A white-knuckle thrill ride directed by horror maestro George A. Romero, Monkey Shines features a top-notch cast including Jason Beige, Kate McNeill, John Pankow, Joyce Van Patten, Stephen Root, Stanley Tucci and Janine Turner as well as cutting edge 80s practical effects from Tom Savini, Greg Nicotero and Everett Burrell.
When college athlete Alan Mann is left wheelchair bound after a tragic accident, his world contracts into one of soul crushing depression and impotent rage. Abandoned by his girlfriend and left in the hands of an unsympathetic nurse who cares more about her pet parrot than her patient, Alan’s wretched life is changed for the better when he is gifted a capuchin monkey named Ella. Ella is trained to help Alan with day-to-day tasks, in essence replacing his paralysed limbs. But when Ella starts feeding off Alan’s darker impulses and revenge-filled dreams, things start to become deadly for those around him.
When college athlete Alan Mann is left wheelchair bound after a tragic accident, his world contracts into one of soul crushing depression and impotent rage. Abandoned by his girlfriend and left in the hands of an unsympathetic nurse who cares more about her pet parrot than her patient, Alan’s wretched life is changed for the better when he is gifted a capuchin monkey named Ella. Ella is trained to help Alan with day-to-day tasks, in essence replacing his paralysed limbs. But when Ella starts feeding off Alan’s darker impulses and revenge-filled dreams, things start to become deadly for those around him.
- 2/7/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
For years, Heather Wixson has dazzled readers on Daily Dead with her passionate and premier knowledge of makeup effects, and this Halloween season, horror and sci-fi fans got the ultimate treat when Dark Ink released Heather's new book, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume 1 (the first book in a four-volume series), and a book signing is taking place this weekend at the Dark Delicacies bookstore in Burbank!
Featuring author Heather Wixson and the legendary makeup artist Ve Neill, the Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume 1 book signing will take place this Saturday, November 6th at 3:00pm Pt at Dark Delicacies.
If you're in the area, be sure to swing by to meet Heather and Ve Neill and purchase a signed copy of the book! For more information, visit:
https://www.darkdel.com/store/p2454/Sat%2C_Nov_6th_3_pm%3A_Monsters%2C_Makeup_%26_Effects%3A_Vol_1.html#/
If you can't make it to Burbank this weekend,...
Featuring author Heather Wixson and the legendary makeup artist Ve Neill, the Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume 1 book signing will take place this Saturday, November 6th at 3:00pm Pt at Dark Delicacies.
If you're in the area, be sure to swing by to meet Heather and Ve Neill and purchase a signed copy of the book! For more information, visit:
https://www.darkdel.com/store/p2454/Sat%2C_Nov_6th_3_pm%3A_Monsters%2C_Makeup_%26_Effects%3A_Vol_1.html#/
If you can't make it to Burbank this weekend,...
- 11/5/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
“I found the Handler to be really a costume designer’s dream because I was really allowed full rein as I have rarely experienced in the past. I was allowed to do exactly what I wanted with her,” says “The Umbrella Academy” costume designer Christopher Hargadon about his Emmy-nominated work on the Netflix series. “She’s a time-traveling, psychopathic fashionista.” We talked to Hargadon as part of our “Meet the Btl Experts” panel of Emmy-nominated costume designers. Watch our interview above.
“The Umbrella Academy” follows the adventures of a dysfunctional family of superheroes who in season two found themselves stranded in 1960s Dallas in the years leading up to the John F. Kennedy assassination. Hargadon is nominated for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes for the second episode of the season, “The Frankel Footage,” as the family begins to reunite. But as Hargadon points out, the episode is also distinguished by the...
“The Umbrella Academy” follows the adventures of a dysfunctional family of superheroes who in season two found themselves stranded in 1960s Dallas in the years leading up to the John F. Kennedy assassination. Hargadon is nominated for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes for the second episode of the season, “The Frankel Footage,” as the family begins to reunite. But as Hargadon points out, the episode is also distinguished by the...
- 8/12/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Blue Underground continues to give their catalogue of films the 4K Uhd treatment and next up is George A. Romero and Dario Argento's Two Evil Eyes, which is being released on August 24th!
The Masters of Modern Horror -George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In Romero's The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of The Fog) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitelof From Dusk Till Dawn) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?
Martin Balsam (Psycho...
The Masters of Modern Horror -George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In Romero's The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of The Fog) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitelof From Dusk Till Dawn) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?
Martin Balsam (Psycho...
- 8/5/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
“This whole story is a lot about dysfunctional family,” says director Stephen Surjik about the superhero family at the heart of “The Umbrella Academy.” But “somehow that dysfunctional family is a great illustration of what a family should be for each other. They should be there to support one another.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Surjik above.
See‘The Umbrella Academy’ visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell: ‘Every season we have to top ourselves’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“The Umbrella Academy” follows the Hargreeves siblings, who were all born under mysterious circumstances on the same day around the world. They’re adopted by a billionaire who raises them to be a superhero team while gravely neglecting their emotional needs. In season one they joined forces to stop the apocalypse. In season two they’re transported through time and trapped in the 1960s, where they have to stop another apocalypse.
Surjik directed the second...
See‘The Umbrella Academy’ visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell: ‘Every season we have to top ourselves’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“The Umbrella Academy” follows the Hargreeves siblings, who were all born under mysterious circumstances on the same day around the world. They’re adopted by a billionaire who raises them to be a superhero team while gravely neglecting their emotional needs. In season one they joined forces to stop the apocalypse. In season two they’re transported through time and trapped in the 1960s, where they have to stop another apocalypse.
Surjik directed the second...
- 6/15/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
For the second season of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, VFX supervisor Everett Burrell was tasked with not only expanding upon the superpowers of the Hargreeves, but also bringing the viewer into the past to show Dallas, Texas in the 1960s.
The Umbrella Academy follows a family of adopted children, now grown up, born with special powers and raised to be a group of superheroes. Following a risky escape from the apocalypse at the end of last season, the second season sees the Hargreeves thrown back in time to the 1960s, scattered over a three-year period. With a new doomsday to stop, the family attempts to reset the timeline once again and subvert the apocalypse.
While the first season took place in 2019, the second season takes place in Dallas, Texas between 1960 and 1963. “That city has changed drastically since 1963,” says Burrell. “We digitally scanned all of Dealey Plaza with a LiDAR,...
The Umbrella Academy follows a family of adopted children, now grown up, born with special powers and raised to be a group of superheroes. Following a risky escape from the apocalypse at the end of last season, the second season sees the Hargreeves thrown back in time to the 1960s, scattered over a three-year period. With a new doomsday to stop, the family attempts to reset the timeline once again and subvert the apocalypse.
While the first season took place in 2019, the second season takes place in Dallas, Texas between 1960 and 1963. “That city has changed drastically since 1963,” says Burrell. “We digitally scanned all of Dealey Plaza with a LiDAR,...
- 6/14/2021
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
“Oh, it was definitely our Marvel movie moment,” says “The Umbrella Academy” visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell when describing the apocalyptic vision that the title superhero siblings are trying to prevent in season two of the Netflix series, which premiered in July 2020 (production on season three is currently underway). But scenes like that aren’t the only way visual effects play an important role in telling the story. Watch our exclusive video interview above.
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, “Umbrella Academy” explores the lives, conflicts, and occasional apocalyptic crises of a team of adoptive siblings who were born under mysterious circumstances and all developed superpowers. Season two finds them stranded in the 1960s and fighting to get back home while also facing yet another cataclysmic threat to the planet.
See‘The Umbrella Academy’ cast, ranked: Who’s the best...
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, “Umbrella Academy” explores the lives, conflicts, and occasional apocalyptic crises of a team of adoptive siblings who were born under mysterious circumstances and all developed superpowers. Season two finds them stranded in the 1960s and fighting to get back home while also facing yet another cataclysmic threat to the planet.
See‘The Umbrella Academy’ cast, ranked: Who’s the best...
- 6/12/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
For years, Daily Dead Managing Editor and author Heather Wixson has celebrated makeup effects artists in her Practical-ly Perfect column, and that celebration will continue in Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Conversations with Cinema’s Greatest Artists, a new four-volume series from Dark Ink that features more than 80 conversations with the artists behind many of horror and sci-fi cinema's most iconic, creepy, and altogether entertaining creations!
Volume 1 of Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Conversations with Cinema’s Greatest Artists will be released early this summer.
We have a look at the cover art and the official press with additional details below, and you can pre-order the book now in hardcover and paperback from Dark Ink's website:
https://aminkpublishing.com/shop/ols/products/pre-order-of-monsters-makeup-and-effects-paperback
Press Release: Dark Ink is thrilled to announce the release of Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Conversations with Cinema’s Greatest Artists, a four-volume series from journalist Heather Wixson that celebrates both the...
Volume 1 of Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Conversations with Cinema’s Greatest Artists will be released early this summer.
We have a look at the cover art and the official press with additional details below, and you can pre-order the book now in hardcover and paperback from Dark Ink's website:
https://aminkpublishing.com/shop/ols/products/pre-order-of-monsters-makeup-and-effects-paperback
Press Release: Dark Ink is thrilled to announce the release of Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Conversations with Cinema’s Greatest Artists, a four-volume series from journalist Heather Wixson that celebrates both the...
- 2/17/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
A version of this story on the effects in “The Umbrella Academy” first appeared in the Comedy/Drama/Actors issue of TheWrap’s Emmy Magazine.
“We barely made it,” said visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell with a laugh, remembering the rush to finish postproduction on the first season of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy.” “Episode 10, especially, was huge. It had so much going on.”
For the unfamiliar, the 10th and final episode of the comic-book adaptation’s first season features one character ending a climactic battle by shooting a laser from her chest and destroying the moon, raining a spectacular apocalypse down on Earth in the process. But according to Burrell, showrunner Steve Blackman’s mandate for visual effects was consistent from the jump: Keep it simple. The goal was to rein in some of the more dramatic elements of the widely beloved source material and create the show’s own unique visual language.
“We barely made it,” said visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell with a laugh, remembering the rush to finish postproduction on the first season of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy.” “Episode 10, especially, was huge. It had so much going on.”
For the unfamiliar, the 10th and final episode of the comic-book adaptation’s first season features one character ending a climactic battle by shooting a laser from her chest and destroying the moon, raining a spectacular apocalypse down on Earth in the process. But according to Burrell, showrunner Steve Blackman’s mandate for visual effects was consistent from the jump: Keep it simple. The goal was to rein in some of the more dramatic elements of the widely beloved source material and create the show’s own unique visual language.
- 6/20/2019
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
With its complex character and environmental work, The Umbrella Academy brought a long list of challenges for VFX supervisor Everett Burrell.
Based on comic books created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, the Netflix series centers on a dysfunctional family of adopted sibling superheroes, who reunite following their father’s mysterious death to counter the threat of an impending apocalypse.
Starting out on the project, Burrell was tasked with bringing each of its characters’ powers to life in post, while supporting its portrait of an idiosyncratic, crumbling world. Then, there was Pogo, a talking chimpanzee character who needed to appear as real on screen as any of the actors with whom he shared scenes. “He’s not a dragon; he’s not a giant alien creature,” Burrell reflects. “He’s this character that lives and breathes inside the academy, along with everybody else.”
As ambitious and effects-heavy as The Umbrella Academy was,...
Based on comic books created by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, the Netflix series centers on a dysfunctional family of adopted sibling superheroes, who reunite following their father’s mysterious death to counter the threat of an impending apocalypse.
Starting out on the project, Burrell was tasked with bringing each of its characters’ powers to life in post, while supporting its portrait of an idiosyncratic, crumbling world. Then, there was Pogo, a talking chimpanzee character who needed to appear as real on screen as any of the actors with whom he shared scenes. “He’s not a dragon; he’s not a giant alien creature,” Burrell reflects. “He’s this character that lives and breathes inside the academy, along with everybody else.”
As ambitious and effects-heavy as The Umbrella Academy was,...
- 6/17/2019
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One of Netflix and Ucp’s most dynamic 2019 series had a number of notable stars — but honestly, one of “The Umbrella Academy’s” most important figures was the hyper-intelligent Pogo, a CGI chimpanzee whose not-so-human status didn’t keep him from being a beloved figure.
“I love Pogo,” showrunner Steve Blackman told IndieWire. “He’s fabulous in so many different ways. It’s just a wonderful thing to think that a whole bunch of people brought this character to life, and people loved him. It’s just a great feeling.”
Pogo, a father figure to the super-powered children at the heart of the Netflix series, was a definite figure of sympathy. He was also, according to visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell, “a really scary point for production” — which was why, of all the production entities involved with the show, Weta Digital was brought on first.
Weta Digital, of course, is...
“I love Pogo,” showrunner Steve Blackman told IndieWire. “He’s fabulous in so many different ways. It’s just a wonderful thing to think that a whole bunch of people brought this character to life, and people loved him. It’s just a great feeling.”
Pogo, a father figure to the super-powered children at the heart of the Netflix series, was a definite figure of sympathy. He was also, according to visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell, “a really scary point for production” — which was why, of all the production entities involved with the show, Weta Digital was brought on first.
Weta Digital, of course, is...
- 5/7/2019
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
The Visual Effects Society announced nominees for the organization’s 17th annual awards on Tuesday.
Leading the way in the film and TV fields, respectively, were Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and Netflix’s “Lost in Space.” Each picked up six nominations. Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” received the most nominations among animated feature contenders with five.
“Ready Player One” also landed five nominations, while “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and “Welcome to Marwen” each earned three. “Christopher Robin” and “First Man” picked up a pair apiece, while “Ant Man and the Wasp” landed one. Those films joined “Avengers: Infinity War” on the Academy’s list of 10 semifinalists for the category, each of which displayed their wares at the organization’s annual Visual Effects Bake-Off on Jan. 5.
Notably, Marvel’s “Black Panther” and Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” — the final two films on the Academy’s bake-off...
Leading the way in the film and TV fields, respectively, were Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and Netflix’s “Lost in Space.” Each picked up six nominations. Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” received the most nominations among animated feature contenders with five.
“Ready Player One” also landed five nominations, while “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and “Welcome to Marwen” each earned three. “Christopher Robin” and “First Man” picked up a pair apiece, while “Ant Man and the Wasp” landed one. Those films joined “Avengers: Infinity War” on the Academy’s list of 10 semifinalists for the category, each of which displayed their wares at the organization’s annual Visual Effects Bake-Off on Jan. 5.
Notably, Marvel’s “Black Panther” and Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” — the final two films on the Academy’s bake-off...
- 1/15/2019
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Variety Film + TV
The Visual Effects Society has revealed nominations for the 17th annual Ves Awards, which will recognize the best VFX artistry and innovation in film, animation, TV, commercials and video games.
Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity Wars and Netflix’s Lost In Space lead the film and TV categories this year with six nominations, respectively. Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 tops the animation field with five noms.
Winners will be announced during a ceremony February 5 at the Beverly Hilton hosted by Patton Oswalt. Also at the gala, the annual Ves Visionary Award will be presented to Westworld‘s Jonathan Nolan, while the Ves Award for Creative Excellence will be presented to Game of Thrones masterminds David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Here are the nominees announced Tuesday in 24 categories:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Avengers: Infinity War
Daniel DeLeeuw
Jen Underdahl
Kelly Port
Matt Aitken
Daniel Sudick
Christopher Robin
Chris Lawrence...
Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity Wars and Netflix’s Lost In Space lead the film and TV categories this year with six nominations, respectively. Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 tops the animation field with five noms.
Winners will be announced during a ceremony February 5 at the Beverly Hilton hosted by Patton Oswalt. Also at the gala, the annual Ves Visionary Award will be presented to Westworld‘s Jonathan Nolan, while the Ves Award for Creative Excellence will be presented to Game of Thrones masterminds David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Here are the nominees announced Tuesday in 24 categories:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Avengers: Infinity War
Daniel DeLeeuw
Jen Underdahl
Kelly Port
Matt Aitken
Daniel Sudick
Christopher Robin
Chris Lawrence...
- 1/15/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
While “Avengers: Infinity War” topped the 17th annual Ves Awards (to be held February 5th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel) with six nominations, “Black Panther,” Marvel’s other Oscar frontrunner, was shut out. And Damien Chazelle’s acclaimed “First Man,” another frontrunner, was included in the supporting category as a result of its invisible VFX. Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns,” meanwhile, was also snubbed.
However, joining “Infinity War” in the top VFX category were a surprising list: “Ready Player One” (with five nominations), “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” “Christopher Robin” and “Welcome to Marwen.” Joining “First Man” for supporting VFX were “12 Strong,” Bird Box,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Outlaw King”.
In animation, Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” was the big winner with five nominations, followed by Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” with four. They were joined by Illumination’s “The Grinch” and Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs.
However, joining “Infinity War” in the top VFX category were a surprising list: “Ready Player One” (with five nominations), “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” “Christopher Robin” and “Welcome to Marwen.” Joining “First Man” for supporting VFX were “12 Strong,” Bird Box,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Outlaw King”.
In animation, Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” was the big winner with five nominations, followed by Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” with four. They were joined by Illumination’s “The Grinch” and Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs.
- 1/15/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
As television continues to provide portals into fantastic, compelling worlds outside the constraints of space, time and physics, it’s increasingly vital that those imaginative environs — speculative futures ranging from cyberpunk cityscapes to colonizing spacecraft to high-tech A.I. theme parks to an ancient and sprawling fantasy landscape and an insidious dimension encroaching the recent past — be as utterly convincing as possible. As the Emmy nominees in visual effects so effectively demonstrate, a major factor in asking an audience to suspend their disbelief is delivering inviting, sumptuously crafted alternate realities viewers can readily believe in.
Altered Carbon (pictured top)
Netflix
For the series-launching episode “Out of the Past,” senior vfx supervisor Everett Burrell says the challenge was both clear and complex: to establish a world set three centuries from now.
“I had to build stuff not only for the pilot, but for the rest of the season,” he says. “We...
Altered Carbon (pictured top)
Netflix
For the series-launching episode “Out of the Past,” senior vfx supervisor Everett Burrell says the challenge was both clear and complex: to establish a world set three centuries from now.
“I had to build stuff not only for the pilot, but for the rest of the season,” he says. “We...
- 8/2/2018
- by Scott Huver
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix’s “Altered Carbon” (adapted from the novel by Richard Morgan) picks up where “Blade Runner” left off, offering a new twist on dystopian cyberpunk. Set in a future San Francisco, it explores digitized consciousness, disposable humanity, and the class divide. And the Emmy-nominated VFX is a standout for its eye candy and efficiency.
“We always tried to figure out a way to make something really cool, staying on budget and on schedule, with feature quality visual effects at 4K,” said production VFX supervisor Everett Burrell, who collaborated with lead studio Double Negative on more than 1,500 shots.
Read More: ‘Altered Carbon’ Review: Netflix’s ‘Blade Runner’ Wannabe Is in Love With Your Body, But Needs Something New
In the year 2384, San Francisco has become the multi-tiered Bay City, covered by a cloud blanket and powered by alien tech, including digitized consciousness, ubiquitous AI, and buildings that soar 8,000 feet. First, the...
“We always tried to figure out a way to make something really cool, staying on budget and on schedule, with feature quality visual effects at 4K,” said production VFX supervisor Everett Burrell, who collaborated with lead studio Double Negative on more than 1,500 shots.
Read More: ‘Altered Carbon’ Review: Netflix’s ‘Blade Runner’ Wannabe Is in Love With Your Body, But Needs Something New
In the year 2384, San Francisco has become the multi-tiered Bay City, covered by a cloud blanket and powered by alien tech, including digitized consciousness, ubiquitous AI, and buildings that soar 8,000 feet. First, the...
- 7/20/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Winning an Emmy as a makeup effects creator before transitioning to an accomplished career as a visual effects supervisor, Everett Burrell needed to bring all of his talents to the table with Netflix cyberpunk series Altered Carbon, in order to bring an intricate, expansive sci-fi world to life.
Set in the megalopolis of Bay City—what became of San Francisco—in 2384, Laeta Kalogridis’ series imagines a world where consciousness has been extracted onto miniature disks, buildings extend thousands of feet in the air, AIs roam freely, and holographic advertisements litter the public space.
To build out a futuristic world operating by its own rules—with new vocabulary, new technology, and its own strange social hierarchy—Burrell would have to do his share of real-world, scientific research while allowing the imagination to take him where it would.
If you’re looking for the most spectacular, technically sophisticated episode of Altered Carbon’s first season,...
Set in the megalopolis of Bay City—what became of San Francisco—in 2384, Laeta Kalogridis’ series imagines a world where consciousness has been extracted onto miniature disks, buildings extend thousands of feet in the air, AIs roam freely, and holographic advertisements litter the public space.
To build out a futuristic world operating by its own rules—with new vocabulary, new technology, and its own strange social hierarchy—Burrell would have to do his share of real-world, scientific research while allowing the imagination to take him where it would.
If you’re looking for the most spectacular, technically sophisticated episode of Altered Carbon’s first season,...
- 6/21/2018
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
For the third week of February, Scream Factory is delivering a double dose of terror in their releases of the recent indie horror flick Animal as well as the 1989 cult classic adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera starring Robert Englund and Jill Schoelen.
Magnolia is also bringing us V/H/S: Viral, the latest edition of their popular horror anthology series, home on Blu-ray, DVD and VHS (which is awesome!), and indie genre fans have tons of new titles to look forward to. And for you Game of Thrones fans out there, season four is making its way on Blu and DVD this Tuesday too.
Animal (Scream Factory, Blu-ray/DVD)
When plans for a weekend getaway hit a dead end, a group of close-knit friends finds themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, pursued by a menacing, bloodthirsty predator. Holed up in an isolated cabin, they turn on one another as...
Magnolia is also bringing us V/H/S: Viral, the latest edition of their popular horror anthology series, home on Blu-ray, DVD and VHS (which is awesome!), and indie genre fans have tons of new titles to look forward to. And for you Game of Thrones fans out there, season four is making its way on Blu and DVD this Tuesday too.
Animal (Scream Factory, Blu-ray/DVD)
When plans for a weekend getaway hit a dead end, a group of close-knit friends finds themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, pursued by a menacing, bloodthirsty predator. Holed up in an isolated cabin, they turn on one another as...
- 2/17/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Scream Factory has detailed their February 2015 release of The Phantom of the Opera, starring Robert Englund:
“Los Angeles, CA – Get ready, Freddy. Scream Factory is going to the opera! A Blu-ray release of The Phantom of the Opera, including several bonus features, has been announced for release on February 17, 2015.
Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Galaxy of Terror, Freddy vs. Jason) assumes the classic role of The Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston Leroux’s timeless tale of music, madness and murder.
An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen, The Stepfather) enjoys success through the arrangements of her new lover (Englund)… until she realizes that he has been committing unspeakably grisly murders in her honor and won’t stop until he’s completed his masterpiece…...
“Los Angeles, CA – Get ready, Freddy. Scream Factory is going to the opera! A Blu-ray release of The Phantom of the Opera, including several bonus features, has been announced for release on February 17, 2015.
Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Galaxy of Terror, Freddy vs. Jason) assumes the classic role of The Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston Leroux’s timeless tale of music, madness and murder.
An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen, The Stepfather) enjoys success through the arrangements of her new lover (Englund)… until she realizes that he has been committing unspeakably grisly murders in her honor and won’t stop until he’s completed his masterpiece…...
- 12/17/2014
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
George Romero’s second collaboration with Orion Pictures was curious to say the least, considering how things turned out with their previous effort Monkey Shines. Perhaps Romero was still feeling the urge to scratch that obsessive itch to tackle the themes of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde that inspired him with Monkey Shines and the opportunity to film in his hometown of Pittsburgh might have been an enticing perk. Ironically this time his troubles with Orion were caused by their drastic financial situation and The Dark Half was forced to sit on the shelf for two years before getting buried at the box office.
Romero’s adaptation of Steven King’s novel wasn’t a return to form, but there was definitely a creative spark that was lacking in his previous movie. The Dark Half was arguably his friend’s most personal work and it tackles themes that Romero could certainly identify with,...
Romero’s adaptation of Steven King’s novel wasn’t a return to form, but there was definitely a creative spark that was lacking in his previous movie. The Dark Half was arguably his friend’s most personal work and it tackles themes that Romero could certainly identify with,...
- 11/23/2014
- by Sean McClannahan
- DailyDead
This Tuesday, genre fans have a Lot to look forward to, as we have a trifecta of horror classics coming from Scream Factory, as well as the new 4K restoration of the 1920 German classic, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari from Kino Lorber.
As if that’s not enough, Image Entertainment is releasing the Limited Edition Fifth Dimension box set for The Twilight Zone this week, the cult classics Moontrap, Christmas Evil and Trancers are all making their HD debuts and we’ve got a few indie films being released on November 18th too, including Automata, Housebound and Ragnarok.
Spotlight Titles:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari- 4K Restored (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray & DVD)
In 1920, one brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the movement known as German Expressionism into film history. That movie was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world.
As if that’s not enough, Image Entertainment is releasing the Limited Edition Fifth Dimension box set for The Twilight Zone this week, the cult classics Moontrap, Christmas Evil and Trancers are all making their HD debuts and we’ve got a few indie films being released on November 18th too, including Automata, Housebound and Ragnarok.
Spotlight Titles:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari- 4K Restored (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray & DVD)
In 1920, one brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the movement known as German Expressionism into film history. That movie was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world.
- 11/18/2014
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Though he’s best known for his legions of the living dead, George A. Romero has captured other deadly forces with his camera, including a psychotic pseudonym come to life in The Dark Half (based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name) and a murderous primate in Monkey Shines. Scream Factory is bringing both films to Blu-ray with bonus features, including new audio commentaries by Romero.
Press Release - “This fall, Scream Factory will release The Dark Half and Monkey Shines, two horror favorites from acclaimed director George A. Romero. Making their Blu-ray debuts on November 18th, 2014, each release also boasts brand new bonus features including all new audio commentaries with George A. Romero, new retrospective featurettes with cast and crew, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes and much more! In addition, fans who order their copies from ShoutFactory.com will have their order shipped three weeks early!
Press Release - “This fall, Scream Factory will release The Dark Half and Monkey Shines, two horror favorites from acclaimed director George A. Romero. Making their Blu-ray debuts on November 18th, 2014, each release also boasts brand new bonus features including all new audio commentaries with George A. Romero, new retrospective featurettes with cast and crew, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes and much more! In addition, fans who order their copies from ShoutFactory.com will have their order shipped three weeks early!
- 9/23/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The Academy has announced the new class of invited members for 2014 and, as is typical, many of which are among last year's nominees, which includes Barkhad Abdi, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Mads Mikkelsen, Lupita Nyong'o and June Squibb in the Actors branch not to mention curious additions such as Josh Hutcherson, Rob Riggle and Jason Statham, but, okay. The Directors branch adds Jay and Mark Duplass along with Jean-Marc Vallee, Denis Villeneuve and Thomas Vinterberg. I didn't do an immediate tally of male to female additions or other demographics, but at first glance it seems to be a wide spread batch of new additions on all fronts. The Academy is also clearly attempting to aggressively bump up the demographics as this is the second year in a row where they have added a large number of new members, well over the average of 133 new members from 2004 to 2012. As far as...
- 6/26/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 271 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.
Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2014.
“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”
The 2014 invitees are:
Actors
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”
Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”
Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”
Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,...
Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2014.
“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”
The 2014 invitees are:
Actors
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”
Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”
Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”
Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,...
- 6/26/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o of 12 Years a Slave were two of the 271 artists and industry leaders invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which determines nominations and winners at the annual Oscars. The entire list of Academy membership—which numbers about 6,000—isn’t public information so the annual invitation list is often the best indication of the artists involved in the prestigious awards process. It’s worth noting that invitations need to be accepted in order for artists to become members; some artists, like two-time Best Actor winner Sean Penn, have declined membership over the years.
- 6/26/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Pop quiz: What do Chris Rock, Claire Denis, Eddie Vedder and Josh Hutcherson all have in common? Answer: They could all be Oscar voters very soon. The annual Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences invitation list always makes for interesting reading, shedding light on just how large and far-reaching the group's membership is -- or could be, depending on who accepts their invitations. This year, 271 individuals have been asked to join AMPAS, meaning every one of them could contribute to next year's Academy Awards balloting -- and it's as diverse a list as they've ever assembled. Think the Academy consists entirely of fusty retired white dudes? Not if recent Best Original Song nominee Pharrell Williams takes them up on their offer. Think it's all just a Hollywood insiders' game? Not if French arthouse titans Chantal Akerman and Olivier Assayas join the party. It's a list that subverts expectation at every turn.
- 6/26/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
For his feature film debut Christopher R. Witherspoon takes to the streets of Portland, Oregon to unleash his own inner demons in the violent thriller Rage, which features anonymous stalker "The Biker", who hunts down an unsuspecting man after a harmless taunt results in vicious terror.
Writer/director Witherspoon also stars in the flick as the faceless killer, and in honor of his newest project Dread Central caught up with the up-and-coming filmmaker to hear more about his career as well as his experiences working on Rage and what's up next for him.
Read on for our interview with Witherspoon below, and for more check out the official Rage website.
Dread Central: For those who may be unfamiliar, can you tell us a bit about your background, what got you into filmmaking and your career before Rage?
Christopher Witherspoon: As far back as I can remember I’ve wanted to make films.
Writer/director Witherspoon also stars in the flick as the faceless killer, and in honor of his newest project Dread Central caught up with the up-and-coming filmmaker to hear more about his career as well as his experiences working on Rage and what's up next for him.
Read on for our interview with Witherspoon below, and for more check out the official Rage website.
Dread Central: For those who may be unfamiliar, can you tell us a bit about your background, what got you into filmmaking and your career before Rage?
Christopher Witherspoon: As far back as I can remember I’ve wanted to make films.
- 3/31/2012
- by thehorrorchick
- DreadCentral.com
Next Monday, 5th April, sees the UK release of Arrow Video’s amazing high-def reissue of George Romero’s classic Day of the Dead - and we’ve got three copies to give away to lucky readers!
This is one extras-packed set that every zombie fan should be rushing to add to their collection. Need convincing? Check out our review here and the image and special features listing below:
Full specs:
- Four sleeve art options
- Double-sided fold-out poster
- "For Every Dawn There Is A Day" collector’s booklet
- "Day Of The Dead: Desertion" – an all new exclusive 24-page comic
- 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 1.0 Mono audio options
Disc One:
- Theatrical feature
- Audio commentary with Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, Everett Burrell, and Mike Deak
- Joe of the Dead – Acting in a Romero Classic; Travelogue of the Dead
Disc Two:
- The Many Days...
This is one extras-packed set that every zombie fan should be rushing to add to their collection. Need convincing? Check out our review here and the image and special features listing below:
Full specs:
- Four sleeve art options
- Double-sided fold-out poster
- "For Every Dawn There Is A Day" collector’s booklet
- "Day Of The Dead: Desertion" – an all new exclusive 24-page comic
- 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 1.0 Mono audio options
Disc One:
- Theatrical feature
- Audio commentary with Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, Everett Burrell, and Mike Deak
- Joe of the Dead – Acting in a Romero Classic; Travelogue of the Dead
Disc Two:
- The Many Days...
- 3/31/2010
- by Pestilence
- DreadCentral.com
One thing I hate about Blu-ray is the damn region locking that plagued DVD. Before importing a disc, I've got to do plenty of research to ensure it'll work in my player, which sometimes leads to depressing news. While we have a pretty sweet version of Day of the Dead in high definition already thanks to Anchor Bay, today's announcement of a UK edition sounds even sweeter!
Frankly, this announcement is so cool that I'm listing every word here:
Specially commissioned for this 25th Anniversary Blu-ray release of Day Of The Dead, the world exclusive 24-page comic ‘Day Of The Dead: Desertion’ is written by ‘Hack/Slash Meets Re-Animator’ co-writer, Barry Keating, and ‘Halloween: Nightdance’ creator, Stefan Hutchinson, with artwork by ‘Halloween: The First Death of Laurie Strode’ illustrator Jeff Zornow. The storyline recounts the dark and disturbing origins of Day Of The Dead’s iconic zombie,...
Frankly, this announcement is so cool that I'm listing every word here:
Specially commissioned for this 25th Anniversary Blu-ray release of Day Of The Dead, the world exclusive 24-page comic ‘Day Of The Dead: Desertion’ is written by ‘Hack/Slash Meets Re-Animator’ co-writer, Barry Keating, and ‘Halloween: Nightdance’ creator, Stefan Hutchinson, with artwork by ‘Halloween: The First Death of Laurie Strode’ illustrator Jeff Zornow. The storyline recounts the dark and disturbing origins of Day Of The Dead’s iconic zombie,...
- 2/4/2010
- by Masked Slasher
- DreadCentral.com
Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0 Chicago – It can be so easy to waste multiple hours, even days with great video games, and yet it is sometimes unbearable to sit through 90 minutes of the cinematic adaptation of the same concept. Such is the case with the abysmal “Max Payne,” yet another in a long line of video-game-to-screen disasters that continue to prove how little Hollywood thinks of gamers.
If you have two hours to kill, would you rather spend it playing “Doom,” “Hitman,” or “Resident Evil,” or would you rather watch the movie versions? “Max Payne” doesn’t break the pattern.
Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) and Mona Sax (Mila Kunis) team up to battle powerful and dark forces.
Photo credit: Michael Gibson/Fox
That pattern is one of low expectations for viewers. What do these movies have in common? Ridiculously lazy scripts. They are clearly produced and written by people who assume that their audience is all 13 year-old boys.
If you have two hours to kill, would you rather spend it playing “Doom,” “Hitman,” or “Resident Evil,” or would you rather watch the movie versions? “Max Payne” doesn’t break the pattern.
Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) and Mona Sax (Mila Kunis) team up to battle powerful and dark forces.
Photo credit: Michael Gibson/Fox
That pattern is one of low expectations for viewers. What do these movies have in common? Ridiculously lazy scripts. They are clearly produced and written by people who assume that their audience is all 13 year-old boys.
- 1/29/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Max Payne came and went without making much of an impact on the box office or public consciousness -- I think I saw more commercials for the original game than I saw for its big screen adaptation. Game movies don't inspire much enthusiasm or excitement anymore, and no wonder, as not one has broke out of the lackluster mold. Ten minutes or so into Max Payne, and you'll think "This would be so much more fun to play than watch" just as you probably did with Tomb Raider, Hitman, Doom, etc. At least Max Payne is more visually arresting than most attempts -- the mixture of Balrogs and Sin City almost make you forgive the dreary plot. Almost. (For a more in depth review, you can read Eric Snider's take.)
Max Payne hits DVD shelves this Tuesday in three different versions: Single-Disc, Special Edition, and Blu-Ray.
All three versions are...
Max Payne hits DVD shelves this Tuesday in three different versions: Single-Disc, Special Edition, and Blu-Ray.
All three versions are...
- 1/19/2009
- by Elisabeth Rappe
- Cinematical
Having successfully brought Stephen King to the screen with 1994's The Shawshank Redemption and 1999's The Green Mile, filmmaker Frank Darabont returns to the well a third time but comes up soggy with The Mist.
Decent special effects aside, the thriller -- about a killer fog that rolls into a Maine community and traps terrified townsfolk in a grocery store as it unleashes a menagerie of otherworldly predators -- is less horrific than it is horribly didactic.
Set extensively in that supermarket, the two-hour-plus gabfest plays like an extended hoary Twilight Zone episode gussied up with state-of-the-art CGI, but Darabont's incessant moralizing about the monsters that lurk within proves far less intriguing than those nasty creatures from beyond.
Meanwhile, a capable cast led by Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden and Andre Braugher find themselves fighting another losing battle trying to breathe a little flexibility into their stock characters, who, even by horror movie conventions, come across as more than a little hokey.
Theatrical prospects for this Dimension Films production, which is being released a day ahead of Thanksgiving, are iffy given the current horror movie market, though the younger fright-night crowd might catch up with it on DVD, where they can skip over all the blah-blah-blah and get right to the cool carnage.
Jane's David Drayton is a movie-poster artist and respectable family man who, accompanied by his young son (Nathan Gamble), has gone to pick up supplies at the local grocery store after a violent storm sent a large tree crashing through his front window.
Turns out the storm also has left a spooky mist in its wake that is rapidly encroaching on the entire town as well as harboring all manner of deadly supernatural creatures.
Things aren't necessarily a whole lot more pleasant inside the market, where David finds himself surrounded by a shrill, Bible-thumping zealot (Harden) who holds all sinners responsible for the occurrence and an equally hard-nosed lawyer (Braugher) demanding logical explanations, in addition to other archetypes.
In the process, the store has become a platform for observations about the effects of mass hysteria and the microcosms of society that have a habit of springing up in confined spaces.
That's all very well up to a point, but this is supposed to be a horror movie, after all, and Darabont takes his sweet time before getting around to unleashing all those terrifying tentacles and stingers.
Then it's back to more verbal histrionics in the aisles.
Although comparatively compact by Darabont's usual standards, the picture still runs noticeably long for its genre, even as he tries to energize the prolonged exchanges by darting around the store with a hand-held camera.
Actually filmed in Shreveport, La., Mist does well by its special-effects budget, with visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell and creature design and makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero providing the type of large-scale thrills absent in this otherwise stagy effort.
THE MIST
MGM
A Dimension Films presentation
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Frank Darabont
Based on the novella by: Stephen King
Producers: Frank Darabont, Liz Glotzer
Executive producers: Richard Saperstein, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Director of photography: Rohn Schmidt
Production designer: Gregory Melton
Music: Mark Isham
Co-producers: Denise Huth, Randi Richmond, Anna Garduno
Costume designer: Giovanna Ottobre-Melton
Editor: Hunter Via
Cast:
David Drayton: Thomas Jane
Mrs. Carmody: Marcia Gay Harden
Brent Norton: Andre Braugher
Amanda: Laurie Holden
Ollie: Toby Jones
Dan Miller: Jeffrey DeMunn
Irene: Frances Sternhagen
Billy Drayton: Nathan Gamble
Running time -- 127 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Decent special effects aside, the thriller -- about a killer fog that rolls into a Maine community and traps terrified townsfolk in a grocery store as it unleashes a menagerie of otherworldly predators -- is less horrific than it is horribly didactic.
Set extensively in that supermarket, the two-hour-plus gabfest plays like an extended hoary Twilight Zone episode gussied up with state-of-the-art CGI, but Darabont's incessant moralizing about the monsters that lurk within proves far less intriguing than those nasty creatures from beyond.
Meanwhile, a capable cast led by Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden and Andre Braugher find themselves fighting another losing battle trying to breathe a little flexibility into their stock characters, who, even by horror movie conventions, come across as more than a little hokey.
Theatrical prospects for this Dimension Films production, which is being released a day ahead of Thanksgiving, are iffy given the current horror movie market, though the younger fright-night crowd might catch up with it on DVD, where they can skip over all the blah-blah-blah and get right to the cool carnage.
Jane's David Drayton is a movie-poster artist and respectable family man who, accompanied by his young son (Nathan Gamble), has gone to pick up supplies at the local grocery store after a violent storm sent a large tree crashing through his front window.
Turns out the storm also has left a spooky mist in its wake that is rapidly encroaching on the entire town as well as harboring all manner of deadly supernatural creatures.
Things aren't necessarily a whole lot more pleasant inside the market, where David finds himself surrounded by a shrill, Bible-thumping zealot (Harden) who holds all sinners responsible for the occurrence and an equally hard-nosed lawyer (Braugher) demanding logical explanations, in addition to other archetypes.
In the process, the store has become a platform for observations about the effects of mass hysteria and the microcosms of society that have a habit of springing up in confined spaces.
That's all very well up to a point, but this is supposed to be a horror movie, after all, and Darabont takes his sweet time before getting around to unleashing all those terrifying tentacles and stingers.
Then it's back to more verbal histrionics in the aisles.
Although comparatively compact by Darabont's usual standards, the picture still runs noticeably long for its genre, even as he tries to energize the prolonged exchanges by darting around the store with a hand-held camera.
Actually filmed in Shreveport, La., Mist does well by its special-effects budget, with visual effects supervisor Everett Burrell and creature design and makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero providing the type of large-scale thrills absent in this otherwise stagy effort.
THE MIST
MGM
A Dimension Films presentation
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Frank Darabont
Based on the novella by: Stephen King
Producers: Frank Darabont, Liz Glotzer
Executive producers: Richard Saperstein, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Director of photography: Rohn Schmidt
Production designer: Gregory Melton
Music: Mark Isham
Co-producers: Denise Huth, Randi Richmond, Anna Garduno
Costume designer: Giovanna Ottobre-Melton
Editor: Hunter Via
Cast:
David Drayton: Thomas Jane
Mrs. Carmody: Marcia Gay Harden
Brent Norton: Andre Braugher
Amanda: Laurie Holden
Ollie: Toby Jones
Dan Miller: Jeffrey DeMunn
Irene: Frances Sternhagen
Billy Drayton: Nathan Gamble
Running time -- 127 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 11/13/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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