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A clown, a drunk, and Santa Claus walk into a bar.

Sounds like the setup for an off-color joke, but that’s the scene I witnessed upon visiting the set of Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3 earlier this year. As you might expect, the punchline is a bloody one.

“I’ve been really looking forward to this scene,” Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton tells me. “It’s like the costume shop scene [in Terrifier 2] or the pizzeria scene [in Terrifier]. It’s such a fun scene, and then it gets serious. I think it has one of the more creative kills in the movie.”

Thornton shares the scene with Daniel Roebuck as jolly old Saint Nicholas and Clint Howard as a barfly named Smokey.

“I’m able to do comedy with character actors I’ve respected my entire life,” Thornton beams. “I’m able to share my craft with these...

The full cast for Terrifier 3 has been unveiled. Four new actors, who are all no strangers to the horror genre, will join returning cast member David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown) in the upcoming third installment in the slasher film series.

Bloody Disgusting has shared that Antonella Rose (Fear the Walking Dead), Krsy Fox, Jon Abrahams, and horror genre fan favorite Clint Howard have joined the ensemble cast of Terrifier 3. They will appear in the slasher threequel alongside previously announced cast members Thornton, Samantha Scaffidi (Victoria Heyes), Lauren Lavera (Sienna Shaw), Elliot Fullam (Jonathan Shaw), Chris Jericho (Burke), Tom Savini, Daniel Roebuck (Santa Claus), and The Lost Boys star Jason Patric.

Related Sam Raimi to Direct Horror Movie for First Time in 15 Years

Evil Dead director Sam Raimi is set to helm another genre film for the first time in 15 years.

Where Have You Seen Clint Howard Before?...

Art the Clown isn’t done terrorizing Miles County.

Our highly anticipated Terrifier 3 is gearing up for a release this Halloween season and creator/director Damien Leone is hard at work editing this beast of a sequel that’s going to bring Art home for the holidays.

Filming has wrapped and the majority of the cast has been announced, except the following additions:

Antonella Rose – Actress on AMC’s “Fear the Walking Dead”. Krsy Fox – Filmmaker and actress. Clint Howard – A genre favorite who appeared in Evilspeak, Ice Cream Man, Halloween, The Lords of Salem, and 3 From Hell. Jon Abrahams – You might remember him from Scary Movie, Wes Craven’s They, and House of Wax.

In Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting’s Terrifier 3, directed once again by Damien Leone, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is set to unleash another round of chaos on the unsuspecting residents of...

Robert Englund steps into the director’s chair with ‘976-Evil,’ a dark dive into Satanism and demonology where a bullied outcast uses an occult hotline to bite back.

“Out of the darkness and into light, comes your horrorscope on this dark and stormy night.”

Robert Englund is a name who needs no introduction in the horror community. He’s played Freddy Krueger in eight A Nightmare on Elm Street movies and has brought life to one of the horror genre’s greatest icons. Englund’s incomparable work as Krueger would be enough to forever make him a celebrity, but he’s had a rich horror career that’s included multiple roles in Tobe Hooper films and, more recently, his standout performance as Victor Creel in the streaming phenomenon, Stranger Things. Englund will always be Freddy Krueger, but it’s curious to consider how his career would have been different if...

In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays...

I was a kid just as the drive-in craze was coming to a close. I can recall packing into our giant boat of a Chrysler station wagon and trekking out to see some first-run movies with my family back in the early 80s. I vividly remember seeing The Muppets Take Manhattan, Superman III (which terrified young me to no end), and Return of the Jedi on the massive screens of the Starlight Drive-In that stood for decades after the projectors were shut down and the lot converted into a gigantic swap-meet. Unfortunately, I was far too young to take in the legendary exploitation fare of the period. Sometimes I wish I had been born fifteen or twenty years earlier so I could have experienced the heyday of Aip, New World, and their ilk firsthand, but living through the dawn of the home video boom wasn’t a bad trade off.

Sad news today as it’s been announced that Richard Moll, who played Aristotle Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon on all nine seasons of Night Court, has died at the age of 80. His publicist confirmed that he died at his home in Big Bear Lake on Thursday.

Although Richard Moll is best known for his work on Night Court, he had quite a sprawling filmography. He made appearances in movies such as Cavemen, Evilspeak, The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Dungeonmaster, Night Train to Terror, House, Wicked Stepmother, Sidekicks, Loaded Weapon 1, The Flintstones, Jingle All the Way, Scary Movie 2, and more. He was also featured in episodes of Happy Days, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, T.J. Hooker, Remington Steele, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Highlander: The Series, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, Hercules: The Legendary Adventures, Babylon 5, Baywatch, Married… with Children, Smallville, and more.

Moll...

There’s something inherently unsettling about teeth, and the addition of someone prodding at them with sharp instruments is especially invasive. On the other side of that coin, the negative association with dentistry can impact the professionals. Cult filmmaker Brian Yuzna tapped into these fundamental fears with his 1996 direct-to-video film, The Dentist, and its 1998 sequel, The Dentist 2.

In fact, Yuzna knew he could sell the movie based on the title alone, so he solicited writers to pitch him on the concept. It was his old pals Stuart Gordon and Dennis Paoli — for whom Yuzna had produced Re-Animator and From Beyond — that cracked the script. Charles Finch (who went on to executive produce David Cronenberg’s Spider) was later brought in to punch it up.

Continuing the underlying social commentary Yuzna explored with Society, the film centers on hot-headed dentist Alan Feinstone. After catching his wife (Linda Hoffman) going down...

We recorded a new bonus episode of Corpse Club as an exclusive gift for those in our Corpse Club membership system!

Listen as co-hosts Scott Drebit, Bryan Christopher, and Derek Anderson discuss some of their favorite horror movie viewings on the streaming service Tubi, including The Incubus, The Horror Show, Alien: Resurrection, Deadly Blessing, Borderland, and Grave Encounters!

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new episode, so be sure to check your inbox!

There's more bonus content to come...

As a Corpse Club member, you get access to special bonus content every month! Our previous bonus content includes a Junji Ito/Resident Evil episode, a recent screenings and holiday horrors episode, a Halloween season and movie marathon discussion, an episode on Jordan Peele’s Us, a celebration of Scrooged, an in-depth discussion on Deadpool 2, a reflection on Mandy, a career-spanning interview with Felissa Rose,...

We're just over a week away from the kick-off of a Summer of Chills over at Shudder. Here is a reminder of what is coming in June, and let us tell you it will be a great month for horror fans.  First of all, the originals premiering this month are all top shelf. June kicks off with Caveat then the recovered Romero film The Amusement Park, followed by Superdeep, An Unquiet Grave and ending with Canadian horror comedy Vicious Fun.  But do not discount the additions to the Shudder library this month either. There's Refn's Neon Deamon, the daddy of all zombie movies Night of the Living Dead, Clint Howard in Evilspeak, the awesome Kiwi horror comedy Housebound, Isaac Ezban's sci-fi horror The Similars, our...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

As a special treat for those in our Corpse Club membership system, we recorded a new audio commentary to 1987's StageFright.

Recorded by Corpse Club co-hosts Scott Drebit and Bryan Christopher, our new bonus episode is an exclusive gift for Corpse Club members to enjoy!

The next time you watch StageFright, you can listen as Scott and Bryan take a deep dive into the 1987 Italian horror film, including its theater setting, memorable kills, and unforgettable costume worn by the killer.

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new commentary, so the next time you watch StageFright, all you have to do is press "play" to listen to Scott and Bryan’s new audio commentary. It’s like watching a movie with the Corpse Club... just be sure to save us some popcorn!

There's more bonus content to come...

As a Corpse Club member, you get access...

As a special treat for those in our Corpse Club membership system, we recorded a new bonus episode of Corpse Club!

Recorded by Corpse Club co-hosts Derek Anderson and Jonathan James, our new bonus episode is an exclusive gift for Corpse Club members to enjoy! Listen as Derek and Jonathan discuss a wide range of horror-themed topics, including their favorite Christmas horror gifts they received this holiday season, post-holiday horror shopping and screenings, the wonderfully weird manga by artist and writer Junji Ito (including his new manga adaptation of Osamu Dazai's novel No Longer Human), and the gruesome gameplay of Resident Evil 7. So, whether you’re still savoring the holiday season or you’re looking ahead to a new year of horror, Corpse Club members can sit back, relax, and enjoy this new bonus episode of Daily Dead’s podcast!

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new episode,...

As a special Friday the 13th treat for all Daily Dead readers and Corpse Club listeners, we recorded a new audio commentary to John Carl Buechler's Friday the 13th Part VII – The New Blood!

Recorded by Corpse Club podcast co-hosts Bryan Christopher and Scott Drebit, along with special guests Patrick Hamilton and Gena Radcliffe from the Kill by Kill podcast, this audio commentary is a special gift for all Daily Dead readers and Corpse Club listeners to unwrap and enjoy!

The next time you watch Friday the 13th Part VII, you can listen as Scott, Bryan, Patrick, and Gena take a deep dive into the 1988 sequel, including the film's palpable practical effects, Tina Shepard's telekinetic powers, the haunting unmasking of Jason Voorhees, the film's most memorable kills, and the intense performances by Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder.

You can listen to our new Friday the 13th Part...

As a special Halloween treat for those in our Corpse Club membership system, we recorded a new bonus episode of Corpse Club!

Recorded by Corpse Club co-hosts Tamika Jones, Derek Anderson, and Jonathan James, our new bonus episode is an exclusive gift for Corpse Club members to enjoy!

Listen as Tamika, Derek, and Jonathan talk about their recent screenings at home and at the theater, including The Lighthouse, Zombieland: Double Tap, and 2004’s The Punisher. The co-hosts also embrace the scary side of the season by discussing their go-to holiday horror movies, ranging from Black Christmas (1974) and Krampus to Christmas Evil and Rare Exports. As a special early gift for their viewing pleasure, each member of the trio also selects a holiday horror movie they've never seen to watch this month.

So, whether you’ve been naughty, nice, or somewhere in-between, take a break from holiday shopping, put your feet up,...

As a special treat for those in our Corpse Club membership system, we recorded a new bonus episode of Corpse Club!

Recorded by Corpse Club co-hosts Derek Anderson and Jonathan James, our new bonus episode is an exclusive gift for Corpse Club members to enjoy! Listen as Derek and Jonathan discuss a wide range of horror-themed topics, including Derek’s favorite movies and experiences at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival, Jonathan’s latest horror movie marathon at home, and what each of the co-hosts are doing to prep for this year’s Halloween festivities. So, whether you’re already carving pumpkins or you’re busy planning your own Halloween celebrations, kick back, relax, and enjoy a bonus episode of Daily Dead’s podcast!

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new commentary, so be sure to keep an eye out for it in your inbox!

There's more bonus content to come.

As a special treat for those in our Corpse Club membership system, we recorded a new audio commentary to Eric Weston's Evilspeak!

Recorded by Corpse Club podcast co-hosts Scott Drebit and Bryan Christopher, the Evilspeak audio commentary is an exclusive gift for Corpse Club members to enjoy! The next time you watch Evilspeak, you can listen as Scott and Bryan take a deep dive into the early ’80s horror movie, including its military academy setting, potent blend of ancient dark magic and computer technology, vengeful take on bullying, and memorable performances from a cast led by Clint Howard.

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new commentary, so the next time you watch Evilspeak, all you have to do is press "play" to listen to Scott and Bryan's new audio commentary. It’s just like watching a movie with the Corpse Club... just be sure to save us some popcorn!

Stars: Anthony De La Torre, Byron Brown II, Aprilann, Michael DeLorenzo, Chris Modrzynski, Kim Piazza, Richard Lounello, Madison Amey, Travis Torlone, Tim O’Hearn | Written and Directed by Gregory Lamberson

High school students Eric Carter and Johnny Grissom are best friends. Johnny is a heavy metal rebel nicknamed “Johnny Gruesome” by his classmates. When Johnny is murdered while on a drunken joyride, his killer persuades Eric and Johnny’s girlfriend to help him make the murder look like an accidental death. Johnny returns from the grave as a murderous, wisecracking zombie hell bent on revenge.

Writer/director Gregory Lamberson adapts his own novel, which was originally produced as a screenplay way before Lamberson would go on to direct cult hit Slime City in 1986, a story that was also filmed – as a short – back in 2007. And given that Lamberson’s original screenplay was written in 1984 it seems apt that the film feels,...

The longer Scream Factory has been in business, the more high profile and “classic” titles they have released, the more they have begun to dig a little deeper for the kinds of catalogue titles and semi-obscurities for which devoted horror fans have been clamoring for years. New licensing deals have made new titles possible, including three new releases that have been among the most highly requested movies in Scream Factory’s history. As if there was any doubt, the fact that these three films now have special edition Blu-rays are proof positive that we are living in a golden age of home video.

First up is Brainscan, a 1994 effort in the tradition of Evilspeak, Trick or Treat, and 976-Evil in which a lonely, depressed kid named Michael (Edward Furlong) unlocks the door into a world of horror when a computer game called Brainscan puts him in the body of a...

I think the worst is over. Now that the kids are back in school and Pumpkin Beers are invading store shelves, it must be fall, right? Like it or not it’s still summer. Don’t be surprised to find yourself at a Labor Day BBQ marinating in your own sweat. Let’s try to chase summer away with a visit from the neighborhood Ice Cream Man.

Little Gregory’s only friend in the world is the Ice Cream King. Imagine the shock when the King is shot dead while he’s enjoying a treat. Gregory is so distraught he’s taken to Wishing Well Sanitarium. Decades later he (played by Clint Howard) is released and wants to reclaim the ice cream throne. As the Ice Cream Prince he hopes to bring joy to all the kids in town. But when a friend goes missing, Johnny and his Rocketeers start...

If you’re a horror movie fan, then there’s a fun-looking indie family horror film that might be worth checking out called Kids vs. Monsters. You can tell from the trailer that this is a low budget film, but it’s fueled by some horror movie all-star actors, some wacky fun practical effects, and most importantly, horror movie fandom. Here’s the brief plot description:

The six richest people in the world each have one thing still dragging them down — their intolerable kids. Luckily, there is a mysterious entity that is happy to lend a hand.

The movie stars Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Time After Time), Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Pumpkinhead), Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki (Harbinger Down), Keith David (The Thing, They Live), Richard Moll (House, Evilspeak, Night Court), and Armand Assante (Judge Dredd, I The Jury) just to name a few.

The FX in the film were created by Amalgamated Dynamics,...

June’s home entertainment releases are kicking off in grand fashion this week, as horror and sci-fi fans have a lot to look forward to with the new arrivals on Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday. Scream Factory is keeping busy with a double dose of terror with their releases of The Abandoned (in conjunction with IFC Midnight) and The Funhouse Massacre, and for those of you who may have missed the supernatural thriller in theaters earlier this year, The Other Side of the Door is making its way to both Blu and DVD courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

If you consider yourself something of a Star Trek fan, Paramount is distributing the Director’s Cut of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Blu-ray this week as well as the complete run of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which arrives on Blu for the first time ever this Tuesday.

Halloween night takes a twisted turn in The Funhouse Massacre, the new horror film from Andy Palmer that co-stars the legendary Robert Englund. With The Funhouse Massacre hitting home media on June 7th courtesy of Scream Factory, we’ve been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Funhouse Massacre.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Funhouse Massacre Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on June 10th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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From the Press Release: “Murder is all part of the show. On June 7th, 2016, Scream Factory presents...

Andy Palmer’s The Funhouse Massacre is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on June 7th, and to celebrate, Scream Factory released three Blu-ray clips plus the official trailer for the film that tease Halloween night as a dangerous day to go to a funhouse.

The Funhouse Massacre Blu-ray / DVD Release Details: Press Release: “Murder is all part of the show. On June 7th, 2016, Scream Factory presents the home entertainment debut of The Funhouse Massacre on Blu-ray and DVD, complete with extras including commentary with director Andy Palmer, producer Warner Davis and actors Clint Howard and Courtney Gains. The Funhouse Massacre premiered at the Horrorhound Weekend Convention Film Festival and won Best Film and Best Special Effects.

On Halloween night, a group of the United States’ most notorious serial killers escape from Statesville Asylum and descend upon a giant funhouse whose theme is based on their different reigns of terror. The...

On June 7th, the funhouse will be open for business nationwide… from the safety of your own home via the Blu-ray and DVD release of The Funhouse Massacre, starring Robert Englund, Ben Begley, Jere Burns, Clint Howard, and Courtney Gains. Also: cover art and release details for Trailer Trauma 2: Drive-In Monsterama and Harrow County #12.

The Funhouse Massacre Blu-ray / DVD Release Details: Press Release: “Murder is all part of the show. On June 7th, 2016, Scream Factory presents the home entertainment debut of The Funhouse Massacre on Blu-ray and DVD, complete with extras including commentary with director Andy Palmer, producer Warner Davis and actors Clint Howard and Courtney Gains. The Funhouse Massacred premiered at the Horrorhound Weekend Convention Film Festival and won Best Film and Best Special Effects.

On Halloween night, a group of the United States’ most notorious serial killers escape from Statesville Asylum and descend upon a giant funhouse...

Scream Factory announced on their Facebook page that The Funhouse Massacre, The Abandoned, and Rabid Dogs (2015) will be released on Blu-ray and DVD this June. Let the screams begin!

From Facebook: “Horror icons Clint Howard (Evilspeak, The Lords of Salem), Courtney Gains (Children of the Corn, The ‘Burbs) and A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund all pop up in The Funhouse Massacre—a scary new carnival ride of a thriller that will be releasing on Digital platforms, On Demand, DVD and Blu-ray on June 7th.

On Halloween night, a group of the United States’ most notorious serial killers escape from Statesville Asylum and descend upon a giant funhouse whose theme is based on their different reigns of terror. The unsuspecting carnival patrons think that the carnage created at the park is just part of the show… until they become part of the main attraction. The only people left...

Stars: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Joe Cortese, Claude Earl Jones, Haywood Nelson, Don Stark, Charles Tyner, Hamilton Camp, Louie Gravance, Jim Greenleaf, Lynn Hancock, Loren Lester | Written by Eric Weston, Joseph Garofalo | Directed by Eric Weston

From the 1970’s and 80’s to now, one thing will always be a sad constant: bullies will always exist. And there will always be that weak-willed teenager who is the constant target of these awful people. But, there’s always this fulfillment that comes about from films like Patrick and Carrie, that the bullied kid has a tendency to lash out at those who oppress them with otherworldly forces. These kids search outward for any escape and that leads them to some very dark corners. In the case of Evilspeak, that dark corner is The Devil himself, and the results are typically gory and fantastically outrageous.

Put simply, Evilspeak, is about a thousand pounds...

A Lincoln Continental Lhe with quite a temper is getting a high-definition upgrade on Tuesday from Scream Factory, and we've been provided with three Blu-ray copies of The Car to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Car.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Car Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on December 18th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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From the previous press release: Fasten your seatbelts for the terrifying thrill ride that has become a cult classic! On December 15, 2015, Scream Factory™ is proud to present The Car, arriving for the...

Following the unveiling of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Christine Blu-ray earlier this year, Scream Factory's giving another malevolent vehicle a high-definition upgrade with their Blu-ray release of The Car next Tuesday, and we have clips and a trailer teasing the highway horrors to come.

From the previous press release: Fasten your seatbelts for the terrifying thrill ride that has become a cult classic! On December 15, 2015, Scream Factory™ is proud to present The Car, arriving for the first time on Blu-ray™. Directed by Elliot Silverstein, the action-packed thriller stars James Brolin (The Amityville Horror), Kathleen Lloyd (It Lives Again), John Marley (Deathdream), Elizabeth Thompson (A Shadow in the Street) and Ronny Cox (RoboCop). R.G. Armstrong (Race with the Devil, Evilspeak), Roy Jenson (Soylent Green), Melody Thomas Scott (Piranha, The Fury), Kim Richards (Assault on Precinct 13) and Kyle Richards (Halloween) also star in this high-octane thriller.

A must-have for loyal fans,...

Now, I know I’m askin’ a lot of ya o’ faithful Coffin Club, but if ya can cast yer mind back o’er the endless, roiling sea of time to sometime like a week and a half ago to when I brought you a jaw session with vocalist/guitarist Monroe Black of one of the most kick-ass bands to e’er ravage yer ear holes: Salems Lott!

Well, guess what? The drummer of said band is a huge horror-hound, just like us! Don’t believe me? Well F you… err, I mean read on and you’ll see just what I mean as Tony F. Corpse joins us in the Crypt o’ Xiii!

Famous Monsters. Welcome, Tony! Let’s dive right into this putrid pool of Q&A madness! What drew you to the aesthetic of shock rock/visual kei?

Tony F Corpse. The sheer spectacle and unapologetic bombast,...

Years before viewers witnessed a ’58 Plymouth Fury scorned, they were introduced to a Lincoln Continental Lhe with quite a temper. Scream Factory's giving the latter an HD upgrade with their December 15th Blu-ray release of 1977's The Car, and we have the official release details and cover art.

Press Release: Fasten your seatbelts for the terrifying thrill ride that has become a cult classic! On December 15, 2015, Scream Factory™ is proud to present The Car, arriving for the first time onBlu-ray™. Directed by Elliot Silverstein, the action-packed thriller stars James Brolin (The Amityville Horror), Kathleen Lloyd (It Lives Again), John Marley (Deathdream), Elizabeth Thompson (A Shadow in the Street) and Ronny Cox (RoboCop). R.G. Armstrong (Race with the Devil, Evilspeak), Roy Jenson (Soylent Green), Melody Thomas Scott (Piranha, The Fury), Kim Richards (Assault on Precinct 13) and Kyle Richards (Halloween) also star in this high-octane thriller.

A must-have for loyal fans,...

One thing I love, that is apparent from this wave announcement, is that Fantastic Fest not only celebrates new genre cinema but relishes in repertory genre cinema! We have some awesome martial arts films and a 35mm screening of Evilspeak to coincide with Kier-La Jannise & Paul Corupe’s Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980’s. We are also getting the new horror anthology from V/H/S alumni (Producer Roxanne Benjamin, director David Bruckner and directing team Radio Silence) with Southbound! Read on fiends, read on.

Fantastic Fest announces its final wave of highly anticipated features and epic events for the annual celebration of all things genre. With signature smackdown Fantastic Debates and Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, this year’s Fantastic Fest promises more thrills than ever before as it rages through Austin from September 24 – October 1st. Joining Fantastic Fest for the first time, Charlie Kaufman...

Austin, TX – Wednesday, September 9, 2015 – Fantastic Fest announces its final wave of highly anticipated features and epic events for the annual celebration of all things genre. With signature smackdown Fantastic Debates and Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, this year’s Fantastic Fest promises more thrills than ever before as it rages through Austin from September 24 – October 1st. Joining Fantastic Fest for the first time, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson will be in attendance to share their wildly inventive world of stop motion animation Anomalisa, Cannes Grand Prix winner Son Of Saul is screening in glorious 35mm, the stunning adult fairytale from Gomorrah director Matteo Garrone Tale Of Tales will unfurl, Jerusalem Film Festival’s top prize winner Tikkun, and we welcome the World Premiere of the action-thriller Camino with Zoe Bell and Fantastic Fest veteran / mayor Nacho Vigalondo as a religious psychopath — a prospect that should fill...

The final wave of Fantastic Fest 2015 has finally been announced and it features a crop of festival darlings along with Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s highly anticipated stop-motion animation film Anomalisa. The Cannes Grand Prix winner Son of Saul joins the list as well as the new film from director Matteo Garrone, Tale of Tales. PopOptiq will be present once again this year so be sure to check out our coverage in the upcoming weeks. Check out the full list below.

****

Anomalisa

United States, 2015

Regional Premiere, 90 min

Directors – Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

Charlie Kaufman’s newest story, a revolutionary and emotional stop-motion animation, follows an unhappy customer service guru looking for an escape from the monotony of his life.

The Assassin

Taiwan, 2015

Us Premiere, 104 min

Director – Hou Hsiao-hsien

After failing to dispatch a corrupt government official, an assassin is disciplined by her master with a mission to...

Fantastic Fest announced its final wave of features and events for the annual celebration of all things genre.

Taking place in Austin, Texas, from September 24-October 1, the festival will include Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s Anomalisa and Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin.

“I love the diversity and breadth of programming that the team delivered this year,” said Tim League, Fantastic Fest and Alamo Drafthouse founder.

“In particular I’d like to highlight Anomalisa, Tikkun and Son Of Saul. These utterly-unique, auteur-driven, genre-defying masterpieces are exactly the type of groundbreaking cinema I want to share with the discerning Fantastic Fest audience.”

The films are:

Anomalsia (Us), Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson

The Assassin (Taiwan, pictured), Hou Hsiao-hsien

The Boy And The Beast (Japan), Mamoru Hosoda

Camino (Us), Josh C Waller

Come Drink With Me (Hong Kong), King Hu

Dag (Norway), Oystein Karlsen

Daniel’s World (Czech Republic), Veronika Lišková

The Devil’s Candy (Us), Sean Byrne...

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord – and many horror films to boot. Payback has always been a constant theme, whether it’s a sinister spirit avenging murder, or a maniacal parent repaying camp counselors for not watching her handicapped child. The meteoric rise in popularity of video games and personal computers at the turn of the 80’s, married with ancient evil, brought a modern edge to this shopworn trope. A sympathetic tale of comeuppance, Evilspeak (1981) serves up its revenge under the computer screen’s warm glow.

Released by Moreno Films, first in Japan in August of ’81 and February of ’82 in North America, Evilspeak nearly made back its 1,000,000 Us budget opening weekend stateside. A few good reviews trickled in, comparing it favorably to the high school horrorfest Carrie (1976). Regardless of comparisons, it stands as a unique antique of a burgeoning time in technology and a potent payback tale.

Our story begins...

Evilspeak wasn’t a film I grew up with, although it was one of those movies that I had always heard a lot about- mostly due to its ‘outrageously graphic’ content, which a good portion of ended up on the cutting room floor back in 1981. The cult classic has finally been resurrected in high definition, courtesy of Scream Factory, in a presentation befitting all of Clint Howard’s Satan-fueled nerd rage and gory aftermath that followed.

Howard plays Stanley Coopersmith, an orphan who is constantly bullied at the military academy that he is forced to attend after his parents were killed in an automobile accident. Stanley is the very definition of awkward, which makes it all the easier for his classmates (and even teachers) to pick on him and torment him mercilessly. While cleaning out the chapel’s basement on campus one afternoon, Stanley stumbles upon an ancient spell book...

Stars: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Joe Cortese, Claude Earl Jones, Haywood Nelson, Don Stark, Charles Tyner, Hamilton Camp, Louie Gravance, Jim Greenleaf, Lynn Hancock, Loren Lester | Written by Eric Weston, Joseph Garofalo | Directed by Eric Weston

From the 1970’s and 80’s to now, one thing will always be a sad constant: bullies will always exist. And there will always be that weak-willed teenager who is the constant target of these awful people. But, there’s always this fulfillment that comes about from films like Patrick and Carrie, that the bullied kid has a tendency to lash out at those who oppress them with otherworldly forces. These kids search outward for any escape and that leads them to some very dark corners. In the case of Evilspeak, that dark corner is The Devil himself, and the results are typically gory and fantastically outrageous.

Put simply, Evilspeak, is about a thousand pounds...

Normally, this is the part of the review where I wax nostalgic, and talk a little bit about what this particular “cult classic” means to me. In the case of Evilspeak, though, I can only claim to have known of its existence. I saw it on the video store shelf, but I never made the plunge and took it home. It’s surprising to me, honestly, because I think I rented damn near everything on the horror rack at least twice. I don’t know the reason that I continued to sit Evilspeak’s box back on the shelf, but I wish I had watched it back then, as it’s quite an entertaining movie. Featuring a young and awkward Clint Howard, playing a “slow”, cadet at a military school. As he gets picked on day in and day out, he turns to Satanism in the form of a book...

EvilSpeak 1981's Evilspeak is the story of Coopersmith (Clint Howard, brother of acclaimed director Ron Howard), a nerdy student in a military academy who suffers relentless harassment at the hands of the school's more popular students. When he inadvertently discovers that the school chapel has been erected atop the former lair of a medieval Satanist, Coopersmith invokes the spirit of the deceased devil-worshipper and enlists the ghost's aid in…...

Hey everyone! We’re back again with a look at the DVD and Blu-ray horror titles coming your way this week. Not only does Scream Factory have a double dose of terror in high definition on tap for you guys but we’ve also got two different collections of modern horror goodies being released by Anchor Bay Entertainment as well.

And for those of you who might have missed it in theaters earlier this year, I, Frankenstein is making its home debut this week as well. It’s kind of a light week for horror fans but there are definitely some worthwhile goodies to bring home this week- check them out below!

Spotlight Titles:

Evilspeak (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

Life sucks for Stanley Coppersmith (Clint Howard, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), a teenage outcast who’s bullied by everyone at a strict military academy. When Stanley discovers the crypt of a...

Scream Factory’s May releases include 80′s cult classics Evilspeak and Final Exam, and they’ve released the original theatrical trailers for both titles.

“This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps when Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson (What’s Happening!), Don Stark (That ‘70s Show), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll (Night Court), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time on May 13, 2014. Each movie collection boasts anamorphic widescreen movie presentation and insightful bonus content. Evilspeak and Final Exam Blu-ray™ editions...

This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps when Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson (What’s Happening!), Don Stark (That ‘70s Show), Charles Tyner (Father … Continue reading →

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A double dose of 1981 horror flicks will usher us into the summer, courtesy of our friends over at Scream Factory. Read on for full details about both releases, which put Evilspeak and Final Exam on Blu-ray for the very first time!

From the Press Release

This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps.

Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson ("What’s Happening!"), Don Stark ("That ‘70s Show"), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll ("Night Court"), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time...

Scream Factory officially announced a May release for 80′s cult classics Evilspeak and Final Exam, and we have a look at the official cover art, along with the list of bonus features:

This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps when Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson (What’s Happening!), Don Stark (That ‘70s Show), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll (Night Court), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time on May 13, 2014. Each movie collection boasts anamorphic widescreen movie presentation and insightful bonus content.

And the announcements keep rolling in… Yesterday, Scream Factory revealed that Phantom of the Paradise would be joining the 2014 lineup and it has just been announced that they’ll also be bringing 80′s cult classics Evil Speak and Final Exam to Blu-ray:

“Fans of early 80s school-themed horror films are in luck with this news. 1981′s college campus slasher film Final Exam and 1982′s satanic revenge epic Evilspeak (starring Clint Howard) will both be making their debuts on Blu-ray both for the first time this Summer!

These titles have been with Code Red – another long-time cult film home entertainment company – for some time and we are pleased that we were able to make a deal with them for these two guilty pleasures.

Expect the same extras that were on the prior Code Red DVD releases to be imported over. More details on street date and if any more extras are...

With the arrival of the Nintendo 3Ds title Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, Shock will be rolling out a series of retrospectives that look at tales of terror that tie together technology and horror. Games, cameras, phones, computers, televisions...you name it. Last week, we looked at Stay Alive, this week...welcome to Evilspeak.

According to hysteria-fostering, out of touch parent groups like the Pmrc, alienated teens in the ‘80s looking to contact dark forces did so through their turntables, playing heavy metal LPs backwards in order to unlock Satan’s latest dispatches. But in 1981’s Evilspeak, the word from Hell wasn’t found on any vinyl platter – it instead manifested itself in cutting edge fashion through the circuit boards of a computer.

When put-upon military cadet Stanley Coopersmith (Clint Howard) is assigned as punishment the task of cleaning out the basement of the school’s chapel he comes across...

Kphat Productions presents a slasher film starring Jen Dance, David J. Bonner, Shaun Paul Costello, Chelsey Garner and horror legend Clint Howard (Evilspeak, House of the Dead) and directed by Jason Christopher of

Down the Road

In Down the Road, a group of college students escape their troubled lives only to find themselves fighting for their lives from a revenge seeking mad man. According to director Jason Christopher, "I'm going with that old school throwback style to 80's, 70's horror without the grimy look to it though". Furthermore.... "to make it fresh feeling is the different angles that I used and the certain moods that happen when people get butchered".

Currently, Down the Road is in post production. The teaser trailer, seen below, was just recently released by the director. If the teaser is any indication, Down the Road is a brutal, effective film that evokes the slashers of the 70's & 80's.

Ready for some werewolf (or should we say wereyena) action starring Costas Mandylor? Of course you are! How in the world could you possibly refuse that premise?

Lionsgate announced today that Evilspeak director Eric Weston's Hyenas (mini-review here) will be hitting DVD and digital download on April 19th, 2011. The flick stars Christa Campbell (2001 Maniacs), Costas Mandylor (Saw 3D), Rudolf Martin (Swordfish), Joshua Alba (Unrest), and Meshach Taylor (Damien: Omen II).

We know, you can't wait, right?

Synopsis

A small town man whose family was brutally murdered, Gannon (Mandylor) returns to the scene of the crime in search of justice for his slain loved ones. With the help of the town's hunter, Gannon learns of a roving clan of shape-shifting human-hyena hybrid creatures that hunt for human prey. With revenge on the brain, Gannon will stop at nothing to bring this growing breed to extinction.

- Uncle Creepy

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

Okay, so here’s a quick question for you all … how many dog owners amongst you have suddenly experienced man’s best friend exhibit unusually disturbing behavioural tics after sitting them down in front of the television and watching a few horror movies together?

Anyone? No? No sudden canine savagery? No impulsive howling at the moon? No gratuitous tearing of flesh? No violent rending of bone? Not even any unwelcome soiling of carpets?

I only ask this question as, in regards to the Video Nasties furore of the mid-Eighties, Conservative MP Graham Bright once (in)famously appeared on television and categorically stated that “I believe there is research taking place and it will show that these films not only affect young people … but I believe they affect dogs as well.”

But regardless of whether such research will mean poor Fido sadly misses out on his one opportunity to catch “The Beast In Heat...

Jon Keeyes is the director behind the horror movie American Nightmare starring two legendary horror divas, Debbie Rochon and Brinke Stevens. With American Nightmare, Jon Keeyes created a low budget indie slasher that was accessible and commercial, yet a bit edgy and different. It featured Debbie Rochon in the leading role as a psychopathic killer who stalks a group of friends one Halloween night bringing their worst fears to life. American Nightmare proved that Rochon just isn't another pretty face, but a force to be reckoned with. She turned in a performance that was loud and in your face, but also subtle and naunced. No easy combination to pull off! There has been talks swirling in the air of a sequel and a possible tenth anniversary edition, but untill that day comes, we will have to wait in anticpation of Keeyes latest film, The Gathering, which is getting under way.