HorrorNews.net

Release info for ‘The InnKeepers’ comes to light

2012-02-08T20:19:50Z

Everyone seems to love it and those of us who haven’t yet gotten to view will not have that remedied. It has been announced that the latest from director Ti West is heading to Blu-ray and DVD on April 24th. It’s about time!

Its been on VOD for like two months or something.

It looks like will have been worth the wait though.

THE INNKEEPERS is a classic haunted hotel tale:

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 Innâ€™s final days draw near, odd guests check in as the pair of minimum wage â€œghost huntersâ€ begin to experience strange and alarming events that may ultimately cause them to be mere footnotes in the hotelâ€™s long unexplained history.

As far as special features on the disc, here’s what you’ll get:

Commentary with Writer/Director/Editor Ti West, Producers Peter Phok & Larry Fessenden, and 2nd Unit Director/Sound Designer Graham Reznick
Commentary with Writer/Director/Editor Ti West and Stars Sara Paxton & Pat Healy
The Innkeepers: Behind the Scenes featurette

All in all, a nice little package. Remember the date, April 24th.

‘Jurassic Shark’ Gets A Trailer

2012-02-08T20:18:39Z

It’s been several months since we talked about this one. It got announced the same time as a slew of other “killer shark” projects and kind of got lost in the shuffle but today brings a trailer and it’s all by itself as all the other shark products have come and gone.

This one is called JURASSIC SHARK and it goes like this:

When an oil company has unwittingly unleashed a prehistoric shark from its icy prison, the jurassic killer maroons a group of art thieves and a group of beautiful young college students on an abandoned piece of land. The two opposing groups are forced to do what they can to survive or become food for the not-quite-extinct shark!

It stars Emanuelle Carriere, Christine Emes, Celine Filion and Angela Parent and I have no idea who any of them are, but they all look pretty good in bikinis so its all good.

It doesn’t say it, but I’m thinking this is a SYFY Channel flick, it sure looks like one, no release date either but I’m thinking that info isn’t far off. Check out the trailer below:

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Comic Review: The Zombies that Ate the World – Book 1 HC

2012-02-07T14:44:50Z

Issue: The Zombies that Ate the World: Book 1 HC
Writer: Jerry Frissen
Artist: Guy Davis
Publisher: Humanoids
Release Date: November 2011
Pages: 120
Price: $24.95

“In Los Angeles in the year 2064, the dead have risen and corpses live again, cohabiting among us…well, somewhat. As a zombie apocalypse engulfs America, we follow a group of friends on a their journey to start a little business of their own…zombie catchers!”

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5
It is not as often as one would think that a comic book has what I consider to be the perfect pairing of artist and writer, however The Zombies that Ate the World is one of those books. I have been a big fan of Guy Davis from his early days on Baker Street. So it is no surprise to me that I really love the look of this book. However the perfection in the pairing comes in when you get to see how well his style fits the storytelling. This is one specific case of being spot on from panel to panel where the artwork can tell just as many jokes as the dialogue. I absolutely loved looking at this book.

Story: 4.5 out of 5
This story is this odd mix of politics, humor and of course gore! Personally I don’t know how it works so well, because I don’t care for political type stories, but this book is seriously great. The humor in what is going on, and I will not spoil anything here (which is very hard to not do), can easily stand the test of time. Hell it should since the book takes place in 2064 right? Frissen has a great voice for this undead world, and this is not your typical zombie comic. The sad thing is that there is so much more that I would love to see get explored, but the book ended at page 120!

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
How sad is it that I have a few issues of Metal Hurlant lying around and I totally forgot about this story being in them until I began to read it. I loved it back then, but this refresher totally has me on the hype train. I think most zombie comic fans would love this book, especially those of you who enjoyed Dead Eyes Open. To me it kind of played on that same idea, but then added in the funny and this book just raised its entertainment value because of that. I really want to thank Davis and Frissen for this one, it is a solid read. From the time I started reading this until the time I stopped I felt like a zombie, but I wasn’t craving brains, I was craving more The Zombies that Ate the World!

If you would like to buy or know more about The Zombies that Ate the World you can find it at http://www.humanoids.com/

The Zombies that Ate the World – Book 1 HC

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Acclaimed thriller “Jest” – David Warren – Details Announced

2012-02-08T14:34:19Z

David Warren’s acclaimed thriller, “Jest,” establishes him as a master of the craft

Brighton Publishing LLC today announced the first edition print release of “Jest,” by author David Warren. First released to critical acclaim and commercial success as an eBook, David Warren’s debut novel leaving readers listening for noises in the night is now available in print through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other leading retailers.

Nicole Carzon is your average, young college student, trying to cope with everyday life and an alcoholic father. Life has been especially hard since her mother left. For Nicole and her father, that was when the problems really began.

As chance so often happens, everything changes with the arrival of a letter in which Nicole learns that she, rather than her father, is the sole heir to her estranged grandfather’s castle in England. Leaving behind her enraged father, Nicole enlists her friends and travels across the Atlantic to meet Andrew Willis, solicitor of her mysterious grandfather’s estate. The history and nostalgia emanating throughout the 600-year-old Bodlum Castle aren’t all Nicole finds overwhelming. It soon becomes clear the friends aren’t alone and nothing is what it seems. An ancient occupant lying dormant for hundreds of years has been awakened—and time very quickly begins to run out for Nicole and her friends.

Author David Warren has been writing since the age of nine after discovering Franklin W. Dixon’s “Hardy Boys” series. He was born and raised in southern New Jersey but now resides in Blandon, Pennsylvania with his wife and three young children. When he’s not writing, you can find David spending time with his family or curled up with a good book. “Jest” is his first published novel.

THERE IS NO TIME TO JOKE… THERE IS NO TIME TO JEST… THERE IS ONLY TIME TO PANIC!

“Jest” is available at all booksellers nationwide, and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all leading retailers. Bulk orders are available through Brighton Publishing. Retailers may purchase direct through Ingram.

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Interview: Darren Lynch (Ouija)

2012-02-08T11:37:22Z

Exclusive Horrornews.net Interview: Darren Lynch
Movie: Ouija
www.ouija-movie.co.uk

How long did it take you to script out your movie – Ouija ?

Ouija took 4 days to script being my first script I think it was done relatively quick.

What kind of research did you do regarding Ouija Boards ?

Well always being a curious child like a lot of young teenagers a friend of mine sparked up the idea of doing an Ouija board I heard stories and didn’t want to touch it so I watched silently as my two friends began to ask is there anybody there.

About an hour later nothing worked i began to feel at ease but also a little disappointed so from then on i used to play around with the arts for years looking at stories on the internet and how to do it the safe steps etc but never worked for me, but still in the back of my mind i still believe that they do work sparking me
to write a film about it as you don really see many Ouija board films.

What has been your proudest moment so far during the filming process of Ouija ?

The proudest moment i would have to say was actually seeing my script come together successfully on camera and it worked it really does look awesome.

Have you had any major stumbling blocks in trying to get your film made ?

As a matter of fact we had a few stumbling blocks the generator not working causing no lighting the weather disrupting us and even our filming site being messed with but we got past the problems pushed on and looking back it was all worth it.

What other horror directors or horror movies have inspired your filmmaking ?

I’d have to say im a big fan of Stephen King and Wes Craven, horror being my favorite genre and have always wanted to be a part of a horror film. Seeing low budget horrors like Blair Witch doing so well directing my first low budget horror seemed the perfect idea.

What has it been like while filming in the woods near Shelton Lock ?

The woods in Shelton was a smaller location and our second choice, the first being a much larger woods but had to change because of the size and not being able to find our way round at night. The woods at night in Shelton was perfect easy to find our way round very scary and eerie looking perfect for the film.

What details can you give us about the demons that are unleashed ?

There are three demons unleashed in Ouija the main demon, a very creepy demonic woman and three ghost children who add to the killers list. With a few extra surprises along the way.

What do you enjoy more, acting or directing ?

Ok good question, if you had asked me this question last year i would have said acting and not even thought of directing, now over the years watching some of the greatest directors on display i would say im evenly matched i love acting and directing i look forward to directing again in the future.

Does Ouija have a tag line, if not what do you think a good tag line might be ?

Yes it does ‘No second chances’ a tagline which speaks for itself.

Could you tell us what the experience was like to be the 23rd Bond movie, Skyfall ?

Without giving too much away Skyfall was a fantastic experience for me, got to work with a lot of stars and the special effects was nothing like i seen before, I’ve worked on big budget films before but Skyfall was a cut above the rest it really was an experience I won’t forget.

Interview: Darren Lynch (Ouija)

Film Review: Prison (1988)

2012-02-08T02:56:03Z

SYNOPSIS:

The evil spirit of an executed convict terrorizes (and kills) the prisoners and guards alike at the recently reopened prison where he was put to death years ago. Why is he killing everyone that he comes into contact with and how does the cruel (and mentally unstable) warden of the prison have ties to his past? Is he simply killing because he just gets a kick out of it or is he doing so as a way to avenge a wrong doing? If the mysterious and likable new prisoner Burke can’t get to the bottom of things and find a way to stop the spirit everyone is going to be handed a death sentence.

REVIEW:

On paper Prison sounds completely and totally kick ass, doesn’t it? We have the ghost of an executed prisoner going around killing the hell out of everyone in a setting where no one can get away. I was looking forward to it as I figured I was in for some cool death scenes, tons of blood and guts, and just a fun movie in general. In short I was expecting this movie to be totally and completely awesome, so you can imagine how disappointed I was about halfway into it when I realized that it was pretty damn lame. How you can take a movie that has such potential to rule and turn it into a confusing, muddled snooze fest is beyond me. I wanted to like it, I really, really did as it had most of the tools necessary to make a great late 80’s horror film, but in the end I just didn’t like what I saw as it suffers from many problems that almost makes it unwatchable. It isn’t the worst horror film of the 1980’s, but I don’t think that there are many people out there (if any) who would say that it was their favorite from this decade (at least I haven’t run into anyone into horror who has made such a statement).

I think that one of the biggest issues that I took with the movie was the fact that it was just confusing. I don’t know if I drifted off from boredom during a key scene and missed something, but I had no idea what the story was between the warden, the evil spirit, and one of the older prisoners. The whole thing was a mess that made very little sense and I think that instead of trying to give the ghost some sort of half-assed back story that they should have just made him some evil, demented prick who just simply liked killing others. I also don’t know what the hell was up with Burke’s character either. He also has a connection to the killer and the others but it didn’t make a great deal of sense to me. Maybe I am just stupid and didn’t get it, but by the time the movie reached its very unimpressive and anticlimactic ending I was more confused than the time that I tried to figure out why people went to see movies that starred Nicholas Cage.

The characters are pretty damn bad too. We have Burke, played by Viggo Mortensen, who is kind of our main character. He is a good and heroic fellow (even though he is in prison) who has the personality of your average cheese grater and is more than what he seems (I think). Warden Sharpe is this annoying guy who likes to yell and scream at others when it isn’t appropriate and who has some sort of connection with the evil spirit (that is kind of explained at one point). We also get Chelsea Field in the role of Katherine who is pretty much only in the movie because the filmmakers felt like there should be at least one woman in it to keep it from being a total sausage fest.

She says pretty much the exact same thing in every scene (she keeps complaining to the warden and anyone else who will listen about the unsafe conditions at the prison) and adds absolutely nothing to the plot. There’s also your usual crew of stereotypical characters associated with movies set in a prison including a guy who wants people to call him Lasagna (I think he has a brother named Manicotti), the old, wise prisoner who is serving a life sentence and the others look up to, the asshole guard who abuses his authority and kicks the shit out of the prisoners when he gets the chance, and the big, tall, intimidating inmate who is actually a big softie until you piss him off (played by Tommy “Tiny” Lister before he went on to find fame and kick the shit out of Hulk Hogan not only in No Holds Barred but at the main event at SummerSlam ’89 as well).

I really thought that I would like Prison, and if someone else had done it that most likely would have been the case. I personally found it to be boring, silly, and confusing, and the only positive thing I can say about it is that the first death scene (where the prisoner in solitary is caught on fire) is pretty impressive. I know that Kane Hodder did some stunts on this movie and was pretty much “discovered” as a result, but I am sure that he probably isn’t even a fan of the film. Check it out if you must, but keep in mind that I love pretty much every horror film that was produced in the 80’s and even I had a hard time getting through this one.

Prison (1988)

Film Review: Piranha Part 2: The Spawning (1981)

2012-02-08T02:44:00Z

SYNOPSIS:

A scuba diving instructor, her biochemist boyfriend, and her police chief ex-husband try to link a series of bizarre deaths to a mutant strain of piranha fish whose lair is a sunken freighter ship off a Caribbean island resort.

REVIEW:

I love watching the early films of what are to become legendary directors both good (Peter Jackson’s “Meet the Feebles”, or Ridley Scott’s “Alien”) and bad (Michael Mann’s “The Keep”.) “Piranha Part Two: The Spawning” is a bit more in the latter camp yet James Cameron’s greatest strength can still be seen this early on and I’ll get to that later on. In a way this sequel is more of a remake as many of the themes and situations are repeated from the first, some aspects to greater effect but many to lesser.

Lance Henriksen (the ‘Alien’ franchise, ‘Pumpkinhead’) plays police chief Steve Kimbrough who harmlessly frightens tourists but is all business when there’s a job to do. He’s played so deftly as to leave room to believe that even though he can be an ass, he’s still compassionate about his family and anyone else he cares about. Beyond Henriksen much of the acting is good, Tricia O’Neil (another accomplished television actor) is the police chief’s estranged wife Anne who runs scuba lessons at the resort and Steve Marachuk is Tyler Sherman who’s secretly investigation the piranha for the military. The character development is fuller than its predecessor but they’re still chasing after the piranha as everyone else who is in danger from them don’t believe they are. While this sequel doesn’t pick up directly from the first it uses much of the same ideas and settings but still try to add something more than the original, there’s another resort in peril but instead of being tacked onto the end this story uses it as the location all the way through.

“Piranha Part 2: The Spawning” (and I think aside from the few exceptions like “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “Dr. Strangelove” your just asking for trouble if there’s too many addendums to your title) starts out with a pretty brisk pace and a sense of humor that flirts with being too much but stops just before going over the top. These two qualities actually endear all the silliness in the characters, fashions and styles that permeate this movie to the audience and make us want to cheer for the rest when it starts to slow down. Through the second act it does start to slow as we get more involved with the relationships between the characters but the third act fails to pick up the pace again into something more riveting.

There’s no denying that James Cameron is a talented man in this industry and he has made a few of the greatest innovations in recent years (notably further exploring the Titanic and the current 3D technology.) Though his script writing talents are questionable and aspects of his directing are suspect Cameron seems to have an uncanny ability to pull great work from his actors, but his biggest talent may not be as a director. Cameron is likely one of the greatest cinematographers that’s not working as one. With all due respect to the cinematographers who’ve worked with him (though there are numerous rumors that speak to Cameron being extremely difficult to work with) his films all have a stunning beauty that remains constant though his director of photography may not. “Piranha Part 2: The Spawning” may not be a grand sprawling epic that Cameron will become known for but inklings of that talent are evident to the keen observer. His work with underwater scenes are surprisingly good (he’s an avid and experienced diver with over three thousand logged hours underwater) and the simple display of the school of piranha are clear and effective. Some of the best tension is created through the disturbance of the water just under the surface and the fish roil with anticipation of the feast to come.

This movie lacks consistency in both tone and pace but taken separately, each aspect is done well. It may fail as an overall production there isn’t any one weakness that brings down the whole ship. “Piranha 2” ends as an enjoyable clone of the first film that in many respects, is better.

Piranha Part 2: The Spawning (1981)

Trailer: Hellacious Acres (2012) Final

2012-02-03T14:30:14Z

Trailer: Hellacious Acres (2012) Final

John Glass, wakes up in a desolated barn from a long cryogenic slumber, to be informed that not only the planet has been devastated by a third world war, but reduced to little habitability by a subsequent alien invasion.

He also learns that in order to reestablish a livable atmosphere for what’s left of humanity, he’ll have to go on a solitary mission to retrieve important codes dispersed in remote locations. Soon enough, he’ll encounter more than he bargained for: aliens, crazy survivors, inadequate equipment, LOTS of walking and a pretty unhealthy dose of bad luck

Trailer: Hellacious Acres: The Case of John Glass

Trailer: Ghost Rider – Spirit of Vengeance – Featurette

2012-02-03T14:28:00Z

Trailer: Ghost Rider – Spirit of Vengeance – Featurette

As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to take human form.

Film Review: Sledgehammer (1983)

2012-02-07T20:15:00Z

SYNOPSIS:

A young boy murders his mother and her lover with a hammer. Ten years later, a wave of teenage murders plagues the same area.

REVIEW:

The early 80′s saw a wave of horror films produced by filmmakers working with no budget and a camcorder. These efforts, called “Shot-on-Video (SOV) movies”, favored buckets of blood over coherent storytelling and were intended for home video release. David A. Prior’s 1983 chiller Sledgehammer is the second of these pictures, but the first to skip theaters (1982′s Boarding House received a 35mm transfer and several theatrical screenings). Sledgehammer follows a plot that was routine even in the year of its production: a young boy catches his mother cavorting with a random stranger and kills them with a sledgehammer. Even the setting is one revered by many a horror storyteller: the cabin in the woods.Ten years later, a group of friends travel to the cabin where they hope to peacefully debate the merits of Objectivism and–oh, who am I kidding? They’re looking to get drunk, have sex, and so on. After settling in, the ringleader of the group (Ted Prior), tells the story of the sledgehammer murders and jokingly conducts a seance to resurrect the killer. Unfortunately, the joke ends up being on them . . .

Earlier I noted the slipshod storytelling on display in “SOV movies”. Sledgehammer is not without its illogicalities and plotholes. The nature of the Sledgehammer Killer, for instance, is unclear. We’re led to believe this spirit is an unstoppable threat and can block any attack. However, he’s easily outwitted by Ted Prior’s character in the final three minutes. I also question why the ghost switched back from child to adult. And did that see-through mask have any reason? Probably not. I’d also like to mention the scene where one of the friends sifts through the barn . . . and finds nothing. The scene has no purpose and meaning. It’s just a few minutes of some guy casually walking around a room.

But really, the majority of Sledgehammer has no relevance or point. I have to wonder whether a full script was even written as there’s so much padding and extraneous material. The first hour or so consists of Animal House-esque antics (either the characters are poorly aging college students or emotionally stunted thirty-somethings) and not-so-witty banter. There’s not an ounce of tension or atmosphere in this portion of the film. It’s clear no one involved in the production had any filmmaking experience. Just look at the egregious use of slow-motion. At times it’s used for dramatic effect, which is sensible enough, but does a scene of Ted Prior’s character and his girlfriend (Linda McGill) strolling through the fields really need slow-motion? Or a moment where everyone’s retrieving their bags? My only reason for the constant slo-mo: the filmmakers were excited to use that technique given the limitations of filming in 8mm.

But for all its flaws, I can’t totally dismiss Sledgehammer. The buzzing synth score from Phillip G. Slate establishes a menacing vibe to the proceedings. It’s probably the most accomplished aspect of the entire movie. Scenes from the killer’s POV are adequately shot. The idea may have been borrowed from Halloween and Friday the 13th, but at least they tried to conjure up some style with the equipment available.

So there you have it. I had never heard of Sledgehammer or the SOV films before composing this review. It was unforgettable, if nothing else. Although the results were unsatisfactory, I do give David A. Prior and his crew credit for getting out there and completing a movie. Ultimately Sledgehammer may be of interest only to those who enjoy horror history and trash cinema. However, chances are those people have viewed this movie by now.

Sledgehammer (1983)

‘Night Claws’ sinking deep in 80′s tradition

HorrorNews.net

Release info for ‘The InnKeepers’ comes to light

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