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Thursday, October 05, 2006 |
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Horror Brain Wants YOU!!!
Hey all of you horror fans out there!
Sorry to bump Short Bus' article down a bit, but I do thank him for getting the ball rolling on this. Horror Brain needs writers. I wont beat around the bush. Since our transition from our origninal website to these blogs, we have seen most of our volunteer writing staff choose to no longer contribute. As a result, we have seen a major drop off in reviews, editorials, top 10 lists... the list goes on.
I have been doing everything in my power to keep this blog as entertaining and fresh as I possibly can. I have been doing countless reviews, an interview, and bringing you the latest news. But I can't do this on my own.
Short Bus has been extremely helpful in providing some nice pieces to help keep Horror Brain rolling. His enthusiasm and willingness to do whatever he can to make this blog a success is what we are missing. This is where you all come in.
We need your help. We are looking for individuals who would be interested in doing any number of the following:
Movie/TV Reviews
Top 10 Lists
Editorials
Original fan submissions (art, fiction, etc.)
Horror Soundtrack Reviews
Comic Reviews
Book Reviews
...And anything else horror related.
If anyone is interested, which I hope there are a great many of you, please, contact us via e-mail at horror[at]brainnetwork.ign.com (I am now getting to a bunch of e-mails that have been sent our way.)
I hope to hear from those of you who would be willing to volunteer and contribute to this great blog. We would love to have you on board and help us to continue to provide great original content for everyone to enjoy. For now, take a look around and enjoy our current collection of Horror Brain content at the H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index).
Also, I would just like to extend my deepest thanks to all of YOU! Thank you for making Horror Brain a Top 20 Blog!! It's great to know that we can provide you all with eye-catching material. We will continue to work our asses off to bring you the best horror content possible and, hopefully, you will join us. In doing so, we can rock our way to a Top 10 Blog.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
- Gorefan, Horror Brain manager
For today's Horror Brain news, click HERE.
* Special thanks to Short Bus for helping to get this all started.
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Thursday, October 05, 2006 |
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The Daily Aanyong with Short Bus
By Short Bus
This new section I am introducing will remind you of what is happening at Horror Brain. I will focus mainly on the polls (currently, the top ten list poll), the newsposts, and just anything horror. But today, it'll be a little dry since I don't have much to say. So here we go...
First, I would like say that I'm sorry I blocked the newspost for you and if want to view the news of October 5th, today, click here.
And then please direct your attention to [yes, click there --->] the Top 10-20 Movies To Watch On Halloween because I am trying my absolute best to keep that post alive. PLEASE KEEP SENDING YOUR TOP 10-20 LISTS IN COMMENTS!
JOIN US!!!
Horror Brain is looking for new contributors, so send your applications or anything of Horror Brain's use to "[email protected]". And take this as a call for help from the people at Horror Brain.
JOIN US!!! please?
SHORT BUS
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Thursday, October 05, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- October 5, 2006
Video Interviews: The Cast of ‘THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING’
IESB.net now has up exclusive video interviews of the cast from the upcoming prequel, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginningâ€. Check 'em out.
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Casting Update: 'AVP: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST'
Hollywoodreporter.com is reporting that Shareeka Epps, John Ortiz and Johnny Lewis have been cast in 20th Century Fox's Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest. Fox's sequel to the monster showdown "Alien vs. Predator" marks the first studio role for Epps since her acclaimed onscreen debut opposite Ryan Gosling in the Sundance Film Festival favorite "Half Nelson," in which she co-starred as a student in a rundown inner-city school.
Epps will play Kendra, a young girl who must protect her little brother. Ortiz, who most recently appeared as Jose Yero in Michael Mann's "Miami Vice," will play a recently elected sheriff. Lewis, a featured player on "The O.C.," will play Ricky, a troubled kid. They join a cast that includes Reiko Aylesworth and Steven Pasquale. Written by Shane Salerno ("Armageddon") and helmed by Colin Strause and Greg Strause in their feature directing debut, "Survival" is the follow-up to the 2004 iconic monster movie in which young Predator warriors were tested by fighting Alien offspring.
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Brand New ‘GRUDGE 2’ Webisode Now Online
GhosthousePictures.com now has up the seventh Webisode for The Grudge 2, which features Takashi Shimizu and more behind-the-scenes footage. Check it out.
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Aussie Actor John Jarratt Is Removed From ’GRIND HOUSE’
Moviehole.net reports that John Jarratt has revealed that Quentin Tarantino discourteously dumped him from the filmmaker’s upcoming pic, “Grind Houseâ€.
Tarantino met Jarratt – who is on the trail of a comeback since the success of last year’s “Wolf Creek†– in Australia last year, and gushed over the veteran Oz talent. The Australian actor was reportedly one of Tarantino’s favourite actors, and he looked forward to working with Jarratt in the future. Later, it was said that Jarratt was offered a role in Tarantino’s “Grind Houseâ€.
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006 |
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Short Bus's Nobodies Pacific Spectacular!: Peter Jackson's "Bad Taste"
By Short Bus
Okay, it has been about 3 days since posting the debut of the "Pacific Spectacular". My original concept was to get the Australian movie reviews done that Sunday. But since I was feeling under the weather AND not to mention beat down by how much typing I had to do [I have stopped using my "visual review enhancers" or pictures so that the review seems like hard work.] Okay, well here you go: introduction...
"Bad Taste" was the first feature-length film produced/acted/directed/written by Peter Jackson, the king of all piss breaks amidst the theater atmosphere. About 20 years ago, "Bad Taste" was released after 4 years of making the film [I'm guessing the filming took place every other weekend... and I'm wondering if what I just said was a joke or not.]
"Bad Taste", in many aspects, has a very stupid plot; aliens working for a fast food coporation land on Earth planning to obtain "the exotic new taste sensation", human flesh, and like any plain ol' movie, there is an opposing force, A.I.D.S. (it has nothing to do with the disease, I just don't remember what it stood for but I remembered the "AIDS" part), a government agency defending the Earth (and the moon) from complete extra-terrestrial annihilation... an Ed Wood kind of plot minus the "seriousness". So the plot is kind of silly, but what really attracted me to it was everything else except the somewhat irrelevant plot. The gore! The humor! The gross-out factor! The action! The exploding sheep! I've dragged myself into reviewing in the introduction... So, that must mean I need to start the review...
Do you know all of that "Evil Dead Trilogy" bullshit from the "milkgore" that emits out of those Deadites in the first "Evil Dead" to the annoying changing colored blood [green, red, black] in "Evil Dead 2" to the just stupid "dustgore" in "Army of Darkness"? "Bad Taste" has real gore [the aliens emit human blood too], no bullshit, the MPAA can take that and shove it up their asses. With the same amount of fun as "Army of Darkness", the same amount of humor as "Evil Dead 2", and the first "Evil Dead", well I hope that we can all agree on saying that this movie was solely made so Sam Raimi could prove himself as a director. Okay, I probably seem like a douchebag right about now so let's change the pace.
There is no shame in saying that "Bad Taste" is a cheapie, it was made on a thirty-three thousand dollar budget. The movie budget doesn't SEEM that cheap, the movie itself was completely improvised and not so well-kept since Peter Jackson lost the original soundtrack [those audio tracks without music, to put it simple] causing him and his friends, who all star in the movie, to dub the whole entire movie. But, oh no, the budget doesn't go to waste... no, no, it is used to turn a seemingly campy plot into a splatter masterpiece.
"Bad Taste" is filled with strange characters who spout constant catchphrases that would be put on any obscure manufacturing level if it were as big as "Army of Darkness". But as you may expect, this movie isn't as big as "Army of Darkness" which, it turns out, making itself a better and more enjoyable movie for me. Here's a list of catchphrases:
- "The bastards have landed!"
- "I'm a Derek, and Dereks don't run"
- "You're going to be the main course at our lunch tomorrow. You're the new exotic taste sensation!"
- "I'm coming to get you bastards!"
But since I think that catchphrases on t-shirts are just about as miserable and pathetic as product placement and this movie hasn't been exploited, I can just take a sigh of relief and enjoy the movie over and over and over again.
This movie probably has the strangest character I have ever seen in a movie. His name is Derek, and he's played by a nearly unrecognizable Peter Jackson [Peter hasn't grown his beard, although he plays another character, an alien named Robert which you can recognize with the beard though it's fake]. Derek is a scientist who foams some sort of milk-looking liquid when he's angry or crazy, I really don't know. Not really a spoiler, but Derek gets killed by Robert... himself. But not to worry, my friends, Derek comes back from the dead and goes completely apeshit on everything in his way--he kills them. The one problem that Derek has, which contributes to the gross-out factor in the movie, is that there is an opening in his skull and he is always missing a part of his brain. Of course the opening unhinges (and I mean that quite literally), and another thing; Derek picks up just stray pieces of brain (alien) or just plain filler substance, unhinges the opening of his skull, stuffs everything in there, and shuts the opening of his skull closed... sounds yummy, doesn't it?
But what would really draw the masses in is the gore. Yes, if you've seen the movie there's not a lot of gore and the budget is a factor in that. Trust me, this is no "Braindead", I mean the worst you see is half of a head being blown off. It's not gory in the sense of physical gore, it's just an aura that you feel you don't want to mess with. It is a truely great movie at a zero budget stance, and quite gory if you really enjoy it.
"Bad Taste" is a movie that comes along, much like the original "Dawn of the Dead", "Evil Dead 2", and "Army of Darkness", that you want to watch over and over because you have so much fun watching them. It is definitely an underrated cult classic. In the end, this is great film from the dawn of the splatter sub-genre that is amongst my most favorite movies.
Also, if you are anticipating "Halo: The Movie" (though Peter Jackson is not directing it, but taking the role as executive producer), you may want to watch this movie to see where Peter Jackson is coming from in the ranks of any kind of "alien invasion" movie.
SPLATTER ON,
SHORT BUS
Next, on Saturday, BATTLE ROYALE and ICHI THE KILLER in a Japanese movie review conclusion.
Please post your top 10 lists of the best movies to watch on Halloween HERE. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS DROWNING IN NEWSPOSTS AND REVIEWS! Viva la top 10 poll/lists!
And oh crap! Click to start from the beginning of the "Nobodies Pacific Spectacular" with Braindead. Also, feel free to gaze upon the feat of a 100+ [complete total... yes, I counted them all] stock of horror movie reviews, editorials, and other random crap at the Horror Brain Index.
Horror Brain needs some writers, or so I've overheard, so send your applications or anything of Horror Brain's use to "[email protected]". And Gorefan, contributor and admin to Horror Brain, will look you over. Please we need more features on Horror Brain!
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- October 4, 2006
Paramount Vantage Discloses New 'DETAILS' On Horror Film
Hollywoodreporter.com is reporting that Paramount Vantage has purchased the horror script Details from writer Dan Kay. Based on a short story by British fantasy writer China Mieville, "Details" revolves around a girl who disappears after having uncovered a demonic force that only she can see and her father, who stops at nothing to bring her back. Jason Blum of Blumhouse Prods. will produce the film with Steven Schneider and Ian Levy serving as executive producers.
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Trailer: One Last Look At ‘SAW III’
Yahoo! Movies now has up the final trailer for Lionsgate’s Saw III, which hits theaters on October 27th. Check it out.
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An Early Review of The ‘BLACK CHRISTMAS’ Remake
Aintitcool.com now has up a test screening review for the remake of the 1974 Horror classic, Black Christmas.
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Brand New Clip From ‘TCM: THE BEGINNING’
Sohh.com now has up a clip from the upcoming horror prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.
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Tuesday, October 03, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- October 3, 2006
’SNAKES ON A PLANE’ Sheds Its Skin and Unveils Complete DVD Specs!
DVDActive.com reports that New Line Home Entertainment has announced Snakes on a Plane which stars Samuel L Jackson, Julianna Margulies, and Nathan Phillips. The film will be available to own from the 2nd January, and should retail at around $28.98. The film itself will be presented in anamorphic widescreen, along with English DTS 6.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo Surround tracks.
Extras will include a commentary from star Samuel L. Jackson and director David R. Ellis, deleted scenes with optional commentary from director David R. Ellis, a Pure Venom behind-the-scenes documentary, a Snakes on a Blog featurette documenting the film’s fan-based buzz, a Meet the Reptiles featurette about the snakes featured in the film, and a Snakes on a Plane VFX featurette. Completing the package will be 'Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)†– Cobra Starship with The Academy Is…, Gym Class Heroes, and The Sounds music video', the teaser trailer, two theatrical trailers, five TV spots, and an easter egg.
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Final Specs And Cover Art Revealed For ‘THE DESCENT’ DVD
DavisDVD.com reports that Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release The Descent on December 26th. Available in separate anamorphic widescreen and fullscreen 99-min. uncut editions, director Neil Marshall’s bloody great horror film arrives with both Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks.
Bonus materials will include an audio commentary with Marshall and crew, a second commentary with Marshall and cast, deleted & extended scenes, outtakes, “Making of ‘The Descent’†documentary, “DesEnding†Interview with Director Neil Marshall, Storyboard and Scene Comparisons, still gallery, bios and trailers. The 98-min domestic cut will be available in fullscreen-only. Retail is $28.98.
Check out the DVD cover art here.
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John McNaughton Talks ‘NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET’ Prequel
Fangoria.com is also reporting that director John (Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer) McNaughton’s name has been attached to a Nightmare On Elm Street prequel for quite some time now, but no news has been heard about the project for months. So Fango asked McNaughton what was up.
“Well, [New Line and I] talked about it, and I’m still waiting to hear back from them,†he says. “They approached me because of HENRY, since they want to make a serious film about Freddy Krueger and his early days as a school janitor. Freddy’s just a living person at that point, and this would seem more like a real story. It wouldn’t be supernatural, and it will recount the days when he used to kidnap young girls—and actually also boys—to rape and murder them.â€
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First Pics From ‘SISTERS’ Remake!
Fangoria.com reports that they got ahold of the first photos from Douglas (Family Portraits: A Trilogy of America) Buck’s remake of Brian De Palma’s . Sisters.
Scripted by the director and John Freitas, the movie stars “House of Voices†Lou Doillon as Angelique, a sheltered young woman under the care of a controlling psychiatrist (Stephen Rea); when a reporter (Chloë Sevigny) begins looking into the doctor’s activities with the help of Angelique’s unsuspecting love interest, Dr. Dylan Wallace (Dallas Roberts), she winds up witnessing a bloody killing and discovering shocking truths about Angelique. The movie also stars JR Bourne, Serge Houde, Alistair Abell, Gabrielle Rose and William B. Davis (The X-Files’ Cigarette Smoking Man).
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New Pics of Kurt Russell From ‘DEATH PROOF’
Aintitcool.com now has up eight exclusive stills of Kurt Russell and his badass car from Quentin Tarantino’s half of “Grindhouse†entitled, “Death Proofâ€. Check ‘em out.
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Del Toro Talks ‘THE STRAIN’
Scifi.com reports that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro offered them new details about the proposed television series he's developing, called The Strain. "It's horror," del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) said in an interview last week in Los Angeles. He added: "It would be a really nasty, nasty fantasy. ... My deal is with Fox, and we're in the process of developing the story and seeing if we see eye to eye." Del Toro currently has a development deal with the Fox network.
ABOMINABLE - Review
By: Gorefan
SYNOPSIS
Preston Rogers (Matt McCoy) has just been released from the hospital, following a horrific mountain climbing accident that left him paralyzed and his wife dead. Confined to a wheelchair, and accompanied by Otis (Christien Tinsley), a nurse from the hospital, Preston returns to his home in the hills, hoping to somehow get on with his life and be rehabilitated after the traumatizing incident. But this trip would prove to be anything but helpful as Preston begins to realize that he is not the only inhabitant living in the woods.
Now, with a group of beautiful co-eds (including Haley Joel and Tiffany Shepis) moving into a cabin across the way, the beast that lurks in the deep, dark woods begins to raise hell, hunting for its next meal. Can Preston, witnessing all of the horrifying events from his binoculars, save the beautiful women without being seen as a pervert? Will three hunters (Jeffrey Combs, Lance Henrikson, and Rex Linn) find and kill the monster before it turns them all into dinner? Will the unconvinced police believe the tales of a monster and save the day? Only time will tell in this highly entertaining monster flick that will have you laughing one minute and then screaming the next.
THE REVIEW
Written and Directed by Ryan Schifrin (interview), Abominable is a fantastic fright fest that really harkens back to the days when horror cinema was about pure fun and satisfying thrills. Originally airing on the Sci-Fi Channel, one would think that the film would not be as serious and/or well executed as some of your more theatrically released movies, right? Wrong. Abominable is an instant cult-classic.
The story, itself, is very reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Rear Windowâ€. In fact, you could probably call this, “Rear Window: Are You Yeti For Horror?†Well, maybe not exactly that, but you get the idea. We have the man in the wheelchair, who examines the world outside of his window through binoculars, witnessing a series of unexplainable events take part in front of him, which peaks his interest. The only difference between the two films is that instead of watching a mysterious salesman and some colorful neighbors, we get sexy co-eds and a flesh eating Bigfoot. Despite this similarity in the story, director/writer Ryan Schifrin managed to put his own unique spin and style on the tale and come up with a very solid horror outing that ranks as one of the best horror films in the last few years.
Using fantastic lighting and camera work, Abominable is able to separate itself from the typical horror fare. Visually, the film is a treat. There are some very nice shots in this film that, like “Rear Window†manage to separate you from the actual horror, making it that much more engaging and entertaining. There is just something about putting the audience in the position of the main character and having us helplessly watch, from a distance, as horrifically violent acts take place. We want to yell out. We want someone to get over there to stop it. But we can’t and we are soon on edge and can’t help but enjoy the ride.
Speaking of enjoying things, it was very enjoyable to watch the acting in this film. The cast that Ryan Schifrin managed to round up is amazing, especially for a Sci-Fi Channel film. The best performance of all comes from Matt McCoy, our lead. Some of you may remember him from Seinfeld, in which he played Lloyd Braun – “Serenity now... Insanity later.†Mr. McCoy did a terrific job in his role of the hero. With all the “Rear Window†similarities that were happening in this film, to get someone like McCoy to play the lead only seemed right, as the man even looks a little like the legendary Jimmy Stewart. McCoy, however, managed to really pull off a great performance and he is very convincing in the role of Preston Rogers. Whether it was jumping into action and taking on the ferocious monster head-on or watching his eyes overcome with sadness at the thought of his wife’s passing, McCoy was perfect in this movie.
The rest of the cast doesn’t disappoint. They are equally as impressive in their respective roles. If anything, they aren’t in the film long enough. This is the case with a number of people. First you have the group made up of Jeffrey Combs, Lance Henrikson and Rex Linn. These three fellas have always been great in their performance. It could be Combs in “Re-Animatorâ€, Henrikson in “Pumpkinhead†or Linn in “Cliffhangerâ€; all three of these actors can dish it out with the best of them. However, to have their on-screen time in Abominable set to a minimum, it was a bit of a letdown. It would have been great to see more of these guys in the film.
So what about the women in the film? Take your pick. Dee-Wallace Stone, Haley Joel, and Tiffany Shepis are all fantastic. Dee-Wallace, much like Combs and others, has very limited screen time, but is still good in her role. Tiffany Shepis has probably the most fun in the entire film, seeing how she gets the pleasure of being pulled through a window the size of a shoebox, by Bigfoot, and end split in half as a result. And hey, guys, she ain’t bad to look at, either. Yes, she does take it all off for this film so... keep cool until you get the DVD. Then there’s Haley Joel, who is the main female lead. She does a great job of playing both the scared damsel in distress, as well as the tough, fight-to-the-end heroine. She’s got some strong acting chops.
On a special note, Abominable features one of the very last performances from the late Paul Gleason, who passed away this past May. In this particular film, Mr. Gleason plays Halderman, the skeptical town sheriff who refuses to believe what’s actually going on. His introduction into the film is wonderful, as the camera focuses on a coffee mug that reads “Don’t Mess With The Bull†(a nice reference to his AWESOME performance in the classic teen film, “The Breakfast Clubâ€) and then panning up to expose his presence. Whether he was playing that hard-ass principal from “The Breakfast Clubâ€, or the jackass Deputy Police Chief from “Die Hardâ€, or here, the sheriff in Abominable, Paul Gleason brought a rugged individuality and great sense of humor to every single role. He will be greatly missed by fans and filmmakers alike. We miss you, Paul. You’ll always be “The Bullâ€, the one and only.
Now, back to Abominable. With any great horror film, you have to have a great atmosphere to go along with it. If a film can’t suck you into its world, then it just wont work. Luckily, the atmosphere is there and works very well, both on a visual and musical level. As mentioned earlier, this film features some very nice visuals, which can be credited to the great cinematography of Neal Fredericks (who tragically passed away in a plane crash in 2004). Abominable manages to setup and establish a nice setting that fills the air with unsuspecting danger that could jump out at us at any moment.
To go along with this, we have a pretty decent score from the incomparable Lalo Schifrin (“Enter The Dragonâ€, “The Amityville Horrorâ€), Ryan Schifrin’s father. It’s playful in the right places, it’s intense in the right places... it’s just a nice accompaniment to the moody cinematography, laying the groundwork for a continuously effective horror atmosphere.
Along with the great sound and photography, you have some pretty gory effects that push things even further. Originally, this films featured quite a number of violent scenes, which had to be cut due to the restrictions of The Sci-Fi Channel broadcast. Thankfully, the DVD features that uncensored footage that was not shown on the Sci-Fi Channel broadcast. Christien Tinsley (who also played Otis) provided the effects for the film, which are quite good. We get a naked girl pulled through a window and broken in half, another girl’s throat ripped out, and even Christien’s character, Otis, gets in on the action and has his face bitten off. There is enough here to really satisfy all of your gorehounds out there.
Abominable usually refers to something that is unpleasant or revolting. Such is NOT the case for this movie. From the acting all the way down to the absolutely beautiful poster art by the great poster artist Drew Struzan (“Indiana Jonesâ€, “Star Warsâ€), Abominable is a fun horror experience that will have you peeking through the binoculars again and again.
THE DVD
Here we have another solid effort from Anchor Bay, who continues to deliver some of the most impressive horror DVD’s on the market. Abominable is no exception. Here is what is featured on this single disc set:
Back to Genre: Making ABOMINABLE
Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Ryan Schifrin, Actors Matt McCoy and Jeffrey Combs
Deleted and Extended Scenes
Outtakes and Bloopers
SHADOWS: Director Ryan Schifrin’s USC Student Film
Trailers
Poster & Still Gallery
Storyboard Gallery
Screenplay (DVD-ROM)
The Back to Genre featurette is very informative, in-depth and fun, showing off a lot of behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew having a lot of laughs while on the set. The commentary, deleted/extended scenes and the rest are all a nice addition to a nice DVD set.
Another great part of this DVD is the sound. Mixed at Skywalker Sound, everything from the musical score down to the sound effects sound amazing. Once you start watching the film, you are quickly immersed in it’s story and surrounded by the frightful ambience of forrest, as branches break and women scream. It’s as if we are right there in the middle of all the chaos. It’s great.
THE FINAL WORD
Full of great special effects, humor, wonderful acting, and even a bit of nudity, Abominable is a great throwback to the B-Horror films of old. Unlike a lot of modern horror movies, Abominable manages to hold our attention and make us laugh one minute, then scare the hell out of us the next. It is highly recommended that you pick up this flick and witness, for yourself, one of the most enjoyable monster movies to come along in some time.
For more horror movie reviews, check out the newly updated H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index).
Exclusive Interview: Ryan Schifrin
By: Gorefan
In a time when good horror films are very few and far between, it is always a pleasure to experience one that gets it right. Abominable (review) is that film. Written and Directed by Ryan Schifrin, son of famed composer Lalo Schifrin, Abominable is a movie that will likely become an instant cult classic when it hits DVD, as it is a genuinely entertaining, thrilling and kick-ass monster picture.
Ryan Schifrin, himself, is a very down-to-earth guy who is very easy to talk to, as you will see in the interview below. With his interests not solely confined to the horror genre, Ryan is the kind of filmmaker who will go on to direct everything from action/adventure films to drama's because he just has a love and passion for movies and the magic that they can create.
I was extremely honored to have had the opportunity to talk with Ryan about Abominable, along with many other various topics, and I hope that you will all enjoy my exclusive interview with this great up and coming filmmaker.
THE INTERVIEW
Horror Brain: How did you come about the idea for “Abominable�
Ryan Schifrin: I knew I had to come up with something that could be done for a very low budget. The key to doing a low-budget film is having limited locations. They made SAW for 1.5 million in 18 days, and most of it is set in a bathroom. I thought about my favorite limited location movie of all time, which is REAR WINDOW. I had the idea to combine that with a creature feature, which immediately made me think of my favorite TWILIGHT ZONE episode, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (yes, the one with William Shatner seeing the monster on the wing of the plane). That was the genesis of the idea. The next step was choosing what type of monster to use. I’ve loved Bigfoot since I was a kid, and I thought that there hasn’t been a theatrical Bigfoot movie since HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS, yet it’s an iconic, world-famous monster that is public domain, which makes it easy to market.
HB: You both wrote and directed “Abominableâ€. Do you find yourself enjoying one over the other?
RS: I’d have to say that I love directing more than writing. When you’re inspired, and the creative juices are flowing, writing is wonderful. But, it feels like sometimes you’re at the mercy of waiting for an inspired idea to come to you, not the other way around. And that’s frustrating. Writing is also more solitary. I think it’s important for directors to know how to write, whether they write their own material or not, so they can be better storytellers and know how to fix problem areas in the films they are directing. As a director, you get to work on so many different aspects of a movie – the script, the casting, the selection of locations, wardrobe, the look of the film – lighting and lenses, the editing, the sound design, the marketing. Each of those areas requires collaborating with many different people, and it’s all so creative and so much fun.
HB: What was it like working with such great talents as Dee Wallace, Jeffrey Combs and Lance Henriksen? Are there any actors who you would love to work with?
RS: Working with Jeff, Dee and Lance was nothing short of a dream come true. I grew up watching their films, and they were on such a huge pedestal in my mind. Just meeting them would have been a thrill, so you can imagine how cool it was to actually direct them and hear them speaking lines that I had written! They amazed me, watching them work, because they took the material and made it so much better, and they were so easy to talk to and collaborate with. Even though I was a first time director, they treated me with respect, and I would be honored to work with them again.
There are plenty of actors I’d love to work with. I really want to cast Robert Englund is something – I think he’s got such charisma and screen presence. Of course, Harrison Ford. I have personal favorites, like Malcolm McDowell, that I’ve written roles for. I have this theory, that if you cast any of those Royal Shakespeare British actors in a fantasy/sci-fi piece, they make the unbelievable plausible… They make something ridiculous totally believable. Look at Alec Guiness in STAR WARS, Ian McKellan in LORD OF THE RINGS, he and Patrick Stewart in X-MEN, Christopher Lee in anything… For Americans, it would be Lawrence Fishburne in THE MATRIX. For me, Malcolm McDowell is on the same level as those guys.
HB: Who are some of the people who have influenced you in your life – family, friends, and other?
RS: My mom and dad encouraged me from a young age to be creative and to read, play music, write and draw. They got me a Super-8 camera, and later a video camera, which allowed me to doodle around making films with my friends on the weekends in elementary school and high school. My wife has taught me how to be a more outgoing, compassionate person. I think she’s amazing.
As for role-models, I’d have to say George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Bruce Lee were my childhood icons. For writing, I’d say R.A. Salvatore. Lately, I’ve really become in awe of Guillermo Del Toro after seeing THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE and PAN’S LABYRINTH and hearing him speak at the Fango Con and at Comic-Con. I’m an avid tennis player, and someone like Andre Agassi, who is not just a world-class athlete, but also such a charismatic and gracious person I have a lot of respect and admiration for.
HB: Your father is still a very influential part of the entertainment community and has been for many, many years. You got to work with him on “Abominableâ€. What was that experience like and what was life like growing up in that highly creative atmosphere? How did that impact you?
RS: Working on ABOMINABLE with my dad has been great. It’s brought us even closer together. For me, it was a thrill and honor to have him do the music, and his contribution made the film so much better. For him, I think it was a chance to work with a director who respected him greatly, and trusted him, and didn’t micromanage him. The fact that it was his son was icing on the cake.
I can only assume that because I grew up as the son of a highly creative person, it led me to take the arts seriously, and see them as a worthwhile pursuit for a career instead of just a hobby. As a little kid, it didn’t occur to me that everyone else’s dad didn’t have Clint Eastwood at their birthday parties. I saw how hard my father worked, every day, spending hours in his studio composing and playing piano. I went to a lot of his scoring sessions, and watched how he communicated with the musicians, and collaborated with the directors and producers. All of it made a big impact on me. And, I certainly saw what a huge difference it made adding music to a movie. Scenes would be magically transformed.
HB: He composed one of my favorite films of all time, “Class of 1984â€. Do you have a favorite piece of work that he did?
RS: That one’s easy… Enter the Dragon! I’ve always loved that score – I’m sure it isn’t my dad’s favorite, in fact I don’t think he realizes just how cool that score is! So many people, including Brett Ratner have told him it’s their favorite score, and he’s very surprised and pleased to hear that. I love CLASS OF ’84 too by the way – it has Michael Fox before he added the J. to his name.
HB: Since your father is involved in the musical end of things, what kind of music do you enjoy?
RS: All kinds. I have different music I listen to for different activities. If I’m writing, I’ll play soundtracks in the background. If I’m working out, I’ll listen to dance club music because it makes it easier for some reason, if I’m driving I’ll listen to U2, Fat Boy Slim, The Police, Tears for Fears, The Yin Yang Twins – all depending on my mood. Do I want to be introspective, pumped up, happy, pissed off, nostalgic? I’ll play whatever is appropriate at that moment.
HB: Is the horror genre one in which you would like to be strictly confined to, or would you prefer to make other types of movies, like comedies, dramas, etc.?
RS: People like to type cast you and put you in a box. Knowing that, I was very deliberate in choosing to do a horror movie as my first film, because it’s a genre I love, and could be happy working in. However, I love any good story that is well-told, regardless of genre. I love how Rob Reiner was able to go from SPINAL TAP to STAND BY ME to PRINCESS BRIDE to MISERY to A FEW GOOD MEN. Personally, I really enjoy action-adventure and dark comedy, so I’d love to do some of those.
HB: You have stated that your next project will be a film adaptation of a popular computer game. Is this still very “hush hush†or are you at all able to give us some more information on it?
RS: That one is still very “hush hush†but hopefully I’ll be able to report some news on it soon. This is something that has huge potential to be a tent pole movie franchise.
HB: Do you have any other future projects, beyond the computer game film adaptation?
RS: I’m currently in the middle of writing something on spec that I really want to direct as my second feature. It’s horror mixed with with action-adventure and dark comedy. It’s a bigger budget than ABOMINABLE, a larger canvas.
We’re also going to release a comic book series based on another screenplay I wrote. I can’t announce what company yet, because the paperwork is still being signed.
HB: Your short film Jason vs. Ash, which you made for ABC’s Nightline News, was undeniably cool and EXTREMELY well edited. Do you have any plans to bring another “Vs.†film to the big screen or was the “Jason vs. Ash†short something just for fun?
RS: ABC asked me to cut together clips from horror movies and tell a story in one minute. Since I’ve always wanted to see FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH, I used the ABC assignment as an excuse to do a fan boy film. I couldn’t get Freddy in there without it going over one minute, although I had it all worked out to incorporate him. I had a blast doing it, and if someone gives me the excuse to do more of those, I’d love to. Of course, what I’d really love is to see a feature length version. Bruce Campbell said it would be lame because no one would allow any of those characters to die, since they are owned by different companies. But I disagree. You let Ash win. Freddy and Jason always die in their own movies, and part of the fun of the sequels is the crazy ways they find to bring them back from the dead.
HB: I’m sure you are asked this all the time, but hey what’s one more time, huh? (laughs) What are your thoughts on the film industry today? And what changes do you think need to be made to the system?
RS: One of the great things about making a movie and then trying to find distribution for it is that you learn a lot – and sometimes the hard way. The film industry today is more of a business than an art, which is unfortunate. Sometimes they spend literally four times more on the marketing budget of a film than the actual budget of the film itself! If you look at the major studios, they are promoting the heads of the marketing departments to be the heads of the studios. Studios are just facets of multi-national corporations, and usually the division that makes the least money, so they have to answer to shareholders, not us movie fans. It’s a tough situation for them to be in. What worries me is having people making green-light decisions who only come from a business background, not a creative one. How can you really judge if a script is good, if you don’t know how to write? The same goes for hiring directors who only have done music videos and commercials. Of course, there are great examples such as Gore Verbinski, Ridley Scott and so on, but why do directors who have done a good job on low budget films, straight to DVD films, get overlooked?
Back in the day, look how many great directors came from the Roger Corman school – James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scocese, Joe Dante – making B-movies and honing their craft. You don’t see that sort of thing today. I think a director needs to be many things: a leader - able to collaborate and communicate with actors (including stars that might have huge egos), studio heads, and inspiring the crew; a storyteller – able to spot flaws in a script and work with the writer’s and actors to improve them. Being able to tell a feature-length story is a lot different than a 30 second spot – and I’m not putting the commercial guys down in any way, but if they’ve got millions of dollars to do a Super Bowl ad, and some other guy has a few hundred thousand to make a 90 minute movie, why ignore the B-movie guy? Of course his stuff doesn’t look as slick, he had to probably make an entire movie in a couple weeks, with less lights, a smaller crew, less time and much less money. But he also knows how to problem solve, work with actors, know what he needs for the editing room, and how to tell a full-length narrative. If someone would give that guy a 20 million dollar budget, talented actors, a good D.P. and all the luxuries of a studio movie, I’ll bet he’ll make the most professional thing you ever saw! The industry gets too caught up with ‘heat’ when they should be valuing other things – and then they wonder why so many big budget movies bomb.
As for horror movies, I’d like to see a theatrical release platform release distribution company. The industry usually releases horror movies really wide on 2000+ screens, or straight to DVD. There is no in-between. Their reasoning is that horror movies usually get bad reviews, and bad word of mouth. So, they spend 20 million on marketing, looking to make a ton of money opening weekend (and not letting critics see it beforehand), and then because of all that, go on to make even more money on DVD. That’s all fine and well, but look at how Fox Searchlight platform releases films like NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, SIDEWAYS and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. They build up a ton of hype beforehand, and then open them in a couple cities, where they sell out and do a great per-screen average, and then expand to 50 theaters, and then keep expanding to 1000 screens if it’s doing well. Those films go on to make millions and millions in the theaters, and on DVD. If you took a film like FEAST, with all the buzz it had after Project Greenlight, and opened it this way, I guarantee you it would make money. And, if for any reason, it doesn’t do as well as you thought, then you pull it out of theaters, and you’re not out 20 million in marketing, and you’ll still do better on DVD than if you had never been in theaters at all.
HB: Focusing more on the horror end of things, what do you think about all these remakes and where do you see horror genre going?
RS: When I hear they’re remaking movies like HALLOWEEN or FRIDAY THE 13th, or THE FOG, my immediate reaction is to cringe and say “Noooo! Don’t do it!â€. But, if you think about it, any film you grew up watching and loving is sacrosanct. Of course you don’t want to see it remade. But, look at John Carpenter’s THE THING. That’s a remake. Cronenberg’s THE FLY. So, I don’t think you can make a blanket statement that all remakes are bad. Some work, some don’t. If it’s a remake of something I grew up loving, I’ll probably hate it, but there’s a whole new generation that probably never saw the original and might love it.
There is so much variety in horror today, I think it’s great. If you’re a teenage girl and want to go to the theater with your friends and get scared, and scream then you have PG-13 horror like THE GRUDGE, or WHEN A STRANGER CALLS. If you’re a hardcore gorehound, you can go see HOSTEL or SAW. As long as they don’t over-saturate the market, and as long as they keep trying fresh new ideas, I think horror will continue to do well. I think it’s funny that a movie like HOSTEL almost went straight to DVD, and almost didn’t get a theatrical release because lots of places wouldn’t touch it. But, after it does 50 million at the box office and kicks ass on DVD, everyone is saying “Bring me something like HOSTELâ€. They’ll beat the torture sub-genre to death, and then when people stop going, they’ll say horror is dead. Until the next sub-genre is a sleeper hit, whether it’s a new J-horror or some other thing, and then the cycle will start all over again. But, compared to where horror was in the 90’s, where you had to call it a thriller, I think it’s a great, great time to be making horror movies.
HB: Are there any films out, currently, or ones on the horizon that you are looking forward to or have really enjoyed?
RS: I saw PAN’S LABYRINTH a little while back and was blown away. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen in years and years. In the horror genre, I really liked HATCHET and BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON. I think it’s a crime at SLITHER didn’t do better at the box office. I haven’t seen FEAST yet, but I’m really looking forward to it. Also, WRONG TURN 2, which is Joe Lynch’s directorial debut, I’m excited to see what he’s come up with. I’ve been very curious to see what other directors did for their second films, and thought that Eli Roth did a great job with HOSTEL, and Neil Marshall as well with THE DESCENT. You should also check out DRIFTWOOD by Tim Sullivan – it’s very different from 2001 MANIACS. For blockbusters, I’m really interested to see what they do with HALO. I’m a huge fan of the game, I’ve spent a zillion hours playing Halo 1 and Halo 2 online (XB Connect and Xbox Live) – I’m such a geek I even playied in the MLG Halo 2 tournament in Anaheim this year.
HB: People always ask: “What is your favorite film?†But do you have a film that you just absolutely despise, one that you just don’t like at all?
RS: Yeah, I’m thinking of a film right now that I absolutely despise. I’m not going to say the name of it, because it’s fairly recent and I don’t want to offend the person who made it. But I will say the reason I hated it: It made me feel like crap. Literally, I went into the film in a good mood, and I walked out feeling like I wanted to go curl up in the fetal position and die. It made me feel that depressed. I don’t even know why, it wasn’t because of the content of the film or the skill it was made with, but it definitely affected me in a subliminal way. That’s one thing I would never want to do – make something that makes you feel like crap afterward. I’m not talking about feeling like you wasted your time – I literally mean feeling like total and utter crap.
HB: What advice would you give to young filmmakers who are just starting out in the business?
RS: My favorite author, R.A. Salvatore, has this advice for aspiring writers: “If you can quit, quit. If you can’t, then you’re a writer.†What he means is, if you have these stories inside you just dying to get out, then you have no choice but to write them down – they won’t leave you alone. But, if you’re just in it for the money or fame, there are lots of easier ways to make money. This is a brutal business, and hard to break into. I’m not saying that to discourage anyone, but just to be aware of the road ahead. The best way to get people to take you seriously is to have something you can put in front of them – make a short film or a music video or a spec commercial. Show them what you can do, as a calling card. Then, have a screenplay or two ready to show that isn’t too expensive, that you could conceivably direct. A lot of times the only way to get someone to read your screenplay is if they’ve seen your short film first, otherwise they won’t read it.
If you’ve never touched a camera or written anything, then start! It’s not expensive to get a video camera, some editing software and some friends. Steven Spielberg, M. Night Shamaylan, Robert Rodriguez – they all started out at a young age, just making tons and tons of home movies. Making really amateur stuff, full of mistakes. They learned by doing – slowly teaching themselves and not being afraid to fail, and having fun with it. When I was at USC and we were making short films for class, the kids who had been doing it since a young age had stuff that was much more polished. The kids who were just touching a camera for the first time were handing in stuff that was awful! They would get so discouraged, and probably a lot of them didn’t stick with it. But, what they didn’t understand was that everyone’s first stuff is crap. They were just starting a bit later in life at it. If they would have stuck with it, and not been so self-conscious about it, and kept experimenting and making things, eventually they would suddenly find their own style. The same goes for writing – I highly suggest reading Linda Seger’s Making a Good Script Great and Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. Come up with an idea for a movie, read those books and apply the rules in them, and you’ll learn a lot – more than any film school can teach you.
HB: If you weren’t making movies, what other occupation would you see yourself working in? Do you think that you would be as happy in that career as you are in filmmaking?
RS: I have no clue what I’d do if I wasn’t working in film. It’s all I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid – I’m not trained to do anything else! If I couldn’t be a writer or director, I’d want to be an editor or sound designer. I had a blast working on the sound for ABOMINABLE – just adding ambient sounds like eerie wind changes the feel of a scene. And putting the sounds onto the Bigfoot, the heavy footsteps, the beastly breathing, the growls – it took a guy in a suit and brought him to life. That’s very gratifying to see.
HB: What would you say is your biggest goal yet to fulfill and what is your greatest achievement, thus far, in your life?
RS: Career-wise I would say that my biggest goal is to be able to make films for the rest of my life, and be able to work on projects that I am passionate about. As a director, the hardest thing in the world is to find stories that you really want to tell. Also, you change as a person, so what used to excite you no longer does. I have screenplays I’ve written that I would have loved to direct a few years ago, but my tastes have changed, so I have to write new material. The same goes for the scripts I’m sent to read – I look at them all asking “Is this something I want to spend a year or two of my life on, and is it a story I’d want to tell?†If it’s something you suspect you wouldn’t want to watch even once, then how could you possibly make it, knowing you’ll have to watch it hundreds of times? You can’t treat it like a paycheck, because you’ll just do a bad job and end up hurting the film and your own career with it. Think about all the filmmakers you admire – how many of them have short careers, maybe a good ten year run, versus the ones who are still doing it thirty years later? I want to be in it for the long haul.
My greatest achievement thus far would be making ABOMINABLE. Getting a film made is a miracle in itself – there are so many obstacles, starting with getting the financing together, then physically making it and all the random things that can go wrong, to then getting it distributed. If you can make it through all of that, and create something that is actually half-way decent, you’ve done the near impossible. I’ve never worked so hard in my life on anything, night and day, for such a prolonged amount of time. It takes all the stamina and emotional strength you have, chews it up, and then demands more.
In terms of my life, there are lots of things I still have to look forward to: having kids, traveling, meeting new people and making new friends, learning and continuing to evolve as a person. Making films has certainly provided me with the opportunity to do all of those things, I just hope I can continue to be so lucky!
[Abominable scares its way onto DVD tomorrow, October 4, 2006]
For more exclusive interviews, check out the newly updated H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index).
Horror Brain News -- October 2, 2006
Cover Art For ‘PULSE’ Remake Revealed
DavisDVD.com now has up the DVD cover art for The Weinstein Co.’s remake of Pulse, which hits DVD on December 5th. Check it out.
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’FRIDAY THE 13th’ Remake Coming In July 2007?
Bloody-Disgusting.com reports that one of their reader’s, 'xerotheory7803' , sent in an exclusive update concerning New Line Cinema and Platinum Dunes' delayed Friday the 13th project.
Xero tells B-D, "I just got back from the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in Jersey and got a little bit of news to share with you. After the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' Panel, I was talking with Andrew Form, one of the producers who is also producing the new 'Friday The 13th', and he said that the remake, which is tied in a rights battle right now, should be in theaters by July 2007. He also exclaimed that they will fight to the bitter end to make sure it is released with an R rating, no PG-13 bullshit for Jason Voorhees."
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’SNAKES ON A PLANE’ Lands On DVD In January
DVDActive.com reports that New Line Home Entertainment has revealed early details on Snakes on a Plane which stars Samuel L Jackson, Julianna Margulies, and Nathan Phillips. This wildly popular film will be available to own from the 2nd January, and should retail at around $28.98. The disc will carry an anamorphic widescreen presentation, along with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The full specs have yet to be revealed I'm afraid, although we can confirm that extras will include a gag reel, ten deleted scenes, a music video, an internet fan featurette, and much more.
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Synape Reveals New ‘MANIAC COP’ DVD Cover Art and Specs
Fangoria.com reports that Synapse Films gave them a peek at the cover art and the full disc specs for its new edition of Maniac Cop, William Lustig’s original 1988 chiller starring Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins as a young police officer and a lieutenant who take on a superhuman killer (Robert Z’Dar) garbed in the blue uniform. For full DVD details, click on the link above.
Short Bus's The Nobodies Pacific Spectacular!: Peter Jackson's "Braindead"
By Short Bus
Today, my friends, is a special day! Do you want to know why? Good.
I am reviewing four lesser known movies from the islands of the Pacific Ocean! I will be reviewing movies from Japan and Australia, these movies are:
Braindead (which I am currently reviewing)-Australia
Bad Taste-Australia
Battle Royale-Japan
Ichi The Killer-Japan
Okay, I can admit that "Battle Royale" and "Ichi The Killer" and probably "Braindead" are more known than I think, but since it was kind of hard to get my grubbies on it is considered a "nobody".
In uncharted land, deep within the bowels of Peter Jackson's Oscar-worthy resume lies a movie, "Braindead". Considered the GORIEST (and coming from me, you know, it's not an exaggeration, it IS the goriest movie I have ever seen) film ever, "Braindead" is a very original zombie film by Stephen Sinclair [for this movie, it's not really the director who should get the credit it's the writer, Stephen Sinclair, and the gore effects creator, whose name I don't have the patience to look up at the moment], directed by LOTR profiteer, Peter Jackson.
At this point of time (about 1992), Jackson was coined "the prince of splatter" and made movies that didn't bore me to tears. Peter Jackson was a young director back then, and he was a "nobody". Most of his films like "Meet the Feebles" [it wasn't a horror film, but it was a really, really disturbing movie about dysfunctional puppets behind the scenes of a "Sesame Street" sort of show] and his first film, "Bad Taste" had been censored by the Aussie rendition of the FCC [political statement], heavily cut in the US, and banned in many other countries.
"Braindead", however, was filmed after the Aussie FCC disbanded [it was just pretty much a league like the PMRC in America] and was released in minor theatres slightly cut, but the original cut still survived and was released on VHS uncut. In America, "Braindead" was released as "Dead-Alive" straight to VHS edited slightly more than the Aussie theatrical cut. Well, you know good ol' boy Short Bus here, got the uncut version of "Braindead" on DVD. But shortly there after, I rented the US cut of "Braindead", "Dead-Alive", out of my local Blockbuster. The two different cuts aren't really that different, I mean, there's a little bit of the lawnmower scene cut out and some instances of gore cut out as well, but it's not that bad. I guess if you feel you're missing out on a lot of gore, go ahead, I don't care. Well, shit, I guess I went a little too chatty on you... Okay, now here is my review of "Braindead"....
"Braindead" is a romance film.... well, it is kind of hard to see that when everything in the scene is either covered with blood or crowded with zombies. Despite all the zombies and the blood and the homicidal strand of vital organs and the decomposing mother and the, oh yeah, the zombie baby, this is a truely romantic story [...so suck on that "Shaun of the Dead"]. Before I can introduce this romance, let's start from the beginning...
A New Zealand zoo official is trekking through Sumatra carrying a caged "rat-monkey" to deliver to Wellington Zoo. But this "rat-monkey" is pure evil and an evil that brings people back from the dead to feast on any flesh if bitten. And as you may figure out, someone does get bitten.
Okay, back to the romance, "Braindead" is a lot like "Evil Dead" in some aspects, not the 10 minute romantic shuffle-around recap of "Evil Dead 2", but the kind of young love that went on during the three-fourths of "Evil Dead" between Linda and Ash that got all our testes all toasty and comfortable. Yeah, good times.
But now on the more obvious side of "Braindead", it is fucking gross. I don't know if watching "Cannibal Holocaust" gave me a badge of honor in telling you that there is something worse or nastier than CH, though "Braindead" isn't one of them, but it gives you no real hope... nevermind. Okay, "Braindead" is a gross movie, I'm not talking about the gore but just subtle things. The whole entire "WLWL Lunch" scene with the mother decomposing at the table, the scene with the zombie sex, and little moments of dark humor. This movie seems particularly alien to the whole entire cleanliness of today, pretty much any social ill is put to the extreme in a sickening blood orgy of splatter and humor. This movie is truely screwed up.
The greatest feature of "Braindead" is the blood. "Braindead" is credited as the goriest film ever, and to tell you the truth, this is the goriest film I have ever seen. You might think of me as a lunatic, but this is the first horror film I have stood up to and applauded to. If this movie had a lesser amount of fake blood it would be canned by critics as "campy", but since the amount of fake blood was so monumental and astonishing it would be foolish to replicate scenes because of originality, and balls.
"Braindead" is a great horror film, up in the ranks with "Evil Dead 2" and "Dawn of the Dead". It is a cult film that is suprisingly not cashed-in on, and therefore almost invisible. If you have the chance, buy this movie, you'll probably regret the tummyaches but it is a movie you won't forget.
CINCAYA! CINCAYA! CINCAYA!
SHORT BUS
Next up, "Bad Taste". And later, "Battle Royale" and "Ichi The Killer" on The Nobodies Pacific Spectacular!
EDIT: Oh yeah, click if you want to see the next review, Bad Taste. And I will be posting more edits along with this one as I continue "Nobodies Pacific Spectacular". Also, visit the Horror Brain Index for hell knows what; reviews, editorials, and just random crap.
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Saturday, September 30, 2006 |
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We Need You! The Best Films To Watch On Halloween Are...?
Hey all of you horror fans out there! We need your help. Halloween is coming up fast and we thought that we would try and get everyone ready for that wonderfully spooktacular night by asking you, the fans, what you think are the BEST horror films to watch on Halloween.
Here is what you need to do:
Respond to this post and give us your own list of the 10 - 20 best films to watch on Halloween. We will take those lists and then post the results. That's it. That's all there is to it. As an added bonus (if you would like), submit your reasoning for your choices and we will put selected quotes along with each film on the list. For example:
1.) Halloween
"What better movie is there to watch on Halloween? I can't think of a single one."
- John Carpe... err Jim Farpenter
2.) The Shining
"I haven't been that scared since my last trip to Iraqistan." - George Bush
3.) From Justin To Kelly
"This movie scared the sh*t out of me!" - Me
From there, we will tally the votes and bring you a final list of which movies are the absolute best one's to watch on that holiest of holy days: Halloween.
Start sending us your Top 10-20 list's today!
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Saturday, September 30, 2006 |
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CREEPSHOW - Review
By: Gorefan
Two of horror's greatest minds - George Romero and Stephen King - collaborated on this picture back in 1982 and have since then been praised for their work on this project that has brought such immense joy to not only myself, but to countless others as well. Filled with frighteningly original uses of animation, color, lighting and direction - not to mention the bloody good script - this is a movie that is so good, it's scary.
Oh, you're still here. Well, apparently it seems that you also have a passion for the truly strange and terrifying. If so, allow me to introduce you to Creepshow, a bizarre publication that is sure to 'scare up' many frights that will satisfy all of your blood-thirsty cravings for tales of the macabre. Do you dare read any further? Well, it appears that you are a brave bunch after all. In that case, lock your doors, turn off your lights and be prepared to experience 5 jolting tales of terror that await you inside Creepshow, the most grueling horror experience of your life.
FATHER'S DAY
Aunt Bedelia (Viveca Lindfors), overwhelmed with guilt over the fact that she murdered her father, returns to the gravesite of her late parent every Father's Day - the day in which the murder happened - which she has done for the past 7 years. However, in her latest venture to visit her deceased relative, could it be time for revenge? Perhaps the newly risen corpse of her father can answer that as he proclaims, "Where's my cake? I want my Father's Day cake!" Better start cooking.
THE LONESOME DEATH OF JORDY VERRILL
When a meteor crash-lands in the backyard of a southern farmer (Stephen King), an opportunity is seen to make a quick buck. However, when a mysterious liquid is emitted from the crater, things certainly being to take effect, in the form of a green, mossy-like substance that covers every inch of the land, as well as Jordy himself. Not exactly the kind of "green" Jordy had in mind.
SOMETHING TO TIDE YOU OVER
Upon discovery of his wife's affair with another man, Richard Vickers (Leslie Nielsen) - the cold-hearted and calculating husband - decides to take matters into his own hands and treats both his wife (Gaylen Ross) and her lover, Harry (Ted Danson), to a trip down to the beach; but this would not be your typical trip to the sand...well, it would be if you intend on burying a cheating wife and her lover neck deep in sand and wait for the tide to drown them. But is this a plan that will come back to haunt Richard? Poor Mr. Vickers. Looks like he's about to have an affair of his own...a deadly affair with two seaweed-covered zombies.
THE CRATE
Meet Mr. Henry Northrup (Hal Holbrook) and Mrs. Wilma Northrup (Adrienne Barbeau), the most despondent couple you will ever see. With one too many insults, the constantly drunk Wilma has finally pushed her husband too far. Now with deadly thoughts of killing his wife plaguing his mind, Henry finds himself unable to act out his murderous intentions and finally be rid of his domineering spouse. But will the discovery of a mysterious crate from 1834, housing a viciously hungry creature, solve all of his problems? It might be time to ring the dinner bell for Mrs. Northrup.
THEY'RE CREEPING UP ON YOU
Say hello to Upson Pratt (E.G. Marshall), a shrewd looking businessman who lives a highly germaphobic lifestyle that manages to keep his apartment quite sanitary. But wait, isn't that a cockroach over there? And another? And another?! It appears that Mr. Pratt may not have enough bug spray to get rid of all of his newly unannounced guests. This will surely lead Mr. Pratt to the 'Un-sanitarium' or, at the very least, to some kind of building code violation...or perhaps maybe Upson won't live long enough to find out.
They all sound just so deliciously evil, don't they? Pushing the boundaries of true horror storytelling, I dare say that Creepshow is one of the most enjoyable horror films of all-time, not to mention one of the best in the long careers of both George Romero and Stephen King. This isn't one your cheesy, teen slasher flicks. Oh no, kiddies. This is a monster of a horror film; one that really demonstrates what we love about horror movies and captures the true essence of good storytelling. This is certainly no surprise having the film been written by horror maestro Stephen King, who gives quite a goofy performance in the story of The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill.
George Romero does a frightfully good job of turning this film into a virtual living, breathing comic book; one that we are very happy to be sucked into. Clever animation bits bring together the stories wonderfully, and the use of vibrant colors and uniquely designed shots create a terrifying atmosphere, the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite some time.
Speaking of terrifying, it’s downright scary just how good the cast of this film is. You have enough talent in this film to boil over a witch’s cauldron. Everyone from Ed Harris (Father’s Day tale) down to Tom Atkins (Billy’s father) is superb. It would be difficult and to be honest, unfair, to narrow down a particular piece of acting that was better than all the rest, because this is a film that is built around its characters and to say one was better than another, well, that’s a bit presumptuous and I dare not tread there.
They all play their parts straight - for the most part - and treat the film with respect and love, despite the fact that the subject matter is quite chilling and comical. It’s the kind of film you look at and say, “You know that cast had a blast making that movie.†And it certainly does look that way, too.
Pulling out all the stops, yet again, is legendary make-up artist Tom Savini who does a marvelous job of creating ghastly, gory effects that showcase his unreal talents. But, as a lot of you know, Tom has always had a passion for acting as well as stunt work – he’s never set on one aspect of a film and he always has the capacity to fulfill multiple roles. Well, someone has to do the dirty work, and, in this case, Tom Savini pulls double-duty playing both make-up effects wizard and, in a small cameo role, a garbage man. Certainly not the most striking of his works, but it is, however, nonetheless impressive and pleasing to all of us gore-hungry fans.
This anthology of chills and thrills, one that unites the best of the best that the horror genre has to offer, is truly a fun and shockingly original experience. Bringing together tales that are so bone-chilling and blood-curdling that they make my very bones shiver. So boils and ghouls, are you scared yet? No? Then go to your local video store and pick up this film right now before death settles in; in which case, he too would want to watch this film.
While you're there picking up this horror treat, make sure you keep an eye out, or two, for the second edition in this series called, cleverly enough, Creepshow 2, which has even more tales of terror for your eyes to feast upon; hoping that, by then, your eyes are properly back in place.
For more horror movie reviews, check out the newly updated H.B.I. (Horror Brain Index).
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Saturday, September 30, 2006 |
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"Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash": I F**king Hate [Ronny] Yu
By: Short Bus
Right now, let's take a look at a newspost submitted a while ago:
Interview: Ronny Yu Talks ‘FREDDY VS. JASON VS. ASH’?
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Comingsoon.net now has up an interview with “Fearless†director Ronny Yu, in which he talks about the possibility of there being a “Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash†flick.
And yes I did think it was pretty cool at the time, but then I thought and thought and thought until I put my foot to the ground and said, "This idea sucks donkey dong!" So yes, you will have to sit through this rant no matter what.
This idea of "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash" has been up in the air pretty much since people found out that the idea of "Freddy vs. Jason vs. Michael Myers" was getting kind of old. Now, I hear some dude who directed a martial arts movie yapping on and on about this idea (no Sam Raimi, no Wes Craven, no Sean Cunningham [well, let's be rational here, the directors of all of the Friday the 13th movies were probably pulled out of a raffle... and for Sean Cunningham, he was the director of the first, and best, one]). I'm not really concerned about Freddy or Jason, but of Ash.
Yes, I know that Bruce Campbell is still a fucking GOD, but it's a waste. The last time we saw Jason, he was in space for some reason (....?). And the last time we saw Freddy... well, by then, he was basically butchered by his own catchphrases and I didn't really care about him. BUT the last time we saw Ash, he was in Medieval times (and unlike how Freddy's and Jason's movies go, people actually understood why Ash was in medieval times, AND it actually went along with the STORYLINE), and it created the reason why we don't [and never will] think Bruce Campbell is a complete jackass and a horrible actor.
And really, "The Evil Dead" was probably one of the most original plots in horror. Contrary to any other horror movies that have been just torn apart from a seemingly original plot to a little Fangoria-produced crapfest sequel explaining that a pyschokiller recluse developed in the original is somehow connected to a Wiccan ceremony of hexes and evil curses and bunch of fancy words that lead the killer to kill. Just goonie mythos* [sorry that I had to use an artsy personal term on you, I'll explain below].
I guess what I mean to say is that [I just wasted your time, no, besides that] I don't want people to spend their hard-earned cash on something that pretty much anyone with a common horror sense can pull out of their asses. Hell, it looks pretty easy to write... I could probably get it done in a week, that is not a bet I don't want to add to this travesty. But I bet you that if you look up a screenplay-posting site you'll probably find it.
Oh yeah, "goonie mythos", it's kind self-explanatory, but okay. Goonie Mythos is what our minds develop around creepy-looking houses when we were kids, you know, "haunted house". And as for those Fangoria bastards, they use goonie mythos for supernatural explainations for pyschokillers, and that's when "Halloween" series died in my mind.
GOONIE MYTHOS,
SHORT BUS
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Friday, September 29, 2006 |
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Horror Brain News -- September 29, 2006
'TEXAS CHAINSAW' and 'GEARS OF WAR': A Match Made In Hell
Variety.com is reporting that New Line is teaming with Microsoft to target gamers who love blood, guts and chainsaws. Mini-major and the tech giants Xbox division are co-sponsoring a unique promotional event called A Match Made In Hell that will feature preview screenings of "A Texas Chainsaw Massacre" along with an early look at upcoming videogame "Gears of War."
Event will take place in New York, L.A., Chicago and San Francisco next Wednesday and feature the first public unspooling of the pic, which will be released next Friday, and the game, which comes out Nov. 7.
After watching "Chainsaw," attendees, who will be picked from online entries, will play each other in a preview level of "Gears," with one match taking place on the bigscreen.
Microsoft is co-sponsoring several "Match Made In Hell" events in the month leading up to the "Gears of War" release.
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Screamfest Announces Its 2006 World Premiere Lineup!
If you head on over to the official website for the Screamfest Horror Film Festival, you can now check out the complete listing of horror screenings that will be taking place at this years festival at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Buy your tickets now!
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DVD Review: ‘A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET’ (Infinifilm)
IGN DVD now has up a review of Wes Craven's creepy classic, which returns in a new two-disc Infinifilm DVD featuring documentaries, featurettes and a full cast and crew commentary.
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Watch The ‘TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE’ Crime Report News Reel
IESB.net now has up a cool four minute Crime Report News Reel that highlights the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre†mythos. Check it out.
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning†hits theaters on October 6th.
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First Pics From ‘ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES!’
Fangoria.com has been provided with with some photos and news from first-time filmmaker Jason Murphy to help showcase his currently lensing horror/comedy feature Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! - and if the pics are any indication, horror fans are in for a titillating and gory good time. Check ‘em out.
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