Joe Dante's 1981 werewolf flick "The Howling" boasts one of the most impressive werewolf transformation scenes in the genre's history. A vicious serial killer named Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) confront's the film's protagonist, Karen (Dee Wallace), an investigative reporter recovering from a previous attack at a woods-bound therapy camp. Lit through the slits in Venetian blinds, Quist's face extends and mutates, his mouth ripping into a terrifying wolf grin, his eyes bulging. Karen witnesses the entire transformation and is, naturally, terrified. Quist was already known for his penchant for murder, but learning that he is a werewolf makes him that much more monstrous. The effects were provided by the amazing Rob Bottin.
"The Howling," while a corker of a monster movie, is also a clever satire of then-modern therapy. A certain kind of "touchy-feely" language had come into vogue in the late '70s and early '80s, and...
"The Howling," while a corker of a monster movie, is also a clever satire of then-modern therapy. A certain kind of "touchy-feely" language had come into vogue in the late '70s and early '80s, and...
- 5/26/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Revenge Of The Sith marks a pivotal moment in the Star Wars universe, particularly the Skywalker Saga as it cements Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the Dark Side. The film features several brutal moments, which slowly build up to Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader after he succumbs to the Dark Side.
Count Dooku’s death is one of the most brutal moments in Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith (Image Credit: Lucasfilm).
However, one brutal moment from the film, namely the death of Count Dooku at the hands of Anakin wasn’t exactly scripted as it appears in the final film. Instead, the scene was changed during the conceptualization of the duel’s stunt choreography and added Count Dooku’s brutal fate. Given the complex emotions the scene was trying to convey, actor Christopher Lee brilliantly portrayed Count Dooku’s death despite the scene being changed on the fly.
Count Dooku’s death is one of the most brutal moments in Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith (Image Credit: Lucasfilm).
However, one brutal moment from the film, namely the death of Count Dooku at the hands of Anakin wasn’t exactly scripted as it appears in the final film. Instead, the scene was changed during the conceptualization of the duel’s stunt choreography and added Count Dooku’s brutal fate. Given the complex emotions the scene was trying to convey, actor Christopher Lee brilliantly portrayed Count Dooku’s death despite the scene being changed on the fly.
- 5/23/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
The Star Wars franchise has introduced or featured many stars of today in pivotal roles. While actresses such as Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman gained worldwide fame for their roles in the prequel trilogy, one other actress who started out her Hollywood career was Insidious star Rose Byrne. The actress played a handmaiden in Attack of the Clones.
Though she was in the film for barely a few minutes, Byrne reportedly mentioned that she had a good time on set. She has since gone on to establish herself as a bankable actress with franchises such as X-Men and Insidious. However, she maintains that her most challenging role was her breakthrough film The Goddess of 1967.
Rose Byrne’s Preparation For The Goddess of 1967 Was More Extensive Than Any Rose Byrne in X-Men: First Class
Actress Rose Byrne is known for her roles in films such as Bridesmaids, Insidious, X-Men: First Class,...
Though she was in the film for barely a few minutes, Byrne reportedly mentioned that she had a good time on set. She has since gone on to establish herself as a bankable actress with franchises such as X-Men and Insidious. However, she maintains that her most challenging role was her breakthrough film The Goddess of 1967.
Rose Byrne’s Preparation For The Goddess of 1967 Was More Extensive Than Any Rose Byrne in X-Men: First Class
Actress Rose Byrne is known for her roles in films such as Bridesmaids, Insidious, X-Men: First Class,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Yoda became a significant pop culture icon after his debut in 1980’s Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. Despite the mysterious nature of the character, the audience became fascinated with it and he went on to be a significant figure among the fans.
Before the world got obsessed with Baby Yoda after the release of The Mandalorian, the Og Yoda got one of his most fan-favorite action sequences in the Prequel Trilogy. However, despite becoming a favorite, Yoda did not have an electrifying debut as an old Jedi Master in the Original Trilogy.
Yoda in Empire Strikes Back | Lucasfilm
It is reported that the Star Wars creator George Lucas always regretted how the fans never got a badass Yoda sequence due to the technical limitations in the Original Trilogy. But he made sure to deliver some of the most iconic Yoda sequences when he returned to the...
Before the world got obsessed with Baby Yoda after the release of The Mandalorian, the Og Yoda got one of his most fan-favorite action sequences in the Prequel Trilogy. However, despite becoming a favorite, Yoda did not have an electrifying debut as an old Jedi Master in the Original Trilogy.
Yoda in Empire Strikes Back | Lucasfilm
It is reported that the Star Wars creator George Lucas always regretted how the fans never got a badass Yoda sequence due to the technical limitations in the Original Trilogy. But he made sure to deliver some of the most iconic Yoda sequences when he returned to the...
- 5/22/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
Hammer began putting their own stamp on the classic Universal Monsters with The Curse of Frankenstein back in 1957, which was quickly followed by Horror of Dracula in 1958. It was the first of many films to star Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, and Neca has announced this week that they’ve turned that version of the classic character into a new action figure.
Neca previews their upcoming Horror of Dracula (1958) – Ultimate Count Dracula 7″ Scale Action Figure, “Neca presents the first in a series of action figures from the legendary Hammer House of Horror! Hammer has produced landmark horror since the 1950s, with one of its most famous being Horror of Dracula.
“The film captured audiences with its mix of vivid color, carnality, and violence, and Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Dracula is considered a benchmark against which other depictions are measured. This Ultimate Dracula action figure stands in 7” scale and includes removable fabric cape,...
Neca previews their upcoming Horror of Dracula (1958) – Ultimate Count Dracula 7″ Scale Action Figure, “Neca presents the first in a series of action figures from the legendary Hammer House of Horror! Hammer has produced landmark horror since the 1950s, with one of its most famous being Horror of Dracula.
“The film captured audiences with its mix of vivid color, carnality, and violence, and Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Dracula is considered a benchmark against which other depictions are measured. This Ultimate Dracula action figure stands in 7” scale and includes removable fabric cape,...
- 5/20/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Of all the contenders to play James Bond next, many would argue that Tom Hardy is effortlessly one of the best choices ever. His wit, charming demeanor, and overall personality make him stand out among everyone else and seem like the perfect choice to embody the peerless spy. Plus, he’s British, so that checks out another box of requirements for the character.
Tom Hardy. | Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons.
However, even after all these similarities, one thing still stands in the way between everyone deeming him to be the perfect choice for this role. This one thing is his 12-year-old $156 million box office disaster with Chris Pine, This Means War, which featured him as a CIA agent but failed to garner many appraisals for Hardy in the role because of his lackluster performance.
This Means War Poses a Barrier to Tom Hardy Becoming the Ultimate James Bond
When considering...
Tom Hardy. | Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons.
However, even after all these similarities, one thing still stands in the way between everyone deeming him to be the perfect choice for this role. This one thing is his 12-year-old $156 million box office disaster with Chris Pine, This Means War, which featured him as a CIA agent but failed to garner many appraisals for Hardy in the role because of his lackluster performance.
This Means War Poses a Barrier to Tom Hardy Becoming the Ultimate James Bond
When considering...
- 5/18/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenacePhoto: Lucasfilm
Regardless of how you feel about the Star Wars prequels—maybe they don’t actually deserve our hate, maybe The Phantom Menace is at least important, if not traditionally good, maybe they’re actually just terrible—there’s no denying that there...
Regardless of how you feel about the Star Wars prequels—maybe they don’t actually deserve our hate, maybe The Phantom Menace is at least important, if not traditionally good, maybe they’re actually just terrible—there’s no denying that there...
- 5/17/2024
- by Jen Lennon, Drew Gillis, Cindy White, Matt Schimkowitz, Matt Mitchell, Jacob Oller, William Hughes
- avclub.com
UK-based sales house Unannounced Film Company has boarded international sales on documentary Children Of The Wicker Man for the Cannes Market.
Justin and Dominic Hardy’s film centres around their father Robin Hardy and the making of his 1973 cult horror film The Wicker Man.
Despite being considered one of the greatest films of all time, Hardy’s sons have a complex relationship with the film and the impact it had on their relationship with their father. Along with researcher Chris Nunn, who also directs the documentary, the pair delve into a box of recently discovered production documents from The Wicker Man...
Justin and Dominic Hardy’s film centres around their father Robin Hardy and the making of his 1973 cult horror film The Wicker Man.
Despite being considered one of the greatest films of all time, Hardy’s sons have a complex relationship with the film and the impact it had on their relationship with their father. Along with researcher Chris Nunn, who also directs the documentary, the pair delve into a box of recently discovered production documents from The Wicker Man...
- 5/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Severin Films Goes Goth On June 4th With Danza MacAbra Volume 3: The Spanish Gothic Collection: "Coming June 4th! Danza MacAbra Volume 3: The Spanish Gothic Collection is the latest in our acclaimed series of Gothic Horror Blu-ray box sets and the first to focus on Spain’s tradition of Gothic Horror, which – particularly during the Franco dictatorship – was characterized by daring concepts, lush visuals, extreme sexuality, and a startling aestheic all its own. These four classic shockers from the 1970s represent the genre at its most audacious: In Necrophagous, the debut feature by writer/director Miguel Madrid, a fractured family in a crumbling castle conceals a grisly graveyard secret. The anthology film Cake Of Blood – never previously available outside of Spain – presents a quartet of supernatural tales by four young filmmakers. Hammer Films director John Gilling brings his inimitable style to the occult thriller in Cross Of The Devil.
- 5/15/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
There are no words in the dictionary that can perfectly describe late Christopher Lee’s career in the film industry. With over 250 films to his name, the actor was a force to reckon with. Even though it has almost been a decade since he passed away, Christopher Lee’s legacy still lives on, and his fans will finally get to learn more about him in an upcoming documentary on his life.
Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Titled The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee, the documentary is directed by Jon Spira, who has access to the actor’s scrapbooks and interviews from the British Institute’s library. However, this is no ordinary documentary, just as Christopher Lee was no ordinary man.
A Documentary Gives Insight into Christopher Lee’s Life
A still from the trailer of The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee (2024) | Credit: Canal Cat Films...
Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Titled The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee, the documentary is directed by Jon Spira, who has access to the actor’s scrapbooks and interviews from the British Institute’s library. However, this is no ordinary documentary, just as Christopher Lee was no ordinary man.
A Documentary Gives Insight into Christopher Lee’s Life
A still from the trailer of The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee (2024) | Credit: Canal Cat Films...
- 5/12/2024
- by Mishkaat Khan
- FandomWire
In December of 1973, two movies that would change the face of horror and the ways it dealt with religion and spirituality were released. One was an instant hit, immediately changing the landscape of the genre forever. The other was severely cut by executives who simply did not understand it and unceremoniously slapped into the B-picture slot on double bills with Don’t Look Now, where it seemed to die a quick death. Over time, it grew from an underground cult discovery to a genre-defining masterpiece. The former is, of course, William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist, which remains a terrifying and inimitable masterpiece. The latter is Robin Hardy and Anthony Schaffer’s The Wicker Man, a truly remarkable film that became a flashpoint for an emerging subgenre—Folk Horror. Though both films deal in religion, The Exorcist and The Wicker Man could not be more divided in their approach to the subject.
- 5/9/2024
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
I grew up in the time of the Chuck Norris joke. I didn’t even really know who he was apart from the Walker, Texas Ranger guy who Conan O’Brien would pull a lever to get just the most random, out of context clip. I remember seeing the Chuck Norris joke book in a Barnes and Noble store and leafing through it only to find a bunch of absolutely absurd and comically over the top things that Chuck Norris could and would do to you or what he kept behind his beard. It was enough for me to start looking at his overall contribution to film and much of it was action. I found him teaming up with the likes of Lee Marvin in The Delta Force or going up against the great Christopher Lee in An Eye for an Eye. There’s also a great fight he had with...
- 5/9/2024
- by Andrew Hatfield
- JoBlo.com
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most celebrated works of fantasy and has been regarded as one of the greatest films ever. Director Peter Jackson spent years bringing to life a novel series that was considered to be unadaptable. The final film of the trilogy The Return of the King won eleven awards at the Oscars, including Best Picture.
Many actors in the fantasy trilogy have gone on to become stars. While lead actors such as Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen became synonymous with their roles as Frodo and Aragorn, other actors such as Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, and Andy Serkis saw new levels of stardom. Bloom, who would go on to star in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise reportedly received a very low salary for playing the role of Legolas in the trilogy.
Orlando Bloom’s Salary Was Extremely Low For His Role In...
Many actors in the fantasy trilogy have gone on to become stars. While lead actors such as Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen became synonymous with their roles as Frodo and Aragorn, other actors such as Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, and Andy Serkis saw new levels of stardom. Bloom, who would go on to star in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise reportedly received a very low salary for playing the role of Legolas in the trilogy.
Orlando Bloom’s Salary Was Extremely Low For His Role In...
- 5/8/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Midsommar (A24), Nope (Universal Pictures), Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s Hewitt house (Shutterstock), Pearl (A24)Graphic: The A.V. Club
There’s an old adage in horror: The less you show a monster, the scarier it is. Horror filmmakers are, by necessity, skilled at using darkness and shadows to creep out audiences.
There’s an old adage in horror: The less you show a monster, the scarier it is. Horror filmmakers are, by necessity, skilled at using darkness and shadows to creep out audiences.
- 5/7/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
The Hobbit: Five Key Differences Between the Book and the Movies - Main Image
Almost a decade after the critical and commercial success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy on film, director Peter Jackson journeyed back to Middle-earth to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's children's novel The Hobbit to the big screen in 2012.
Expanding The Hobbit lore into three parts allowed for more creative freedom to create new characters and scenarios written especially for the films. Here are five notable instances of the key changes made in the movies.
Related: Peter Jackson: "I Didn't Know What The Hell I Was Doing" When Directing The Hobbit
Azog, as One of the Main Antagonists
Azog the Defiler terrorises Thorin Oakenshield and his company throughout the three movies, seeking revenge after the dwarf-king cuts off his arm in a previous battle.
While Azog is as fearsome in the books as he is in the movies,...
Almost a decade after the critical and commercial success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy on film, director Peter Jackson journeyed back to Middle-earth to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's children's novel The Hobbit to the big screen in 2012.
Expanding The Hobbit lore into three parts allowed for more creative freedom to create new characters and scenarios written especially for the films. Here are five notable instances of the key changes made in the movies.
Related: Peter Jackson: "I Didn't Know What The Hell I Was Doing" When Directing The Hobbit
Azog, as One of the Main Antagonists
Azog the Defiler terrorises Thorin Oakenshield and his company throughout the three movies, seeking revenge after the dwarf-king cuts off his arm in a previous battle.
While Azog is as fearsome in the books as he is in the movies,...
- 5/7/2024
- EpicStream
Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the greatest voices in filmmaking today. Since the ’70s, he has proven himself to be a very competent director who can dabble in any filmmaking genre with ease. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of The Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, The Color Purple, etc. are examples of his complete mastery over varied genres.
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
- 5/6/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned.
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
"The Wicker Man" is the gold standard of occult horror. Police Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward), a God-fearing Englishman, arrives on the island of Summerisle to investigate the reported disappearance of a young girl. Howie soon discovers the islanders are pagans and spends the movie angrily berating them. Soon, it becomes clear the cultural differences are more sinister than the proper way to worship.
The islanders' crops are failing, so Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) has plotted a virgin sacrifice to appease their gods. No one ever said the virgin had to be a young girl; no, it's the unmarried Howie, who is burned to death in an excruciating sequence as the Summerisle villagers sing.
Despite being underserved by producer/distributor British Lion Films (to the point where Lee had to promote the film on his own time), "The Wicker Man" is now regarded as a horror classic. 2023 was the 50th anniversary of "The Wicker Man,...
The islanders' crops are failing, so Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) has plotted a virgin sacrifice to appease their gods. No one ever said the virgin had to be a young girl; no, it's the unmarried Howie, who is burned to death in an excruciating sequence as the Summerisle villagers sing.
Despite being underserved by producer/distributor British Lion Films (to the point where Lee had to promote the film on his own time), "The Wicker Man" is now regarded as a horror classic. 2023 was the 50th anniversary of "The Wicker Man,...
- 5/4/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Christopher Lee graced the screens with his performances as menacing villains in several notable projects. The late actor delighted his fans when his career saw a resurgence after appearing as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Following that he also appeared as the villainous Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones (2002).
Christopher Lee as Count Dooku
Lee’s performance as Count Dooku was one of the rarest positive elements in the much-criticized Prequel Trilogy. But the late actor did not seem to have a very good experience during the filming. Additionally, despite a good performance, a certain section of fans believe that Count Dooku is the most underutilized Star Wars villain.
Did the late Christopher Lee hate his time on Star Wars? Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II
George Lucas waited for a long time for...
Christopher Lee as Count Dooku
Lee’s performance as Count Dooku was one of the rarest positive elements in the much-criticized Prequel Trilogy. But the late actor did not seem to have a very good experience during the filming. Additionally, despite a good performance, a certain section of fans believe that Count Dooku is the most underutilized Star Wars villain.
Did the late Christopher Lee hate his time on Star Wars? Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II
George Lucas waited for a long time for...
- 4/29/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
Kevin Conroy has worked with some of the most incredible voice actors because of his legendary work as Batman. The many villains he had to face, either minor or major, all impacted him in one way or another. The cast was a variety of enormous talent all mixed in one big familial project. Andrea Romano, the voice director of Batman: The Animated Series had a lot to say about the cast as well.
Kevin Conroy voiced Batman starting with Batman: The Animated Series (Credits: HBO Max)
With the talented actors she had managed to get cast, one would wonder if there was one that she wanted to get but couldn’t. An array as extravagant as this would make that very factor impossible. However, Romano had other plans.
“Kind of like Michael Keaton, but kind of not”: Bruce Timm Had to Make Kevin Conroy ‘Forget’ Everything He Knew About...
Kevin Conroy voiced Batman starting with Batman: The Animated Series (Credits: HBO Max)
With the talented actors she had managed to get cast, one would wonder if there was one that she wanted to get but couldn’t. An array as extravagant as this would make that very factor impossible. However, Romano had other plans.
“Kind of like Michael Keaton, but kind of not”: Bruce Timm Had to Make Kevin Conroy ‘Forget’ Everything He Knew About...
- 4/24/2024
- by Adya Godboley
- FandomWire
"Abigail" is hitting theaters this weekend, bringing audiences a new vampire film to sink their teeth into. With that in mind, we're turning to the granddaddy of all vampires, Dracula! There are a lot of Dracula movies. Too many to Count, in fact (pun intended). Dracula has been to space ("Dracula 3000"). Dracula has turned out to be Judas Iscariot ("Dracula 2000"). Dracula has been to the Old West ("Billy the Kid Versus Dracula").
Hell, Dracula has been with us more or less since horror movies began (with the unauthorized adaptation "Nosferatu"). With that in mind, it's probably impossible to make a comprehensive list of every Dracula movie. So we're not even going to try to do that. Instead, we're going to list the five best Dracula movies, ranked. With so many Drac-centric flicks out there, any list like this is bound to be controversial. If your personal favorite Dracula movie didn't make the list,...
Hell, Dracula has been with us more or less since horror movies began (with the unauthorized adaptation "Nosferatu"). With that in mind, it's probably impossible to make a comprehensive list of every Dracula movie. So we're not even going to try to do that. Instead, we're going to list the five best Dracula movies, ranked. With so many Drac-centric flicks out there, any list like this is bound to be controversial. If your personal favorite Dracula movie didn't make the list,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
I'm sure you all know the famous, then-shocking twist of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is set up as the film's protagonist; the opening scene is an intimate moment between her and lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin), who can't commit until he pays his debts. So, she impulsively steals $40,000 from her boss' client. Surely the movie will be about her on the run.
Well, it is for a while, but then she makes it to the Bates Motel. She chats up polite young innkeeper Norman (Anthony Perkins), but his elderly mother sure seems creepy. With an hour to go, Marion is murdered by a knife-wielding assailant in the motel shower (a scene so scary it left Leigh scared of showers). The film's second half becomes a new story about Sam and Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles) investigating her disappearance. They stumble onto the truth -- that Marion was killed by Norman,...
Well, it is for a while, but then she makes it to the Bates Motel. She chats up polite young innkeeper Norman (Anthony Perkins), but his elderly mother sure seems creepy. With an hour to go, Marion is murdered by a knife-wielding assailant in the motel shower (a scene so scary it left Leigh scared of showers). The film's second half becomes a new story about Sam and Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles) investigating her disappearance. They stumble onto the truth -- that Marion was killed by Norman,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Jess Franco’s The Bloody Judge, which was theatrically released in the U.S. by Aip under the nonsensical title of Night of the Blood Monster, is one of the filmmaker’s most lavish productions. It’s one that, absent the outrageous lashings of sadistic violence and nudity that are common to Franco’s work, could almost pass for mainstream cinema.
As a helpful voiceover informs the viewer while the opening credits roll, The Bloody Judge is set in 1684, during the last days of King James II, on the eve of the Glorious Revolution that put William and Mary on the throne. Allegiance to the current king is paramount to the storyline, providing the motivation behind the increasingly sadistic actions of Judge Jeffries (Christopher Lee). Like Michael Reeves’s Witchfinder General, from 1968, Franco’s film pits its youthful protagonists against the hypocrisy and intolerance of an authoritarian regime.
This is...
As a helpful voiceover informs the viewer while the opening credits roll, The Bloody Judge is set in 1684, during the last days of King James II, on the eve of the Glorious Revolution that put William and Mary on the throne. Allegiance to the current king is paramount to the storyline, providing the motivation behind the increasingly sadistic actions of Judge Jeffries (Christopher Lee). Like Michael Reeves’s Witchfinder General, from 1968, Franco’s film pits its youthful protagonists against the hypocrisy and intolerance of an authoritarian regime.
This is...
- 4/9/2024
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
The 1973 folk horror movie "The Wicker Man" is a terrifying trip into the potential dangers of religious fanaticism, but it was also pretty perilous to film as well. Some of the actors felt like making the movie was almost as horrifying as the movie itself due to miserable, wet Scotland weather and the film's dramatic climax that ends in human sacrifice. Actor Edward Woodward wasn't actually burned alive, of course, though his character, Sergeant Howie is trapped inside a massive wicker man effigy and lit aflame, and it was still pretty scary filming that scene because fire can be unpredictable. Perhaps even more unpredictable, however? Goats. There may be no creature on this earth more unpredictable, and in proper goat fashion, one of them was a real problem on the set of the most pivotal scene in "The Wicker Man."
It's pretty close to impossible to make a folk horror...
It's pretty close to impossible to make a folk horror...
- 4/6/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Mario Bava’s The Whip and the Body is a Technicolor fever dream of violent, unquenchable desire that extends beyond the grave. It’s also a gothic tale steeped in murder and revenge, with added elements of sadomasochistic eroticism and just a whiff of necrophilia. Wedged between Black Sabbath and Blood and Black Lace in Bava’s canon, The Whip and the Body shares those films’ consummate use of color cinematography to refine mood and convey disturbing shades of atmosphere. Acting as his own cinematographer, with credited Dp Ubaldo Terzano working as de facto camera operator, Bava revels in a riotous palette of sickly greens, otherworldly purples, and sanguine reds.
The opening of The Whip and the Body brings to mind Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, an equally disturbing tale of mad love that was celebrated by the surrealists. Heathcliffe stand-in Kurt Menliff (Christopher Lee) returns to his seaside castle...
The opening of The Whip and the Body brings to mind Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, an equally disturbing tale of mad love that was celebrated by the surrealists. Heathcliffe stand-in Kurt Menliff (Christopher Lee) returns to his seaside castle...
- 4/2/2024
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
Turning down a job can sometimes come back to haunt you, especially if you're an actor who passed up a role in an acclaimed horror movie and later regretted the decision. This scenario may be difficult to imagine. After all, who would pass up the chance to be in a movie or TV show, right? As fans, though, it can be easy to forget that the movie business -- for all its glory, fanfare, legacy, and importance -- is, at the end of the day, just that: a business. A person in any industry may decline a job that doesn't feel like good fit, doesn't align with their schedule, or maybe would have them working with a filmmaker or co-star they unsure of for one reason or another.
Casting is a crucial component to any project's pre-production. In fact, come 2026, "Best Casting" will be an Oscar category. With the exact same material,...
Casting is a crucial component to any project's pre-production. In fact, come 2026, "Best Casting" will be an Oscar category. With the exact same material,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Blake Taylor
- Slash Film
Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man) gives one of his most unforgettable performances as Judge Jeffreys, the infamous 17th-century witchfinder whose unholy obsession with a luscious wench (Maria Rohm of Eugenie) fuels a jaw-dropping spree of torture, brutality and flesh-ripping perversion. Howard Vernon (Succubus), Margaret Lee (Five Golden Dragons), Maria Schell (99 Women), and Oscar nominee Leo Genn (Quo Vadis) co-star in this landmark epic of sexual violence and sadism, complete with a superb score by Bruno Nicolai (Count Dracula) and directed with spectacularly deviant glee by the one and only Jess Franco (Venus in Furs).
Night of the Blood Monster is available on 4K Uhd Blu-ray on March 26.
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Night of the Blood Monster is available on 4K Uhd Blu-ray on March 26.
Enter for your chance to win a 4K Uhd Blu-ray of Night of the Blood Monster, courtesy of Blue Underground. Two (2) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2:...
- 3/24/2024
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
Stating that Tim Burton loves B-movie horror is a little like saying the grass is green and the sky is blue. The director has spent his entire career paying homage to classic Hammer horror pictures and low-budget genre fare, from his blood-drenched, practically black-and-white "Sleepy Hollow" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" adaptations to his gleefully bizarre alien invasion flick "Mars Attacks!" and his biopic about the grandaddy of cult camp cinema, "Ed Wood." Seeing as his 1988 hit "Beetlejuice" draws inspiration from many of those same influences, it's only fitting that his long-awaited sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," tipped its hat to them directly with its alternate title.
An earlier iteration of the movie, titled "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian," entered development in the '90s and would've very much embodied what audiences expected from Burton in that decade (which is to say its screenplay was strikingly unruly and more than a little horny). "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,...
An earlier iteration of the movie, titled "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian," entered development in the '90s and would've very much embodied what audiences expected from Burton in that decade (which is to say its screenplay was strikingly unruly and more than a little horny). "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is a film full of epic moments. One of the best scenes is the opening battle scene where Chancellor Palpatine manipulates Anakin Skywalker into killing Count Dooku during the Battle of Coruscant.
A still from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
In the scene where Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) instructs Anakin (Hayden Christensen) to cut off Count Dooku’s (Christopher Lee) head, he delivers some famous lines in a dramatic manner. This intensifies the scene even further. However, the scene could have almost appeared entirely different from what it is today.
Ian McDiarmid’s Clash Could Have Almost Threatened Iconic Star Wars Scene
Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine / Darth Sidious in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
The opening battle scene in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith could have become completely...
A still from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
In the scene where Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) instructs Anakin (Hayden Christensen) to cut off Count Dooku’s (Christopher Lee) head, he delivers some famous lines in a dramatic manner. This intensifies the scene even further. However, the scene could have almost appeared entirely different from what it is today.
Ian McDiarmid’s Clash Could Have Almost Threatened Iconic Star Wars Scene
Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine / Darth Sidious in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
The opening battle scene in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith could have become completely...
- 3/13/2024
- by Shreya Jha
- FandomWire
There’s nothing quite like a nun horror movie to remind us that the line between the sacred and the terrifying is thinner than a communion wafer. In this unholy listicle, we’re diving deep into the cloistered corners of horror cinema to bring you the ultimate guide to nunsploitation. So, whether you’ve taken your holy orders or you’re just a horror enthusiast looking for your next sacrilegious scare, join us on this divine journey through some of the most unholy tales ever told on screen.
From demonic possessions to gothic tales of madness and despair unfolding on hallowed ground, nun horror movies have a unique way of getting under our skin. Maybe it’s the way they juxtapose the purity of the habit with the darkness of the supernatural, or perhaps it’s just that nuns have always had a knack for knowing what’s lurking in the shadows.
From demonic possessions to gothic tales of madness and despair unfolding on hallowed ground, nun horror movies have a unique way of getting under our skin. Maybe it’s the way they juxtapose the purity of the habit with the darkness of the supernatural, or perhaps it’s just that nuns have always had a knack for knowing what’s lurking in the shadows.
- 3/11/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
The James Bond films have a legacy of over six decades and the books by Ian Fleming were legendary even before that. The franchise is one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time and has seen multiple actors essay the titular role of James Bond. The films have inspired many films and other media in the spy genre and have a profound effect on pop culture.
Every work has been inspired by something, and even James Bond was reportedly inspired by multiple people and events. Legendary actor Christopher Lee claimed that he knew James Bond more than anyone else as the author Ian Fleming was his first step-cousin. He also mentioned many of the characters in the series were inspired by Fleming’s real-life acquaintances.
Ian Fleming Based James Bond On Stories He Heard During World War II Ian Fleming with Sean Connery | Credits: United Artists
Author Ian Fleming created...
Every work has been inspired by something, and even James Bond was reportedly inspired by multiple people and events. Legendary actor Christopher Lee claimed that he knew James Bond more than anyone else as the author Ian Fleming was his first step-cousin. He also mentioned many of the characters in the series were inspired by Fleming’s real-life acquaintances.
Ian Fleming Based James Bond On Stories He Heard During World War II Ian Fleming with Sean Connery | Credits: United Artists
Author Ian Fleming created...
- 3/4/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
It’s hard to believe it’s been 47 years since we first witnessed the adventures of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, but across the nine-movie Skywalker saga, two standalone movies, a multitude of TV series, and one questionable Holiday Special, we’ve learned it’s a big ol’ galaxy out there. With enough characters to fill a Death Star, it’s inevitable that not every player in this grand space opera would get the same attention as Luke, Han, and Leia.
In fact, the franchise has allowed a few characters to slip to the sidelines. From major players who were discarded into the trash compactor to those who didn’t resonate with fans and were quietly pushed to the side, here are 12 Star Wars characters who deserved better.
Rose Tico
Kelly Marie Tran was a fantastic addition to the Sequel Trilogy in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but while she quickly settled in alongside Rey,...
In fact, the franchise has allowed a few characters to slip to the sidelines. From major players who were discarded into the trash compactor to those who didn’t resonate with fans and were quietly pushed to the side, here are 12 Star Wars characters who deserved better.
Rose Tico
Kelly Marie Tran was a fantastic addition to the Sequel Trilogy in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but while she quickly settled in alongside Rey,...
- 2/26/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
As much as "Star Wars" might seem like a clear net-positive for any actor's career, history has shown that it's not always as good as it sounds. Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin in the first movie, was famously bullied out of acting for his supposedly bad performance. Natalie Portman also struggled to find work after the prequels because her performance as Padme was considered pretty wooden too. Basically everyone involved in these movies is indeed a perfectly fine actor; the problem was just that George Lucas is bad at directing his actors, as shown by how even Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson seemed to performing below their abilites.
Even in the agreed-upon good movies in the franchise, the actors involved could sometimes struggle to find meaty roles later on. Mark Hamill became a much-celebrated voice actor after the original trilogy, while Carrie Fisher carved out a career for...
Even in the agreed-upon good movies in the franchise, the actors involved could sometimes struggle to find meaty roles later on. Mark Hamill became a much-celebrated voice actor after the original trilogy, while Carrie Fisher carved out a career for...
- 2/25/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Even the most die-hard 007 fans know that James Bond movies don’t always hit. There’s the yellow face of You Only Live Twice, the pigeon double-take in Moonraker, the surfing in Die Another Day. But never has the franchise done worse than when a certain Louisiana police officer bumbles into the otherwise solid Live and Let Die.
Yes, I’m talking about Sheriff J.W. Pepper, a loudmouth distraction who sort of makes sense in the American-set Live and Let Die, but then he somehow also shows up in Thailand to further drag down The Man With the Golden Gun.
Modern viewers meeting the character for the first time today will likely be confused by Pepper’s shtick. But to the viewers of the early 1970s, Pepper not only hit as a funny joke, but he was very much in line with Bond’s history of pop culture Johnny-come-latelyisms.
Yes, I’m talking about Sheriff J.W. Pepper, a loudmouth distraction who sort of makes sense in the American-set Live and Let Die, but then he somehow also shows up in Thailand to further drag down The Man With the Golden Gun.
Modern viewers meeting the character for the first time today will likely be confused by Pepper’s shtick. But to the viewers of the early 1970s, Pepper not only hit as a funny joke, but he was very much in line with Bond’s history of pop culture Johnny-come-latelyisms.
- 2/23/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
In honour of Empire's new Star Wars prequels issue, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the trilogy's launch, we're asking – which of the prequel movies is the best? Read the case for Episode II – Attack Of The Clones below, and find the issue on newsstands now.
When the camera pans up from the opening crawl in Attack Of The Clones — the only film in the Skywalker saga to buck the tradition of the pan down — George Lucas promises us a different kind of Star Wars movie, and he delivers from the very first frame. Every time Lucas set out to make a Star Wars film, he worked to make it different from the others in the most unexpected ways — and Attack Of The Clones is somehow more unique and brilliant amongst the entire Skywalker saga.
As the first film shot entirely digitally, George Lucas didn’t just set out to change...
When the camera pans up from the opening crawl in Attack Of The Clones — the only film in the Skywalker saga to buck the tradition of the pan down — George Lucas promises us a different kind of Star Wars movie, and he delivers from the very first frame. Every time Lucas set out to make a Star Wars film, he worked to make it different from the others in the most unexpected ways — and Attack Of The Clones is somehow more unique and brilliant amongst the entire Skywalker saga.
As the first film shot entirely digitally, George Lucas didn’t just set out to change...
- 2/21/2024
- by Bryan Young
- Empire - Movies
Samantha Morton, the British actor (She Said, The Whale, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Walking Dead), writer (I Am…Kirsty) and director (The Unloved), received the BAFTA Fellowship, the British Academy’s highest honor at the BAFTA Film Awards in London on Sunday. But the outspoken star used her moment on stage to share very emotional words about children who live in poverty or who can’t live safely at home.
“For me, this is really nothing short of a miracle,” Morton said about receiving the honor, recalling how she was “hungry” and “cold” as a kid growing up in poverty.
“Film changed my life, it transformed me,” she continued. “When I first saw Ken Loach’s Kes… I was forever changed” seeing “poverty, people like me, my life and my family on the screen,” she said. Her conclusion: “Representation matters.”
Like British director Loach, Morton has...
“For me, this is really nothing short of a miracle,” Morton said about receiving the honor, recalling how she was “hungry” and “cold” as a kid growing up in poverty.
“Film changed my life, it transformed me,” she continued. “When I first saw Ken Loach’s Kes… I was forever changed” seeing “poverty, people like me, my life and my family on the screen,” she said. Her conclusion: “Representation matters.”
Like British director Loach, Morton has...
- 2/18/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There are a lot of "Frankenstein" movies. There's even one in theaters right now: "Lisa Frankenstein," a fun 80s-set horror-comedy-romance brew (read /Film's review here).
One could even say the story of "Frankenstein" birthed the horror genre as we know it today, both in literature (thanks to Mary Shelley's "Modern Prometheus") and in film. James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein," arriving on the heels of "Dracula," cemented the age of Universal Horror and proved that monsters could be crowd-pleasers.
Countless sequels and remakes later, everyone knows the basics of the story. Dr. Frankenstein (first name usually Victor) sets out to create life in a reanimated corpse. The result is a Creature, unpleasant to the eye, and soon Frankenstein experiences the wrath of his Monster. Was Frankenstein's Monster born destructive or made that way by his creator rejecting him? Interpretations differ, but the message endures: don't play God (or become a parent...
One could even say the story of "Frankenstein" birthed the horror genre as we know it today, both in literature (thanks to Mary Shelley's "Modern Prometheus") and in film. James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein," arriving on the heels of "Dracula," cemented the age of Universal Horror and proved that monsters could be crowd-pleasers.
Countless sequels and remakes later, everyone knows the basics of the story. Dr. Frankenstein (first name usually Victor) sets out to create life in a reanimated corpse. The result is a Creature, unpleasant to the eye, and soon Frankenstein experiences the wrath of his Monster. Was Frankenstein's Monster born destructive or made that way by his creator rejecting him? Interpretations differ, but the message endures: don't play God (or become a parent...
- 2/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
It’s a pretty great time to be a Neil Gaiman fan. Technically, it’s always a great time to be a Neil Gaiman fan, but it’s almost certainly never felt more fun than at this precise moment.
Good Omens, The Sandman, and American Gods have all been adapted for television within the past five years, each with a rather astonishing degree of accuracy and faithfulness-–certainly to the spirit, if not always the letter of the author’s most popular works. Both Sandman and Good Omens will return for future seasons, a series based on Gods spin-off Anansi Boys is set to debut on Prime Video in the not-too-distant future, and Dead Boy Detectives, a show that’s focused on several DC characters created by Gaiman has been reclaimed by Netflix as part of their expanding Sandman onscreen universe. Honestly, it’s wonderful to witness, and it certainly...
Good Omens, The Sandman, and American Gods have all been adapted for television within the past five years, each with a rather astonishing degree of accuracy and faithfulness-–certainly to the spirit, if not always the letter of the author’s most popular works. Both Sandman and Good Omens will return for future seasons, a series based on Gods spin-off Anansi Boys is set to debut on Prime Video in the not-too-distant future, and Dead Boy Detectives, a show that’s focused on several DC characters created by Gaiman has been reclaimed by Netflix as part of their expanding Sandman onscreen universe. Honestly, it’s wonderful to witness, and it certainly...
- 2/12/2024
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
British actor, writer, and director Samantha Morton will be awarded the BAFTA Fellowship at next week’s Ee BAFTA Film Awards.
Born in Nottingham in 1977, Morton garnered international attention in 1997 with her performance in Carine Adler’s Under the Skin, earning her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for Best Actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award first for Best Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and later for Best Actress for Jim Sheridan’s In America (2003).
Other notable film credits include work with directors such as Lynne Ramsay on Morvern Callar (2002), for which she won Best Performance, Toronto Film Critics Award and a BIFA for Best Actress; Steven Spielberg on Minority Report (2002); Michael Winterbottom on Code 46 (2003); Shekhar Kapur on The Golden Age (2007); Harmony Korine on Mister Lonely (2007); Anton Corbijn on Control, (2007), earning her a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Film Award nomination; Charlie Kaufman Synecdoche,...
Born in Nottingham in 1977, Morton garnered international attention in 1997 with her performance in Carine Adler’s Under the Skin, earning her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for Best Actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award first for Best Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and later for Best Actress for Jim Sheridan’s In America (2003).
Other notable film credits include work with directors such as Lynne Ramsay on Morvern Callar (2002), for which she won Best Performance, Toronto Film Critics Award and a BIFA for Best Actress; Steven Spielberg on Minority Report (2002); Michael Winterbottom on Code 46 (2003); Shekhar Kapur on The Golden Age (2007); Harmony Korine on Mister Lonely (2007); Anton Corbijn on Control, (2007), earning her a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Film Award nomination; Charlie Kaufman Synecdoche,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Acclaimed British actor, writer and director Samantha Morton will be awarded a Fellowship at the upcoming Ee BAFTA Film Awards.
The award is the highest recognition given by BAFTA to an individual for their exceptional contribution to the film, games or television industry.
After earning plaudits in theater and television, Morton’s breakthrough film role was Carine Adler’s “Under the Skin (1997) that earned her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for best actress. She has been Oscar nominated twice – for best supporting actress for Woody Allen’s “Sweet and Lowdown” (1999), and for best actress for Jim Sheridan’s “In America” (2003).
For her portrayal of child-murderer Myra Hindley in “Longford” (2006) Morton scored best actress nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and BAFTA Television Award, and won a Golden Globe. In 2009, she made her directorial debut with television film “The Unloved,” a semi-autobiographical film based in the British children’s care system,...
The award is the highest recognition given by BAFTA to an individual for their exceptional contribution to the film, games or television industry.
After earning plaudits in theater and television, Morton’s breakthrough film role was Carine Adler’s “Under the Skin (1997) that earned her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for best actress. She has been Oscar nominated twice – for best supporting actress for Woody Allen’s “Sweet and Lowdown” (1999), and for best actress for Jim Sheridan’s “In America” (2003).
For her portrayal of child-murderer Myra Hindley in “Longford” (2006) Morton scored best actress nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and BAFTA Television Award, and won a Golden Globe. In 2009, she made her directorial debut with television film “The Unloved,” a semi-autobiographical film based in the British children’s care system,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Samantha Morton, the British actor (She Said, The Whale, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Walking Dead), writer (I Am…Kirsty) and director (The Unloved), will receive the BAFTA Fellowship, the British Academy’s highest honor.
She will be given the honor at the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, hosted by David Tennant (Doctor Who, Inside Man), in London on Feb. 18.
“As a proud BAFTA member I am honored, profoundly humbled and grateful to BAFTA for giving me this award,” Morton said.
Anna Higgs, chair of BAFTA’s film committee, lauded her as “a mesmerizing storyteller with incredible range,” adding: “She has made an extraordinary impact on the British film industry – consistently shining a light on complex characters and championing underrepresented stories. On-and-off screen, she always works to break down societal barriers and change the make-up of the screen industries for the better – often against great odds.” She concluded:...
She will be given the honor at the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, hosted by David Tennant (Doctor Who, Inside Man), in London on Feb. 18.
“As a proud BAFTA member I am honored, profoundly humbled and grateful to BAFTA for giving me this award,” Morton said.
Anna Higgs, chair of BAFTA’s film committee, lauded her as “a mesmerizing storyteller with incredible range,” adding: “She has made an extraordinary impact on the British film industry – consistently shining a light on complex characters and championing underrepresented stories. On-and-off screen, she always works to break down societal barriers and change the make-up of the screen industries for the better – often against great odds.” She concluded:...
- 2/7/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Guy Ritchie never sleeps, based on how many movies he manages to produce on a yearly basis — mostly without skipping a beat. The trailer for his latest film, "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," seems to promise "Inglourious Basterds" by way of "The Gentlemen," with a balls-to-the-wall fun Nazi-killing movie featuring an ensemble cast of colorful characters that is (mostly) based on a true story.
Indeed, perhaps the most surprising part of the trailer is that "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" does not come from a Guy Ritchie movie title generator, but is instead the actual name of a real secret task force created during World War II by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and "James Bond" writer Ian Fleming. Officially called the Special Operations Executive group, this covert organization was assembled to do one thing: kill Nazis, but in secret. The clandestine missions that the Soe got involved in helped...
Indeed, perhaps the most surprising part of the trailer is that "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" does not come from a Guy Ritchie movie title generator, but is instead the actual name of a real secret task force created during World War II by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and "James Bond" writer Ian Fleming. Officially called the Special Operations Executive group, this covert organization was assembled to do one thing: kill Nazis, but in secret. The clandestine missions that the Soe got involved in helped...
- 1/31/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Not every horror movie is going to connect with critics, no matter how much the public loves it or if its wider reputation grows more favorably over time. These range from cult classics that earned legions of devoted fans to maligned sequels and reboots that didn't deserve the critical hate they got upon release. Simply put, even the most poorly reviewed horror flicks deserve a reappraisal and are, at the very least worth a look from the curious and unfamiliar.
There are plenty of horror movies that hold a rotten critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes that still make for interesting, and in many cases, even great viewings. With everything from supernatural giallo movies to slasher sequels that subvert expectations, there is a horror movie for every scary sensibility. Here are the 15 horror flicks that didn't connect with most critics that should be given at least one solid viewing.
Read...
There are plenty of horror movies that hold a rotten critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes that still make for interesting, and in many cases, even great viewings. With everything from supernatural giallo movies to slasher sequels that subvert expectations, there is a horror movie for every scary sensibility. Here are the 15 horror flicks that didn't connect with most critics that should be given at least one solid viewing.
Read...
- 1/27/2024
- by Samuel Stone
- Slash Film
The idea for “Rain on the Graves” — the latest single from Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson’s upcoming solo album, The Mandrake Project, out March 1 — came to him while visiting the resting place of poet William Wordsworth. He’d been invited to a wedding in England’s Lake District in 2012, and, knowing that Wordsworth wrote a lot of his verses in Grasmere, he decided to visit his stone cottage and the church where his body was interred.
“It was a gloomy day, and there was rain,” he tells Rolling Stone...
“It was a gloomy day, and there was rain,” he tells Rolling Stone...
- 1/25/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Hammer Films is delighted to announce that their upcoming horror thriller Doctor Jekyll will be available exclusively in the UK on Digital Download from 11th March 2024. An isolated mansion, a mysterious locked room, creepy corridors, a dusty cellar and a mad doctor… Hammer Horror is back! Dive into the haunting and enigmatic world of Doctor Jekyll. Starring the incomparable Eddie Izzard in a role like you’ve never seen before. A fresh, horror-filled take on a timeless tale, this adaptation promises to send shivers down your spine. Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novel, Doctor Jekyll is directed by Joe Stephenson, and also stars Scott Chambers and Simon Callow, as well as Lindsay Duncan, Jonathan Hyde, Morgan Watkins and Robyn Cara.
“In a year that marks a monumental milestone for Hammer Films, our 90th anniversary, we are proud to present ‘Doctor Jekyll’. This release is not just a new chapter...
“In a year that marks a monumental milestone for Hammer Films, our 90th anniversary, we are proud to present ‘Doctor Jekyll’. This release is not just a new chapter...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
The original 1977 "Star Wars" is a miracle of a film. George Lucas' blockbuster could have gone wrong at any moment for a variety of reasons, yet it not only got made and released but became a monumental success (spawning one of the biggest movie franchises ever). Part of why the film and its first two sequels remain so impressive all these decades later is their simple story, vast worldbuilding, groundbreaking special effects, and impeccable casting of mostly little-known actors who would go on to become huge after the films hit theaters.
That sentiment extends to the greater franchise, which has launched several careers and given small roles to actors who would eventually break out in a big way. That's not to say the original "Star Wars" didn't feature any famous actors at the time, of course, be it Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing in the original trilogy, or Samuel L Jackson,...
That sentiment extends to the greater franchise, which has launched several careers and given small roles to actors who would eventually break out in a big way. That's not to say the original "Star Wars" didn't feature any famous actors at the time, of course, be it Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing in the original trilogy, or Samuel L Jackson,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Detailed Guide To Major The Lord Of The Rings Characters ( Photo Credit – Facebook )
J.R.R. Tolkien made a masterpiece when he came up with the first book of “The Hobbit,” back in the 1930s — about the fantasy land of Middle-earth. Followed by “The Lord of the Rings” books and its legacy that became a household name with the release of the three movies directed by Peter Jackson almost half a century later.
The movie franchise was a true masterpiece, immortalizing the Tolkien world’s characters. In this guide, we will spotlight and detail those significant characters that made it a household name and brought home a whooping 17 Academy Awards for the franchise.
For newcomers diving into the “The Lord of the Rings” world and returning fans seeking a refresher on the series, here’s a comprehensive guide to major characters (and their corresponding actors).
Trending Selena Gomez’s Wizards Of Waverly Place Sequel: Release Date,...
J.R.R. Tolkien made a masterpiece when he came up with the first book of “The Hobbit,” back in the 1930s — about the fantasy land of Middle-earth. Followed by “The Lord of the Rings” books and its legacy that became a household name with the release of the three movies directed by Peter Jackson almost half a century later.
The movie franchise was a true masterpiece, immortalizing the Tolkien world’s characters. In this guide, we will spotlight and detail those significant characters that made it a household name and brought home a whooping 17 Academy Awards for the franchise.
For newcomers diving into the “The Lord of the Rings” world and returning fans seeking a refresher on the series, here’s a comprehensive guide to major characters (and their corresponding actors).
Trending Selena Gomez’s Wizards Of Waverly Place Sequel: Release Date,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Safwan Azeem
- KoiMoi
The James Bond franchise revolutionized action cinema in the 1960s when it started with 1962’s Dr. No and stands to this day as one of the longest-running film series in history. From almost the very beginning, Bond movies strive to draw in their audiences with high-octane prologues that run before lush and stylishly rendered title sequences. These pre-title action scenes not only set the tone for the movie right out the gate but, in several instances, are the best sequences within their respective films.
This pre-title sequence tradition began with the franchise’s second movie, 1963’s From Russia with Love. Believe it or not, Dr. No does not actually contain a pre-title action scene and instead dives headfirst into its opening titles. These prologues highlight the classic elements of a spy who always served Her Majesty’s Secret Service faithfully. They also showcase how each of the actors playing Bond...
This pre-title sequence tradition began with the franchise’s second movie, 1963’s From Russia with Love. Believe it or not, Dr. No does not actually contain a pre-title action scene and instead dives headfirst into its opening titles. These prologues highlight the classic elements of a spy who always served Her Majesty’s Secret Service faithfully. They also showcase how each of the actors playing Bond...
- 1/13/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Contagion 4K Uhd from Warner Bros.
Contagion will infect 4K Ultra HD on February 27 via Warner Bros. The 2011 thriller has been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative, overseen by director Steven Soderbergh, with High Dynamic Range.
The ensemble cast features Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, and Sanaa Lathan. Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum) wrote the script.
Three previously released featurettes are included: “The Reality of Contagion,” “The Contagion Detectives,” and “Contagion: How a Virus Changes the World.”
Body Double Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records
The soundtrack from Brain De Palma’s Body Double is coming to vinyl for $40 from Waxwork Records.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Contagion 4K Uhd from Warner Bros.
Contagion will infect 4K Ultra HD on February 27 via Warner Bros. The 2011 thriller has been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative, overseen by director Steven Soderbergh, with High Dynamic Range.
The ensemble cast features Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, and Sanaa Lathan. Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum) wrote the script.
Three previously released featurettes are included: “The Reality of Contagion,” “The Contagion Detectives,” and “Contagion: How a Virus Changes the World.”
Body Double Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records
The soundtrack from Brain De Palma’s Body Double is coming to vinyl for $40 from Waxwork Records.
- 1/12/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
A new season celebrating John Barry’s film soundtracks come loaded with offence warnings that don’t seem that necessary
• BFI season gives James Bond films trigger warnings
Culture warriors have heard a safety-catch being clicked firmly into place at London’s BFI Southbank for a forthcoming season of 60s movies – variously naughty, groovy and gritty – scored by the great composer John Barry: Soundtracking Bond and Beyond. The “Beyond” part means classics such as The Ipcress File and Midnight Cowboy, but obviously 007’s exploits are the main event.
And there’s a prominent warning: “Please note that many of these films contain languages, image and other content that reflect views prevalent in its time, but will cause offence today (as they did then).”
Those last four words will be savoured by historians of offence management: the additional pre-emptive assertion that some of this was iffy then, offensiveness is not relative and that was no excuse.
• BFI season gives James Bond films trigger warnings
Culture warriors have heard a safety-catch being clicked firmly into place at London’s BFI Southbank for a forthcoming season of 60s movies – variously naughty, groovy and gritty – scored by the great composer John Barry: Soundtracking Bond and Beyond. The “Beyond” part means classics such as The Ipcress File and Midnight Cowboy, but obviously 007’s exploits are the main event.
And there’s a prominent warning: “Please note that many of these films contain languages, image and other content that reflect views prevalent in its time, but will cause offence today (as they did then).”
Those last four words will be savoured by historians of offence management: the additional pre-emptive assertion that some of this was iffy then, offensiveness is not relative and that was no excuse.
- 1/4/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
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