The Spectral Realm

While attending Texas Frightmare Weekend, I had the chance to talk to director and SFX virtuoso Robert Hall about the movie he has been talking about wanting to make for a couple of years now entitled "Old Scratch." He said during the Q&A session for "Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2" that he was very interested in still making the film, but that in order to do it right he needed to wait to get some help with a bigger budget. As usual, it's the waiting game for money. I got a chance to talk to Hall about the film in more detail while I was interviewing him for Yahoo! Movies. You can check out what he had to say and read a synopsis of the movie after the jump.

Excerpt from my interview with director Robert Hall:

TSR: “Old Scratch” is a film you’ve been talking about wanting to do for awhile. What are you wanting to do with that film? Are you trying to say anything with it or get a message through to the audience?

RH: I think I’m trying to say something with all my movies. “Old Scratch” blossomed from when I was a kid in north Alabama. I was a big rock’n roll kid. There would be preachers that would come to our school, play records backwards, and say “listen, it says ‘My Sweet Satan’ here. Did you here that?” I think it deals with the power of suggestion and the existence of God and Satan. I think it deals with a lot of things. Its probably one of my more psychological movies. It’s the debate and the question. Did he say “My Sweet Satan” or did Robert Plant just happen to form a combination of words that kind of sound like that. I don’t know. It deals with the power of suggestion. The whole movie investigates whether this is coming from Satan, a demon, or some kind of demonic force or if it’s just this guy who is on a quest trying to figure out stuff and making it more than it is.

Synopsis:

"Old Scratch" follows Neven, a washed up musician living in his own faded shadow in Atlanta. One night, after another sparsely attended gig, one of his former bandmates Terry shows up and plays one of their own demo records backwards with fatal consequences. Now he must return to his roots and revisit a past he had hoped would stay forever buried. He has to find all six cursed demo records and decipher the eerie hidden messages before more blood is shed.

Eye Witness Creator Free Comic Book Day Appearance

2011-05-07T09:06:00.003-05:00

"Eye Witness" writer/artist Robert James Luedke has announced "Hey DFW, TX Friends....Don't miss your chance to score a FREE COPY of "Eye Witness: Acts of the Spirit" and check out my collection of limited edition signed/numbered prints...Sat. starting at 10:00AM at the FREE COMICS DAY celebration at Boomerang Comics in Lewisville, TX (729 Hebron Parkway, Lewisville, TX 75057, Phone: (972) 315-5291)."
After the jump you can see what else is going on at Boomerang Comics for Free Comic Book Day.

Other festivities include "special appearances from Captain America, Harley Quinn, The Teen Titans, and from 10 to 12 we'll have Sue Storm and Catwoman of the Caped Crusaders with us!"

Texas Frightmare Weekend Starts Today!

2011-04-29T12:59:00.000-05:00

One Of Our Dwarves Is Missing!

2011-04-26T06:45:00.001-05:00

Peter Jackson has posted on his Facebook page that he is "sad to report that Rob Kazinsky, who was cast in the role of Fili, is having to leave 'The Hobbit' and return home, for personal reasons. Rob has been terrific to work with and his enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour will be missed by all of us." How will this affect ongoing filming of the movie? Will it halt production again and waste another three to five years of our lives with false rumors and disappointing stories of how the whole project is going down the crapper? Read on and see after the jump!

Sir Peter Jackson speaks:
"I should say that Rob's departure will not affect ongoing filming of 'The Hobbit,' nor will it impact work done to date, as we had yet to film much of Fili's storyline. At the moment we are shooting scenes featuring Bilbo without the Dwarves, which will give us time to find a new Fili. I'll keep everyone posted with updates as they come."

New Rope Dart Clip From "Priest"

2011-04-25T06:35:00.001-05:00

Bloody Disgusting reports that "Gearing up for a May 13 release, Screen Gems released a new clip from their post-apocalyptic TokyoPop adapatation, 'Priest.' In the snippet, Maggie Q's warrior priestess character takes on a pack of desert hoodlums by throwing punches, blades and motorcycles." Check out the clip after the jump.

"Priest" is set in an alternate world, ravaged by centuries of war between men and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece (Lily Collins) is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his niece’s boyfriend (Cam Gigandet), a trigger-fingered young wasteland sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.

The JLA Goes To Hell!

2011-04-18T07:21:00.002-05:00

It would appear that the Justice League of America is taking a trip to Hell this month. The famous DC super heroes are thrown into the underworld for their 80-page giant Anuual issue. One of the stories has Christian comic book artist Scott McDaniel handling the drawing. You can get a sneak peek at his work for the issue over on his official website. The cool thing is that in order to see them, you have to play Bible verse "fill-in-the-blank" trivia to get to the previews. The issue has the byline "The JLA Goes To Hell!" DC sums the issue up like this: "As the team faces Eclipso in the pages of "JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA," Adam Glass, producer/writer for TV's "Supernatural," joins other talents to take us on a journey revealing key battles between the World's Greatest Heroes and mystical, hellish beings, including the Demon, Zatanna - and an object that could blackened the heroes' very souls." After the jump you can read a review of the story that Scott McDaniel did the art for and get a link to the rest of the review from Ralph Silver over at Superman Homepage.

"Inferno"

Writer: Adam Glass
Artist: Scott McDaniel

All the heroes we have seen in the previous stories arrive in Purgatory. This is the in-between place between Heaven and Hell, where judgment is passed.

Batman notices that Plastic Man is missing. Superman says they cannot help Plastic Man until they first figure out what they are doing there and why.

They encounter Lord Satanus, the ruler of Hell. Satanus summons and fuses multiple components: the artifacts that the superheroes collected. Satanus fashions the pieces together, creating the Hell Mask. Zatanna says wearing it gives unimaginable power, allowing the wearer to even control God himself!

Blaze arrives, the sister of Satanus. She scolds Satanus for using the superheroes, their sworn enemies, to do his dirty work. Satanus says they will have time to discuss it as he tortures her for all eternity.

Satanus prepares to Don the mask, when out pops the face of Plastic Man, who was using his powers to hide among the components of the mask. Batman had suggested this bit of deception as a precaution.

Plastic Man grabs the mask from a very surprised and furious Satanus. Batman calls out for O'Brian to throw the mask to him, but Plastic Man declines. Plastic Man plans to use the power of the mask to undo some of the mistakes in his life. But when he dons the mask, it is too powerful for him, and he cries out in pain.

The heroes spring into action, attempting to remove the mask and save Plastic Man. But when Superman gets close to him, Plastic Man acts possessed, and commands Superman to kill everyone there. Since magic is one of the few things that can stop Superman, Etrigan the Demon immediately launches into combat against Superman.

Batman confronts Plastic Man and urges him to fight the forces that control him. Plastic Man comes to his senses. He says he is in control of the mask, but probably not for long. He asks everyone to use their powers on him. When told this will destroy him, Plastic Man says it is the only way. Plastic Man rephrases his request as a command.

The heroes turn their powers on Plastic Man. He is bombarded with heat vision, Green Lantern energy, and a whole lot of other stuff. Plastic Man disappears, and the others begin to eulogize him. Then Plastic Man makes a dramatic re-appearance, merely saying it is not his time to go. The heroes engulf him in kind of a group hug, and Plastic Man is very happy indeed.

Plastic Man asks Batman for a hug, and gets a one-word answer: NO.

In the last panel, Blaze is deciding how to get revenge on her brother.

Story - 5: I loved this final story! As you read all the previous stories, you keep wondering what is really going on. Why are the heroes being drawn into Hell? What is the real purpose of all this? Why are the heroes picking up artifacts or pieces of their captors?

Then this last story brings it all together and answers your questions. It also presents a threat that is so huge, it is almost unimaginable. The Hell Mask allows the wearer to control anyone and anything, including God himself! Clearly the JLA members and associates must stop Satanus at all costs!

I loved the scene where Plastic Man pops his head out of the mask just as Satanus is about to put it on. I laughed heartily. There was something very amusing seeing Plastic Man, who usually provides comic relief, be the hero to save the day and prevent the nightmare scenario.

To see the rest of the review and read synopsis for the other stories go here.

Clive Barker Returns To "Hellraiser"

2011-04-07T06:44:00.001-05:00

I did a couple reviews of the new "Hellraiser" comic books that have hit store shelves lately. Boom! Studios has launched a new ongoing monthly series based on the franchise. First, they released a digital-only "prelude to Hellraiser #1" to set the mood. Then, they released Part One of the story arc "Pursuit of the Flesh." Instead of getting other writers to pen their takes on Pinhead's universe, the comic book publishers went back to the original source - Clive Barker. Even Kirsty Cotton from the first two movies makes her way into this new chapter in the "hellraiser" saga. After the jump you can check out excerpts from my two reviews that I did for Yahoo! and get the link to see the whole things.

"Prelude To Hellraiser #1" Digital Comic Book Review:
Boom! Studios' "Prelude to Hellraiser #1" couldn't have done a better job at re-introducing us to the disturbing and horrific world that Clive Barker introduced to us in his novella "The Hellbound Heart." Everything is here just as fans will remember-Pinhead, the other Cenobites, and that dreadful puzzle box. Fans of the franchise will also get an eyeful of the blood and gore they should come to expect from this new monthly ongoing series.

"Prelude to Hellraiser #1" is an 8-page preview that shows Pinhead taking care of a priest who is giving a death row inmate his last rites. He is taunting the doomed man with the puzzle box as he sits in the electric chair. Let's just say that I think we all know how this story ends for the corrupt priest. I can tell you that there's chains and gore to spare.

Go here to see the rest of the review.

"Hellraiser #1" Comic Book Review:
Clive Barker returns to officially take back the reins of his most popular work with Boom! Studios' new ongoing comic series "Hellraiser". After several mediocre direct-to-DVD movies, most fans would say it's none too soon. This is only the third time Barker has touched the franchise since spawning it with "The Hellbound Heart" in 1986. The second and last time he visited the world of Pinhead and his Cenobites was as the writer and director of the original "Hellraiser" movie in 1987.

The fact that Clive Barker is writing the new "Hellraiser" series should be enough to pull in horror fans of the author who might not venture into the world of comic books. Obviously the quality of the writing is going to match what Barker fans are used to. It just might be hard to get used to reading them accompanied by pictures. I did find it quite interesting that there is a lot of Christian-based religious talk and themes in this. Doug Bradley himself insinuated that Barker always tried to steer clear of making direct reference to any type of Judeo-Christian ideas or beliefs.

Go here to see the rest of the review.

TSR Book Club Returns! "Out Of The Silent Planet"

2011-03-29T07:32:00.001-05:00

We are beginning the second edition of our TSR Book Club tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 30th, 2011) at the FUMCGP Youth Center (121 N. Center St., Grand Prairie, TX 75050). This time we will be reading and discussing the C.S. Lewis science fiction novel "Out of the Silent Planet." We will be handing out books tomorrow night, assigning how many chapters to read, and discussing how long the club will run this time around. We welcome anyone and everyone to come join us in this very interesting journey through C.S. Lewis's "Out of the Silent Planet." If you're interested in joining us and what more information, email me at thespectralrealm@gmail.com. You can check out a synopsis and some reviews of the book right after the jump.

The first book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, "Out of the Silent Planet" begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, "Out of the Silent Planet" remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force.

The New York Times: "This book has real splendor, compelling moments, and a flowing narrative."

The New Yorker: "If wit and wisdom, style and scholarship are requisites to passage through the pearly gates, Mr. Lewis will be among the angels."

Los Angeles Times: "Lewis, perhaps more than any other twentieth-century writer, forced those who listened to him and read his works to come to terms with their own philosophical presuppositions."

Download "Hellraiser" Comic Book Prelude Here!

2011-03-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

BOOM! Studios is launching a new ongoing "HELLRAISER" comic book
series written by Clive Barker that will be released in comic stores everywhere on
Wednesday March 23rd, 2011.

This is only the third time that Clive has "touched" the characters — the first with his novella "THE HELLBOUND HEART" and the second being the first "HELLRAISER" film.

With the "HELLRAISER" ongoing comic series, Clive Barker returns to his signature
creation.

In celebration of the release of the first issue, BOOM! Studios has given us a FREE Dowloadable PDF of the "PRELUDE TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF 'HELLRAISER.'"
---This is is a complete self-contained original 8 page "Hellraiser" story.
---Story takes place before issue #1 of the new "HELLRAISER" ongoing, written
by Clive Barker and drawn by Leonardo Manco
---This IS NOT a preview of anything from the first issue. This is all new, all
original content.
---There is no way to get this content outside of the PDF. It will not be put into
print until the TPB collection.

You can download the PDF for FREE right here.

You can also check out the first five pages of Issue #1 and some covers at the bottom of this post.

"HELLRAISER" #1 - "Pursuit of the Flesh: Part One"

Written by Clive Barker with Christopher Monfette
Art by Leonardo Manco
Colors by Charlie Kirchoff
Lettering by Travis Lanham
Cover A by Tim Bradstreet
Cover B by Nick Percival
Cover C by Clive Barker
Larry's Comics Cover by Tim Bradstreet
New Dimension Comics Cover by Nick Percival
Edited by Ian Brill
Published by BOOM! Studios
Suggested for Mature Readers
40 PAGES, FC, $3.99

One of the greatest horror franchises of all time returns, now under the control of its original creator! Clive Barker has touched "HELLRAISER" only twice: once to write "THE HELLBOUND HEART," and once more to write and direct the original "HELLRAISER" film. Now witness Barker's long-awaited return to tell a new chapter in the series' official continuity—a trajectory that will forever change the Cenobites... and Pinhead! So prepare your soul for an epic journey into horror from one of the medium's greatest voices, and starring one of the medium's greatest characters, in an unforgettable new chapter of "HELLRAISER."

BONUS: this epic 40-page first issue features a 10-page backup story written by the co-writer and co-director of "THE MATRIX" trilogy, Larry Wachowski!

Featuring covers from legendary artist Tim Bradstreet and "LEGENDS: THE ENCHANTED" artist Nick Percival. Special limited editon "C" cover by Clive Barker himself.

Hellraiser Issue #1 Preview

The Spectral Realm Nominated For Rondo Award!

2011-03-21T06:46:00.001-05:00

I have no idea how this happened, but The Spectral Realm was nominated for "Best Blog of 2010" for the "RONDO HATTON CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS." They refer to my site as "Where monsters and religion find common ground." The Rondos, now in their ninth year, are fandom's only classic horror award, decided by fans, for fans, and dedicated to preserving the undying spirit of monsters past. Please take some time to vote for my site if you feel led to. It's under Number 16 on the ballot. You don't even have to vote for every category. Just go here to vote now! There's only one week left to do so! Thanks! Read more about the Rondo Awards after the jump.

The Rondos, now in their ninth year, are fandom's only classic horror award, decided by fans, for fans, and dedicated to preserving the undying spirit of monsters past.

Every Rondo nominee is being recognized for a significant achievement in the genre during the year of 2010. So please take a look at the ballot and let the nominees know how much we appreciate their work by voting.

"Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes" DVD Movie Review

2011-03-21T06:41:00.000-05:00

The Asylum Entertainment has released "Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes." If you know The Asylum then most likely you'll be expecting cheesy monster schlock. Strangely enough, that's not what we are served here. I was actually pretty impressed. After a slow 50 minutes or so, the movie actually took off and redeemed itself. The film is based on the true story of Anneliese Michel, who's story has been loosely adapted for the big-screen once before in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." I did a review of the film for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. After the jump, you can read an excerpt from the review and then click on the link to see the rest.

From my review:
"Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes" does a pretty good job of mimicking "The Last Exorcism." From the get-go, the director and writer are trying to get you to ask yourself "Is she possessed or is she just mentally ill?" Everything that happens for the most part could be explained away by science. How does science explain the pictures and crosses that all turned upside-down in a manner of seconds or Anneliese being able to speak languages she has never been exposed to? All these things are left unanswered and left for the audience to make a decision about. Honestly, "Anneliesse: The Exorcist Tapes" has a more satisfying and believable ending than "The Last Exorcism."

I found "Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes" to be an accurate depiction of the battle between science and religion. You've got the priests who absolutely refuse to waver in their stance that she must be delivered from her possession no matter what it takes. The doctor and professor stand firm in their beliefs that everything and anything can be explained through science and medical conditions. It really does capture the never-ending debates between these two groups.

To read the rest of the review go here.

"Supernatural" Combo Trailer For Upcoming Episodes

2011-03-09T10:40:00.000-06:00

Dread Central has posted that "folks who weren't exactly thrilled with certain elements of this season of 'Supernatural' (like the Campbell family storyline for instance) should be pretty pleased with the turn of events in last week's episode. However, we now have another long wait to see what impact said events are going to have on the Winchesters as Episode 17, 'My Heart Will Go On"', isn't airing until April 15th." Read more and see a combo trailer for the next couple of episodes after the jump.

Straight from Dread Central:
(Above) is a combo teaser trailer of "My Heart" along with Episode 18, "Frontierland", the much anticipated Western themed installment we've been hearing about for a while. What can we say other than "Ride 'em, cowboys!"

For more visit "Supernatural" on The CW.

Official Trailer For The Asylum's "Exorcist Tapes"

2011-03-08T09:52:00.000-06:00

Dread Central is reporting that "the full trailer for The Asylum's 'Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes' is here, and in all fairness it looks rather creepy. Could the knock-off kings actually make a decent movie? As of this writing we're about a third of the way through the film, and the only actual stuff presented thus far is a famous audio recording from one of the many exorcism sessions poor Anneliese had to endure playing over the film's opening credits, which consist of a bunch of plain white text on a black screen promising that what we're about to see is real." More of the article and the trailer after the jump.

Straight from Dread Central:
Two of the actors are nothing short of amazingly bad and take you right out of whatever action there is to be had here. The lead actress playing Anneliese is adequate enough but looks nothing like the real girl. The camera work goes from passable for that era to hand-held 1990's camcorder crap, and if it weren't for the morbid curiosity to see how far the filmmakers go with the possession effects and the most zany German accents to hit the screen since 'Hogan's Heroes' we'd have shut it off after about five minutes.

We'll let you know how it all ends up soon.

Want to dig what really happened? Anneliese Michel real details here.