The folks over at Oni Press and EC Comics have been busy! Not only have they continued to release various genre-focused anthologies for the horror comic masses, but they also keep enlisting some of the most talented artists, writers, letterers, and colorists out there to help realize their diabolical visions. Macabre Daily is honored and pleased to be able to debut the covers of the forthcoming “Cruel Kingdom 2 #3!” with our readers!

GOT AN AXE TO GRIND? So do your favorite wizards, warlocks, and backstabbing knights as EC Comics journeys back to ye olde days of yore to cast its dark thrall!

Love a good bard’s tale of brave heroes and boastful villains? Too bad: They don’t stand a chance against EC’s bone-breaking tales of fatal fantasy and magical malice, as orchestrated from the palace shadows by ruthless writers Cameron Chittock (TMNT/Stranger Things), Jude Ellison S. Doyle (Dead Teenagers), and Ryan Haddock (Catacomb of Torment) and wrought into bloody reality by agonizing artists Ramón F. Bachs (Monsters Unleashed), Riccardo Burchielli (DMZ), and Ryan Kelly (Saucer Country)!

Cruel Kingdom 2 #3 A Main - Mark Buckingham with Michelle Madsen

Cruel Kingdom 2 #3 B Variant - Tom Fowler with Chris O'Hallaran

Cruel Kingdom 2 #3 C Variant - 1:10 Homage - Shawn McManus

Cruel Kingdom 2 #3 D 1:20 Artist Edition Variant - Tom Fowler

Cruel Kingdom 2 #3 E 1:50 Archive Edition Variant - Rian Hughes

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One of the best things about the folks here at Macabre Daily is that we alllll have very distinct tastes. If you need proof, just check out Steven’s recent Part 1 of 2 rankings of Wes Craven’s filmography to see how wild those takes can be. That often means that our internal chats are exciting and divisive, but there’s one thing that everyone who's seen “Blood Shine” agrees on: it’s one of the best genre films we’ve seen in years. After catching it at last year’s FrightFest, we’ve been buzzing with excitement for the film to get a wide release, and thankfully that time is almost here, as Dark Sky Films will release “Blood Shine” in theaters on Friday, August 21, 2026!

We had the great pleasure of speaking with the filmmakers behind this tremendous film, Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, about making the film, but also about the themes of purpose and how that shows up in their creative lives. We hope you enjoy the interview as much as we enjoyed recording it, and we have both audio and video versions available for your viewing/listening pleasure!

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David Moreau’s “MadS” demonstrated ingenuity and sheer brilliance in its one-take approach. The camera barreled down city streets and into various buildings and structures, never missing a character beat or gruesome, skin-peeling moment. “Bury the Devil,” directed by Adam O'Brien (“Mom”), follows suit with a style and tone all its own. Cleverly, O’Brien and screenwriters John Petrizzi and Brad Hodson set their exorcism story in one location, giving the filmmaking team room to play and explore what a secluded homestead has to offer in the way of shadows, scares, and intricate camera angles. The one-take slant elevates tried-and-true conventions and clichés, making the house itself a living, breathing, and menacing entity. With such meticulous blocking, the film proves to be a showcase for the actors’ abilities to enrich their spatial awareness and deliver authentic, off-the-cuff performances.

What’s It About?

A hospice nurse starts a new position looking after an elderly woman with dementia. One stormy night turns into a chaotic possession and exorcism that tests the nurse’s willpower and mental capacity to navigate the end of one’s life and her own grief that torments her mind.

How Is It?

“Bury the Devil” is a tricky little horned demon. While it doesn’t punch as hard as Nick Kozakis’ profoundly disturbing 2023 film, “Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism,” O’Brien’s glorious one-take perspective engages with a similar guttural spirit and visceral energy that scrapes the bone marrow. It’s not that the story is particularly inventive, but the creative decision to film all in one take impressively captures the frantic space between delusion and acceptance. 

Emmanuelle Lussier Martinez (“Waiting for the Storms,” “Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves”) plays hospice nurse Julia, who comes to live with Evelyn (Dawn Ford, best known for “Alice in Borderland,” “Mythomaniac,” and a slew of classic 1990s TV shows). Evelyn struggles with her memory, particularly of her daughter Sarah (Isabella Gonzalez). Through bits of dialogue, the audience learns that Sarah died some time ago, and Evelyn frequently confuses Julia for Sarah. Brief moments of clarity offer a harrowing glimpse into the ravages of mental disease and the outward ripples to other parts of the sufferer’s life.

Evelyn’s ex-husband Randall (Bill Rowat) drives out to her home. He initially shows concern, but things quickly melt into disarray when he pulls out a paper asking about words scrawled feverishly upon it. Rowat’s volatility with both Ford and Martinez establishes an unstable emotional underpinning that seeks to destroy all inhabitants in the house. Several other men from the nearby town join Randall in a mission to save Evelyn and the world from absolute destruction. But Julia doesn’t buy what they’re selling.

The film begins with a distant shot of Evelyn’s home on fire. Screams can be heard breaking through the crisp night air. “Bury the Devil” then cuts to a static shot outside Evelyn’s second-story window before zooming into her minimally decorated bedroom. She’s listening to her favorite record when Julia enters and suggests it’s time for bed. The camera slyly avoids the vanity and circles the room, positioning in different artistic shots that demonstrate O’Brien’s thoughtful direction. It’s far more than a one-take film; it’s a carefully crafted story about the fragility of human existence, and each moment feels earnest and purposeful.

When it comes to blood, guts, and gore, “Bury the Devil” masterfully delivers all the sticky, fleshy membrane you could desire in five-gallon buckets. O’Brien is also aware that not everything needs to be shown onscreen (for both creative and logistical reasons), often opting for just-out-of-frame violence and slowly exposing the gruesome aftermath. Sometimes, the reveal is far more intriguing than in-your-face brutality.

Last Rites

Adam O’Brien delivers one of the year’s best horror features, full stop. The one-take approach doesn’t always work, but when it hits, it really hits. “Bury the Devil” will no doubt be a polarizing film that casual horror fans may not completely appreciate. The filmmaking craft of telling an exorcism story in such a way is commendable on paper, and it’s even better when it actually works on every level. From the strong ensemble cast to the eeriness of quiet, background scares and poignant thematic elements, the 2026 indie film operates to enflame every sense in the viewer’s body and leave them drained and gasping for air.

The Gory Details

“Bury the Devil” premieres in theaters and on digital on August 21, 2026.

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2026 has seen some of the best haunted house fiction in ages, and Max Doty’s “The House That Eats The Dead” joins the ranks as one of the most unique and creative. A house that literally eats organic dead matter. Like Theodore Geisel said, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” Max takes this concept and dials the mystery, intrigue, and terror through the roof. No spoilers here, but you’ll be ripping through the pages of this novel to see just how unhinged things get within the walls of this sinisterly efficient Queen Anne Victorian.

Max joined us to dish about the origin of the story, his background in screenwriting (which lends itself beautifully to the novel's pace), things that go bump in the night, and so much more. We play the hits on some of the best haunted house films and novels out there, even turning Max on to one or two along the way. This chat was a delight from start to finish, and if you’re not immediately racing out to pick up a copy of “The House That Eats The Dead,” we’ll eat our hat! Enjoy!

You can purchase “The House That Eats The Dead” here.

You can follow Max Doty on Instagram here.

Make sure you check out maxdoty.com

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Severin Films is easily one of the best boutique labels out there, and they’re also one of the oldest, as 2026 sees them celebrating 20 years of providing genre films to the masses. Their legacy is unique in that they dabble in both the mainstream and the very underground side of genre, releasing films as notable and widely recognized as “The Changeling,” to lesser-known treasures like “The Red Light Bandit.” Their inclination for finding and exhuming lost media is also one of their greatest strengths, as well as giving filmmakers oft forgotten their due, which is certainly the case with their latest box set, “Sangster Directs Hammer.” This set doesn’t just give us new restorations of Sangster's short tenure as director for Hammer, but serves as a rich tapestry of information about the British studio that makes this one of the more insightful releases we’ve gotten on physical media this year. Let’s take a closer look in the crypt!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

With screenplays for such ‘50s/’60s Hammer Films classics as “THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN,” “HORROR OF DRACULA,” “THE MUMMY,” and more, he became one of the very best writers in the genre. But when Jimmy Sangster returned to Hammer in the ‘70s to direct the only feature films of his career, he delivered three of the most unique shockers in the studio’s history: In “THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN,” starring Ralph Bates as the sociopathic monster maker, Sangster brings both black humor and deep red dismemberment to Mary Shelley’s iconic tale. Sangster takes fanged lesbian desires to seductive new levels with “LUST FOR A VAMPIRE,” featuring Yutte Stensgaard as the titular bloodsucker. Judy Geeson, Ralph Bates, Joan Collins and the legendary Peter Cushing star in Sangster’s acclaimed “FEAR IN THE NIGHT,” a taut psycho-thriller with a dark giallo edge. Each film is presented in UHD for the first time ever in North America, now scanned in 4K from their original camera negatives by StudioCanal. This collection also includes the 312-page book Horror! Lust! Fear! Sangster featuring essays, interviews, comic adaptations, and more, plus 19 combined hours of comprehensive new & archival Special Features produced and curated by Severin Films.

“The Horror Of Frankenstein” (1970)

The first of the Sangster films is, without a doubt, one of the better ones of the three, but that’s borderline damnation with faint praise. Departing from Mary Shelley’s original novel, this time Victor Frankenstein (Bates) is a collegiate playboy who's an arrogant ass, but also quite intelligent. Leaving school after impregnating the Dean’s daughter, he retreats to his laboratory where he begins work on what will become his “monster,”  (David Prowse) and ultimately the undoing of his family legacy. It’s a novel take on the original material that presents Victor as both more promiscuous and fiendish, but in a charming rather than dour way. Part of this is due to Bates’ turn as Victor, who plays it with tongue firmly planted in cheek as he’s joyfully aware of the horror and pain he inflicts with little regard for others and his impact.

Given how many versions of “Frankenstein” are out there, there’s novelty in seeing a version that is a bit sleazier, even if it doesn’t really add much to the body of work that existed at the time and exists today. The main reason for tuning in is largely to admire how much fan Bates seems to be having in the role. Prowse’s turn as the monster is somewhat unremarkable, but that’s likely due to him not showing up until almost the end of the second act. For fans of “Frankenstein,” there’s likely a lot more to soak up and comment on, but it’s safe to say that while Sangster’s version is far from the best, it’s also not the worst. Part of the joy of revisiting these films long after their release is being able to receive them with little expectations. While comparisons to other versions are inevitable, it’s clear that what Sangster was trying to do here was zig rather than zag around a story that even at the time was a bit played out.

“Lust For A Vampire” (1971)

Speaking of sleazy, “Lust For A Vampire” is certainly taking the lead from “The Horror of Frankenstein” and ratcheting up the horny factor by a lot. We return to the Karnstein family as the Count (Mike Raven) and Countess (Barbara Jefford) attempt to resurrect their daughter, Camilla (Yutte Stensgaard). At the same time, the author Richard Lestrange (Michael Johnson) arrives in the town where the Karnstein Castle happens to be and is swept up in a hunt for a possible vampire after a series of women begin to show up dead with marks in their necks. This covers just some of what is going on in “Lust For A Vampire,” and it’s certainly one of the “busier” narratives in the Hammer canon. Mingling lust, love, and a sort of supernatural procedural, it’s candidly quite dull in the final 15 minutes, when things come to a head, and the Karnstein Castle is stormed.

The biggest issue with “Lust For A Vampire” is the script by Tudor Gates, who adapted “The Vampire Lovers” the year before, and then would go on to pen “Twins of Evil,” the same year that “Lust For A Vampire” was released. Knowing that context could help explain why “Lust” turned out the way it did, focusing heavily on Stensgaard as possibly a new leading lady, only to have that not work out as intended. The film is just a bit of a mess in that the story has too much going on, and none of it is really that interesting, which could explain the copious amounts of female breasts on display as a means to keep the viewers' attention. Sangster comments in the book included within the set how tumultuous his and Gates’ relationship was at this time, so it’s not surprising that this feels more lifeless and less fun than “The Horror of Frankenstein.”

“Fear In The Night” (1972)

The third of the Sangster Hammer trilogy is arguably the best of the bunch as it departs from the trappings of previous Hammer properties in favor of something more supernatural and Hitchcockian. Robert Heller (Ralph Bates) moves his newlywed wife, Peggy (Judy Geeson), out to the country to take a strange job at a boys’ school with an even stranger headmaster (Peter Cushing) and his wife, Molly (Joan Collins). Upon arrival, Peggy is stalked by a one-armed man, and things get even weirder and more sinister from there. This is a bit of a slower burn, but it builds to a tremendous third act!

Bates plays a great dirtbag, and it’s part of that shit-eating grin he has, which makes him look both charming and punchable, figuratively speaking, of course. It works wonderfully here in contrast to the innocent ignorance of Geeson, who gets the brunt of the harassment and plays it the straightest, save for Cushing, who’s not asked to do much here. Collins completely hams it up at the right moments and truly makes the final 30 minutes of the film, along with an interesting set of twists that still feel fresh even 54 years later.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

As is usually the case with Severin releases, these films have been given an entirely new lease on physical media life as Severin has worked alongside StudioCanal to get the original camera negatives for this 4K UHD release. All the films come in their original aspect ratios, with “Horror of Frankenstein” and “Lust For A Vampire” in 1.66:1 and “Fear in the Night” in 1.85:1, and feature Dolby Vision (HDR10), which really helps to bring out the darker shades in these films while avoiding potential washed-out looks. While there are minor artifacts of wear and tear, Severin has yet again done an amazing job with these restorations and transfers, highlighting just how much can be improved by the use of newer encoding layers like HDR. The earthy tones of “Fear in the Night” reflect the British countryside beautifully, and the darker, gothic stylings of “Horror of Frankenstein” and “Lust For A Vampire” are equally impressive in this release, showcasing the harmony of set-design and location scouting that Hammer was so good at.

Images from this release are used throughout this review.

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

All the audio tracks contain their original mono recordings, which have been cleaned up for this release and all sound just fine. Given the age of these films, and how little action occurs in them, the need for something more robust is moot. The dialogue is captured crisply and clearly, and the music is balanced nicely against the diegetic sound in each film. Each film also includes English subtitles for those who prefer to watch with them.

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

To say this set is loaded would be an understatement, because there are over 19 hours of supplemental content on top of the films included in this set. To say that Severin is spoiling us would be doing a disservice to how meticulously they’ve picked what to include here as an homage to Hammer, beyond these three films. One of the more interesting features was a commentary track that was actually an audio interview with Peter Cushing about his work at Hammer. David Gregory, Severin’s co-founder, introduces the interview by explaining that they wanted to include it, but couldn’t figure out how, and this was the best way. It’s about a 20-minute interview, but it covers a lot of ground. Starting with Cushing’s assertion that Hammer’s success was as much luck as anything else, being in the right place at the right time. He’s never derogatory about his time there, but there is a sense that he doesn’t want that to be what defines him. He doesn’t like the word “horror” as a descriptor and prefers “fantasy” instead, which is more semantics than anything else, but it is derived from a fear that he would be typecast. It’s a concern that his wife also shared, but it’s never regarded as embarrassing, so much the appearance that Cushing is proud of more than just Hammer, and that’s completely fair.

It’s hard to top 19 hours of video material for a release, but leave it to Severin to include a booklet with 312-pages and 22 different essays and/or excerpts from autobiographies and previously published material. There are so many essays that we can’t possibly do service to all of them in this review, but there are a few that stand out:

Have They Gone Quite Mad? A Long Road To Explain Such Lunacy by David Gregory is perhaps the “must-read” essay of this bunch, as it doesn’t just explain the process for acquiring these films, but the reasons why Severin is giving what many consider lesser films such a jam-packed release. Gregory’s essay comments on how much Hammer means to him personally, and how he sees this as an opportunity to pay homage to the entirety of the production house as opposed to just Sangster, someone who Gregory feels was unfairly maligned for his work on these films. This essay also provides an understanding of the ethos of Severin, and the importance they place on all genre films regardless of critical and/or box office reception.

They Would Have Been Better Directed By Terry Fisher by Jimmy Sangster is an excerpt from Sangster's own autobiography and explains the turmoil he was in when asked to step in to direct these films. What started as a chance opportunity based on a car accident ended up becoming a three-part movie deal that found Sangster increasingly frustrated with how little control he had with films like “Lust For A Vampire.” Sangster is quite candid in his remarks about the interference he faced, but also how he tried his best regardless. It’s interesting to read this given what is learned from the supplemental features about Sangster, particularly given he was one of their main writers for so long. 

Halls of Hammer: The Story of Hammer In Books And Magazines by David Flint is a fascinating look at Hammer as it appeared in print media over the years. Flint calls out how more famous North American magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland were more concerned with Universal stars than those of the Hammer variety, but also how that attitude shifted over the decades. 

Interview With Karnstein Trilogy Screenwriter Tudor Gates by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, which is transcribed from an interview conducted at the Gates’ home in 1980. It has Gates reflecting on his early career and success in television, and how, like Peter Cushing, he had very little interest in horror as a genre, but took the jobs anyway. He wasn’t a student of genre and didn’t view it academically, but regardless, he contributed. He also discusses the mess that is “Lust For A Vampire” and the controversy regarding Stensgaard and Ingrid Pitt, and considers how the morality of Hammer films was very much a product of the time when they were made.

A full list of special features is listed below.

Special Features

Special Features for “THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN” UHD:

• Audio Commentary With Producer/Co-Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster, Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas

• Trailer

Special Features for “THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN” Blu-Ray:

• Audio Commentary With Producer/Co-Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster, Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas

• Frankenstein, Dracula And Me – Archival Interview With Actress Veronica Carlson

• Reunion Panel At 1997 Festival Of Fantastic Films Manchester With Director Jimmy Sangster, Actor Dave Prowse And Actress Veronica Carlson, Moderated By Wayne Kinsey

• Younger Frankenstein – Interview With 2nd Assistant Director Nicholas Granby, Camera Operator Neil Binney, Production Runner Philip Campbell And Co-Writer Jeremy Burnham

• One Frankenstein After Another: 125 Years of Cinematic Adaptations – Illustrated Audio Essay By Gillian Wallace Horvat

• The Life And Work Of Mary Shelley – Interview With Dr. Emma Liggins, Co-Director Of The Manchester Centre For Gothic Studies

• The Unhallowed Arts: The Creation Myth Of Mary Shelley – Interview With Gothic Scholar Dr. Colin Azariah-Kribbs

• Vintage Behind-The-Scenes From Hammer Films

• Alternate TV Opening Credits

• Trailer

• SCARS OF DRACULA/THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN Double Feature Trailer

• SCARS OF DRACULA/THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN Double Feature TV Spot

Special Features for “LUST FOR A VAMPIRE” UHD:

• Audio Commentary With Director Jimmy Sangster And Actress Suzanna Leigh, Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The 1970s

• Trailer

Special Features for “LUST FOR A VAMPIRE” Blu-Ray:

• Audio Commentary With Director Jimmy Sangster And Actress Suzanna Leigh, Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The 1970s

• Illustrated Archival Audio Interview With Actress Yutte Stensgaard By Michael Augustine-Reed With Accompanying Career-Spanning Still Gallery

• Live, Love, Lust – Interview With Actress Judy Matheson

• Gothic Girl – Interview With Actress Kirsten Lindholm

• Hammer Times – Interview With Actor Christopher Neame

• A Bit Of Fun – Interview With Actress Erica Beale

• Lust Mel – Interview With Actress Mel Churcher

• Running Blood – Interview With Production Runner Philip Campbell

• Gates Of Karnstein Castle – Archival Interview With Screenwriter Tudor Gates

• The Invisible Prince: The Life & Legacy Of J. Sheridan Le Fanu – Interview With Dr. William Hughes, Gothic Scholar & Co-Editor Of Open Graves, Open Minds: Representations Of Vampires And The Undead From The Enlightenment To The Present Day

• Strange Love – Carmen Maria Machado, Co-Author Of It Came From The Closet: Queer Reflections On Horror, Reframes The Sapphic Vampire

• School Of The Heaving Bosom: Education, Eroticism and LUST FOR A VAMPIRE – Video Essay By Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

• Alternate Version Of Lesbian Scene

• Trailer

Special Features for “FEAR IN THE NIGHT” UHD:

• Audio Commentary With Producer/Co-Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The Seventies And Mayhem Film Festival's Chris Cooke

• Peter Cushing Discusses Hammer In Archival Audio Interview With Denis Meikle, Author Of A History Of Horrors: The Rise & Fall Of The House Of Hammer

• Trailer

Special Features for “FEAR IN THE NIGHT” Blu-Ray:

• Audio Commentary With Producer/Co-Writer/Director Jimmy Sangster, Moderated By Hammer Historian Marcus Hearn

• Audio Commentary With David Flint, Author Of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The Seventies And Mayhem Film Festival's Chris Cooke

• Peter Cushing Discusses Hammer In Archival Audio Interview With Denis Meikle, Author Of A History Of Horrors: The Rise & Fall Of The House Of Hammer

• The Gaslighter’s Playbook: Real And Imagined Horrors In FEAR IN THE NIGHT – Video Essay by Dr. Alexandra Heller Nicholas

• Fun In The Day – Interviews With Camera Operator Neil Binney And Production Runner Philip Campbell

• Trailer

LAST RITES

“Sangster Directs Hammer” is easily one of the most detailed and dense releases that Severin has put out, even if it only contains three films. Taken more as a testament of adoration for Hammer as much as a celebration of the three Jimmy Sangster-directed films, the releases themselves look and sound great. Hammer-heads should absolutely pick this up regardless of their perception of the films included, as should genre historians looking for a closer look at one of the most famous production studios in horror!  

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at Severin Films for providing a review copy for the crypt! “Sangster Directs Hammer” is available now and can be purchased via Severin's Webstore!

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 Today, Spanish indie studio FIRENUT GAMES and DIGITAL DREAMS released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming survival horror title, BAPTISTE, striking fear into the hearts of players this fall on consoles and Steam. The new trailer sets the stage for the reality-blurring journey that awaits in Baptiste, offering a glimpse of the game's cast of characters and the eerie, isolated mansion players will explore as they face off against supernatural forces and their own inner demons in a fight for survival.

At the center of Baptiste’s narrative-driven adventure is Tom, a child who frees an eerie doll from its display case and is thrust into a fear-soaked journey. Through his eyes, Baptiste explores how tragedy and loss can fracture a family's reality and how a child struggles to cope with the emotional scars of devastating events.

“BAPTISTE” draws inspiration from classic horror tales like the allegedly possessed doll Annabelle and R.L. Stine’s “GOOSEBUMPS” story “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY,” as well as fan-favorite psychological horror games such as “P.T.,” “LAYERS OF FEAR,” and the “OUTLAST” series. The game combines exploration and environmental storytelling as players explore an ominous mansion, piece together clues, and solve puzzles to uncover its dark secrets and the story behind the game’s titular living doll.

Following a family tragedy, Sara and her son, Tom, seek a fresh start at Jagged Shore Cliff, but it quickly unravels into a new nightmare. In their new and mysterious home, a dusty cabinet holds Baptiste, an unsettling doll accompanied by an ominous warning: “Never release this from its glass prison.” What ought to have been a shelter becomes the scene of a nightmare that defies all logic, putting their sanity and desire to survive to the test. 

Rather than relying on jump scares, “Baptiste” leverages the psychological horror genre, combining atmospheric tension and emotional depth, exploring how tragedy and loss can fracture a family’s reality, particularly through the lens of a child attempting to cope with intensely traumatic events. It also examines the descent into madness, blurring the lines between what is real and what is a nightmare, reflecting the fragile state of the mind under extreme emotional distress to tell a story of human vulnerability. 

KEY FEATURES

• Total immersion: Submerge yourself in a first-hand experience where the line between the game and reality blurs further with each step you take.

• Suffocating atmosphere: Explore a mansion where horror awaits in every shadow. 

• Tormented protagonist: Play as a young man still suffering from a terrible tragedy. Can you keep control against the siege of his inner demons?

• Bloodthirsty mysteries: Unravel a gruesome mystery. Each discovery will reveal a story of pain and horror that beggars belief.

“Baptiste” launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC via Steam later in 2026.  Fans of horror games can wishlist Baptiste today and follow Firenut Games on Instagram, X, and YouTube for the latest updates. 

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It’s probably just recency bias, or just the number of movies I watch, but there’s been a growing trend of period-based Spanish/Portuguese-language horror films quietly dominating the independent scene. If you haven’t been paying attention, countries like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and more have been churning out some pretty brutal films as of late. Not only do these films look great, but they also contain some truly nightmarish images that you’ll have a hard time shaking. “1978,” from Black Mandala Films and filmmakers Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti, could be another in what is a great lineup of Spanish-language horror movies, despite some complicated politics.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

During the World Cup final between Argentina and Holland, in times of military dictatorship, a group of torturers kidnaps a group of young people. What begins as an inhumane interrogation turns into hell: the wrong group has been kidnapped.

HOW IS IT?

“1978” is a complicated film, but it’s also one of the better pure horror movies to come out in recent years. When a film uses a historical event or time period, it comes with unspoken expectations to justify why the story should take place during that time. Usually, narratives are established with this already built in, but that’s not always the case. “1978” uses one of the most controversial World Cup games of all time as the backdrop for a story with political intentions but no clear motivation. In fact, one could argue that the film’s politics are so egregious that they would bankrupt the whole production, but that’s not my read. Yes, “1978” does have some questionable choices both in terms of the use of this event as a backdrop and the message that could be interpreted about who survives. However, this horror genre; it requires us to accept that what we are seeing on the screen is meant to scare and disturb us, and “1978” certainly succeeds at that.

Those unfamiliar with the events of the 1978 Argentina v Peru World Cup may not fully grasp why some would consider it in poor taste to place this move during this event. While the story doesn’t necessitate being told during this period of time, what it does add is an additional layer of dread on top of what is already a pretty bleak movie. At least in the context of the story, it helps us fully understand just how awful these people are, and by proxy, how what they do brings something even more malevolent to the fold. It can be argued that what the Junta was doing at the time was evil-adjacent, if not the definition, so the idea that there’s something worse could certainly feel dismissive, but it’s not enough to say the entirety of “1978” is bad, because it’s far from it, especially once the horror kicks in.

Films like “Malum” come to mind when I think about the back half of “1978.” It’s the kind of horror that I truly enjoy, where unspeakable evils emerge, and makeup / EFX artists get to show us what they think the underworld really looks like. Smartly, the film doesn’t wait until the third act to show its hand and instead begins to drip things in around the halfway mark, which helps to sustain the tension without ever losing the pacing, something that many genre films struggle with. Furthermore, when a film really goes for it and doesn’t hold back on showing us just how and what it looks like when evil manifests, it wins me over almost every time. It’s also a chance to demonstrate how far and effectively one can stretch an indie budget, and while the gorehound in me could’ve gone for something to go a little harder, there’s plenty of shocking violence and diabolical designs to satisfy. The end does leave things in a questionable place, but it’s also an interesting one given the moral quandary of it all. Thankfully, the filmmakers don’t give us a firm sense of closure, and that’s probably for the best considering how impactful it is to leave things open-ended.

LAST RITES

“1978” may not need the salacious historical backdrop it uses, but that doesn’t detract from what is a nightmarish vision of horror that is propulsive and downright evil to the core. With grisly practical effects and great performances to carry some of the more questionable narrative choices, “1978” is a trip into the depths of horror hell.

THE GORY DETAILS

“1978” is currently available to stream on Prime Video and Tubi in the US.

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One of the more recent trends in horror filmmaking is using our nostalgia, particularly that of Gen X and Millennials, as a foundation for a new kind of horror movie. Maybe not new in the “never happened before” sense, but new in how this niche of genre films is borrowing the aesthetics of the ‘90s to focus specifically on a point in time when children’s television wasn’t on YouTube, but on public and cable channels. This new subgenre of nostalgia horror is taking aim at our memories of childhood programming and twisting them into horrific and occasionally hilarious visions of terror. One of the latest films to enter this new arena is “Buddy,” from Adult Swim alum and “V/H/S/Halloween” contributor, Casper Kelly.

Before “Buddy” arrives in theaters on Friday, August 28, 2026, from Saban Films and Roadside Attractions, we were granted the opportunity to speak to one of the film’s producers, Tyler Davidson. Tyler is no stranger to independent film or genre film, as he’s been behind some outstanding indie hits like “The Signal,” “Compliance,” and “The Beach House,” to name a few. He’s also a proud resident and supporter of bringing more filmmaking to NE Ohio, and we got a chance to talk about how something like “Buddy” gets pitched, why horror is firing on all cylinders, and the importance of practical effects in genre filmmaking. We hope you enjoy watching the interview as much as we did recording it!

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Wes Craven is a man who needs no introduction, but for those somehow unfamiliar, he was an Ohio-born educator, father, and filmmaker whose work within a plethora of subgenres helped to define and redefine the term "horror" as we know it over the span of five decades. From 1972 to 2011, he helmed more than twenty theatrical features and a handful of television films, while also actively writing, editing, and producing countless other projects, some of which spawned cult classic franchises. From early erotic exploitation to science fiction to supernatural slashers and then mainstream Hollywood cinema, his filmography explored the (d)evolution of the nuclear family across generations in America while frequently blurring barriers between dream logic and the existential dread of waking life as a result of his surrealist 'rubber reality' staple...

Without further ado, here's the first half of my ranking of all 28 installments in Craven's directorial canon, naming my bottom fourteen if there ever were such a thing -- as a general disclaimer, this list serves not to argue which are the ‘best’ or ‘worst’ of the bunch; rather, it is to celebrate the career of an auteur that clearly put a ton of passion into his craft by the end of the day, be it acclaimed, maligned, or downright otherworldly!

28. "Paris, je t'aime — Père-Lachaise" (2006)

You'd think for an artist known primarily for his work in the realm of horror that Craven might have had a heavier hand in delivering a frightening tale for this ambitious French anthology piece, but in all actuality, "Pére-Lachaise" is among the most sentimental. Emily Mortimer and Rufus Sewell lead this short effort as an engaged couple wandering around the scenic cemetery on the rocks, but their reconciliation occurs soon enough with the help of none other than Alexander Payne as the spirit of poet Oscar Wilde. It's more of an honorable mention for this list, as the segment runs just over five minutes long, but it certainly acts as a reminder that the man behind the camera had as much of a knack for whimsy and romance as he did for Gothic imagery. For those in the mood for a supernatural thrill, rewind the film one scene back, and catch Wes uncredited as the victim of a vampire in a silent, sensual "Sin City"-style concept led by Elijah Wood!

27. "Casebusters" (1986)

There isn't a whole lot of information out there about the making of "Casebusters," but quite frankly, there isn't a whole lot to say about it, either. Broadcast on ABC as part of their weekly "Disney Sunday Movie" double feature with "My Town" on May 25, 1986, this is the only explicitly family-oriented material in his entire filmography, and it simply feels out of place. It wouldn't be accurate to deem this a comedy, but coming from this particular studio, it obviously emphasizes lightheartedness above any of his previous features, and even alongside his television work from the period, it acts more like a gateway to the cinematic medium than anything. If you're into the art of the afterschool special, or merely looking for a silly, nostalgic mystery fueled by adolescent sleuths, give this one a glance!

26. "Chiller" (1985)

Arguably the biggest waste of potential in this entire body of work is "Chiller," but not by fault of Wes, or really anybody that appears on screen in the film. Produced for CBS, the network screwed Craven over two days before its original broadcast by airing the project in a late-night time slot due to a championship basketball game, which the director later deemed his "worst nightmare ever" in "Gorgon Video Magazine" (1989). Hence, the piece has been doomed to be forgotten in the wake of its seemingly public-domain status thanks to poor preservation and shoddy VHS and DVD re-releases that all look like they were bootlegged from the same analog source, which is a real shame, as the central science fiction narrative about a fated Michael Beck being cryogenically frozen and resurrected has plenty of timely and thought-provoking philosophical intrigue. Here's hoping we'll receive a proper HD restoration someday, not only to finally get the full scope of the picture, but to actually see the damn thing!

25. "Vampire in Brooklyn" (1995)

Though not entirely unfunny, the amusement within "Vampire in Brooklyn" mostly stems from the fact that it was produced as a comedy of errors; like many Paramount titles, the studio greenlit the project only to mess with funding and the intended creative vision later on, resulting in a mixed bag of a movie that didn't quite fit into either category of horror or humor in any real capacity. Eddie Murphy was dead set on delivering the next generation's "Blacula" (1972), whereas Wes was enthusiastic that the romantic drama at the center of the story surrounding half-vampire NYPD detective Rita (Angela Bassett) would sell a fun, dramatic, and scary enough crowd-pleaser. Ultimately, the film struggled with critics and audiences alike due to its tonal imbalance and trope-ridden screenplay, but it still has a deserved cult following for its goofy nature. While glaringly imperfect and somewhat forgettable, this should be required viewing for fans of supernatural schlock or sensual vampiric transformation!

24. "Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out" (1976)

Is it crazy to rank an unfinished project this high? Probably, but we're doing it anyway, as the twelve minutes of silent footage that are currently accessible as supplementary material on various "The Last House on the Left" (1972) disc releases are proof enough that "Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out" was likely going to be one of Craven's most creative collaborations. Conceived as a zombie anthology film, the director himself appears on-screen as an undead cowboy roaming 42nd Street for his prostitute lover after being resurrected when his gravesite is disturbed. Veteran villain David Hess also stars, and excerpts from an additional segment by Roy Frumkes were given a new lease on life in the form of a prologue for the zany "Doctor Butcher M.D." re-edit of "Zombi Holocaust" in 1982. It's a super sleazy flashback to the grindhouse era that combines often-neglected western elements with flesheating creature-feature flair, and deserves to be remembered, even if only as a glimpse of what could've been.

23. "The Hills Have Eyes" (1977)

Rough around the edges by design, its idyllic summer road trip premise goes awry; this early effort almost exclusively succeeds in the material that it rips from the headlines of cannibals, serial killers, and other criminal entities lurking across America. Originally titled "Blood Relations: The Sun Wars," this not only wound up being a grueling experience for the cast and crew, but for the audience as well, as the film strands poor viewers in the middle of the desert with this miserable family before they're picked off by a man-eating mutant clan. Everybody looked uncomfortable making it; the majority of the characters are insufferable, with some even spewing casually racist dialogue, and the women are reduced to objects in peril to such an extreme that the entire piece feels like a misstep in the understanding of "exploitation" itself. That being said, it offers a great extended cat-and-mouse chase for a final act, with a frantic original score composed by Don Peake, and an unforgettably chilling performance by Michael Berryman as the franchise's poster boy, Pluto.

22. "Night Visions" (1990)

Wes Craven's first foray into the '90s arrived in the form of this made-for-TV thriller that dodges almost every set of expectations you would likely have going in. It serves as the pilot movie for an intended series—entitled "Chameleon Blue"—that never came to fruition, following a straight-laced homicide detective (James Remar) who teams up with a psychic forensic pathologist (Loryn Locklin) to solve a spree of bizarre slayings across Los Angeles. More akin to an offbeat giallo than a strict slasher narrative, it's a city-set procedural with plenty of ambitious ideas that would've been fun to see adapted to a regular 'freak of the week' formula and structure. Not the goriest small-screen project, but an engaging effort nonetheless that lets you bond with the characters enough to care whether they crack the case by the time the credits roll.

21. "My Soul to Take" (2010)

"My Soul to Take" was Wes Craven's last auteurist project, giving the great writer-director wiggle room to explore a new concept within the supernatural sphere, where he once coined the term 'rubber reality' and established conventional coming-of-rage themes. Initially known as "Bug" and later retitled "25/8," the storyline was revised numerous times before its script hit the screen, resulting in an extremely convoluted yet enthralling teen body count flick in which seven high school students, inexplicably born on the same night a local mass murderer, the Riverton Ripper, is found and killed, fall prey to the urban legend on their sixteenth birthday. Despite strikes across the industry, studio acquisitions shaking up the distribution slate, and a piss poor 3D conversion during post-production, you can tell that this was a passion piece handling small-town curses and young men struggling with dissociative identity disorder, all while delivering ultra-violent gore and chaos. An outright absurd and undervalued slice of original slasher cinema that acted as a vessel for ethereal visuals, a moody atmosphere, and Max Thieriot as its batshit final boy at a time when little more than monotonous remake attempts were being churned out by the genre, and for that, this is worth seeing!

20. "Scream" (1996)

Forever and always a comfort flick for anybody like myself growing up in the era of postmodern meta shit, "Scream" changed the way horror was written and still holds a firm grip on slasher media with any semblance of our reality; characters chat openly about classic cinema tropes, retroactively creating a canon of rules that are carelessly broken almost as immediately as they are established. Quite frankly, the only reason it's so low on this list is that while the film is practically perfect in its representation of the generation depicted on screen and the balance between heart, horror, and humor, the sequels dive way deeper and have more to do in the world that Kevin Williamson introduced here. From the beloved cast providing instant buzz and sleeper-hit success, to the Ghost Face brand and iconography becoming synonymous with the Halloween season, and the wildly inappropriate, but extremely funny "Scary Movie" sister franchise which Dimension Films spawned in direct response, this is inarguably the defining genre picture of the mid-'90s that brought slashers to the forefront of public consciousness without a need for defense. Craven's filmography thereafter would follow the template somewhat exclusively, but what occurs within is what matters most, and this remains an endlessly rewatchable and quotable relic of its time.

19. "Scream 2" (1997)

For a sequel that was fast-tracked by the studio on an increased budget, with its first draft written over the course of three weeks, leaked on the internet, and then rewritten in daily chunks while scenes were shot for a nine-week period so that the final product could be released before the source material could even celebrate its first anniversary, "Scream 2" holds up considerably well. It's a heavy-hitting character study that veers into soap opera territory; a direct continuation of the previous film, the story finds Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) still reeling from the death of her mother and the Woodsboro Murders as a Ghostface copycat tracks her to college. What follows is a who's who of even more late-'90s teen idols spewing elevated meta dialogue after the series' best opening sequence creates a paradox with its own "Stab" franchise-within-the-franchise, joined by those who made it out of the 1996 installment alive debating the likelihood that they'd survive a second round. Of the four installments in this saga directed by Wes Craven, it feels the most mature, handling its final girl's reopened wounds and trauma with as much care as possible against the backdrop of fraternity hazing and desolate sorority houses that, for some reason, had Sarah Michelle Gellar watching "Nosferatu" (1922) with a weak landline signal.

18. "Swamp Thing" (1982)

Adrienne Barbeau and Ray Wise (later replaced by Dick Durock in a rubber monster suit) take a very bizarre detour from Craven's sexploitation origins and road to slasher royalty in what's probably his single most random adapted work of the 1980s overall. "Swamp Thing" went into development by 1980 as the second DC Comics property brought to life for the big screen in the wake of "Superman" (1978), with the sci-fi superhero source material revised into romantic fantasy creature feature territory á la "Beauty and the Beast," albeit rated PG as a gateway horror venture. An environmentally conscious effort from the period, many scenes were shot on location on boats and foot trails in the Cypress Gardens preserve in South Carolina, and Harry Manfredini composed the original score, so it sounds as if it were an aquatic "Friday the 13th" offshoot where Jason Voorhees could pop up at any moment. Additionally, it pits our tragic title character against a paramilitary group, including a naturally repulsive David Hess, who are after a glowing neon-green plant growth serum that looks like it belongs in the "Re-Animator" franchise... What's not to love?

17. "Deadly Blessing" (1981)

In his very first feature backed by a major studio, Wes combined forces with Glenn M. Benest and Matthew Barr, whose initial draft of "Deadly Blessing" for United Artists was stuck in developmental hell. Throwing practically every potential horror trope at the wall to see what sticks, this also serves as his earliest slasher effort, as a black-clad killer lurks in the shadows of a sprawling family ranch located on the periphery of a community of strict, religious "Hittites" mirroring modern Amish society, with a standout red herring in the form of Ernest Borgnine. Maren Jensen, Sharon Stone, and Susan Buckner co-lead the film in what I often reference as Craven's "Valley of the Dolls," where embracing femininity becomes the key to unlocking a portal to the underworld—figuratively, and kind of literally—and their impenetrable sisterhood manifests hazy, ritualistic occult iconography that would be sprinkled throughout the rest of the auteur's career to some degree. An outstanding starting point in the 'rubber reality' concept, it predicted a sequence that would be directly lifted in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" just three years later, involving a bathtub, a snake, and an abundance of strange sexual tension.

16. "Red Eye" (2005)

It should go without saying that the September 11th attacks caused an immediate period of trauma, paranoia, and grief across the nation that is still felt annually, and led to a wave of transgressive horror cinema known colloquially as "torture porn" that deals with seemingly random acts of extreme, bloody assault, often by the hands of a foreign assailant. "Red Eye" is a post-9/11 horror-thriller that taps into this same timeframe of utter chaos, putting a halt to the healing so that Cillian Murphy can hold Rachel McAdams captive for ninety minutes while the audience is subjected to a continuous power play between the two. Saving any sort of gore for the wildly entertaining "Scream"-esque third act, the film minimizes its visual shock factor to make room for genuine psychological discomfort and fear surrounding domestic terrorism when it was at the forefront of the audience's mind. Rated PG-13 for intense violence and language, it's a gateway genre flick with a fast pace that'll keep you glued to the screen, notable for restricting the central action to occur within an aircraft in flight.

15. "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)

It's a testament to the quality of a filmmaker when the title widely considered to be their magnum opus feels almost five hours long, but is so wildly entrancing, you just can't keep your eyes away from it. Regardless of how you slice it, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" falls easily among the finest original works to be born out of the mid-80s — it's a classic that chiseled Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger into the slasher Mount Rushmore with a fine-pointed finger blade and paved the way for an excellent franchise and Hollywood stars who have reached the very top. Iconic from the elaborate kill sequences that fully embrace the uncanny, indescribable nature of our collective bad dreams to the grotesquerie of the boogeyman that we universally seem to conjure at some point in childhood, he breaks all limitations of our mortal plane. Craven changed the scope of the horror genre for decades to come, setting new standards for teen terror and survival through Nancy Thompson's hypervigilance and resistance to mind-altering tricks and unthinkable layers of grief amidst her teenage wasteland. Creepy, colorful, and creative as both a practical effects and philosophical showcase from start to finish; the quintessential coming-of-age murder movie, if there ever was one!

Eager to see how the rest of his films rank? Stay tuned for even hotter takes in my top 14!

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  No, not Halloween (yet).  We’re one month away from one of the largest film festivals in the world, the 21st annual Fantastic Fest! Macabre Daily is returning to Austin, TX this September for another heaping helping of International genre love, with a side of that smoky, sweet Texas BBQ.  Check out what’s in store this year!

From the press release:

FANTASTIC FEST ANNOUNCES A THRILLING 2026 LINEUP, OPENING THE FEST WITH A GALA SCREENING OF ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ FROM TRISTAR PICTURES, CONSTANTIN FILM AND DAVIS FILMS AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF LIONSGATE’S ‘BEWARE BOIÚNA,’ AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘THE SWALLOW’ AS THE CLOSING NIGHT FILM!

What’s that emerging from the shadows? Fantastic Fest’s 21st edition lineup is here and ready to thrill, chill, and delight you. We are proud to present 35 World Premieres, 21 International and North American Premieres, and 14 U.S. Premieres featuring the very best in genre from across the globe, alongside our famous events and surprise guests. Join us to celebrate all things spooky at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, TX, from September 17th-24th, 2026. 

“This year, we’re doubling down on what we do best: introducing the world to exciting new talent and helping launch filmmakers’ careers,” says Festival Director Lisa Dreyer. “We really focused our programming efforts on bringing new discoveries to our audience of discerning and passionate cinephiles. I guarantee we have the next batch of breakout Directors in our lineup, and you’ll discover them first at Fantastic Fest.” 

“After the historic year genre cinema had at the box office, Alamo Drafthouse is proud to be a leader in the space,” says Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kusterman. “Because we have the most diverse film slate in all of exhibition, we are in a unique position to support these films from festival premiere to theatrical release, including our new Alamo Exclusives distribution model, giving the films that play Fantastic Fest a distinct advantage in reaching a nationwide audience."

Opening the festival is the world premiere of Lionsgate’s BEWARE BOIÚNA, from Fantastic Fest alum Mike P. Nelson (SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT). Equal parts terrifying and hiss-terical fun, this creature feature follows a group of medical volunteers whose adventure gets squeezed by Boiúna, “the mother of the waters,” the legendary giant snake that protects her domain. With a sssssstellar cast including Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe, and Logan Marshall-Green, BEWARE BOIÚNA has more twists than a coiled cobra and a tightly wound pace that will leave you choking for breath.

Fantastic Fest’s opening night will also include a gala screening of TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film, and Davis Films’ RESIDENT EVIL, the highly anticipated horror film from visionary filmmaker Zach Cregger. 

Closing out the festival is THE SWALLOW, a brutally efficient, effects-forward survival horror. When a group of teenagers breaks into a fenced-off area of the woods during a camping trip, they end up terrorized by a sentient, quicksand-like sludge. Directors Kevin Kölsch & Dennis Widmyer deliver a thrilling throwback horror film starring Grace Van Dien. 

Fantastic Fest is thrilled to honor legendary Director Walter Hill with a special award for his incomparable contributions to genre film. A special screening of his neo-Western action thriller EXTREME PREJUDICE will follow, along with a conversation with Hill. Following the festival, Alamo Drafthouse will present a special retrospective of his work nationwide in January. 

Fantastic Pitches are back and bigger than ever. Last year’s winning pitch, PLAY HOUSE, will have its world premiere at the festival, leading into our 2nd edition of the pitches. Six filmmaking teams will present their projects live at the fest, with the winner receiving $100,000 in financing, distribution, and sales provided by Chroma and Narrative Global Sales, and music supervision services from MakeSound. The winner will be selected by a jury led by Directors Catherine Hardwicke and Gore Verbinski. Additionally, one project will be hand-selected by Shooter Jennings, who will contribute an original piece of music and scoring at Sunset Sound Studios, and another project will receive a Blackmagic camera package, sponsored by Blackmagic Design and Fangoria. Travel support is provided by Full Spectrum Features.

Exciting world premieres include: 

• Chroma’s PLAY HOUSE, where the basement of a new home hides deadly secrets.

• Shudder’s THE CYCLE, starring Deborah Ann Woll as a woman who discovers the body of her father at a gruesome crime scene after being missing for decades.

• PATHETIC FALLACY, a psychedelic odyssey from Director Adam Egypt Mortimer, starring Scott ‘Kid Cudi’ Mescudi and Jessica Rothe. 

• The desert-set horror GODMOTHER, from EP Seán "Jacksepticeye" McLoughlin and Director John Veron, starring icon Dee Wallace.

• A brand-new cut of Quentin Dupieux’s hilarious first English-language feature FULL PHIL, starring Kristen Stewart and Woody Harrelson.

• The supernatural DEATH OF A YELLOW BIRD from Director Cody Calahan and Black Fawn Films, the team behind UNDERTONE. 

Other notable premieres and screenings include:

• The North American premiere of Bleecker Street’s period-piece horror VICTORIAN PSYCHO starring Maika Monroe as a psychotic governess.

• The North American premiere of Shudder’s elite sports horror BLOODY TENNIS

• The U.S. premiere of Prime Video’s new Original series, CARRIE, from Mike Flanagan.

• The U.S. premiere of Independent Film Company & Shudder’s brutal slasher RIVER.

• A screening of Searchlight Pictures’ riveting dramatic comedy WILD HORSE NINE from Director Martin McDonagh.

A prestigious jury of filmmakers, creatives and industry insiders will join us to bestow awards in four categories: Main Competition, Horror, Next Wave, and Shorts. Notable jurors include filmmakers Christopher Andrews, Jacob Chase, Tiffany Kimmel, and Taratoa Stappard, actor and writer Ariella Mastroianni, William Earl of Variety, Marissa Frobes of CAA, producers Whitney Fuller and Tristan Scott-Behrends, creator Heidi Wong, Nicholas Lazo of Shudder, and Adam Piron of Sundance.

The Events:

Fantastic Fest has a variety of thrilling special events this year, including:

• A spooktacular opening night party featuring the high-energy antics from synthpunk band Drakulas 

• An Evil Laugh Competition presented by the Blerdy Massacre podcast 

• Live podcast recordings including Doug Loves Movies and The Kingcast

• Fresh Frights with Rotten Tomatoes, a conversation about all things horror

• An unforgettable closing night concert with gore-rock legends GWAR

Rapturous Restorations and Other Rarities:

Once again, we are partnering with our friends at the American Genre Film Archive to bring a selection of restorations to the festival, including the World Premieres of the new 4K Restoration of Herschell Gordon Lewis’s BLOOD FEAST, and a Restoration of the impactful documentary HELL HOUSE, with filmmaker George Ratliff in person.

Formed in 2009, the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to preserving the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution.

Other notable restorations include the international premiere of DOG GOD, after being banned for almost 30 years in Thailand, the North American Premiere of the 4K Restoration of the gay serial killer cult classic FRISK, the World Premiere of the 35mm print of the infamous film HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, the World Premiere of the Restoration of the ‘80s French slasher film OGROFF presented by BLEEDING SKULL, the World Premiere of the Restoration of one of the first animated films from Mexico ROY FROM SPACE, and the World Premiere of 4K Restoration of the queer horror SCREAMPLAY.

Burnt Ends, Fantastic Fest’s sidebar dedicated to micro-budget outlier cinema, is back! World Premieres include I HAVE PROOF, MR. CREAMJEANS’ HIDEY HOLE, MAGIC MTN., the US Premiere of sci-fi mumblecore LITTLE DOORS from Director Anthony Oberbeck, and the return of our animation anthology BURNT ENDominations, featuring gonzo outsider animation. 

Fantastic Fest wouldn’t be possible without the support of its wonderful partners, including Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival, a first-person survival horror action video game developed and published by Saber Interactive, coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on October 8, 2026. We are thrilled to have the exclusive world premiere of the Scarlet Church Trailer, a disturbing sneak peek into how the followers of the Scarlet Church and disciples of the Cenobites recruit new members into their twisted cult. The festival also extends its gratitude to Rotten Tomatoes, the most trusted measurement of entertainment recommendations.

Fantastic Fest is proud to present 73 feature films and episodics, as well as a variety of short film selections to be announced at a later date — showcasing World, North American, and US Premieres.

FEATURE FILM LINEUP BELOW:

3 WEEKS AFTER

Serbia, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg, 2026

North American Premiere, 94 min

Director - Miroslav Terzić

Three weeks after his friend's suicide, a teenager joins his classmates on a school trip. As the bullying escalates and tensions boil over, tongues loosen, forcing the truth out into the open.

5 MORE MINUTES

Spain, 2026

International Premiere, 93 min

Director - Javier Ruiz Caldera

A husband and wife in an ailing marriage discover that actions really do have consequences in 

this darkly funny twist on the time loop motif.

ADULT SUPERVISION

Sweden, 2026

World Premiere, 108 min

Director - Alex Schulman

When three fathers volunteer to chaperone their teenage daughters’ school trip, the initially idyllic getaway quickly reveals brutal social dynamics that have them in over their heads.

ATTACK ON PARADISE

Belgium, The Netherlands, 2026

US Premiere, 99 min

Director - Bob Colaers

After seven years of no sleep, grief, and nightmares, Suleyman finally reunites with his mother in Paradise—just as henchmen, cops, and one very bad raid drag him back into hell.

BEWARE BOIÚNA 

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 104 min

Director - Mike P. Nelson

Deep in the Amazon, a medical mission spirals into a fight for survival when Boiúna, a colossal ancient predator, awakens to reclaim her domain. In the jungle where nature holds absolute power, she decides who lives and who dies.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

France, 2026

North American Premiere, 114 min

Director - Léa MYSIUS

Happy biiiirthday to you! Nora is turning 40, and for her birthday she’ll be getting three uninvited guests who claim she isn’t who she says she is, plus the unraveling of her carefully constructed life.

THE BLOOD COUNTESS

Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, 2026

North American Premiere, 119 min

Director - Ulrike Ottinger

Elizabeth Báthory, a recently reawakened vampire, pursues an ancient artifact that could destroy her family in present-day Austria.

BLOOD FEAST (Presented by AGFA)

USA, 1963

World Premiere of the 4K Restoration, 67 min

Director - Herschell Gordon Lewis

A 4K restoration of the world's first "splatter" film from AGFA + Something Weird.

BLOODY TENNIS

Germany, 2026

North American Premiere, 90 min

Director - Nikias Chryssos

Sophie’s coming of age gets sweatier and bloodier than expected when she joins a summer tennis academy where the blood-red morning smoothie is by far the least weird thing going on.

CARRIE (Two Episodes)

Canada, USA, 2026

US Premiere, 101 min

Director - Mike Flanagan

After her father’s sudden, untimely death thrusts her into the unforgiving ecosystem of public high school, Carrie is forced to navigate a viral bullying scandal that tears through her community, the relentless pressure and casual cruelty of the social‑media age, and the awakening of mysterious telekinetic powers that rise alongside her adolescence.

CINEMA RECOMPOSED: SILENT MONSTERS (Presented by Golden Hornet)

USA, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1919, 1922, 1929, 1930 

World Premiere, 65 min

Directors - THE THIEVING HAND - Unknown Director / FRANKENSTEIN - J. Searle Dawley / DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE - Lucius J. Henderson / THE GHOST OF SLUMBER MOUNTAIN - Willis O'Brien / HÄXAN: HELL SEQUENCE - Benjamin Christensen / HELLS BELLS - Ub Iwerks / THE HAUNTED SHIP - John Foster & Mannie Davis

A live string quartet plays new scores for seven classic silent horror short films. Seven composers, aged 17 to 24, composed new scores for these films under the mentorship of some of the industry's top professionals.

COMPLIANCE

USA, 2026

North American Premiere, 104 min

Director - Kyle Mangione-Smith

A corporate client relations rep pulls a loose string, unraveling a vast conspiracy in this doom-laden found footage stunner.

CORPUS

USA, 2026

US Premiere, 102 min

Director - Corrin Evans

Three friends flee the club scene for an exclusive, steamy party at a remote estate only to find themselves victims of increasingly erotic and violent supernatural attacks.

THE CYCLE

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 111 min

Director - Jordan Downey

When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it’s up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.

DEATH HAS NO MASTER

Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg, 2026

North American Premiere, 106 min

Director - Jorge Thielen Armand

After her father's death, Caro travels to Venezuela to sell the family cacao plantation, only to find it occupied by a mother who refuses to leave—forcing Caro down a path of violence with devastating consequences.

DEATH OF A YELLOW BIRD

Canada, 2026

World Premiere, 93 min

Director - Cody Calahan

A dying man returns to his childhood home to film messages for his son when he discovers a supernatural presence haunting the isolated cabin in this emotional ghost movie.

DOG GOD

Thailand, 1997

International Premiere, 110 min

Director - Ing K

Banned in Thailand for almost 30 years for insulting religion, and maybe the monarchy too, the elusive DOG GOD emerges as a gleefully anarchic critique of blind faith.

DONKEY PRINCESS

Chile, France, Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany, 2026

North American Premiere, 90 min

Directors - Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña

In a kingdom where love has been declared a plague, a princess travels across different realities to find love, confront grief, and attain individuation.

EXTREME PREJUDICE

USA, 1987

Special Presentation, 105 min

Director - Walter Hill

Nick Nolte stars as a Texas Ranger engaged in a showdown against his former childhood friend turned drug kingpin, played by Powers Boothe, in this classic neo-Western action film.

THE FACE OF HORROR

UK, 2026

US Premiere, 120 min

Director - Anna Biller

A vain knight, an inconvenient wife, and a marriage built on murder. Anna Biller’s gloriously lurid ghost story proves that killing your wife may only be the beginning of your problems.

FLAPJAX

USA, Canada, 2026

World Premiere, 98 min

Director - Rocko Zevenbergen

An annoyingly optimistic, but endearingly earnest, fast food restaurant manager is tasked with relaunching the long-dormant product, Flapjax, and no amount of mysterious warnings or disappearances are going to get in his way in this campy horror-comedy.

FRISK

USA, 1995

North American Premiere of the 4K Restoration, 89 min

Director - Todd Verow

Tired of only fantasizing about murdering young, attractive men, Dennis decides to take the plunge and do the deed in this restoration of Todd Verow’s 1995 gay serial killer fantasia.

FULL PHIL 

France, USA, 2026

World Premiere, 78 min

Director - Quentin Dupieux

Tim, Eric, K-Stew, Woody, and Dupieux team up in this feature-length comic romp that’ll leave your belly full o’ laffs.

FUTURE TENSE

South Africa, Australia, 2026

US Premiere, 98 min

Director - Jenna Cato Bass

In a dystopian future, a young couple clashes during their time-traveling vacation.

GAME MASTER

France, 2026

International Premiere, 89 min

Director - Éric Judor

A joyous celebration of imagination, awkward parenthood, and the transformative power of play that ventures deep into the wonderfully eccentric world of live-action role-playing.

GHOST IN THE CELL

Indonesia, 2026

North American Premiere, 106 min

Director - Joko Anwar

Witness Indonesian genre visionary Joko Anwar’s most deliriously ambitious film: a blood-soaked fusion of supernatural horror, prison thriller, martial arts action, and pitch-black political satire.

GIMME TRUTH

Canada, 2026

US Premiere, 84 min

Directors - Brad Abrahams & Simon Ennis

Delve deep into the world of conspiracy theories in North America in this compassionate documentary by Brad Abrahams and Simon Ennis.

GIRL IN THE NIGHT

Slovenia, 2026

World Premiere, 94 min

Director - Luka Marčetić

In this deadpan Slovenian romp, a lonesome guy desperate for human connection decides to steal the bicycle of the town’s self-appointed vigilante; as the “sole witness” of the crime, he is inducted into joining her nightly escapades.

THE GLORIOUS DEAD

USA, 2026

US Premiere, 81 min

Directors - John Adams & Toby Poser

A sheriff and her deputy awaken to a world transformed: bloody chasms erupt from the earth, grotesque flesh-born creatures roam the land, and the recently deceased rise again. 

GODMOTHER

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 85 min

Director - John Veron

A meticulously planned desert couples' vacation spirals into chaos when family tensions and a pair of mysterious hosts with devilish intentions transform a romantic getaway into a nightmare.

HALF

India, 2026

International Premiere, 111 min

Director - Samjad

Two half-human, half-vampire siblings are run off the road and left for dead by a gang of scavengers—and they're coming back for bloody revenge.

HELL HOUSE (Presented by AGFA)

USA, 2001

World Premiere of the Restoration, 86 min

Director - George Ratliff

A restoration of the essential Y2K-era doc from the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) with director George Ratliff in person.

HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (Presented by Dark Sky Films & AGFA)

USA, 1986

World Premiere of the 35mm print, 83 min

Director - John McNaughton

A brand-new 35mm print produced for the 40th anniversary of one of the 20th century's most harrowing films, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER features a chilling, career-defining turn by Michael Rooker.

THE HERETIKS

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 89 min

Director - Gregg Bishop

When a coven of witches determined to unleash the apocalypse marks Ada's younger sister for sacrifice, she joins forces with a renegade witch in a relentless fight for survival.

I HAVE PROOF (Burnt Ends Selection)

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 76 min

Director - James Cullen Bressack

Alex has proof, and he wants you to see it.

INTO THE SKY

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 97 min

Directors - Evan Wolf Buxbaum & Drew Mylrea

A man’s efforts to win back his estranged wife are derailed by a mysterious extraterrestrial force that keeps snatching him from Earth.

JANUR IRENG: SEWU DINO THE PREQUEL

Indonesia, 2026

North American Premiere, 94 min

Director - Kimo Stamboel

Indonesian horror specialist Kimo Stamboel cooks up a deliriously demonic prequel to his box office hit SEWU DINO, as a pair of desperate siblings stumble unwittingly upon a centuries-old satanic ritual orchestrated by their wealthy relatives.

JIM QUEEN

France, 2026

US Premiere, 84 min

Directors - Marco Nguyen & Nicolas Athane

As a virus that turns gay people straight sweeps across the world, Jim Perfect goes on a quest across Paris, with his number one fan Lucien, to find the cure in this animated comedy.

JOLLYFACE

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 77 min

Director - Justin Floyd

A white woman launches her own investigation into her Black fiancé’s violent murder only to find herself hunted in her apartment complex by a killer determined to keep the truth silent.

KICK ON

Australia, 2026

US Premiere, 89 min

Director - Nick Kozakis

Four friends trying to keep their late-night bender going end up at the apartment of a reckless mobster; what starts as a casual substance-fueled afterparty quickly escalates into a violence-filled rager.

KUNG FU DEADLY

Ireland, Australia, 2026

World Premiere, 96 min

Director - Fergal Costello

A late-to-launch young man and his even less responsible friend realize they may be the last line of defense between humanity and an ancient Chinese evil. Martial arts and supernatural horror collide in this romp of a buddy comedy.

KYLGOR IN THE GRISLY ABYSS

Canada, 2026

World Premiere, 74 min

Director - Mason Jeffrey Newton-DeRushie

Grimdark fantasy, an epic quest, buckets of blood… all puppets. Need we say more?

LITTLE DOORS (Burnt Ends Selection)

USA, 2026

US Premiere, 79 min

Director - Anthony Oberbeck

Two socially awkward people find love and then define it for themselves in a barren, post-apocalyptic world before they discover a small, wooden door in the side of her body and decide whether or not to open it.

MAGICK MTN. (Burnt Ends Selection)

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 80 min

Directors - Hana Mae Lee & Hal Satin

Ghosts, Goblins, and Crowley. MAGICK MTN. is a rock and roll fairytale set deep in Laurel Canyon using instruments of the occult to dig beneath the soil of a hillside marked by tragedy and death.

MR. CREAMJEANS’ HIDEY HOLE (Burnt Ends Selection)

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 70 min

Director - Heath Benfield

A raunchy series of sexy, horrifying, and hilarious vignettes, MR. CREAMJEANS' HIDEY HOLE is a shocking, disgusting, and ultimately satisfying anthology that’s never afraid to put a man in his proper place.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Denmark, 2026

US Premiere, 103 min

Director - Kasper Kalle

After Baldur is rescued from drowning by a handsome whaler, the two begin a passionate love affair that requires sacrifices to an Elder God to endure.

NO WAY DOWN

France, 2026

World Premiere, 91 min

Directors - Mohamed Chabane & Théo Jourdain

Fresh out of prison, Idriss enters the derelict Kraken apartment complex to find his ex-girlfriend's brother, only to be dragged back into violence by a ruthless squatter tied to the past Idriss is fighting to leave behind.

OGROFF (Presented by BLEEDING SKULL)

France, 1983

World Premiere of the Restoration, 89 min

Director - Norbert Moutier

Bleeding Skull presents a restoration of the fabled underground slasher from France.

THE ONES WHO GRIEVE

France, 2026

North American Premiere, 116 min

Director - Quarxx

At the end of the 19th century, as a mysterious plague spreads across the countryside, a young woman living under the tyranny of her deeply religious father fights to reclaim her freedom.

PATHETIC FALLACY

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 98 min

Director - Adam Egypt Mortimer

After suffering the devastating loss of his wife, a man embarks on a surreal journey to bring her back.

PHREAKER

Canada, 2026

World Premiere, 98 min

Director - Adam Yorke

A blind lonely teen becomes the latest breed of telecom criminal in this crackling dial-up thriller.

PLATYPUS

Canada, 2026

World Premiere, 85 min

Director - Joshua Gratton

Kimberly's recurring dreams of a masked killer murdering young people around town progressively close in on her in this Canadian genre experiment.

PLAY HOUSE

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 85 min

Director - Nicolas Jon Curcio

While renovating a dilapidated house to win back his ex, Elliot discovers VHS tapes of an unaired children’s TV show. The show's dark history seeps into his life, threatening his last chance at reconciliation. Winner of the 2025 Fantastic Pitches.

POSTHUMOUS

Australia, 2026

World Premiere, 110 min

Director - Josh Tanner

Zoe returns home to her estranged father, seeking comfort from a series of VHS birthday recordings left behind by her deceased mother, and uncovers an occult ritual that upends everything she was told about her mother's death.

A PRAYER FOR THE DYING

Norway, Greece, UK, Sweden, 2026

North American Premiere, 95 min

Director - Dara Van Dusen

In a rural Wisconsin town in 1870, Sheriff Jacob Hansen—a man still haunted by the Civil War—is pushed to his psychological limits when a deadly plague sweeps through his community and encroaching wildfires close in.

RED SNOW

Finland, Estonia, Sweden, 2026

World Premiere, 92 min

Director - Ilja Rautsi

A vampire posing as Santa Claus invades the home of a family whose rebellious teenage daughter wants only one thing: to become a vampire herself and escape her miserable life.

RESIDENT EVIL

USA, 2026

Gala Screening, 93 min

Director - Zach Cregger

From the mind of visionary filmmaker Zach Cregger (WEAPONS, BARBARIAN) comes a thrilling — and terrifying — reinvention of the RESIDENT EVIL franchise. In an all-new story, Resident Evil follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who unwittingly finds himself in an action-packed, non-stop race for survival as one fateful, horrifying night collapses around him in chaos. From TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film, and Davis Films, RESIDENT EVIL hits theatres September 18, 2026.

RIVER

USA, 2026

US Premiere, 92 min

Director - Joshua Giuliano

When three estranged siblings reunite in their hometown after the death of their father, they set out to scatter his ashes at his favorite spot on a remote river. But when their boat breaks down, the trip devolves into a waking nightmare.

ROMA ELASTICA

France, Italy, 2026

North American Premiere, 107 min

Director - Bertrand Mandico

French cinema maestro Bertrand Mandico and mega-starlet Marion Cotillard broadcast a daring hyper-pulp transmission straight from 1980s Italian cinema.

ROY FROM SPACE

Mexico, 1983

World Premiere of the Restoration, 64 min

Director - Héctor López Carmona

An evil space emperor plots to take over the Earth in this restoration of one of the first fully animated feature films from Mexico.

SCREAMPLAY

USA, 1984

World Premiere of 4K Restoration, 93 min

Director - Rufus Butler Seder

Your new favorite queer horror rediscovery, newly restored.

SICK

Poland, 2026

World Premiere, 90 min

Director - Agata Trzebuchowska

Things spiral out of control in more ways than one when two siblings are tasked with caring for their ailing grandma.

THE SPIRAL

Italy, France, Belgium, 2026

US Premiere, 115 min

Director - Paolo Strippoli

When Alice’s estranged mother arrives with a confession about a twenty-year-old bargain, Alice discovers that the miracle that saved her came with a debt… and the bill has finally come due.

THE SQUIRREL

Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, 2026

International Premiere, 92 min

Director - Markus Lehmusruusu

In a sterile future devoid of nature where emotions are forbidden, a toy designer developing robotic companion dogs rescues an injured squirrel, setting him on a journey of self-discovery and societal rebellion.

THE SWALLOW

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 82 min

Directors - Kevin Kölsch & Dennis Widmyer

A sentient, quicksand-like sludge terrorizes a group of young people in this brutally efficient, effects-forward creature feature.

TOO MANY BEASTS

France, 2026

North American Premiere, 96 min

Director - Sarah Arnold

Transferred to the French countryside, a disgraced cop investigates a rift between the local farmers and hunters, uncovering corruption that runs far deeper than the damage the exploding population of wild boars has wreaked on the region's crops.

UPIRO

Spain, 2026

World Premiere, 106 min

Director - Óscar Martín

In the Age of Enlightenment, Ana is sent to a remote monastery to atone for her sins. There, she finds a place plagued by a mysterious blood disease linked to a supernatural being: the upyr.

ÜREI

Kazakhstan, 2026

World Premiere, 80 min

Director - Yerkezhan Baizhan

When a young girl is left with her aging grandmother in rural Kazakhstan, an ordinary act of familial care quickly turns into an unsettling descent into the unknown where loss can take monstrous forms.

VERTIGINOUS 

France, 2026

US Premiere, 67 min

Director - Quentin Dupieux

Quentin Dupieux offers a delightfully off-kilter take on the simulation hypothesis with early Y2K graphics and his trademark deadpan wit, turning the theory into an absurdly funny mirror of contemporary life.

VICTORIAN PSYCHO 

USA, 2026

North American Premiere, 102 min

Director - Zachary Wigon

Set in Victorian England, VICTORIAN PSYCHO sees an eccentric governess arrive at a remote gothic manor, where strange happenings stir suspicion that she’s not what she seems.

WELCOME TO DOLLY’S HOUSE

R.O.C. (Taiwan), 2026

North American Premiere, 86 min

Directors - Seven Ych, Rady Fu, & Tree Muta

Taiwan’s first major rotoscoped 2D animated feature tells the story of a ghost-debunking influencer who begins to question her own identity after entering the mansion of a famously reclusive doll-maker.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DORIS?

USA, 2026

World Premiere, 92 min

Director - Nick Simon

Based on the terrifying true story that inspired THE ENTITY, WHAT HAPPENED TO DORIS? follows a single mother whose violent encounters with an unseen force draw UCLA investigators into one of the most infamous paranormal cases in American history. 

WILD HORSE NINE

UK, USA, Chile, 2026

Texas Premiere, 118 min

Director - Martin McDonagh

A CIA mission to Easter Island unravels amid conspiracies, secrets, and Chile's looming coup.

For the latest developments, visit the Fantastic Fest official site www.fantasticfest.com and follow the festival on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

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Macabre Daily has been highlighting the amazing authors chosen for the 2026 Summer Scares Reading Program, and we’ve finally reached the final group of dynamite creatives: the Adult Authors! After the incredible line-up of Middle Grade and YA authors, this group certainly brings the chills with two novels and an anthology that will rock your world. CJ Leede (“Maeve Fly”), Noah Medlock (“A Botanical Daughter”), Shane Hawk, and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (“Never Whistle at Night”) deliver the perfect nightmare fuel to wrap up your summer.

CJ, Noah, and Theodore joined us to talk about the thrill of being chosen for this year's Summer Scares Program, how they got into writing, what kind of horror speaks to them, what kind of scares they love, and so much more. We had the best time talking with these powerhouse creatives, and you’ll love the deep dive into their backgrounds, inspirations, and their joy in crafting the perfect scare. Enjoy!

“MAEVE FLY” - CJ Leede

By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess.

By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green — her best friend’s brother — moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho. Step aside, Patrick Bateman; it’s Maeve’s turn with the knife.

You can follow CJ Leede on Instagram here.

“A BOTANICAL DAUGHTER” - Noah Medlock

It is an unusual thing to live in a botanical garden. But Simon and Gregor are an unusual pair of gentlemen. Hidden away in their glass sanctuary from the disapproving tattle of Victorian London, they are free to follow their own interests without interference. For Simon, this means long hours in the dark basement workshop, working on his taxidermy art. Gregor’s business is exotic plants—lucrative, but harmless enough. Until his latest acquisition, a strange fungus which shows signs of intellect beyond any plant he’s seen, inspires him to attempt a masterwork: true intelligent life from plant matter.

Driven by the glory he’ll earn from the Royal Horticultural Society for such an achievement, Gregor ignores the flaws in his plan: that intelligence cannot be controlled; that plants cannot be reasoned with; and that the only way his plant-beast will flourish is if he uses a recently deceased corpse for the substrate.

The experiment – or Chloe, as she is named – outstrips even Gregor’s expectations, entangling their strange household. But as Gregor’s experiment flourishes, he wilts under the cost of keeping it hidden from jealous eyes. The mycelium grows apace in this sultry greenhouse. But who is cultivating whom?

You can follow Noah Medlock on Instagram here.

“NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT” - Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home.

These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.

You can follow Shane Hawk on Instagram here.

You can follow Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. on Instagram here.

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Five hours. That’s how long I can stand being in the car during a road trip, before I either have to get out to stretch my legs, or lose my sanity, entirely.  While watching “It Ends,” writer/director Alex Ullom’s feature debut from NEON about a car full of friends who find themselves in a never-ending nightmare, I felt like I discovered phobias I didn’t know I had.  In this case, that’s complimentary, but…Jesus, man.  This would be too much for Sartre to handle.

Synopsis

A group of recent graduates heads out on a late-night drive for food, hoping to enjoy one final hangout before their paths diverge. Instead, they accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Trapped together inside a Jeep Cherokee with the miles stretching infinitely ahead, they face a choice: embrace their new existence or fight to escape it.

Ullom’s film is small in scale, but wrestles with implications much bigger than its 4 characters. While driving in Florida, Tyler (Mitchell Cole), Day (Akira Jackson), James (Phinehas Yoon), and Fisher (Noah Toth) turn down a country road that appears to go on longer than it should. When they stop to wonder why they didn’t reach the highway, their car is rushed by a group of screaming people who emerge from the surrounding woods. They drive away down the road, which doesn’t seem to end, even after driving all night.  Why do the miles on the odometer rise, despite the gas gauge staying at a quarter tank?  Why are none of them tired, hungry, or thirsty?  Where ARE they?  And what’s with that random polar bear?  

Okay, that last part was a joke, but Ullom makes it feel like anything can happen within the endless miles of nothing in front of them.  The cinematography, from Evan Draper and Jazleana Jones, brings a dull intensity to the plight of the quartet, as nothing they seem to do can get them out of whatever hell they appear to be in (“anyone have anything evil they want to confess to?” asks the philosophical James, at one point).  That may sound dour, and no doubt a film like “The Blair Witch Project” was a major influence, but Ullom brings a ton of humor to their situation without diluting the existential terror.  At one point, the group has been driving so long, they start to adopt daily HR-style “shares,” where they talk about what they miss from the “real world.”  One exercise has them stopping the car to exit and just scream, then proceed driving, having gotten it all out.  For now. There’s a telling moment where they have “a good scream,” before hearing the people in the woods scream, and slightly delirious, the Sea Peop-er passengers mock them without wondering why they’re screaming in the first place.  

Eventually, superfluous title cards are introduced just before major story beats. It feels a little self-conscious, as if Ullom is trying to account for anyone who might be bored.  By the time they show up, he’s already successfully turned a forest into a liminal space (the film is co-produced by Chris Ferguson of “Backrooms”). Plus, there's no need to telegraph immediate plot points in a brisk 89-minute film. 

In the opening scene, Ullom acquaints us with the cast by having them play a “what if” game, less “Fuck, Marry, Kill,” and more “Just survive somehow.”  It’s an inspired introduction to a group of people who try to game out what’s happened and how to endure it.  You might find yourself playing at home, even if Ullom doesn’t seem interested in the answers you might be looking for.  The ending might frustrate some, but if you’re paying attention, Ullom and his cast believe the journey is the destination. Let the cosmic horror of it all enfold you, and maybe you’ll be able to go on a road trip again.

“It Ends” arrives in theaters this Friday, August 21.

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 A road trip or a lovely vacation can happen at any time of year, but oftentimes people are itching to travel during the summer. Whether that be due to weather or simply because they have some extra time to kill. Speaking of kill, there are many horror films that involve road trips, vacations, and just generally bad times happening at the worst of times. Think of films like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974), “The Hitcher” (1986), “Wolf Creek” (2005), and plenty of others.

It’s relatively scary or at the very least uncomfortable to watch a trip go entirely belly up. Though, that’s the name of the game when it comes to road trip and vacation horror. They’re meant to turn what should be a time to have fun, relax, or garner new experiences into a hellish nightmare for those involved.

The following films are a few that may not be mentioned nearly as much or potentially don’t pop into your head when you think of vacation home or road trip horror in general.

“Tourist Trap” (1979)

Escaping a slasher villain is one thing, but escaping a slasher villain who has telekinetic abilities is another. “Tourist Trap” follows a group of teens whose trip turns into chaos when they are stuck dealing with a telekinetic killer. The concept may sound silly, but the film has a late ‘70s horror charm to it. And instead of the killer being regular, some abilities help aid in the murders. It’s not the most perfect slasher, but it’s not discussed nearly enough compared to the others.

“Near Dark” (1987)

Dysfunctional vampire families are sure hard to navigate, aren’t they? “Near Dark” follows the chaos that ensues when a man named Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) becomes involved with a family of vampires. This is the gritty take on the vampiric life, especially when compared to “The Lost Boys” (1987), and it’s certainly not a fun road trip for Caleb. It wasn’t fun from the start for him, and that sets this film apart from other road trip horror films. 

”House of Wax” (2005)

It’s a real drag when a trip turns into a nightmare because of wax figures and serial killers. “House of Wax” follows a group of friends whose trip to a football game turns upside down when they get stranded and find themselves hunted by twin brothers. People have come to appreciate this remake over the years, which is great because it deserves that level of reconsideration. As far as trips gone wrong, it’s safe to say everything goes entirely wrong for this group of college students.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” (2006)

What could go wrong in the world where a cannibalistic family is practically running a town in Texas? “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” follows two brothers and their girlfriends on one last road trip before enlisting in Vietnam, only to be terrorized when they run into Leatherface and his family. When compared to the 2003 remake, this prequel is more gnarly and violent. It’s very much a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time for these young people. This leads to the death and misery of the innocent parties in this film.

“Death Proof” (2007)

Using a car to kill people is surely a unique m.o. for a serial killer, isn’t it? “Death Proof” follows a man named Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) who uses his stunt car to kill women. Both groups get unlucky in being the targets of Stuntman Mike, but only one proves to be more of a challenge for him in the end. The film is perfect for summer vibes or people who are looking for a cast that consists mostly of women.

“Evidence” (2011)

Nobody is ever really expecting their camping vacation to turn into hell and absolute chaos. “Evidence” follows a group of friends whose camping vacation falls apart when something begins hunting them. There’s nothing that can prepare any viewers for how everything goes sideways. It isn’t a simple serial killer looking for them; it’s something else altogether, and that makes it all the more terrifying for these people. If you’re not interested in found footage, then this may not be appealing to you.

”Downrange” (2017)

Being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a gunman trying to kill you is terrifying to think about. “Downrange” follows a group of friends who end up stranded in the middle of nowhere, and a gunman begins picking them off for no reason. Carpooling was the reason for some of these people’s lives, especially when there’s no solid happy ending for anyone in this movie. Horror that focuses on human monsters who use guns to kill people is on a different level of terror. Especially in very public spaces, like a remote road in the country.

“Lowlifes” (2024)

People make assumptions about Tubi horror films, but this one could prove people wrong. “Lowlifes” follows a road-tripping city family who are stuck staying with a family living in a remote area, and everything goes entirely wrong. There are twists in this film that shouldn’t be spoiled. However, it’s certainly a great addition to road trip and vacation horror involving a remote location. And if you like seeing tropes subverted, you may find this film to be relatively satisfying in that respect. 

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Ron Perlman, the critically-acclaimed star of “Hellboy,“ returns this month to “Tales from Beyond the Pale,” the long-running radio drama from Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid. Having last appeared in the 2010 episode ‘This Oracle Moon,’ Perlman is back in a big way with episode 59: Glenn McQuaid's ‘Three Raps on the Buoy.’

In the latest Tale, two open-water swimmers (Perlman and Declan Reynolds) meet at a buoy, where hopes and secrets rise to the surface. The episode also stars Ashley Bell of “The Last Exorcism.”

Producer Larry Fessenden says, "As we near the end of Tales season six, I look back at the amazing contributions by our writers, directors, actors, sound designers, musicians, and poster makers, and I marvel at the ambition and humility of this project. These aren’t movies, but they take the same level of care and commitment. It has meant the world to me and Glenn to continue this project for so long, a testament to our love of art-making in a brutal world. We’re not done yet. Stay tuned." 

Declan Reynolds, who also co-stars in McQuaid's “The Restoration at Grayson Manor,” adds, "Glenn and I bonded over losing our fathers at a young age, and ‘Three Raps on the Buoy’ feels deeply connected to that shared experience. Working opposite Ron Perlman was a genuine pinch-me moment. At its heart, it’s a Tale about grief, something human and universal."

‘Three Raps on the Buoy’ is available for free alongside all other episodes on all major audio platforms, as well as directly through the Tales website.

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The giallo has never been shy about leaning into queer sensibilities. “Deep Red” (1975) features numerous gay characters in prominent (if somewhat problematic) roles. The witches and dancers of “Suspiria” (1977 & 2018) have served as inspiration for countless think-pieces about sapphic love and power. With “Knife + Heart” (2018), we saw our first explicitly queer giallo, and movies like “Friday the 13th” (1980) and “Dressed To Kill” (1980) have been claimed by many as American versions of the genre, which has historically been seen mostly in Italian cinema.   

With his latest feature film “Until You’re Alone” (2026), writer, director, and star Christopher Wesley Moore has combined the classic giallo structure with queer characters and the world of suburban America to create something new. Premiering at the Houston Horror Film Fest on August 8th, we’re happy to report that the combination he has to offer has much delight to offer viewers.  

What’s It About?  

After becoming the lead suspect in a series of brutal slayings, a close-minded gay architect must team up with a free-spirited male sex worker in order to clear his name and solve the crimes before they become the killer's next victims.

What’s The Verdict? 

Before turning our attention to the fun to be had in Moore’s film, we want to address one barrier to entry. “Until You’re Alone” is a riotous and thrilling entry to the giallo filmography, but it takes a bit of time to find its footing. We often find that when movies lose our interest, it happens in the third act, which can go off the rails. “Until You’re Alone” is the opposite experience. The first fifteen minutes, minus a couple of thrilling jump scares, are a bit of a chore. An initially meandering plot and lackluster chemistry make it challenging to engage with the story. 

Trust us, though, and stick with it, because once the central murder takes place, the experience shifts wildly for the better. With a particularly gruesome murder and the introduction of Connor, played by Moore, the fun and mayhem begin in earnest. In an intentional choice, our main character Drew’s (Will Lovorn) chemistry is exponentially more dazzling with the free-spirited sex worker, Connor, than it is with his husband Owen (Roger Connors). Similarly, other side characters, notably Mona (Jo-Ann Robinson) and Greg (Jeff Buchwald), seem to come alive once the mystery begins in earnest. 

This shift in energy serves dual purposes, highlighting the disruption that this series of murders introduces into Drew’s otherwise dull and mild-mannered life, and also accentuating themes important to both the giallo style and queer experience: We all wear “masks.” The nebulous, evolving nature of identity and the tension between the faces we show to those in our daily lives and those we let shine through when we believe no one is looking make the giallo and queer story natural bedfellows. These themes make “Until You’re Alone” a satisfying meal, with much to chew on as you continue to soak in the story. It is also partially to blame for the aforementioned slow opening. While it is necessary to illustrate the shift in Drew and his life, additional editing could have made it equally effective while allowing the beginning to be as exciting as the rest of the story. 

One of our favorite stylistic elements of giallo films is the quirky, often bizarre subplots and side characters that the heroes encounter in their quest for the truth. Moore leans heavily into the fun to be had here, always with a dash of queer sensibility to up the camp factor. A sideplot involving a bag of gummy candies and a trip to the local gay bar is a highlight and keeps the narrative from ever feeling too heavy. We would also pay good money for our own version of the shirt that Connor lends to Drew, proudly proclaiming “It’s safe to sit on my face.”

Moore’s turn as Connor makes his presence invaluable to the film. He effortlessly embodies the ‘Sex Worker With A Heart Of Gold’ archetype in a performance that is both hilarious and deeply silly without losing his core humanity and relatability. He and Lovorn have great comedic timing together. They also find several moments of quiet tenderness that delicately walk the line between friendship and romance. Connor suggests to Drew that they could travel the country with their pet dog one day, solving mysteries along the way, and this is a series we would be first in line to watch! 

No giallo would be complete without a deadly mystery, and “Until You’re Alone” delivers. In a clear homage to “Alice, Sweet Alice” (1976), Drew and Connor find themselves in the crosshairs of a frightening hammer-wielding presence, clad in a yellow raincoat. The bloodshed comes fast and frequent, offering some surprises in terms of the visceral violence occasionally on display. Moore’s attention to detail is apparent in the color and consistency of his blood and in the gory yet often intentionally hokey practical effects, which perfectly fit the giallo style. We’d love to see more elaborate set pieces in future projects, but understand that such grandeur isn't always possible in indie filmmaking.

The central mystery is captivating and offers one actor in particular (no spoilers here) to chew the scenery with gusto once their identity is revealed. We can’t name them and ruin the fun, but they know who they are and deserve a standing ovation for their histrionic performance. We applaud Moore’s decision to unmask the killer much earlier in the narrative than many traditional giallos. It offers more opportunities for the actors and the plot to breathe and explore the mayhem inherent in someone’s descent into murder and madness.  

Final Thoughts: 

Once it finds its footing in the second act, “Until You’re Alone” demonstrates that there is plenty of life left in the Giallo. It also highlights the entertainment and importance of revisiting classic structures through new, historically marginalized perspectives. “Until You’re Alone” checks all the boxes by delivering a thrilling, entertaining, and frequently twisted mystery.

“Until You’re Alone” was produced by CWM Entertainment. It premiered at the Houston Horror Film Fest on August 8, 2026. Follow Christopher Wesley Moore on Instagram here to learn more. 

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“I’m trying to find a book,” the Reddit posts start. “It’s got a purple cover with a woman’s face, and a one-word title.” And soon, the replies: “I can’t find it anywhere!”

The buzz about “Marla” has been steadily building since its limited release nearly four years ago, originally released by Earthling Publications. At the time, they printed just 500 copies as part of a Halloween series in 2022, and since then the book has taken on the feeling of an urban legend passed among horror readers. Searching for the story will turn up glowing Goodreads reviews and Reddit discussions, but the book itself has been elusive—until now.  On August 18, 2026, Blackstone Publishing will bring Jonathan Janz’s “Marla” to readers around the world.

Synopsis

From beloved horror author Jonathan Janz, Marla is a slow-burn, full-throttle horror novel about the families we inherit, the guilt we carry, and the terrible gravity of a gaze you can’t forget. The hardcover edition includes a foiled cover, gorgeous sprayed edges, and an exclusive, never-before-published prequel story.

Turn the page—if you dare.

Every small town has ghosts. King’s Branch has Marla.

A reclusive young woman who lives with her mother in a creepy Gothic house, Marla Gorman is the stuff of urban legends. Some believe she’s a prisoner. Others claim she’s a witch.

The evening of the first murder, Detective Carl Lancaster sees Marla leering at him from her bedroom window. He sees her again at the exact moment a second man is killed. And though Marla was nowhere near either murder site, Carl is convinced she’s connected to the crimes.

To Carl, Marla is a menace. To social worker Annie Frost, Marla bears a bizarre connection to her past. To Dylan Ellison, a struggling college student, Marla might be the companion for whom he’s been longing.

But none of them understands Marla’s true nature. She’s about to plunge them—and everyone in King’s Branch—into an unspeakable nightmare and teach them the true meaning of terror. 

A Classic Urban Legend With a Modern Twist

Fans of “Daphne” by Josh Malerman will find a lot to love in “Marla.” Though the specifics differ significantly, both novels riff on slasher tropes, small-town settings, and supernatural elements. The overall vibe in “Marla”—action-focused, slightly larger than life, lively with mundane details—reminded us of early 2000s horror classics like “House of Wax” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” 

But even as “Marla” hits all the delicious story and tonal beats supernatural slasher fans crave, Janz subverts the subgenre’s most common tropes. In Janz’s world, the buddy cop dynamic becomes a nuanced portrait of friendship and emotional intimacy between two male coworkers. The final girl is recast as a middle-aged mom (rather than a virginal teenager). The Black character is not the first to die. 

These subtle tweaks add up, modernizing the traditional tropes we crave in a slasher—and imagining a more intentional, progressive future for the genre. 

A Welcome Expansion of Who Gets to Be a Final Girl

Horror is full of final girls—and “Marla” features memorable teenage characters. But surprisingly, it’s a middle-aged mom who emerges as our final girl (final woman?). Annie Frost is a social worker who does her best to parent two teenagers and keep an eye out for King’s Landing’s at-risk youth. 

But as Annie tries to take care of others, no one seems to be returning the favor. Her kids have reached the difficult age where they’re craving independence, and the families she works with are struggling with complex traumas of their own. As for Annie’s husband, Brian, he’s too busy undermining her parenting and posturing as a local bigshot to provide any emotional support. It’s Detective Carl Lancaster who helps jolt Annie’s self-confidence back to life. As Annie and Carl cross paths during the investigation, Annie discovers an inner strength and confidence she didn’t realize she still had.

In a recent recorded interview with Macabre Daily, Janz opened up about how his own mother inspired elements of the story. He was raised in a small town not unlike King’s Landing, by a single mother who was frequently stalked and spied on by local Peeping Toms. When she turned to the local police for help, they blamed her for the harassment. The experience left Janz with a lasting sense of outrage, which continues to shape the way he writes female characters to this day.  Though it’s unseen in the book, Janz’s personal backstory comes through in Annie’s journey. The novel’s final faceoff with Marla puts Annie’s newfound growth to the ultimate test.

A Terrifying New Small Town Villain 

Although Blackstone Publishing explored a variety of cover options, Janz told Macabre Daily that he couldn’t let go of the original artwork by Australian artist Matthew Revert. 

It’s easy to see why—Revert’s stylized, geometric design uses negative space to shape Marla’s face among a thicket of tangled branches. The sole use of white is reserved for Marla’s wide eyes—a portent of terror within the novel. 

In many ways, Marla herself can be read as a foil to plucky Annie Frost. While Annie discovers and cultivates her inner goodness, Marla’s threatening aura escalates with each shocking murder that befalls King’s Landing. 

In a world where women are frequently cast as villains or victims, with little in between, it’s refreshing to fly through an action-packed slasher that treads a more interesting middle ground.

You can purchase “Marla” here.

You can follow Jonathan Janz on Instagram, X, and Facebook.

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Damian McCarthy is easily one of the most exciting “new” filmmakers to enter the genre in the last 7 years, and it’s all been building to something like “Hokum.” It had the backing of a big studio like NEON and brought some mainstream acting gravitas with the inclusion of Adam Scott, whose 10th IMDB credit is the criminally underrated “Hellraiser: Bloodline.” It received critical praise and was a modest success, making just under $25 million worldwide on a $5 million budget. As it arrives on 4K UHD, we bring it into the crypt to see how it compares to McCarthy’s previous films, and if it’s a disc worth adding to your shelf!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

A horror writer visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents' ashes, unaware the property is said to be haunted by a witch.

HOW IS IT?

Brain Finnerty previously wrote a Scared Sane column about “Hokum,” which you can read by clicking here!

Also, spoilers ahead! You’ve been warned!

I loved “Caveat” and “Oddity,” and I also feel like whenever a sentence starts with pre-apologetic praise, bad news is coming. But I also want to establish that this certainly doesn’t feel as well realized as his last two films simply because it feels like it’s trying to do too much. Whereas “Caveat” and “Oddity” felt like contained stories finely tuned to a supernatural Hitchcockian level, “Hokum” comes across as unfocused, yet visually compelling and, as always with McCarthy, sinisterly interesting. The lore building here is top-notch, and the technical chops continue to get better and better, so it’s not to say that “Hokum” is bad, far from it. “Hokum” is simply a victim of too many good ideas for one movie.

Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) is yet another POS man in the wider McCarthy-verse who is not only a huge prick, but also severely depressed after the death of his parents and struggling with the weight of expectations to finish the third book in his bestselling trilogy. What is supposed to be a trip to bury the ashes of his parents at the inn they spent their honeymoon in ends up with Ohm attempting to take his life, only to be saved by Fiona (Florence Ordesh), one of the hotel staff who happens to go missing after Ohm gets out of the hospital. Thus, Ohm gets involved in a murder cover-up plot shrouded in the supernatural mystery of a haunted hotel room that plays host to a basement witch. Oh, and Ohm accidentally shot and killed his mom as a kid and has flashbacks of a nightmarish show from his youth hosted by Jack the Donkey, pure nightmare fuel. As you can see, “Hokum” has a lot going on and all of it’s interesting, but almost none of it has enough room to be as cool as it could be.

Starting with the murder plot because it’s the least interesting aspect of the film, it’s executed with the kind of wit McCarthy has crafted, though better in “Oddity.” Ohm is almost too miserable to give a shit about, but by the end of the film there’s an argument to be made for his redemption, even if his growth isn’t so much maturity as shock. His unlikability is a testament to Scott’s portrayal, which is so cold you’d never remember he’s also the mind behind The Cones of Dunshire. A shitty guy is no stranger to the world of Damian McCarthy, but that world is shared with some super strange Irish folklore, and “Hokum” certainly expands on that significantly by entering the world of witches. 

And for my money, the witch was the thing that should’ve been the major focus here. The moments in the basement below the hotel are some of the best, and the climax is a movie I would watch in a heartbeat, but here it takes up just some of the time, which is shared with the creepy af Jack the Donkey. Another great idea and image that feels like it’s too big for the small role it has in the film, and would be better served being the focus of its own film, but then again, it’s not as if the character is wasted. My critical assessment comes from a place of love, because I’ll still see every McCarthy movie going forward as long as he keeps making em. Especially that haunted house movie!

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Video: 2160p 4K UHD / HEVC / H.265 - HDR10

Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Special Features: 

• The Making Of Hokum (15 minutes): This is relatively brief, but a densely packed “making of” that is less about how they made the film and more about who made the film and what they contributed. We hear from McCarthy and his designs for a haunted hotel, and also from his longtime collaborator and cinematographer, Colm Hogan, about his approach to shooting. The actors share their takes on working with McCarthy and what intrigued them about the story, and overall it gives you just a taste of what went into making this film without ever providing the satisfaction of a genuine doc and more like a web feature used to help promote the film

• Jack The Donkey, A Family Favorite: This is basically a screentest for the Jack the Donkey character and makeup. It’s a quirky but hollow inclusion, as it doesn’t really add much.

• Feature Commentary With Damian McCarthy 

• Teaser And Trailer

Images from this release are used throughout this review.

LAST RITES

“Hokum” is one of the rare films that has too many good ideas for one movie. Damian McCarthy’s weird world is always worth visiting, but works slightly better when it’s more focused. Regardless, this is far better than most movies this year, and this release is a solid addition to both fans of McCarthy and genre fans overall!

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at Sumbersive Media and Alliance Home Entertainment for providing a review copy for the crypt! “Hokum” is available now and can be purchased via Diabolik DVD!

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Misdirection is one of the many tools a filmmaker has in their arsenal to throw the viewer off their scent. Used wisely, it can create tension and genuinely surprise viewers, creating those wonderful “jaw-dropping” moments. Then again, if the twist isn’t worth the squeeze, it can feel like a cheap trick that is trying to cover for a weak script. Regardless, it’s a common occurrence in horror for filmmakers to toy with our perceptions and try to invent new ways to tell new tales, and writer/director Brock Bodell certainly does just that in his new film, “Hellcat.”

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

A woman wakes in the back of a moving camper trailer with a badly infected wound. A voice from the truck towing it tells her they must reach a doctor within the hour or she'll suffer a horrific fate.

HOW IS IT?

This is going to be one of those reviews where we can’t really go into detail, because “Hellcat” is full of surprises that simply aren’t apparent from the trailer and/or marketing material. And bravo to the folks who cut the trailer for dutifully not alluding to it, as Bodell certainly keeps his characters and viewers on their toes. To the extent that it depends on the work, because “Hellcat” takes a lot of big swings and they don’t all pan out with the same result. There are genuine “wtf” moments in here that feel so ridiculous your eyes will pop out like a Tex Avery cartoon, just not in a lustful way as that clip implies. To Bodell’s credit, it’s very singular in a world where slight variations on a formula are often the norm, but it also left me feeling cold at the end like, “what was this all for?”

The trailer and synopsis provide a sense of what some of “Hellcat” is about. Lena (Dakota Gorman) wakes up in a dank, bloody trailer to the voice of Clive (Todd Terry), who informs her she’s infected and that he needs to get her to a doctor. What Lena may or may not be infected with, because, like Lena, we aren’t sure what she has and are figuring out as she does. For about two-thirds of the film, we are confined to the trailer with Lena and the truck cab with Clive, and Bodell makes good use of limited spaces to keep the tension high. Has Clive lost the plot, or is Lena in real danger? If Clive is right, the implications are existential and life-changing, but Lena isn’t dumb, and her savvy is largely what keeps her (and us) guessing as to what is really going on. It seems like it could just as easily be an abduction and gaslighting special, but then again, maybe not?

“Hellcat” toys with the “is it / is it not real” schtick for a little too long, which makes the last act of the film feel supremely rushed and stuffed with ideas. The thing is, these are good ideas. Ideas that could’ve been brought into the fold much earlier, which may have ruined some of the misdirection, but would likely have given time to do some solid worldbuilding. Then again, where “Hellcat” goes is so wildly out there that I’d be shocked if anyone could honestly say, “yup, called it,” by the end. It’s got “balls” (in the proverbial sense) to give such narrative whiplash, and if it weren’t such a gonzo ending, it would be hard to defend it as a good idea. It’s more that there’s a really interesting movie in here that is fighting to be told.

The performances from Gorman and Terry are the engine (pun intended) driving this thing, and their interactions, which are mostly through a wall and not face-to-face, are genuine, and their characters have depth. Clive has his own demons he’s struggling with that inform his code, and Lena is hiding a secret that has a profound effect on the outcome of the film, but also comes across as a bit of a head-scratching idea to begin with, especially if it only existed to give way to the ending. This is surely going to be some people’s favorite movie, and others will not get it, and I think I’m somewhere in between.

LAST RITES

“Hellcat” is certainly one of the most surprising films to come out this year, at least in terms of some serious misdirection. It’s admirably weird where it goes, but it also raises questions about why certain narrative choices are made in how the story unfolds, and why. While not every film needs to have meaning, one with such a flair for throwing curveballs surely feels like it should have something more to say.

THE GORY DETAILS

“Hellcat” is currently streaming on Shudder!

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Dinosaur movies are pretty awesome, but they’re also really expensive to produce. Even before the advent of CGI, the practical effects used to bring prehistoric creatures to the silver screen were time-consuming and costly. While technology has made that easier, it has also reduced the movie magic that comes from bringing the impossible to life. Doing that hasn’t stopped many indie filmmakers, especially ones like Mark Polonia and his stop-motion dinosaur picture from 1994, “Saurians.” Visual Vengeance brings the film to Blu-ray for the first time, and we are about to dive in!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

When a routine construction blast shakes their sleepy town, a group of locals discover that the explosion has awakened two dinosaurs from a centuries-long slumber, who soon run amok in the local woods on a rampage of terror.

HOW IS IT?

As someone who is still traversing the weird and wonderful world of SOV horror, the name Mark Polonia was new to me. Across over 100 films, “Saurians” is one of the first 10, and it’s hard to say that it’s objectively a “good” movie. It’s got some of the worst ADR of all-time, an ill-fitting MUZAK-esque score, and it's quite light on the dinosaur action. That said, this is a VV release, and thus the standard of quality is set significantly lower than the average indie film. While it may not appeal to the masses, it’s easy to see how some could be charmed by “Saurians” and all of its amateurishness, if you will. Polonia completists are likely to be enthused seeing his early work, and it’s certainly a beer-and-pizza movie that will go over better in a group than alone.

I’ll be honest in saying this is going to be a shorter review because there simply isn’t much to review. The plot follows a group of drunken teenagers who happen to be at the same location when a blast unearths a couple of dinosaurs. Naturally, those dinosaurs cause some havoc, with a heavy emphasis on the some as the dino screen time is minimal. Instead, the majority of the runtime is dedicated to some terrible dialogue and completely uninteresting melodrama as these characters fumble through a padded runtime. This is not intended to sound harsh, but rather just a statement of fact, given SOV films are by nature ridiculous and usually have intentions far greater than their budgets could ever support.

The dinosaur work isn’t going to win any awards, but it is a labor of love to see Polonia and crew work so diligently to achieve practical effects. The use of stop motion and minor camera tricks is evident. Still, expectations aren’t artificially high for films like these. Hence why the suggestion around a group watch was made from the jump, because a movie like “Saurians” is the kind of thing you have to observe with someone else to be able to reconcile what you’re seeing, or at the very least have a partner to tag along to make things a bit more entertaining.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

As is usually the case with VV releases, the source materials for “Saurians” aren’t in the best condition, which makes sense considering that the film was shot on Super8, and then re-edited with reshoots on tape. What remains are source tapes that are as good as it’s going to get, and VV does the best with what they have. The washed-out look of Super8 is here, but the clarity isn’t bad given the materials, despite the film being run through film and the passed-through tape.

Images from this release are used throughout this review.

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

Much like the video, the audio is also sourced from the original tapes, and along with that comes some of the downsides of SOV. The sound here isn’t bad, but the ADR work on the dialogue is the real killer. It’s hard to fault the production given the circumstances, but the question of why looms. It’s not that ADR is used, but that the delivery is so lifeless and not easy to discern different characters. The score is completely wrong for the film, but it does give you a chuckle listening to what sounds like vintage corporate safety training audio against the backdrop of a dinosaur jungle chase. So it’s got that going for it!

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

Like all VV releases, “Saurians” is stacked with largely newly commissioned special features that provide a wealth of resources for fans to indulge in. The first feature we reviewed was The Making of Saurians, which was a surprisingly short 7-minute vignette featuring interviews with Mark and some with his wife, Maria, who starred in the film. This isn’t so much about the production, but rather the distribution journey, as it took 4.5 months to complete production, but Mark couldn’t find any buyers for a few years. It gave him the chance to go back and re-edit the film while adding new scenes, and eventually it was picked up for minor distribution. Maria admits that she’s never watched the film all the way through, and feels embarrassed about her acting, specifically how difficult it was to do the dubbing for the dialogue.

The next feature was even shorter. Clocking in at 4 minutes, the Saurians Locations Visit showcases Mark as he gives a visual tour of the locations they used for filming. It’s a cheeky inclusion, and not the kind of thing many folks will be clamoring for. Had we had the time, we would’ve checked out the bonus feature, “The Dinosaur Chronicles,” to see how Mark is living his dinosaur fantasy years later in 2004!

A full list of special features is listed below.

Special Features

• New director-approved SD master from original tape elements

• Commentary with director Mark Polonia, moderated by the Visual Vengeance crew

• The Making of Saurians

• Saurians Locations Visit

• Actor Todd Carpenter Interview

• Kevin Lindenmuth Interview

• Saurians Stop Motion Outtakes

• Saurians Super 8 Raw Footage

• Alternate, never-released Rae Don Home Video version of Saurians

• Commentary track for Rae Don version with director Mark Polonia and the Visual Vengeance crew

• Bonus Feature Film: The Dinosaur Chronicles (2004)

• Commentary track for The Dinosaur Chronicles with director Mark Polonia and the Visual Vengeance crew

• The Making of The Dinosaur Chronicles

• Saurians Visual Vengeance Trailer

• The Dinosaur Chronicles Visual Vengeance Trailer

• Saurians 2 Trailer

• Visual Vengeance trailers

• ‘Stick Your Own’ VHS sticker set

• Reversible sleeve featuring original Saurians VHS art

• Folded mini-poster with alternate vintage promotional art

• Optional English subtitles

• Limited Edition O-Card - FIRST PRESSING ONLY

• Limited Edition rare, original piece of Super-8 film from the movie - FIRST PRESSING ONLY

LAST RITES

“Saurians” isn’t great, and probably one of the lesser films in the Visual Vengeance catalog, but that doesn’t mean it’s without merit. It’s the kind of film you watch with like-minded friends over beer and pizza, and at the very least, the package that Visual Vengeance puts forward makes these releases worth collecting!

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at MVD Entertainment for providing a review copy for the crypt! “Saurians” is available now and can be purchased via MVD DIRECT!

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The entertainment industry is full of unsavory folks, and many of them are hosts of reality shows aimed at exploiting the ignorant and gullible into believing almost anything put on the screen. While personal responsibility is always paramount, one can’t help but feel some ire for folks who use the trauma of others as a means to not only make money, but swindle viewers. No one knows this better than veteran film and television actor, Gary Webster, and it helped him prepare for his role in the recently released “Harbinger,” from Shogun Films.

Gary plays “Mike,” a reality TV host whose using the trauma of the sole-survivor of a serial killer as the basis for his great comeback to primetime. Gary spoke with us about preparing for a role like this, his reflections on the horror genre at large, and the acting legacy that he shares with his son. It was a wonderful conversation and we hope you enjoy watching it!

“Harbinger” is available now on VOD in the UK and US from Miracle Media.

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