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I am the only one who liked the American remake of "Pulse", although the rest of the Fright would like to see "Pulse 2" titled, "Pulse 2: Why-Fi?". I liked it in all it's shot entirely through a blue-filter glory.
So in this blessedly Ian Somerhalder free sequel the spirits of the dead have once again found their way into our world via our wireless routers and cell phones. Firewall, much?
You can check out the clip here.
IOF FIRST LOOK: FEAR ITSELF - "SKIN AND BONES"
Indie genre favorite Larry Fessenden (THE LAST WINTER, WENDIGO) tackles this week's episode of FEAR ITSELF entitled, "Skin and Bones" concerning a subject that director is quite familiar with.
A rancher, played by Doug Jones (HELLBOY, PAN'S LABYRINTH) goes missing in the mountains for ten days
and miraculously returns home... rather different. Now, his somewhat dysfunctional family must face the
ravenous, supernatural force residing inside him.
What makes this episode really work is the incredible Doug Jones. If fellow HELLBOY star Ron Perlman is this
generation's Boris Karloff, then Jones is most definitely our Lon Chaney. Doug absolutely owns this
role, his performance shining through the very subtle prosthetics and makeup. It's clear that this man is
more than just a guy with foam latex stuck to his face. He's a very rare kind of actor who understands makeup as a tool, and works with it instead of around it. He shifts effortlessly between creepy, scary and physically imposing, transforming himself from the inside out, changing even his voice.
Director Larry Fessenden may be working with a different palette here than what he is used to, but the finished piece is still very well crafted. It must be challenging to keep indie sensibilities while dealing with limited running time, commercial breaks and network execs, and I do get the feeling that maybe he wasn't able to put as much of himself into the episode as he would have liked to, but then again he has two films that deal with the same subject in a much different way. In a recent interview, he joked that "Skin and Bones" is like the big-budget Hollywood
remake of WENDIGO, and while that observation is not too far off, the finished product is certainly not without Larry's fingerprints on it. There are a quite a few moments of real dread and fear, and some wonderfully composed, creepy shots of Doug doing nothing at all. I would love to see a director's cut of this released on DVD if possible.
Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan wrote the episode, and are best know for John Carpenter's MASTERS OF HORROR episodes, "Cigarette Burns" and "Pro-Life". The script (which can be read on-line for a limited time) is not bad, it just seems to be following the same beats as their previous episodes with a different setting.
Apparently John Carpenter was intended to direct this episode, but it was ultimately offered to Fessenden. The thing is, having Larry Fessenden direct an episode about a Wendigo is like having George Romero direct
and episode about zombies... it's kind of obvious. It would have been more interesting to see writers and chosen director tackle material outside their respective comfort zones. Hopefully we'll get to see that if NBC orders up another season.
"Skin and Bones" is a solid episode of the so-far-so-good season of FEAR ITSELF, worth watching for Doug Jones alone. It airs this Thursday on NBC so be sure to tune in or set your TiVo's. Check local
listings for times.
-Jay Alvino
Also check out our recent Fright Exclusive Interview with Director Larry Fessenden:
Since we know how many of you out there are huge Jason Voorhees/FRIDAY THE 13TH fans, we figured we'd share with you the following short film. FRIGHT friend Dave Neabore, (who's supplied us with those fantastic convention report videos from FANGORIA WEEKEND OF HORRORS and MONSTER MANIA) has just completed a new short film titled... JASON HURTS! Here's the synopsis from the You Tube page: "Jason Hurts is a parody of the Cymbalta drug commercial and Jason Voorhees from the Friday The 13th movies. This short film was directed by Dave Neabore, written by D. Scott Adams, and starring Greg Merkle as Jason. Depression can affect anyone... ENJOY!! " And now ... the short!
Ah, here's another Comic-Con video making its way on-line! I wish the studios would just release this material officially so fans can start getting excited! But alas, here's some footage from THE WOLFMAN presentation!
EMPIRE's got a beautiful high resolution scan of the theatrical one-sheet poster for MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, which opens January 16th, 2009! (See below!)
Here's a newer synopsis that the EMPIRE article is running with the image:
"Based on the 1981 cult horror, My Bloody Valentine 3D, directed by Patrick Lussier, tells a tale of Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles), a man who caused an accident in a coal mine in the town of Harmony, killing five men and putting one into a coma. That man, Harry Warden, wakes from his coma one year on with his mind set on revenge. Somewhat overzealous in his definition of revenge, he brutally murders 22 people before being killed himself.
Ten years on, Hanniger returns to Harmony hoping to make up for his past. His ex-girlfriend, Sarah (Jaime King), has married his former best friend (Kerr Smith). But that's really the least of his worries, since a killer wearing a miner's mask and armed with a pick axe has started, well, picking off the townsfolk. Is it Harry Warden back for revenge? We don't know! We just don't know! Run!
MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D was directed by Patrick Lussier (DRACULA 2000) and stars SUPERNATURAL's Jensen Ackles, Jaime King (THE TRIPPER), Kerr Smith (FINAL DESTINATION), Edi Gathegi, Kevin Tighe & Megan Boone.
If you're going to try to catch the highly regarded adaptation of Clive Barker's "The Midnight Meat Train" you can now do so for less than a one-way ticket on the NYC subway. Both Shock Till You Drop and Bloody-Disgusting are reporting that instead of merely dumping the film in limited release, it will now play mostly in 2nd run and "dollar" theaters.
The genre's been kind to Lionsgate, you have to wonder why a studio so closely associated with horror would let selfish studio politics sideline the potential success of what we considered one of the best films to carry the Clive Barker name in over a decade. What a waste. (Hey, maybe I'll just wait to catch "Saw V" until it hits the 2nd run houses.)
Check out our review below to get an idea on what you'll be missing out on:
Guillermo del Toro and Miramax will produce a remake of the horror-thriller telefilm DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK according to The Hollywood Reporter. The article continues, "Comic book artist-writer Troy Nixey will make his feature directorial debut with the adaptation of ABC's 1973 cult classic. Del Toro is adapting Nigel McKeand's teleplay with Matthew Robbins, his writing partner on the 1997 horror film "Mimic" for Miramax's former genre label Dimension.
"Dark" centers on a young girl, sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend, who discovers sinister creatures that live underneath the stairs. Michael Falbo, Miramax's director of production and development, will oversee the project for the studio under president of production Keri Putnam.
The film is in its early stages; research and development of the monsters hasn't begun yet, and other producers might come aboard. Moviegoers can expect an upscale creature feature along the lines of del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth," with an emphasis on distinctive characters in keeping with the Miramax slate.
Directed by John Newland, the original telefilm (known as "Nightmare" in Europe) gained a cult following through syndication and home video release. Nixey wrote and directed the 2007 supernatural thriller short "Latchkey's Lament," a mix of CGI animation and live action. He has attained cult status for illustrating "Batman" and "Matrix" comics as well as writing and illustrating Dark Horse Comics' "Trout," which is in development at Phoenix Pictures.
"It has always been a dream of mine to work on a project with Guillermo, my favorite filmmaker," Nixey said. "I had no idea it would be on my first one out. Miramax's faith in me is everything a first-time director could ask for." Nixey is one of several emerging filmmakers, including "Orphanage" helmer Juan Antonio Bayona, mentored by del Toro." More when we hear it!
Yes! Genre vets James Gunn and James Wan are both working on comedy shorts for XBOX-Live and both have revealed the trailers to their respective projects via their My Space blogs. First, James Gunn (SLITHER, DAWN OF THE DEAD and yes, SCOOBY-DOO) is working on a bizarre looking web-series called HUMANZEE! Troma fans will be pleased to know that the "HUMANZEE" himself is played by Jame's brother Sean Gunn. (Both were in TROMEO & JULIET!) Here's the trailer:
Is this a new movie? We received this mysterious clip in our inbox today. Pass it on in "5 OR DIE" was what it said. So watch it and pass it on!
This most likely will not last on-line long, but get a quick tease of the FRIDAY THE 13TH trailer that screened at this past weekend's San Diego Comic-Con!
While I'm looking forward to seeing exactly how the Dowdle Brothers handle the American remake of [REC], I'm slightly disappointed by the spoiler-heavy advertising for QUARANTINE thus far. (This is based on having seen [REC], maybe they changed it drastically? But it sure doesn't look like it!) Regardless, IGN now has a RED-BAND trailer for QUARANTINE, which hits theaters on October 10th this year. It stars Jennifer Carpenter (THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, DEXTER), Jonathan Schaech (PROM NIGHT) and Jay Hernandez (HOSTEL). Watch the following trailer with caution! And read our review of the original Spanish movie this is based on right HERE! ([REC] is rumored to be getting a US DVD later this year as well.)
Hot on the heels of all the DEXTER news that surfaced these last few days from the San Diego Comic Con, Showtime has unveiled a video teaser clip for DEXTER SEASON 3!!! You can watch the clip below!
Hot on the heels of last week's announcement that Magnolia Pictures would be putting out the long-awaited sequel RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP on DVD October 14th, now the official SLEEPAWAY CAMP website has posted an exclusive on-line trailer! Go to the following link: http://www.sleepawaycampmovies.com/ (or click the teaser image below) and the trailer will appear on the main index page! (Note: Firefox users may have problems opening the trailer. Internet Explorer seems to work fine though.)
Ready for your first tease of SAW V, due out in theaters October 24th, 2008? Feast your eyes below!
Thanks to a promotional campaign over in Korea, we now can check out the opening 2 minutes of THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, directed by Ryuhei Kitamura and based on the classic Clive Barker story from his BOOKS OF BLOOD: VOLUME 1. Sadly, THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN is getting a limited release here in the States from Lionsgate on August 1st, 2008, but you can still enjoy the below clip, and support it if it's playing near you! The film stars Bradley Cooper (ALIAS), Brooke Shields (NIP/TUCK), Vinnie Jones (X-MEN 3), Leslie Bibb (IRON MAN) & Roger Bart (HOSTEL 2). After the clip is our FIRST LOOK review!
Fan-made anything is hit-or-miss, but it looks like these boys from upstate New York, without doubt, have got nards. Here's the teaser to their sequel to Fred Dekker's The Monster Squad:
Their YouTube page promises this is just a teaser, and that a 5 minute trailer is on the way, with apparently a feature length to follow. To paraphrase "Sean": If they pull this off, I'm gonna shit.
Below you can check out a behind the scenes exclusive set visit featurette that Reelz Channel did for the upcoming 3D FINAL DESTINATION 4, which comes out August 14th, 2009! The new sequel stars Nick Zano, Krista Allen (FEAST), Andy Fiscella, Shantel Van Santen, Bobby Campo, Haley Webb, Justin Welborn (THE SIGNAL), Mykelti Williamson & Richard T. Jones. David Ellis, the director of FINAL DESTINATION 2 returns behind the camera for FINAL DESTINATION 4. Eric Bress wrote the script. Check out the video below!
In today's issue of Entertainment Weekly, you can find a teaser image from FRIDAY THE 13TH and our first peek at Derek Mears as Jason Voorhees!!! Judging from the image, it looks like we're getting pre-"zombie" Jason ala FRIDAY THE 13TH 3 and 4! (Which I'm all for!) Check out the image below!
The new FRIDAY THE 13TH directed by Marcus Nispel and written by Damian Shannon & Mark Swift (FREDDY VS JASON) stars Jared Padalecki (SUPERNATURAL), Derek Mears (HILLS HAVE EYES 2), Amanda Righetti, Danielle Panabaker, Travis Van Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Adam Finberg, Nick Mennell (ROB ZOMBIE'S HALLOWEEN), Jonathan Sadowski, Nana Visitor, Arlen Escarpeta, Ryan Hansen, Richard Burgi, Julianna Guill and Willa Ford. It opens in theaters on Friday February 13th, 2009!
UPDATE: Shock Till You Drop.com just got a high resolution version of the image above which debuted in Entertainment Weekly today. (Well done, Rotten!) Click the close-up of Jason below for a better look! (That's Willa Ford in the water, by the way.)
Ten years later, Tom Hanniger returns to Harmony on Valentine's Day, still haunted by the deaths he caused. Struggling to make amends with his past, he grapples with unresolved feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Sarah, who is now married to his best friend, Axel, the town sheriff. But tonight, after years of peace, something from Harmony's dark past has returned. Wearing a miner's mask and armed with a pickaxe, an unstoppable killer is on the loose. And as his footsteps come ever closer, Tom, Sarah and Axel realize in terror that it just might be Harry Warden who's come back to claim them."
Below you'll find the 2nd teaser trailer (courtesy of Yahoo) from Summit Entertainment's upcoming adaptation of the Stephenie Meyer novel TWILIGHT. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and starring Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson, the first film of four proposed films (each based on the novels) hits theaters on December 12th, 2008!
Ok, ok. This looks pretty bad-ass. The teaser trailer for TERMINATOR: SALVATION has made it's way on-line! (It's rumored to play before THE DARK KNIGHT when it opens this Friday.) Directed by McG, the new TERMINATOR stars Christian Bale as John Conner as he wages war against the machines in the future. Oh, hell... just watch the trailer below!!! (HD version on Yahoo's site right HERE!)
Those beautiful fiends over at DREAD CENTRAL got the trailer to RED, the latest adaptation from one of Jack Ketchum's novels. The film directed by Trygve Allister Diesen (Lucky McKee was the original director) and written by Stephen Susco (THE GRUDGE) stars Brian Cox, Noel Fisher & Tom Sizemore. Magnolia Pictures puts it out in limited theatrical release on August 8th, 2008. Check the trailer out at DREAD's post HERE, down below, or on Apple's website.
Synopsis: Avery Allan Ludlow (Brian Cox), a Korean War vet with a tragic past, lives alone in a small town, where he runs the local hardware store. Av’s only companion is a 14 year-old ginger-haired dog, aptly named Red by Av’s late wife. One day, Av and Red are enjoying a placid outing at their favorite fishing spot when three boys and a shotgun come along. In an instant, Av’s lifelong friend is gone, the victim of a cruel, senseless act. Devastated, Av determines to find out who the boys are and why they did it. Helped by a local reporter (Dickens), Av tries to expose the truth, but his efforts are ignored by authorities and mocked by the teenagers. The boys’ parents, a rich local businessman (Sizemore) and, across town, a hardscrabble laborer (Englund) and his wife (Plummer), are just as determined to keep Av down. But, faithful to the memory of his best friend, Av single-mindedly presses for justice-with or without the law on his side.
The official My Space page for COTTONMOUTH has launched! COTTONMOUTH is the new short film from director Christopher P. Garetano (HORROR BUSINESS, SOUTH TEXAS BLUES) based on the Steve Bissette comic that made it's debut in the pages of GORE SHRIEK. Garetano plans on debuting the short on-line at COTTONMOUTH.TV on October 31st, 2008, this Halloween! In the meantime, you can check out the My Space page HERE where you'll find a few photos, as well as the first teaser trailer. (Also embedded below)
Every generation of kids has their own set of horror movie inspired toys. For us at Icons of Fright we feel lucky enough to have been brought up in an era when toys for kids were completely un-PC. In what other decade could Freddy Kruger of "A Nightmare on Elm Street", a child murderer, have shared the shelves of the toy stores with Slinky and Teddy Ruxpin, or in what other era could a "Raiders of the Lost Ark"/Indiana Jones inspired toys have been designed to seemingly give kids heart attacks? Those were the days.
In this Icons of Fright Exclusive Video hosted by Mike C, he shows you a few examples of some examples of the terrifying horror toys we grew up playing.
In celebration of Guillermo Del Toro's latest film HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (which is now playing in theaters), Big Red himself (Ron Perlman) made numerous appearances last week leading up to the grand premiere. Below you'll find a series of commercials of HELLBOY with GHOST HUNTERS, James Lipton, CHUCK (!), AMERICAN GLADIATORS and more! They're all only 30 second long each, so take a peek and check out HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY in theaters this weekend!
One of the most impressionable things about the horror genre (or even film in general) is this little thing known as the “theatrical trailer”. I love going to the movies early, getting comfortable in my seat, munching on my popcorn and candy while eagerly awaiting that beautiful giant green screen which moments before the feature presentation will start flashing me all of the latest and greatest movies to start getting excited for! Like most of you devoted readers out there, I grew up in a great period for horror. A period that saw just about every single horror movie converted into a franchise, and with our beloved bogeymen returning year after year in yet another sequel. (Hey, I loved it!) The purpose of the “theatrical trailer” (or “teaser” in some of these cases) was to give you a taste of what was to come, and make you terribly excited for the new adventure of your favorite baddie villain! The following are my personal TOP 10 HORROR SEQUEL TRAILERS. Please keep in mind that I’m not saying these are the greatest trailers to sequels EVER. This is just my personal list of trailers that I recall leaving an indelible mark on a once-budding horror fanatic. Most of the following films are in fact… not very good. But, the mere viewing of these trailers brings back memories of when I first bared witness to them and began letting my imagination run wild at the prospect of what the other 88 minutes of the sequel would be like. So, without further ado…
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 8: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1989)
Wow. Just wow. The year before, I had reached the peak of my absolute love for the FRIDAY THE 13TH series. I will never forget the experience of seeing FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 7: THE NEW BLOOD on the big screen with a dozen of my high school classmates and my guidance counselor (whom I convinced to get us all in)! So, when I first saw this teaser, it just blew me away. At first, you’re not even sure what movie this is for. You hear the trademark “New York, New York” tune and in comes the slow zoom to the back of a mysterious figure over looking the harbor when… BAM! He turns around, machete in hand and it’s Jason Voorhess in the middle of Manhattan! I couldn’t believe it! Jason was going to be set loose on the very city I lived in! To say this trailer made me excited would be an understatement. Several month later, the movie actually turned out to be “Jason Takes The Love Boat On It’s Way To Vancouver”. I still have fantasies of what this movie could’ve been. (Including my imaginary ending where Tina from Part 7 happens to be vacationing in Manhattan with her boyfriend Nick and fights Jason yet again!) Ah, well. We still have the teaser!
BONUS VIDEO: Jason On Arsenio Hall –
I remember watching this live a few days before the release of JASON TAKES MANHATTAN and yet again, it left me beyond excited. Arsenio Hall interviews Kane Hodder, in character as Jason and offers the famed serial killer several suggestions on follow-up films. (A few of them, quite funny!) Sadly, FRIDAY 8 bombed at the box office and he wouldn’t be brought back until New Line picked up the series and decided that their first FRIDAY film… would actually kill Jason once and for all… and be the last?!
LEATHERFACE: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III (1990)
By 1990, I had become obsessed with Tobe Hooper’s two TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE movies. I remember always sleeping over my buddy David’s house, and we’d literally watch CHAINSAW 2 on repeat until the wee hours of the night or until we’d both pass out. So, when I read in the pages of FANGORIA that a new CHAINSAW was on the way, I couldn’t freakin’ wait. Then, we rented some horror flick from the local “mom & pop” video shop and this teaser came on before the feature. Again, it starts out so that you’re not sure what movie the trailer is for. But once that chainsaw starts coming out of the water, 14 year old Robg jumped for joy! Sure, this teaser is absolutely ridiculous, and who would’ve thought of comparing the cannibal killer “Leatherface” with a mythological tale, but by God… this teaser’s just cool as hell! And I ended up enjoying the movie as well!
FREDDY’S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE (1991)
Look, Freddy was one of my all time favorite characters and in fact the first monster villain to truly scare the crap out of me. (I was forced to watch the original NIGHTMARE at 10 by my older cousins and it scarred me for life.) While I was first in line for NIGHTMARE’s 4 and 5, this was the trailer that left me riveted. “As a boy, he was always different…” (So was I!) There were hints here that we were finally going to see the origins of Freddy Krueger. (At the time, I was also obsessed with Tobe Hooper’s pilot episode of “Freddy’s Nightmares” which was also an “origin” story.) Factor on that the sequel had cameo’s by Alice Cooper (as Freddy’s dad!) and Johnny Depp, stared the gorgeous Liza Zane (whom I still harbor a crush on to this very day), teased at some soon-to-be-classic Freddy one-liners (Hey, I was 15 at the time!) and would have a grand finale in 3D… Freddy’s death just couldn’t come soon enough! The final film? Well… it was ok. But definitely not what I expected. And did the 3D really work for anyone out there? Alas, we still have the trailer! "What's with kids today, huh?"
CHILD’S PLAY 2 (1990)
“Sorry, Jack. Chucky’s back!” The tagline that made no sense, but that I still quote to this day. Oh, oh, oh! It’s because there’s a “jack-in-the-box” in this trailer, but not in the actual movie! Regardless, I loved Tom Holland’s CHILD’S PLAY. (Let’s give credit where credit is due, please.) So, when I first saw this trailer to the teaser, I was ready for “more Chuck for my buck”. Love the 80’s style score of this trailer, Gerrit Graham and that cute chick from AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. AND that odd eyeball gag at the end! "Keep an eye out for it!"
HALLOWEEN 5: THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS (1989)
Ah, yes. Probably one of my all time favorite sequel trailers because nothing in it reflects the actual movie! Ok. Let’s do the play by play. “This time they’re ready.” Cut to a shot of a heavily armed police officer ready to take Michael down! (There was no such scene in the final film. Just some cops ditching his house and leaving the little girl unprotected!) “This time… he’s unmasked! (Funny… didn’t they pull his mask off at the end of the first movie? Sooo… he kinda was unmasked right from the beginning. And what’s with that “ripping” sound effect?!) And “THE REVENGE” subtitle. It’s awesome, but… who exactly was Michael Myers getting revenge on in this movie? Ah, let’s just watch it again, shall we? And imagine the movie where all of the above questions are answered!
ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992)
By 92, I was already an EVIL DEAD fanatic. As well as a Bruce Campbell fan. (My friend Steve and I screamed like little girls at his cameo at the end of DARKMAN the year before.) So, after already seeing glimpses of ARMY OF DARKNESS (AKA EVIL DEAD 3) at a NY Fangoria Weekend Of Horror’s show, we knew we were in for a treat. This trailer captures all the humor and manic energy that eventually ended up on the screen. Love all the Metallica songs they use in this trailer (first SAD BUT TRUE, then HOLIER THEN THOU), even though it’s totally not the Metallica versions. (I’m amazed they didn’t get sued?! Oh, right, PRE-Napster.) And of course, Bruce’s witty dialogue. “Honey, you got realll ugly.” When I throw on the DVD, I still usually watch this trailer first prior to watching the full movie. LOVE IT!
HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (1992)
I love when any sequel trailer has to remind you of how awesome the previous movies were. Throw in a tag line that incorporates the subtitle of the movie, and I’m sold. “This time, it’s going to be HELL… ON EARTH!” I seriously need to revisit this movie because it’s literally been years. And while most rag on it as an inferior sequel, I remember thinking the cenobite with the CD’s in his head was kinda bitchin’. (What’d’ya want from me? I was 16 at the time! And I loved these new things called… CD’s!)
PSYCHO III (1986)
Ok, confession for this one. I actually didn’t see the trailer for PSYCHO III until long after I saw the movie. But it’s by far one of my favorite sleazy 80’s horror movies, so I had to include it here. I mean, crazy, suicidal nuns? Juliette Cummins, the cute redhead from FRIDAY 5 topless? Perkins as director? The weird fact that everyone thinks Robert Maxwell is a young, hot reporter? All the shots of “mother”? Jeff Fahey?! IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FAHEY! “Norman Bates is back to normal… but ‘mother’ is off her rocker… AGAIN!” Bask in this fabulous theatrical trailer!
THE EXORCIST III: LEGION (1990)
This. Movie. Scared. The. SHIT out of me!!! There’s still one scene, to this day that gets me every time. (Oh, you know the one I’m talking about.) But it was the trailer that made me rabid with anticipation to catch an early matinee showing of THE EXORCIST 3: LEGION in theaters on opening weekend. That famous music. The intro text “Do you dare walk these stairs… again?” George C. Scott. Brad Dourif! That shot of the Jesus statue opening his eyes?! A sequel that lives up to the trailer and exceeds it.
STEPFATHER 2 (1989)
Long before Terry O’Quinn was John Locke on LOST, he was… THE STEPFATHER! And believe it or not, he came back and reprised this villainous role for the Jeff Burr directed sequel! (Jeff also directed one of the other films in this TOP 10 list, “LEATHERFACE”!) So, you’ve got nutty family man O’Quinn back! You’ve got crazy eyed Meg Foster! You’ve got the late Jonathan Brandis! Caroline Williams from CHAINSAW 2! The tag line “Make room for daddy!” And my favorite bit of dialogue in this trailer, “You will NEVER find a better family man then me.” Highly underrated sequel! Check out the trailer, then the movie.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
PET SEMATARY 2 (1992)
I’ve got to include a few honorable mentions. PET SEMATARY 2, just for having the audacity to exist. Hell, it’s got Edward Furlong, hot of the heels of TERMINATOR 2, and REVENGE OF THE NERD’S Anthony Edwards! (Sorry, buddy! ER doesn’t count in my book!) Jared Rushton from BIG! Original director Mary Lambert returning. Ok, It doesn’t have Gage, but it’s got plenty of fun lines in the trailer. “Mom’s dead.” “…She doesn’t have to be.” And, “your father and I need to talk.”
CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE (1988)
Say what you will… but I loved the first CRITTERS movie. And sure, while this sequel doesn’t have Dee Wallace or Billy Zane, it’s got Scott Grimes back! And Lin Shaye! And a gag with a Freddy Krueger standee! (Remember, I was Freddy obsessed at the time!) This was the first movie from director Mick Garris, who later went on to direct several Stephen King adaptations and create the MASTERS OF HORROR series on Showtime. CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE to me was always a fun, entertaining creature flick, and this trailer definitely represents that.
HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS (1988)
Holy crap! It’s 1988, I’m trotting around the latest issue of FANGORIA in my gym class, trying to hide out in the corner and read it, and Michael Myers is on the front cover. Words could not describe how excited I was for the return of Michael Myers! (At the time, I watched HALLOWEEN 2 countless times on TV.) I love everything about this trailer. That opening text scroll, the HALLOWEEN theme kicking in just as the eye holes from the mask come down over frame. Loomis! The explosions! Hell, the title! And Donald Pleasence’s last bit of dialogue, “Maybe nobody knows how to stop him.”
Well, those were the trailers that embodied my childhood love of horror. Hope you dug them and remembered them too. Comment below with your thoughts! I’d love to hear ‘em! –Robg.
Other TOP 10 articles:
Below you'll find 2 video clips from the Summit Entertainment's upcoming adaptation of the Stephenie Meyer novel TWILIGHT. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and starring Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson, the first film of four proposed films (each based on the novels) hits theaters on December 12th, 2008. Get a tease below!
Ya gotta love staged reality TV! A clip from THE TWO COREY's has conveniently made it's way on line, just in time for the DVD release of LOST BOYS 2: THE TRIBE. In the clip, we get some behind the scenes footage of Corey Feldman and Corey Haim on the set of the LOST BOYS sequel. Witness the mini-meltdown of Corey Haim. (Poor Sam Emerson. What happened?) Feldman looks bad-ass as usual though. Watch the clip below! LOST BOYS: THE TRIBE hits shelves on July 29th!
Having just seen Hellboy 2 and witnessing how effortlessly Guillermo del Toro mixed multiple film genres, I felt obligated to stylize my latest “Ten Films” list after that concept. I mean, if del Toro can make a science fiction/action/horror/fantasy film – and do it effortlessly – why can’t most people figure out how to capture the magic of genre-benders?
Most readers probably have a clue which film genre I cherish most, and with that in mind, I’ve decided to compile my list of the best horror specific genre-benders for all to appreciate.
So, without further ado… I submit to you:
 | ALIENS, MY FAVORITE ACTION/HORROR FILM. Aliens is always incorrectly categorized as a science fiction film, but just because a film has creatures from outer space in it, doesn’t make it sci-fi. Aliens is a terrifying horror spectacle with some of the best action setpieces ever captured on film. From the first harrowing drop to the infested planet to the final battle between Ripley and the queen (“Get away from her, you bitch!”), movies rarely get scarier or more action-packed. |
 | SCREAM, MY FAVORITE HORROR/COMEDY FILM. I originally had Peter Jackson’s Dead/Alive listed as my favorite horror/comedy hybrid, but the more I thought about it, I realized that there is virtually nothing scary about it. Scream, on the other hand, is both terrifying and hilarious from its opening scene until the end credits roll. Ridiculed by some as the birth of “trendy horror”, Scream deserves all the acclaim it can get. It never fails to pull any punches while remaining a hilarious commentary on the then-tired slasher genre. |
 | TENEBRE, MY FAVORITE HORROR/MYSTERY FILM. Italians do horror/mystery films so well; they gave them their own genre – the giallo. And the film that reigns supreme on the top of my giallo pile is Dario Argento’s Tenebre, a perfect amateur detective story, juxtaposed against grotesque murders falling straight out of a splatter film. Just when you think you can’t handle another twist or scare, the film spins you 180 degrees and covers you in gore. When all is revealed by the film’s end, you’re left with a terrifying, head-scratching reveal unlike before or since. |
 | THE SHINING, MY FAVORITE HORROR/DRAMA FILM. My short attention span keeps me from enjoying far too many talky dramas, yet there is something inherently brilliant about The Shining’s slow-burn portrayal of a family descending into unimaginable madness. Nicholson gives the performance of his career, building both the drama and horror in every warped expression. When the walls of reality come crashing down in the film’s final act, its all the more terrifying in that its happening to people that you now have a deep emotional attachment to. Plus, it has furries in it. |
 | ARMY OF DARKNESS, MY FAVORITE FANTASY/HORROR FILM. Very few filmmakers have tried tackling the fantasy/horror hybrid. All those duds that Lucio Fulci churned out must have left a very sour taste in the collective Hollywood mouths. Sam Raimi, however, was able to craft a brilliant third chapter to his Evil Dead series by literally tossing it’s hero into the realm of high fantasy. Bruce Campbell tackles his memorable Connecticut Yankee role with charm and finesse, but it’s the stop-motion skeletons, evil doppelgangers, and fantastical creatures that truly steal the show. |
 | JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING, MY FAVORITE SCI-FI/HORROR FILM. The Thing is one of those films that defies logic, in that there is no reason why its simplistic plot and cookie-cutter characters should be so engrossing. Yet somehow, under the direction of the once-awesome John Carpenter, the alien life form that infects this remote Antarctic research station ends up becoming one of the cinema’s greatest scream machines. From the moment we first realize just how big its spaceship really is, to the movie’s chilling final image, the film achieves its goals on every level, provoking logical questions and scaring the holy crap out of you. |
 | DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, MY FAVORITE ROMANTIC HORROR FILM. Dellamorte Dellamore (released as Cemetery Man in the US) is a movie that, for a short time, was my absolute favorite film. When I first saw Michele Soavi’s gothic masterpiece, I was so caught up in its tale of love and redemption from beyond the grave, that I couldn’t shake it from my head. Years later, it’s still hard to forget – not only because of the beautiful performances by Rupert Everett and Ana Falchi, but because of the horrors that dwell below its surface. The spectre of Death in that film still gives me the heebie-jeebies. |
 | RAVENOUS, MY FAVORITE HORROR/WESTERN FILM. Once I was able to get past Ravenous’ screeching original score, I was completely riveted to its fast-paced tale of feral flesh-eaters in the Wild West. The fact that it was set in 1847 wasn’t just an afterthought, but an integral part of the storytelling process… and a necessity for any good genre-bender. When Ravenous’ credits roll, you have to mentally step out of the film’s Sierra Nevada fort and back into the 21st century – and you’ll be watching your back for days. |
 | FACES OF DEATH, MY FAVORITE DOCU-HORROR FILM John Schwartz's Faces of Death has, over time, lost a lot of its infamy, as nearly all of the footage from it has been proven fake. What tends to be forgotten, however, is how powerful the film still manages to be, even once its outed. The acting is sub-par, but the scenarios themselves are horrifying. Having death presented in a documentary style only furthers its creepiness. Plus, those 70s hairdos are just mind-boggling. |
 | DEATHDREAM, MY FAVORITE WAR/HORROR FILM All right, so Deathdream isn't actually about war, itself, but rather the long-lasting effects of war. The image of Richard Backus wandering aimlessly around his home, a member of the living dead, after returning from Vietnam is truly bone-chilling. It manages to be both terrifying and political without every being too heavy-handed. Bob Clark, we miss you. - Ted Geoghegan |
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Low-budget filmmakers often regurgitate plotlines to make a buck or two on whatever's hot. Look at the 1974 blaxploitation flick Abby (a blatant Exorcist rip-off) or the recent Transmorphers (which needs no further clarification). Unless it's a sanctioned remake, they rarely cite their source material… and even when they're blatant about it, the casual moviegoer can pick up on what The DaVinci Treasure is trying to cash in on. Let's face it, most of these folks aren't claiming to be innovative.
But what happens when they do claim to be original? On top of that, what happens when the tables are turned and Hollywood rips off lesser-known (or simply outdated) features? It doesn't just happen… it happens all the time – especially in genre films.
Just because their names are Ridley Scott, Michael Bay, and Sam Raimi doesn't mean they shouldn't cite their source material. "Homages" my adorable butt. These are rip-offs, plain and simple. Sure, they're great films, and oftentimes superior to their originals, but they're thefts nonetheless.
Gathered below are my ten favorite films that fooled us into thinking they were original… movies that "borrowed" so much from an earlier feature that they simply can't deny the parallels. Can you name both features, based solely on their amazingly-similar plot descriptions?
I could, but if you couldn't already tell… I don't have much of a life.
 | PLOT: In the not-too-distant future, a ragtag group from Earth lands on an uncharted extra-terrestrial world, thought to be devoid of life. Little do they know, a serpentine alien life form has stowed away on board their ship. After take-off, the crew begins to disappear, one-by-one, as the remaining staff tries in vain to fight back against the alien presence. When all else fails, the airlock is blown and the creature is sent tumbling into deep space. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: Alien (1979) WHO DID IT BETTER: Alien, by a long shot. Giger's alien is a Hell of a lot scarier than a dude who looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. WORTH NOTING: Both aliens love hiding out in air ducts while they dine on their victims. |  |
 | PLOT: In an "original" story by Michael Crichton, a futuristic amusement park opens, offering guests the opportunity to safely become part of a world never before glimpsed by modern eyes. Unbeknownst to the current visitors, an electrical short disables the safety precautions and, within minutes, the attractions turn deadly. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Westworld (1973) BUT CRICHTON RIPPED OFF HIS OWN SCRIPT TO WRITE: Jurassic Park (1993) WHO DID IT BETTER: Tough call. Both movies are great, but the rip-off's special effects and performances are uniformly better. WORTH NOTING: In the Simpsons episode "Itchy and Scratchy Land", the physical attributes of Westworld and Jurassic Park are combined to create the titular theme park. |  |
 | PLOT: A group of college kids take a weekend trip into the woods. A professor's foreboding voice is played on a tape recorder. The students are inexplicably drawn toward an ancient book that holds an unknown evil power. Upon reading from its pages, demons are summoned up, which proceed to possess the kids, killing them off in various gruesome ways. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Equinox (1970) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: The Evil Dead (1981) WHO DID IT BETTER: The Evil Dead is monumentally better than the experimental Equinox, and the gore gives it an edge that wasn't widely available in 1970. WORTH NOTING: Equinox also features an evil doppelganger of the film's hero and a supernatural vortex leading to a medieval castle, both of which were ripped off for Evil Dead 2. |  |
 | PLOT: A man, living in strange facility, dreams of one day winning the "lottery", so he can leave the compound and live the rest of his life in an unseen promised land. Eventually escaping from the facility, he discovers that he is a clone, the lottery is a lie, and that both he and his fellow clones are harvested as spare parts for their original, outside world counterparts. He then returns to his compound to alert the other clones of their impending fates. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: The Clonus Horror (1979) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: The Island (2005) WHO DID IT BETTER: Somehow, the rip-offs continue to win. While The Island isn't a masterpiece, Clonus can actually bore you to tears. WORTH NOTING: In both films, the male lead escapes down a steel corridor, across a catwalk, through a drainage pipe, across a desert, and ends up on a rocky bluff, overlooking his surroundings. |  |
 | PLOT: A group of amateur filmmakers journey into the wilderness, hoping to capture footage of a territorial legend. Little do they know, there's truth to this legend, and something evil is actually lurking amongst the trees. Pretty soon, the token scared girl is crying into the camera and everyone's arguing like children. When they start getting picked off, and only the cameraman is left alive, he rushes for safety, but is clobbered upside the skull by an unseen force. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Cannibal Holocaust (1979) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: The Blair Witch Project (1999) WHO DID IT BETTER: Cannibal Holocaust is one of the most shocking movies ever made, but Blair Witch is just a better film. WORTH NOTING: The final "footage" in both films is of the camera falling to the ground and landing sideways, revealing one final shock. |  |
 | PLOT: A lonely governess cares for two small children in a sprawling British estate. Soon, suspicions are raised that the mansion might be haunted and the woman begins a personal paranormal investigation. More terrifying than the strange intruders in her home, she eventually realizes that it may be the children themselves who harbor the supernatural secret she seeks. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: The Innocents (1961) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: The Others (2001) WHO DID IT BETTER: A dead heat here. The Innocents is a chilling mystery, but The Others' twist ending is nice, added icing to the story. Its your call. WORTH NOTING: Makers of The Ring (a remake, itself) ripped off various creepy sounds from The Innocents to put onto its infamous cursed videotape. Did they credit the original? No way! |  |
 | PLOT: A lone suburban teenager realizes that the block's new resident carries an ancient supernatural curse. The kid witnesses the evil neighbor take a date home, walk her to an open window, and then gets caught peeking at them exhibiting their supernatural bloodlust. Soon, the teen's best friend has been captured by the neighbor and made into one of them, but no one's buying the story. Looks like it's time to team up with a local TV show host to stop the ghoulish menace! THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Fright Night (1985) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE LESSER-KNOWN: Never Cry Werewolf (2008) WHO DID IT BETTER: Finally, an original that just completely kicks the crap out of its rip-off. The only thing the rip-off has is Kevin Sorbo, but even he can't replace Roddy McDowall. WORTH NOTING: This is the only rip-off on my Top Ten that I actually second-guessed putting in, but the sheer balls that these guys had by trying to pass this off as a "Sci-Fi Original" somehow got it listed. |  |
 | PLOT: A reptilian alien lands on Earth. It soon feels at home in the dense trees that cover most of its surface and begins to do what it does best - hunt. The hulking beast bleeds humans dry, but before it gets a chance to do additional damage to mankind, a team of tough-as-nails mercenaries decide to track it down, turning the extra-terrestrial hunter into the hunted. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO:Without Warning (1980) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: Predator (1987) WHO DID IT BETTER: Without Warning was never released on VHS or DVD. Predator is Predator. WORTH NOTING: 7'2" actor Kevin Peter Hall played the alien hunter in both films. |  |
 | PLOT: A young woman leaves the protection of her parents and wanders into the woods. Three strangers attack her, brutally raping and murdering the young woman. The criminals then flee the scene of their crime, and unintentionally end up at the home of their victim's parents. When the parents discover what has happened, they turn the tables on the murderers and calculatingly avenge their daughter. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Jungfrukällan – The Virgin Spring (1960) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE BETTER-KNOWN: Last House on the Left (1972) WHO DID IT BETTER: Ingmar Bergman's original is a beautiful, haunting film – but the ferocity of Wes Craven's rip-off spiraled it into grindhouse infamy. Last House didn't win awards at Cannes, but it stills blows your mind. WORTH NOTING: The gruesome story, which was originally set in 14th century Sweden, was again used in 2005 for the colossal horror misfire, Chaos. |  |
 | PLOT: A Chinese guy, a cocky American with too much luggage, and a handful of others board a galleon to a mysterious island where they are forced to take part in a secretive martial arts tournament. The guy who runs the place has a huge bodyguard who crushes people with his arms, but the cocky American eventually kills him. The token black guy gets beaten to death. The villain uses various illusions to trick our Chinese hero, but finally ends up getting impaled through the back. THE ORIGINAL IDEA BELONGED TO: Enter the Dragon (1973) BUT WAS RIPPED OFF AS THE EQUALLY-WELL-KNOWN: Mortal Kombat (1995) WHO DID IT BETTER: Enter the Dragon. Robin Shou doesn't hold a candle to Bruce Lee… and the original's got John Saxon. Saxon always wins. WORTH NOTING: John Saxon does not get frostbite. John Saxon bites frost. |  |
Other honorable mentions can go to many more obvious rip-offs, such as Disturbia (Rear Window); A Fistful of Dollars (Yojimbo); Miller's Crossing (The Glass Key); and the "inspiration for" (i.e. complete plot of) Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress. The reason they, and many others, weren't listed here was because their filmmakers have actually admitted to "borrowing" techniques from the originals.
I realize there's not a lot of wacky Ted opinion in this blog, so if you don't feel like commenting, don't worry about it. I just needed to write about movies.
You geeks probably know how that can be. - Ted Geoghegan
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