LEGEND reveals slate of horror, sci-fi and action premieres for March 2023

Deranged doctors, murderous soldiers and ruthless avengers provide a menacing and mesmerising March line-up on LEGEND, headed up by the Channel premiere of Ralph Nelson’s controversial, anti-racist masterpiece SOLDIER BLUE. There are also UK TV premieres for twisty who-dunnit WESTERN WORLD and MEMORIAL DAY, Samuel Fischer’s painfully emotional war drama.

Plus, there are Channel premieres for Brit cult action thriller FEAR IS THE KEY, based on the novel of the same title by Alistair MacLean, HE WHO DARES, an explosive terrorism thriller, directed by Paul Tanter and tough crime drama FIGHTING BACK, starring Tom Skerritt.

THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to haunt Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, headed up this month by the Channel premiere of Sidney Hayers’ notorious British cult classic, CIRCUS OF HORRORS.

The weekends are further enhanced by the continuation of the Channel premiere of the ever-popular original series of sci-fi anthology classics, THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Full film details in transmission order:

Thurs 2 March @ 21:00 – WESTERN WORLD (2017) *UK TV Premiere

When US Marshall Moses White is called to the town of Dogwood Pass to track down a ruthless killer, he runs into a lot more than he bargained for. A corrupt mayor and an unhinged sheriff stand in the way of justice and Moses might just have to shoot his way out. In Western World it's kill or be killed. Directed by Lana Read.

Saturdays & Sundays from Sat 4 March @ 20:30 – THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959) *Channel Premiere

A classic anthology of sci-fi, suspense and goose-bump-inducing tales that are filled with invention and irony. Each story contains cautionary themes and frequently ending with an unexpected plot twist. The series was nominated for seven Emmy Awards and four Hugos and won three of each.

Sat 4 March @ 21:00 – FEAR IS THE KEY (1972) *Channel Premiere

John Talbot's wife, child and brother were traveling as passengers in a cargo plane carrying priceless gemstones when it was shot down. Years later Talbot (Barry Newman) , a ruthless, stop-at-nothing man who is in trouble with the police, is captured by a vicious crook who tells him his only chance of survival is to use his expertise in helping to recover a treasure which lies four hundred feet beneath the sea

Sun 5 March @ 21:00 – THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (1957)

A meteor crashes in the desert, leaving behind huge black chunks. While being analysed in a science lab, the crystalline stones are accidentally drenched with water and begin to grow to gargantuan dimensions. A sudden rainstorm further exacerbates the situation, causing the monoliths to grow to hitherto unimagined heights. Can the world be saved by the saline solution which the scientists are hurriedly developing in the lab?

Sun 5 March @ 22:30 – FIEND WITHOUT A FACE (1958)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

A scientist's thoughts materialize as an army of invisible brain-shaped monsters (complete with spinal-cord tails!) who terrorize an American military base in this nightmarish chiller. This independently made British black-and-white cult classic was directed by Arthur Crabtree and stars Marshall Thompson, Kynaston Reeves, Michael Balfour, and Kim Parker.

Sat 11 March @ 21:00 – HE WHO DARES (2014) *Channel Premiere

The SAS, Britain’s elite Special Forces unit, take on an utterly ruthless terrorist cell who have kidnapped the Prime Minister’s daughter. Cue insane car chases, intense hand to hand combat, and ferocious gun battles. Stars Simon Phillips and Tom Benedict Knight

Sun 12 March @ 21:00 – DRACULA (1958)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

On a search for his missing friend, Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen), vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is led to Count Dracula's (Christopher Lee) castle, where he finds an undead Harker in Dracula's crypt and discovers that the count's next target is Harker's ailing fiancée, Lucy Holmwood (Carol Marsh). With the help of her brother, Arthur (Michael Gough), Van Helsing is determined to protect Lucy and put an end to Count Dracula's parasitic reign of terror.

Sun 12 March @ 22:35 – THE BLOB (1958)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

Two teenagers, Steve (Steven McQueen) and his best girl, Jane (Aneta Corseaut), notice a shooting star fall to earth, destroying an elderly man and growing to a terrifying size. The blob continues to grow, killing many, until the teenagers, with the aid, of policeman Dave (Earl Rowe) discover a way to stop it.

Fri 17 March @ 22:35 – FIGHTING BACK (1982) *Channel Premiere

Tom Skerritt plays an Italian-American deli owner who organises a People's Neighbourhood Patrol along paramilitary lines, and mounts a violent campaign to restore the local park to his kids.  Patti LuPone. Morelli: Michael Sarrazin. Washington: Yaphet Kotto. Taylor: David Rasche. Directed by Lewis Teague.

Sat 18 March @ 21:00 – SOLDIER BLUE (1970) *Channel Premiere

Soldier Blue follows the adventures of Honus (Peter Strauss) and Cresta (Candice Bergman), the only remaining survivors of a Cheyenne Indian attack, as they journey across the unforgiving wilderness of the old west in search of refuge. It’s a journey that reaches a tragic climax as they bare witness to the relentlessly brutal and cold-blooded slaughter of the Cheyenne tribe. Ralph Nelson’s brutal Western still remains one of the most poignant yet horrific dramatisations of America’s dark history.

Sun 19 March @ 21:00 – THE MUMMY (1959)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

In 1895 Egypt, a team of British archaeologists led by John Banning, opens the tomb of Princess Ananka, despite warnings of a death curse which will fall upon any desecrators. Three years later in England, a vengeful Egyptian man arrives and unleashes the living mummy Kharis on the men. This superior Hammer Films production reunites the director, Terence Fisher, with stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

Sun 19 March @ 22:45 – FIRST MAN INTO SPACE (1959)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

Brash U.S. Navy test pilot, Lieutenant Dan Prescott, hungry for fame, rockets himself beyond Earth’s atmosphere on test flight Y-13, only to become encrusted with cosmic dust and return to earth as a blood-drinking monster. Directed by Robert Day, it stars Marshall Thompson, Marla Landi, Bill Edwards, and Robert Ayres.

Sat 25 March @ 21:00 – MEMORIAL DAY (2011) *UK TV Premiere

Bud has spent years putting the horrors of his time as a U.S. soldier in WWII behind him. But when 13-year-old Kyle Vogel discovers his grandfather's long hidden footlocker he is forced to confront the horrors of his past and the epic battles that scarred him during WWII, but also into Kyle's future, and his traumatic tour of duty in modern day Iraq. This moving war drama stars James Cromwell and Jonathan Bennett.

Sun 26 March @ 21:00 – CIRCUS OF HORRORS (1960) *Channel Premiere

*Part of The Vintage Vault

A deranged plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) takes over a traveling circus, then transforms horribly disfigured young women into ravishing beauties and coerces them to perform in his three-ring extravaganza. But when the re-sculpted lovelies try to escape, they begin to meet with sudden and horrific accidents. "The Grisliest Show on Earth" is about to begin. Donald Pleasence and Yvonne Monlaur co-star in this notorious 1960 British cult classic from director Sidney Hayers.

Sun 26 March @ 22:50 – 13 GHOSTS (1960)

*Part of The Vintage Vault

When occultist Dr Plato Zorba leaves a huge ramshackle house to his nephew Cyrus and his impoverished family, they are shocked to find the house is haunted. Their new residence comes complete with Doctor Zorba’s housekeeper, Elaine Zacharides, plus a fortune in buried treasure and twelve horrifying ghosts. However, there is someone in the house who is also looking for the money and is willing to kill for it…This infectious supernatural horror is directed by William Castle and stars Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Rosemary DeCamp, Martin Milner and Donald Woods.

TV: Sky 148 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 41 / Freesat 137

COMPETITION: Win Cursed Films Series One on Blu-ray

Cursed Films Series One on Blu-ray from 27th February 2023

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis: 

Dive into the bloody, beating heart of horror history with Cursed Films, a thrilling five-part documentary series examining the stories behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic, spine-chilling cinematic masterpieces: Poltergeist, The Omen, The Exorcist, The Crow and The Twilight Zone movies.

Writer-director Jay Cheel (How to Build a Time Machine, Beauty Day) explores the power of the seminal movies that scare and ensnare and the legends that surround them. This Shudder Original is one of the streaming channel’s most popular series and is now set to fascinate fans with its Blu-ray and digital release on 27 February 2023, courtesy of Acorn Media International.

The captivating series delves into the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From the mysterious accidents that took place on the set of The Exorcist, to bombings during the making of The Omen and the rumoured use of human skeletons on the set of Poltergeist… these stories are legendary amongst film fans and filmmakers alike. But is there truth in the tales?

The docuseries includes interviews with a stellar line-up of experts ­–  including The Exorcist star Linda Blair, director Gary Sherman (Poltergeist III) and the late renowned director Richard Donner (The Omen, Superman, Lethal Weapon) – alongside a host of directors, producers, editors, actors, writers, podcasters, psychologists, academics, historians, fans, critics, witches and more.

Skilfully put together with a unique, nuanced take, Cursed Films gives an in-depth, enthralling insight into some of the most pivotal horror films ever made and will entrance, entertain and enrich all film fans.

SPECIAL FEATURES include: Director’s Audio Commentary for All 5 Episodes

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3ElcOuJ

COMPETITION CLOSED

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 05-03-23
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

FULL MOVIE: Are We Not Cats (2016) - Starring Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, Michael Godere

 

After losing his job, girlfriend, and home in a single day, Eli, a desperate twenty-something accepts a delivery job in a remote upstate backwater. There he meets Anya, a beguiling young woman with whom he shares a strange habit. Eli's skin picking is reminiscent of Excoriation disorder and Trichotillomania, while Anya's hair picking is reminiscent of Trichotillomania and Trichophagia, leading to a climactic case of Rapunzel syndrome.

The film stars Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, and Michael Godere.

Release date September 9, 2016

Interview with Patrick C. Harrison III - By David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing?

I was always very imaginative and interested in storytelling, but I first truly became interested in writing after meeting an author at the mall when I was a kid. Her name was Zinita Fowler. She was ancient when I met her, but she was at the mall doing a reading and signing for her book Ghost Stories of Old Texas. Not long after meeting her, I wrote my first short story.


How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

Horror has always been my thing. Neither of my parents were ever into horror, so I’ve recently been trying to figure out exactly what got me into the genre. It was probably a combination of Unsolved Mysteries, The Hardy Boys, Stephen King’s Night Shift, The Twilight Zone, and all those gory movies of the 80s.


How did you get into writing splatterpunk?

I joined Facebook I guess in 2017. Maybe? At that time I was trying to find my way as an author, so I was just friend requesting other horror authors I saw. I ended up coming across Matt Shaw. When I looked him up on Amazon, I also found Edward Lee and Monica J. O’Rourke. I had already been writing fiction that I considered pretty fucked up, but after reading Header, Home Video, and Suffer the Flesh, I realized I could turn the horror up a notch if I wanted too.


Tell us about your splatterpunk nomination.

My novella Grandpappy was nominated! The story stemmed from a single idea for a scene I had. See, I used to work in healthcare. You hear and see some disgusting shit in healthcare. But there was this one story I heard involving sexual relations with a stoma. If you don’t know what that is, feel free to look it up. But that’s the scene I wanted to write, a scene I knew would disgust people to no end. So that’s where I was originally headed with Grandpappy. But, as stories often do, it grew into so much more.

https://amzn.to/3DXBkSA

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

Good question. I think fascination and fear of the unknown have a bit to do with it. Also, people have this engrained desire to explain the unexplainable, and often times this leads to folklore and mythology and fantastical tales.


What are your favorite horror books?

Oh geez, I could spend all day listing my favorites. I’ll list ten off the top of my head in no particular order. Ghost Story by Peter Straub, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, It by Stephen King, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Optic Nerve by Rebecca Rowland, The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum, After Midnight by Richard Laymon, Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison, Lightning by Dean Koontz, Lakehouse Infernal by Christine Morgan.


What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Again, I could go on forever here. But I’ll pick ten. Return of the Living Dead, Jaws, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Vacancy, House of 1000 Corpses, Terrifier, Audition, I Saw the Devil, The Ring, The Shining.


What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a writer?

Hmm. That’s a tough one, because I don’t feel like I’ve reached my potential. I’ve been nominated for several awards, which is great. I won a Splatterpunk Award as an editor. You know, I just love hearing from readers who enjoyed my work. It feels so good to be acknowledged and appreciated for all those hours of hard work. But I guess the best thing I’ve written, in my opinion, is my short story “From These Muddy Waters.”


Do you have any advice for new writers?

Don’t procrastinate and don’t quit. I stopped writing for about ten years after getting a few rejections. Who knows how much further along I would be if I’d just kept at it.


What are your current projects?

I’ve got a couple of chapbooks I’m trying to finish up before heading to a convention in a couple of months. Then I’ve got my big project—The Snake Creek Inquisition. This is going to be a massive book, if I ever get it done. I’m also always editing for other authors. Hit me up at pc3@pc3horror.com if you’re in need of editing!


Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.

Patrick C. Harrison III (PC3, if you prefer) is an author of horror, splatterpunk, and all forms of speculative fiction. His current publications include GRANDPAPPY, 100% MATCH, A SAVAGE BREED, and VAMPIRE NUNS BEHIND BARS, among others. His works can also be found in various anthologies, including AND HELL FOLLOWED and ROAD KILL: TEXAS HORROR BY TEXAS AUTHORS VOL. 4. PC3 is also an editor, having worked on numerous books for Death's Head Press, D&T Publishing, and Fedowar Press, as well for popular authors like Aron Beauregard and Danel J. Volpe. Follow PC3's FREE substack--pc3horror.substack.com--for frequent horror and exploitation movie reviews, as well as updates on his fiction.

 
Check out Patrick on Amazon at https://amzn.to/412b8jR

https://amzn.to/3YM9DUC

FULL MOVIE: Fear Inc (2016) - StarringLucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, Christopher Rodriguez Marquette

 

Fear, Inc. is a 2016 American comedy horror film directed by Vincent Masciale and written by Luke Barnett. The film stars Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, Chris Marquette and Stephanie Drake.

What if there was a company you could call that would - for a premium - bring your fears to life. You don’t have to leave your house, your office, or your vacation; the scares are customised to your tastes and arrive at your doorstep when you least expect it. But like texting an ex at 2am, what sounds like a great idea at the time, can end up getting you killed...

Release date October 21, 2016

TRAILER: The Curse of Rosalie - Starring Irene Bedard, Amanda MacDonald and Steve Monroe

 

Synopsis:

Get ready for a tense, paranormal horror which proves you can never truly escape evil…

A family on the run from their own dark secrets, Daniel and Theresa Snyder flee to a small Midwestern town, determined to find peace for their troubled young daughter, Rosalie. However, soon after they arrive, their neighbours begin to die in mysterious and seemingly paranormal circumstances. Fearing an evil entity has pursued them and possessed Rosalie, the desperate parents visit a Native American seer, willing to do whatever it takes to free her soul.

With a strong cast including Irene Bedard (Pocahontas, Tree of Life), Amanda MacDonald (CSI: Miami, The Mentalist) and Steve Monroe (Promising Young Woman), The Curse of Rosalie is an original and deeply atmospheric tale of terror. 

The Curse of Rosalie premieres on the Icon Film Channel from 13th March 

Sign up for a 7-day free trial at Iconfilmchannel.uk 

Interview with Owl Goingback - By David Kempf

When did you first become interested in horror?

I first became interested in horror back in 1968, at the ripe old age of nine. My mother had given me my very first weekly allowance, a whopping fifty cents, and drove me into town so I could spend it. The town was so small there were no comic book shops, or bookstores, and Toys R Us did not exist back then. But there was a Rexall Drug Store, which had a magazine rack. And on the bottom shelf of that rack, I discovered issue fifty-one of Famous Monsters of Filmland; a magazine filled with images of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and other horror delights. It was love at first sight.

Famous Monsters literally changed my life. Under the brilliant editorship of Forrest J Ackerman, the monthly magazine assured me it was okay to embrace monsters and all things scary. Best of all, it showed me I wasn't alone; there were others out there who loved horror as much as I did.


At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was in the 8th grade, so that would be around the age of thirteen. Our English teacher assigned everyone in the class to write a one-page story. At that time, I was a big fan of Mad Magazine so I decided to write something humorous. I wasn't expecting much out of my story, and was quite surprised when the teacher read it to the class and the entire room burst into laughter. Being a shy kid, writing stories gave me a way to entertain, and be accepted by, my peers.

What was it like to win a Stoker for your first novel?

It was a miracle my first novel, Crota, even made it into print. My agent sent the book to dozens of publishers before it was finally purchased by Donald I. Fine Books. But at the time, Mr. Fine was dying from cancer, his publishing house was being taken over by Penguin Putnam, and the editor assigned to my novel quit to become a real estate agent. I was orphaned before my writing career even got started.

After having such a rocky start, it felt pretty amazing when Crota won the Bram Stoker Award for first novel. It was also a finalist for best novel, the first time a novel had ever been nominated in both categories. I attended the awards ceremony, sharing the stage with Ira Levin, Forrest J Ackerman, and other horror dignitaries. It was a night I will never forget.


What inspired you to write?

I grew up in rural America, surrounded by forests and rolling farmland. It was a lonely existence and books by Poe, Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Andre Norton kept the boredom at bay. I was so inspired by the books I read, I started writing fiction of my own. I actually ghostwrote stories for my classmates in high school, charging a dollar per page, so they could pass their English assignments.

But I put aside all thoughts of writing when I enlisted in the United States Air Force. It wasn't until after I got out of the military, and opened a restaurant/lounge in Georgia, that thoughts of literary endeavors once again surfaced.

It happened one night after we closed for the evening. My wife, Nancy, and I were watching an interview with Stephen King on the television. During the interview, she jokingly asked why I couldn't be smart like him instead of so stupid. She didn't know I used to write, and I took her teasing as a challenge.

The next day I sat down and started writing again. At first, I did articles for martial arts magazines, but switched to writing fiction because it paid better. Ten years after watching that interview on television, I was up against Stephen King for a Stoker Award in the novel category.


Tell us about your children’s books Eagle Fathers and The Gift.

Eagle Feathers and The Gift are illustrated stories featuring the adventures of a little Kiowa boy in the 1800s. Much like the traditional oral stories of my ancestors, both books have teaching elements woven into them. They were published by The Wright Group (McGraw Hill), and used in elementary schools across the country. Eagle Feathers is a Storytelling Worlds Awards Honor Recipient for most tellable tale, ages eight to twelve.


What are some of your favorite horror books?

I really love The Exorcist. There's a creepiness to the book that still holds up well after so many years. I remember when it first came out everybody seemed to be reading it. The book generated so many newspaper and magazine articles, and really brought the occult into the spotlight.

I also love the collected stories of Ambrose Bierce, H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allan Poe. Those writers are true masters in the horror field, and their fiction will never be forgotten.


What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Jaws is the only movie that ever scared me, so it is my all-time favorite. I watched it at a theater when I was in the military, and the movie grabbed me right from the start. I imagined what it would be like to be swimming in the ocean, and suddenly find out you are part of the food chain. Did I mention I live in central Florida, not far from New Smyrna Beach which is the shark bite capital of the world?

I'm also a big fan of the original Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Night of the Living Dead. Those movies are so well done, I could watch them over and over and never get bored. The directors knew how to build suspense and layer on the frights. They didn't need to rely on gallons of blood or cheap jump scares.


How did George A. Romero become a fan of your work?

George read Crota and was very interested in turning it into a movie. He called my agent, who set up a conference call for the three of us. Sadly, George didn't have deep enough pockets to do the story the way he wanted, traditional effects instead of CGI, so the movie never happened.

He also loved my novel Evil Whispers, and thought he could turn it into a film for less than five million. We were in negotiations with one of the major studios, but the Hollywood writers strike put a halt to all talks and killed the deal.

George and I became good friends, and we kept in touch via email and an occasional phone call. We also got to see each other at various horror conventions around the country. The last time I saw George, he asked me if I had sold film rights to Crota. I told him I was saving them for him, which made him very happy.

What are your current projects?

I'm currently taking a break from the novels, and working on short stories for various anthologies. I'm also working on a couple of comic scripts. I recently did a Werewolf by Night story for Marvel's Infinity Comics. After that, I will probably get back to writing longer fiction. I already have several new novels in various stages of development, including a follow-up to my novel Coyote Rage.


Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.

Owl Goingback has been writing for over thirty years, and is the author of numerous novels, children's books, short stories, screenplays, magazine articles, and comics. He is a three-time Bram Stoker Award Winner, receiving the award for lifetime achievement, best novel, and best first novel. His books include Crota, Darker Than Night, Evil Whispers, Breed, Shaman Moon, Coyote Rage, Eagle Feathers, Tribal Screams, and The Gift. In addition to writing under his own name, he has ghostwritten for Hollywood celebrities.

Check out Owl Goingback on Amazon at - https://amzn.to/407Hd9r