OSCAR Qualified Short Film Night of the Slasher Now Available for Worldwide Viewing

(Hollywood, CA) – October 26th, 2016 – With over 160 festival selections including SXSW, and 40 award wins, Night of the Slasher, written and directed by Shant Hamassian, has just been released as Vimeo’s first horror Staff Pick Premiere and it’s OSCAR® qualified.

WATCH FILM HERE: https://vimeo.com/127454533

Night of the Slasher is a 'shot-in-one-take' film about a teenage girl who must commit horror movie sins by drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and having sex in order to lure a masked killer and exact revenge.

The film is a proof-of-concept for a full-length feature. Hamassian’s goal is to rethink slasher films from a low-brow art to a high profile cinematic piece.

“Night of the Slasher transcends genres, from horror to slasher to teen drama. The timing is perfect for the project now as more and more doors have opened for my work and these types of bold stories. We’re presently in discussions with serious industry players in regards to the feature becoming a reality,” explains Hamassian.

Dozens of horror publications including Fangoria, Substream Magazine, and Dread Central, among many others, wrote news articles that went viral, circulating in over 3 million facebook feeds. The film has been one of the highest rated horror shorts as reference movie site Horror Freak News placed it as #1 Horror Short of 2015.

Things escalated further for the project when it was accepted to SXSW and was quickly on many movie sites must-lists.

The original 80s style rock song in the film, “Dying For Love”, written by Jeff Phillips, Matt Cheadle, and performed by Grayce will be available soon at this link:

LINK TO PURCHASE THE SONG: http://www.nightoftheslasher.com/buy-dying-for-love

Starring Lily Berlina (the Slasher girl), Scott Javore (the Bait), and Adam Lesar (the Killer), Night of the Slasher is written and directed by Shant Hamassian, produced by Adam Lesar, Eve Constance, and Shant Hamassian. Cinematography by Eli Tahan, Visual FX by Alessandro Schiassi & Michaelangelo Frisoni, and Music by Simon Michel.

Shant Hamassian grew up in Calabasas, California and attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He has directed music videos, comedic sketches, as well various shorts that have won awards and played internationally in the film festival circuit. His horror script Neville, made the 2011 Bloodlist and his comedy script, Just Rewind received a high recommendation letter from a former UTA partner.

To find out more about Night of the Slasher, full list of awards, and its tour calendar, please check the official website www.NightOfTheSlasher.com.

You can also follow the daily updates on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/NightOfTheSlasher
Twitter: twitter.com/TonightIsKiller
Hashtag: #NightOfTheSlasher

Night of the Slasher - Official Trailer from Shant Hamassian on Vimeo.

31 Days of Horror Day 26 RWD 2015 - REVIEW

Anyone who has followed along with TC for any amount of time, knows that I am not a fan of found footage films. It's an oversaturated subgenre littered with subpar films that will always be (either by filmmakers themselves or media) held in comparison to The Blair Witch Project but rarely exceed it's greatness. Don't get me wrong, there are some FF films that I enjoy, [Rec], Grave Encounters and The Hunted, are good examples. However, those are rare finds in the almost infinite flow of these types of films.

Chris (Adam Hartley) and Ricky (Matt Stuertz) are two wannabe filmmakers who host a web series called "Ghost Goofs". The series has them hunting ghosts but not to talk to them or help them cross over, it's to prank them (yes you read that right). The two head off into the woods to investigate the legend of a family man turned cannibal while stranded in the middle of nowhere. Turns out Chris scheduled the wrong dates for their interview subjects so they instead go wandering around the woods in search of a different story. What they find instead is themselves.

Sounds like the plot to a John Hughes coming of age film, no? Well, it's far, far from it. Now, I'm not advocating hand holding by a filmmaker. I'm not asking them to divulge every teeny bit of info so the audience can follow along; BUT the audience does need to know what's going on. They need to be able to connect with some aspect of the film in order to enjoy it. By introducing RWD with a line like "Blair Witch move over", directors Hartley and Stuertz set major hurdles for themselves. If you're going to place your film in the league of what is arguably one of the best FF films of the entire subgenre, you better deliver. Unfortunately RWD doesn't.

When you have a cast of two that have to carry an entire film, those characters need to be built in a way where they're, at the very least, likable. At first, Chris and Ricky just come off as two goofballs doing what they love but twenty or so minutes into the film, they turn into giant self centered douche bags and you really just want them to die. There is this epic event going on around them and the best the writers can come up with is to have them prank themselves. It literally makes no sense and in turn causes the whole story to fall apart. I do applaud them for coming up with an original idea however there just wasn't enough substance there to sustain it for it's 77 minute run time. In my opinion, 57 minutes or so of this film could've been left on the cutting room floor and RWD would've made a pretty stellar short film.

31 Days of Horror Day 25 House of Purgatory 2016 - REVIEW

We've all heard the stories about those haunted houses where you get your money back if you make it through the entire thing. The one that I've heard the most about is called The 13th Floor and while there IS a haunted house in San Antonio with that name, you do not get your money back if you complete the tour. I myself have never been to one and I don't know anybody else who has either. I have a hard time believing that there is one anywhere that is so scary, they make the majority of their money off of people who can't make it through. But alas, this is how legends are formed.

It's a story that has existed throughout the Midwest for years - a haunted attraction that repays a portion of the admittance fee for every floor patrons are brave enough to complete. The haunted house is supposedly so terrifying, however, that nobody has ever made it all the way through to the end. On Halloween night, four Wisconsin teenagers go looking for this supposed urban legend. What they find is the House of Purgatory - the source of all the stories. Once inside the house, the teens quickly realize the house is more than a mere haunted attraction. The house somehow knows the things each of the kids keep hidden, and forces each of them to come face to face with the secrets they keep.

One thing the film has going for it is an outstanding cast. Anne Leighton, Laura Coover, Brad Fry, Aaron Galvin and an unrecognizable Brian Krause do a great job of bringing their characters to life. Unfortunately, first time director Tyler Christensen made the decision to portray the characters as high school students which this particular cast can't pull off. No, I not bashing their ages so before someone starts with the blah, blah, blah, I'm simply pointing out that they are not believable as high school students. Aside from that, the film has a solid cast. Also, the first half hour of the movie focuses on building the characters of three of girls but when it comes time to head to the haunted house, two of the girls stay behind and three new characters come in. Personally I think that first thirty minutes would've been better spent focusing on the characters that would actually be the focal point of the film.

The film has an interesting premise, It doesn't go the usual haunted house slasher movie route but more like a thriller that takes a glimpse into a hell of your own making. I mean that's kind of what purgatory is, right? Once the film finds it's footing, it holds up rather well. The sets inside the haunted house are very well done and the coloring gives it the perfect haunted house vibe. Without going into too much detail (no spoilers), I will say that I took a bit of an issue with some of the "hell of your own making" storylines. However, House of Purgatory, while not incredibly original, is a good watch and manages to tell a well rounded story in it's short 75 minute run time.

Cast of Christmas Horror All Through the House to Sign at Dark Delicacies

Los Angeles, CA – Prepare to unwrap some Christmas fear this Halloween. On Sunday, October 30 at 2:00pm the cast and crew from the Santa slasher ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE will be doing a Blu-ray signing at Dark Delicacies, 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505; (818) 556-6660. Blu-ray copies can be purchased at: http://ow.ly/WHQh305iWKd

The Dark Delicacies signing features Scream Queens Jessica Cameron, Ashley Mary Nunes, Johanna Rae, Natalie Montera, Kelsey Karlsted, and Tamra Garrett. Also attending are actors Melynda Kiring, Lito Velasco, Cathy Garrett, Lyndon Laveaux and Jason Ray Schumacher, along with writer/director Todd Nunes and producers Stephen Readmond and Christopher Stanley.

The Christmas-themed horror film ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE made its U.S. debut on all major VOD platforms October 4, 2016 and is released by Gravitas Ventures. VOD Platforms include: iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Playstation 4, Amazon Instant Video, and Microsoft Xbox. The DVD/Blu-ray version is available on Amazon.

Hot off the festival circuit, ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE has received 20 nominations and nine awards including: Best Slasher, Best Editing, and Audience Choice Award (RIP Horror Film Festival, Hollywood, CA), Best Director (Hardcore Horror Fest, Chicago, IL), Best Local Feature (Another Hole in the Head, San Francisco, CA), and Best Supporting Actress (Action on Film Festival, Monrovia, CA).

ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE stars Ashley Mary Nunes (SYFY’S Robot Combat League), Jessica Cameron (Truth or Dare), Jennifer Wenger (Tales of Halloween), and Lito Velasco (Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy). The film’s gory special effects were created by Tommy Pietch of SYFY’S Face Off and Star Trek: Renegades.

Official Synopsis: Fifteen years ago, a peaceful Christmas neighborhood was engulfed by fear when five-year-old Jamie Garrett was mysteriously taken from her bedroom, never to be seen again. Now on Christmas break, Rachel Kimmel comes home from college to find her neighborhood struck again by a reign of terror. A violent killer is hiding behind a grisly Santa mask, leaving a bloody trail of slaughtered women and castrated men on the steps of the Garrett house. Rachel finds herself in a horrifying nightmare as she discovers the twisted secret behind the mask.

Critical Praise: “Nunes does a fantastic job of making sure to keep the blood flowing and having each kill be distinctive and superb in its own way.” – The Movie Sleuth

“All Through the House is the perfect stocking stuffer, the perfect present under the tree. It’s an unpredictable gore fest filled with holiday cheer and unadulterated horror” – Horror Society

ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE was shot in 21 days in the summer of 2014 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Lake Arrowhead, CA. Director/Writer Todd Nunes is currently at work on his next horror film Death Ward 13, a remake of the cult classic Don’t Look in the Basement.

Full Cast: Ashley Mary Nunes, Jessica Cameron, Melynda Kiring, Jennifer Wenger, Lito Velasco, Natalie Montera, Jason Rayer, Johanna Rae (Natural Born Filmmakers), Cathy Garrett, Matt Poeschl (“Entourage”), Danica Riner, Kelsey Carlstedt, Lyndon Laveaux, Justice Lee, Sarah Miller, Milijana Riner, Noah Boylen, John Nunes, and Sky Boyle.

www.allthroughthehousemovie.com 

https://www.facebook.com/allthroughthehouseSLASHER

Official Trailer: 

Vampyres and The Perfect Husband Now on VOD

VAMPYRES is now out on VOD. The remake of the 1970s Euro Trash classic of the same name has been enthusiastically received:



“This erotic horror film is chock-full of the bloodiest vampire lesbianism and should satisfy even the most pernickety of horror fans.” Cinehouse
“A guilty pleasure if ever there was one, and far more enjoyable and to-the-point than Vampyros Lesbos. – EFilmCritic
“An excitingly titillating adaptation that really captures the 70s lesbian vampire film vibe with an exquisite modern twist.” – WeAreIndieHorror
“Blood-letting and endless nudity…that make the film feel authentically like a vintage Euro-horror movie. And for that we applaud it.” – ComingSoon
“Breasts are bared, blood flows like rain, wine is consumed, and sex is had…will anyone be able to escape the sexy embrace of these vicious vamps?” – TheOutreEye
“A homage to 1970s erotic Euro horror at its best.” – SearchMyTrash
“Genuine horror…I was pleased to see the special effects for the blood-letting was quite entertaining.” – RottingZombie
“Sometimes it’s just not safe to pick up chicks!” – MrSkin
“An arousing visual experience…The audience is fixed as voyeurs to spectacles of carnage and eroticism.” – DecayMag
“Definitely a remake worth seeing, and so very appropriate for the Halloween season.” – CoffeeCoffee&MoreCoffee
“There was a lot of nudity in Vampyres. A LOT of nudity.” – LeglessCorpse
“You want kissing and sex and blood? You’ve got it in spades. Bring on the sequel.” – TheSlaughteredBird

Vampyres is now available on the Dish Network as well as the following VOD outlets:

iTunes
Amazon Video
VUDU
Google/YouTube
XBox/MicrosoftMovies
Vimeo


Also just out today is The Perfect Husband, a thriller/horror tale about a loving couple and their bloody descent into domestic hell.


"Thrilling and exciting." - WeAreIndieHorror
“Terrifying and suspenseful...This is a great movie, no doubt about it!” – The Flick Fanatic’s Companion
"A genuinely entertaining flick that’s brutal, bloody, unnerving and visually satisfying." - HorrorMovies.ca
“"A twist that shocks the senses. - HorrorTalk
“A solid and entertaining horror flick…it’s worth checking out.”- The MovieBlog.com
“A delirious frenzy of brutal bloodlust and psychological terror with one heck of a big twist." - McBastard's Mausoleum
"Effective...gripping." - Digital Journal
"A disturbing psychological thriller…a finely crafted film with real weight behind it." DoBlu.com
"Effectively unsettling." Rock!Shock!Pop!
“Well made, bloody violent and carried by great performances. Well worth your time." Celluloid Terror
"A whirlwind combination of exciting cinematography, ideas, and brutal violence …will make you want a shower afterward.” - The Nerd Mentality
"I highly recommend this one. It’s a great take on hoary genre tropes that bring some real squirm-in-your-seat thrills!" Famous Monsters of Filmland
"A display of torture porn that could have been written by the Marquis de Sade." - Leglesscorpse.us
"stylish, beautiful and brutal piece...certainly a contender for indie horror of the year.” - Firstscreamtothelast

The Perfect Husband is now available on the Dish Network as well as the following VOD outlets:
iTunes
Amazon Video
VUDU
Google/YouTube
XBox/MicrosoftMovies
Vimeo

Slasher Feature Playing with Dolls: Bloodlust Sets its Sights on VOD this November 1st

Indie horror director Rene Perez is set to follow-up his 2015 film, Playing with Dolls, with the sequel Playing with Dolls: Bloodlust. Set for a launch this November, Playing with Dolls: Bloodlust focuses on a desperate single mom and the promise of quick cash. The reality is that Stina (Karin Brauns) has been tricked into performing for a reclusive sadist. The film stars: Richard Tyson (Black Hawk Down), Karin Brauns and Colin Bryant. A preview of the film’s Video-on-demand launch is hosted here.

The film has already been launched in foreign territories, including Germany. In North America, the film will be available on iTunes and Amazon, on November 1st. The film will be released in an unrated version, so fans can see the true brutality of this low budget slasher. Available in Ultra HD - 4K, Playing with Dolls: Bloodlust is set to turn home entertainment screens red, with one of this year’s goriest horror releases!

Official synopsis: A group of aspiring actors are chosen for a reality horror TV show. In the show, they must survive being chased by a killer. The program is filmed with scores of tiny cameras, in a cabin and the surrounding forest. What the contestants don't know is that this murderer is a real killer and the television program is a ruse. Deep in an underground bunker, a psychotic voyeur watches as life and death play out for his amusement. The only prize, here, is survival!

Available here for pre-order, here

The film’s trailer

More on the film will be posted at iDiC Entertainment: http://idicentertainment.homestead.com/

Found Footage Thriller Hell House LLC Releases Two New Clips

In anticipation of HELL HOUSE LLC’s Tuesday, November 1st release date, Terror Films has released two new clips from the film, titled: “Searching the Basement” and “Where’s Tony?”

The film is set to be released across major digital platforms including: Amazon Instant, YouTube, Xbox, VUDU, Sony PlayStation, Vimeo On Demand, Google Play and iTunes, where it’s currently available for pre-sell: http://geni.us/hellhouse

The award winning film, which was an Official Selection at Fear Fete and Telluride Horror Show, stars: Danny Bellini, Ryan Jennifer, Gore Abrams, Jared Hacker, Adam Schneider and features: Alice Bahlke, Jeb Kreager, and Theodore Bouloukos.

Official synopsis: Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour (Hell House), a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to investigate the events of that night. During an interview with one of the original staff members, they are given never-before-seen footage taken of the haunted house. The footage reveals the terrifying truth about what really happened on the opening night of Hell House!

“Where’s Tony?” Clip: 

“Searching the Basement” Clip:

Official Trailer:

Official Facebook page

For more information visit www.terrorfilms.net

Initial line up for Hudson Horror Show 14 Released

Hudson Horror Show #14, the Hudson Valley’s only 12-hour 35mm retro movie marathon will take place December 3rd, 2016 at the South Hills Cinema 8 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Limited tickets are on sale now and are just $38.00 in advance and only available at www.hudsonhorror.com. We’ll have six movies, all projected off 35mm film!

The show just got far more brutal as we are proud and well a little scared to let everyone know that the latest addition to our fall show is…1978’s horror/exploitation classic I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE!

Starring the beautiful Camille Keaton and produced and directed in 1978 by Meir Zarchi, this movie is so violent that it was still named by TIME in 2010 as one of their Top 10 Most Ridiculously Violent Movies ever! Critic Roger Ebert reviewed the movie and claimed it to be the “worst film ever made” and said that it was a “vile bag of garbage”. The vicious and stomach turning gang rape, the violent and brutal castration and murder scenes are so intense that the complete version of the film is still banned in England and Ireland to this day! Can YOU sit through it all?

We are very excited to be presenting a 30th anniversary screening of THE HITCHER! Three decades back this great little stalk and slash road picture didn’t make much of a splash at the box office, but it became a cable TV staple in the late 80’s and early 90’s. See Rutger Hauer and C. Thomas Howell (in whiteface) in their greatest roles!

The trailer at our last show was met with thunderous applause so we knew we had to track down one of the last know surviving film prints of the original DEATH RACE 2000! Forget the sanitized remake, nothing can compare to David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone and Mary Woronov running people over cross country in this futuristic sci fi classic!

Jordan Garren, that maniac from the B Movie Film Vault, presents one of our two fisted headliners, THE HOWLING! Directed by Joe Dante and starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee and Robert Picardo, THE HOWLING still stands tall as one of the greatest werewolf movies of all time. The special effects of Rob Bottin always looked great on TV, but trust us; the transformation scenes need to be watched on the big screen!

Our second headliner also features the wizardry of the Maestro Rob Bottin and that is 1987’s ROBOCOP! Yeah, we know all of the sequels and remakes sucked, but Director Paul Verhoeven’s cyborg movie is a five star masterpiece! Seriously, this movie is damn near perfect. You’ll run out of the theater yelling lines like “I’ll buy that for a dollar”, “I work for Dick Jones” and “Your move Creep”!

We will also have the ever-enigmatic MYSTERY MOVIE!! Will it be a slasher classic? Maybe we will show another terrible rubber monster movie? We are keeping tight lipped on this one, but we will tell you that is definitely, 100% a horror movie!

As usual, the two lobbies at the theater will be packed to the gills with vendors selling t-shirts, DVD’s, toys, posters and so much more. Interested in being a vendor? Send us an email to chris@hudsonhorror.com. Tickets are not needed to shop the vendor’s area, but you will need a ticket to watch the movies.

Just like the last few shows, we will be booked in two different rooms in the same movie theater. One room is already long sold out; tickets are moving fast for the other. It doesn’t matter which room you sit in because both rooms will see the same exact movies, just in a different order. Get your tickets now at www.hudsonhorror.com. Just $38.00 in advance for 12 hours of 35mm movie madness!

We will see you on December 3rd, 2016 for Hudson Horror Show #14! Tickets on sale now at www.hudsonhorror.com

31 Days of Horror Day 23: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon 2007 - REVIEW by Jay Pendlebury

Genre fans can be notoriously critical. A somewhat ironic statement I know, but true none the less. I am in awe of people who can create a film(s) being their vision and put it out there at the mercy of public opinion but more dauntingly, the opinion of their peers. Fortunately for us horror filmmakers tend to be a brave breed. Thankfully I find the horror community to be a fairly understanding bunch. They can appreciate the effort and find the honesty of films shining through in spite of poor effects, limited budgets, no name actors etc. Perhaps the one exception to this is horror/comedy. We love our genre whole heartedly and don't appreciate it being disrespected. Any chance Tyler Perry will read this?

Most horror films have an element of comedy to them, whether intended or not. Some films do this balancing act beautifully, Return of The Living Dead, Re-Animator, and Evil Dead 2 are prime examples. Some I feel lean too far into comedy and don't satisfy horror fans who just want something on the lighter side but still genre. Some strive for pure horror but fall woefully short and become unintentional riot fests which we enjoy but lack the substance we desire. 2006's Behind The Mask The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a difficult one to categorize, but it's undeniably a great watch. While it can be argued it's not a"true" horror movie I wouldn't call it a horror/comedy either. Behind The Mask borders on being a mockumentary but a more apt description is that it is just a great film. It does exactly what we all want a movie to do, it draws you in and makes forget about everything else. Its a great escape and has garnered repeated viewings from myself ever since I discovered it.

The film stars Nathan Baesel as Lelise Vernon, an aspiring slasher who is planning his jump from small town legend to reality. Angela Goethals is an fledgling documentarian who Leslie has allowed "behind the scenes" to view and record his plans and processes. Scott Wilson (Walking Dead) and Robert Englund (needs no explanation) have roles in case you need more credibility to convince you to watch. The film is a great mix of humour and darkness with some 80's slasher nostalgia thrown in. The acting is well done and the story flows effortlessly. Clocking in around 90 minutes its not long before the twist of the ending is revealed and pure horror satisfaction is obtained. This is a great movie of all tastes of horror lovers and even non-horror lovers. Again it is just a very well done film and worthy of a watch. It has become one of my staples in my vast rotation of go to movies. It satisfies horror fans dark side of "Oh ya, that's how I would have done that too!" Just do me a favor and don't get caught taking notes.

31 Days of Horror Day 22: The Dark Stranger 2015 - REVIEW

With the popularity of shows like The Walking Dead growing and growing, there has been a resurgence of interest in graphic novels. People who have never had any interest in comics are now picking them up on a regular basis and drooling at the thought of the next big release. Of course there are those dedicated fans of comics that camp out in front of stores for hours to get the latest issue of their favorite comic.

The film centers on Leah (Katie Findlay), a talented young artist who is recovering from a recent traumatic event and afraid to leave her own home. While recovering, her father (Enrico Colantoni) is visited by a suspicious art curator (Stephen McHattie) looking into her family’s past. As part of her therapy, she begins drawing a graphic novel in which an ominous Dark Stranger pursues a lonely girl doll, across a foreboding fairy tale landscape. As the work on the novel progresses, Leah begins to see the Dark Stranger in real life. At first, she isn’t sure if she is completely losing her mind, or if the Stranger is a deadly supernatural force, trying to destroy her.

Delving into the mind of a mentally disturbed person is a challenging task yet director Chris Trebilcock makes it look easy. The time he spends developing the character of Leah makes it possible for viewers to connect with her Findlay brings it all together with a stunning performance. Colantoni also does a stellar job portraying Leah's devoted father. He brings a genuine quality to the character that comes through in every scene. He is believable as a father trying to deal with death of his wife while simultaneously trying to keep his family from falling apart. Is it necessary for me to even discuss the greatness that is McHattie? Does he not shine in everything he does? I may be a little biased though since he's been one of my favorite actors for many years.

The artwork throughout the film is pretty phenomenal and the juxtaposition from reality to come flows extremely well. While The Dark Stranger isn't particularly scary, there are some moments where a well inserted "DUN" might get you. There are a couple of issues I have with the film. There is no buffer between "everything is fine" and "shit just hit the fan". So when it comes time for the plot twist to be revealed, it feels rushed. From that point on, the film loses it's footing a bit. After spending so much time developing an intense, well rounded story, the "final showdown" is over before you know it. Lastly the backdrop for the scenes where fantasy meets reality is a little cheesy and ends up looking more high school play than feature film. Regardless, I would recommend The Dark Stranger to anyone who enjoys a good suspenseful movie. It's a solid addition to the thriller genre.

Horror Streaming Service Shudder Launches in UK, Ireland and Canada

London, Thursday 20th October 2016. Video streaming service SHUDDER, backed by AMC Networks, has launched in the UK, Ireland and Canada. A premium video streaming service for high-quality horror and suspenseful entertainment, SHUDDER will provide subscribers with a unique launch selection of 200+ titles, most of which are not currently available on any of the larger UK SVOD platforms (Amazon, Netflix and Sky Movies).

SHUDDER is curated by world-class genre experts TIFF Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes and former Fangoria editor Sam Zimmerman and will also host regular guest curated seasons from respected genre filmmaking talent. The service, which launched in 2015 in the US, offers new premieres and exclusives each month to view via its sleek and easy-to-use layout, with a wide library ranging from hard-to-find international and independent films to TV series, cult classics and Hollywood blockbusters.

Exclusive premiere titles at launch include DEAREST SISTER, a spine-tingling and politically-charged chiller from Laos’ first female filmmaker Mattie Do which debuted at Fantastic Fest and screened at BFI London Film Festival earlier this year; and BEYOND THE WALLS, a classy and creepy SHUDDER exclusive series from France starring Veerle Baetens and Geraldine Chaplin. SHUDDER Canada will shortly announce their own selection of exclusive launch titles.

Upcoming exclusive premiere titles also include long-awaited Japanese film-ghoul face-off SADAKO VS KAYAKO, Rob Zombie’s forthcoming horror thriller 31, WE GO ON, a thought-provoking supernatural drama from writer-directing team Andy Milton & Jesse Holland, THERAPY from 16 year old filmmaker Nathan Ambrosioni, and a collection of films from the stable of genre master Alex de la Iglesia including SHREW’S NEST, which he produced, and WITCHING AND BITCHING, which he directed.

In addition, SHUDDER hosts an expertly curated library of hard to find titles and genre gems including Donald Cammell’s WHITE OF THE EYE and Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK which appear ONLY ON SHUDDER alongside stone cold classics from the HAMMER vaults and, for the first time on a streaming service and exclusive to SHUDDER, Clive Barker’s iconic HELLRAISER & HELLRAISER 2.

‘Horror cinema streaming platform Shudder has been a treat for enthusiasts seeking something more than the standard blockbuster fare…’ – Flavorwire

‘This library will almost be like having a horror film festival at your fingertips…’ – SlashFilm
Consumers will be able to access SHUDDER’s library of curated horror titles with a one week free trial or £4.99 monthly / £49.99 yearly membership, ad-free and with unlimited viewing to titles on the SHUDDER website, mobile apps for iOS and Android, Chromecast, Apple TV and the Roku platform with more platforms being added in the months after launch.

ABOUT SHUDDER

Shudder is a premium streaming video service, serving both the casual and hardcore fans of horror and suspenseful entertainment. Offering new premieres and exclusives every month, and with a wide library ranging from hard-to-find international and independent films to thrilling TV series to cult grindhouse classics to Hollywood blockbusters, Shudder has something for everyone.

Backed by AMC Networks, Shudder’s growing library of expertly curated Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Supernatural and Dark Thrillers is available ad-free and for unlimited viewing on Shudder’s website, mobile apps for iOS and Android, Chromecast, Apple TV, and the Roku platform with a free one-week trial or £4.99 monthly/ £49.99 yearly membership. More platforms to be added soon. To sign up or learn more about Shudder, visit www.shudder.com.

31 Days of Horror Day 21: All Girls Weekend 2016 - REVIEW

What woman wouldn't love a quiet little getaway weekend with their girlfriends? Besides me, I mean. Sitting around, gossiping, reminiscing about the good old days, boozing it up. What would your ideal setting be? Cabin in the woods? Spa weekend at the local country club? Vegas? I think I'd be more inclined to go with the cabin. It's private, you can build fires and chill on the porch, maybe get in the hot tub. Of course, if you factor in horror movie logic, it does increase your chances of dying but doesn't that add to the fun of it all? No? Okay, maybe that's just me.

Five high school friends, Nancy (Jamie Bernadette), Daniela (Katie Carpenter), Gem (Gema Calero), Stephanie (Karishma Lakhani) and Annie (Sharron Calvin), set off for a girls weekend in the mountains. On the agenda, zip lining, kayaking and drinking. When they decide to go on an impromptu hike in the woods, they inadvertently awaken an evil spirit that sends them running for their lives. As they try to escape, they realize that they are only being led in circles. Can they survive or will an all girls weekend become a solo venture?

It's impossible to count the ways that this movie fails but I'm going to give it a try. First of all, the movie poster is utterly deceiving. There isn't a single point throughout the entire film that even comes close to what is depicted in the artwork. Next, the movie becomes completely preposterous the second Nancy joins the party. There is clearly some tension between her and the rest of the group and it's a direct contradiction to her character's attitude to think that she would spend the weekend with these "friends". I'm not talking about just a little dislike here either, these people literally fucking hate each other. I can't imagine there is a person out there that would take off on a weekend getaway with people they despise as much as they seem to. Also, as the group is enroute to their final destination, Daniela suddenly pulls the car over and decides they're all going for a hike in the woods... AND THE REST AGREE! On what planet does that happen?!? They aren't properly dressed for the weather, they have no supplies and someone mentioned lunch earlier and they never ate... NO! It's unfathomable, unrealistic and frankly quite laughable to believe that these women would take off into the woods like that. What else... let's see... oh yeah, for what I'm assuming can only be dramatic purposes, writer/director Lou Simon tosses in a frost bite component that it altogether absurd. In calm winds, a person must be exposed to -22° for a prolonged amount of time to even show slight signs of frost bite. Viewers are expected to believe that it's THAT cold out when you're cast is running around the woods in light jackets and slashed up skinny jeans.

There's no set up to thoroughly explain what's going on. The mere mention and brief talk of a curse is not enough backstory to give the plot even a slight nudge. The acting is terrible. The dialogue is laughable. There is zero character development which makes liking any of them impossible. Normally, I can watch an entire film and eventually find some redeeming qualities but All Girls Weekend has none. At the least it's a waste of 90 minutes. At the most, it makes you question why you even bother watching indie films in the first place.

31 Days of Horror Day 20: The Shelter 2016 - REVIEW

Yesterday I watched a film that made me question why I watch indie films. Today I watched one that reminds me. Of course I guess you can say it's a crap shoot with any movie, really. Personally, I hated The Revenant but it was nominated for a ton of Oscars. Movies are like anything else in that they are open for interpretation. What one person loves, another may hate but opinions are what makes the world go round. If we were all just a bunch of like minded simpletons there would be no discussions or debates or silly fights about what movie to watch or which way the toilet paper goes on the roller (it's over BTW). Life would be boring.

The Shelter follows Thomas (Michael Paré) as he struggles to deal with the death of his wife Maryam (Gayle James) and their unborn daughter years earlier. When he finds the door of a seemingly abandoned house wide open, he decides to settle in for the night. After raiding the fridge and having a nice bath, he sits down to watch some TV and drifts off to sleep. Things get confusing for him when he wakes up to discover a gun in his lap and soon discovers that the house will not let him leave.

The strength of an actor is measured by how well they carry a film and I have to say Paré is brilliantly cast in the role of Thomas. He brings something to the character that director John Fallon would be hard pressed to find in anyone else. In this role, he is the epitome of a tortured soul in search of any kind of redemption he can find, usually in the bottom of a bottle. Paré spends most of the film alone, only being joined by costars in the beginning and during flashbacks inserted throughout the film. So when you hear someone say, "he carries the film", he LITERALLY carries the film from beginning to end.

There is no easy way to explain the parts of the film that I like and/or dislike without giving away too much. What I can say is that The Shelter is what I would call an interpretive film, meaning viewers will likely have differing opinions on what it's actually about. Fallon doesn't do any hand holding here. He lays out a story and leaves it to his audience to decide what is actually happening. At times, it can seem a little confusing and I can see some people needing to let it marinate for a while before forming an opinion. Undoubtedly, you will either love it or hate it. There is no in between. It's a slow burn that seems to go on for much longer than it's 75 minute run time but I suspect true fans of the psychological thrillers will enjoy it. It's a frighteningly beautiful tale that will leave you breathless.

Terror Films Releases Two New Clips for House of Purgatory

Los Angeles, October 20th, 2016 - Terror Films’ House Of Purgatory, by first time writer/director Tyler Christensen, opens on the 21st!

The film revolves around four mid-western teenagers. They go looking for a fabled haunted house on Halloween night. Once found, they slowly realize that the house knows each of their deepest secrets. One-by-one the house uses these secrets against the terrified teens that find themselves in a battle to save not only their lives, but also their very souls.

House Of Purgatory stars: Brian Krause (“Charmed”), Anne Leighton (“Criminal Minds”) and Laura Coover (“How To Get Away With Murder”). It was an official selection at Fear Fete Horror Film Festival, where star Anne Leighton was nominated for Best Actress, in a feature. It also screened at LA's Shriekfest.

The film is available on Xbox, Amazon Instant, Google Play, VUDU, PlayStation, YouTube, Vimeo on Demand and iTunes. The film will also be released on Amazon Prime, the 24-Hour Movie Channel on Roku, DVD and cable VOD at a later date.

Check out two new clips (“Door to the Unexpected” and “The Shack”) and the official trailer! Order your copy today and see why the critics are saying: "The film’s greatest assets are the talented cast and great script." -Horror Freak News / “Your Halloween Thriller of the Year.” -Vital Voice / “The sins of Purgatory storyline also offers more thematic depth than typical haunted house slashers, which assists in elevating House of Purgatory above its peers in terms of context behind the carnage.” -Culture Crypt

“Door to the Unexpected” Clip: 

“The Shack” Clip: 

Official Trailer: 

Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HouseofPurgatory/
For more information on Terror Films, go to: www.terrorfilms.net

Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Antidote Launches on VOD Oct. 21st

Los Angeles, CA, Friday, October 21st, 2016 – Terror Films is releasing three new clips (“The Barn,” “Peeling the Sock” and “A Body in the Woods”) from Antidote, to mark its release today. Directed by Craig and Pete DiFolco, the film stars: Kathleen Wise and Michael Izquierdo as a brother and sister-in-law. They are looking for shelter in a post-apocalyptic, plague-ridden world. Facing unimaginable horrors, Matthew (Izquierdo) suddenly becomes infected and the only possible cure slowly drives him mad. Antidote also stars: Kate Flanagan and Matthew Rauch (Banshee). It was an official selection at Screamfest and the New York City Horror Film Festival. And, it is available now!

The film is available today across major digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon Instant, YouTube, Xbox, VUDU, PlayStation, Vimeo On Demand and Google Play. The film will also be released on Amazon Prime, the 24-Hour Movie Channel (Roku) and cable VOD, at a later date. Take a look at some never before seen clips and the official trailer!

“A Body in the Woods” Clip: 

“Peeling the Sock” Clip: 

“The Barn” Clip: 

Official Trailer: 

Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/antidotefilm/
For more information on Terror Films, go to: www.terrorfilms.net

SCREAMFEST Premieres Acclaimed Cheerleader ‘Body Horror’ Short Pigskin

(Hollywood, CA) – October 20th, 2016. Pigskin, a colorful 80's horror throwback with a relevant, socially conscious message, will be screening at Screamfest, Hollywood’s premier film festival, this Saturday, October 22nd at 12:00pm at the Chinese Theatre. Creative duo Jake Hammond (Director/Co-Writer) and Nicola Newton (Cinematographer/Co-Writer) will be in attendance with their team for a Q&A.

For tickets, visit: https://screamfestla.com/tickets/pigskin

The film that American horror reference blog We Are Indie Horror calls “a gorgeous homage to the nostalgia of 80’s teen sexuality set to the tone of a body conscious 21st century feminism” has recently begun its festival circuit, winning 13 awards and playing at 20+ festivals including the New Orleans Film Festival, FLICKERS Rhode Island International Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival, and the Oscar® qualifying Palm Springs International ShortFest. Entertainment site Bloody Disgusting called it an “award winner that is no shock whatsoever”.

Pigskin centers on a high school cheerleader who accepts a date with the quarterback and is subsequently plagued by a nightmarish manifestation of her own bodily insecurities.

Official Trailer: 

Pigskin - Official Trailer from Jake Hammond on Vimeo.

From Jake Hammond (Director/Co-Writer) and Nicola Newton (Cinematographer/Co-Writer), the film is a Florida State University thesis project – the same school that gave us David Robert Mitchell of It Follows and Wes Ball of the Maze Runner series.

The film spawned from a yearning to create something that paid homage to “high school horror films” like Halloween and Carrie, and a desire to incorporate a genuine story of a subject that both filmmakers feel passionately about. Pigskin takes the idea of body image, something that’s so universally personal, especially for young women, and transforms it into a living nightmare.

“Everything within Pigskin comes from deeply personal experiences and insecurities. Turning these feelings into a film that can be shared and discussed is a way to force a voice from these insecurities, of which it is hard to talk about unfiltered. Nicola and I feel passionately about the issues we’re exploring and, in the same way the making of the film has given me confidence of my own, we hope that it has the ability to touch people who may feel similarly,” says director and co-writer Jake Hammond.

The filmmakers are looking for an online distribution platform, for release this spring, that would get the short lots of exposure and generate interest that could promote the eventual making of a feature adaptation (which is currently being outlined).

Starring Isadora Leiva as Laurie and Pablo Gonzalez as Glenn, Pigskin is co-written and directed by Jake Hammond, cinematographed and co-written by Nicola Newton, and produced by Paula Andrea Gonzalez. Editing and production design by Aleksandra Hansen, Score by Charles Spears, with music from Chromatics and Desire.

To find out more about Pigskin and a list of awards and upcoming screenings, please check the official website www.PigskinShortFilm.com.

You can also follow us on social media:

Twitter: @PigskinFilm

Facebook: facebook.com/PigskinShortFilm

Hashtags: #screamfest #PigskinFilm #CheerYourGutsOut

Arrow Video US - November 2016 Release Schedule

MVD Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the US with three great new titles in November. The month kicks off with The Initiation on Blu-ray, one of the best of the college-based slasher movies of the 1980s. One of the later entries into the genre, it had horror fans hooked with its tense stalk 'n' slash scenes and it's surprising twist of an ending.

The horror continues with C.H.U.D., the classic 80s horror featuring the Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers making their long-awaited debut on Blu-ray with a brand new restoration from original film elements.

Last but by no means least comes Arrow Video's landmark release of The Driller Killer as a both Limited Edition SteelBook and standard Dual Format release. One of the most infamous of the UK video nasties, Abel Ferrara's psychological horror masterpiece is presented fully uncut and comes with several new, exclusive special features.

THE INITIATION [Blu-ray] (11/8)

HERE'S TO BEING YOUNG... STAYING YOUNG... AND DYING YOUNG.

Marking TV star Daphne Zuniga's debut in a leading role, The Initiation ranks amongst the finest of the college-based stalk-and-slash flicks - now finally restored in glorious High-Definition!

Kelly's new sorority has a special initiation ritual in store for her - an after-hours break-in of her father's department store. But what begins as a night of harmless college fun turns sour when, once inside the enormous mall, Kelly and her fellow pledges find themselves locked in for the night... with a deadly intruder stalking the corridors.

Arriving in 1984, The Initiation might have been late to the slasher party, but, alongside the likes of The House on Sorority Row and The Mutilator, it remains one of the stronger entries to emerge in the latter days of the slice-and-dice boom.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Uncompressed PCM Mono Audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by The Hysteria Continues
Sorority Saga - a brand new interview with writer Charles Pratt, Jr.
Pledge Night - a brand new interview with actor Christopher Bradley
Dream Job - a brand new interview with actress Joy Jones
Extended Scene
Original Theatrical Trailer
Original Screenplay & Production Schedule (BD -ROM Content)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Justin Osbourn

First pressing only: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic James Oliver
Release Date: 11/08/16
Territory: US
Duration: 97 minutes
Language: English
Subtitles: English SDH
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Mono
Discs: 2 (BD/DVD)
Colour
SKU: AV071
UPC: 760137953388
SRP: $34.95
Directed by: Larry Stewart
Starring: Vera Miles, Clu Gulager, Daphne Zuniga
Complete product details, hi res art, etc. can be found HERE.

Pre-order at the MVD SHOP or on Amazon

C.H.U.D. [2 Disc Special Edition] (11/22)

THEY'RE NOT STAYING DOWN THERE, ANYMORE!

From the subterranean depths it crawls! Finally making its long-awaited debut on Blu-ray, director Douglas Cheek's cult '80s favorite C.H.U.D. is the ultimate underground movie experience.

In downtown Manhattan, a police captain's hunt for his missing wife leads to the discovery of a series of mysterious disappearances in the area. Extending his search into the tunnels and sewers below the city streets, it soon becomes clear that something monstrous is lurking in that subterranean world - and it won't stay there much longer...

Starring John Heard (Home Alone) and Christopher Curry (Starship Troopers) alongside an early appearance from John Goodman, C.H.U.D. has justifiably built up a huge cult following in the years since its release in 1984, with one of the most iconic creature designs of the period.

2-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new restoration from the original film elements
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Integral Cut from a new 2K film transfer
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Original Theatrical Cut [Limited Edition Exclusive]
Original Uncompressed PCM Mono Audio / Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director Douglas Cheek, writer Shepard Abbott, and actors John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Curry
A Dirty Look - an interview with production designer William Bilowit
Dweller Designs - an interview with special make-up effects and creature creator John Caglione, Jr.
Notes from Above Ground: The NYC Locations of C.H.U.D. - featurette hosted by journalist Michael Gingold and filmmaker Ted Geoghegan
Brand new audio track featuring isolated score selections and an interview with composers Martin Cooper and David A. Hughes
Behind-the-Scenes Gallery
Extended Shower Scene
Original Theatrical Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dan Mumford
Fully illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold

Release Date: 11/22/16
Territory: US
Duration: 88 minutes
Language: English
Subtitles: English SDH
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Mono
Discs: 2 (BD/DVD)
Color
SKU: AV074
UPC: 760137953883
SRP: $34.95
Directed by: Douglas Cheek
Starring: John Heard, Daniel Stern, Christopher Curry

Complete product details, hi res art, etc. can be found HERE.

Pre-order at the MVD SHOP or on Amazon

THE DRILLER KILLER [Limited Edition Dual Format Blu-Ray + DVD SteelBookand Special Edition Dual Format Blu-Ray + DVD] (11/29)

In career that has encompassed such controversial classics as Ms. 45, Bad Lieutenant and Welcome to New York, none of Abel Ferrara's films have quite managed to match the shock, extremity and downright notorious nature of The Driller Killer.

Ferrara plays struggling artist Reno, a man pushed to the edge by the economic realities of New York living in the late seventies and the No Wave band practising in the apartment below. His grip on reality soon begins to slip and he takes to stalking the streets with his power tool in search of prey...

One of the most infamous 'video nasties', in part thanks to its drill-in-head sleeve, The Driller Killer has lost none of its power to unnerve and is presented here fully uncut.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Limited Edition SteelBook featuring original artwork (2500 copies)
Brand new restoration from original film elements
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Uncompressed Mono PCM audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director and star Abel Ferrara, moderated by Brad Stevens (author ofAbel Ferrara: The Moral Vision) and recorded exclusively for this release
Brand new interview with Ferrara
Willing and Abel: Ferraraology 101, a new visual essay guide to the films and career of Ferrara by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, author of Cultographies: Ms. 45
Mulberry St. (2010), Ferrara's feature-length documentary portrait of the New York location that has played a key role in his life and work, available on home video in the UK for the first time ever
Trailer

Collector's booklet featuring new writing by Michael Pattison and Brad Stevens
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
Brand new restoration from original film elements
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Original Uncompressed Mono PCM audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary by director and star Abel Ferrara, moderated by Brad Stevens (author ofAbel Ferrara: The Moral Vision) and recorded exclusively for this release
Brand new interview with Ferrara
Willing and Abel: Ferraraology 101, a new visual essay guide to the films and career of Ferrara by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, author of Cultographies: Ms. 45
Mulberry St. (2010), Ferrara's feature-length documentary portrait of the New York location that has played a key role in his life and work, available on home video in the UK for the first time ever
Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
First pressing only: Collector's booklet featuring new writing by Michael Pattison and Brad Stevens

Release date: 11/29/16
Region: All
Duration: 96 mins
Language: English
Subtitles: English SDH
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: Mono 1.0
Discs: 2
Color
Steelbook
SKU: AV072
UPC: 760137953487
SRP: $44.95
Dual Format Ammaray
SKU: AV073
UPC: 760137953784
SRP: $39.95
Directed by: Abel Ferrara
Starring: Abel Ferrara, Carolyn Manz, Baybi Day
Complete product details, hi res art, etc. can be found HERE. Steelbook info HERE.

Pre-order at the MVD SHOP or on Amazon