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Hey all. I hope everyone is having a productive weekend. Check out this interesting stuff I found this week.

The Horror.

A reader turned me onto Horror Section this week, a punk band that does songs about our favourite eighties horror movies. Not only that, but I discovered they also have some accompanying videos, which you can see below.

Being that I've seen about five different versions of The Prowler over the years, I sometimes forget how gore-ious the uncut version is. A treasure to be sure.

Art by Trevor Henderson.

The Doctor Is In.

I heard about a cool upcoming comic series from Dark Horse called Death Head this week.

Created by Zack & Nick Keller, Death Head follows the story of a camping trip gone wrong. The Burton family stumble onto an abandoned village and unwittingly unleash an ancient evil in the form of The Plague Doctor, as pictured above. The story intrigues and the art looks great, so I'm in. Issue #1 hits the stands July 15th.

Meg 2015.

We have all heard the tales. Since 1997, several directors have tried to bring Meg, the killer shark novel by Steve Alten, to the big screen. All have walked the plank. Until now? 

This week, Variety announced that Eli Roth is in talks to direct this gargantuan undertaking. Presumably, the huge success of Jurassic World caused Warner (the current rights holder) to give this proverbial white whale another look. I welcome it. After all the silly offerings out there from Asylum and the like, it would be nice to put the “great” back in Great White. Just looking at this infographic underneath gives me shivers. I can't even...

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Oh, long weekends are the best. Especially when they are supposed to be rained out, but then said rain never materializes. So, I'm taking time from “the outside” to post on this week's events.

Cellular Cannibals.

A strange little tie-in came to my attention this week. There's a video game out coinciding with the release of Eli Roth's The Green Inferno next month. Entitled The Green Inferno Survival (available on iTunes and Google Play), you play as the survivors of a plane crash downed in the Amazon jungle and try to keep them from becoming the indigenous population's next meal.

The graphics look pretty cool, and best of all, it's free! The Green Inferno releases in theatres September 5th. To check out my review from last year's TIFF premiere, click here.

Colour By Nightmares.

I saw a devilish little thing on The Chive this week. Some unstable individuals took innocuous colouring book drawings and modified them slightly to make them more... troubling. Here are some my faves below.

For the rest, click here.

R.I.P. Dick Smith 1922-2014.

This is yet another news post I sadly have to end with bad news. Legendary make-up artist Dick Smith passed away on Thursday. He was 92.

Two things about Dick Smith stick out in my memory. I started watching horror films at the start at the eighties, so unsurprisingly the first make-up artist I became aware of was Tom Savini. I remember seeing an interview with him - most likely on Fangoria's Scream Greats Vol. 1 - where he praised Dick Smith as being the best in the business. Hearing this, I was like, well, if Savini is saying that, Smith must really be “the shit.” The other defining moment was obviously his work on The Exorcist, although not just for the obvious reasons.

Everything he did bringing Regan's possession to life is still among the best on film, but I was also very impressed by the age make-up on Max Von Sydow. And by impressed, I mean, I didn't even realize it was age make-up. I spent the first twenty-odd years of my life thinking Sydow was way older than he actually was. Dick Smith was a true talent, and inspired pretty much all of the greats that came out of the seventies and eighties. Farewell to a true craftsman.

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To all my Yankee readers out there, hope you are having a good Memorial weekend, and you got a chance to check out that awesome new X-Men flick. Here's what I have for you this week.

Trailers Unhitched.

Here's a trailer for the upcoming possession horror Deliver Us From Evil.

There's some great stuff in this trailer - that bit with the stuffed owl is super great - but the “from the makers of Sinister” leaves me  little weary. Those guys have a knack for visuals, but the last act of Sinister was pretty balls. Also, the fact that Olivia Munn is in this is a huge bonus, especially since I thought she'd sworn off the genre after fake blood destroyed her Blackberry during the filming of 2008's Insanitarium. Deliver Us From Evil releases July 2nd.

Speaking of “evil”, this trailer for Dark Dungeons defies explanation.

I mean... wow. I just this last week found out about Chick Tracts (comics put out by some religious zealot named Jack Chick on which this movie is based) so the sheer absurdity of this whole thing hit me like a speeding train.

It's like this movie doesn't take place on Earth. Where in this world would role playing games and frat parties ever, EVER converge??? What makes Dark Dungeons even more confounding it that it is not - or at least not intended to be - parody or satire! Although, I'm sure a lot of backers to the Kickstarter must have thought that it was, because I mean... COME ON!!!

As much as I would love to own a copy of this movie, I can't condone this lunacy by paying good money for it. However, if you would like to, you can do so by clicking here. Your soul will thank you. Apparently.

South of Heaven.

It was announced this week that Eli Roth will be teaming with Jason Blum to produce a series called South of Heaven. An eight episode has been ordered by AMC-owned WE tv. South of Heaven features a young demon hunter named Maria vanquishing evil along with her brother, David.

Eli Roth.

WE tv, formerly Romance Classics, seems like a weird fit for this type of show, but I suppose if it is of the Supernatural and Bitten ilk it could be successful. Roth will direct the pilot episode. His other television property, Hemlock Grove begins its second season in July.

Save Linnea's House.

You may heard that America's Scream Queen Linnea Quigley has fallen on some rough times of late and has reached out to the horror community for help. I'll let her explain in her own words;

“Hello friends and fans. My name is Linnea Quigley. America’s Scream Queen. I have been in over 100 movies including Return Of The Living Dead, A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 and Night Of The Demons, to name only a few. Several years ago I put my career on hold and moved into my parents house to take care of them. While taking care of them my money was soon depleted and the family home developed a serious roof problem. I tried many ways to get the money to repair it but nothing worked. My parents have passed and I recently started back to work but just can’t come up with the money fast enough to save the house. Last week I got an estimate from a local general contractor. It’s going to cost $10,000 to fix the roof and $5,000 – $8,000 to fix the damage inside the house. The drywall has fallen from the ceiling and wall in places. My clothes and other things are being ruined. There is black mold in several places now too.  I’m an animal lover and have rescued many animals and several of them share the house with me. I ask that you please help me save my family home and give me and my rescued animals a safe place to live.”

Linnea Quigley, as Trash in Return of the Living Dead (left) & Sam in Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (right)

It's a really unfortunate situation, so if you'd like to help, click here.

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Hello all. I hope your Easter festivities are going well. Here are some rotten little eggs from this past week. Enjoy!

Kane is Coming.

It was announced this week that my friend Serena Whitney, in collaboration with Justin McConnell of Unstable Ground, have optioned the rights to the 1990 novel, Kane by Douglas Borton. Genre veterans Adam Mason (Blood River, Devil's Chair) & George Mihalka (My Bloody Valentine) are on board as consulting producers, as well as Avi Federgreen (Still Mine).

It's always to great to see your friends realize their dreams, and this has some great potential. Kane tells the story of a lone traveller who comes to the small town of Tuskett with one goal in mind - kill everyone of its twenty-three inhabitants!

For the original press release from The Hollywood Reporter, click here.

Giallo Mondo.

Here below, is the trailer for the Argentinian love-letter to the giallo, Sonno Profondo.

It is gorgeous to be sure, but that narration makes it feel like it is supposed to be a parody, rather than an emulation. That is unless it is supposed to be a parody... In that case, good job! Sonno Profondo aka Deep Sleep screened at last year's Sitges Film Festival in Spain.

Cannibal Cookout.

A new teaser has surfaced for Eli Roth's new flick Green Inferno.

I saw this last year at TIFF and I still maintain it to be an authentic rendition of the subgenre. If you are at all a fan of the works of Deodato and Lenzi, this is a must watch. The tribe they used in the film are fantastic and there are some top notch set pieces that won't disappoint the gorehounds.

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Hey all. I'm helping out on a shoot all this weekend, so I'm talking to you from the past right now. Here's what I've got for this week.

An Embarrassment of Riches.

Over the last few weeks, the TIFF Bell Lightbox has been wheeling out announcement after announcement of great stuff for 2014. On the heels of the David Cronenberg exhibit - which I do plan to finally get to next week - TIFF plans to bring in the highly touted Kubrick exhibit which has previously been wowing crowds around the world. Also, in addition to a upcoming Paul Verhoeven retrospective, there is also one for the films of Stephen King.

Starting January 18th, the Kingdom of Fear programme features twelve films, including Cujo, Christine, Misery, Carrie, Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption and Maximum Overdrive. I've been spending a lot of time in this building lately and it doesn't look like that going to change for quite some time. For more information on what's coming up at the BLB, click here.

I'll Watch This.

Here's a trailer that popped up online a few days ago.

Not bad for something that was originally made as a faux trailer made for shits and giggles. What do ya know? Sometimes nightmares do come true!

She Killed It.

Here's a cool little video that I came across on Bloodydisgusting.com this week. What looks like a porno audition gradually becomes something much more sinister.

The punchline is decent, but for me I was struck by the lead. She reminds me so much of Christina Lindberg with her soft-spoken, sweet and innocent demeanor. I have no idea what this viral is for, but it certainly made an impression.

Why Horror?

There are still a few days left to contribute to my friend Tal Zimerman's awesome horror documentary Why Horror? Currently in production, Why Horror? is an exploration into the psychology of horror around the world and why we love to be scared, featuring discussions with the likes of George A. Romero, Don Coscarelli, Eli Roth and John Carpenter, among others. Click here to check out their Kickstarter page and see all the goodies you can receive with your pledge. In the meantime, watch these newly posted vids of Tal showing off the amazing movie posters currently hanging in his office.

Good Eats.

Saturday's Midnight film was Eli Roth's ode to the cannibal genre, The Green Inferno.

A group of activists travel to the Amazon to protest the destruction of tribal land, but wind up being captured by the very tribe they were there to protect.

Having seen my share of crusty Italian cannibal films in my day, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, and Roth gave this Midnight audience just what they wanted.

Roth is definitely growing as a filmmaker. Although, his primary intent is still to shock, there is an increasing proficiency in his camerawork and storytelling. While it could've been just the production value of the locale, I felt there was a more grandiose feel to this film that those that have come before it. The decision to use an actual Chilean tribe made for wonderful authenticity, and I was really chuffed that the overused “found footage” device was not employed here. There were also no animal killings in the film, as had been previously rumoured. I doubted there would be, as just seeing Roth's reaction following the Cannibal Ferox, which he presented here in 2012, showed he had no interest in aping the ugliest aspect of the cannibal genre. That alone is proof that Roth is maturing as a filmmaker.

While I didn't find the characters in The Green Inferno as engaging as the ones in Hostel – which could just been because there were a lot more them, and therefore less concentrated – there were a few standouts. Lorenza Izzo, as Justine, was able to portray the naivete of a “slacktivist” in way over her head, but also had the chops to bring her character's arc to fruition. Aaron Burns – who also worked in the effects, camera and second unit departments – as Jonah, also gets a gold star for what he had to endure in the film.

I had to cheer when I saw Greg Nicotero & Howard Berger's names come up in the opening credits because I knew I was in good hands, and boy, did they not disappoint. They elevated their game past their already high levels of excellence. While there are more than a few gore set pieces, the most graphic happens fairly early on, so I felt there was a missed opportunity of escalation in this movie. That said, there was a variety to the gore that was appreciated.

The cast & crew of The Green Inferno.

The Green Inferno doesn't add anything to the genre, but Roth has certainly crafted a tale that can proudly stand with the works of Ruggero Deodato and Umberto Lenzi. He did right by them. And for those of you that just can't get enough cannibal cookouts, Roth announced at the Q&A that they are just about to go into pre-production on Beyond The Green Inferno, directed by Nicolás López.

TIFF 2013!

Yesterday, The Toronto International Film Festival announced the films that will be flaying our psyches as part of their Midnight Madness & Vanguard programmes.

It is hard to believe that the Midnight Madness programme has been going twenty-five years now. Starting in 1988, with titles such titles as Hellbound and Brain Damage, they have since screened titles like Braindead, Dellamorte Dellamorre, Ichi The Killer and Martyrs. Here are some of the selections from this year’s MM crop.

Lucky McKee makes his first appearance at Midnight with a remake of his 2001 debut All Cheerleaders Die. He and longtime collaborator Chris Sivertson have been releasing dark and disturbing work for years, and I’m sure this one will be no different.

Eli Roth returns to Midnight Madness with his fourth film (if you count last year’s Aftershock which he produced and starred in), an ode to eighties cannibal flicks entitled Green Inferno.

From Austria comes The Station, which seems to be another nature fights back parable involving some weird-ass glacier juice. I sure hope this one plays out better than 2006's The Last Winter.

Every year there is usually a film that sells me on its screenshot, whether it be High Tension in 2003, or last year’s Thale. Why Don't You Play In Hell? (pictured above) definitely looks like this year's. Not that I would ever need an extra nudge to see anything from Sion Sono.

It’s always great to see some local blood infect Midnight. This year it is a nasty looking ditty called Afflicted featuring two travellers running afoul of a mysterious disease. I am a little weary of the found footage aspect eluded to by the synopsis, but I may give it a shot.

It's been a while since I've seen a good alien abduction yarn - Eduardo Sanchez's underseen flick Altered is the only one that comes to mind, and that was 2006 - so I'm definitely up for Almost Human. Plus, nothing says Midnight Madness like a guy with a chainsaw!

You really only had to tell me that Oculus was made by Mike Flanagan, the man who brought us 2011’s Absentia. Also, the whole possessed mirror thing gives me warm recollections of The Boogeyman, so good or bad, I think we’ll be in for a treat.

On the other side of things, the Vanguard program has been quickly gaining momentum over the past few years. I’d go so far as to say the 2012 programme easily trumped that of Midnight’s. Here are some of the announced titles I’m eager to check out.

Alex Aja’s triumphant return to TIFF sees him adapting Joe Hill’s novel Horns, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Juno Temple.

After two solid genre efforts (House of the Devil, The Innkeepers), Ti West bursts into Vanguard with the religious horror of The Sacrament starring indie darlings AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg and Amy Siemetz.

Perhaps the most anticipated sophomore effort is that of Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani’s with The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears. I’m all for their style of visual sex – first experienced in 2010’s Amer– but I’m hoping for a little bit more of a narrative this time around.

Others that caught my eye were the revenge thriller Blue Ruin, the Dutch home-invasion tale Borgman and Zack Parker’s Proxy, also again starring Swanberg.

It looks like it is going to be another busy September. But, then again, isn't it always? For more info on the Midnight Madness programme, click here. For more info on the Vanguard programme, click here. For TIFF ticket info, click here.

Goretorium!

It took over three years, but my crew and I finally returned to Las Vegas last week. So, what's a guy like me to do with a free evening in Sin City? No, not that. I checked out Eli Roth's Goretorium, of course!

I had a great time. It was a little more tourist-y than I was expecting, with it being lodged inside a shopping mall, but once inside the actual attraction, it was all good. I appreciated that instead of just randomly walking through a maze of thrown together blood and guts, there was an actual storyline to the proceedings. The history of the Delmont hotel was laid out for us by our tour guide. That is, before he was decapitated, of course. A ride in a creaky service elevator then led us to several well-conceived abominations throughout the fifteen minutes it took for my group to walk through. The production values were probably the best I've seen, and there were several choice gags. I had to laugh when the crazy butcher got in my face and asked me if I was a vegan.

Wall dressing.

Death from above.

So, the question you probably want to ask is, is it scary? Well, not really. But I'm not the one to ask. Perhaps the two screaming chicks in front of me would have a better answer for you. I thought the end of the attraction, which spits you out into the Baby Dolls Lounge, was a nice little capper. Naturally, I had made my way up to the front throughout the gauntlet and stepped up to be the first to venture through the exit.The Lounge was a cool little setup with a gorgeous view of the strip. The stunning bartender was certainly a plus, as well. She didn't spare the bottle and made us the kind of drinks that really creep up on you.

Ohhh, Baby Dolls Lounge. Got it.

A nice centerpiece.

What a view!

I think I sat in something.

I think my only disappointment was the absence of some stuff I was hoping for. When Roth was in Toronto for a screening of Cannibal Ferox last year, he laid out all the stuff he wanted to do for his “all-year-round haunted house”. These included things like live zombie feedings and the ability to watch people going through the maze and fuck with them with buttons of noise and such. Unfortunately, neither of these things were there when I went. However, there was a nice touch in the washrooms though. Stepping up to the urinal, I was taunted by a disembodied female voice asking if “it was cold outside”.

The Goretorium, despite its kitschy exterior is definitely worth checking out. I expect things probably ratchet up a few notches closer to Halloween. Maybe I'll have to return during Vegas 3.0!

What Is A Ferox, Anyway?

Since the opening of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, it has become a vertiable hub for all manner of film-related events. As Toronto continually plays host to countless filmmakers working in the city, it makes sense that such an environment would lead to some very special and unique events. This spring saw an extremely successful run of Alfred Hitchcock films presented by director Guillermo del Toro, and things have snowballed from there.

The latest of these events was Monday's screening of Umberto Lenzi's Cannibal Ferox, presented by director Eli Roth. Roth is currently in town working on his upcoming project for Netflix called Hemlock Grove and spent some time speaking with Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes about the film and its infamy. Say what you will about the man and his movies, but there can be no question that Roth knows his shit. He is a horror film scholar and during his intro broke down the origins of one of horror's most shocking genres.

He also took a moment to dedicate the screening to Sage Stallone, who recently passed away. Stallone was co-founder of the video distribution company Grindhouse Releasing, which was instrumental in the restoration of such horror classics as The Beyond, Pieces and the film we were there to watch that evening, Cannibal Ferox.

Below, is the Q&A that followed the screening. He delves deep into the mystique of the cannibal genre, as well as giving you a good idea of the stuff he is planning over the next few years. Enjoy!