FILM NEWS (UK): Horror Channel celebrates Stephen King's 70th year and goes SOUTHBOUND this October.

Works by Stephen King feature heavily this month on Horror Channel, which celebrates the icon’s 70th year as one of horror’s most prolific and popular authors. There are network premieres for his fearsome feline anthology CAT’S EYE, starring James Woods & Drew Barrymore; his darkly weighty cautionary tale STEPHEN KING’S THINNER, directed by Tom Holland in his directorial debut; the science-fiction action horror MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, starring Emilio Estevez; and the 2009 adaptation of his short story CHILDREN OF THE CORN.

Horror Channel has eleven film premieres in October, including the UK premieres of SOUTHBOUND, a chiller compendium from the creators of the V/H/S franchise; Mitch Wilson’s gruesome hell-ride KNUCKLEBONES; and Declan O’Brien’s twisted take on the Outback slasher franchise, WRONG TURN 5: BLOODLINES.

There are also network premieres for remakes THE HILLS HAVE EYES 1 & 2, George Mihalka’s Canadian slasher MY BLOODY VALENTINE, and hillbilly horror returns in Valeri Milev’s WRONG TURN 6: LAST RESORT.

Full film details in transmission order:


Fri 6 Oct @ 22:50 – WRONG TURN 5: BLOODLINES (2012) *UK TV Premiere

The popular Outback slasher franchise continues… A small mining town hosts the Mountain Man Festival on Halloween. The wild night of costumes, drinking and partying turns into a bloodbath when an inbred family of hillbilly cannibals target several college students for dinner. Doug Bradley, Roxanne McKee, and Camilla Arfwedson star.


Sat 7 Oct @ 21:00 – CAT’S EYE (1985) *Network Premiere
Three shocking Stephen King short stories are linked by a stray cat that roams from one tale to the next. First, Dick (James Woods) is trying to quit smoking by any means necessary — even joining a shady self-help group. Next, Johnny (Robert Hays) is an adulterer forced by the wronged husband to circle a building’s hazardous ledge. Lastly, Amanda (Drew Barrymore) is threatened by an evil gnome who throws suspicion on the family cat.


Fri 13 Oct @ 23:00 – WRONG TURN 6: LAST RESORT (2014) *Network Premiere

Get ready for more backwoods gory mayhem as a sudden and mysterious inheritance brings Danny (Anthony Ilott) and his friends to Hobb Springs, a forgotten resort deep in the West Virginia hills. Hobb Springs is being looked after under the watchful care of Jackson and Sally, a socially awkward couple who introduce Danny to the long lost family he's never known. Soon, Danny is forced to choose between his friends and his bloodline.


Sat 14 Oct @ 21:00 – MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE (1986) *Network Premiere
After a comet causes a radiation storm on Earth, machines come to life and turn against their makers. Holed up in a North Carolina truck stop, a group of survivors must fend for themselves against a mass of homicidal trucks. A diner cook, Bill Robinson (Emilio Estevez), emerges as the unlikely leader of the pack, attempting to find an escape plan for himself and the survivors.


Fri 20 Oct @ 22:45 – THE HILLS HAVE EYES (2006) *Network Premiere

Alexandre Aja’s remake of Wes Craven’s 1977 original centres on a family who becomes stranded in a barren US atomic zone. They soon discover, to their horror, that the wasteland is far from uninhabited. A band of bloodthirsty mutants prowls the area, and there is nothing they like better than fresh human meat.


Sat 21 Oct @ 21:00 – STEPHEN KING’S THINNER (1996) *Network Premiere
Billy Halleck (Robert John Burke) is an obese lawyer who accidentally hits a gypsy with his car. Given Halleck's influence in town he manages to brush the incident under the rug with some unethical legal help. However, the victim's father, Tadzu Lempke (Michael Constantine), places a curse on him and he starts to lose weight at an alarming rate. Then, events become even more macabre.


Sun 22 Oct @ 23:00 – MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) *Network Premiere
It's Valentine's Day in a tiny mining town in Nova Scotia, and, for the first time in two decades, the residents are planning a holiday dance, defying an old folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentine’s Day. True to legend, bodies begin piling up, setting the scene for a tale of monstrous revenge and a climactic chase through the mines.


Fri 27 Oct @ 22:50 – THE HILLS HAVE EYES II (2007) *Network Premiere

During a routine patrol of the New Mexican desert, members of a National Guard unit (Michael McMillian, Jessica Stroup & Daniella Alonso) stop at a deserted research camp. Picking up a distress signal coming from a mountain range, they set out to investigate, unaware that a tribe of vicious, cannibalistic mutants awaits their arrival…


Sat 28 Oct @ 21:00 – CHILDREN OF THE CORN (2009) *Network Premiere

As physician Burt Stanton (David Anders) and girlfriend Vicky (Kandyse McClure) drive across the American Midwest to his new job, their trip comes to a sudden halt when they encounter the body of a murdered boy in the road. Trying to contact the authorities, Burt and

Vicky wander into a small town populated only by children. Soon they realise in horror that the youthful fanatics want to sacrifice them to their demonic deity.


Sun 29 Oct @ 21:00 – SOUTHBOUND (2015) *UK TV Premiere

Five interlocking tales of terror follow the fates of travellers who confront their worst nightmares over one long night on a stretch of desert highway. There are two blood-soaked men on the run from supernatural horrors, an all-girl band taken in by a strange family, a man who has to perform emergency surgery with spooky 911 assistance, a home invasion and a rescue mission that goes horribly awry. The Crypt Keeper would be so pleased! Directed by Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and Radio Silence.


Tues 31 Oct @ 21:00 – KNUCKLEBONES (2016) *UK TV Premiere

When a group of bored friends come together for a night of fun they dare each other to draw a pentagram and perform an ancient rite. Then they stumble across an antique dice game of chance made from human knucklebones. Their first instinct is to roll them gruesome bones. Their second instinct is to run for their lives when they summon up a murderous demon…

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel | facebook.com/horrorchannel

Dark Moon Comic Ends With a Blast!!!

Dark Moon Comic started a few years ago as a motion comic series that combined atmospheric art and music with a creepy and thrilling storyline, offering a unique science fiction and horror experience.  With the release of Dark Moon #4, they complete the storyline they started, and they made sure that the end is action-packed!

The creator of the series, Tom Freeman or “Freematik”, had this to say about the finale: “Many fans had been following along for years, and were patient and supportive as we tried various formats to combine the music and art that make up the Dark Moon universe.  I really felt like this ending had to have a lot of exciting moments, so that it felt like a roller coaster ride, because I felt like the fans deserved to have some fun as a reward for getting through so many creepy moments.”

Like the three episodes before it, Dark Moon #4 can be watched for free at: darkmooncomic.com/episodes or on their Youtube channel: youtube.com/darkmooncomic and also via the Madefire app, which provides the reader with the ability to turn pages and enjoy the comic at their own pace.



About Dark Moon
Dark Moon is an indie sci-fi horror motion comic that combines comic art with music to immerse the reader in a complete atmospheric experience.  The episodes are offered for free at darkmooncomic.com/episodes

Interview with Frank Merle - Writer/Director of #FromJennifer

Horror icons Tony Todd (Candyman, the Final Destination series) and Derek Mears (Friday the 13th, "Twin Peaks") star in #FromJennifer, the "highly original and radically ingenious" (Starburst) new film from award-winning writer/director Frank Merle, out 9/28 on Digital and Cable from Sector 5 Films.

Jennifer Peterson (Danielle Taddei) is having a very rough week. She's been fired from a movie shoot, her manager just dropped her, and her boyfriend dumped her, right after releasing a sex tape of them together.
But Jennifer has decided to turn things around: she hatches a plot she calls "Revenge Porn Revenge," in which she plans to settle the score by filming a devastatingly elaborate video and posting it online, making herself famous in the process. But like everything else in her life lately, her revenge plot doesn't go according to plan, and a shocking trail of carnage is left in her wake.

Winner of no less than 7 major film festival awards, including Best Director at the Illinois International Film Festival (Frank Merle) and Best Actress (Danielle Taddei) at the Mindfield Film Festival, #FromJennifer features a host of genre favorites in-front of and behind-the-camera including actors Aaron Abrams ("Hannibal"), Meghan Deanna Smith (Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness), Trae Ireland (13/13/13) and Danielle Taddei (“Pretty Little Liars”), with producers Frank Merle and Hunter Johnson (#2Jennifer) and executive producers James Cullen Bressack (Bethany, To Jennifer) and Warren Croyle.

"A truly timely and Relevant Film" (We are Indie Horror), #FromJennifer on Digital and Cable September 28 from Sector 5 Films.


How many months have you been on the promo trail for the film now?

During the hunt for distribution I spent way too many months waiting to be able to talk about it, so now that I finally get to, it feels like it’s going by too quickly. Everything in the film business seems to go way too slowly or way too fast.


Is it something you enjoy – talking about the movie?

I feel so fortunate that I get to make movies, so I absolutely like talking about it. People who complain about this part of the process seem ungrateful to me.


In terms of the film itself, how close to it are you? Is it like a child you’re sending out into the world?

I once heard Werner Herzog speak about his career, and he was asked how he feels about the mistakes/imperfections in his earlier work, and would he go back and change them if he could. His answer was that he thinks of his films as his children and you don’t love your children any less just because they might have some flaws. I liked that answer a lot.

What was it about this particular project that appealed to you?

I got to work with some of my favourite people on this film. Danielle Taddei, who plays Jennifer, went to college with me, as did Aaron Abrams who plays her boyfriend Ralph. I’ve also been friends with Derek Mears for a while, too, and I really enjoyed getting to work with him. I didn’t know Tony Todd before working on this, but Candyman has always been one of my favourite horror films, so it was a real treat for me to get to direct one of my horor idols.


Are horror fans going to dig it? 

This film defies the expectations of the genre. It’s funnier than expected, especially Derek Mears and Tony Todd, until the third act. Just when you think you understand the type of film it is, it takes a hard, gory turn than I’m sure horror fans will appreciate.


Was there a check-list of things you HAD to have in the film?

The only self-imposed requirement was a big, bloody climax. The original body count was six, but as we shot the film, I came up with some more ideas for added carnage, and the resulting final body count is now nine. Not too shabby!


It is comforting to see people covering the movie, and genuinely getting behind it? 

Oh, yes! It’s very rewarding. I make movies for the fans, so my worst fear is making a movie and not been able to find an audience. All this coverage will help #FromJennifer find its audience.


They said that a theatrical release is only a ‘promo’ for a VOD/DVD release these days.  What’s your take?

That’s more of a question for distributors, sales agents, and marketing. They crunch numbers and determine that a theatrically released film has more value than a straight to VOD film. In general, I don’t think audiences care about that stuff.


Will we all, at some time, be watching films on VOD only?

Have cars replaced horses as a way to get from A to B? Yes, they have. But you can still find a horse to ride if you really want to, but you might have to drive out to a ranch to do so. Perhaps the extra effect makes the experience even more special. The same might eventually be true for movies. The theatrical experience will never go away entirely.


How much do you love the theatre, though?  The genre film is almost made for it, isn’t there?

For those who enjoy the theatrical experience, it will always be the optimal way of watching a movie, not because of the size of the screen, but because of the communal experience. That’s why scary movies work so well with big crowds, you can hear the gasps and feel the fear of those around you.


If a film of yours isn’t getting a big screen release do you usually try and set-up a screening for it in a theatre anyway? Or get it a festival run? So that those that want to see it on a huge creamy screen can.?

Oh yes, of course. Always. All of my films have been fortunate enough to play at several festivals, and I’ve attended as many of them as I can, because it’s great fun to watch it with audiences.


With film fans themselves being the biggest supporter of sci-fi, horror and fantasy movies, should genre films be excluded from film criticism?

The only problem with film criticism is that so many so-called critics are doing it wrong. Criticism should always be framed as a subjective opinion, as in, how the reviewer felt about the film, what was his or her personal experience. That’s always fair and should be welcomed, whether it’s good or bad. The trouble is, so many reviewers try to make themselves the standard-barer of taste, so instead of saying “I enjoyed this film because…” they say “This is a good film because…” Or of course, what’s worse is: “This is a bad film because…” We’ve all seen movies we’ve loved that were trashed by critics. But I don’t think that’s reason enough to exclude criticism from genre films. I just think critics should do their job correctly.

Competition: Win Temple on DVD

Temple is out on DVD on September 4th and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Supernatural horror directed by Michael Barrett. The film follows American tourists Christopher (Logan Huffman), James (Brandon Sklenar) and Kate (Natalia Warner) as they embark on a trip around northern Japan. When Kate finds a description of an ancient mountain temple in a book, she convinces the others to help her find it. Despite being warned by concerned locals that the area is cursed, the trio set out into the wilderness in search of the abandoned sanctuary. However, things soon turn sinister as the group find themselves in a desperate battle to survive against terrifying evil forces.

From the writer of Blair Witch, The Guest and V/H/S, TEMPLE is a frightening horror steeped in Japanese folklore.

Check out the release on Amazon by clicking the link below: (Opens in a new window)
Buy Temple [DVD] from Amazon Here


COMPETITION CLOSED




Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 11-09-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Horror Channel FrightFest will be screening VICTOR CROWLEY - Adam Green's reboot to the Hatchet series

Victor Crowley Lives!

Following the slasher reboot’s surprise debut at Hollywood’s ArcLight Cinema, Horror Channel FrightFest has announced that its “Hatchet 10th Anniversary Celebration” is in fact the European premiere of Adam Green’s VICTOR CROWLEY, the fourth film in the Hatchet series.

Set a decade after the events of the series’ first three films, VICTOR CROWLEY reunites Hatchet mainstays Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th 7 - X’s Jason Voorhees) and Parry Shen (Better Luck Tomorrow) for an all-new, horrifying journey into the haunted, blood-drenched bayou.

Green said today: “I couldn’t be happier to partner with Dark Sky Films and bring Victor Crowley back to horror fans around the world. Resurrecting the series for its tenth anniversary was our way of saying thank you to everyone in The Hatchet Army and beyond who have supported this series since its inception. This bloodbath is for all of you.”

VICTOR CROWLEY screens at Horror Channel FrightFest on Saturday 26 August at Cineworld Leicester Sq.

Book tickets here: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

FILM NEWS (UK): DRAG ME TO HELL, STARRY EYES & BLACK SHEEP amongst nine prime-time film premieres on Horror Channel in September

Horror Channel has nine prime-time film premieres in September including the UK premiere of Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer’s stunning contemporary occult tale of Hollywood ambition and possession, STARRY EYES.

There are also network premieres for Sam Raimi’s ferociously terrifying DRAG ME TO HELL, Eli Roth’s splatter sensation HOSTEL, Mike Mendes’ ultimate B-Movie experience BIG ASS SPIDER, Jonathan King’s zombie sheep gore comedy BLACK SHEEP, James Wan’s creepy killer-doll horror DEAD SILENCE, starring True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten, Robert Longo’s cyberpunk action thriller JOHNNY MNEMONIC, starring Keanu Reeves, Bryan Bertnia’s home-invasion chiller THE STRANGERS, starring Liv Tyler and John Carpenter’s high-kicking fantasy thriller BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall.

Full details of season in transmission order:


Sat 2 Sept @ 21:00 – DRAG ME TO HELL (2009) * Network Premiere

The creator of the Evil Dead series Sam Raimi leaves Spiderman movies behind and returns to his horror roots. And what a return! Fast-paced, frightening and funny Drag Me To Hell follows the course of a curse laid upon a well-meaning bank clerk. Demons are on the rise, and Raimi applies all of his trademark visual dynamism to this diabolic jamboree. Stars Alison Lohman and Justin Long.

Fri 8 Sept @ 21:00 – BLACK SHEEP (2006) *Network Premiere

Are you ready for the violence of the lambs? In the ‘Bad Taste’ tradition of Peter Jackson, Kiwi director Jonathan King’s zombie sheep black comedy is a shear delight. Sheep-phobic farmer Henry Oldfield wants to sell his share in the family farm, to the delight of his evil bother who is genetically altering the mutton to create a super-sheep. Then a toxic lamb foetus escapes infecting the flock turning them into rampaging bloodthirsty monsters and humans into were-sheep.

Sat 9 Sept @ 22:45 - THE HOSTEL (2005) *Network Premiere

American backpackers Jay Hernandez and Derek Richardson find themselves in a terrifying nightmare scenario when they head for Slovakia lured by the promise of easy sex with Eastern European girls. Garnering notorious headlines when it was first released, this the slasher rejuvenated and intellectualised in a way that stays with you. Stars Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Jana Kaderabkova, Jennifer Lim and Barbara Nedeljakova.


Fri 15 Sept @ 21:00 – BIG ASS SPIDER (2015) *Network Premiere

A 50-foot-tall alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages the city of Los Angeles. When a massive military strike fails, the city’s scientists and soldiers turn to an unlikely hero. Alex (Greg Grunberg), a bug exterminator, and his Mexican security guard sidekick, Jose (Lombardo Boyar), are the hapless duo who team up to kill the creature before the city is destroyed. Also stars Ray Wise.


Sat 16 Sept @ 21:00 – DEAD SILENCE (2007) *Network Premiere

After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own.

Fri 22 Sept @ 21:00 – JOHNNY MNEMONIC (1995) *Network Premiere

Based on the William Gibson story, Johnny (Keanu Reeves) is a data courier who has a secret stash of information implanted into his mind. However, the data will kill him if he cannot retrieve it within forty-eight hours. Accompanied by physically enhanced bodyguard Jane (Dina Meyer), Johnny sets out to acquire the passwords he needs to save himself. Worse yet, he is hunted by gangster Shinji (Denis Akiyama) and businessman Takahashi (Takeshi), both of whom seek the data Johnny possesses.


Sat 23 Sept @ 21:00 – THE STRANGERS (2008) *Network Premiere

Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) retreat to a family vacation home for a relaxing weekend but their stay turns out to be anything but peaceful. A series of unexpected arrivals sparks a deadly sequence of events. First, a mysterious and dangerous woman turns up, then James accidentally kills his friend Mike (Glenn Howerton), mistaking him for an intruder. But the real danger arrives in the form of three masked torturers, leaving Kristen and James struggling for survival.

Fri 29 Sept @ 23:00 – STARRY EYES (2014) *UK TV Premiere

Determined to make it in Hollywood, reluctant waitress Sarah Walker (Alex Essoe) goes on countless casting calls in hope of getting her big break. After a series of weird auditions at the mysterious Astraeus Pictures, she lands her dream part. But with this opportunity comes bizarre ramifications that will transform her both mentally and physically into something beautiful and altogether more terrifying.


Sat 30 Sept @ 21:00 – BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) *Network Premiere
Hard-boiled truck driver Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) gets caught in a bizarre conflict in San Francisco's Chinatown when an ancient Chinese prince and Chinatown crime lord kidnaps a beautiful green-eyed woman Miao Yin (Suzee Pai). Miao is the fiancée to Jack's best friend. And Jack must help rescue the girl before the evil Lo Pan uses her to break the ancient curse that keeps him a fleshless and immortal spirit.

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel | facebook.com/horrorchannel

Interview with Julian Grant - Writer/Director of The Cropsey Incident

As part of my "Jon Donnis Show" Podcast, we have a great interview with Writer/Director Julian Grant, who joined us to talk about his excellent new film "The Cropsey Incident"

SYNOPSIS:
A group of online social justice activists venture deep into the woods to uncover the truth behind a recent series of gruesome ritual murders - and to capture the person responsible. But what they come face to face with is something more deadly than any serial killer, an urban legend that is very real, and determined to make them his latest victims.

Listen to the Interview using the video below.
You can also Subscribe to my podcast which covers all topics by going to the following iTunes Link
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-jon-donnis-show/id376362467

You can also search for the podcast using your podcast app using "Jon Donnis Show"