WildClaw's Blood Radio

Ho, Ho, Holy Crap!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:57:21 PST

St. Nicholas...get your spooky holiday theatrics on...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:35:46 PST

Our good buddies over at Seanachai' are closing a spooky yarn this weekend. You should see it and then have a beer in the awesome pub at the Irish American Heritage Center.

ST. NICHOLAS
By Conor McPherson
Directed by Matthew Miller

Performed by veteran actor Steve Pickering
in the Seanachaí Theatre Company space:
The 3rd Floor Theatre at
The Irish American Heritage Center
4626 North Knox Avenue

TO BENEFIT SEANACHAÍ THEATRE COMPANY AND SHANGHAI LOW THEATRICALS

December 1-18, 2011
Thursdays, Fridays & Sundays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 5:00pm & 8:00pm
Tickets $20
For tickets, call (866) 811-4111 or

Click here for more information.

Wishing you a Horror-ible Holiday

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:40:10 PST

If you're like me, you might go crazy this time of year remembering which of your friends you should wish a "Merry Christmas," and which get "Happy Hanukkah," and is it Merry Kwanzaa or Happy Kwanzaa?

Now that Repeal Day 2011 is over, there's only one celebration that really matters: don't neglect the Elder Gods or you'll piss them off.

This elegant holiday card, designed by WildClaw's own Mr. Charlie Athanas, will appease the gods if you send it to all your friends and family. You can get them here, and don't forget to take a peek at the other WildClaw designs. Great stocking-stuffers, yall. Wait, do tentacles wear stockings?

Studies in Scary - Pan's Labyrinth

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:33:01 PST

Scooty B and I took in 2006's Pan's Labyrinth, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, a little while back. As usual, Scott had already seen it and I was a viewing virgin. I remember seeing the previews for Pan's thinking, "Wow, that looks magical/whoa, that looks insane!" Twas both...

SPOILER ALERT! This conversation divulges in detail many of the scary twists and turns of the film. If you haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth, you probably won't want to read this!

Scott: When Pan’s Labyrinth first came around it was billed as a horror fantasy. Two hard genres to pull off well, and it seeks to do both. Does it live up to that?

Casey: There are certainly elements of both genres, for sure. The most horrific parts of the film, to me, were the occurrences of violence against humans by humans, of which there were MANY. Really, there was so much graphic military violence and torture, I was sick. I think the suspension of disbelief by a character in a completely surreal situation defines fantasy for me, and there’s plenty of that, too. When you saw the film for the first time, what was your impression?

S: I thought it used fantasy and horror as mirrors for each other. Humans all have both hopeful and dark fantasies. Horror can be gruesome but can reveal unexpected beauty and magic. So, I think the film successfully uses both genres to elevate each other. It has its fairy tale elements, and it’s got its blood and gore, and setting all of this off is the reality of the war. Really there are few things in real life that are as horrific and fantastical at once as war is...a very real phenomenon that people caught in the midst of must ask themselves, “Is this real? This must be a bad dream.” It’s a real nightmare, a fantasy gone wrong.

C: Well put. It’s extremely unsettling, and to grow to care for and root for Ofelia, and know that she and her mother are in constant danger in their own home, is so nerve-wracking. Yeah, the intense violence devastated me, it really stuck with me.

S: Yeah, the violence done by and to the Captain is so extreme. It’s amazing, he gets stabbed, gets his face ripped open, gets drugged, and he just keeps coming. Like a fascist Michael Myers. Now THAT’S scary, the fascist that won’t die.

C: Right?! He’s terrifying.

The fantasy world that Ofelia discovers is so strange and threatening, and yet it becomes her safe haven, her escape, and ours too. Gosh, and I just have to say (did I just say gosh?) that Doug Jones is so, so wonderful. Having met the man (and now finding myself in complete, bashful awe of him as a performer and a person), I find his performance all the more impressive. He has a tough task - he’s the monster yet we have to accept him and want Ofelia’s destiny to be fulfilled through his orders. He’s so expressive, you just want to get closer and get in tune with him.

S: AND he plays double-duty as the Pale Man, who became an iconic monster overnight.

C: Yes! When did you make me watch that scene? Months before I watched the film, yes? God, that scene is SO frustrating. I really started losing my shit when she ate that grape! You broke the only ruuuuuule, child! Kind of biblical, huh?

S: But remember, that girl was sent to bed without her supper. And those grapes looked really good. Also, come on, when you’re that age, you do stupid stuff. You expect to sneak a snack consequence-free. You do not expect to be eaten by a monster with eyes in his hands. But I digress. You mentioned that Ofelia’s “safe haven,” the Faun’s world, is every bit as dangerous as the real world. Why do you think she prefers the fantasy world?

C: She’s sad and lonely and feels abandoned, ignored, threatened. It’s her escape and it’s AMAZING. It’s a bright spot in such a grim place. They’re holed up in the woods, there are rebels in their midst and she’s on a short leash. And there isn’t another person there her age, she has no friends. It’s like a crazy dream, come true. And I also think magic is hopeful.

Ofelia is one of a few characters taking major risks in the film, putting her life on the line for what she believes in. Mercedes and the Doctor have put themselves in grave danger. The Doctor’s last line resonated with me - “But captain, to obey - just like that - for obedience's sake... without questioning... That's something only people like you do.” - it’s a thought that runs through my mind often. What a struggle life can be sometimes, choosing what’s right over what’s easy, or deciding to do what you believe instead of what you’re told. It feels very relevant to me right now.

The color blue figures prominently in the film, I seem to remember. What other stylistic or aesthetic elements stuck out to you?

S: It’s a film of excesses. Everything is lush and magnified, even in the bleak settings. The Pale Man’s feast is abundant. There is an overwhelming amount of those giant cockroach-rolypoly hybrids in the frog’s tree. One image in particular that stands out to me is the mother’s troubled labor; Ofelia comes in the room and finds her stained with what looks like a gallon of blood, she’s slick with it. Guillermo del Toro is a master of that, knowing exactly how far to push an exaggeration.

The color blue does figure in prominently. It feels as though it takes place underwater. Which makes sense, as everyone - rebels, fascists, and innocent bystanders alike - is suffocating.

C: And the score is so grand, operatic. It’s a gorgeous adventure. I nearly tossed my cookies watching it, I was so tense, but it was gorgeous.

S: Thank you for saying “tossed my cookies.” You’re gorgeous.

Holiday Horror Gift Guide...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:35:38 PST

So we here at Wildclaw believe that you should give the gift of horror this holiday season. Here are a few ideas:

For your techno-geek brother:
Jason Voorhees Flash Drive... By Hemingwayfun!

For the wine-lover...
Tentacle wine-stoppers by Dellamorte & Co.

For that snowboarding teenage boy:
Cthulhu Ski-Mask by Knotty Fingers!

For that teenage girl:
Cute Pink Octopus necklace by Donna the Dead!

For your mom:
A pretty pendant by Red Robin

For the ironic hipster:
Subversive T-Shirts by Dark Cycle Clothing! I am fond of Shark on a Bike.

For the friend who thinks everyday is Halloween:
An awesome mask by Peruresh!

For the College student:
Awesome Horror Posters to put up instead of black light posters...by Artwork by Vlad!

Your favorite Hell Hound:
Get your beast some schoolin' at Animal Sense!

Your potentially homicidal co-worker or boss:
Help them calm the killer within with some Yoga classes at Om on the Range!

Your Narcissist Younger Sister:
How about a private photo shoot with Austin D. Oie!

For the Foodie:
Horror themed plates and mugs by Folded Pigs!

For the Gamer:
Check out the RPGS for the Dresden Files by Evil Hat!

For your Twi-Hard Niece:
Twilight Dolls by Tonner Doll Company!

For your office grab bag:
A gift certificate to the yummy Sazon Light meal plan for a week!

For the Theatre Lover:
Get them tickets for the DCA Storefront. We heart them.

Take them to Blue Man Group...

For the Fitness Lover:
How about a membership at the swankiest David Barton Gym!

And don't forget you:
I adore these silicon 'cut throat' necklaces. I wear mine all the time. Get one from Von Erickson's Lab!

And FINALLY...don't forget to give a little gift to Wildclaw! By giving a little (or a lot) to us you will help support our mission to bring horror to the Chicago Stage! It is a gift that will keep on giving...and quite possibly bleeding. Donate now! Any amount is welcome and will help!

Black Box Acting Studio...learn how to act good.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:03:43 PST

So you have seen our shows. (If not...stop and mark your calendars for Kill Me opening on February 13th!) Many of our actors and even one of our directors have attended or teach at Black Box Acting Studio. Recent Deathscribe 2011 Judge, Audrey Francis is co-owner along with The Revenants' favorite zombie, Laura Hooper. Classes begin in early January so check them out and sign up. It would make an excellent present for someone in your life..make your inner zombie your outer zombie...a sensitive zombie able to access deep honest feelings and embrace their desire for brains with their whole body and emotional core.

Save Evil Squirrel Comics!...because they are awesome!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:21:50 PST

This is my new comic store. I heart it! Why? Friendly dudes. A nice subscription service. Knitting Night. Kid's Movie Club, A mutual love for horror....did I mention a Knitting Night? Well you should check it out. Its right around the corner from the Mayne Stage (where we rocked it at Deathscribe a few days ago) a hop skip and jump from the Morse Redline stop and close to our good good buddies at the Lifeline Theatre. Evil Squirrel Comics is in a bit of financial woesomeness and I really don't want another awesome comic book store to close yall. They are amazing community centers to meet people and share ideas, as well as being the place that I buy my floppy cartoon fix. We need local businesses like Evil Squirrel. So stick it to the Barnes and Noble Man...buy your comics, games, t-shirts, and toys from a friendly awesome local business like Evil Squirrel!

Also...TODAY there is a Groupon Now! And it is new comic day! Weeee! Ask for suggestions when you get there and you can get yourself a sweet comic or pick up a few Christmas presents. I recommend Locke and Key...or Swamp Thing. I am planning to pick up DC Super Pets, Patrick the Wolfboy, and Tiny Titans for my nieces for Christmas. And perhaps a Munchkin game for the teens? And don't forget a plushy Cthulhu...

Here is a clip of our good buddy and recent Deathscribe judge, Brian Kirst of Big Gay Horror Fan, interviewing Evil Squirrel's owner!

And their most recent you tube video....

Here is an letter from the super-nice and well-mustachioed owner Sparky Bobby King about some upcoming fundraising events for the store. Please attend or just drop in the store and show the love by dropping some green.

Store Update "Save the Squirrel Week"

If you haven't heard yet we're in danger of closing. Our landlord has been very lenient with us the past few months, but as we get closer to the end of the year he does want the back rent we owe. We've been busy, we're making some money, but not enough to be able to pay him, a few other bills that have been on hold and stay open. So we decided a few weeks ago that we would have to close our doors after the New Year.
After we put our announcement up on Facebook, we’ve had dozens of calls asking us to stay. Can we host a fundraiser? Can we cut peoples discounts and if we do that is it worth you staying open? The answer to those questions were all yes, and we have been lucky to have help from all of our amazing squirrels to put together "Save the Squirrel Week" starting on December 11th. We will have a weeks worth of events to tantalize, titillate and hopefully persuade a few of your dollars into our donation buckets.
Kicking of the events will be Sunday, December 11th's Super Hero Bingo at our Favorite bar The Glenwood. Located right down the street from Evil Squirrel Comics it's the ultimate place to come dressed up as your favorite super-hero, play a little Super-Hero Bingo and win some Amazing prizes, and, all of the work, performance and gosh darn love have all been donated to help keep the Squirrel Alive. That's right folks... Super-Hero at The Glenwood.
On Tuesday, the 13th, we will be heading down to the Original Mother's bar on Rush & Division to party hardy with the band Idle Spies and She-nanniga Comedy Winner's Michael Larimer and Anish Shah.
Wednesday, December 13, we have the great fortune of Mind Crusher Tattoos offering Limited Edition Evil Squirrel Tattoos at a price of $30. We are incredibly lucky that Mind Crusher is going to be donating the WHOLE $30 to the shop. Mind Crusher Tattoos is located at 6705 N. Clark Street and on Wednesday they are open from 11am until 11pm. Even if you don't end up with a Limited Edition tattoo that day, you should check these guys out. Great pricing and fantastic work!!
Thursday, December 14, we are having a Craft War with The Glenwood's Stitch and Bitch Crew. Did you know that The Glenwood has a knit night the same day and time we do?? We did and challenged them to war. December 14th will go down in history as the day that Evil Squirrel Comics knit more scarves in one night than The Glenwood Crew. Whichever team knits the least amount of scarves has to buy the other team a shot, but there are no losers in this war. All of the scarves made will be donated to Emmaus Ministries. So it's time to choose sides true knitters; whom will you stand behind, Evil Squirrel or The Glenwood??
And, Saturday, December 17th ends the weeklong festivities at Lifeline Theater. The Theater has generously donated its space for am Evil Squirrel Comics Variety show, Featuring a bevy of talent including Burlesque, Magic and Musical Acts.
We hope to see you at some of the events we have planned. Stay tuned for more... Sparky Bobby King

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Deathscribe 2011 tonight at 8pm! Who will get the bloody axe?

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:27:58 PST

It's here. We teched all weekend....the pieces are killer. My knuckles are swollen from foley work (pounding on cellar doors, pounding on various fruits and vegatables, pounding on pillows....etc). Tonight we descend upon the beautiful Mayne Stage for an amazing evening of live horror radio. It will be a classy night of chaos. Please join us for the fourth annual Deathscribe Horror Radio Play Festival!

MEET THE DEATHSCRIBE 2011 FINALISTS (Part 5 of 5)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:53:53 PST

We needn't look far for our fifth and final Deathscribe finalist. Matthew George lurks in Chicago. I was going to say something about the long, dark, winding corridors down which this Deathscribe dwells, but Chicago is laid out on a grid. Very few twists and turns. Streets at right angles, perfectly straight, in some cases for miles and miles. Driving down a street in Chicago might just make one feel like they're in an episode of the Twilight Zone...the street goes on and on and on until the vanishing point and beyond, without end. In FALLING APART, a drive that goes on too long lands a young couple in the company of an older pair who are most certainly not what they seem. Audrey Francis directs this eerie trip down the strangest of rabbit holes.

FALLING APART
Written by Matthew George

Directed by Audrey Francis

WildClaw: Where Horror is concerned, what does radio give us that visual media cannot?

Matthew George: There really isn't another medium that can so directly activate the imagination like radio. You have to actively participate to make the world work. How terrifying is that, that you're the only one who can see what you're seeing. What else is like that? And man, to make it a horror play, to have you be truly alone in your experience, with no escape to shut your eyes to make it go away. It's like a little monster is born in your head that might never go away. I HAVE CHILLS RIGHT NOW.

WC: "Falling Apart" creeped us out. What is it about "Falling Apart" that creeps you out?

MG: On a macro level, I'm terrified of the things we can't change. On a micro level, I think old people in rocking chairs are up to no good.

WC: What's the sound cue in your piece that you're excited to hear in foley?

MG: Someone getting hit in the head with a shovel.

WC: What difficulties does a 10-minute constraint present when writing, especially where horror and/or radio are concerned?

MG: Well you have to move more quickly, this is a truth. I found it helpful to think more about atmosphere and tone -- what tools do I have to make a whole world known instantly? How can I use words and sounds to transfer feelings, emotions rather than thought? I think my goal was just to create something unsettling that lingers once the sound stops. It's like cheating, but without cheating.

COME HEAR 'FALLING APART' PERFORMED LIVE AT DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Matthew George is a recent graduate from Yale University with a B.A. in American Studies. His play Cow Play was performed at the 2011 NY Fringe Festival and was runner-up for the National Student Playwriting Award for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. His play Commandments was performed by the Yale Dramatic Association in the winter of 2010 and was part of the Attic Theater Company's Emerging Playwrights program in New York this October. He also co-wrote and performed in the original musical extravaganza Cold Turkey, which was seen in Ars Nova’s 2010 ANT Fest. This past summer he was a member of the Core Company at the Orchard Project, a summer theater workshop run by The Exchange.

Audrey Francis has acted, directed and taught in Chicago for over 7 years. She is also one of the proud owners of Black Box Acting Studio. Audrey is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, where she now teaches both the Meisner Technique and Text Analysis. She is a Jeff Nominated actor who has worked at The Goodman, Victory Gardens, Writer's Theatre, Northlight, Pine Box Theater and Steppenwolf. Audrey was most recently seen as Julia in Want and Frankie in Where We're Born at Steppenwolf. She's appeared in multiple independent films, commercials, webisodes and television shows including: The Promotion, Dustclouds, Donnie Brasco- The Documentary and the NBC series ER. Directing credits include: Life & Limb and The Most Liquid Currency in the World (Pine Box Theater); The Sugar Syndrome (Chicago Dramatists); Master Harold and the Boys (a.d. Steppenwolf) and Sexual Perversity in Chicago (U of C). Audrey is a graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Journalism.

A Very Carrie Christmas

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:19:35 PST

Attention Chicagoans! Tomorrow, Sunday, December 4th, Camp Midnight presents "A Very Carrie Christmas" at the Music Box Theatre, 2pm. Featuring all kinds of good stuff, including a moderated Q&A after the film with Carrie co-star Piper Laurie.

What a perfect Deathscribe appetizer!

Hammer Films Launches Poster Site

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:26:38 PST

Hammer Films has launched a poster page for their films! They are UK quad versions of some of their classic films.

MEET THE DEATHSCRIBE 2011 FINALISTS (Part 4 of 5)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:39:36 PST

Our fourth Deathscribe hails from Tarzana, California, a neighborhood in Los Angeles named after Tarzan. Think I'm kidding? You're wrong. The neighborhood is located on land that was formerly a ranch owned by this guy. But we're not here to talk about Tarzan. We're here to talk about Thomas Misuraca, whose radio play ENTITY is all the scarier for its spare simplicity. Directed by The Factory Theater's Manny Tamayo, this twisted interview between a reporter and an inmate at a mental institution will get under your skin. Plus it's set in Cincinnati...and if that's not scary I don't know what is.

ENTITY
Written by Thomas J. Misuraca

Directed by Manny Tamayo

WildClaw: Where Horror is concerned, what does radio give us that visual media cannot?

Thomas Misuraca: There is nothing scarier than our own imaginations. When you hear about something horrifying, you created your own image of it in your head. That is what radio allows you to do. In visual media, if you show a ghost or a monster or a frightening scene, it may not work for everybody because they don't find that image quite scary. Plus, with radio, the audience needs to listen, and some words can be creepier than any visions.

WC: "Entity" creeped us out. What is it about "Entity" that creeps you out?

TM: I creeped myself out with Sam telling Dillion what may (or may not be) happening to his daughter. Sam talks with such conviction, it becomes hard to doubt him. And then to think that this horrible scene is taking place while Dillion listens and is helpless to act... brrrrrrrrr... [Literary Daemon's note: uh-huh.]

WC: What's the sound cue in your piece that you're excited to hear in foley?

TM: The sound of Dillion banging his head against the metal door. That could be pretty creepy to hear.

WC: What difficulties does a 10-minute constraint present when writing, especially where horror and/or radio are concerned?

TM: It's difficult to create tension/fear in such a short amount of time. But on the other hand, you can't go on too long and lose your audience. In a regular ten minute play you have the difficulty of catching an audience's attention, having a believable story arc in a short time, and then giving an exclamation point at the end. Adding have to scare them on top of that, and it is a little more difficult. But a rewarding challenge.

COME HEAR 'ENTITY' PERFORMED LIVE AT DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Tom Misuraca has had one-act plays produced in New York City, Hollywood, Chicago, Boston, Madison, Long Island and England. He’s won audience favorites at YES’ Summer Shorts, Three Rose Players’ The Writer Speaks, PianoFight’s ShortLived 2.0, Bellarmine University’s Anything Galileo Festival and twice at the Tehachapi Community Theatre’s Ten-Minute Play Competition. www.tommiz.com

Manny Tamayo is thankful for the opportunity to work on DEATHSCRIBE. He is a 9 year Veteran of the Psychic Wars with the Factory Theater. Manny hails from Joliet.

Dream Reapers open for the Holidays!?!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:10:27 PST

You heard me right, boils & ghouls of the Chicagoland area! The folks at Dream Reapers in Melrose Park are doing Jack Skellington proud this December by opening their doors to spread some Holiday Fear width some holiday-themed frights & delights! Dream Reapers is doing their bloody-best not only to help distract you from shopping, but (sadly) they are doing so to help recover some funds that were stolen from their office on Halloween night.

Details can be found on their Facebook event page after you log in, but short and sweet info is 7pm-11pm on Dec. 9 & 10 and 16 & 17 located at 1945 Cornell, Melrose Park, IL 60160.

I say if Christmas can creep into Halloween & Thanksgiving, it's only fair that we creep into Christmas!!! Am I right?

MEET THE DEATHSCRIBE 2011 FINALISTS (Part 3 of 5)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:33:34 PST

The time has come for us to get to know a little bit more about Jessica Wright Buha, our third Deathscribe. Jessica, who resides in the chilly grey moor that is Chicago, Illinois, submitted a radio play about the denizens of another grim, soggy world: Mermaids. But there's nothing Disney about Ms. Buha's southern mermaids. Turn your back and they'll snatch your baby. And that's just the beginning. Directed by multi-talented Carolyn Hoerdemann, "Alabama Mermaid" will be unlike any previous Deathscribe finalist, featuring original music, multiple vocalists, and an eerie underwater playground.

ALABAMA MERMAID
Written by Jessica Wright Buha
Inspired by a story from Darren Meyers' family history

Directed by Carolyn Hoerdemann

WildClaw: Where Horror is concerned, what does radio give us that visual media cannot?

Jessica Wright Buha: Radio lets the images take place in the mind's eye, which is always more horrifying than any visual media, because you're drawing from images and settings that you yourself have encountered. Then there's also the general spookiness (even in the best of times) of listening to disembodied voices telling a story.

WC: We found "Alabama Mermaid" haunting. What is it about "Alabama Mermaid" that haunts you?

JWB: I find most haunting the fact that there are instances in life, such as the death of a child, where we cannot reclaim what we have lost. The ultimate finality of such things, to me, is the most haunting thing there is.

WC: What's the sound cue in your piece that you're excited to hear in foley?

JWB: I'm most excited to hear how the underwater landscape sounds in foley! I wrote it as kinda an echoey, sad place, and I'm eager to hear how the director interprets that.

WC: What difficulties does a 10-minute constraint present when writing, especially where horror and/or radio are concerned?

JWB: With a 10-minute piece, you don't have time to waste on character development, so the actual plot is the crucial thing. I think that theatre today puts an emphasis on intense character development, and that's an aspect that kinda has to go by the wayside when writing a 10-minutue piece, which is quite exciting.

I think that both horror and radio actually lend themselves quite well to the 10-minute constraint, as the genre of horror is pretty ideal for these quick, intense vignettes. The general telling-stories-by-a-campfire feel of radio is likewise very compatible with a shorter piece, especially for modern audiences who may not be used to listening to a radio program for an extended period of time.

COME HEAR 'ALABAMA MERMAID' PERFORMED LIVE AT DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Jessica Wright Buha's writings have been performed by the Tempting Fates (Parrot Love, Abbiefest 2011), the Whiskey Rebellion (Sign of Rain, Rhinofest 2011), Tooth and Nail Ensemble (Under Ground, Rhinofest 2010), and Point of Contention Theatre (Acid Rain, Chaos Festival 2009). Locally, she has directed (Owl Theatre’s A New Nation: The American Civil War in Letters, Speeches, and Song), designed props (Lifeline Theatre’s Treasure Island), and worked as a dramaturg (Lookingglass Theatre's Our Future Metropolis). She has been the resident assistant stage manager at Lifeline since 2008, and is a founding member of the Lifeline Storytelling Project, a spoken word group performing weekly in Rogers Park. Upcoming writing projects include the Plagiarists' I Am Saying This Right Now (co-writer), and RhinoFest 2012's Tennyson Spade, both opening in January 2012.

Carolyn Hoerdemann recently appeared in the critically acclaimed OVERWEIGHT, unimportant: MISSHAPE at the Trapdoor Theatre, she just finished up VENUS at the Steppenwolf Garage and the Jeff Recommended SCORCHED at Silkroad Theatre Project. She can be seen at the Goodman this Spring in CAMINO REAL directed by Calixto Bieito. She is thrilled to be part of the best night of horror in Chicago, directing the beautiful ALABAMA MERMAID. Thanks to all the WildClaw folk for having her!

MEET THE DEATHSCRIBE 2011 FINALISTS (Part 2 of 5)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:16:32 PST

For the second installment in this series, we venture west. Colin Johnson made his submission one dark and stormy night from the steaming, undead-strewn marshes of Berkeley, California. THE DARK MUSE was that submission, a radio play that will have old school radio buffs salivating and shaking in their boots. This Poe-referencing chiller, which will be directed by Chicago star Kimberly Senior, dives into the psyche of its manic, tortured narrator.

THE DARK MUSE
Written by Colin Johnson

Directed by Kimberly Senior

WildClaw: Where Horror is concerned, what does radio give us that visual media cannot?

Colin Johnson: True terror comes from the unknown, the unseen. Radio is an ideal format for channeling raw, primal fear because it's not about what you see -- it's about what the imagination suggests.

WC: "The Dark Muse" creeped us out. What is it about "The Dark Muse" that creeps you out?

CJ: What creeped me out about the Dark Muse was the vulnerability of being at the whim of your shortcomings. With one who's obsessed with creation, as the writer is, the moment he's blocked is the moment his focus will latch onto whatever peaks his interest. It can be booze, women, drugs, etc. In this case, it just so happened to be horrible, mysterious sounds wafting from a nearby apartment. What really creeped me out, however, was the positive effect that the human monster Reynolds has on the main character's creativity. That was not originally intended, and once the story organically veered in that direction, I ran with it. Inspiration can come from some very dark places, and the implications of that is pretty scary.

WC: What's the sound cue in your piece that you're excited to hear in foley?

CJ: I'm excited to hear the bizarre mash-up of noises coming from the apartment. I wrote it to keep it relatively open for interpretation, but they should contradict nature, creating a bizarre, foreign symphony of madness. And the hand saw. Excited to hear that nasty bit.

WC: What difficulties does a 10-minute constraint present when writing, especially where horror and/or radio are concerned?

CJ: The difficulty of writing in super-short format is compressing the narrative. I've done a lot of sketch comedy as of late, which keeps you frugal as a storyteller. You learn to gauge how quickly an idea will run its course. What I did with The Dark Muse, though, was originally approach it as a short story, on account of the extensive monologues. Then I found myself reading some Poe and listening to Tom Waits (Mule Variations, "What's He Building in There") and decided to center the piece around the external stimuli of the character instead of his interior monologues. This streamlined the musings and, after some hefty chopping, it seemed like the mind unraveling proved fertile ground for radio.

As for horror, I've found that, unlike many genres, horror works best in it's rawest form. The simpler the better. The more ambiguous the better. There should never be certain answers, only lingering imagery, unanswerable questions and one or two new phobias.

Good horror knows to not overstay its welcome.

COME HEAR 'THE DARK MUSE' PERFORMED LIVE AT DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Raised in the gloom of the Pacific Northwest, Colin Johnson developed a knack for all things macabre early in life. After studying theatre and film production at Eastern Washington University, he migrated to the Bay Area in 2008 in relentless pursuit of the golden impulse. He's worked with a plethora of Bay Area theatre/film organizations, co-founded BattleStache Studios, works as a writer/producer on Daomu from Image comics and slings literature at Pegasus Books in Berkeley. And he's right behind you.

Kimberly Senior is a Chicago based freelance director. Chicago credits include: Want, The North Plan (Steppenwolf), Madagascar, The Overwhelming and The Busy World is Hushed (Next), Waiting for Lefty (American Blues), Old Times, The Conquest of the South Pole, Uncle Vanya, Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters, Fuddy Meers, and Knives in Hens (Strawdog), Bad Dates and Mouse Cop (Fox Valley Repertory), Bug and The Pillowman (Redtwist Theatre), Thieves Like Us (The House Theatre), All My Sons and Dolly West's Kitchen (TimeLine Theatre) among others. Regional: A Few Good Men (Peninsula Players), Mauritius (Theatre Squared, Fayetteville, AR). Upcoming: Disgraced (ATC), The North Plan (Theater Wit), After the Revolution (Next) and Cripple of Inishmaan (Redtwist). Kimberly is an Artistic Associate at Next Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, and Chicago Dramatists. She is on the faculty of Columbia College Chicago (2010 Excellence in Teaching Award Winner). Kimberly lives in Evanston with scenic designer, Jack Magaw, and her children, Noah and Delaney, and is a proud member of SDC. www.kimberlysenior.net

Northwestern University professors David and Debra Tolchinsky are curators of "The Horror Show" at Chicago City Arts Gallery

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:07:30 PST

By Wendy Leopold

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Getting people to reflect on fear in a post-9/11 world is no easy business, according to Northwestern University Professors David and Debra Tolchinsky. But the two have worked hard to do just that in an exhibit of art opening with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11.

A husband and wife who teach courses in horror writing and horror film production in Northwestern's School of Communication and whose collaborative artwork leans toward the macabre, the Tolchinskys are curators of "The Horror Show" at Chicago City Arts Gallery, 410 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, running through Feb. 23. Among other works, it features art by Northwestern faculty and recent master's of fine arts graduates.

The exhibit of oil paintings, sound pieces, video installations, interactive sculpture, photography, new media and film is, like much work in the horror genre, about crossing boundaries and uncovering that which is amiss, deliberately hidden, obfuscated or unthinkable.

"Horror has been a staple in art and literature for centuries, and, as indicated by opening weekend box office receipts of zombie flick 'I Am Legend,' it remains a staple today," says Debra Tolchinsky. "Our exhibit - which is not meant for children -- is designed to raise questions about why the horror genre remains popular in a world in which media violence and public numbness are the norm."

"The Horror Show," say its curators, is less about eliciting a scream than about inducing anxiety "by presenting horror from the inside out." It has less in common with the blood and guts horror of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies than with the more psychological but still visceral horror of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense."

An elegant photograph by Northwestern University artist and professor Jeanne Dunning titled "In Bed," explores the fragmented body - a frequently repeated theme in the horror genre and "The Horror Show." A depiction of a disembodied hand in a pile of bed clothes, its horror is compounded when viewed with Jean Marie Casbarian's photograph of what looks like a headless spirit or with digital prints of a young girl who, according to artist Christopher Schneberger, developed the ability to levitate after losing her legs.

"As curators, we chose works that not only have their own disturbing power but that dialogue with one another," says Debra Tolchinsky. To chilling effect, "The Genius of Coolwhip," an installation by Northwestern media critic Jeffrey Sconce, embeds the words of a would-be sexual predator from NBC's popular "To Catch a Predator" in upbeat dance music. Not far away is Josh Faught's work in coffee, pen and ink, "The First Person I Ever Came Out to Was a Convicted Sexual Predator."

Perhaps it is Debra Tolchinsky's own work that best illustrates the ideas of perception, deception and the difficulty of self-truth that "The Horror Show" explores. In "Smoke and Mirrors," the curator/artist presents a mirror that provides a glimpse of a viewer's reflection before engulfing it in smoke and snuffing it out entirely.

A catalogue, also called "The Horror Show," accompanies the exhibit. In addition to writings by Northwestern Professors Dunning and Sconce are essays by cultural critic Laura Kipnis, Northwestern professor of radio/television film and author of "Against Love: A Polemic;" Pam Thurschwell, a British academic who explores the intersection of psychoanalysis, the supernatural and emerging technologies; and Timothy Murray, professor of English at Cornell University.

For exhibit information, call (847) 373-6198. For gallery hours or directions, call (773) 816-2336.

Wendy Leopold is the education editor. Contact her at w-leopold@northwestern.edu

Horror Movies To Watch on Thanksgiving

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:22:37 PST

Horror Movies To Watch on Thanksgiving by MoviesOnline

Thankskilling: This one you can currently watch on Netflix video on demand and I have been meaning to check it out for awhile. The low budget indie horror film has the hilarious tag line of ‘gobble gobble mother f**ker’. It is about a homicidal turkey that starts killing college kids during Thanksgiving.

Blood freak: Released in 1972 it’s a film that is a good testimony to why you never want to give hitchhikers a ride. A biker gives a stranded girl a ride home and her mad scientist father turns him into a giant murderous turkey monster that goes after drug dealers. Does it get any more low rent or awesome then that? I think not.

Home sweet home: Think Black Christmas with this one, only with a Thanksgiving angle. In Home Sweet Home a 1981 horror movie a mental patient escapes from the mental institute on thanksgiving to join in the celebrations but unfortunately for the Bradley family his celebrations are less then thankful.

Eli Roths Thanksgiving Faux Movie Trailer: Ok so admittedly not a real movie but Eli Roth is working to spin this one into a feature film. The short film was featured on GRINDHOUSE and is the epitomy of grindhouse awesomeness. Check it out below.

MEET THE DEATHSCRIBE 2011 FINALISTS (Part 1 of 5)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:49:03 PST

We're really effing excited about this year's DEATHSCRIBE Finalists. But just who are these literary geniuses of the sonically spooky, the musically macabre, the aurally atrocious? In this five part mini-interview series, you'll get to know a little bit about each twisted writer, and their equally demented director.

We're going to kick things off with two familiar faces: Chris Hainsworth and Carolyn Klein, who will be teaming up on Chris's play, Legacy. Chris is well-known to DEATHSCRIBE audiences, as he has been a finalist all four years. Damn sir. Carolyn directed last year's winning radio play, The Change in Buckett County by David Schmidt, and performed in the first DEATHSCRIBE in 2008.

LEGACY
Written by 2009 Bloody Axe Winner Christopher Hainsworth

Directed by Carolyn Klein

WildClaw: You've been included in every Deathscribe so far, clearly your radio plays are exceptional. What's your approach to writing for radio, any tips and tricks you care to share?

Chris Hainsworth: First - thank you.

You really have to take the medium into account. Both to take advantage of the perks and to accept the limitations. As opposed to prose novel or short stories which have the advantage of allowing you to know everything that is happening both physically and mentally in the moment, or film which opens up the story to editing and controlling where the audiences attention is focused, or even the stage which can give you the elements of visual shocks and physical spacial relationships of the participants - I know it sounds obvious - but with Audio - you just have the sounds and the words.

The challenge is conveying the same amount of information without the benefit of one of your five senses. And for human beings - one of the two main senses that alert us to danger.

The challenge comes in conveying this information in a seemingly organic way.

I always try to avoid having characters DESCRIBE actions to another character in the room because they are both there - they can both see what is happening - why on earth would they say it out loud? 'Dear God Frank! Why are you jamming that strange dagger with those Celtic runes on it repeatedly in and out of your eye! I must now run up these rickety stairs and grab the sacrificial bowl and pour this jar of Holy Water into it in order to break the Gypsy Curse that was placed on you before all of these events happened!"

If you find yourself having to go into a detailed description of what the sound/foley is - generally you need to scrap it and start over. For two reasons - 1. Either the sound should be instantly identifiable so as not to impede the story or 2. Suggestive enough to get the audience's imaginations to do the work for you. Having been to all of the Deathscribes, you would be amazed with what can be done with a several stalks of celery or a tub of gack.

In any medium - exposition is always the bear waiting to attack you. I always try to either find a way to convey as much possible through dialogue or come up with a convention that allows someone to talk directly to the audience. Think about what your characters know and why they would be talking about whatever you need to convey.

On the less technical side - start with character. What do these people want? And what are they doing to try and get it. Everyone - especially when you only have ten minutes - should have a clear goal and objectives. I try to make sure no one is just fodder.

WC: "Legacy" creeped us out. What is it about "Legacy" that creeps you out?

CH: You can tell a lot about what an author is afraid of by what they write. With the exception of Career Day - which was more of a lark on the hypocrisy of any adult/child relationship and how that can be perverted - the other pieces that have been selected for Deathscribe seem thematically linked with the idea of becoming trapped or being unable to move on. In Remembrance it was literally being trapped by your own memories. In D'arque House it was being trapped by grief. In Legacy - it is being trapped by your anger and the wrongs that you believe have been done to you. I know enough to not go into the spooky haunted house. I know not to go to the camp or town where people have been hacked to death for years running. I know that once crap starts moving freely around your house or voices start coming out of your TV - you get out. I guess what I am most afraid of is not exterior forces planning my demise - the other - but those things inside myself - the things that make me fixate on the negative - the inability to let go of things that even I know I would be better off without. I think that we are more dangerous to ourselves than the monster hiding under the bed is. So to me - what is creepy is getting so caught up in something - an emotion - an obsession - that it leads you places that you would be better off not going. And that your life could have been saved had you only been able to let it go.

WC: What's the sound cue in your piece that you're excited to hear in foley?

CH: Oooh. Not a whole lot of eerie sound cues in this one. But I am excited to see what a director might want to do with some. Oh - and not foley - but I am excited to hear "the switch."

COME HEAR 'LEGACY' PERFORMED LIVE AT DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Chris Hainsworth hadn't really written anything until 2006 when Hank Boland created the Strawdog Writing Initiative henceforth to be known as the Strawdog Hit Factory, where he matriculated with WildClaw Artistic Director Aly Renee Amidei. The focus was writing 10 minute audio plays of any genre. He turned in a ten minute piece that was actually thirty minutes long called "Teeth." A horror story about a slacker who is given the ability to read minds and the sad end he comes to. Since then, ten minute audio plays have become a staple of his writing. The greatest challenge always being to keep it to TEN MINUTES. Now an ensemble member at Lifeline, he is currently adapting Hunger, the debut novel by Elise Blackwell for their 2011-2012 season. When not writing - Chris also spends his time acting, recently playing the titular role in Lifeline's The Count of Monte Cristo. Chris would like to thank his wife, Katie (also an award winning playwright) for her continual support and for her editorial input on all of his work.

Carolyn Klein is delighted to be back after directing last year's Bloody Axe Winner, "The Change in Buckett County" by David Schmidt. Carolyn has also directed That Was Then with Seanachai Theatre Company - where she is a proud Ensemble member and Mr. Spacky and Elephant with The Strange Tree Group where she is Artistic Associate. Additionally, she has directed The Artist Needs a Wife at the side project, for Strawdog’s Hit Factory and Dry Hump Sketch Comedy. While pursuing her MFA at Indiana University - Bloomington, Carolyn directed Fool for Love, Lysistrata and Art Whore. As an actor, Carolyn has worked with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Next Theatre, Seanachai, Strawdog Theatre, Profiles Theatre, The Hypocrites, Wildclaw Theatre, Theo Ubique, The Strange Tree Group and New Leaf.

Resistance is Futile

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:52:24 PST

Because Mother Nature is a (bigger) bad ass (than you). Visit the filmmakers' website to learn more about them.

Ridley Scott Talks Mary Shelley

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:32:46 PST

A new series called Prophets of Science Fiction on the Science Channel starts tonight. Filmmaker Ridley Scott brings together folks to discuss the use of science in science fiction and the first episode centers on Mary Shelley's creation, Frankenstein.

Dario Argento's Deep Red

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:37:23 PST

The Doll!

Introduced Lady Morlock to Argento's masterpiece Profundo Rosso last night. That film... so beautiful. So glorious. So endless.

And that Doll!

I believe she enjoyed it, although she cursed Argento's casual approach to animal suffering... and plot. But she recognized the power of the moments that have kept recurring in my nightmares in the twenty years since Charley Sherman first introduced me to this film.

Especially... THAT DAMNED DOLL! Everything about that thing screams wrongness! The giggle. The flailing arms. That horrible sneer.

Lord, I hate that doll.

What do you think? What's your favorite creepy doll? Chucky? The Saw thing in the tricycle? Anthony Hopkin's buddy in Magic? The Jonathan Coulton song?

Bringing horror to life

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:54:05 PST

Special effects expert has deadly skills

Meredith Jordan | Special to the Washington Post

MARIETTA, Ga. – Andre Freitas is talking about how to make a convincing dead body.

“It depends whether the remains have been eaten or whether they are people who just died, whether they’ve been under ground for six months, whether or not the remains are burned,” he explains, drop-dead serious, no pun intended.

Freitas knows his bodies, from their bloody eyeballs to their melting skin. He creates them, plus zombies, vampires and goblins, but he’s not above mice and dinosaurs. If you’re in the grip of AMC’s new hit show “Walking Dead,” about humans facing the apocalypse, you’re in Freitas’ grip. He’s one of many wizards contracted to work for KNB EFX Group, the company that creates the special effects for the scarily real zombies on “Walking Dead.”

Freitas, 39, runs his own company, AFX Studios, in Marietta, so you’ve seen more of his work. Next month he returns for reshoots on “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” the big-budget 20th Century Fox movie due out next year. In December he goes back to work on “Teen Wolf,” MTV’s foray into werewolf drama starting production on its second season. And he worked on the makeup of Beast, the character in “X-Men: First Class,” just released to DVD.

He’s not just a guy with a talent for prosthetic makeup, though that’s how he fattened up actors in this year’s “Big Momma’s House 3: Like Father Like Son” movie (fattening his wallet with $40,000 to $50,000 for the five-month gig, he says). He’s also a sculptor, propmaker, costume designer and exhibit builder. This guy is Smithsonian-trained.

The evidence is everywhere in his studio. It is Halloween 365 days a year in the 4,000-square-foot space, with disembodied heads hanging from the rafters, collections of skulls and glass eyeballs in display cases, and shelves overflowing with hands and arms. The skeleton he made for the 1994 movie “Nell,” with the daisies Jodie Foster placed in its eye sockets, hangs on the wall. An arm from the 1993 real-horror flick “Kalifornia,” starring Brad Pitt and David Duchovny, collects dust on a shelf.

The overriding theme of the work may be dark but not all of it is meant to frighten. The largest table in the studio during a recent visit features a clay sculpture of the Three Blind Mice, characters commissioned by the Entertainment Design Group for a family holiday show. It’s for Gaylord Entertainment’s “Christmasy DreamWorks Experience,” coming to Oxon Hill, Md., on Nov. 18.

A dozen print images of the mice, the models, are set up as a backdrop to the wire-frame armature. More than 35 sculpting tools lay on the table around it. Freitas turns his effort to a mouse he’s sculpting. The specs call for the commission to withstand freezing temperatures that characterize the winter show.

That means he can’t attach fur separately and must texturize the exterior of the mouse to look like hair movement. He pulls out a small strip of thick plastic and explains how to bring out the clay a little more. From there he shows photos of the 17-foot fish he designed for the McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant chain. He built four of the fish, which took eight weeks apiece and cost $40,000 each. A cast of the head of the giant 24-foot dinosaur he did for Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta sits in the back.

Freitas discovered a love for creating ghouls and goblins in 1979, when his mother bought him a Mighty Men & Monster Maker kit. She died shortly afterward of ovarian cancer. His father was a specialist engineer for Lockheed, and the family lived in Iran and Singapore. But after his wife died, Freitas’ father decided to take a job in Georgia to provide more stability for his two boys.

As a freshman in high school, Freitas adopted a friend’s interest in special effects and began devouring books and magazines on the subject. Soon, he was building props and applying makeup to other kids. A photo album shows his first efforts at creating an old man out of a teenager.

Freitas said his father was largely supportive. Even so, plaster, paint and makeup can be expensive. At 15, he got a job at Ace Hardware to get discounted materials.

Freitas’ senior class went to Washington for a week to learn about how the government works. His father contacted the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Exhibits to ask if his son might have a tour – his way of encouraging his son to check into government work. He wanted to convince the young man that it might not be as boring as he thought. The Office of Exhibits graciously agreed, and Freitas went, carrying his portfolio, which by now included three years of his teenage work.

A few weeks after he returned from the trip, a letter arrived in the mail: The Office of Exhibits asked whether he would like to be an apprentice. He started the day after he graduated. The internship lasted four months. He was the only person at the American University dormitory who wasn’t in college. His roommate was in law school.

Freitas said he started college but that it just didn’t make sense for him. They wanted him to work too slowly, and what’s more, they wanted him to pay for it. When he landed his first commission at age 20 – for $80,000 – even his father stopped talking about the value of an education.

After his time at the Smithsonian, he went to Los Angeles for a few months, then opened his studio in Marietta. The Smithsonian offered him a job shortly after he had signed the lease, so he declined.

Next month, AFX Studios will hit the 20-year mark. Staying in Georgia has made him a better artist, Freitas insists as he clicks through photos of his work on a giant computer screen. Next to him stand two life-size characters from the Cartoon Network movie “Level Up,” which will air this month.

The movie is about four high school kids battling “trolls, ghouls and a dark leader” after they’re inadvertently released from a video game into the real world. One of the characters is made in the likeness of a Minotaur. Scraps of leather from the costume lay in a bucket on the floor.

What seems most amazing to Freitas is that he gets the opportunity to work with people like Greg Nicotero, executive producer of “Walking Dead” and the N in KNB EFX Group.

“I get to work with people I read about as a kid,” he said. “Who could ask for more than that?” And with that comes the closest thing to a smile yet.

Ice Cream Cthulhu... Art Noveau and Tentacles...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:49:22 PDT

Peanut butter in my chocolate. Sexy well drawn ladies, tentacles, and ice cream. Check out the amazing work of illustrator/designer/artist Echo Chernik! I love her fancy pants theatre posters. I think the combo of horror and art nouveau is really snazzy.

Studies in Scary - Wait Until Dark

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:33:34 PDT

Scott and I recently ventured to the Gene Siskel Film Center to catch a screening of Terence Young’s 1967 thriller Wait Until Dark, starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, and Richard Crenna. The film, based on Frederick Knott’s play of the same name, tells the story of a blind woman who finds herself in the path of a group of violent criminals searching for lost drugs.

SPOILER ALERT! This conversation divulges in detail many of the scary twists and turns of the film. If you haven't seen Wait Until Dark, you probably won't want to read this!

Scott: So. In your opinion. Does Susy, Audrey Hepburn’s character in “Wait Until Dark,” have to be the World’s Champion Blind Lady, or are her husband’s expectations just way too high?

Casey: I don’t think they’re necessarily her husband’s expectations - she puts a lot of pressure on herself to return to a life as normal as she can make it. I also think she enjoys the challenge and enjoys showing her husband what she’s learned and how far she’s progressing, not unlike any committed relationship where one partner wants to make the other proud. The first time you saw the film, did you suspect the husband of any foul play?

S: No, he seems like a sap to me. One of those “aw shucks” kinda guys who wears his heart on his sleeve. But then, his character really doesn’t get much time to show us too much more than that. But speaking of foul play, there’s a lot of that. Alan Arkin is one bad motherfucker. Did you have any idea he could be so cold?

C: Well, his performance is so stylized and his persona larger than life, but he also seems to be symbolic of that era in America. So, I didn’t know what to expect from him, really, although he is a total creep. Ha, but then you see him create these characters for Susy - Roat Jr. and Roat Sr. - and he’s so consumed by them, it's so silly.

S: Yeah, it’s kind of ridiculous that his first strategy is playacting, and when that doesn’t work he jumps straight to murder. COLD AS ICE!!!

C: Hehehe, yeah. I was surprised by the Mike character - maybe because he’s handsome - but I didn’t expect him to go as far along in the plot as he did. He never really flinched, and at some point I bought into the character he created for Susy - he had a calming effect on the both of us.

S: He’s good. Everyone else underestimates her. And she knows they will. I love the “Mr. Roat, are you looking at me?” moment, which is a callback from a moment she shares with her husband. He says yes reflexively, he can’t imagine how she could hurt him in that moment. Or it may just be basic social sensitivity, even for the bad guy, when a blind person asks “Are you looking at me?” you answer them. I love watching her use her other heightened senses to her advantage.

C: Totes. This movie was really exciting for me. You’re watching a luminous Hepburn in this awful situation and you just want to scream through the film to her and save her. The storytelling was really impressive - I love how we learn what she can and cannot do inside her own home - the tricks she uses to get around and what trips her up. Then allll of that is put into play as the movie progresses. I love the use of the neighbor girl, Gloria, who we know is a pain in the ass sometimes, and Susy is so forgiving and kind to her, ultimately, which is very important to the story, because she really needs her on her team and comes to rely on her in an incredible way.

S: Yeah, I like how her abilities are revealed very patiently. I remember when I first saw it, she comes home and somebody was just smoking a cigarette in her place and I thought, “BULLSHIT! She’d smell that!” Then of course, she says “Gloria I know you’re there” but we don’t know why and then 10 minutes later, she says “Gloria’s been sneaking cigarettes again.” She’s very sly. She collects information constantly, and is thoughtful, especially later in the film, about how she reveals what she’s noticed.

C: Let’s talk about what scared you in the film - what aspects of movie magic were you most affected by?

S: It’s got great suspense and the apartment has a claustrophobic feel. It’d be scary enough if she weren’t blind, but the fact that she is heightens everything beyond your standard thriller. It’s that childhood fear of waking up in the middle of the night and knowing in your guts there’s someone in your room, or someone in the hallway, they can see you but you can’t see them. Through Susy we’re reminded of that fear of being watched by an enemy we can’t see.

C: Agreed. Awesome apartment though, huh?

S: Awesome? It’s ground floor. You’d never live there.

C: Only because I have before and will never go back. And I didn’t see any bugs in her place.

S: Does “Wait Until Dark” feel like a horror film to you? It has one of the most famous jump scares of all time.

C: Well, I fa SHO screamed out loud in the theater when it happened! It’s really, really suspenseful, the action moves at a great pace and you just feel like Susy is falling deeper and deeper into quicksand and you’re hoping like hell she’ll make it out. But, very little blood and gore. Although, there are four murders, so, that’s pretty horrific. That’s about half the cast.

S: But is there anything that makes it a horror film, and not a suspense thriller? How is it different from ‘The Pelican Brief’?

C: My favorite! Good question, though. Maybe it isn’t. You definitely get the heeby jeebies and a knot in your stomach the entire film. It’s a character study in the evil within human beings and how far people will go for base satisfactions like money. What do you think?

S: I think that’s all true. For me it’s her blindness. That’s what makes it a horror film. She’s living through her nightmare, especially when she’s exposed to fire. We can see it, but she can only smell it, or when Roat puts it up to her face, FEEL it. That’s horrifying, but then the film also brings you into this awesome Dark Place late in the story. The “Tap! Tap! Tap!” scene. It’s completely pitch black, like she thrusts her mental and physical world onto him. And soaks him in gasoline. I think that’s the horror element though, knowing that she’s experiencing the events in total darkness because that’s her life.

C: Yeah, exactly, that’s how she lost her sight, right, in a car accident fire. Well said! Man, the “Tap! Tap! Tap!” scene is great! I loved watching her smash all the lightbulbs and you’re thinking she’s planning to sink whoever comes back for her into darkness and instead of just leveling the playing field she now has the advantage. Wow, and how she forgets about the light in the fridge, at the end of the Tap scene, and she hears the motor and is completely devastated. That moment also represented for me how much pride she takes in being able to negotiate her new blindness and she’s crushed because she feels like she’s failed. The film is really very well written, well constructed, and so suspenseful. When I get to the bottom of my queue, that’s the first one I’m re-watching. :)

Halloween clean-up

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:24:06 PDT

Some know November 1^st as All Saint’s Day, All Hallow’s Day, or Hallow-mass; some know it as the rather more festive Dia de los Muertos. For many of us, however, it signals that the Halloween season is over, and we have only 364 days to prepare for the next one.

Some of the smells are hard to get rid of…

Modern Horror Gets Our Engines Revved

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:37:33 PDT

"I never feel more in the present than when I'm scared in a horror film."

Two interesting interviews and articles with author and critic Jason Zinoman, whose book Shock Value hit the shelves earlier this year. Modern horror is examined and the very nature of fear discussed. Big shout-outs to Night of the Living Dead, Rosemary's Baby, and the world of monsters. Enjoy.

Go-Go-Gadget Child Robot with Biomimetic Body!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:05:59 PDT

Celebrate this Halloween AND get your geek on with one of the World's 10 Creepiest Gadgets, compiled by Sean Fallon of nerdapproved.com, like the Demonbells seen above! Just in time for the holidays!

Haute Couture Tentacle Dress

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:35:51 PDT

High fashion meets Cthulhu.

Bram Stoker's Journal

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:31:35 PDT

Here is a report from the CNN website about the discovery of Bram Stoker's private journal by his great-grandson, Noel Dobbs. It sheds some light on his creation of "Dracula." Of course, it will probably not mention his "homage" to F. Sheridan LaFanu's "Carmilla." Nope, probably not.

Camera Obscura Part One

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:22:54 PDT

If you are liking American Horror Story, we have a Halloween treat for you. In celebration of the CAMERA OBSCURA MOBILE GAME now available for iOS and Android, Drew Dewalt Studios releasing the 20 part demon hunting web series. Written and Directed by Drew Daywalt and Produced by MWG Entertainment and Jeff Farley.

Paranorman Trailer

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:17:05 PDT

From Laika, the stop-motion genius's that brought you Neil Gaiman's Coraline, comes Paranorman.

Zombies Feed on Recession Economy!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:25:34 PDT

According to the Huffington Post, the Zombie archetype has generated piles of cash. It's become an industry. Just like, say, Miley Cyrus. I know what you’re thinking, but she’s more likely a replicant than a zombie.

Read the HuffPost article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/zombies-economy-pump-5-million_n_1030569.html#s432040&title=Zombie_Movies

How do horror aficionados feel about our symbols turning into… pop culture references? And how much is your zombie worth to you?

An Afternoon Treat... for Your Brain!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:14:34 PDT

Dragging a little this lovely Friday afternoon? Watching the minutes tick by? Take two of those minutes to complete this horror movie title challenge, courtesy of Sporcle.com. Zing!

Maleficium: Dark Art Exhibition Tomorrow

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:27:09 PDT

An amazing collection of artists are showing tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 29) at the first annual Maleficium: Dark Arts Exhibition. Curated by painter and sculptor, J. Anthony Kosar, this is a free gallery opening and will be filled with dark arts goodness with work by world-class illustrators, painters, and sculptors.

You know these artists from their work on The Sandman (Jill Thompson), 30 Days of Night (Ben Templesmith), Jack of Fables (Tony Akins), Star Wars (Dave Dorman) ... the list goes on and on. Twenty-nine artists and their work.

I'll be displaying my latest painting, Cthulhu Rising, created in time for the Halloween weekend. See you there!

Paranormal Activity 3 Breaks Opening Record

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:11:15 PDT

"Over the weekend, Paranormal Activity 3 took in $52 million at the U.S. box office, the best September/October opening in history and the highest ever for a horror movie."

Saw it a few nights ago on one of Lady Morlock's and my precious date nights. I hadn't seen the previous two, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. And I find it encouraging that today's horror-movie goers (and potential WildClaw patrons!) are being taught the benefits of patience, the slow build, the clever mis-direct, the horror of the mental construct, rather than the cheap jumpscare and the CG rubber monster mask.

Slate article here:.

Weekends To Die For Photo Hunt

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:12:39 PDT

Put your observation skills to the test in this photo game. Take a look at each picture set and find the difference between the 2 photos.

Click on the image to be taken to the Travel Channel site to play.

Wes Craven at TEDx Chicago

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:49:11 PDT

Seeking Wonderland trumpet maestro and Friend of WildClaw, Kevin Richey attended a TEDx Chicago event earlier this month. He hit a seminar given by some dude named Wes Craven.

Kevin had offered to follow Mr. Craven into the men's room and lay the WildClaw elevator pitch on him, but alas, the opportunity did not present itself. Kevin did say he had a dandy time -- the event was based loosely on "the nature of evil". Here are some bullet points from Wes Craven's seminar:

• People don't pay to be scared because they're weird. They pay to have the fear that is in all of us brought to the surface. When it's brought the surface it can be dealt with. Fear can be very freeing when it is shared.

• Horror audiences tend to be very smart, brave, inquisitive, able to deal with complex issues, well adjusted

• Despite all our thousands of years of evolution, the human species still has nightmares. It's evidence that we have a biological need to deal with fear that our conscious mind doesn't want to deal with

• Horror is especially important for young people - it's a way for them to deal with complex issues as they are just beginning to understand how the world works in the midst of great personal change (i.e. puberty)

• The standard horror narrative is universal. That is, the car that breaks down in the middle of nowhere on a moonless night is a perfect metaphor for the shared truth - we are on a tiny planet in the middle of a mostly empty universe that is little understood, and anything can happen to us at anytime.

Come see Kevin wail with Seeking Wonderland on December 5th at the Mayne Stage for DEATHSCRIBE 2011

Horror comics

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:21:49 PDT

Reposted by permission from my good friend and excellent blogger, Mark Brett, a lovely installment about the grisly and gruesome nature of classic horror comics:

25 horror comics that prove... DOCTOR WERTHAM WAS RIGHT!!

In Dreams...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:41:28 PDT

Many, many, many blood-soaked thanks to Anthony and Kathy Jaskulski for playing their part in making our Masque of the Red Death benefit such a huge success. They took time away from their busy schedules with school, work and Dream Reapers (Chicago's Most Horrifying Haunted House!) to help keep the folks on their toes at our not-so-little soirée.

Anthony showed off his make-up artistry using the faces of Kathy and Susan Hooper as his canvas, before transforming himself to creep out our guests, while their souls (or what was left of them) were captured by Kathy and her magical camera.

If you want to see some of Anthony's handiwork, and see what they do outside their day-to-day life, visit Dream Reapers, Chicago's Most Horrifying Haunted House!

Peanut Butter in my Chocolate...Wonder Woman and Horror

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:49:15 PDT

Seriously...the only thing I love more than horror and ponies is Wonder Woman...so the two together...le sigh...awesome-sauce. If they put Wonder Woman on a pony fighting a Kraken...then I will die a happy woman.

Also, Wonder Woman will soon be drawn by Wildclaw friend and all around super cool dude, Tony Akins. We love him. He rules...and draws real good too.

Music Box Massacre Saturday October 15th, 2011

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:48:18 PDT

We think you should go. Some of us will be there.

Imagine it, a typical art cinema on Chicago’s Northside. Quiet, beautiful, tranquil, and known for showing the same on screen…. except for one 24 hour period every October.
Noon, Saturday October 15th until Noon, Sunday October 16th— experience Horror on the big screen.
Film Line-Up:
Noon – Waxworks – (Silent film with live organ accompaniment!)
1:30pm – Burn Witch Burn (Rarely Screened 60’s Classic!)
3:05pm – Hour of the Wolf (Ingmar Bergman’s Nightmarish Vision)
4:45pm – The Abominable Dr. Phibes (Vincent Price!)
6:30pm – Wizard of Gore (with Herschell Gordon Lewis in Person!)
8:45pm – Halloween (The Original John Carpenter Masterpiece!)
10:30pm – Poltergeist (80’s Craziness!)
12:45am – Pumpkinhead (The FX Masterpiece!)
2:30am – Gates of Hell (Gore Galore!)
4:15am- The Vampire Lovers (Hammer Horror Lovely Ladies!)
6:00am – Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (The Bob Clark Classic!)
7:45am -The Sentinel (Rare Screening!)
9:20am – From Dusk ‘Til Dawn (Tarantino & Rodriquez Insanity!)
Plus Vendor tables, prizes, and Charity auctions for Vital Bridges —- Vital Bridges’ mission is to help people throughout metropolitan Chicago impacted by HIV and AIDS to improve their health and build self-sufficiency by providing food, nutrition, housing, case management and prevention services.
Special Guests to be announced soon, but one confirmed guest will be HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS, “The Godfather of Gore” and director of such sick scarefests as “2,000 Maniacs”, “The Wizard of Gore” and “Blood Feast!”

Ticket Info: ADVANCED SALES ARE SOLD OUT! REMAINING INVENTORY TO BE SOLD AT THE DOOR!
$29 from 8/15 – 9/15 only 350 available at this price!

$34 from 9/16 – 10/14 only 220 available at this price!

$38 day of show only 80 available at this price!

All advanced tickets are sold out for this event! The remaining inventory will be sold at the box office starting at 10am on Saturday

Bucket O' Blood

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:41:48 PDT

Totally unsolicited plug here:

Last weekend? Weekend before? Lady Morlock and I stopped into this joint not once, not twice, but THREE times in the space of three days.

Up until then, we had the same experience I'm sure you did, traveling down Milwaukee Ave, passing the sign

and thinking "hell yeah I want to check that place out."

Do it. It's that cool. It's the book shelf my Dad and I would have if we had a sweet bachelor pad together and I hadn't lost half his John Norman collection back in the eighties.

Speaking of the eighties, that's the truly glorious thing about the used vinyl. Yeah, there are the obligatory water-damaged CSN albums and whatnot, but it's mostly about the deep, strange and specific eighties shit. I grabbed an Art of Noise disc I'd been hunting and presented Lady Morlock with TIM CURRY's SOLO RECORD!!! You heard me. Tim Curry, swaggering and free-styling over crappy Eddie Money beats. It's incredible.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3--TWEET TO SEE IT FIRST!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:15:22 PDT

Tweet to see it First! Bring Paranormal Activity 3 to your city early. #ParanormalActivity #Chicago Vote:paranormalmovie.com

TWEET TO DECIDE WHO IN THE WORLD SEES “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3” FIRST!

Paramount Pictures Launches First Ever Global “Tweet To See It First" to Kick Off the Eagerly Awaited 3^rd Installment of the Thriller Franchise

Movie Will Premiere in 20 Cities Worldwide on October 18^th

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 28, 2011) – In an unprecedented move, Paramount Pictures will debut PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 exclusively in cities where the most fans “Tweet To See It First”. This first ever of its kind campaign launched today at 8:00 a.m. PDT and is open to fans worldwide. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 will premiere on October 18^th in the top 20 cities with the most tweets, 3 days before the film’s global release.

“The support of this franchise from the online community is phenomenal. We again look to reward them for that support by offering them the chance to see it first, this time expanding our reach globally,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.

To vote, fans can go to www.ParanormalMovie.com and select their city from a global map, which will also serve as the point of entry to create a tweet with a special set of hash tags that link directly to twitter. Once a tweet posts, it counts as a vote. A leader board will show the top 20 global markets in real-time.

The “Tweet To See It First” competition is available to audiences worldwide and ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Thursday, October 13^th. The top 20 cities will be announced on Friday, October 14^th.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 is produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli and Steven Schneider and directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman from a screenplay by Christopher Landon. Follow PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TweetYourScream for audience reactions and important announcements.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group and Paramount Television & Digital Distribution.

Horror-Pin-up artwork by Chicago artist

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:10:33 PDT

Local artist Joseph Rade was kind enough to donate 7 different prints of his horror pin-up artwork for the upcoming WildClaw benefit! Each print is about 11"x17" and printed full-bleed (of course!!) and once began as hand-drawn and painted images that have been scanned and fine-tuned digitally.

He has just started hitting the convention circuit this year with his artwork, and he's getting very positive responses... and most of his customers have been women (wink! wink!)! If you are coming to the benefit, keep your eyes peeled for these items on the Silent Auction block. You can see more of his work on DeviantArt or on Facebook.

Methinx this is a perfect fit for the event and our fans, don't you?

Frankenstein Necklaces from Von Erickson's Lab! Get em at our Benefit!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:47:10 PDT

Von Erickson's Lab has sent along several awesome necklaces for our Red Death Benefit! These babies are so fun. Check them out at his etsy store and give the gift of horror while supporting fantastic independent crafters! I love the drippy bloody one myself!

Tara McPherson's Lilitu From Kid Robot Black

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 22:13:36 PDT

I love this new piece from artist Tara McPherson and Kid Robot Black. Get the full run-down with a rotating full view of the piece from the folks over at Vinyl Pulse.

Dead Weight

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:35:28 PDT

Ladies and Germs, let me present to you some home-grown talent and their new movie, Dead Weight.

First, check out the trailer:

Here are some credits:

Written and directed by Adam Bartlett and John Pata

Featuring Joe Belknap, Mary Lindberg, Michelle Courvais, Aaron Christensen, Sam Lenz, and Jess Ader. Music for the film was done by Nicholas Elert.

Edited by John Pata

Director of Photography is Travis Auclair

Executive Producers: Chris Burgbacher; Nancy Cremer; Bradford Lasky; Maureen Lasky; Daniel Lowin; and Melanie Lowin

Produced by: Adam Bartlett; Dan Kiggens; and Lee Marohn; and John Pata.

Now, check out the poster:

Bedlam on BBC America Premieres Saturday October 1st!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:14:03 PDT

The previews look spooky good and the subject matter along gives me the wiggins.

Clive Barker Discusses Writing

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:52:56 PDT

Over at inkpop, they have a nice piece with Clive Barker on the writing process and creating a world environment. Barker talks about his islands in Abarat.

Deathscribe killed the Website...Some last minute tips for you procrastinators!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:11:46 PDT

Clearly you are all a bunch of wonderful procrastinators...fear not pretties. We are working on the problem and you will be able to submit all your twisted little radio plays for us. Be patient.

In the meantime here are some tips:

DON'T SEND US SCREENPLAYS. Seriously people. I am not sure how ten minute radio plays became the same thing as a two hour feature film screenplay. Grumble.
Use proper radio format...look to the BBC writer's room for inspiration.
Write about something that excites/repels/interests/scares/arouses you.
Don't send us stage plays....there is a difference folks.
Theatre of the Mind...when you have no visuals, your mind gets to play a little. Enhance that by thinking of the sounds as well as the dialogue and story. It makes a huge difference.
Remember that because there are no visuals...you need to do things like repeat names on occasion. And you can't write sound cues like "man throws himself off a building"...I mean you CAN but as your foley girl...I will hate you. Think about how you can make that visual happen with sound and dialogue. The audience won't know what that thud is (probably a sack of potatoes)...but if you add lines like "Don't do it Chet!" and "Oh no that dude just jumped!" then people might get it. Got it?
And once again...don't send us screenplays. Seriously.

Red Death Silent Auction Haul Continues!- Tonner Vampire Diaries!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:53:32 PDT

The goodies for our Masque of the Red Death silent auction have become EPIC. I got a huge box from Tonner Doll Company with three shiny new character figures from their Vampire Diaries line! So come to our benefit and take home your very own Damon, Stefan, and Elena.

So buy your tickets to this killer party, kick your Halloween off in style, and feed your horror collectible urges.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:10:57 PDT

Doug Jones in the AV Club

Bob Howard, Plumber of the Unknown....

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:13:05 PDT

So I think you should read this comic. It is by the delightful Raf Nieves and Dan Dougherty of our fair city of Chicago. It's about a normal guy, with a normal job, fighting monsters. I love it.

Tomorrow - Abarat: Absolute Midnight Drops

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:51:13 PDT

New Clive Barker fiction today!

Dark Shadows Cast Photo

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:40:54 PDT

Check out the whole article here.... Johnny Lee Miller AND Johnny Depp...peanut butter in my chocolate yall..

Sazon Chicago bringing you good spooky Red Death Benefit food...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:33:31 PDT

Our Red Death Benefit is fast approaching (get your tickets!!!!). Sazon Chicago is doing the food...and let me tell you it's going to be tasty....and some of it even tentacle-y. No fooling! They are also rocking out our silent auction with a gift certificate to their Sazon Light meal plan!

Ani-Motion Monster Masks

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:36:33 PDT

There are a whole slew of the ani-motion monster masks available. A simple Google search will show where to get them. (Basically everywhere.) Pretty damn cool.

What to wear to our Benefit, hmm? Groupon for Chicago Costume Today!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:08:55 PDT

Wondering what to wear to our Masque of the Red Death benefit...how about a mask? I know, a shocking leap of logic...

$15 for $30 Worth of Costumes and Accessories from Chicago Costume http://www.groupon.com/deals/chicago-costume-1?utm_campaign=VisitorReferral&utm_medium=email&utm_source=anonymous

Chicago Monster Dash Oct 20,2011

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:37:19 PDT

Chicago Monster Dash Splasher from EideCom on Vimeo.

Horror Film Description FAIL

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:16:50 PDT

Raising the level of discourse...

That's right. Reposting from FAILblog. Mr. Morlock, can you get any lazier? Shame on you. You should re-read the Studies in Scary post. Casey and Barsotti are making you look like a clown.

Clive Barker's Video Intro to Abarat: Absolute Midnight

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:25:03 PDT

Studies in Scary - Poltergeist

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:59:54 PDT

Continuing my quest to learn more about the horror genre of film, Scotty B and I took in a small, family film called Poltergeist. Released in 1982, Tobe Hooper's horror classic tells the story of a terrorized family dealing with an unknown evil presence in their home, one that has seemingly abducted their youngest child. But the child hasn't gone far - she's somewhere in the home.

SPOILER ALERT! This conversation divulges in detail many of the scary twists and turns of the film. If you haven't seen Poltergeist, you probably won't want to read this!

Scott: Poltergeist is one of my favorite horror movies ever. I have my reasons (some of which you might be able to guess). But where does it stand for you?

Casey: It's one of the few horror movies I've seen that I've both been scared by and, for the most part, have been able to keep my eyes open throughout. That ranks pretty high in my book! There is such a focus on performances, it's really a great movie for actors to watch.

S: Who in particular?

C: Particularly JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson as the parents, and Beatrice Straight as Dr. Lesh. All three face such a frightening reality but they hold onto each other and treat one another with compassion. At the heart of the story is a family who love one another facing extraordinary circumstances.

S: Yeah, I love how intimate the movie feels, especially that scene with Dr. Lesh and Diane, the one at night when they're whispering about the light. There's something so sweet and yet reassuring and yet deeply frightening about that scene.

C: The film manages to feel very

intimate despite the big ass monsters throughout.

S: As you might imagine, horror fans love Zelda Rubinstein ("Tangina") in that movie.

C: Oh yeah, I can imagine!

S: I think Oliver Robins, who plays Robbie, is excellent too, especially that moment when he discovers Carol Anne's "location" and is too scared to yell. How long it takes him to yell "Mommy!" is so true to life, like trying to wake up from a nightmare.

C: Agreed. That little dude didn't have an easy job. He's got an inordinate amount of scared faces in his bag of tricks, and there are so many close ups of him in despair. I appreciate that you see the story, at some points, through his eyes. As a child afraid of storms and weird trees, missing his sister, loving his parents. It feels very real.

S: Yes, the story's point of view changes throughout, which I really like. I also like that it's a movie that makes me genuinely sad at times. Watching their reactions. That it's so reactive makes it a quintessential horror film.

C: You're right, there is such a deep sense of sadness. You're watching a family deal with the loss of a child. It's heartbreaking.

S: Yeah, they really might not get her back. You had mentioned that you found it sad that Nelson's character promised that he'd "Never" let go of the rope during the retrieval of Carol Anne.

C: Totally. Immediately I felt like it was a promise he couldn't keep and when he didn't, it would haunt him to feel responsible for the loss of both his daughter and wife. Oy. Big stuff.

S: Yeah. That's a really sad idea to me. When faced with the unknown, you can't make any promises.

C: As an audience, we're duped into thinking "this house is clean" but the keen observer can probably guess we're in for a lot more. Did you see that coming the first time you saw it?

S: Nope. They up the ante from paranormalist to medium. That giant skull comes flying out of the closet. The parents are heroes. It definitely seemed over to me.

C: It's not one of those situations where you're thinking, "That was too easy." They go through hell.

S: Exactly, they even get slimed.

C: Haha, yeah. I did have a sick feeling in my stomach when Diane (the mother) leaves the kids to g

o color her hair later in the film. I knew that wasn't going to end well.

S: Well, when the resolution starts to wear on and they don't just wrap it up, you know the other shoe's gotta drop. You just have no idea what that shoe is. What'd you think of the big climactic showdown?

C: It was awesome! You get a fierce mama running around in her underwear, climbing the walls, which is an evil we haven't seen yet. That damn clown comes back. It seems, though, that while there is for sure an evil presence in the house, it doesn't want to kill them.

S: One of my favorite elements of that climax is that the dead aren't animate, that the bodies and caskets resurface but they aren't like, grabbing at them or shuffling after them like zombies. There was probably a temptation to do that which I for one am glad they resisted.

C: Me too, exactly.

S: Yeah, it's ambiguous whether it wants to kill the family, though it DOES seem to want the kids. For their innocence? Their life force? Who knows?

C: It's like a big game. Mama falls in the slime-bucket pool, and I thought the skeletons would drown and kill her, but they just sort of bobbed up and down with her. It's as if the evil picks and chooses when to really show its hand. What was your take on some of the creepy things that happened - like the face melting scene in the bathroom and the tree swallowing Robbie? Is the poltergeist making them hallucinate? The tree thing is what I can't get over...

S: The face peeling is a hallucination, or maybe just a morbid waking dream. The tree swallowing Robbie is a weird one. What happens if he gets swallowed? It's weird to me because it's outside the house, though, I guess still on the defiled land.

C: Yeah, but I think after my favorite old oak tree tried to eat my son, I might not sleep there another night.

S: I think they're gratuitous in a storytelling sense (they could've found a less silly way to distract the parents so Carol Anne could be taken), but they definitely up the creep factor with that stuff.

C: True, that's when she gets all swirled into the closet, huh? That part of the film is very sensational.

S: I suppose the pool is outside the house too. I agree though, the tree is a little over-the-top.

C: I'm really glad I saw it, it's clear why it's such a powerful, lasting force in the genre. Have you seen the sequels?

S: I have a vague recollection of seeing the second one, but that was a long time ago. The first one is the only one I've given repeat viewings. Though they do make it clear that poltergeists are different from hauntings, as poltergeists focus upon people not places. Perfect setup for sequels. Or perhaps a series on the CW. Sarah Michelle Gellar is back on TV, after all.

C: Aaaaaaand scene.

The Thing (2011) Red Band Trailer

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:56:28 PDT

More The Thing (2011) Videos

The Color of Evil

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:40:00 PDT

Check out this cool post by Ben Towle over at COLOURlovers on the color palettes for good and evil. Sweet!

Did zombies roam medieval Ireland?

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:37:08 PDT

This 8th-century skeleton was found in Ireland recently with a large stone shoved in its mouth. Archaeologists say it's possible that citizens feared he would rise from his grave like a zombie.

Two early medieval skeletons were unearthed recently in Ireland with large stones wedged into their mouths — evidence, archaeologists say, that it was feared the individuals would rise from their graves like zombies.

The skeletons, which were featured in a British documentary last week, emerged during a series of digs carried out between 2005 and 2009 at Kilteasheen, near Loch Key in Ireland, by a team of archaeologists led by Chris Read from the Institute of Technology in Sligo, Ireland and Thomas Finan from the University of St. Louis.

The project recovered a total of 137 skeletons, although archaeologists believe that some 3,000 skeletons spanning from 700 to 1400 are still buried at the site.

The "deviant burials" were comprised of two men who were buried there at different times in the 700s.

One of the men was between 40 and 60 years old, and the other was a young adult, probably between 20 and 30 years old. The two men were laid side by side and each had a baseball-size rock shoved in his mouth.

"One of them was lying with his head looking straight up. A large black stone had been deliberately thrust into his mouth," Chris Read, head of Applied Archaeology at IT Sligo, said.

"The other had his head turned to the side and had an even larger stone wedged quite violently into his mouth so that his jaws were almost dislocated," he added.

Initially, Read and colleagues thought they had found a Black Death-related burial ground. Remains of individuals buried at the end of the Middle Ages with stones stuck in their mouths have hinted at vampire-slaying rituals.

It was believed that these "vampire" individuals spread the plague by chewing on their shrouds after dying. In a time before germ theory, the stone in the mouth was then used as a disease-blocking trick.

Since the vampire phenomenon didn't emerge in European folklore until the 1500's, the archaeologists ruled out this theory for the 8th-century skeletons.

"In this case, the stones in the mouth might have acted as a barrier to stop revenants from coming back from their graves," Read told Discovery News.

Revenants, or the "walking dead," tended to be people who lived as outsiders in society, according to Read.

The two Irish men could have been considered potentially dangerous people, such as enemies, murderers or rapists, or they could have been ordinary individuals who died suddenly from a strange illness or murder.

Anything outside the norm would have caused the community to fear that these people could have come back to life to harass their loved ones or others against whom they had a grudge.

The mouth was seen as a key part of the body for such a transformation.

"It was viewed as the main portal for the soul to leave the body upon death. Sometimes, the soul could come back to the body and re-animate it or else an evil spirit could enter the body through the mouth and bring it back to life," Read said.

According to Kristina Killgrove, a biological anthropologist at the University of North Carolina, the burials' dating is particularly interesting as it appears to predate historical records on revenants.

"I'm also intrigued by the fact that the two males were not buried at the same time but were nonetheless buried side-by-side in this non-traditional manner, which suggests these burials were not accidental or careless," Killgrove told Discovery News.

Awesome horror posters to replace all those crappy Klimt prints from college...Artwork by Vlad!.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:48:44 PDT

You know you had (have) them up...and Van Gogh's starry night. Or that one with the two people kissing in the rain...shudder.

Artwork by Vlad has donated a super sexy Poe Poster for our upcoming Masque of the Red Death Benefit Gala. You should check both Vlad's Etsy store and our Gala out!

Michaela Ponders Monsters....

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:26:31 PDT

Monsters!!!

Vampires (I just had a vampire dream last night!), Zombies (I can't wait for the invasion!), Werewovles (they're ok...)

Point?

We love them.

We want them.

We invite them into our homes via our favorite books, films, etc. then let them reside in our minds where they nest & fester. We only want harm to come to them sometimes. Just sometimes...

But what about the really, real ones? The ones that perch on the outskirts of playgrounds and watch children. The ones that you don't notice because they don't want you to. The ones we want to go away forever and ever.

How are they vanquished?

Here's a theory & a jam.

-Michaela

Space Horror: the Genre, in 3D (this time it's personal)

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:59:52 PDT

Mr. Morlock is a big fan of HijinksEnsue, always love the opportunity to repost it. (and Event Horizon is personal fave of Lord and Lady Morlock, and WildClaw Founder, Charley Sherman.)

They have a rollicking community of commentators as well. Read (and join) the discussion about what counts as "Space Horror", the relative merits of "Red Planet" vs "Ghosts of Mars", and what an abysmal ball of poop "Doom" must be (god, I can't wait to Netflix it.)

Deathscribe Submissions...Deadline Extended until September 29th, 2011

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:23:56 PDT

SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!
DEADLINE EXTENDED: September 29th, 2011

We are looking for 10-minute radio scripts that are genuinely scary, imaginative, chilling, intelligent, suspenseful, horrific or downright grotesque. We put no restrictions on contestants as to content or tone, but keep in mind that we are a Horror Theatre. We take our horror seriously, and so should you.

Submission rules:
Scripts must be ready to produce - all sound and music cues included. Details on format can be found below. Please be aware that these scripts, if chosen, will be performed by no more than 6 actors, therefore if you have more characters it will require double casting by the director of the piece.

5 scripts will be selected from all submissions. After being selected, there will be an opportunity for the authors to refine, revise, and tighten these scripts (if deemed necessary) in collaboration with WildClaw Theatre Company.

These scripts will be rehearsed and presented as an evening of Live Radio Drama with foley sound at the Mayne Stage in Chicago's Rogers Park and recorded for a future WildClaw Blood Radio Podcast.

Deadline for submissions is midnight, September 29th, 2011.
Deathscribe selections will be “blind.” The title page should include the title of the script, names of all authors, and the address, phone/fax and email address of the author(s). The subsequent pages must include only the manuscript title and page number and NO identifying personal information (name, address, email, etc.) or it will be disqualified. There will be a “Best of the Fest” award, with the winner chosen by a celebrity panel of judges on the night of performance.

By submitting to WildClaw’s Deathscribe Radio Horror Festival, you are stating that the script is your own work and has not been produced or commissioned for pay by other theatre groups. Plays which have been produced professionally are not eligible. Audio plays that have received college/university productions only will be accepted.

By submitting your play and upon acceptance to WildClaw’s Deathscribe Radio Horror Festival, you are granting WildClaw the exclusive, non-binding rights to make copies of your work in all media - including print, digital, film, video, audio, or other Internet formats - used to promote the Festival. WildClaw Theatre will have the right to produce the selected scripts for the WildClaw Theatre Deathscribe Horror Radio Festival, including broadcast and/or webcast of the festival; however, WildClaw Theatre makes no commitment to produce any script. The author retains all other rights to his or her work.

Instructions to Submit
To submit electronically, please make sure your script is formatted correctly according to the guidelines (see below) and submit your script as an attachment to deathscribe2011@gmail.com.

Guidelines:
• Scripts must be no more than TEN MINUTES in length. This includes all sound effects, transitions and dialogue. The ENTIRE performance should only last 10 minutes. (And preferably no shorter than 7 minutes. Please read it aloud at home before submitting to check the running time. Generally one page reads as one minute.)
• Writers may submit up to two (2) scripts for Deathscribe consideration in any year. Submit three or more, and the Literary Legion will be very, very angry, and will choose which two they wish to read arbitrarily.
• PDF format is strongly preferred. If you don't have PDF, then only MS Word please. All scripts must have a title page with all contact information, but no identifying information should appear anywhere else in the document. Submissions must be in a standard font and no less than 12 point.

• NO SCREENPLAYS. SCREENPLAYS WILL BE DISCARDED. WE KNOW THEM WHEN WE SEE THEM.
• DO NOT submit full-length plays for consideration in Deathscribe. They will be discarded. If you wish to submit a full-length horror play to WildClaw, see our general submission guidelines.
• Scripts should follow radio drama format. Refer to BBC Writers Room's Script Smart site (not affiliated with the WildClaw Deathscribe Radio Play Festival) for script format, samples, and free templates at http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/
• Writers will be notified by email if their script(s) get selected.

• WildClaw Theatre’s Deathscribe Horror Radio Festival will take place December 5, 2011.
• Deadline for submissions is September 29th, 2011, at midnight.
Please contact the Daemon of WildClaw with questions at deathscribe2011@gmail.com

Doug Jones in Chicago-area this October!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:00:58 PDT

You heard me. Yes, actor Doug Jones and all his hugy-goodness will be in the Chicago-area early this October.

WHEN? Saturday, October 8 at 7:00pm - October 9 at 1:00am
HOW MUCH? $10
WHERE? Friendly Towers: Deep Hope Screening Room
920 W. Wilson Avenue
Chicago, IL

Note: Please keep in mind that the Deep Hope Screening room is affiliated with a Christian community center that some of the event planners are members of. If attending/sharing information about this event, please be respectful of the spiritual beliefs of others as well as the space being provided.

MORE INFO AVAILABLE & TICKETS NOW ON SALE AT TICKET LEAP!!!
http://jpusa.ticketleap.com/a-night-with-doug-jones-screening-of-horror-indie-absentia/

Sponsored by DEEP HOPE PRODUCTIONS and HORRORBLES

Come meet the star of Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy I & II, Fantastic 4:Rise of the Silver Surfer, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Batman Returns, Hocus Pocus, Mimic, Mystery Men, Lady in the Water, Three Kings, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Time Machine, Men In Black II, Doom, Legion, Cyrus, and Quarantine Tales from The Crypt, The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Bone Chillers, The Weird Al Show, The Outer Limits, CSI, The Guardian, Fear Itself, Criminal Minds and Universal Dead.

FREE Autographs on your personal item or purchase a photo or DVD from Doug.

INTERVIEW AND Q&A... DOOR PRIZES... more!

FULL FILM PROGRAM:
Doug Jones Award Winning Horror and Fantasy Shorts including The Candy Shop, The Butterfly Circus and Sudden Death and a Special Screening of ABSENTIA

back-to-skull

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:37:23 PDT

Yes boils and ghouls, more back to school creepiness, this time with a little help from Skullastic. i wish they had this stuff when i was a kid!!! We had to settle for Garbage Pail Kids stickers on our Trapper Keepers.

Great school supplies and t-shirts (some in adult sizes as well!) featuring original designs. my fave items are the split-personality Jekyll & Hyde split-notebook, the Three Hole Punch notebook for lefties, the Bench Warmer and the Buffy The Vampire Stapler items -- and keep your eyes peeled for the Elm Street Glue!!!(I only wish these notebooks came with more pages in them.)

How about it folks, do you have any awesome places to shop for creepy school/office items?

Steampunktopus!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:30:08 PDT

Etsy crafter extraordinaire Donna the Dead has made us some awesome swag for the upcoming Masque of the Red Death Benefit. You will want you tickets now...buy them. Also, check out Donna's amazing items for sale on her etsy page. I am very fond of the Steampunk Octopus...give the gift of hand-crafted horror this year!

The All-Time Scariest Moments from Found Footage Horror Movies

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:14:06 PDT

here's a sweet list with embedded video that I wish I had had the time and energy to create. so instead, let's repost it, from that nerd-topia known as io9.com.

I was brought up short by the lead image, which turns out to be a screen cap from "Grave Encounters".

I think my favorite comment is from n3onknight: "The more I stare at it, the more convinced I am it's a spawn of Gene Simmons."

What do you think? Any other "found-footage" films you can think of that hit the mark? My personal faves are [REC] and Cloverfield (I know, I know, bite me. Maybe my fondness really stems from this:)

...speaking of nerd-topia.

The Hunger Games VS Battle Royale

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:44:56 PDT

I need some help. (I know, that goes without saying.) I haven't read any of The Hunger Games series and would like to know the fundamental differences between it and Battle Royale. Anybody want to help me out here?

Studies in Scary - Suspiria

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:18:34 PDT

Dear wide world of horror fans,

As a new member of WildClaw, I’m under a bit of (self-imposed) pressure to beef up my knowledge of the horror genre. In particular, I’ve decided to focus on film and in an effort to expedite the process, Scott has graciously created my very own Netflix queue, chock-full of the baddest, bloodiest, and best horror fare a wife could ask for. You should know I’m a ‘fraidy-cat.

To further deepen my understanding and comprehension (and because, I guess sometimes I fall asleep while I watch movies, so I think this is sort of a test), Scott and I have decided to have a post-show chitty chat and blog about it here. So, as I work my way through the queue, we’ll post discussions, reactions and my favorite “watch through my fingers” moments. Ah, the memories of my first viewing of Silence of the Lambs come flooding back...

Up first: SUSPIRIA, Dario Argento’s 1977 horror gem. I thought, “Hey, I love dancing movies! An Italian film set in Germany? How romantic!” I had nooo idea what I was in for...

ps, if you were building YOUR classic horror film queue, what would be on it?! Mama’s got a lot to learn...

STUDIES IN SCARY - SUSPIRIA

SCOTT: Every time we watch a horror movie together, there’s a moment, usually early on, when you look at me like “Why are you doing this to me?” What was that moment in Suspiria?

CASEY: Ah, yes, I know that moment well. I think that would be the scene in the bathroom, early on, where one woman is banging on the door and one is locked in there. It’s hella windy and she sees something, and is drawn to the window. It’s very suspenseful and made me cringe. Then, of course, some dead-ass hands grab her through the glass and she gets got and I was right. :)

S: Yeah, that’s a good one. Early on is when you get a loading dose of the film’s awesome, oppressive soundtrack, too.

C: Yes, for sure, it definitely sets the mood and the pace (of my pulse, at least). It gives you a sense of the frantic energy and manic lady mood swings to come.

S: One of my favorite things about that movie is the visual style. Bright colors, odd angles, shots framed like paintings. It’s very pretty and alluring, but then crazy disorienting.

C: It’s almost like a fantasy world, like they live in a piece of candy. Which would be great if it weren’t a psychotic piece of homicidal candy. Very rich colors, deep greens and reds, lots of close ups. It does feel like you’ve stepped into the biggest nightmare of a children’s book ever created.

S: What did you think of the main girl, Suzy?

C: I thought she was a lot more brave than I would be in her situation, and also way stupid. Curiosity almost kills the cat. But it’s not just Suzy; I often wonder in horror movies, when characters are in very dark or dangerous situations where they can feel in their guts that something is wrong, why they don’t immediately remove themselves from those situations? I guess, because, there would be no story if they did, but I’m the type of gal who moves subway cars the instant I feel dangerous vibes or some weirdo is just too weird.

S: So, do you think she’s being a hero when she’s going into the heart of darkness to find Helena Markos? Is it about revenge? If you were playing that role how would you justify it?

C: Maybe she thinks she has nothing to lose? She’s been drugged and essentially held captive for the better part of the film, so maybe she knows she has to get herself out, do it for herself, if she’s gonna get out alive. I wouldn’t say hero, I thought she was quite naive, actually, but she does take the initiative and determine she’s not going to let those crazy bitches decide her fate. There is a lot of bravery in avenging the death of her friend, certainly. And she makes it out alive, so bully for her!

S: The scene from the movie that really sticks with me is the scene in the city square, when Daniel the pianist is killed by his dog, creepy to think that the witches have enough power to make a loyal animal literally eat its owner. What sticks with you?

C: Oh my God, I know! I totally forgot about that! There is some dark shit going down in the Game of Thrones book I’m reading right now, involving animals turning on their owners (and I don’t know how or why yet, so don’t anybody ruin it for me!). That’s a great scene, very haunting.

Oh man, that undead biotch in the basement, her voice is the WORST. It’s like Kathleen Turner got stuck in a vault of cigar smoke for 150 years. It’s really, really terrible and very scary. And the fact that you can’t see her, she’s old as shit but she’s still very sharp and very dangerous. Oh man, she’s a nasty witch, dude. Overall, I thought the film was effectively spooktastic. You don't get the same bells and whistles that you see in more modern films, but the film gets into your head and delivers the thrills.

ice, ice, baby...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:11:19 PDT

unwelcome guests at your door? serve them up drinks with ice cubes made in these awesome trays to either scare them away or coming back for more!

you can score these and more here! would you put these on your shopping list?

Don't be afraid of the dark...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:30:08 PDT

I share Guillermo's memories of that 1973 TV movie, and have been haunted by it ever since.

I am very excited about this.

Director promises ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark’ remake has classic edge

Guillermo del Toro has monsters on the brain.
So many, in fact, that the Mexican-born director of such creature-filled fantasies as the Oscar-winning “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the “Hellboy” franchise is often compelled to empty his mind by sketching their portraits in one of his always-handy leather-bound journals.
But few supernatural beings have gripped his imagination quite as powerfully as those that frightened him when he was an impressionable 9-year-old: the vicious goblins that threaten actress Kim Darby in the 1973 TV movie “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.”

you're gonna need a bigger living room.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:54:23 PDT

Maximo Riera is producing a line of chairs meshed with realistic sculptures of animals... the octopus is obviously my fave at the moment. check it out here.

shouldn't every chair come with a set of tentacles?

New American Horror Story Poster

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:37:11 PDT

Horror Themed Fabric for all of your Crafty Needs!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:32:37 PDT

I am in love with all of these. Must get some and start sewing. Check out the awesomeness....

10 Creepiest Dolls Ever

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:10:31 PDT

Click here to see 10 of the creepiest dolls ever created!

Dolls have always been collectors' items and things of fascination. Some people love them, some people think they are creepy little things… artist Olivier Pauwels has gone one step further and created a collection of dolls crossed with machinery that are so creepy they make your skin crawl a little.

Artist Jon Beinart creates bizarre yet fascinating doll sculptures he called "Toddlerpedes". He started out by assembling creatures from doll torsos, limbs and heads in order to amuse himself and his friends. Over the years Toddlerpedes evolved to imitate insects and mythological creatures.

Fright Night; The Thing

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:53:19 PDT

Speaking of Charlie's post re: the Thing. Saw the trailer for the reboot/prequel/whatever-damn-terminology-is-appropriate before the remake/why-not/easier-than-marketing-something-original of Fright Night.

Weird. Trailer seemed to be the original Carpenter film on fast-forward. Like its going to be a shot-for-shot homage, a la that bizarro Gus Van Zandt exercise back the day. Only with a chick instead Snake Plisken. Really weird.

So how was Fright Night? A bit more than meh. Maybe a lot bit more than meh. Colin Farrell did seem to have a lot of fun in the two or three scenes he actually got to talk. And act. And jitter and twitch and sniff and smirk. Hell, it was a lot of fun. And you get "Evil Ed" McLovin in the final fight scene. If you can't be satisfied with that, you're watching the wrong movie.

Audiences Loving Scary Live Theatre

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:03:02 PDT

This article from Britain's Sky News discusses the tremendous popularity that scary thriller stage plays are enjoying in the English theatre. Plays like "Haunting Julia" and the sell-out play, "Ghost Stories" are making people faint and vomit from the tension. And you thought theatre was for wimps.

Happy, Happy Birthday Lovecraft! You Scamp.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:29:53 PDT

"Madness rides the star-wind... claws and teeth sharpened on centuries of corpses... dripping death astride a bacchanale of bats from nigh-black ruins of buried temples of Belial..."
"The Hound" Written by H. P. Lovecraft September 1922, published February 1924 in Weird Tales, 3, No. 2, 50–52, 78

Oh, Lovecraft, you wacky guy.

Who Was The Thing?

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:15:42 PDT

SPOILER ALERT - If you haven't seen John Carpenter's The Thing, don't read this entry. Go watch the movie and then come back.)

Over at Badass Digest, Devin Faraci bring us the details on Rob Ager's new analysis of John Carpenter's The Thing. Ager is the gentlemen who so meticulously detailed the layout of The Shining's Overlook Hotel. While the whole analysis is only available on a DVD Ager sells on his site, Faraci has included the two part video that looks at the question of whether or not Childs was The Thing.

FX's New American Horror Story

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:28:21 PDT

FX TO TELL AMERICAN HORROR STORY

FX Orders 13-Episode Drama Series from Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award Winning Producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk
Series Produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television
Award-Winning Cast Stars Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga, Evan Peters and Denis O’Hare

LOS ANGELES, July 18, 2011 – FX has placed a 13-episode order for its next original drama series, American Horror Story, co-created by former Nip/Tuck executive producers and current Glee co-creators/executive producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, announced John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks. American Horror Story begins production in Los Angeles on July 27 and will premiere on FX in October.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan and Brad back to their original home,” said Landgraf. “They have shown an uncanny ability to bring original series to the air unlike any that have come before, and to reconcile ’wildly entertaining’ with the ’creatively ambitious.’ Once again, American Horror Story is a wholly unique and original take on its genre with richly drawn characters. The ability to put together a cast of stars such as Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Denis O’Hare, Frances Conroy and Oscar^®-winner Jessica Lange speaks to the quality of the writing and storytelling. This series is going to blow audiences back in their seats, and we can’t wait to have it on our air.”
The pilot episode of American Horror Story, shot in Los Angeles, was written by Murphy and Falchuk, and it was directed by Murphy. In addition to Murphy and Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto will also serve as Executive Producer of the series.
“Brad and I are excited to be back at FX where we enjoyed such a terrific relationship working with John Landgraf and his team through 100 episodes of Nip/Tuck,” said Murphy. “The support of John, Dana Walden and Gary Newman on American Horror Story has been nothing short of amazing. Our cast is extraordinary and we can’t wait to get started on production.”
American Horror Story is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.
“Ryan and Brad are two of the most original voices working in television, and their singular vision is evident in every frame of American Horror Story,” commented TCFTV Chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “Just as they delivered a brand new take on the musical comedy in Glee, they’ve completely reinvented the horror genre with this spellbinding series. Their script attracted a cast that is a virtual ’who’s who’ of award winning performers and the result is an electrifying piece of entertainment. It has long been our goal to bring this brilliant team back to John Landgraf and FX, where they had such success with Nip/Tuck. In American Horror Story, they are returning with something unlike anything else on the air that is a perfect fit for this channel’s brand.”
American Horror Story revolves around The Harmons, a family of three who move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means to reconcile past anguish. The All Star cast features Dylan McDermott (The Practice) as “Ben Harmon,” a psychiatrist; Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) as “Vivien Harmon,” Ben’s wife; Taissa Farmiga as “Violet,” the Harmon’s teenage daughter; Jessica Lange (Tootsie, Blue Sky, Grey Gardens) in her first-ever regular series TV role as “Constance,” the Harmon’s neighbor; Evan Peters (One Tree Hill) as “Tate Langdon,” one of Ben’s patients; and Denis O’Hare (The Good Wife) as “Larry Harvey.” Guest stars for the series include Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Alexandra Breckenridge (Dirt) as the Harmon’s housekeepers; and Jamie Brewer as Constance’s daughter.
American Horror Story is FX’s 12^th drama to receive a full 13-episode series order, and ninth out of the last ten drama pilots produced by the network to receive a series order. Other FX dramas include the Golden Globe Award winning Sons of Anarchy, the highest-rated series in the network’s history; the acclaimed Emmy Award nominated hit Justified; the critically acclaimed series Terriers, and Lights Out; Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Damages; Emmy Award nominated The Riches; Dirt; the acclaimed Over There; Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominated hit Rescue Me; Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Nip/Tuck; and Emmy and Golden Globe Award hit The Shield. FX is currently in production on two other drama series pilots, Outlaw Country, starring John Hawkes, Mary Steenburgen, Luke Grimes and Haley Bennett, and Powers, starring Jason Patric.

About the Producers

American Horror Story is Ryan Murphy’s second series for FX. In 2003, he created the Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning Nip/Tuck for FX, which was ad-supported cable’s #1 scripted series in delivery of Adults 18-49 for four consecutive years. In addition, he received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. He is Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer/Director the Emmyand Golden GlobeAwardwinning musical comedy Glee for FOX, for which he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. Glee is the #1 scripted hour on broadcast television in delivery of Adults 18-49 and re-energized the music business. The live Glee Tour has played to sold-out audiences across the U.S, and Europe. He is Executive Producer of The Glee Project, a reality TV series on Oxygen. In feature films, Murphy wrote the adapted screenplays for Running With Scissors and Eat, Pray, Love, both of which he also directed. Brad Falchuk first teamed with Murphy as a Co-Producer/Writer in the first season of the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning drama Nip/Tuck, spending all seven seasons on the series and rising to Executive Producer. He is Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer/Director of the Golden Globe and EmmyAwardwinning musical comedy Glee for FOX. In addition to American Horror Story, Dante Di Loreto is an Executive Producer of the Emmyand Golden GlobeAwardwinning musical comedy Glee for FOX, and he is Executive Producer of The Glee Project on Oxygen.

About the cast

Dylan McDermott was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on The Practice, in which he played attorney “Bobby Donnell.” This role earned him three Golden Globe Award nominations and he won the award in 1999. Connie Britton garnered two EmmyAward nominations for her work on the critically acclaimed series Friday Night Lights in which she played “Tami Taylor.” In addition, she has been nominated for two Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards for her work the series. Jessica Lange has been nominated for six Academy^® Awards and has won the Oscar twice in her career as Best Actress in Blue Sky and Best Supporting Actress in Tootsie. She has 11 Golden Globe nominations and four wins for her work in King Kong, Tootsie, Blue Sky and A Streetcar Named Desire. In addition, Lange has three Emmy Award nominations and won the award for her role in Grey Gardens. For five seasons, Frances Conroy starred as “Ruth Fisher” in the hit HBO drama, Six Feet Under, winning the Golden Globe Award in 2004 and earning four Emmy Award nominations. A newcomer to acting, Taissa Farmiga appeared in Higher Ground, which was directed by and starred her sister, Vera Farmiga. In addition to his co-starring role on One Tree Hill, Evan Peters has also guest starred on Parenthood, The Office and The Mentalist. Denis O’Hare has been nominated twice for Broadway’s Tony^® Award: as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for Assassins and as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) in Take Me Out, for which he won the award. O’Hare was part of the ensemble of Milk, which was nominated for a Screen Actor’s Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in Motion Picture.

Banning Zombies? Not A Good Idea.

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:17:20 PDT

The Tennessee Valley Authority bans costumes, specifically zombies, from its upcoming board meeting. Want to know how to rile protesters into becoming a zombie swarm? Ban them from your meeting.

Click here to get Images & Crowd Of Zombies Pictures - Pictures

New The Woman in Black Trailer

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:12:10 PDT

Creepy new trailer from Daniel Radcliffe's new film, The Woman in Black (directed by James Watkins.)

You can also check the video for the stage adaptation of The Woman in Black.

Underworld 4 Trailer

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:05:48 PDT

Vampires and werewolves. Oh, and Kate Beckinsale naked and in neoprene.

DEATHSCRIBE 2011 Submissions Due Sept. 15th!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:30:54 PDT

Ladies and Germs, your DEATHSCRIBE 2011 submissions are due September 15th.

Here are the details.

Send us your 10-minute, scary radio play, complete with sound effects notations. The DEATHSCRIBE Festival, now in its fourth year, has become one of the cool, fun annual events in Chicago. The show takes place at the beautiful Mayne Stage and the five selected pieces are directed and performed by some of Chicago's theatre finest. If your piece is selected it will read live, accompanied by a live band and live sound effects on stage. Our Guest Jury will choose the evening's winner and that author will receive the coveted Bloody Axe! Get your writing hat on and scare the hell out of us.

J. Anthony Kosar Life-Casting Seminar

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:10:16 PDT

WildClaw pal, J. Anthony Kosar, is teaching a life-casting seminar at his brand new studio. Highly recommended if you are a monster maker make-up fanatic or just want to get into it. The seminar will take place August 27 and 28. Enrollment info here.

Monocyte Signing - Menton3 and Ben Templesmith

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:57:48 PDT

Get on over to Chicago's coolest new comic book store, Alley Cat Comics, in Andersonville, on Wednesday, August 17, from 4PM-8PM, for a Monocyte Signing with Menton3, Kasra Ghanbari, and special guest, Ben Templesmith.

5304 N. Clark Street Rear, Chicago, Il (go down the gangway between the buildings to find the shop.)

Alien Abduction Lamp

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:47:46 PDT

I want this lamp. You can get it here.

back hack-to-school skullduggery!!!

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:28:08 PDT

With the school season starting up, (and our favorite holiday just around the corner!)I think this baby should sell like a Cabbage Patch Kid back in December of 1983.

Who in their right mind would NOT want this USB hub on their desk? The top of the skull is even hollowed out to hold your fave candy (Candy Corn anyone?), keys, spare change, paper clips, razor blades, plastic spiders or even eyes of newt! You can pick this baby up at ThinkGeek.com for $24.99.

You think you'd pick one of these up -- or do you have any interesting ~~back~~ hack-to-school supplies you'll be begging the Great Pumpkin for? Let us know!

World War Z Set To Open Dec. 21, 2012

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:28:04 PDT

Deadline New York reports that Paramont has set the opening date for the film adaptation of World War Z on December 21, 2012.

something wicked this way comes...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:05:08 PDT

at least for Chicago-area Horror fans!

This weekend fans will need to decide which of the 2 conventions to attend, or whether or not it's worth it to visit both! Wizard World Comic-con and Flashback Horror Weekend will sit directly across the street from each other, taunting fanatics (and their wallets) with their respective lot of celebrity guests, activites & wares.

Wizard World will play host to an Evil Dead cast reunion, a slew of Buffy-verse celebs as well as a reunion of the cast who originally portrayed the children of the Original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film!

While Flashback Weekend will play feature such heavy-hitters as Malcolm McDowell, Doug Bradley, Robert Englund, Michael Rooker, and Lance Henrikson to name a few.

Tickets and a complete list of guests and activities can be found on their respective websites linked above.

Will you be attending either or both events? If so, we'll see you there!

More Proof Horror Is Funny...Paul F. Tompkins on The Sink and the Mirror

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:20:21 PDT

Make sure your sound is up...it's just an audio clip but it's FUNNY and totally true. Thanks to Anita...

Horror can be funny too...Paul F. Tompkins on Freddy Cosplayer gone Stabby

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:15:47 PDT

Passed on to me by good Wildclaw friend Anita...here's a link to the real news story...

Jokes.com

Paul F. Tompkins - True Stabbing Story

comedians.comedycentral.com

Jokes

Joke of the Day

Funny Jokes

Mathematical Formula For What Makes A Movie Scary

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:45:24 PDT

Does this really work? Who knows, but here is a great little article on how some university experts have created an actual mathematical formula for what makes a movie scary.

Foodies Beware! Not even your wine is safe from madness? Tentacle Winestoppers...

wildclaw8@gmail.com (WIldclaw Theatre) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:31:18 PDT

These things are so amazing. Check out all of Dellamorte & Co's offerings. They are making a generous donation for our auction. Save that date on October 10th at the Mars Gallery and please support independent creators and artists!