The Burning - Blu-ray Review - Scream Factory

A legend of terror is no campfire story anymore!

Released by: Scream Factory
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Production Year: 1981
Region Code: A 
Running Time: 1:31:29
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono
Video: 1080p (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH

THE FILM:

GATHER AROUND THE CAMPFIRE TO DIE!

A group of summer camp pranksters get the scare of their lives when they target the camp's creepy caretaker...and he takes bloody revenge!

After a cruel joke goes awry, severely burning him and subjecting him to five years of intensive, unsuccessful skin graft treatments, Cropsy (Lou David) is back at camp...and ready to wreak havoc on those who scarred him! With his hedge clippers in hand, he terrorizes the camp and systematically mutilates each victim. Can a few courageous campers save themselves and destroy this demented madman before he kills them all?

Starring Brian Matthews (Crime Stopper), Leah Ayres (Bloodsport), Brian Backer (Fast Times At Ridgemont High), Larry Joshua (Dances With Wolves) and featuring early film appearances by Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) and Holly Hunter (Raising Arizona).

I had never heard of or seen "The Burning" until sometime after it started airing on MGM HD. The film was never at my local mom and pop video store or even at Blockbuster Video. So I was in for a real treat when I was finally able to watch it. That raft scene. Wow. One huge plus for the film is it features the awesome practical effects of the legend, Tom Savini. Buying the DVD when it was released was an easy choice as was upgrading to the Blu-ray when it came out. A fun 80's slasher that should not be missed. Watching the film for the first time, it was neat seeing the future Hollywood stars in the movie. It is still fun to see them. Hopefully this Blu-ray brings the film more attention and introduces a whole new generation to the legend of Cropsy.

AUDIO:

The sole audio option for this release is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. The audio sounds pretty good. Balance between the dialogue, Rick Wakeman's great score and the sound effects, sounded fine. I did not notice any issues with the audio like drop outs or hissing. I don't think Scream Factory could have done much better with the present audio. There are optional English SDH subtitles included as well.

VIDEO:

"The Burning" slashes its way on to Blu-ray thanks to Scream Factory. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. Fans should be pleased with how well the video quality turned out. The film had aired on the television channel MGM HD several years earlier and the film had a DVD release, so fans had been waiting and hoping for the film to come to Blu-ray. The DVD looked very good but this is definitely an upgrade. Colors look great with a rich saturation. The skin tones in the film look very natural. There is also a nice thin layer of grain present which does get a little heavier in certain scenes, but I never found it to be overwhelming in any way. Black levels are adequate as well. There is a fair amount of fine detail present in close up shots. There are some minor white specks that appear sporadically during the film but never to the point of being distracting. Overall, the film looks great.  

SPECIAL FEATURES:

In addition to the following features, a region 1 DVD is also included in this combo pack. The cover art is also reversible. 

Audio Commentary #1 - This track features Director Tony Maylam and international journalist, Alan Jones. This track is more informative from a technical viewpoint. Mr. Maylan discusses many topics involving the film including Cropsy's shears, the nude scenes, working with Tom Savini, the cast, the films setting and the infamous raft scene. 

Audio Commentary #2 - This track features actresses Bonnie Deroski and Shelley Bruce along with moderator Edwin Samuelson of The CineFiles. This is a fairly entertaining track despite neither of the actresses playing a main character in the film. The pair seem to have fond memories of their time making the movie. They share some fun and interesting stories about the cast. Edwin Samuelson does a fair job of keeping the conversation going with questions for the ladies.

Blood 'N' Fire Memories (18:01) - A really good featurette with Tom Savini talking about the practical effects and death scenes that appear in the film. He explains a bit about how the burn scene from the beginning of the film was done as well as the terrific raft scene. A must watch for fans. 

Slash & Cut (12:04) - An interview with Editor Jack Sholder. Mr. Sholder talks about various scenes in the film. He says he didn't think "The Burning" was a good film and didn't think there was anything particularly original about it. Though he did think the film was well made.  

Cropsy Speaks (11:19) - An interview with actor Lou David. He talks about how he became interested in acting as well as how he was filming the day after his son was born. It isn't too hard to tell that Mr. David would have liked there to have been a sequel to the film. I think most fans would agree with him.

Summer Camp Nightmare (6:45) - This features an interview with actress Leah Ayres (Michelle). She talks about her start in acting and some experiences on and off the set during the films production.

Behind the Scenes Footage (7:56) - Viewers get to see some similar footage that appears in the Tom Savini interview, but more of it. Fans interested in the effects used in the film should watch this.

Theatrical Trailer (1:27)

Make-up Effects Still Gallery (2:25)

Poster & Still Gallery (3:05)

IN CONCLUSION:

A Blu-ray that looks and sounds great. It also has some terrific special features included. This is a must own 'Collector's Edition' from Scream Factory, if you are a slasher fan or even a horror fan. The movie itself is good too. Scream Factory did a very nice job with this release that should easily please fans of the film. 


OVERALL: 4 / 5

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Scream Factory Pours on the 'Gravy' With New Cannibal Comedy

YOU ARE WHAT WE EAT

"Gravy" is the new cannibal comedy coming from Scream Factory in October. The film will have a limited theatrical release starting on October 2, 2015 and will hit Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on October 6, 2015.


Synopsis:

Looking for a little something extra in your horror movie diet? Let Scream Factory pass you the "Gravy."

It's Halloween night. A trio of costumed misfits with very special dietary requirements invades a Mexican cantina and forces the staff to engage in a late night of gluttony. The only caveat is what's on the menu… and who will survive until morning!

From director and co-writer James Roday (Psych), this deliriously demented horror-comedy is a true feast for genre fans. Stuffed with an outstanding ensemble cast and perfectly seasoned with laughs and scares, you'll be sure to ask for seconds on "Gravy."

The film stars Lily Cole, Michael Weston, Paul Rodriguez, Gabourey Sidibe, Sarah Silverman, Sutton Foster, Jimmi Simpson and Molly Ephraim.

Bonus Features: (List of extras not final)

Audio Commentary With James Roday, Sutton Foster And Jimmi Simpson
What Is Gravy? Featurette
EPK
Trailer

For more information visit the films official website. 

*UPDATE* You can also check out our article with a sneak peek clips of the film.

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The Gift (2015) - Movie Review - STX Entertainment

NOT EVERY GIFT IS WELCOME

A young married couple's lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years. With a plot like that, it sounds like a either a stalker thriller or a revenge film right? Well, that is only partially true. I went in watching the film thinking, okay, I have seen the trailer a couple times so I have a pretty good idea what to expect. The problem with that logic was, the film had more going on than I was anticipating. I know there tends to be several different trailers for films. So perhaps there is one that gives away a bit too much information on the film and I did not see it. Maybe not. I have had films in the past, ruined by oversharing trailers. Do yourself a favor if you are interested in seeing the film, skip any more trailers to avoid any chance of spoilers. If you are not familiar with the film, I will include a short TV spot at the end. I think often, too many trailers ruin the effectiveness of films by giving the viewer way more information than they need. But I digress. 

"The Gift" is the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton, who also stars as Gordo. The film also stars Jason Bateman (Simon) and Rebecca Hall (Robyn). Simon and Robyn are a married couple who have just moved to California, not too far from where Simon grew up. While out shopping, Simon is approached by Gordo, an old classmate. Simon does not initially recognize the man until he states his name. After exchanging pleasantries and getting Gordo's phone number so they can catch up some time, the couple depart the store. 

The next day a gift is found waiting at their front door. After finding it to be from Gordo, a bit of uneasiness settles in and Simon is clearly not pleased. However, Robyn does her best to explain that it is a nice gesture and they should give him a chance since after all, he is just trying to be nice. Next thing you know, Gordo shows up at the house, uninvited and unexpected. But, he is kind and pleasant and soon finds himself invited to dinner by Robyn. 

From there things get very interesting and over the coarse of the film, the audience finds itself wondering, what exactly is going on. Every one tells lies, be it tiny white lies or full blown tall tales. Every one also has secrets. As you will find out, lies and secrets will be exposed. The truth can be damning and it can also be liberating. "The Gift" does a great job at keeping the audience in suspense and often wondering what is going to happen next. Joel Edgerton was masterful at building the tension in the film, bringing it to a roaring crescendo during the third act and then flooring the audience with its climax. 

I hope that this film finds the large audience that it deserves. But I feel it may unfortunately, slip under the radar of most moviegoers.  Perhaps good word of mouth will help it at the box office. The main trio of actors (Edgerton, Bateman and Hall) gave terrific performances and were very real and believable in their respective roles. The film also sports a fine supporting cast, even with some familiar faces like Busy Philipps (Cougar Town) and Wendell Pierce (The Wire). The music in the film is put to good use by helping to further enhance our sense of fear at just the right moments. "The Gift" was a far better film than I was expecting. A run of the mill thriller, it is not. 

RATING: 4 / 5


UPDATE: Read our news on the home video release of "The Gift."

 

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Scream Factory Announces 'White of the Eye' Coming to Blu-ray and Updates on Future Releases

Scream Factory announced plans to release 'White of the Eye' in November and gave an update on some of their upcoming releases

"White of the Eye" – From the Director of Demon Seed, this 1987 thriller will be coming to DVD & Blu-ray for the first time this November. The film Stars David Keith (Firestarter, An Officer and a Gentleman), Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull) and Alan Rosenberg (The Guardian). Expect pre-order links and a confirmed street date to go up sometime in the next two weeks. The artwork you see here is reversible (with the one on the left being newly-commissioned).

ELI ROTH’S THE STRANGER (10/1), THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA (10/13), THE LARRY FESSENDEN COLLECTION (10/20), TALES FROM THE CRYPT: DEMON KNIGHT & BORDELLO OF BLOOD (10/20), HUMAN CENTIPEDE III (10/27), HUMAN CENTIPEDE: THE COMPLETE SEQUENCE (10/27) and ARMY OF DARKNESS (10/27) – Full list of extras will formally announced in early Sept. We’ll leave you with a tease though: ARMY is now a 3-disc Blu-ray set.

DEATH BECOMES HER – Originally planned for November its now been moved to the early half of 2016 but for good reasons! We’ll keep our fingers crossed and explain later on this year.

TROLL & TROLL 2 double feature on Blu-ray is now planned for a 11/17 release. Extras are in the works and pre-order links will be going up by end of the month.

BLOOD & LACE – This long-lost slasher film from 1971 finally releases on a DVD & Blu-ray combo on 11/24 and a new HD transfer for it is completed! Pre-order links will be going up by end of the month.

GHOST STORY – Circle 11/24 on your calendars for this spooky and winter-filled tale of revenge. Extras are in progress but we have a fantastic one already produced and will share at a later date. Pre-order links will be going up by end of the month.

THE CAR – We’re aiming to park this in December. Heads up: For some strange legal reason we are not able to use the original theatrical or international poster art on our release and so a newly-designed piece has been created. Once that’s officially approved, we’ll share it with you and confirm a street date.

WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE, GARBAGE PAIL KIDS and NIGHTMARES – All blu-rays are expected for Dec. No other details to report at this time.

JACK’S BACK & THE GUARDIAN – Prepare to start off the new year with fear. Currently both releases are scheduled for Jan.

No movement yet on a release date yet for DESTROYER (sorry!). We are still have issues with retrieving suitable film elements.

THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW is now looking to strike in Feb or March 2016.

BTW - We do have more titles to announce before the year ends and will reveal them before the end of Sept. We’ll disclose more titles planned for 2016 in October.


       

   

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Arrow Video Announces November UK/US Releases

Arrow Video announced their November UK/US releases today. They are "Battles Without Honor and Humanity" (Limited Edition) and "Wake Up and Kill."

Wake Up And Kill - Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD

"Wake Up & Kill" - This thrilling precursor to the Poliziotteschi genre tells the story of real-life ‘machine gun soloist’ Luciano Lutring and features of a raft of talent including director Carlo Lizzani (Requiescant), screenwriter Ugo Pirro (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) and the iconic Ennio Morricone!
Pre-order your UK copy here
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!

UK Release Date: 23rd November 2015
US Release Date: 24th November 2015
Region: A+B / 1+2

During the 1960s Luciano Lutring committed more than one hundred armed robberies in Italy and on the French Riviera. To the media he was the ‘machine gun soloist’, a name he’d earned as he kept his weapon in a violin case. To the public he was a Robin Hood figure, one who only targeted the wealthy, stealing more than 35 billion lire during his criminal career.

Wake Up and Kill was the logical extension of such fame. It became the first feature to commit Lutring’s story to celluloid, shooting having begun mere months after his eventual arrest. Capitalising on the breakthrough success of his performance in French television’s The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Robert Hoffmann is perfect as Lutring, bringing just the right amount of charisma and youthful exuberance to his first major big screen role.

Directed by Carlo Lizzani (Requiescant), scored by Ennio Morricone, penned by the future screenwriter of Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, and featuring that film’s star, Gian Maria Volonté, in a key supporting role, Wake Up and Kill’s true-crime thrills serve as an enthralling dry run for the poliziotteschi movies that would follow a few years later.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

•Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative
•High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
•Optional English and Italian soundtracks presented in their original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays)
•Newly-translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
•Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
•Theatrical trailer
•Limited Edition illustrated collector’s booklet containing new writing on the film by Roberto Curti, author of Italian Crime Filmography 1968-1980 and Italian Gothic Horror Films 1959-1969

Battles Without Honor and Humanity - Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD (Limited Edition)

"Battles Without Honor & Humanity" - this seminal series of epic gangsterism told with gritty realism plays like a head-spinning fusion of Martin Scorsese and Paul Greengrass! This Limited Edition collections features Kinji Fukasaku’s (BATTLE ROYALE) original five films in the series with brand new extras, the never-before-seen in the west ‘Complete Saga’ and a 150-page hardback book! Limited to just 2000 copies (UK) and 3000 copies (USA). Individual editions of each of the five films (the Saga and book remain exclusive to this collection) will become available in 2016!
Pre-order your UK copy here


UK Release Date: 16th November 2015
US Release Date: 17th November 2015
Region: A+B/1+2

Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale) gave the world Japan’s answer to The Godfather with this violent yakuza saga, influencing filmmakers from Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs) to Takashi Miike (Graveyard of Honor, Audition). Made within just two years, the five-film series brought a new kind of realism and ferocity to the crime genre in Japan, revitalizing the industry and leading to unprecedented commercial and critical success.

Literally exploding onscreen with a mushroom cloud, and ending with Hiroshima’s A-bomb Dome, the epic story of Battles Without Honor and Humanity follows over 100 characters through twenty years of gang wars, alliances, betrayals, and assassinations, in an exciting exploration of criminal power and politics in Japan. In the opening episode, ex-soldier Shozo Hirono escapes from the post-war black markets to become a key member of the Yamamori gang, but soon finds himself disillusioned by the selfish duplicity of his bosses. Hiroshima Death Match focuses on a demobilized kamikaze pilot drifting through the early 1950’s, whose suicidal impulses find good use as a mob assassin. Proxy War and Police Tactics form a labyrinthine, two-part story of ambition and betrayal set against Japan’s rapid economic growth of the 1960’s, with Shozo caught between warring factions. Final Episode concludes the series in the 1970’s as the former Yamamori gang transforms itself into an economic conglomerate called the Tensei Group, in a bid for mainstream respectability.

Fukasaku and his team broke with the longstanding studio tradition of casting marquee idols as honorable, kimono-clad heroes, defending their gang bosses against unscrupulous villains, and instead adapted true accounts torn from the headlines, shot in a documentary-like style, and with few clear-cut heroes or villains. The vibrancy and dynamism of the filmmaking, plus its shocking violence, Shakespearean plotlines, and wide tapestry of characters, launched a revolutionary new genre, establishing the series as one of the great masterpieces of world crime cinema.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

•Limited Edition Blu-ray Collection
•High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of all five original films
•Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays)
•Optional English subtitles for all five films
•Remembering Kinji – a new featurette about director Kinji Fukasaku and his work, featuring interviews with Kenta Fukasaku and film critic and Fukasaku biographer Sadao Yamane
•Secrets of the Piranha Army – a new documentary about the troupe of supporting actors who appeared throughout the series, featuring new interviews with original Piranha members Masaru Shiga and Takashi Noguchi, plus second-generation Piranha, Takashi Nishina and Akira Murota
•All the Bad Guys – a new, comprehensive video guide to the actors in the films
•Fukasaku Family – a new interview with Proxy War and Police Tactics assistant director Toru Dobashi
•Man of Action – a new interview with series fight choreographer Ryuzo Ueno
•Tales of a Bit Player – a new interview with supporting actor and stuntman Seizo Fukumoto
•Last Days of the Boss – a new interview with Final Episode screenwriter Koji Takada
•Yakuza Graveyard – a new interview with Takashi Miike about Kinji Fukasaku and the yakuza film genre
•Original trailers for the series
•Original poster gallery for the series
•Limited Edition packaging and reversible sleeves for all five films including original and newly commissioned artwork by Reinhard Kleist

THE COMPLETE SAGA [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
•English-subtitled premiere of the 224-minute compilation edition of the first four films, previously screened only as part of a limited Japanese theatrical release in 1980 and on the Toei cable channel
• Introduction by Complete Saga editorial supervisor Toru Dobashi

THE YAKUZA PAPERS [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
•150-page hardback book featuring writing on the history of the yakuza film genre, the background and continuing importance of the Battles series, and additional essays on the men who made them, including a newly-reprinted and fully annotated edition of Paul Schrader's classic 1974 Film Comment essay Yakuza-Eiga: A Primer, a new, exclusive English translation of screenwriter Kazuo Kasahara’s 1974 Scenario magazine essay on his writing process for the first four films, as well as new essays and interviews from critics and authors Chris D., Grady Hendrix, Patrick Macias, Tom Mes, Mark Schilling, and Jasper Sharp.


(Individual releases will follow the box set)

     

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Festival Hit 'Blood Punch' Coming to DVD and Digital HD on September 1st

Festival Hit Blood Punch Available Nationwide September 1

Die A Different Way on DVD and Digital HD

Los Angeles, CA - Bluff Road Productions and Midnight Releasing are excited to announce the DVD and VOD release of Blood Punch. Directed by Madellaine Paxson, the film reunites "Power Rangers RPM" stars Milo Cawthorne ("Deathgasm"), Olivia Tennet and Ari Boyland in a bloody thriller, centered on a murderous love triangle that takes a shocking and grisly supernatural turn. Blood Punch pulls you into its vicious cycle on DVD, Digital HD and cable VOD starting September 1.

"Blood Punch" has been an audience and critical favorite since its premiere at the Austin Film Festival, where it won the Dark Matters Audience Award. Paxson was honored with Best Director and Best Feature at the Hoboken Film Festival, while the film has taken home seven additional Audience and Best Feature awards.

Milton (Cawthorne, Deathgasm), a brilliant chemistry student breaks out of court-mandated drug rehab with a mysterious bad girl, Skyler (Tennet, "When We Go to War"). Looking to recruit a cook for a one-day drug score, she lures him to an isolated cabin with her psychotic and trigger-happy boyfriend Russell (Boyland, "Shortland Street").

Russell reveals that he plans to murder Milton as soon as he is finished cooking the drugs, and their simple love triangle quickly descends into a mind-blowing supernatural cycle of carnage and mayhem with no end...and no escape.

The DVD release of "Blood Punch" (SRP $17.98) will exclusively include deleted scenes, outtakes and test footage.

Order "Blood Punch" VOD on iTunes

You can also check out the films Facebook page.

You can read my review of the DVD here.

 

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1st Annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival Coming to Florida in October

SOUTH FLORIDA’S FIRST AND ONLY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL KICKS-OFF THIS OCTOBER

MIAMI, FL – Horror fans will soon rejoice as South Florida’s first and only genre film festival, the Popcorn Frights Film Festival, launches October 1-4, 2015 at the O Cinema Wynwood, premiering four acclaimed and highly anticipated international films, and an additional six shorts. 

“We’re thrilled to present such an array of cool, twisted, beautiful, mind-bending, horrifying, and hilarious films for our inaugural genre festival,” said Co-Founders & Co-Directors Igor Shteyrenberg & Marc Ferman. “We scoured the globe for the freshest and craziest films to present for our community of film lovers, and this first incredible selection of films just gives a small taste of the fun that will be in store as our Festival grows in future editions.”

The program for the first annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival is a fearsome feast filled with vampires, werewolves, psycho slashers, cannibals, and all the sinister things that go bump in the night. Opening Night will see the Florida Premiere of Tales of Halloween, an anthology film featuring shorts by the likes of Neil Marshall ( The Descent ), Lucky McKee ( May ), and Darren Lynn Bousman ( Saw II ), while the closing night highlight will be Bone Tomahawk, starring Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox, Patrick Wilson, David Arquette, and Sid Haig in a horrific Western about how the west was truly won…against savage cannibals!

Other buzzy entries in the lineup include the Florida Premieres of Howl, An American Werewolf in London -inspired creature feature, and the genre-bending supernatural shocker Diabolical, starring Ali Larter ( Final Destination , Heroes ). In addition to these feature films, the Festival will also present six award-winning short films as part of its official program, notably The Night of the Slasher, a remarkable shot-in-one-take short with nods to the slasher genre’s roots, and the eerie stop motion animated film The Shutterbug Man, which features a voice over narration by the queen of horror Barbara Steele.

The Festival’s Opening Night on Thursday, October 1st will kick-off with an under the stars courtyard reception courtesy of Pollo Tropical. The reception will be exclusive to Badge Holders.

LOCATION: 

All films will screen at 11pm at the O Cinema Wynwood (90 NW 29th Street).

TICKET SALES: 

Festival Premiere Badges are on sale for a limited time for $45, and single screening tickets are available for $12. To purchase badges or tickets and view the Festival schedule, visit popcornfrights.com.

MORE INFORMATION:

Follow the Popcorn Frights Film Festival on Facebook or Twitter for updates with the latest information about the Festival. Join the conversation using the hashtag #popcornfrights on social media.

FESTIVAL LINEUP

October 1st  

TALES OF HALLOWEEN, Florida Premiere 
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Adam Gierasch, Andrew Kasch, Neil Marshall, Lucky McKee, Mike Mendez, Dave Parker, Ryan Schifrin, John Skipp, Paul Solet US | 92 minutes | 2015  

Ten tales of terror unfold in a sleepy suburb on All Hallows Eve as ghouls, imps, aliens, goblins, demons, axe murders, and serial killers roam the witching hour. Join our celebration of all things Halloween with a host of dreaded nightmares directed by the cream of the scream industry crop.

INVADERS, Florida premiere

Directed by Jason Kupfer 
US | 7 minutes | 2014
It’s Thanksgiving and two would-be robbers are planning a quick heist. But they might get more than they bargained for.

 For more information visit the films Facebook page.

October 2nd

THE DIABOLICAL, Florida Premiere 

Directed by Alistair Legrand 
US | 86 minutes | 2015

Ali Larter ( Final Destination , Heroes ) stars in this genre-bending supernatural shocker as a single mother trying to protect her two young children from an increasingly strange and intense presence tormenting their quiet suburban home. Seeking help from her boyfriend, they embark on a hunt to destroy the violent spirit. 

THE SHUTTERBUG MAN, Florida Premiere
Directed by Chris Walsh 

Canada | 5 minutes | 2014

An all-out stop motion horror short that’s heavy on shadows and atmosphere and narrated by the queen of horror Barbara Steele.

For more information visit the films Facebook page or website.

HUSH, Florida Premiere
Directed by Michael Kehoe
US | 6 minutes | 2015

A young college graduate babysits an 8 year old girl during a terrible storm, only to realize their house is possessed by a malevolent entity.

For more information visit the films Facebook page or website.

October 3rd

HOWL, Florida Premiere
Directed by Paul Hyett
UK | 95 minutes | 2015

Make-up effects master Paul Hyett ( Dog Soldiers , The Descent ) creates a lycanthropic horror tale about a group of passengers on a midnight train who find themselves under attack by a terrifying pack of werewolves. As his effects background might imply, Hyett completely eschews CGI beasts and takes a more American Werewolf-inspired practical approach that is unlike anything the silver screen has seen before.

For more information visit the films Facebook page. 

BAD GUY #2, Florida Premiere
Directed by Chris McInroy
US | 10 minutes | 2014

This outrageously gory comedy follows a struggling hitman whose upward mobility lands him at the dreaded position of Bad Guy #2 – a prominent but ultimately expendable character in the bad guy pantheon – leaving him no choice but to up his game or die violently at the hands of his emotionally erratic boss. 

For more information visit the films Facebook page.

NIGHT OF THE SLASHER, Florida Premiere 

Directed by Shant Hamassian 

US | 12 minutes | 2015

Every slasher has rules for selecting his prey. But tonight’s prey might have the upper hand.

For more information visit the films Facebook page.

October 4th 

BONE TOMAHAWK, Florida Premiere 

Directed by S. Craig Zahler 

US | 95 minutes | 2015

Kurt Russell stars in this character driven and horrific Western about a group of men (including Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins) who set out to rescue a local woman and a young deputy who have been kidnapped by a tribe of cannibalistic troglodytes. This is a men-on-a-mission Western full of all the genre staples we love, but with the added joys of brutal horror such that, by the end of the film, you will understand how the west was truly won…against savage cannibals!

For more information visit the films Facebook page.

CROW HAND!!!, Florida Premiere 

Directed by Brian Lonano 

US | 3 minutes | 2014

The title says it all!

For more information visit the films Facebook page.

ABOUT POPCORN FRIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL

Popcorn Frights Film Festival presents the very best genre films from across the world as it celebrates the art of horror. As the first and only horror/genre festival in South Florida, its mission is to premiere films from emerging and established filmmakers enabling the industry and general audiences to experience the power of storytelling through genre film. The inaugural Popcorn Frights Film Festival will occur October 1-4, 2015.

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Contacts

Igor Shteyrenberg, Co-Founder & Co-Director, igor@popcornfrights.com 

Marc Ferman, Co-Founder & Co-Director, marc@popcornfrights.com

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Melany Rose - Help Support This Indie Horror Film

Horror movie Melany Rose seeks to raise funds through crowdfunding.

Synopsis:

A dark psychological thriller following Dr. Sullivan as she attempts to expose a government conspiracy surrounding Dr. Freeman and his test subjects made up of former death row inmates.

Pensacola Florida based Zero House Productions has been working to bring the full-length Melany Rose film into reality. “We found a great cast and crew,” shares director/writer Javan Garza, “but as we headed into production we knew we would need additional financial support to make the movie we want to make.”

Melany Rose is a take on Project MKUltra, a government funded mind control program operated covertly through the CIA. “I wanted to take those concepts about human experimentation and twist them into a present-day atmospheric horror movie,” says Garza.

“We landed on a great location in southern Alabama, have a cast I have the up most confidence in, and have a growing crew of dedicated professionals – but it gets expensive fast to make a full-length movie. From costumes, special effects, and dressing out the location space – everything that is shown on screen has a price tag,” states Garza of the filmmaking process. “Then logistic issues like generators, additional production gear, even down to having food and water on set – so many pieces come together behind the scenes too.”

With that, an Indiegogo campaign has been launched to support Melany Rose. Perks range from a $1 contribution which gets an official ‘thank you’ in the film’s credits to posters, scripts, t-shirts, and even an opportunity for an official producer credit.

“I am grateful to be surrounded by amazingly creative people. We want every of angle of Melany Rose, from the music to the lighting to be our best foot forward. I’d like to encourage everyone to take a moment and follow us across social media, invite your friends to do the same, and help us get the word of mouth moving.”

Garza remarks about how the film and entertainment community is continuously growing – and how supporting current genre geared projects can make all the difference in supporting indie filmmakers. “Most indie movies are true labors of love – we do this because we want to make a story that we believe is worth telling. And we hope you feel the same way about Melany Rose."

For more information and to help support the film, please visit the following websites:
Indiegogo page
Facebook page
IMDB page

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Night of the Demons 2 - Blu-ray Review - Olive Films

Angela's throwing another party

Released by: Olive Films

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Production Year: 1994

Region Code: A

Running Time: 1:35:47

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0

Video: 1080p (1.78 Aspect Ratio)

Subtitles: None

THE FILM:

It’s Halloween and the teenagers from St. Rita’s High School want to party at the neighborhood’s haunted house. For years, the Hull House has sat in eerie silence – tales of its haunted past have turned into gory jokes and no one really believes anything ever happened there. However, Angela (Amelia Kinkade), the hostess from hell is summoning her army of teen demons to the blood-curdling contest between the school’s priests and herself, the princess of darkness. What was intended as an innocent evening of fun and games turns into hell raising, life threatening ordeal… they wanted fun, now they’re in the trick-or-treat party of their lives! Stylishly directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Dead End Drive-In, Leprechaun 4: In Space).

I have always enjoyed "Night of the Demons 2" as much as "Night of the Demons." It is nice to once again say hello to Amelia Kinkade portraying the bewitching, Angela. She also goes on to reprise the role of Angela again in "Night of the Demons 3." I find the film to be pretty fun and entertaining. It does a good job at portraying the horny teenagers and other stereotypical characters like the shy good girl, the bad girl, jocks, and so forth. The film also features an attractive cast. So there's some eye candy for everyone. The film contains just the right amount of funny lines, so that it remains a horror title without crossing over to the horror-comedy realm. 

AUDIO:

The sole option on this Blu-ray of "Night of the Demons 2" is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. It does an adequate job at balancing the dialogue with the creepy sound effects and chilling soundtrack. The audio quality is excellent. 

VIDEO:

"Night of the Demons 2" parties its way on to Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films. The film is presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio. Colors and skin tones in the film look good for the most part. They can look a bit light at times due to the lighting used during filming. However, the abundance of lighting results in a very detailed looking picture. Close ups look terrific with the amount of detail that can be seen. Even wide shots look very good and have a nice amount of sharpness. Black levels look fairly good. There is a nice layer of film grain present throughout. I only noticed a small amount of white specks during the early part of the film. The picture quality is really quite pleasing. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio Commentary - This track features Director Brian Trenchard-Smith and Cinematographer David Lewis. One of the first things mention and is surprising is that the film was shot in 20 days, despite the studio wanting it done in just 18 days. The pair spend a fair amount of time talking about the lighting in various scenes, with David Lewis doing the majority of the commenting on that subject. They also discuss stories about the cast, settings, effects and other aspects of the production. Fans should enjoy this commentary as the duo cover a variety of topics and Brian Trenchard-Smith does a fine job of often talking about what is happening on the screen at the time.

IN CONCLUSION:

An entertaining film with a really nice Blu-ray release thanks to Olive Films. If you are a fan of the movie, you should add this release to your film library. It's a solid release with great audio and video quality. If you liked the first film and have yet to see this sequel, this should be a safe blind buy for you. 

OVERALL: 3.5 / 5

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