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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
