Indie filmmaker Jason Krawczyk made a name for himself with his 2014-15 festival hit He Never Died, which starred Henry Rollins as Jack, a social outcast who embarks on a bloody quest to save his long-lost daughter from a crime syndicate. A sequel has been in development for years, but things just took an interesting turn. Sources tell Bloody Disgusting that Krawczyk has stepped away from directing the sequel in order to focus on getting his long-planned television adaptation off the ground. Instead, Audrey Cummings will be getting behind the camera for the newly titled She Never Died. Also, as of this writing, Rollins will not be returning in the film’s sequel (although he’s expected to star in the television series), and the producers … [Read More...]
(Re)Ranking All 12 Films in the ‘Friday the 13th’ Franchise!
Two and a half years ago I took on the task of ranking all of the Friday the 13th films for Bloody Disgusting. Admittedly, I made that list based off of my memory of the films, some of which I hadn’t watched in several years. This year I remedied that by actually watching them all over the course of a weekend (that’s almost 20 hours of movies, you guys) and let me tell you, doing that really gives you a new perspective on certain entries. I discovered that while some of the films were just as good (or bad) as I remember, my opinion on others had changed drastically. Because of that I thought it might be beneficial to set the record straight and update my … [Read More...]
Rob Zombie’s ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ Turns 15!
One month ago, Rob Zombie began filming the highly anticipated follow up to The Devil’s Rejects, 3 From Hell. It’s news that feels even more timely considering 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of Zombie’s feature debut and first introduction to the Firefly family, House of 1000 Corpses. A nihilistic, gonzo horror film full of homages and numerous genres while still retaining a distinct style that’s pure Zombie, House of 1000 Corpses offended critics and lodged its way into the hearts of horror fans on April 11, 2003. Though the film saw theatrical release in 2003, production ended in 2000. The film sat on the shelf for three years once Universal Pictures refused to release the film out of fear it would receive an NC-17 rating. Zombie eventually purchased the rights to the film himself, made … [Read More...]
‘A Quiet Place’ Making Noise at the Box Office With $50M Opening Weekend!
Paramount Pictures’ A Quiet Place is making noise this weekend, pulling in an estimated $50M through Sunday. To put it in perspective, this $17M-budgeted creature feature topped both Get Out and Split‘s opening weekend, proving that horror is still hotter than ever. With a $50M opening, we can expect it to top $100M domestically through its full theatrical run. Also, an updated report adds $21M internationally in 40 markets for a $71M worldwide opening! In John Krasinski‘s directorial debut (read our review out of SXSW), a family lives an isolated existence in utter silence, for fear of an unknown threat that follows and attacks at any sound. Krasinski costars with his wife, Emily Blunt. Critics adore this instant masterpiece that … [Read More...]
Beware the Full Moon: The History of Werewolves in Film
Myths and folklore of werewolves were widespread across Europe during the medieval period. Though they weren’t really considered myths, but truth back then. There were even werewolf witch trials in Estonia and Livonia that began early 15th century, advanced through Europe, and finally waned in the 18th century. The concept of werewolves spread, eventually spilling over into the New World. That werewolves have been so deeply ingrained in worldwide culture for centuries makes it no surprise that werewolf folklore would pervade fiction and film. As our culture has shifted, so have werewolves, both in design and metaphor. While there are hundreds of films about werewolves, here’s a condensed history highlighting the essentials and how they evolved over the years: Early 20th Century The first werewolf film made … [Read More...]
[It Came From the ’80s] Minions From Hell in ‘The Gate’
With horror industry heavy hitters already in place from the 1970s, the 1980s built upon that with the rise of brilliant minds in makeup and effects artists, as well as advances in technology. Artists like Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tom Savini, Stan Winston, and countless other artists that delivered groundbreaking, mind-blowing practical effects that ushered in the pre-CGI Golden Age of Cinema. Which meant a glorious glut of creatures in horror. More than just a technical marvel, the creatures on display in ‘80s horror meant tangible texture that still holds up decades later. Grotesque slimy skin to brutal transformation sequences, there wasn’t anything the artists couldn’t create. It Came From the ‘80s is a series that will pay … [Read More...]
‘Jigsaw’ Writers Are Currently Working On Next ‘SAW’ [Exclusive]
The games are just beginning. Last October’s Jigsaw was such a success that it was without surprise that I told you (Jan. 16) that Twisted Pictures would be moving forward on another SAW sequel. At the time of the writing, a ninth SAW was just a “conversation”, but it’s now actively in development, sources confirm to Bloody Disgusting. While we’re unsure if the next installment will be a direct followup to Jigsaw or SAW 3D: The Final Chapter, what we do know is that Jigsaw writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (Piranha 3D, Sorority Row) are currently developing it for Twisted Pictures. Jigsaw directors Michael and Peter Spierig will not be returning and there is still no director attached. While I quite enjoyed Jigsaw, … [Read More...]
All Hail These 10 Satanic Movies!
Everyone has sinister fantasies. Quiet secrets and inner desires of being a witch, casting spells – there’s a little devil in us all. We all crave power, covet things we shouldn’t want, and seek even the slightest feign of rebellion against authority figures who attempt to control us. Whether we face down our demons by picking our poison at a local bar with friends, attending an ear-shattering show, or adorning our bodies with skin-deep forever portraits, one way or another, we all tap into something we’ve been taught to ignore. We all want to be a little evil. Movies allow us to flirt with the darkness without going overboard with experimentation. In its own special way, film is a portal into other universes, a crystal … [Read More...]
[It Came From the ’80s] A Theater Full of Hungry ‘Demons’
With horror industry heavy hitters already in place from the 1970s, the 1980s built upon that with the rise of brilliant minds in makeup and effects artists, as well as advances in technology. Artists like Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tom Savini, Stan Winston, and countless other artists that delivered groundbreaking, mind-blowing practical effects that ushered in the pre-CGI Golden Age of Cinema. Which meant a glorious glut of creatures in horror. More than just a technical marvel, the creatures on display in ‘80s horror meant tangible texture that still holds up decades later. Grotesque slimy skin to brutal transformation sequences, there wasn’t anything the artists couldn’t create. It Came From the ‘80s is a series that will pay … [Read More...]
Six of the Strangest Episodes of “Supernatural”!
These days, it’s hard to imagine that Supernatural once dominated the CW as one of the highest rated programs on television. Featuring urban-legend inspired monsters of the week, angsty hunters and an iconic cast, this used to be a show that united horror geeks and TV drama fanatics alike on a weekly basis. Of course, thirteen seasons and several end-of-the-world scenarios later, the once-beloved show has since become entangled in the ever-expanding web of its own mythology, slowly transforming into an over-the-top telenovela with occasional conflicts with God, the Devil and everything in between. That being said, in the span of nearly 300 episodes, the writers have had to come up with some seriously weird stuff in order to … [Read More...]
Best Horror Movies of All Time – 1960s
Best Horror Movies of All Time – 1970s / 1980s / 1990s / 2000s / 2010s If you followed along with our Best Horror Movies of All Time series by decade, there was an absent decade; the 1960s. But, as the formative bridge between the atomic horror of the 1950s and the new wave of horror in the 1970s, the 1960s deserve inclusion too. The rubber-suited monsters of the previous decade gave way to more psychological rooted fears in line with the social climate nurtured by the Vietnam war, the Kennedy administration, the Manson murders, and a loosening film censorship that allowed more freedom in expression of sex and violence. The 1960s also began with a bang, marking the final and arguably most influential decade of Alfred Hitchcock’s career in … [Read More...]
Before ‘Pacific Rim’ There Was Stuart Gordon’s ‘Robot Jox’!
This past weekend, the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 flick, Pacific Rim, made its way to theaters. Despite finally dethroning Black Panther from the top spot, Pacific Rim: Uprising brought in around $28 million domestic. Granted, it’s already proving itself to be a juggernaut over in China where it was quite literally “engineered” to succeed. That was a Universal exec’s word, not mine. Long before del Toro brought the crumbling world of Jaegers and Kaiju (not the rubber suited variety) to screens, a little movie from Empire Pictures had already brought the image of awe-inspiring, human controlled battle mechs to theaters. Since that fim’s release, however, it’s mostly loafed around without much in the way of box office or fanfare … [Read More...]
[Butcher Block] The Martial Arts Splatter Fest of ‘Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky’
Butcher Block is a weekly series celebrating horror’s most extreme films and the minds behind them. Dedicated to graphic gore and splatter, each week will explore the dark, the disturbed, and the depraved in horror, and the blood and guts involved. For the films that use special effects of gore as an art form, and the fans that revel in the carnage, this series is for you. In terms of sheer quantity of blood splattered across the screen, the early ‘90s wins for bringing the two bloodiest films to ever grace film. The first is, no surprise, Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive for delivering a torrential geyser of zombie carnage by way of lawnmower. The second is Hong Kong’s 1991 martial arts-exploitation film Riki-Oh: The Story … [Read More...]
10 Unconventional Zombie Movies!
George A. Romero forever changed the way cinema handled zombies with Night of the Living Dead, and the zombie sub-genre spent the subsequent decades emulating the rules and formula he’d created. To the point where most zombie releases tend to be met with groans, having long since become a bit stale and repetitive. But, like most sub-genres of horror that have waned in popularity, all it takes is one innovative twist to breathe new life into the undead. Take 2016’s Train to Busan, a zombie outbreak film set mostly on a train and with a ton of heart. Or Irish horror film The Cured, out on VOD now, that posits what happens after a cure for the infected has been found and implemented. While most … [Read More...]
[SXSW Review] Creature Feature ‘Wildling’ is An Accomplished Debut for Director Fritz Böhm
Modern creature features haven’t exactly been known to attract mainstream talent or audiences. All too often relegated to SyFy original movies or The Asylum, they just aren’t as popular as they once were in the ’80s (or even the ’90s). Enter Wildling, director Fritz Böhm‘s latest addition to the sub-genre. The film is something of a unique beast, mixing several different genres and attracting the likes of top-notch actors like Brad Dourif and Liv Tyler. It is also a remarkably accomplished film for the Böhm in what is his first, but hopefully not last, feature film. Since she was born, Anna (Bel Powley) has been raised by a man (Brad Dourif) she knows only as Daddy. Throughout her childhood, Daddy … [Read More...]
Before Slender Man and CreepyPastas There Was ‘Ted the Caver’!
I’ve always been fascinated by early-internet horror. Before the rise of Slender Man, Creepypastas, and spooky YouTube videos, most people got their occasional dose of online scares from quirky flash games or viral e-mails spreading updated versions of familiar urban legends. However, that would all change in 2001, as the internet would be graced with an iconic scary story that would inspire many more to come, a tale that we now know as the infamous Ted the Caver. In a time preceding the popularization of MySpace (or even the invention of Facebook, for that matter), customizable web pages were all the rage, with blogging having exploded in popularity all around the world. Several web-hosting sites attempted to cash in on the trend, and it … [Read More...]
Rolling to Die: 5 Horror Board Games Worth Your Time
Board games used to be something relegated almost exclusively to children. From Candyland or Monopoly, these games were (and are still) the epitome of “fun for the whole family.” Even so, back in the ole’ days, you could find the occasional cardboard box that promised those brave enough to investigate their contents a nightmarish gaming experience. I mean speaking of “nightmare,” anyone remember the game – Nightmare? A “VHS board game” that came with a cassette tape you followed along to while playing, all hosted by the sinister “Gatekeeper.” A bonafide nostalgia booster in itself and a major inspiration for the retro-tinged film Beyond the Gates. So, sure, the horror board game is certainly nothing new. It has, however, … [Read More...]
An Entire Sequence in ‘Ready Player One’ Revisits a Horror Classic
Spoilers for Ready Player One below. Ernest Cline’s novel Ready Player One is full of references to ‘80s pop culture: video games, board games, music, movies – and that includes horror. So we were eager to see how many horror references director Steven Spielberg could scatter throughout his adaptation of Cline’s book (read my SXSW review here). The answer is: plenty! Inside The Oasis, the virtual reality world of the future created by an ‘80s pop culture-obsessed billionaire genius, we see lightning-fast glimpses of or references to some iconic horror characters, like Freddy Krueger and Stephen King’s Christine (both of which made their way into the trailer and/or San Diego Comic-Con footage), Beetlejuice (he counts, right?), Michael Jackson in Thriller, … [Read More...]
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