Here's some sweet news from our exclusive feed with Cult Labs, it's news about Arrow Video and Arrowdrome releases that WILL hit the streets during 2012. No exact dates as of yet, but it is more than enough to whet the appetite!
October 29, 2011
October 27, 2011
We Need To Talk About Kevin - New Poster
Coming soon from Oscilloscope Laboratories, who also brought us the excellent Rare Exports and Bellflower, is the thriller We Need To Talk About Kevin. Based on the novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver, which the company I work for publishes funnily enough, it's about the relationship between a mother and her son.
A suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller, Lynne Ramsay's WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN explores the factious relationship between a mother and her son. Tilda Swinton, in a bracing, tour-de-force performance, plays the mother, Eva, as she contends for 15 years with the increasing malevolence of her first-born child, Kevin (Ezra Miller).
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN explores nature vs. nurture on a whole new level as Eva's own culpability is measured against Kevin's innate evilness. Ramsay's masterful storytelling simultaneously combines a provocative moral ambiguity with a satisfying and compelling narrative, which builds to a chilling, unforgettable climax.
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Cast: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller
Cast: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller
Running time: 112 minutes
Theatrical Opening Dates:
January 27th 2012 - New York and Los AngelesThe Innkeepers - New Poster Debuts
I've posted about Ti West's latest film, The Innkeepers, a few time now and I have to say that I am really excited about it, without even seeing a trailer! It debuts On Demand on December 30th and then has a theatrical run starting February 3rd. Entertainment Weekly debuted the new poster earlier, and I thought I would share it with you. Below are a couple of earlier posters for it.
Synopsis: After over one hundred years of service, The Yankee Pedlar Inn is shutting its doors for good. The last remaining employees -Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) - are determined to uncover proof of what many believe to be one of New England's most haunted hotels. As the Inn’s final days draw near, odd guests check in as the pair of minimum wage “ghost hunters” begin to experience strange and alarming events that may ultimately cause them to be mere footnotes in the hotel’s long unexplained history
Watch the Halloween themed Night of the Pumpkin now!
I posted about Night of the Pumpkin not so long ago (you can read that post here) and now you can watch the 17 minute short movie in all its gory glory. I watched it yesterday and thought it was a riot! It's got a real cool 80's slasher(ish) kind of vibe to it, so if you can imagine Night of the Demons crossed with a slasher flick that features a pumpkin you will get the general idea. A quick word of warning, Night of the Pumpkin is definitely NSFW, or young kids or your puritanical parents! Sex, veg and rock n roll baby!
Night of the Pumpkin from Sideshow Pictures on Vimeo.
October 26, 2011
Filthy Review - Diabolique #6
Diabolique #6
Review by Jude Felton
As a reviewer and a fan I have never made any secret to my preference of print magazines over any other format, so it surprised even my good self that I had yet to cast my eyes over an issue of Diabolique. This has been rectified now, quite obviously, and the question I am still asking myself is why did I wait so long? I really do not have a good answer to that.
The first thing I noticed about Diabolique, as I am sure you will, is the quite gorgeous cover. Nothing quite conveys both horror and class quite as well as Vincent Price, and this cover art gets that across perfectly. The second thing I noticed, upon delving inside, is that this is not a magazine of tidbit information and news-bites, instead it is full of rich articles and interviews for you to immerse yourself in. The sort of content that makes, nay demands, you return to it time and time again.
In this issue, which is the September/October issue, virtually the entire magazine is dedicated to its cover star, the late and very great Vincent Price. There’s a quite extensive review of the classic movie Witchfinder General, which incidentally was filmed not far from where I used born and raised, coverage of the Vincentennial celebrations from St Louis, we have Roger Corman, Ian Ogilvy and Jane Asher interviews as well as a piece on Michael Reeves. On top of that there is still room for more! The only article that strays from being Vincent Price related is an interview with director Matthijs van Heijningen as he talks about the recently released, although at the time of this magazine’s release it had not been, The Thing prequel.
Each article is thorough and quite lengthy, there is no sense that anything had been rushed, instead research and passion fuel each and every one of them.
Diabolique is a full color magazine, although it does contain some black and white photos, and some of the pictures are exclusive to the magazine and have never been seen before. Quite fascinating I tell you.
The fact of the matter is that having Vincent Price on the cover should be more than enough to convince you to shell out a few coins for this issue. If that isn’t enough (why?) then the content should definitely draw you in hook, line and sinker.
Beauty isn’t always a word you associate with horror, and for good reason I might add, yet this truly is a beautiful magazine. The articles are well written and the look and feel of the magazine is one of class. Diabolique is most definite a genre magazine put together by genre fans and comes with a wholehearted recommendation from this writer.
Diabolique is available in both print and digital download formats and can be purchased at Horror Unlimited's website.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark DVD and Blu-ray release details
Troy Nixey's reboot of the TV movie Don't Be Afraid of the Dark will be hitting Blu-ray and DVD on January 3rd 2012 through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The movie, which stars Guy Pierce and Katie Holmes, is also produced by Guillermo Del Toro. I did enjoy this when I caught it at the theater, I thought it was a nice return to some old school style chills, rather than the in-your-face style blood and guts that we so often get. Both the Blu-ray and DVD come with three featurettes, with the Blu-ray featuring a conceptual art gallery.
“Scares the hell out of you.” - Eric Vespe, Ain’t It Cool News
Presented by Guillermo del Toro
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce and Bailee Madison Star in
“... Hands Down One of the Best – and Scariest – Horror Films of 2011” (Tony Timpone, Fangoria)
Debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital January 3rd
Bonus Features Include Three Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes
CULVER CITY, CALIF. (October 25, 2011) – Katie Holmes (Batman Begins, Jack and Jill), Guy Pearce (The King’s Speech, HBO’s “Mildred Pierce”) and Bailee Madison (Just Go With It) star in Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, the frightening horror film from Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy) debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital January 3rd from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. When she moves in with her father (Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Holmes), Sally (Madison) starts to hear voices coming from creatures in the basement. Blu-ray and DVD bonus materials include the three-part making-of documentary that explores “The Story,” “Blackwood’s Mansion,” and “The Creatures.” Blu-ray exclusive features include a conceptual art gallery. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark will be available for $35.99 SRP (Blu-ray) and $30.99 SRP (DVD).
Synopsis:
Sally, a young girl, moves to Rhode Island to live with her father and his new girlfriend in the 19th century mansion they are restoring. While exploring the house, Sally starts to hear voices coming from creatures in the basement whose hidden agenda is to claim her as one of their own.
Blu-ray and DVD Bonus Features Include:
- Three-Part Making-of Documentary
o “The Story”
o “Blackwood’s Mansion”
o “The Creatures”
Blu-Ray Exclusive Bonus Features Include:
- Conceptual Art Gallery
Directed by Troy Nixey from a screenplay by Guillermo Del Toro and Matthew Robbins and the teleplay by Nigel McKeand, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was produced by Mark Johnson and Guillermo Del Toro.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark has a running time of 99 minutes and is rated R for violence and terror.
October 25, 2011
Bloody Disgusting Selects gives us the Chop!
I don't know about you guys and gals out there, but I think the Bloody Disgusting Selects releases thus far have been pretty damned good. There's been a nice mix of Domestic and International horror on display and hopefully this will continue with their release of the horror/comedy Chop. It's directed by Trent Haaga, who wrote the fantastic Deadgirl, and is set for a DVD, VOD and Digital Download release on December 27th. Check out below for the official trailer.
Synopsis:
Lance Reed, a seemingly innocent man, is forced by a psychotic stranger to confront his duplicitous past. The mysterious stranger, seeking retribution for a past crime, forces Lance to reveal his inner most secrets by systematically removing his limbs! As time runs out and Lance’s limb count dwindles, he must recall what he’s done to the stranger before he doesn’t have a head to remember with. Jam-packed with laughs, gore and some insane twists, CHOP is the directorial debut of DEADGIRL screenwriter Trent Haaga.
Filthy Review - Faces in the Crowd
Faces in the Crowd (2011)
Review by Jude Felton
Milla Jovovich is without doubt most famous for her recurring role as Alice in the Resident Evil franchise. In these flicks she gets to kick a lot of ass and throw out a few cool one-liners. Now, whilst I enjoy these movies in a popcorn kind of way I much prefer her in movies such as A Perfect Getaway, and even the flawed The Fourth Kind, movies where she is required to dig a little deeper into her roles, rather than just jump from one action scene to the next. Faces in the Crowd is her latest attempt at a more serious role, and for the most part does a quite decent job.
This Canadian lensed movie follows Anna Marchant (Jovovich), a school teacher who survives an attack by the notorious serial killer Tearjerk Jack. The attack results in Anna developing face blindness, in which she is unable to distinguish the faces of other people. She can see faces, but not necessarily those she would expect to see. With the killer still at large a game of cat and mouse ensues as Anna tries to help Detective Kerrest (Julian McMahon) bring the killer to justice.
The premise behind Faces in the Crowd may be a little far-fetched but it did actual make for a fair engrossing movie. The characters Anna interacts with end up being played by several actors which kept me guessing as to who the killer actually was. The story did meander a little at times when it could have been a little more focused. Although saying this I do believe that this was an intentional ploy on behalf of director Julien Magnet to disorientate the audience, much as Anna is. Having Marianne Faithful pop up as a psychiatrist was quite a cool touch too.
What really holds the movie together though is Jovovich, it is after all her movie and she is also onboard as an Executive Producer, with her appearing in almost every scene. She plays the role of a confused and disorientated survivor with a wide-eyed innocence and gives a fairly believable performance.
Unfortunately there are too many convenient moments that take away from a promising premise which may lead to some viewers feeling a little short changed. That being said I would much rather watch Milla in a movie like this rather than a big budget, high action literary adaptation. Also, for a movie that features a serial killer prominently in the plot it is surprisingly restrained in the claret department. There are a few bloody scenes but nothing gory as this is a more of a psychological thriller as opposed to some of the more visceral serial killer movies out there.
Faces in the Crowd is a flawed movie but not one without it good points, and as such is worth a rental for Milla fans and fans of thrillers that are a little different from the norm.
Face in the Crowd is released on DVD, Digital Download and Blu-ray by Millennium Entertainment on October 25th.
October 24, 2011
Filthy Review - A Serbian Film
A Serbian Film (2010)
Review by Jude Felton
After what seems like years, although it was only released theatrically in 2010, the most notorious film of recent years rears its ugly head on DVD. You have no doubt all read about it and its infamous content, or at the very least heard about it, which is something to be said for a film that heralds from Serbia, believe it or not. So, how does the DVD release, from Invincible Pictures, hold-up? The big question was whether it would be an uncut release or not. Well, it is unrated but no it is not uncut. Usually having a movie cut for release would, on principle, be a bad thing. When it comes to A Serbian Film it is a different equation altogether, especially when you see what wasn’t cut. More on that later though, after all I should give you a little insight on what the movie is about as the title doesn’t give much away.
The focus of the film is Milos, a retired porn star, who in his time was THE swinging dick about town. His movies were the stuff of legend. Now though he is more than happy to spend time with his wife and son, and keep his distance from that world. Alas, good intentions don’t pay the bills, so when an ex-colleague informs him that his skills are wanted by an eccentric porn entrepreneur it would appear to be too good of an offer to turn down.
A Serbian is a dark film, pitch black in fact. This isn’t a film where moments of levity are thrown in to ease any discomfort you might, and should, feel. It is a full-on descent into the darkest of places, within the psyche and on the outside, and is designed to illicit a response from the viewer. And it will get a response of that you can be sure. A Serbian Film deals with subject matter that you won’t want to deal with, the imagery on the screen is pure filth, and as a viewer you are required to navigate your way through it.
I have watched the movie twice now and I still think that it is a good movie. The acting is excellent, it really needs to be to carry this film, and technically it all looks very good. The images are crisp and the excellent score washes over the entire movie. Yes, I do believe that this is a good movie, but I am not going to suggest sitting down with your family to watch it, unless you live with the Manson family. Watching this film requires a commitment from the viewer, one that isn’t usually needed with a horror film and this is most definitely a horror film. There are scenes of murder, graphic scenes of murder I might add, and these are brutal enough. It is when the movie ventures into the realms of sex and violence, in which it does frequently, that it really tests the viewer. A strong stomach is required my friend.
As with any notorious movie there are always those that will say that it’s nothing, it is just done for shock value. With A Serbian Film though it will shock, it will offend and it almost definitely will upset some viewers, make no mistake about that. As I previously mentioned this release does have cuts made to it which take a little edge off the movie. What is left is still incredibly powerful stuff though, and if you haven’t seen the uncut version you will probably agree that this is more than enough.
To wrap things up though I will say that A Serbian Film does what many horror films fail to do; it challenges the viewer and puts that viewer in an uncomfortable place for an hour and three quarters. You won’t feel good after watching this, and you may end up hating me for recommending it to you. Recommend I will though to those that demand to be challenged in their viewing. If you are unsure, I suggest you stay away. Either that or read a review that is happy to spoil the movie for you.
A Serbian Film paints a bleak portrait of the country of its title and wants nothing more than to assault your senses. If the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse got together with Ron Jeremy to make a movie they would probably come up with something not to dissimilar to this film. Approach with caution.
A Serbian Film is released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 25th through Invincible Pictures
A Better Tomorrow and Helldriver Blu-ray artwork and release info
Here's a look at the artwork for Well Go USA's release of the A Better Tomorrow remake and their release of Helldriver. A Better Tomorrow is released on November 8th, with Helldriver dropping on November 22nd.
“A remake that’s on the money.” – The Hollywood Reporter
“A classic unto itself.” – Film Critics United
Brothers. Enemies. Killers.
A BETTER TOMORROW
From Executive Producer John Woo Comes the Stylish Action Drama Starring Jin-mo Ju and Seung-heon Song,
Debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 8
Bonus Materials Include Deleted Scenes, a Photo Gallery
and a 30-minute Interview with John Woo
PLANO, TEXAS. (September 20, 2011) – The accent is on action when Jin-mo Ju (A Frozen Flower, The Warrior) and Seung-heon Song (So Close, Ghost) star in the remake of John Woo’s 1986 cult classic A Better Tomorrow, debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 8 from Well Go USA. Double-dealing among rival Thai and Korean mob syndicates provide the fuel for this fast-paced crime thriller that also stars Kang-woo Kim (Marine Boy) and Han Sun Jo. Bonus materials include deleted scenes, a photo gallery, behind-the-scenes interviews with director Hae-sung Song and the film’s actors, and a 30-minute interview with executive producer John Woo. A Better Tomorrow will be available in a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack for $29.98 SRP and on DVD for $24.98 SRP.
Synopsis:
Kim Hyuk (Joo Jin-Mo) lives the fast life as a high ranking mobster in the port city of Busan, South Korea. His closet friend is fellow mobster Lee Young-Choon (Song Seung-Heon). Even though Kim Hyuk seems to be on top of the world, he is haunted by the memory of leaving behind his younger brother Kim Chul (Kim Kang-Woo) and mother as they attempted to flee into South Korea from North Korea. Kim Hyuk’s mother was beaten to death and Kim Chul imprisoned after they were caught by North Korean authorities.
Kim Hyuk then travels to Thailand with new gang recruit Jung Tae-Min (Jo Han-Seon) for a meeting with Thai gangsters. The meeting turns out to be a set-up, planned in part by Jung Tae-Min. Kim Hyuk is able to shoot his way out the meeting, but he is later caught by the Thai police and imprisoned. When good friend Lee Young-Choon hears of what happened to Kim Hyuk in Thailand, he goes to the Thai gang’s holdout in Pusan to kill their boss. During the shootout Jung Tae-Min is shot in the leg.
Three years later, Kim Hyuk is finally released from prison and travels back to Busan. He finds his close friend Lee Young-Choon washing cars now and has a limp leg. Jung Tae-Min, the man that betrayed him, has climbed up the mob ranks and is now a feared crime boss. Furthermore, Kim Hyuk’s younger brother Kim Chul has arrived in Busan and works for the Busan Police Department. Meanwhile, Kim Chul keeps close tabs on Jung Tae-Min as he attempts to take down their gang.
Bonus Features Include:
§ 30 minute interview with John Woo
§ Deleted Scenes
§ Actor and Director interviews
§ Theatrical Trailer
§ Photo Gallery
A Better Tomorrow has a runtime of approximately 124 minutes and is not rated.
“Helldriver explodes with goodness!” – Cole Abaius, Film School Rejects
“Plenty of gore, comedy and carnage to go around!” – Colleen Wanglund, CinemaKnifeFight.com
Welcome to Zombie World!
HELLDRIVER
Japanese Splatter King Yoshihiro Nishimura Delivers a Blood-Soaked Gore Fest on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 22
Extensive Bonus Materials Include Three Spinoff Short Films Set Within the
Helldriver Universe: Helldriver Dokata, Catch Me If You Can! and Bailout!
PLANO, TEXAS. (September 26, 2011) – From director Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl) comes the epic, apocalyptic Zombie-fighting road movie Helldriver, featuring non-stop, over-the-top splatter action debuting on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack and DVD November 22 from Well Go USA. The latest cult film from the prolific Japanese production company Sushi Typhoon, Helldriver takes place in a Japan where half the population has become not-so-sexy flesh eaters and the economy has gently withered away ... until Kika (Yumiko Hara) arrives. A stunning high school girl armed with an artificial heart-powered chainsaw sword, she leads a motley crew of desperados on a secret mission into the zombie-infected wilds to exterminate zombie queen Rikka (Eihi Shiina, Tokyo Gore Police) and put an end to the plague of the living dead.
The extensive bonus features include three exclusive short films set within the Helldriver universe: Helldriver Dokata (directed by Helldriver First Assistant Director Jun Shiozaki), Catch Me If You Can! (directed by Lighting Director Hiroshi Ota), and Bailout! (directed by poster designer Yoshiki Takahashi). Additional added value includes an in-depth interview with the Japanese splatter king himself, Yoshihiro Nishimura and two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “The Making of Helldriver,” directed by Helldriver actor Demo Tanaka that not only details the making of the film, but also the literally hellish conditions under which the film was shot (two-week shooting schedule, bad weather) and "Sushi Typhoon: Tokyo Invasion!," featuring interviews with many of the Sushi Typhoon team while launching the Sushi Typhoon festival, where four films were screened for a month in the Ginza area of Tokyo. Helldriver will be available in the Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack for $29.98 SRP and on DVD for $24.98 SRP.
Synopsis:
A meteorite crashes into Japan, releasing a toxic ash that turns inhabitants in the northern half of the country into bloodthirsty zombies. Some time later, with the north now walled off from the rest of Japan, a young woman (Yumiko Hara) is charged with leading a group of ragtag soldiers into the infected region to kill the "zombie queen" (Shiina) - who also happens to be her homicidal mother.
Bonus Features Include:
§ Director Interview with Yoshihiro Nishimura
§ “The Making of Helldriver” featurette
§ "Sushi Typhoon: Tokyo Invasion!" featurette
§ Short Films
o Helldriver Dokata
o Catch Me If You Can!
o Bailout!
§ Trailers
Helldriver has a runtime of approximately 114 minutes and is not rated.
Teaser Trailer for Fatal Pictures upcoming Familiar
Filthy Giveaway - Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
I am happy to announce that the latest giveaway here on the Lair is a copy of the DVD for the quite wonderful Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. It's released on DVD and DVD/Blu-ray Combo on October 25th and all you have to do to get your grubby mitts on a copy is send me an email with your name and address (I'm not Santa, so it ain't gonna get there if I don't have it) to judefelton@hotmail.com. This giveaway will end on Halloween baby! Yes, October the 31st. It is going to hurt to let this go as this was my favorite film of last year and you can check out my review here. Many thanks to Oscilloscope Laboratories for providing the DVD!!
My decision is final as usual
SYNOPSIS
It's the eve of Christmas in northern Finland, and an 'archeological' dig has just unearthed the real Santa Claus. But this particular Santa isn't the one you want coming to town. When the local children begin mysteriously disappearing, young Pietari and his father Rauno, a reindeer hunter by trade, capture the mythological being and attempt to sell Santa to the misguided leader of the multinational corporation sponsoring the dig. Santa's elves, however, will stop at nothing to free their fearless leader from captivity. What ensues is a wildly humorous nightmare – a fantastically bizarre polemic on modern day morality.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE is a re-imagining of the most classic of all childhood fantasies, and is a darkly comic gem soon to be required perennial holiday viewing.
Cronenberg gets psychological in A Dangerous Method
Director David Cronenberg's latest movie, A Dangerous Method, is set to open in New York and Los Angeles on November 23rd. The impressive cast includes Keira Knightly, Michael Fassbender , Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassel in a story that focuses on the relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud and one of their patients. It may seem a far cry from the director's earlier work such as Shivers and Videodrome, but his work has evolved over the years with movies such as A History of Violence still packing one hell of a punch, so I am sure this will not be a run-of-the-mill period piece. Time will tell, although I am liking what I see from the trailer. In the meantime I have a shedload of stills and the official trailer to share with you.
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: Christopher Hampton
Cast: Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Gadon, Vincent Cassel
Runtime: 99 minutes
Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) as his patient in A Dangerous Method. Jung's weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). Both men fall under Sabina's spell.
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