We Belong Dead

The Week In Horror (1/5 - 7/5)

2007-05-11T13:04:00.000Z

In what we hope to make a regular feature, this was the week in Horror (AKA all the bits you need to know):

Disturbia expectantly dropped from the #1 spot in America to make way for Peter Parker's web of reign. It still managed to cling onto the #2 spot though, which is more than can be said for Vacancy, which fell out of the Box Office altogether.
Next years Prom Night remake, starring Brittany Snow, is now due out in April. The film, which originally starred Scream-Queen Jamie Lee Curtis, follows Donna and her friends on the night of their senior prom, little knowing that Donna's deadly past is about to catch-up with her...
"Splat Pack" member Eli Roth's highly anticipated sequel to 2005's Hostel have released some video peeks and stills from Hostel: Part II.

And now here is what you can look forward to on TV next week:

11/5: Mother's Day - Zone Horror, 22:55

12/5: I Spit On Your Grave - Zone Horror, 22:55

14/5: Ghost Ship - ITV2, 23:45

15/6: Tell Me Something (Korean) - Film4, 23:25

16/6: The Slumber Party Massacre - Zone Horror, 00:50

Why 'Disturbia' Has Studios Disturbed...

2007-05-01T00:00:00.000Z

For an amazing third week (a feat not seen in America since December 2004's Meet the Fockers), Disturbia has held onto the top spot, grossing an estimated $9.1 million. This isn't all good news though, as the whole Box-Office countdown resembled what analysts would expect to see in September, right when the new school-term has started. This could all just be a lull of sorts, though, as Spider-Man 3 opens next week and is expected to kick off the feverish rush of Summer blockbusters, here and abroad. One film not making it to theatres in the UK though this summer, and perhaps even at all, is The Weinstein Co.'s Grindhouse. The film has been plagued with low numbers since it's American release, and as such Grindhouse, which was a back-to-back presentation of Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, is being split in two, with Tarantino rumoured to be retooling his half for a separate release, which may see Planet Terror skip theatres all together over here. The projected date is toward the back-end of September, but that's very-likely to change so stay tuned for future news.

Source: IMDb.com

'Disturbia' #1 For Second Week

2007-04-23T15:20:00.000Z

Staying firm at the top of the US Box Office, Distrubia took in a further $13 and a half million to it's already healthy gross this week. Also making an appearance in the Top 5 is the new release from Sony Vacancy, starring Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson as a couple who check into an off-road motel and get a little unwelcome room service during the night...! Completely absent from the Top 10 was our old friend Grindhouse, which is still in release limbo for British shores, but we'll keep you posted if anything changes.

Vacancy, UK Release: 15 June, 2007.
Source: IMDb.com

'Disturbia' #1 at US Box Office

2007-04-16T19:50:00.000Z

The Hitchcock inspired Disturbia took first place at the US box office, raking in an estimated $23 million, far ahead of expectations. It reportedly cost $20 million to make, and was predicted to gross only $12 million. The film, which stars Shia LaBeouf and Carrie-Anne Moss, asks the question what if your neighbour is a secret serial killer? Borrowing heavily from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, the PG-13 rated film is set for release in Britain this June. Meanwhile, things went from bad to worse for Grindhouse, which dropped to tenth place, grossing only $4.2 million. The film is reportedly set to be remarketed and split in two, with both films already being announced for separate DVD releases. Grindhouse: Planet Terror and Grindhouse: Death Proof are likely to be shown separately when they hit UK theatres in June.

Source: IMDb.com

Triple Troma!

2007-04-13T16:09:00.000Z

Troma Entertainment. They make really shit movies. And that’s why horror fans all around the world love them.

The company, which was founded in 1974 by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, producer and distribute some of the most over the top movies you’ll ever likely to see. Sex. Violence. Gore. Anything goes in these movies.

Tonight on Sci-Fi (which, I have to say, are on a bit of a roll lately!) are showing three Troma movies back-to-back to celebrate Friday the 13th. The evening will presented by Lloyd Kaufman, too!

The Toxic Avenger, the first movie of the night at 10pm, is about Melvin, a 7 stone weakling who tumbles into some toxic waste and emerges as… well, The Toxic Avenger! The film is the company’s most well known, and spawned 3 sequels, a comic, a cartoon for kids and even a musical!

Tromeo and Juliet, the next movie of the night at 11:50pm, is a “punk-rock, gore-filled, over-sexed take on the Shakespearean classic with narration by Lemmy from Motorhead.” I think that about sums it up, really. The film was written by James Gunn, who went onto write and direct the mainstream, but rooted in Troma humour, flick Slither for Universal. The film was highly praised in the horror community, but bombed at the box-office making only £12.2 million worldwide.

The final movie of the night is Sgt Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. at 2am. The film is a spin on the superhero genre, about a cop called Harry who is transformed into an Oriental super-being equipped with heat-seeking chopsticks. Wow, much!?

For more information on Troma Entertainment, and their movies head on over to the official website.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th: Tom Lives!

2007-04-13T15:42:00.000Z

Anyone who is kind enough to pay us a visit will notice I, Tom, have my name credited as co-owner of this hallowed blog, although I don't actually seem to post much. Well from now on I aim to change all of that and am making a return to the genre I love so much called Horror in order to post more blogs. But first, a revival, for those of you who are new to the blog, and might be wondering what the true meaning of Friday the 13th is:

Weird old day this, of course only for the people who suffer from paraskavedekatriaphobia. Damn, try saying that 10 times fast! Paraskavedekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th is perhaps more common than just the silly superstition you would think it to be. It's reported that over 21 million people in America alone suffer from paraskavedekatriaphobia, sometimes staying inside for a full twenty-four hours. A sort of amalgamation between the fear of the number thirteen, triskadekaphobia, and the day when it is believed to have been Christ's crucifixion. Of course, none of this has anything to do with "Friday The 13th", it just happens to be the name of a bloody great horror film. Hurray for Mrs. Voorhees and her son Jason, happy holidays!

ABC want Horror-Mom's to Wife Swap!

2007-04-12T13:50:00.000Z

"'Wife Swap' is looking for a new family for their show. The catch? They're looking for The Ultimate Horror-loving Family!!! That's right, if you and your entire family loves going to the theater to watch horror flicks, hitting up conventions, collecting horror memorabilia, writing/ making horror films, celebrating Halloween all year long, etc.. - then they want YOU to be on the show."

"Seeing how mainstream America thinks those that love horror are demented individuals, I'm guessing the wife the horror loving family gets swapped with loves musical, or is in the church choir, or somewhere COMPLETELY OPPOSITE than loving horror. Which then means that the show will likely depict the horror family as a bunch of freaks for all the losers who actually watch this trash to laugh at."

Source: arrowinthehead.com

"These are the eyes of a psychopath."

2007-04-07T23:17:00.000Z

‘Halloween’ fans got the perfect treat last night (with no tricks in sight) as the trailer for Rob Zombie’s remake of the horror classic appeared online thanks to Yahoo. The trailer gives us a brief glimpse at what we can expect once the movie hits American cinemas on August 31st.

Michael Myers: Gentle?

2007-03-07T22:59:00.001Z

Exclusive on-set report from MTV.com (via YouTube, for the time being) of Rob Zombie's forthcoming Halloween remake:

Grindhouse... again, I know!

2007-02-28T19:11:00.000Z

As if the upcoming flick Grindhouse wasn't enough, Quentin Tarantino has got yet more awesome plans to continue the buzz the film has generated, and give the grind house cinema of the 1970s a brand new fanbase!

“Grindhouse” movies invade the New Beverly Cinema and Quentin Tarantino leads the attack. From March 4th - April 30th, 2007, Tarantino turns the New Beverly Cinema into a 70s “Grindhouse” wonderland with non-stop programming of double and triple features.

The Academy Award-winning filmmaker programs 58 titillating days of shocking “Grindhouse” Cinema, showcasing over 50 sexy and terrifying flicks to celebratethe opening of Dimension Films’ Grindhouse on April 6th

LOS ANGELES, February 28, 2007 – In anticipation of the eagerly-awaited theatrical release of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s double feature Grindhouse on April 6th, the New Beverly Cinema will host Quentin Tarantino Presents the Los Angeles Grindhouse Festival 2007 from March 4th – April 30th, 2007, it was announced today by creator and curator Tarantino. The event will be a showcase for the risqué films exploiting sex, violence and extreme subject matter from the 1970s that inspired Grindhouse, with prints directly on loan from Tarantino’s private collection, many of which are unavailable on DVD and have not screened for the public in theatres in decades. With double and triple features of roughly seven different films in rotation per week, the ground-breaking fest will screen over 50 historic films throughout the eight-week run, all personally selected for audience re-discovery by the director.

“Grindhouse is a tribute to the movies I have loved for decades that have mostly been under-appreciated and forgotten,” states Tarantino. “I’m thrilled to have this chance to show the original works for a new generation to discover, and to give Los Angeles the rare opportunity to see these gems on the big screen.”

During the course of the festival, Tarantino has scheduled various theme nights including the "Euro Sex Comedies Triple Feature,” which will feature screenings of Sex with A Smile, Sex on the Run and The Oldest Profession; “Back-To-Back Kung Fu Superstar Angela Mao Double Feature,” presenting two of the actress’ greatest classics Return of the Tiger and Stoner; “Regional Double Feature,” with screenings of Hot Summer in Barefoot County and Redneck Miller; and the "All Blood Triple Feature," showcasing Blood Spattered Bride, Asylum of Blood and Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary.

Favorite filmmakers of Tarantino’s highlighted during the festival include famed cult director John Hayes with the double feature Grave of the Vampire, written by David (“The Sopranos”) Chase and Jailbait Babysitter; sexploitation filmmaker Roger Vadim, who will be represented by his Pretty Maids All in a Row; Al Adamson, whose Female Bunch will screen; Fernando Di Leo’s Wipeout and Cirio H. Santiago, director of the classic The Muthers.

This whirlwind festival features many uncensored and uncut, not to be missed cinematic experiences such as the sexploitation films The Girl From Starship Venus and The Legend of the Wolf Woman; the blaxploitation films Brotherhood of Death and The Mack; the teen summer comedies The Van, Pick-up Summer and Summer Camp; and the martial arts classics Fearless Fighters, Super Man Chu, Chinese Hercules and Black Dragon; as well as the ultra rare 35mm prints of Slithis, Shame Of The Jungle and Chinese Hercules, just to name a few.

In addition to showcasing the “Grindhouse” films from his own vault, the New Beverly Cinema will exhibit a number of original posters and lobby cards of the films from Tarantino’s personal collection as well throughout the run of the festival.

For show times, check local listings or visit the New Beverly Cinema website at http://www.newbevcinema.com/ or call for program information (323) 938-4038.

Dimension Films’ Grindhouse consists of Tarantino and Rodriguez’s two feature length films screened back-to-back: Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Tarantino’s Death Proof. For more information on the film Grindhouse, please visit http://www.grindhousemovie.net/

Films scheduled at the Los Angeles Grindhouse Festival 2007 include:

3/4-3/6 - The Mack, directed by Michael Campus; The Chinese Mack, directed by Lai Chien.

3/7-3/8 – “Italian ‘70s Crime Films.” Machine Gun McCain, directed by Giuliano Montaldo; Wipeout!, directed by Fernando Di Leo.

3/9-3/10 – Triple Feature of The Van, directed by Sam Grossman; Pick-up Summer, directed by George Mihalka; Summer Camp, directed by Chuck Vincent.

3/11-3/13 –Rolling Thunder, directed by John Flynn; The Town That Dreaded Sundown, directed by Charles B. Pierce.

3/14-3/15 –Chinese Hercules, directed by Choy Tak; Black Dragon, directed by Chin-Ku Lu.

3/16-3/17 – "Euro Sex Comedies Triple Feature.” Sex With A Smile, directed by Sergio Martino; Sex on the Run, directed by Franz Antel; The Oldest Profession, directed by Claude Autant-Lara and Mauro Bolognini.

3/18-3/20 –Brotherhood of Death, directed by Bill Berry; Johnny Tough, directed by Horace Jackson.

3/21-3/22 –Autopsy, directed by Jose Maria Forque; Eyeball, directed by Umberto Lenzi.

3/23-3/24 – Triple Feature of Coonskin, directed by Ralph Bakshi; Shame of the Jungle, directed by Picha Boris Szulzinger; Tunnel Vision, directed by Neal Israel and Bradley R. Swirnoff.

3/25-3/27 –Pretty Maids All in a Row, directed by Roger Vadim; Revenge of the Cheerleaders, directed by Richard Lerner.

3/28-3/29 – “Kung Fu Double Bill.” Fearless Fighters, directed by Man-Hung Mo; Super Man Chu, directed by Yang Hsiang.

3/30-3/31 – "All Blood Triple Feature." The Blood Spattered Bride, directed by Vicente Aranda; Asylum of Blood, directed by Fernando Di Leo; Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary, directed by Juan Lopez Moctezuma.

4/1-4/3 –The Lady in Red, directed by Lewis Teague; Bare Knuckles, directed by Don Edmonds.

4/4-4/5 –The Female Bunch, directed by Al Adamson; Wonder Women, directed by Robert Vincent O’Neill.

4/6-4/7 –White Line Fever, directed by Jonathan Kaplan; Return to Macon County, directed by Richard Compton.

4/8-4/10 – “Sexploitation Night.” The Girl From Starship Venus, directed by Derek Ford; The Legend of the Wolf Woman, directed by Rino Di Silvestro.

4/11-4/12 – “70's Low Budget Horror Combo.” Slithis, directed by Stephen Traxler; Screams of a Winter Night, directed by James L. Wilson.

4/13-4/14 – “Regional Double Feature.” Hot Summer in Barefoot County, directed by Will Zens; Redneck Miller, directed by John Clayton.

4/15-4/17 –The Muthers, directed by Cirio H. Santiago; Fight For Your Life, directed by Robert A. Endelson.

4/18-4/19 – Dragon’s Vengeance, directed by Ng Loo; Kung Fu: The Punch of Death, directed by Chai Yang-Min.

4/20-4/21 – Triple Feature of The Swinging Barmaids, directed by Gus Trikonis; The Swingin’ Pussycats, directed by Alexis Neve; The Swinging Cheerleaders, directed by Jack Hill.

4/22-4/24 – “John Hayes Double Bill.” Grave of the Vampire and Jailbait Babysitter, both directed by John Hayes.

4/25-4/26 – "Back-To-Back Angela Mao." Return of The Tiger, directed by Jimmy Shaw; Stoner, directed by Feng Huang.

4/27-4/28 – “Barbara Bouchet Double Feature.” Death Rage, directed by Antonio Margheriti; Cry of the Prostitute, directed by Adelchi Bianchi.

4/29-4/30 – The Real Bruce Lee, directed by Larry Dolgin and Jim Markovic; Lee Lives Within, directed by Tam Kai.

Grindhouse to be split in two!

2007-02-19T19:19:00.000Z

Just a few days after my post about the upcoming Grindhouse, the news that the film might be split in two in some countries has been reported online!

Is "Grindhouse" an old-fashioned double feature or two separate films?

It depends on where you live.

Since the double-bill concept is alien to many filmgoers around the world, "Grindhouse" will be going out as two pics in some parts of the globe, while the U.S. and a few other English-speaking territories will see it as one singular experience.

The pic -- with a finished cost of $53 million, not the much higher figure incorrectly reported last week -- consists of two segments directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. It was envisioned as a salute to double- or triple-bills of the 1950s and '60s.

But most non-English-speaking territories have little tradition of a grindhouse double bill. So the central conceit of the film -- two short exploitation films, separated by faux trailers for upcoming cheapies -- would be lost.

When split, the two pics will be titled "Grindhouse: Planet Terror" (Rodriguez's seg) and "Grindhouse: Death Proof" (Tarantino's).

With the split, some additional footage could be added to each one.

Glen Basner, prez of Weinstein Co. international distribution, was at the Berlin fest discussing release patterns. The general plan is that the two films will be released three-five months apart, but there's no decision yet on which will be first.

They're also weighing the logistics of the faux trailers -- what will be attached to which pic. (In the united version, the pseudo-trailers will come between the two segs.)

The project was presold in a number of territories, including the U.K. (Momentum Films), Spain (Aurum), France (TFM), Germany (Senator Intl.), Italy (Medusa), Australia/New Zealand (Village Roadshow) and Thailand (Major).

In the non-English-speaking areas, the split pics will allow the Weinstein Co. and the local distrib to harness income for two pics, rather than one.
Source

So, where does this news leave the UK version of the film? I really don't want this film to be messed with, as it basically goes against the whole point of why Tarantino and Rodriguez made the film in the first place! As soon as the official word on the UK release of the film is announced, be sure to find out here.

IT'LL TEAR YOU IN TWO!

2007-02-16T23:56:00.000Z

April 6th, 2007 can’t come soon enough.

Why is that? Grindhouse, the horror double-feature from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, is finally unleashed into cinemas everywhere!

So what is “grindhouse cinema”? Grindhouse cinemas became popular in America culture in the 1970s. They were known for showing exploitation films, often in double-feature slots. “Exploitation films is a loosely defined term to describe a genre of films that typically sacrifice the traditional notions of artistic merit for more sensationalistic display, often featuring excessive sex, violence and gore.” (Yeah, Wikipedia, sue me!) These kinds of films still have a strong influence on the films of today, for example, Kill Bill is just oozing with exploitation influence! The Last House on the Left, Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Assault on Precinct 13, Zombi and Cannibal Holocaust are all perfect examples on the genre.

Tarantino and Rodriguez’s love for the genre led them to come up with the idea for Grindhouse, and as soon as Dimension Films’ came on board, the film was ready to go.

Making up one half of the film is Quentin Tarrantino’s Death Proof. The film is based around a fictional movie shoot. An up-and-coming actress Lee (Mary Elizabeth Winstead; Final Destination 3, the Black Christmas remake), her make-up artist Abernathy (Rosario Dawson; Sin City, Josie and the Pussycats) and stunt girls Zoe (Zoë Bell; who doubled Uma Thurma in Kill Bill) and Kim (Tracie Thoms; Rent, The Devil Wears Prada) are enjoying the shoot and having a blast together, but is this before a killer stuntman called Mike (cult film veteran Kurt Russell; Escape From New York, Escape From L.A., The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China) begins the stalk them!

In between the two features, a load of fake movie trailers will be shown… the same as way back in the 70s when trailers for upcoming grindhouse films would be shown. Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devils Reject’s and that upcoming little remake called Halloween) is directing the trailer for a film called Werewolf Women of the S.S. The fake trailer stars pretty much the whole cast of the Halloween remake (well, Sheri Moon Zombie, Udo Kier and Sybil Danning) as well as Nicolas Cage as Fu ) is also involved in making a trailer for the film, however no details have been announced yet. Actor Danny Trejo (From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado) has revealed that he will be starring in the fake trailer for a fick called They Call Him Machete.

Next up is Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror. The film is about two doctors, William (Josh Brolin; The Goonies, Into The Blue) and Dakota Block (Marley Shelton; Valentine, Sin City) who find that their town is overrun by people covered in mysterious sores. They come across a wounded woman called Cherry (Rose McGowan; Scream, Charmed and who also appears in the Death Proof segment of the film), a stipper who lost her leg in a creature attack, along with her boyfriend Wray (Freddy Rodriguez; Harsh Times, Poseidon). As the apparent zombies become stronger and more aggressive, Wray and Cherry lead a full on battle, in an attempt to rid the world of them!

To prove how excited I am about this movie, I’ve got 4 clips from good ‘ole You Tube below! The first clip is of Quentin and Robert talking about the film came to be, as well as their love of grindhouse cinema. The second is the preview for the film that was shown last year on Spike TV, during the Scream Awards. The final two videos are the official trailers for the film, which I think are fucking awesome!

Click here to visit the official site.

It's coming, and on April 6th, Grindhouse will tear you in two!

The lucky ones die fast.

2007-02-11T19:21:00.000Z

In The Hills Have Eyes 2, the sequel to last year’s hugely successful remake of The Hills Have Eyes, a group of young and inexperienced National Guard trainees stop by an isolated outpost to deliver some much needed equipment to the military scientists stationed there. Upon their arrival, they discover that the camp has been mysteriously abandoned, with no living soul anywhere in sight. When they hear a distress call come through on their walkie-talkies, they set off on what they assume will be a routine rescue mission. They make their way into the nearby hills, unaware of the ravenous group of mutants that live there.

The film is being released on March 23rd.

Click here to head on over to the film's official site.

Or, if you're really hip, click here for the film's offical MySpace page.

Below you can watch the trailer for the movie, as well as the video for The Finalist's "Leave Those Broken Hearts", which was featured on the soundtrack to the first movie. Enjoy!

MSNBC on the current state of horror.

2007-02-10T23:04:00.000Z

Oh good. “Hannibal Rising” is here. Finally. I was waiting for that, hanging by a thread, begging for Hollywood to give me more and more and more Hannibal Lecter, to strip every last bit of meat off a bone that’s already been gnawed to the marrow. Because, you know, we needed teen Hannibal in our lives. Hot, Euro, CW-ready teen Hannibal. So tormented. So misunderstood. The Molly Ringwald of serial killers. And “Hannibal Rising” is his “Pretty in Pink.”

No, I haven’t seen “Hannibal Rising” yet, but I have a kind of ESP about this sort of thing. It’s a talent I’ve honed from watching too many horror movies to count. And my ESP tells me that, promise of R-rated gore aside, this is not a cannibal I’ll care about, much less be scared of.

There were two decent movies featuring this character. One was “Manhunter.” The other was “Silence of the Lambs.” In neither of them was he the actual killer. He was just a consultant. This is a man for whom the chomping of human flesh is as effete an exercise as going to the ballet. He is so not-scary that bad comics the world over think they’re being witty when they impersonate him. They’re going to make a talking doll out of him soon if they haven’t already. So can we just say goodbye to this cat? He’s turned into Chucky. In fact, I take that back because Chucky is still more entertaining.

And it’s not all Hannibal’s fault, either. Horror movies, in general, kind of suck right now. Hollywood makes more of them than ever before, it seems, but the results are like eating a stale, severed thumb when what you’re really in the mood for is a fresh human brain. So I have a tiny handful of makeover tips for all future screen killers and their screenwriters, producers and directors. Abide by them, dear maniacs, and you may be allowed to keep your ticket-buying audiences from turning on you like starving zombies.

1. Final chapters: make them so
This is the hardest one for me to write, because I love Jason Voorhies more than some members of my own family. But it has to be done. Retire him and Lecter, Freddy, Chucky (I know, I just said he was entertaining, but if he gets to stay then everyone will want one more moment in the sun), Candyman, Jigsaw, Leatherface and the people who run that European hostel. I know all your tricks and you know that it gets harder and harder, with every passing sequel, to frighten the audience.

And really, how much more baroque can the “Saw” movies get? Probably much more, yes, but does that make it right? No, it does not. These guys are not scary anymore. They’re just adorably eccentric now. Finish them off. Rip the bandage off completely, in one go. If you’re creative you’ll find new characters to murder hapless teens and those revenue streams will once again flow like sweet, sweet blood.

2. Kids are stupid: let them read “Goosebumps”
I saw “Boogeyman” with a bunch of 12 year-olds. You know why? Because it was rated PG-13. And I felt like the creepy old guy sitting in a multiplex full of middle-schoolers. (I resent having to explain myself in the first place, but in my defense I had to go see it because I review movies for a living and “Boogeyman,” like almost all the others, wasn’t screened in advance for press, so off I went to the mall on opening day, and yes, I wasn’t happy about it).

As much as tired franchises, this horrific horror development is doing its best to kill off the genre: PG-13 is a marketing stance, not a creative one. And it’s not even really about gore, although gore is awesome. The fact is that serious fear is almost always rated R. It just is. And everyone knows it. So you can take “The Messengers,” “Stay Alive,” “Pulse,” “The Grudge,” “Grudge 2” and “The Return” and whatever other Sarah Michelle Gellar movie is opening this week and stop trying to bore me to death with them.

3. If it’s too loud then you’re too lame
Speaking of “The Messengers” — the rural “Barn of Terror” movie that opened last week and somehow made more money than anything else — I sat in front of a group of rowdy teenagers (PG-13! Whoo-hooo! Let’s skip school!) who openly mocked the film when the following sequence of events went down:

a) Teen heroine, in close-up, fills half the screen. The soundtrack is unnaturally silent. The other half of the screen is empty and waiting for a ghost to jump into frame, a bird to fly into a window, a toy to spontaneously animate without human help, anything to fill the frame all surprise-y and boo!-ish.

b) That other thing fills the screen after approximately three to five beats.

c) The soundtrack erupts in a digital thunderclap so loud that the audience in the next house watching “The Queen” all jump out of their seats.

Now, okay, yes, a shock-cut and a loud noise can work if it’s a ghost. Being ghosts, they’re capable of anything, including jet-engine-style decibel levels. But birds knocking on windows, cats jumping out of dark closets, toy tractors rolling forward out of the dark really fast and scary? That stuff doesn’t warrant this sort of thing. It’s cheating. It’s bad filmmaking. It’s so laughably been done a million times and then a million times more that even the truest, purest burnouts of the educational system who’d sooner ditch class and come watch your movie than get an education, even they know its coming. And they’re laughing at you. So why do you bother anymore? I know, I know, you have their money and you don’t care.

4. Declare moratorium on remakes
I wrote about this once before on this very site. A whole article about it. I believe it was called “I Spit On Your Horror Remakes and Sequels.” It was pretty good if I do say so myself. Here’s the gist of it if you’re too lazy to go back and read it: remakes, save for “Dawn of The Dead” are no good. Ever. Never ever. They offer a cheap moment of almost-entertainment. Sometimes. But that’s it. Like PG-13, they’re not about making anyone happy, they’re about making money. Yeah, I know that makes the filmmakers happy. But I don’t care about them. I care about me. So knock it off.

5. Think fear
Some recent horror films that I thought were pretty decent? “The Descent.” And … um ... hang on, still thinking ... yeah, “The Descent.” You know why? Because it upended the teen-star paradigm by featuring an ensemble of (admittedly interchangeable) adult women, it focused as much attention on the tense, suffocating claustrophobia and giddy panic of being trapped in a pitch-black cave as it did on the herky-jerky eyeless monsters that lived there, it was gory but didn’t rely entirely on fake guts splattering every square inch of screen to make its point and, at least in its original UK release version, it came back-loaded with a bitter, brutal ending.

“The Descent” knew what all truly frightening movies know: that darkness and what happens there, especially when it’s inches from your face (think Jodie Foster being trailed with night vision in the final sequence of “Silence of The Lambs” or any real-life Manson Family “creepy crawl”) is the most terrifying stuff of all. To be trapped in that darkness is everyone’s greatest fear. But until another well-made horror film comes along, one that understands what moves to make in that darkness, audiences are going to remain trapped in a crashingly dull day-for-night.
Source

"I'm not going to be your friend."

2007-02-04T11:27:00.000Z

Lucky Mckee’s May is, put plain and simple, a fucking amazing film.

The plot revolves around an awkward, lonely young woman named May Dove Canady. She had a troubled childhood, as her lazy eye kept her from feeling normal. Thus, her mother suggests an eye patch for her to wear. Although this does nothing, except encourage the other children to make fun of her. Having very little social interactions with people throughout her life, her only "true friend" is a doll, named Soozy that her mother made and then gave to May for her birthday. As she makes an attempt to interact with the people around her, she finds Adam, a local mechanic, the perfect guy. As she gets to know Adam and the other people she lives and works around, she finds that people are not always 100% perfect. Just parts of them. This drives her to create the perfect friend. But not in the way you would think. So, "If you can't find a friend, make one."

Is it wrong that this film touched me? I don’t know. I suppose you can make that decision for yourself. But seeing May lose her mind and her sanity, just because she wants a friend, along with the brilliant portrayal of the character by Angela Bettis, is so sad and painful to watch. But oh so great.

I also liked the movie’s use of dark humour. You’ve seen Ginger Snaps right? It’s that kind of humour. And I love it!

The film really amazes in it’s last scene. Everything in the film builds up to this twisted, fucked, and in a weird way… heart warming scene. I found it kind of hard to watch. But it really is perfect. Yes, I said it. Perfect.

May is perfect.

May.

"You have to play by the fucking rules!"

2007-01-31T20:42:00.000Z

I don't know about you, but I really love the Saw franchise. I think each of the movies are so different from each other, and it's really fucking cool to see a horror movie franchise with some decent continuity. Each passing year brings on another round of gore and torture from Jigsaw, and I say bring it on! Saw III is out on DVD on February 26th, and (of course) Saw IV is set for release on October 26th.

Saw II In Sixty II.

The Night Controversy Came Home.

2007-01-28T16:17:00.000Z

Remaking John Carpenter’s 1978 seminal classic Halloween was never going to be a easy task. It is one of the few horror films that is respected by not only fans of the genre, but those who just plain and simply love cinema. The film, despite some initial help from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, began the slasher craze, which continued into the 80s, that gave us such cult classics as Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. And it’s still as scary today as ever.

So the fact that the director of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, rock star Rob Zombie, is going to direct the remake of Halloween is getting a few people a bit hot and bothered.

Especially that, according to speculation, the film will contain such topics as rape, masturbation and… erm… the “Taking A Shit” mask.

You’re all dieing to hear what I think about, it? Yes, you are. I really couldn’t be anymore excited for this movie. Michael Myers is going to be back on the big-screen! That alone gets me excited. Sure, a 9th film to round off the original series would have been nice, but what we’re getting is even better. A fresh start. A totally fresh start. The continuity of the original franchise is really scratchy now, and another big problem I think the 9th film may have found would have been the lack of both Loomis and Laurie. I mean, do we want what would be essential just another random slasher flick? Halloween: Resurrection was just that. So, in my eyes, a remake isn’t really a bad idea at this stage. Sure, some of the topics that might be featured in the film sound extremely different to what made the original so good. But this isn’t the original. This is Rob Zombie’s Halloween. And I can’t fucking wait.

Way back, just after the film was announced, the first piece of casting was announced. Sheri Moon, Rob’s wife, stated on her official site that would be in the film. “All I can tell you is I am not playing Laurie Strode!” The actress has worked with her husband on his pervious movies, playing Baby of the Firefly Clan (she’s also voicing the character of Suzi X in Rob’s upcoming animated feature The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, as well as playing Eva Krupp in Rob’s fake trailer for the upcoming Grind House, called Werewolf Woman Of The SS). It was announced recently that Sheri’s role in the film will be that of Deborah Myers, the Mother of Michael Myers. Playing her abusive boyfriend Ronnie White is William Forsythe, another fellow Devil’s Rejects cast member. Rounding off the Rejects cast who are also going to appear in Halloween are Lew Temple (Nole Kluggs), Ken Foree (Big Joe Grizzley) and Danny Trejo (Ismael Cruz).

Daeg Faerch is playing Michael Myers. Well, as a child at least. Damn, he just’s so freaky looking, don’t you think?! Jeez. Playing the adult Michael Myers is none other than 6' 10" Tyler Mane (who also had an unaccredited role in The Devil’s Rejects). He’s worked mostly on blockbusters such as Troy, and X-Men for big studios, so I wonder what it’ll be like transferring from those kinds of films to a low-budget horror film?

Michael’s first victim (in the original movie at least!), his sister Judith, is going to be played by Hanna Hall, who starred in in Forest Gump and The Virgin Suicides.

Loomis. Loomis really is the one role Zombie has to cast perfectly. Donald Pleasence’s portrayal of the character in the franchise is so chilling, complex and… frankly, awesome. Will Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) be able to give such a fantastic performance? Let's hope so!

Laurie Strode’s Mother, Cynthia, is going to played by Dee Wallace Stone (Cujo, The Howling), whilst her Father, Mason, will be played by Pat Skipper (Hellraiser: Bloodline). Yet another horror veteran is present in the cast, this time playing Sheriff Brackett… Brad Dourif! Chucky from the fucking Child’s Play franchise! I’m sorry, but how fucking awesome does this cast look?! Adrienne Barbeau, who starred in John Carpenter’s The Fog, is also going to be in the film… however, her role hasn’t yet been announced by Zombie. The same goes for Clint Howard, Courtney Gains and Daryl Sabara. Cult star Udo Kier also joins the cast, playing Morgan Walker. Sybil Danning, who starred in Howling II, has also joined the cast, and is apparently going to play the wife of Dr. Loomis!

Relative newcomers Scout Taylor Compton and Kristina Klebe, along with Danielle Harris (Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Urban Legend) are playing Laurie, Lynda and Annie! Just looking at the three of them together is making oh so excited. "Totally!", "I forgot my Chemistry book!" and "Six hours of horror movies... little Lindsey Wallace won't know what hit her!" are all coming to mind!

I'll be posting more news on the film as it appears online, so expect lots more banter in the coming months...

Rob Zombie’s Halloween is set for a August 31st release from Dimension Films. However, no UK release date has been announced yet.

Don't fear the reaper...

That darn Stephen King.

2007-01-28T11:32:00.000Z

Stephen King. I guess you could call him a Masters of Horror. His name alone can sell a movie or a TV series. From Brian De Palma’s Carrie in 1976, to TNT’s recent mini-series Nightmares and Dreamscapes, his name can always be found, some way or another, in a new piece of horror entertainment. So, it’s no surprise that two movies based on his work are on the way, is it?

1408, set for release on July 13th from Dimension Films, is based on one of King’s short stories. John Cusack (Identity) play’s Mike Enslin, an author of the paranormal. As research for his latest book, he is determined to check out the notorious room 1408 in a New York City hotel by personally staying as a guest in the fabled room., with the intention that 1408 is just a myth perpetuated by stories and rumour that he has collected for his past works. However, hotel manager Mr. Olin (Samuel L. Jackson; Snakes On A Plane) has strong objections to Enslin's stay and only warns him of possible danger to come. But Enslin is determined to go through and convinced that the horrific past of 1408 is just mere coincidence and a myth. But what Mike is about to experience is no myth, as 1408 truly is a room where the guests don't check out by noon. The film is to be directed by Swedish born Mikael Håfström. No word yet on a UK release date, but check out the trailer below.

Also coming from Dimension Films is The Mist, which is all about a freak storm that unleashes a species of blood-thirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole-up in a supermarket and fight for their lives. Thomas Jane (The Punisher), Laurie Holden (Silent Hill) and Andre Braugher are the only confirmed cast members right now. I did think Laurie Holden was great as Cybil in Silent Hill, so I can’t wait to see what she’s like in this movie. Frank Darabont, who’s directing the film, said in a recent interview, “The Mist ... is going to be a really quick project; it’s very low budget, very fast, not unlike what Danny Boyle did in 28 Days Later, which I found very inspiring in terms of, hell, just go out and make a movie and have fun with it. It'll be a pretty fast and furious narrative, really. And I’m certain the shortest film I’ve made to date." Also, when asked about the involvement of the notorious Weinstein’s, “I think they’re legitimately really super excited about this. Unlike some other folks I have spoken to, they’re really embracing the darker and edgier choices. Bob Weinstein is being tremendously supportive, and that makes me very happy." The film is tentatively set for a November 21st release in America.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on Eli Roth’s upcoming film version of Cell!

1408.

Three films find distribution at Sundance!

2007-01-24T17:39:00.000Z

A new beginning. That’s what this is. A new beginning! From now on I’m going (or, like, at least going to try) to post daily updates on all things horror. Excited? You good reader, you.

The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing right now, and that’s mean’s something awesome for horror fans: lots of horror movie acquisitions!

The first to be announced is the pick-up of Mitchell Linchenstein’s Teeth, which both Lionsgate and The Weinstein Co. will share distribution on. The film is about a girl who, while discovering the powers of her body, makes the pretty alarming discovery that her vagina has a set of teeth. I know, I’m pretty excited to see this one too!

Joshua, a film about a disturbed child who slowly turns the life of his family upside down, was picked up by Fox Searchlight, who have worldwide rights (except Canada!) for the film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The studio purchased the film, reminiscent of "The Omen" and "The Bad Seed" combined with the urban dread of "Rosemary's Baby," for $3.7 million.”

From writer/directors David Brucker, Jacob Gentry and Dan Bush, The Signal (click the link for the trailer) is a film told from three perspectives, each giving a unique view on a horrible situation that begins when a mysterious signal is broadcast though all TV, radio and cell phones in the city, turning everyone that hears it into a raving killer. The film was picked up by Magnolia Pictures, who have the North American, UK and Australian rights for the film.

So, I wonder which one will become a franchise?!

Do Sequels Suck?

2007-01-15T22:30:00.000Z

Well it's time to find out the answer tonight, as Bravo begins airing the second season of Masters of Horror. Like last time, all thirteen (it's unlucky, geddit!) episodes will be aired starting with Tobe Hooper's "The Damned Thing". It's about (and you know I'm copy/pasting this) a monstrous force that devastates Sheriff Kevin Reddle’s family and terrorises their small Texas community. Following that, the next 12 episodes feature returning directors John Carpenter, John Landis, Dario Argento, Joe Dante, Mick Garris and Stuart Gordon. Whilst season two welcomes newcomers Rob Schmidt, Tom Holland, Peter Medak, Norio Tsuruta, Brad Anderson and Ernest Dickerson to try their hand at creating a sweat-inducing gorefest that'll make you wet your pants. Apparently, the episodes to look out for are Family (22/1), Sounds Like (29/1), Pelts (12/2) and Right to Die (5/3). Currently, it airs every Monday at 11pm on Bravo, repeated Friday's at Midnight. Volume Two of the First Season is available to buy on DVD from January 29.

Lock the Doors and Windows; He'll Still Come down the Chimney

2006-11-23T01:17:00.000Z

Presenting, the theatrical trailer to the remake of Black Christmas.

Black Christmas
UK Release: December 15, 2006

The Halloween Hitcher Has Christmas Eyes

2006-11-22T21:41:00.000Z

Bloody-Disgusting has got it's hands on what is apparently the casting list for Rob Zombie's upcoming Halloween remake. It makes for some pretty interesting reading! I mean, I really do like the idea of a trailer trash Myers family, is that wrong?

Some pretty cool posters hit the web this week.. the first being for Fox Atomic's The Hills Have Eyes 2. The sequel to this year's smash hit remake of the 1977 original was one of the best horror films in recent years in my eyes (oh, a pun!) and I'm really looking forward to the second. Also, check out the new poster for Dimension's remake of Black Christmas. Good Lord! I love it!

And, now, some video goodness from You Tube. =]

First, the trailer for another remake, this time it's The Hitcher starring Sophia Bush from One Tree Hill.

Now, back to Rob Zombie's Halloween. This fan made trailer is really original and very cool. I can imagine the final trailer looking something like this. =]

Saw It!

2006-11-09T23:43:00.000Z

Excuse me, readers (ha)...

Dear James,

I wish to retract every derogatory and demeaning comment I ever made about Saw and Saw II. In closing, I urge you to see Saw III as soon as you can, by whatever you means you must. This applies to all of you who are reading this too.

--Tom

Continue.

Halloween on TV

2006-10-29T22:23:00.000Z

It's that time of year again, kids! It's our favourite holiday of the year, Halloween, and as you'd expect the TV channels are fighting over themselves to cater to your every bloody need.

Oct 30
Scream, 00:20, S4C
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, 00:25, Sky Movies 3
Resident Evil: Apocalypse, 00:45, Sky Movies 6
The Blair Witch Project, 22:00, E4
Bride of Chucky, 22:20, ITV4
Rosemary's Baby, 22:30, Sky Cinema 2

Oct 31
Friday The 13th II, 02:25, Sci-Fi
The Ring Two, 15:15 & 22:25, Sky Movies 9 (HD)
Sleepy Hollow, 21:00, Film4
Land of the Dead, 22:00, Sky Movies 1
The Exorcist, 22:00, Sci-Fi
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, 22:00, Five US
Creep, 22:20, Sky Movies 5
A Nightmare on Elm Street, 23:20, TCM
Halloween, 23:45, BBC1
The Fog, 23:45 , Sky Box Office 1 HD

Nov 1
Seed of Chucky, Midnight, Sky Movies 2
Carrie, Midnight, Channel 6
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, 02:45, Zone Horror

And, for those real old school horror fans, Nickelodeon are having a super-marathon of Are You Afraid of the Dark. So gather round the campfire from 6pm - 11pm for 10 seriously spooky episodes.

"Eye" Not Happy

2006-10-24T23:58:00.000Z

Network premiere of "The Eye", at a quarter-to-one in the morning...

Fuck you Channel 4, I'm glad you lost Lost.

"Do you like scary trailers?"

2006-10-22T19:16:00.000Z

I do! I love movie trailers. Oh, I almost forgot to say... I'm back! Anywhom, some awesome looking films are being released soon, so here is a preview of what to expect. =D

Saw III
UK/US Release: October 27th, 2006

The Return
UK Release: January 26th, 2007
US Release: ~~November 10th, 2006~~

Bug
UK/US Release: TBA, 2007

Black Christmas
UK/US Release: December, 2006

Tom - I have so many expectations for Black Christmas 2006, it better live up to Bob Clarke's original.

'Nightmare On Elm Street' Voted Scariest

2006-10-18T02:55:00.000Z

Source
"A Nightmare on Elm Street is the scariest film ever, according to a poll conducted by Yahoo! Entertainment.

The 1984 Wes Craven classic, which featured the monstrous Freddie Krueger stalking teenagers in their dreams, topped the list ahead of recent film Saw and the original 1974 version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

'It seems it's the classics that still scare people the most,' stated Yahoo! Entertainment editor Jayne Cherrington. 'Modern slashers like Saw have more special effects and more violence, but if classic film character Freddy Krueger is still king of the scares, film studios may have to re-think what scares people,' she added.

The top ten in full:
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street
2. Saw
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
4. Halloween
5. Candyman
6. Friday The 13th
7. Scream
8. Hostel
9. Child's Play
10. I Know What You Did Last Summer"

Halloween. But DON'T say 9

2006-06-06T00:50:00.000Z

On behalf of James who is not with us today due to his religious beliefs... Or lack of perhaps!

Last night, after what has literally been years, the official press release for the upcoming 9th 'Halloween' film was posted online. Film maker/rock star Rob Zombie ('House of 1,000 Corpses,' 'The Devil's Rejects') is set to both write and direct the film, which is set for a October '07 release by Dimension Films.

"I have been a huge, huge fan of John Carpenter's original film since its release," says Zombie. "So when Bob Weinstein approached me about this, I jumped at the chance to join forces with Dimension Films on this amazing project."

Since the release of the last sequel, 'Halloween: Resurrection,' in 2002, many rumours have surfaced on the net about what direction the next movie would take. Would it be a sequel, a prequel or... the 'dreaded' remake? At this stage, nobody is real sure about what direction Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' will take. However, the most logical idea is that it will be a re-imagining of the original film with a prequel element added to the mix.

'Halloween' is, without a doubt, a classic of the genre. Does it need a remake? I say yes.

The "trouble" with the franchise began in 1998 when Dimension, after the success of their 1996 slasher, 'Scream,' fast tracked a 'Halloween' to be out in time for the original film's 20th anniversary. The result was 'Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later.' The film featured the return of Jamie Lee Curtis, starring once again as Laurie Strode, who hadn't been in the series since 1981's 'Halloween II.' However, the film came under fire from "hard core" fans of the franchise who were angry about the film ignoring the events of the last 3 sequels and, in theory, starting from scratch. The film pretty much tied up the storyline, with Laurie killing Michael once and for all. Damn, no more franchise. But this is Hollywood, right?

Cut to 4 years later, and 'Halloween: Resurrection' is released. Michael Myers is, infact, still alive... I won't try to explain how. He just is! Jamie Lee Curtis returned to play Laurie, one final time. Michael killed her for crying out loud (in what is the best scene in the movie). Most fans didn't like this movie at all, saying it was "too hip" and that the whole plot was pretty ridiculous. Another major reason for hating this movie is Busta Rhymes. 'Nuff said. The movie ends with Michael "dead", only to have his eyes open at the very end, with a kinda funny high pitched scream to go along with it. Even though it didn't perform as well as 'H20,' it was confirmed that 'Halloween 9' was in the works.

So, why do I think it needs a remake... of some degree? The series is mess. First off, we have 2 separate storylines. Second, Jamie Lee Curtis won't return. Period. Donald Pleasence (R.I.P.) can't return. Period. These are, pretty much, the characters that hold the movies together. The good guys. The man guy can't have it that easy, can he? Thirdly, where can a ninth sequel go? 'Halloween: Poppin' Busta's Ass, Yo!' Erm, I'm fine.

I hope that Rob Zombie pulls off a creepy, suspenseful movie that will do the original movie justice.

Happy Sixth of the Sixth, two-thousand and six!

The End Of Days (Until He Gets His Act Together)

2006-05-10T01:35:00.000Z

First off, James has lost his details so he can't log in. Until he sorts that out this site is pretty much AWOL but I will update when I get the chance. Such as now, to tell you all that the Horror film is indeed still alive amongst all this House Of Wax/Saw crap (it's a bit mean to beat them up when James isn't here to defend them but meh). I know it might not seem like it to you but it came in the form of Silent Hill, based on the popular video game. This is one of those rare horror movies that actually has you leaving the movie theatre thinking about what you just watched, intriguing you long after it's over. And hell, it's also pretty damn poop-your-pants scary! I don't know if anyone's reading this anymore, but if you are, go check it out, you won't be disappointed... Unless, you know, you are. But then you're just weird like that aren't you?

Blood, tits and ass... and it's all on TV!

2006-04-16T23:50:00.000Z

Here's a look at the horror flicks that'll be airing on digital TV this week. =)

FilmFour are screening some fantastic horror films this week, including Eli Roth's 'Cabin Fever' on Monday at 10:05pm, and the 2003 remake of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' on Thursday 10pm. 'Cabin Fever' is a great film, mixing some awfully OTT humour with even more OTT gore to make a, pretty much, freakin' awesome film. 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' remake is one creepy little film and is a lot better than the original, at least in my eyes. Jessical Biel just rocks in this, and Eric Balfour is... well, the hotness!

Rapture TV (yes, I know, I have a weird look on my face, too) are airing 'Children Of The Corn' on Monday night at 9pm, the cult fave is based on the Stephen King short story.

And, finally, it's here... 'Angel' has found a new home at Sci-Fi! The 'Buffy' spin-off (which, Sci-Fi are saying is "sexy") is all about Angel and his new life in LA after leaving Sunnydale, and he basically is very pissed and want's to kill every evil person or thing that he comes across. Plus, Cordy and Doyle! The match made in, like heaven! The show begins on Tuesday night at 8pm, with the fantastic opening episodes 'City Of''. Sci-Fi have the rights to all 5 seasons of the show, so I think we're in for an enjoyable few months... =D

This Week In Horror...

2006-04-16T22:51:00.000Z

Since a lot of kids are off school here's a list of some Horror or general scary films you can catch this week:

Ghostbusters II Monday and Friday 10pm, E4
Über-retro flick following the original Ghostbusters. Tip: It has ghosts in it!

Battle Royale Tuesday 10pm, Sci-Fi and Friday 1:40am
It's not horror but it's gory as hell and a fucking amazing film from the masters of horror in the east. If you haven't seen it you have to watch it tonight!

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning Wednesday 12:35pm, Sci-Fi
Awesome prequel to the Independent Canadian Werewolf franchise starring Kathryn Isabelle and Emily Perkins. Set in the old days it's a refreshing change from some of the moronic follow-ups horror movies produce today.

The Faculty Friday 11:40pm Channel 4
Elijah Wood, before he got all short, faces weird, water-craving aliens in this far from mediocre high-school horror film also starring, um, Usher.

Destination: Anywhere You Want

2006-04-06T17:52:00.000Z

Not content with having perfectly sane folk sit through the film in cinemas, New Line have announced that the DVD for Final Destination 3 will mark a first of it's kind when viewers will be able to decide the fates of the films characters, ultimately re-writing whole sections of the film.

You see, during production, the filmmakers shot entirely new scenes exclusively for this interactive DVD. So you'll get to choose, and then watch, the characters make choices entirely different from the theatrical version.

Variety says "The "Thrill Ride" edition gives viewers seven choices at 10-minute intervals. Among the choices that pop up onscreen: "Should Wendy take another look?" and "Map" or "No Map."

The DVD hits US shelves in July, there's no news yet as to whether the "Thrill Ride" edition will make it over here but, and I can't believe I'm saying this, here's hoping!

The DVD Round-Up: April 3rd

2006-04-03T16:58:00.000Z

Hey guys, welcome to this week's DVD round-up. =)

The Rock (I forgot his real name, but I don't really care) stars in 'Doom', the movie based on the computer game of the same name. It looks more action than horror, but I'm sure it would entertain for an hour or two. But action isn't my cup of tea, so I'll be waiting for it on Sky Movies. =

'Alien Vs. Predator' is re-released on SVD this week in a special "extreme" edition. Considering 'AVP2' is coming out next year, another re-release might happen then. So, really, what is the point in this? Don't buy it. Just don't.

Also, if you want some cheap DVD's, head on over to Play.com! =)

The DVD Round-Up: March 27th

2006-03-27T19:34:00.000Z

Yes folks, it's that time again... here is your look at this week's best horror releases on DVD.

Lionsgate horror shocker 'Saw II' is the release of the week, well, at least in my eyes. =D This time around, 8 strangers are locked up in a house and are breathing in a deadly gas, and they'll have to work together if they're going to get out in once piece (Oh yes, there will blood. In other words, Oh no, they won't be getting out in once piece.). Fan's of the original 'Saw' won't be disappointed, but even if you haven't seen the first movie the sequel is quite enjoyable. Oh, I might add that the cover art is disgusting. And ugly.

If you don't want something so "hardcore" you might want to check out 'Cry_Wolf', starring Jared Padalecki from the awesome 'House of Wax' and one of the best series on TV, 'Supernatural. Did I say Jared Padalecki is in it?! It’s about group of teens (yes, shocking!) who start to send e-mails around their school about a serial killer... however, they are all shocked when the serial killer they made up begins to hack up some bodies. =O This DVD is in "uncut" form and is rated 15, when the film was released in January at cinemas it was rated 12A so who knows what might've been added to the film?! As I said, Jarad Padalecki... BUY IT NOW!

The dead have waited. The day has come. 'Day Of The Dead', the 3rd film in Romero's 'Dead' series is out on DVD with a whole set of extras, including a commentary from the Special FX team

'Poltergeist: The Legacy' comes to DVD this week, with the release of Season 1. The series is based on the classic film 'Poltergeist' and it's sequels.

Some Japanese horror now... 'Pulse' (aka, 'Kairo') is all about ghosts and hi-tech things. I can't really sum it up here (I'm starting to get tired!), but Play.com can help! This is another movie set for a US remake, which will star Veronica Mars, the fit guy from 'Lost' and Christina Millian... it's also most likely going to get a PG-13 rating and is coming to you from Dimension Films. =) Yes, that smile was in fact sarcasm.

Next week: The Rock stars in 'Doom'.

The DVD Round-Up: March 20th

2006-03-20T21:05:00.000Z

Welcome to the first in a new feature here at We Belong Dead, The DVD Round-Up. =D Every week I'll be looking at the new horror releases for your home viewing pleasure.

The big release this week is 'The Exorcism Of Emily Rose'.

In 1976, the Catholic Church officially recognised the demonic possession of a German college freshman. During her exorcism the young woman died and the priest stood trial for causing her death. Academy Award nominee Laura Linney plays an attorney who defends the priest. The case reawakens her faith.

I haven't seen the movie yet (believe me, it's on my must-watch list!), but it looks like it could be an eerie film, with a great creepy atmosphere. 'The Exorcist' for the Paris Hilton generation? I wonder...

Next Week: Jigsaw returns in 'Saw II', a great 12A slasher flick (joke!) in the form of 'Cry_Wolf', a special edition of a classic and a TV spin-off of a 80s spookfest... "They're here."

28 Hill Holes

2006-03-17T21:44:00.000Z

Evening bitches, James here with a little bit of TV scoop. =P

'28 Days Later' airs on Channel 4 tomorrow at 10pm. Cillian Murphy star's as a man who wakes to discover that London has been deserted - he soon learns that the UK has been effected by a deadly virus which turns ordinary folk into killers! On Five at 11:15pm, check out 'House On Haunted Hill', the remake of the 1959 classic. The amazingly fit male that is James Marsters star's as a cameraman. Yes, a cameraman. What? Cameramen can be sexy.

On Sunday night, check out 'The Hole' on Channel 4 at 10pm. It has... erm... Keira Knightly naked in it.

The best show on TV right now, 'Supernatural', continues on Sunday night. This week, Sam has nightmares about his and Dean's childhood home, which leads them back to Kansas. It's on ITV2 at 9pm, and repeated on ITV1 on Monday at 11pm.

That's Enough For 4 Whole Years of Jason!

2006-03-17T21:32:00.000Z

Sci Fi Channel UK have secured the rights to seven of the eleven titles from the Friday the 13th horror franchise:

A range of horror fables will also be housed in Sci Fi's MOVIE AT 10 slot, including Hemoglobin, Demon House, Witchboard 3 (all from Fries Films) and Friday the 13th Parts II - VIII (CBS Paramount). Four Stephen King mini-series, Salem's Lot (Warner Bros), The Langoliers (CBS Paramount), Rose Red and Storm of The Century (both Buena Vista), will add to the fear-factor. Source: Digital Spy

The channel, which will launch a time-shifted version soon, will screen their new acquisitions starting in April.

Over The Hills And Far Away...

2006-03-11T04:28:00.000Z

I'm actually beginning to quite anticipate seeing the remake of "The Hills Have Eyes". I just rented the original (double disc goodies from Anchor Bay) and will be hopefully writing up a review of both of them (If I see the remake) that'll head your way very soon.

New ending for 'The Descent'

2006-03-10T20:35:00.000Z

The fantastic Brit chillier from last year, 'The Descent', is all set for a US release later this year thanks to Lionsgate... but it will have a completely different ending! =)

Marshall himself said at Sundance that he wanted to see how the audience would react with a different ending, and that’s how Lionsgate is going to send it out. The ending that currently exists on the British print of the film, and the subsequent DVD, will no longer be in place. If you’ve seen the movie you know what a difference that can make, but ultimately it’s about the entire film as a whole, and The Descent is still one of the best horror movies to be made in the last five years... easily.

I really like the ending to the movie, and it does let you make your own mind up about what might have happened. But, if the US print end's where I think it will, it will make a great ending still.

Hopefully, 'The Descent' will be a huge success in America. =)

Cigarette Burns

2006-03-03T15:11:00.000Z

Get comfy in-front of Bravo tonight at 11PM as it's finally John Carpenter's turn to tell a tale in Masters of Horror. The plot of his story, Cigarette Burns, involves Jimmy Sweetman, a finder of rare films who happens to be desperately in need of cash. A sinister and wealthy collector sends Jimmy off in search of the legendary “Le Fin Absolut du Monde” aka the Absolute End of the World. The film is allegedly so disturbing that at its one and only screening the crowd went mad and killed each other. As the trail to the film gets warmer, Jimmy starts to have disturbing visions of his dead ex-girlfriend who committed suicide. He begins to realise that the film is getting to him even though he hasn't even seen it.

To find out more head over to John Carpenter's Official Site which has had a nice Flash makeover since I last visited it.

Bravo have balls.

2006-03-02T17:21:00.000Z

Indeed they do! The banned episode (in other words, the "not shown on TV to insure lots of publicity and big DVD sales" episode) of 'Masters of Horror' will be shown in the UK.

Takashi Miike's 'Imprint', the 13th (and final) episode of the series, will air on Bravo on April 7th at 11pm. Click here to see a clip from the show. It's looking rather good, if I do say so myself!

Jason has found his director

2006-02-23T18:01:00.000Z

Yes, that’s right… it hasn’t been officially confirmed, but Jonathan Liebesman is said to be coming on bored to director the brand spankin’ new ‘Friday the 13th’ flick that’s set for a 13th October release.

He’s currently working on ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning’, the upcoming prequel from New Line Cinema and Platinum Dunes. He also directed ‘Darkness Falls’ a few year’s back. I haven’t seen it myself, but I’ve heard it’s less than good. In other words, pure shit.

Tom - 'Jason has found his director', oh wait a second readers, I was lying y'all, it's not official! *groan* I need to impose some sort of Ft13 post limit, like 3 a week! And hey, Darkness Falls wasn't "pure shit", it would have been though if not for the supreme überness of Emma Caulfield.

Heh, look what I found posted on my blog from 2003. Damn my youthfulness: We were going to go to the cinema but they weren't going to try and get me in for Freddy Vs Jason (I'm practically 18, although I don't even look 15) so I'm annoyed because I really want to see it.

"Who was the killer in Friday the 13th?"

2006-02-20T18:48:00.000Z

'Scream.' =P

So, in other words, who will PLAY Jason in the upcoming 'Friday the 13th' remake/prequel/sequel/whatever?

Andrew Bryniarski, who played Leatherface in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' remake and it's upcoming prequel, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' has said he wants to play Jason. As he is already in Platinum Dunes good book, maybe he will... but they have said they are looking in a different direction for Jason.

But, what about Kane Hodder? He played Jason in 'Part VII', 'Part VIII', 'Jason Goes To Hell' and 'Jason X.' He's really big, so it could look at bit OTT when they are trying to make this new film more "serious." But, then again... I've heard Andrew is bigger.

So, who will be Jason? Stayed with WBD for the news, as we get it. ;)

It's Friday the 13th... even MORE news!

2006-02-17T13:30:00.000Z

Thank to the Fangoria guys, Plantinum Dunes’ Brad Fuller revealed some bits about the upcoming 'Friday the 13th' sequel/prequel/remake... bah, whatever the hell it is!

“We don’t know exactly what it’s going to be yet; it’s definitely not going to be set after FREDDY VS. JASON or JASON X,” Fuller tells Fango, addressing their film’s place in the FRIDAY universe.

Good, I don't see how they could set a movie after 'Jason X' and 'Freddy vs. Jason' and keep it half serious.

“It feels to me like it’s going to be a re-imagining of…” Fuller pauses, trying to find the right word. “I don’t know if there is a term for it…it’s going to be like what we did with THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, that’s the best analogy I have. There are going to be things you recognize, but we will make it a distinctively different story. We’re going to keep all of the things that are expected [of a FRIDAY THE 13TH film] in there.”

Umm... since when was 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' a "re-imagining"?! =

Early reports stated that New Line was eyeing a release date of Friday, October 13th of this year. As far as this is concerned, Fuller is remaining realistic. Sticking to that deadline would involve nothing less than meticulous yet swift preparation. “We’re not planning on meeting that October date,” he reveals.

Thank God, they shouldn't rush this movie! =) If they do rush it, it'll just end up being shit. I think this the best thing to happen to the 'Friday' series in years.

So... how about some Halloween 9 news now, please? =D

More on F13 11... so, it's a remake... sorta?

2006-02-14T16:27:00.000Z

Although this picture is rumored to be a remake, we've been told it may be more of a "re-envisionment" of the series. From our anonymous scooper, we've were informed that Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes apparently WANTED to remake it but would said "let's do something different" instead. New Line was super cool with it. So the next 'Friday' more of an ULTIMATE FRIDAY THE 13th... if you know anything about the Marvel comics ULTIMATE series.

Basically, the plan (which can still change) is takes place after part 1 and shows Jason killing and becoming the monster we know and love. Getting the potato sack mask and the hockey mask, etc...

Erm... whoa! =D I think starting from the beginning is a good idea, really. From Part VII onwards the whole series went to shit, anyway. And, the sack mask/hockey mask in ONE movie?! Fuck yeah!

Friday the 13th: Part 11

2006-02-14T13:32:00.000Z

Yes, after many rumours… ‘Freddy vs. Jason 2’, a remake, a prequel… New Line Cinema have officially announced the next sequel in the hugely successful ‘Friday the 13th’ franchise!

New Line has made the official announcement of the 11th Friday the 13th film, which Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes has come aboard to make sure gets to screens in all it’s horrific glory. To call if "fast-tracked" is an understatement, as Variety is stating that the plan is still to try and have it in theaters by Friday, October 13th. There may be a conflict of interest, there, since New Line’s got another PD-produced film, namely The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, headed to theaters that month, as well.

Yes! Finally, some good fuckin' news! New Line really haven't had a clue what to do with the series, since they grabbed the rights from Paramount all those years ago. 'Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday' is a decent film, I like the different direction it goes in. But, WTF was 'Jason X' all about?!' 2003's 'Freddy vs. Jason' was a fantastic flick, but I'm glad New Line aren't doing a sequel... well, just yet. =)

Platinum Dunes taking part in the project is a blessing in my eyes. Come on, if this movie is any where as good as 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' remake, I will be a very, very, very happy boy.

Panther outsmarts DEATH!

2006-02-13T00:31:00.000Z

New Line Cinema's latest genre entry, 'Final Destination 3' (out now in the UK, also) has entered this week's US box-office at #2, behind Sony's remake of 'The Pink Panther.' Last week's #1, Sony Screen Gem's 'When A Strange Calls' has fallen to #5... with Sony's vampire sequel, 'Underworld Evolution' hanging in at #10.

2006: Remakes... remakes... and sequels (and, like, one or two original ideas!)

2006-02-10T14:14:00.000Z

Well, the year got off to a decent start with the release of 'Hostel' in January (I still have no idea when it comes out here, the last I heard was April 21st)... the film had, pretty much, awesome reviews and was seen as a success for Lionsgate and Sony Screen Gems. 'Hostel II' is set for a January 2007 release. Also released in January was the shit-fest 'BloodRayne' (no idea on when it will have a UK release, but don't be shocked to suddenly find it in Blockbuster one day) and 'Underworld: Evolution'... the latter made money in the US and the UK, so expect 'Underworld 3' sometime in the next few years.

As Tom said in his last entry, 'When A Stranger Calls' was released in America last week and went straight to #1. So, 'When A Stranger Calls Back' or 'When A Stranger Calls Again' or 'When A Stranger Calls 2' could be out as soon as next year. Also, can someone actually confirm if a man is actually in this movie?! 'Calls' is another horror flick from Sony Screen Gems ('Hostel', 'Underworld: Evolution'), they have a lot of films coming out this year for genre fans, more on that later. Out today in both the US and the UK is ' Final Destination 3' from New Line Cinema. I reckon that it'll do well on it's opening weekend, and just as well when it appears on rental shelf’s in a few months time. It looks fun, and is has gore and the stud muffin Ryan Merriman (who we all should know from 'Halloween: (no) Resurrection (at all)', 'The Ring TwO' and it's short film prequel, 'Rings') stars in it. =)

The main event in March is the remake of the Wes Craven cult classic, 'The Hills Have Eyes' from Alexandre Aja (the guy behind 'Switchblade Romance' aka 'Haute Tension'). The film seems to actually be wanted by horror fans, and the news that the original cut got slammed with the NC17 rating (however, it's all been cut for R... but a uncut DVD release is planned) makes it all so much greater. =P

In April, Dimension's 'Scary Movie 4' is let loose on the war. Expect this to be a huge hit. I personally think it will be better than the crap that was 'Scary Movie 3' (which is awful on it's second viewing), which when I loved when I first watch it. '4' is set to spoof the sci-fi awesome that was 'War Of The Worlds', the Sarah Michelle Gellar spook fest 'The Grudge', the scary, fantastic film that was (honestly, it's freakier than 'The Exorcist'!) 'The Village' and... the fantastic 'Saw' (but, from the trailer, it looks like it will be spoofing some elements of 'Saw II' also). Also in April, Sony Screen Gems release 'Silent Hill', based on the popular videogame series.

And, His Day Will Come in June... the next film for the remake shed is 'The Omen', the story about the devil spawn child!!! 'The Omen 666' (set for US release on 6/6/06... UK on 9/6/06... foolish whores) is set for one MASSIVE advertising campaign, and will too well at the box-office, methinks. I can see it being one of the highest grossing horror flicks of the year. Plus, the trailer is one freaky little thing! =D

Then... things get a little quiet up ‘til the Halloween season in which get 3 fucking sequels in a month!!! =D Opening on October 7th in the US is 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning', a prequel to the 2003 remake which starred the fantastic Jessical Biel. After the huge success of the 'TCM' remake, a sequel could have been rushed into production like that *James clicks his fingers*, but Platinum Dunes had deals coming in everywhere you looked (such as 'The Amityville Horror' remake, starring the sexy beast Ryan Reynolds!), but now it’s time to return to Texas... 'Beginning' is set sometime before the remake (10 years? I don't actually know.), and is looking to be a fantastic, gritty but still fun slasher film. And... isn't this some creepy little shit?! Jason Fuckin' Voorhees could be back on the big screen, on Friday, October 13th! New Line Cinema are said to be making a film looking at his origin. =D Then, on October 20th the teens come out in force for 'The Grudge 2'... which will feature Sarah Michelle Gellar for, like, 3 1/2 minutes, it is also said to be looking at the origin of the curse (but it isn't a prequel!). Rounding up the Halloween season on October 27th is 'Saw III'. Yay, say's I! Expect both 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning', the new 'Friday The 13th' flick (if it actually happens, hehe!) 'Saw III' on the same day's in the UK, as the 'TCM' remake, the first two 'Saw' films, and 'Jason X' and 'Freddy Vs. Jason' were handled by Entertainment In Distribution in the UK, and the they tend to releases most films here on the same day as in the US, e.g. 'The Lord Of The Rings' trilogy, 'Final Destination 3', 'Underworld: Evolution' and the upcoming teen comedy from Amanda Bynes 'She's The Man'!!!).

2006 is looking alright, so... join me and Tom for the ride.

Okay, James, never say that again. *shifty eyes*

Stranger Calls. Teens Answer!

2006-02-09T17:14:00.000Z

Ewww! When A Stranger Calls, just another in the long line of Hollywood Horror remakes, has actually reached the top of the box-office in the US. The film is released in the UK in May. It's about a girl babysitting in the middle of nowhere getting weird phone calls that are eventually (and this isn't spoiling the ending as everyone on earth should know the ending as it's based on a n urban legend and was given away in the films trailer FFS!) traced to her the house she's in. This may have worked as a plot in 1979 but how on earth could it work today given the technology? Apparently that's all incidental, the film's #1 and true Horror fans are grimacing everywhere.

International Cinema: Phone

2006-01-30T16:19:00.000Z

I know, I know! He just compared Wolf Creek to House of Wax... Please forgive him, he's young and innocent! Time for my first film review, of course being older and far more cultured I'll be specialising in reviewing International Films, let's get to it then.

First up for review (contains spoilers - pay attention because this film is rumoured for a US remake) in the 'International Cinema' section of We Belong Dead is Byeong-ki Ahn's 2002 film Phone ("Pon"). In this film from South Korea, A reporter called Ji-won is forced to get a new cell phone when someone beings threatening her. Figuring it has to do with the under-age sex scandal story she wrote, Ji-won asks her sister if she can stay at her new house. She agrees and Ji-won moves into the spare bedroom, even though the whole house is empty. The calls continue on her new phone and her sisters six-year-old daughter, Yeong-ju, answers the phone accidental one time and immediately begins screaming in terror. Ji-won tries to find out who's calling her from the phone company but the records show no strange numbers. Then Ji-won's stalker suddenly confronts her. However, just as he's about to attack her he too answers her cell phone and drops to the floor, dead. Now with no clue as to who is phoning her, Ji-won digs deeper into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the numbers first owner, a high school girl named Jin-hie. As Yeong-ju's behaviour becomes increasingly alarming, she confesses to being in love with her father. Researching further, Ji-won discovers Jin-hie was in love with an older man. Before she can find out anymore, eerie goings on at the house she's staying at lead her to uncover a body behind the wall... Jin-hie's body. It all transpires (through flashbacks, who's having them I'm not sure) that Ji-won's sister murdered Jin-hie when she found out her husband was having an affair with Jin-Hie. So what you gonna do? Well, Ji-won's sister decides to murder her husband first than her sister. Although as she's pouring petrol over a bound and gagged Ji-won the vengeful spirit of Jin-Hie can finally seek her revenge - By murdering Ji-won's sister. Of course when Ji-won unties herself it's all over, and now it really is all over. Ji-won takes a walk to the beach and chucks the haunted phone into the ocean. With a tremendously fast plot and hardly enough scares, Phone won't be the Korean choice of film for everyone (especially when there are so many others to choose from, a lot more gripping than this). Still, in the end it's not a bad film, I just felt it tried to tell the audience far too much, and that meant that in the first hour you've got to take in a lot of information, some of it inevitably pointless. This may be the first ever Asian film which would actually suit a Western-remake! Ditch some of the sub-plot and concentrate on the fact that a ghost is stalking you through the phone!

Wolf Creek

2006-01-29T11:58:00.000Z

I'll say it - 'Wolf Creek' is one of the best horror movies EVER.

It's extremely gritty, and it looks real. You can't help but feel bad for these kids, they shouldn't have to go through this. They aren't sluts, they aren't mean, they are nice kids. I give it high praise for the fact that it sticks away from giving the character’s labels.

Two parts of the film stick out to me. The 'gun torture' scene and the 'head on a stick' scene. Both are extremely hard to watch, and sick beyond belief.

Also, the death's were shocking. Yes, we know they are going to happen, but they happened so suddenly! One of the death's shocked me. I didn't expect it at all.

Also, it took a while for the film to get going. The exact same thing happened with 'House of Wax'. But, like 'Paris Hilton: The Movie'... once it got going, it never looked back. I can't wait to see what else comes from Greg McLean, a future master of horror. =)

The WB, UPN to close; replaced by The CW

2006-01-24T21:14:00.000Z

The WB and UPN are to close in America this September, and will be replaced by a new channel - The CW. Over the years, both channels have shown a good mix of horror shows ('Buffy', 'Angel', 'Charmed' and most recent, 'Supernatural') in the past, but what will happen to those that are currently on the air?

In terms of programming, the new network will carry a blend of programmes from The WB and UPN. The shows mentioned in today's announcement from CBS are America's Next Top Model, Beauty and the Geek, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Everybody Hates Chris, Girlfriends, Reba, and WWE Smackdown. Notable in their absence are One Tree Hill and Charmed, although exclusion or inclusion in the list by no means guarantees continuation on The CW.

It is rumoured that this, the 8th, season of 'Charmed' will indeed be the last. And, it so appears that 'Supernatural' is here to stay.

So, what do I think? I think that this is great news... for Joss Whedon, this is the perfect time to bring us some more vampire action for The CW... bring it on. =D

Scary AND Sexy?

2006-01-22T15:08:00.000Z

As if you didn't already know ITV have bought one of America's latest supernatural shows, adequately titled "Supernatural". It's one of many spooky themed shows that have rolled out on US Networks over the past few months, some doing better than others (I don't think we need to name names, coughAmberTamblyncough). Given that it's on The WB (home of Buffy, Angel, Smallville and Charmed) you know it's probably either going to rock your socks off or suck complete ass. I'm thinking based on ITV's advertising, it's going to rock my ass! Here's what the officials say:Sam Winchester has done his best to escape his family's eerie history. Unlike his older brother Dean, Sam rejected their father's obsessive quest to uncover the evil forces that claimed the life of the boys' mother, Mary. Putting as much distance as possible between himself and his family, Sam left home right after high school and went away to college. His new life includes a beautiful and loving girlfriend, Jessica, and plans to enter law school. Dean, however, took a very different path, following their father, John, into the "family business." When Dean arrives on Sam's doorstep with the news that their father has vanished, Sam has no choice but to put his personal plans on hold and join Dean on the road.
Sound familiar? While the plot probably has been done time and time again (most successfully in The X-Files), The WB are the kind of network to turn what would be a dull show into something extra-ordinary. Although I'm attracted by the plot and the hype (and James is attracted by the Jared and the Jensen), it remains to be seen if I'll continue to tune in after tonight.

Scared of the dark? You will be.

2006-01-22T11:10:00.001Z

So, Mr. Me saw 'The Descent' last night... and I loved it. But, you know, it's not as good as 'House of Wax'. =P

I loved the jump scares in this movie. How many horror flicks have had a black cat jump out and scare a random slut? Many. But, for the most part, the jump scares in 'The Descent' are very, very original. The nasty evil demon monster bitches are very ugly, if you were that ugly, wouldn't you be killing people aswell? =P

Remember, 'Blade 2' is on Channel 4, tonight at 10pm! =)

"Yeah Buffy, what do we do now?"

2006-01-17T18:15:00.001Z

That is what lovely Dawn said to Buffy, in that show's final episode. =) Well, Dawn is all set to star in the upcoming remake of the classic 'Black Christmas'.

Michelle Trachtenberg, whom fans may recognize as Dawn from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," will topline the film, presumably taking on Olivia Hussey’s role. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3), Katie Cassidy (When A Stranger Calls remake), and Oliver Hudson (The Breed) round out the cast.
Source

I haven't seen the original (*slaps self*), so does Tom (who loves the film more than he loves sniffing glue!*) have anything to say on the matter at hand.

KILLER: I'm going to KILL YOU!
DAWN: GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!

*Sarcasm *cough*

Tom - Ewww! This is great, Michelle is perfect for this film, if she takes the part of Jess, because Jess kind of gets on your nerves a bit but is someone who you don't want to see get killed. I'd like to know now who they've got in mind to play Jess' boyfriend, very important part so I hope they don't screw it up. Oh, what am I saying, of course they will.

2006

2006-01-15T10:58:00.000Z

Click here for BD.com's 2006 horror preview! :)

I personally think 2006 is going to be a fantastic year for horror, 2005 was a mixed year but had enough good films to make it a good one, but this doesn't mean 2006 will be just as good. We'll have to wait and see. ;)

Masters of Horror!

2006-01-14T15:22:00.000Z

Wow, 'Masters of Horror' was the shit!! =D It was a great start to what could become a fantastic series, we must thank Bravo for picking it up.

But, er... what was with the ending?! =P

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ha-Ha-Ha!

2006-01-13T23:13:00.000Z

Weird old day this, of course only for the people who suffer from paraskavedekatriaphobia. Damn, try saying that 10 times fast! Paraskavedekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th is perhaps more common than just the silly superstition you would think it to be. It's reported that over 21 million people in America alone suffer from paraskavedekatriaphobia, sometimes staying inside for a full twenty-four hours. A sort of amalgamation between the fear of the number thirteen, triskadekaphobia, and the day when it is believed to have been Christ's crucifixion. Of course, none of this has anything to do with "Friday The 13th", it just happens to be the name of a bloody great horror film. Hurray for Mrs. Voorhees and her son Jason, happy holidays!

The 13th Friday

2006-01-13T18:48:00.000Z

Well, it's that time of year again... wait, does Friday 13th only come once a year!? Have a safe and fun time (like you'll be doing anything). =P Also, remember... JODIE MUST NOT LEAVE THE BIG BROTHER HOUSE!

FD3 Site Open, Safety First!
We've been waiting a long time for the Final Destination 3 site to show off more than just a trailer, but we honestly weren’t expecting all this. You’re too good to us, New Line.
Elviria: Mistress of the Yard
Okay, maybe I have issues with my neighbours. Well what if your neighbour was Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira Mistress of the Dark? Yep, I think that would be a different story.
MoH on the Big Screen
I'm sure by now you’re very sick of hearing about Masters of Horror from us, but I just can’t help it; it’s one of the coolest things to happen to our genre in a long, long time, and I think it deserves all the press we can give it.
Piranha Remake a Go-Go!
Dimension is indeed producing, and we all know the current track record of the genre films they've churned out of late, so let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope this Piranha remake turns out better than Cursed... Or Venom... Or The Crow: Wicked Prayer... Or Halloween: Resurrection... Or... I think you get the point.
Sony Also Updates Their 'Stranger Calls' Website
Get ready to kill a few hours because not only has New Line launched their official website for Final Destination 3, but Sony Screen Gems has updated their offical website for their remake of When a Strange Calls, which hits US theaters February 3rd (UK: April 21).

Tom - James, you copy and paste whore, for shame! And by the way on some occasions there are three times in a year when the 13th falls on a Friday. Now you know!

No TV and no beer make James Somethingsomething

2006-01-11T22:17:00.000Z

Tom’s a bit slow (he is ageing), so I might as well make a lovely little “What To Watch With James” post every week.

Week of The Leprechaun!
This week sees The Horror Channel air five movies from the ‘Leprechaun’ franchise, with a different movies every night at 9pm (Or, at 9:05pm you foolish whore) from Wednesday. Wednesday (well, tonight) sees the original air, starring Jennifer Aniston before she hit the big time. In other words, ‘Friends’. On Thursday night check out ‘Leprechaun 2’. At 9:05pm on Friday (the 13th) night, he’s back… again, in ‘Leprechaun 3’. But, the weekend is when thing’s start getting really interesting. On Saturday night at 9pm, THC brings you… ‘Leprechaun 4: In Space’. Yes, I’m not joking. Space. And, rounding things off on Sunday is ‘Leprechaun In The Hood'. Hmm. Something tells me that one will be crap.

Friday the 13th Television: Halle Berry, Jason, and the Masters!
First off, I would just like to smack Channel 4’s ass for being stupid enough to show ‘Jason X’ a week before Friday, January 13th 2006. Yes, it is shit. Yes, it shouldn’t be on at a decent time. But, it should be on at the proper time! Hmmp! Moving on.. For the goods this Friday, be tuned into Sky Movies 4 as they have 8 hours of non-stop scary shit! At 8pm, Halle Berry stars in ‘Gothika’ which will (hopefully) set the evening off with a nice moody tone. I don’t really know, judging on the face that I’ve never seen the movie. =P Then, once the lights go down (even though they will be down at 8pm) Jason is here a at 10pm with 4 of his movies being played back-to-back, ‘Friday the 13th: Part 2', ‘Friday the 13th: Part 3: 3D’, ‘Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter’ and ‘Friday the 13th: A New Beginning’. Yay, blood! Hmm, some random film called ‘Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed’ is on at 8pm on Sky Cinema 1… okay. The annoying chavs at Bravo have finally done some good… with two new horror series starting at 10pm and 11pm! Night Stalker kicks things off at 10pm, then Masters of Horror (MASTERS OF HORROR!) at 11pm. Look out for a über special review on Saturday!

Other goodies!
Well, really, we have lots to watch, don't we? But, every week lots of fantastic films are hidden away within the depths of the Sky EPG. Well, fear no more! Here are a few of the other goodies you can find this week; remember to check out The Horror Channel and Sky Movies online as you can get the info more clear... which, I think, is kinda for the best.

Remember that all movies on Sky Box Office require money. Hehe.

‘Shaun of The Dead’, Sky Movies 7, Friday night at 9pm.
‘Saw', Sky Movies 4, Saturday night at 10pm.
Showing on Sky Box Office… ‘House of Wax’ (remake), ‘Hide and Seek’, ‘The Ring Two’, ‘The Amityville Horror’ (remake) and ‘Seed of Chucky’ (awesome movie, I’ll review it soon!).

Cinema Goers Want Brains, Grr-Arg!

2006-01-11T19:46:00.000Z

Welcome to Wednesday. I'm sorry if yesterday's post ended weird, I forgot to include a link to The Soup's Debt Reduction Drive! That video clip is doubly awesome because it mentions Blossom, a show I dearly miss. Anyway, back on topic. Did you know that 2005 saw an dramatic decline in US cinema audiences? In fact, the films that made the most money (in terms of how much was spent to make the movie and how much the movie earned back) were Comedies and... Horror films. Movies specifically mentioned included Saw II and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, both expected to hit UK shelves around March. I hope that means 2006 can only improve in the box-office.

"If not we'll just post naked pictures. Yay nakedness!"

2006-01-10T20:01:00.000Z

Well, I shall be buying her album. Oh, yes, howdy ya'll! :) James here, with my first WBD blog post. 0_O Note the picture. ;)

‘House of Wax’ was one of my favourite horror movies of 2005. The whole cast were fantastic, and compared to most people in teen slasher films that have come since the release of ‘Scream’ all those years ago, they were extremely likeable characters. The gore was on a good scale too, from Carly having her finger clipped off to Paris… oops, I mean Paige having a pole thrown through her head, it was all good.

I really, really liked the cast. Christ, Paris was excellent too. Paige was one of the characters I really liked in the movie, but her boyfriend (the token black guy who A) raps, B) leads them into the woods, C) gets Paige pregnant and D) is killed) was annoying… and ugly, so eww. I Can’t even remember the guys name. Elisha Cuthbert played the lead role of Carly very well, she’s one of the few people who truly feel sorry for in the film. The comic relief guy, played by Jon Abrahmas from ‘Scary Movie’ was alright, his death scene was one of the highlights of the movie. Nick and Wade, played by Chad Michael Murray and Jared Padaleki were super. Hmm, I wonder why…

The ending left it open for a sequel (I’m sorry, but it’s a slasher film… you didn’t expect it to end like a normal film, did you?!), and I'll be welcoming it with open arms.

As long as Paige is resurrected ‘Jason Lives’ style within the first 3-4 minutes of the movie.

Paris Is Burning? That's Hot!

2006-01-10T17:18:00.000Z

Paris Hilton, now there's a name you never see in the tabloids. So to kick start the WBD-Blog I thought I'd post an article that was printed in last weeks Sunday Express about her transition from Reality TV to the Movies and then back to Reality TV and now into Music.

Music fans who saw in 2006 with cheerful optimism were dealt a blow this week with the news that heiress Paris Hilton it launching a pop career. Major record label Warner Bros is investing a considerable sum of money in promoting her as the new Kylie Minogue, while the Aussie pop princess completes her recovery from breast cancer.

The label has made the 24-year-old heir to the Hilton hotel fortune a priority for this year and her forthcoming album is slated for April.

Reportedly entitled 'Paris Is Burning', it has already committed a faux pas in the light of the recent French riots. It also illustrates a classic tactic used by record companies; take a famous, attractive girl, give her the best songwriters, throw money at her, stir in some saucy pictures and wham - big profits.

Does anyone remember Naomi Campbell's short lived pop career? How about lads' mag favourite Caprice? Few can have fond memories of Jordan's Eurovision debacle. The fact is, no amount of money has ever been able to buy talent or long-term success.

After elevating her titles of "socialite" and "celebutante" to the status of professions, Paris, in her recent Autobiography, Confessions Of An Heiress, offered the following sage advice: "Always tell everyone what they want to hear. The do what you want."

Paris became notorious when a video of her having sex with her then boyfriend, Rick Salomon, when she was 19, was splashed all over the internet and subsequently came out on DVD.

Paris seems to have been busy, signing up Kylie Minogue's team. She has hired pop songwriter Cathy Dennis, who wrote 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head', and Kara DioGuardi, writer of 'Spinning Around', has written Paris's debut single 'Screwed'.

Paris describes it as "a girl who really falls for a guy and knows she's emotionally in too deep and in trouble, so she's 'screwed'". She goes on to say that having heard it before recording it, she didn't think about the song's double meaning.

Perhaps the reason Paris had heard the song before is that it had already been recorded by Haylie Duff for her debut American album. Paris gazumped her by recording her own version. The record was "leaked" to a radio station and from there to the internet, beating Haylie to the punch.

Paris pulled a similar trick with one of her friend's boyfriends recently. After calling off her engagement to Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis she took up with another Greek shipping heir, Stavros Niarchos. Until then he had been the long-term love of actress Mary-Kate Olsen. Actress Sophia Bush last week blamed Paris for the break-up of her marriage to actor Chad Michael Murray (who co-starred with Paris in her horror film debut 'House Of Wax').

In Paris's Reality TV show 'The Simple Life', she gained a catchprase of sorts - "that's hot!" - as if no one had ever uttered the words before. She has reportedly applied to trademark "that's hot!" and plans to print in on merchandise.

The Express goes on to say that Paris will be aiming to launch her music career Stateside and over here in April. It then cruelly warns readers to lock up their boyfriends and shield their ears! While I too suggest that one should listen to her music with an open mind, I thought her transition from TV to Film worked rather well and her role as Paige Edwards in 'House Of Wax' wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Gaining many fans through her Reality TV show 'The Simple Life', along with Lionel Ritchie's daughter Nicole, the series was recently cancelled by Fox but subsequently picked up E! Entertainment Television. E! regular Joel McHale is now making regular reminders to viewers of his show 'The Soup' that the price tag attached to such a show is probably high and most likely E! will either need to cut back or raise some extra cash, which is where Joel comes in...

We can only wait and see if Paris becomes a hit over here or, like so many other American actresses-cum-singers have, Crash and Burn... Now that would be hot!

Welcome Post

2006-01-10T00:20:00.000Z

And the journey begins! Welcome to "We Belong Dead", a blog created by Tom and (hopefully) regularly updated by James. Me and him have been talking about doing a blog together for a while now and I'm glad we decided on horror as the main subject. Although the blog won't just be about horror, because that's boring. Like for instance James could post something about Celebrity Big Brother... Which I would technically class as Horror, so you see how it all works out in the grand scheme of things! Anyway, make sure you come back for another visit. By that time I hope to have added James, he'll be the resident post whore, and I hope there will be some posts that grab your attention. If not we'll just post naked pictures. Yay nakedness!