a decade ago, when he was promoting "Zombie Nation", screening in San Francisco. He was a gracious, friendly guy, passionate about music, art and film. He was excited about a documentary he was directing on steel drums, which eventually was unveiled in 2010 as "Steel Drums, Not Guns." Of course, the horror fans at the event he was attending were more interested in talking about his role as the chielf villain in one of the most terrifying movies ever made -- Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left" -- for which he also wrote the iconic theme song, with its memorable lyrics: "And the Road Leads to Nowhere." He basically replayed the same character from "Last House" in the 1980 Ruggero Deodato gorefest "House on the Edge of the Park." It's always tragic when someone passes away too young. Hess was only 69 and very active. In fact, "House on the Edge of the Park Part II" was apparently in pre-production for him. A charismatic actor and horror film icon, David will be missed.. . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1659 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1659 Fantastic Fest is excited to announce its final wave of feature film programming including the world premiere of THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2: FULL SEQUENCE on opening night courtesy of IFC Midnight and COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN'S HOPE on closing night. THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE became a cultural sensation after its premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2009 where it won Best Horror Film and Best Actor. The festival is excited to welcome back director Tom Six and producer Ilona Six with the second installment of the depraved series. The opening night party will be themed to the film, featuring live music from The Charles Edward Cheese band and an attempt to break the world's record for the longest human centipede conga line. The Charles Edward Cheese Band is not only the most important force of entertainment in the universe, but is also Austin's leading all-animal semi-robotic rock group. COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN'S HOPE is directed by Morgan Spurlock, produced by Thomas Tull, and presented by Aint It Cool News' Harry Knowles, Stan Lee and Joss Whedon. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1658 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1658 The well-received, well-reviewed remake of "Fright Night" didn't fare well at the box office -- fifth behind "Conan." This came just a week after similarly disappointing box office numbers for the R-rated, and relatively well-reviewed "Final Destination 5," which many fans agree was better than "4" but only ranked third at the box office.. . . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1657 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1657 It's one of the best Hammer films of the 1970s for sure. Synapse has just announced that "Countess Dracula" will head to Blu-Ray. When will it arrive? Sometime next year -- probably late next year -- after the releases of "Twins of Evil" and "Hands of the Ripper." But this is good news for sure.. . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1656 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1656 Netflix has been really revving up its library of titles on its streaming service. Although many viewers complain that their selection isn't up to snuff with the new release library at Blockbuster, for horror fans, it's actually a treasure trove of classic and not-so-classic horror titles -- many of which aren't even available on Blu-Ray. As a result, we’ve been selecing semi-weekly picks from this incredible streaming library -- something that isn't on DVD or Blu-Ray already. This week, "Zombiethon." Now what the fuck is "Zombiethon" and why isn't it on DVD or Blu-Ray? Simply put, "Zombiethon" is a late 1980s compliation of sex and gore scenes from '80s zombie films, put together by the now defunct Charles Band company Wizard Video for VHS. Between each film "greatest hits" scenes compilation, we get a short film that sort of ties the collection together -- featuring footage shot on video in Los Angeles, presumably near Wizard Video's former offices. The title is currently owned by MGM. The selection of films is of course pretty bad -- Eurohorror rip offs of "Dawn of the Dead" from the 1980s. The best of them, "Zombie," starts of the compilation. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1655 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1655 It hits Blu-Ray October 25! Remastered from the original negative! In Italy, it was considered the ‘unofficial sequel’ to Dawn of the Dead. In England, it was known as Zombie Flesheaters and banned as obscene. In America, it was called "Zombie" and advertised with the depraved tag line "WE ARE GOING TO EAT YOU!" Tisa Farrow (Anthropophagus), Ian McCulloch (Contamination), Al Cliver (The Beyond), and Richard Johnson (The Haunting) star in this worldwide splatter sensation directed by ‘Maestro Of Gore’ Lucio Fulci (City of the Living Dead) that remains one of the most eye-skewering, skin-ripping, gore-gushingly graphic horror hits of all time! From the press release: Blue Underground is proud to present Zombie in a new 2K High Definition transfer from the original uncut and uncensored camera negative. Each flesh-eating frame has been lovingly restored to skull-rotting perfection under the supervision of Cinematographer Sergio Salvati (The Beyond). Now fully-loaded with hours of brand new Extras, this is the Ultimate Edition of Zombie! Here's what the package contains: Disc 1: Audio Commentary with Star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine Editor Jason J. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1654 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1654 This "raped by a poltergeist" thriller isn't the greatest. But it is way out of print, nearly impossible to find on DVD unless you're willing pay $50 or more for a copy on Ebay, and it features the most explicit non-CGI footage of a poltergeist assaulting a woman ever filmed. Worth renting for sure -- especially when the cost of renting is basically nothing because you are already on an all-you-can-eat rental plan, and the film streams instantly in DVD quality to your HDTV. That's right. "The Entity", starring Barbara Hershey, may be out of print on DVD, but it is very much in print at Netflix streaming -- and it looks as good as DVD in the format. So who cares if it's out of print? Here's some history. A year before Steven Spielberg wowed the world by producing "Poltergeist" (directed by Tobe Hooper) a similar, albeit much more R-rated, ghost story was released to theaters with little success. Starring then up-and-coming Barbara Hershey and directed by veteran filmmaker Sidney Furie ("Dr. http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1652 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1652 Never released in anamorphic widescreen on DVD, 1972's "Horror Express" will finally get a Blu-Ray release courtesy of Severin Films on September 27. Fangoria reports that Severin is mastering the 1080p Blu-Ray from the film's original negative! So expectations should be high. "Horror Express" is an excellent, high quality sci-fi zombie film featuring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing (both) as British nationals on the Orient Express. This Spanish production is one of the most entertaining and well-plotted horror films of the 1970s, boasts great acting, plenty of gruesome gore and—best yet—Telly Savalas as a womanizing Cossack officer. . . . . http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1653 http://www.esplatter.com/news.php?id=1653