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Home | Columns | Horror Gossip | Horror Gossip: 05.17.2009

Horror Gossip: 05.17.2009

Hello guys and gals. I have so much to gossip about, I don’t even know where to start. I love it when that happens. Before I get started I would like to say how happy I am that more people than I thought are actually reading this. I have been getting comments on the actual page but I get most of my feedback on myspace. So to those of you, if you really are reading my new column each week, thank you for your support. It means a lot to me. Now moving on….

HORROR AND SCI/FI TELEVISION SERIES:
I’m going to begin with LOST. I don’t believe I have opened this topic for discussion on horror news. In case you’ve been living under a rock, LOST is one of the most popular television shows airing right now about a plane that crashes onto an island with all kinds of f*cked up sh*t going on. People are seeing ghosts, there clearly some monster on the island that we are still unclear about, there is what appears to be the story from the bible known as Jacob and Essau. It’s what I think anyway, that they are referring to. People are also somehow coming back to life? Or maybe not? So many unanswered questions. LOST aired their season finale last Wednesday and it was awesome.

As all of you know the Season 5 finale ended with one of the biggest cliffhangers the show has ever had. The fade to a white flash was a classic cliffhanger and yes it sucks we have to wait 8 months to find out what happens next, but before the fade to white, there were two main shocking twists. First, we had the reveal that Locke indeed is dead and was never resurrected, but the fake Locke (other man in black in opening scene) convinces Ben into killing Jacob. Of course at the Swan site the dramatic twist of fate for Juliet falling into the hole only to cause the white flash. I don’t want to wait 8 months to find out what happens. Doesn’t matter, we all have to. Lost is one of the most Pirated TV Shows. Between the week of May 4th-May 10th it had a whopping 1, 660, 000 downloads from fans of the show.

In other news surrounding LOST. Guess what I discovered? First of all, I just posted a review for Dominic Monaghan (Charlie from LOST, Lord of the Rings) in I Sell the Dead which is a black comedy about grave robbing and the undead. The film isn’t going to be released until August but when it does come out, I highly recommend you give it a glympse at least. Thanks to Andy Milonakis loud mouth, he has revealed that he was fired from the LOST movie. That doesn’t surprise me in the least. I was never a fan of the kid.

I watched two episodes of his show and found him to be very stupid and I cannot believe people are encouraging his behavior. I do like the song he sings about everything being gay. But come on, the kid is so annoying. He was the only part about the film “Waiting” that I didn’t like. I do feel a little sorry for him watching this video. For revenge he tells us everything about who they’re reaching out for with the cast. Now I am pissed, not at Milonakis but at the fact that he said they want to get Angelina Jolie to play Kate.

Kate is my favorite character from LOST whom I identify with the most, if they cast Jolie….I will be pissed. Probably pissed off enough to not want to watch the movie. That may sound childish but I have my reasons for realllllly not liking that scag. Can I call her a scag on here? I hope that’s okay. I tend to be pretty blunt about things. Anyway, watch Milonakis pour his heart out and tell you all you want to know about the LOST film which they have been working on for 6 months…..

Looks like Jorge Garcia is getting lost in another role. With the current season of Lost finally wrapped up, Garcia can set aside Hugo “Hurley” Reyes for a while and focus on other, and perhaps more challenging, parts. Such as a modern-day samurai warrior.

Garcia spent Thursday helping a buddy out by donning a samurai outfit and sword and tying his hair into a topknot for his pal’s film project. All done up in the warrior getup, the beefy actor couldn’t help but bring John Belushi’s famous “Samurai Delicatessen” Saturday Night Live sketch. I hope you enjoy this hilarious picture of him as a Samurai…..

The last of the news pertaining to LOST would be; As “Star Trek” makes its case for the new J.J. Abrams age of the franchise this weekend, he and fellow “Lost” creator Damon Lindelof continue to have early discussions about Stephen King’s cult series of books “The Dark Tower.” Lindelof confirmed Abrams’ assertion that “Lost” is priority number one at the moment, but said the project would require at least as much care as Zack Snyder’s adaptation of “Watchmen.” “Having seen Zack go through what he went through on ‘Watchmen’ in terms of saying of where can I digress from the material I just get headaches thinking about changing anything,” Lindelof told MTV News.

“It was the defining literary tale of my young adulthood into adulthood.” Lindelof is keenly aware of how that level of attachment can affect his approach to the project. “My reverence for Stephen King is now getting in the way of what any good writer would
do first when they’re adapting a book, which is take creative license in changing stuff,” he explained. If the Hollywood power duo indeed moves on to King’s fantasy/Western tale when they finish with “Lost” it may be an extended commitment in addition to being a demanding one, given the scope of the seven-book series. “Paramount is certainly looking at it as a franchise movie and thinking about sequels but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Lindelof said. “Ideas have been thrown around that are very informal at this point.”

You have already seen tons of posts by me showing off the new promos and teasers for True Blood Season Two. Last night I added the new teaser poster up so you can catch that but I don’t have anything further on the subject.

INTERVIEW WITH WICKED PIXEL CINEMA ABOUT SCRAP BOOK:
In the previous column I had written on my experience at Texas Frightmare Weekend I filled you in on a movie not many people have heard about but it’s apparently so controversial on a Murder-Set-Pieces level. I have the film now and will be reviewing it soon so look forward to that. In the mean time I scored an interview with Jeremy Wallace and Eric Stanze. What a couple of nice gentlemen. The interview went a little something like this; You had said people are seriously effected from this film. Could you elaborate? “A lot of people say they like how well-directed and well-acted the movie is, but they don’t “like” the movie – because it is upsetting to them. We get this feedback a LOT. We also hear very passionate responses from both ends of the spectrum: 

SCRAPBOOK has received a ton of glowing reviews and horror fans speak very highly of the movie. SCRAPBOOK has become one of those milestones of real indie cinema. At the other end of the spectrum, both Emily and I have been crucified in public by people who HATE us for making this movie. 

I am called a misogynist – which is insane, because SCRAPBOOK is about a female outsmarting and overthrowing her male captor. And Emily has been nailed by feminist loudmouths for “promoting violence toward women.” I call these people “armchair activists” …they are full of moral outrage and they love to be in the spotlight, bitching about things, but they’d rather attack a movie instead of actually solving real problems in their community. It’s laziness.”

My second question being – I read that part of the motivation and research for this film was the study of serial killers. Which of the studies would you say contributed the most to what Stanze had come up with? “Tom Biondo did most of that serial killer research. By the time he pitched the story to me, all that research had been filtered down and put into the SCRAPBOOK story… so I was not really aware of which serial killers influenced Tom the most. My job was to take all the story notes he gave me and mold it into what would work best on screen.” 

Then I asked – Was shock value something the crew was going for? And do you all feel like you have gone somewhere other film makers wouldn’t go? Stanze replies, “We were not going for shock value, but we were not going to intentionally avoid it either. Also, at points in SCRAPBOOK, maximum shock was the best way to sell the scene. When shocking moments are in there, it is to support the narrative and the tone of the movie… not to simply stir up controversy. Also, it was my intention to simply make the best movie I could make. I wasn’t trying to go somewhere other filmmakers wouldn’t go, or trying to “one up” anyone. I was just doing my job the best I could do it.” Jeremy Wallace was the man who really turned me onto the film. When I met him at Texas Frightmare Weekend he swore that I had to see it and it was controversial. He was very ‘persuading’,

COMIC BOOK SHENANIGANS:
Moving on to Thomas Mason. Mason is the man behind the art work of the Freddy vs Jason vs Ash comic book and Grimm Fairytales and His Name Was Jason. I had the means to meet this guy and ask him a few questions just for my own curiousity. He had shown me artwork for the comic book based off the film “Sweatshop.” It’s a pretty gruesome book. Seeing a penis being detached and all. When I asked him about the date for release he replied with, “I don’t know when that will be out. there is a sweatshop myspace page so i’m sure stacy will update it when he has it ready.” I am a fan of Grimm Fairtales. HUGE fan. I noticed he isn’t doing any more work for the book so I asked about it. I asked when he would be doing another and he says, “As far as grimm fairy tales goes… HELL FUCK NO! I colored 2 issues as well as all the covers from issue 5 to somewhere in the 20’s I believe as well as the covers for the first wonderland series. my relationship with the guys who run zenescope is not a good one and i will never work for them again.” Tis a shame. Thomas Mason is an amazing artist. He is still doing Freddy vs Jason vs Ash and you can see Sweat Shop in the near future.

Some other comic books you should check out would be oh and the first I mention is a hilarious one. JESUS HATES ZOMBIES! Jesus Hates Zombies writer, Stephen Lindsay, has posted a teaser panel that will appear in Jesus Hates Zombies Volume 3. Volume two of the series was described as:

In the second volume of this four-volume series, Jesus and a time-traveling Abe Lincoln join forces to save mankind from an apocalyptic zombie uprising, a zombified angel, and a werewolf with a grudge! Accompanied by his ever-faithful zombie sidekick Laz, and his newest companion, King (a male stripper), Jesus must unite any remaining humans in an effort to stop the zombie devastation. But with the world dying around them, will humanity still have faith in the Son of God?

Bon Alimagno talks VAMPIRELLA: The time is nearly here! Mark your calendars: 9-10-09 is the Second Coming of Vampirella, the epic miniseries that will change the way you view Vampirella forever. Mosey on over here to read the interview Comic Book Monsters got with the man.

The SECRET Movie Announced:
Dark Horse Entertainment has announced the next picture to come out of its production pact with Universal Pictures: The Secret, an adaptation of 2007’s critically acclaimed graphic novel and comic series. Scott Milam, who wrote the forthcoming remake of the horror classic Mother’s Day, has been signed to write this adaptation. Milam’s other projects currently in development include Bedlam for RKO/Twisted Pictures, Ab Tak Chhappan for Paramount Vantage with Jinks/Cohen producing, and Karnival at Rogue with Michael Zoumas producing. The Secret tells of a group of high-school seniors who play a silly prank, only to see it backfire when one of their friends vanishes without a trace.

BUFFY COMIC BOOK NEWS!
Although born on the silver screen, Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn’t find success until landing on the tv screen and as of late, she’s called comics her canonical home. With the ongoing Buffy comic book series helmed by creator Joss Whedon proving quite successful, the franchise is spreading it wings… or is ‘fangs’ a better word? On June 3rd, Dark Horse Comics will release Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampires, a 40 page one-shot about a small Massachusetts town and what happens with a sultry vampress gets a taste for the high school crowd. The one-shot is written by Becky Cloonan, best known as the artist of such books as DEMO and Pixu. She’s joined by fellow Pixu alum Vasilis Lolos to draw the story, and the rest of the Pixu team – Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon – are rounding out the group providing a alternate cover.

SEQUELS-SHMEQUELS. REMAKES-SHMEMAKES:
Now for all the sequel and remake nonsense news. Every good film that dissects the slasher genre deserves a sequel. Behind the Mask, a look at the killer known as Leslie Vernon, certainly left the door open for a follow-up and now co-writer David Stieve says, more than ever, that getting one is a possibility. Icons of Fright says there is “concrete interest” and it’s enough to get him working out plot details with director Scott Glosserman. Stieve wouldn’t reveal the entity interested in producing the sequel. Then last night I stumbled uopon the new teaser for Soroity Row remake and this is what I had to say; I’m biting my lip…too hard not to say something negative…AHHH I can’t help it. Is this the lamest poster you have seen or what? I have the original “House on Sorority Row.” I love the cover.

I wonder how far this film will go? How popular it will become? You never know with remakes. I hate to bash ideas from the start. I was surprised with Dawn of the Dead and Hills Have Eyes. Some I am not happy with but I will keep those nameless. All I’m saying is…this teaser is not very appealing to me. Remaking The House on Sorority Row (which is now simply Sorority Row) seems like an odd idea to me, but I guess if you’re going to remake something, you might as well remake a film that A. not a lot of people saw and B. wasn’t particularly great in the first place. Moving on-The buzz behind Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool is extremely positive. While the lot of you wait to see the film later this month (IFC releases it in limited theaters and on VOD May 29th), acclaimed director Bruce McDonald is already prepping his return to the director’s chair with Pontypool Changes, a sequel to his highly anticipated psychological thriller that follows a small-town radio station DJ (Stephen McHattie) discovers that recent madness in the local population may be caused by a virus transmitted through speech, reports Twitch Film.

According to ContactMusic, Anothony Hopkins and Ridley Scott are teaming up once again to bring Hannibal Lecter to the big screen! Say whaaaaat? IMBd doesn’t have squat on their website about this new movie, but that doesn’t really mean a whole lot, as they’re not always in the know about this kind of thing. But still, I wonder… is this for real? For the whole scoop head this way. Arrow in the head got words with director PATRICK LUSSIER and here’s what the lad had to say about a potential MY BLOODY VALENTINE sequel with maybe more than one MINER KILLER at gory play???? On the sequel happening: Lussier: “I would go back. Todd [Farmer] would go back. I think right now, they’ll wait to see how it does on DVD… it’s not something they want to do right this instant but it may be something they want to do down the road.” On what the sequel would be about: Lussier: “The sequel that we wanted to do is a stronger story than the original.

Even though you know who the killer is, it has twists and turns that you don’t expect, even knowing who the killer is. There is a whole, kind of, getting into his mythology of how he became what he became. And then using that, you discover that… there are things that are eluded to in the first one that you don’t have all the answers for. Particularly with the killer going to psychiatric institute and how did he get let out of that facility. There is a lot of bitterness with people in that town because of the rash of killings that happened, and it all unfolds and mayhem ensues.

And that is within three minutes of the film opening. So you know, we’ll see what happens…” On the MINER killer returning: Lussier: “In the sequel, you might see more than one.” I was never even a huge fan of the original My Bloody Valentine so any news on a sequel for the remake is not too appealing to me. the following information is probably the weirdest news I’ve heard all week other than seeing the Humpty Dumpty 3D poster and that would be; Abel Ferrara is taking another walk on the wild side with a modern version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It will just be titled Jekyll and Hyde. Critically acclaimed actor Forest Whitaker and rapper Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent will both have lead roles in the film. We all know that basically the movie is about a doctor who invents a potion that unleashes his violent alter ego. Independent is handling international sales on the project while Luc Roeg will Produce. The film is set to start shooting this summer! The Angry Princess is pretty good when it comes to the news. She’s a good writer and great addition to the staff too so you guys should check her out if you haven’t already. She’s purty too. Next up we have the Fright Night Remake. OMFG! All these new comers are trying to piss off all their fans?

Or trying to create new fans? I’m confused. I am still very confused as to why the f*ck there is a remake in store for Nightmare on Elm Street and The Crow. Why, why, why would you remake these classics? Do you not like them? Do you want fans of the film shouting out, “F*ck this ass hole his remake sucks?” I don’t understand why these people would do this. Dreamworks, along with Gaeta/Rosenzweig Films and producer Michael De Luca, have picked up the remake rights for Fright Night. No writers or directors have been attached to the project as of late. The story will stay the same but the special effects will be modernized. The first talks of this film being remade came out about two years ago so who knows if it will really get done.

HORROR MUSIC WORLD:
Last column I brought the band Calabrese to your attention. You know, the horror punk band that calls theirselves the Traveling Vampire Show. Well I scored an interview with Bobby Vamp. It went a little something like this; First off, I see you guys are working on your third album? What can you say that you guys deliver us in this album more so than in the previous albums? Bobby — “Just a whole hell of a lot more ROCK! A lot of rad riffs, great vocals and strange lyrics. We’ve made sure to make this way better than anything we’ve done so far. It’s taken us two years to dedicate this album to all killer and no filler, so we’ve really pushed ourselves to keepin’ it catchy and evil. Don’t worry, there won’t be any dance beats or a chorus of bongos!” I am a huge fan of horror punk. Sadly, I hadn’t heard of you guys till Texas Frightmare Weekend, glad I did. I know most people compare you to The Misfits and Ramones.

What can you say you have to offer more so than The Misfits and Ramones? Bobby — “Well, to beat out the Ramones, we’re actually brothers! To beat out the Misfits, hey, I dunno. Hahah. I don’t wanna say anything sacrilegious, so we’ll leave it at that. Danzig is the Lord Father Almighty. He cannot be touched! But we DO have some tasty jams and are impeccably dressed, so check us out.” What can you say is the main motivation behind your music? Bobby –” Actually, I was just thinking about this recently. Usually I say it’s movies, or weird books I’ve read, or whatever else like video games and creepy comics. I think it just comes down to the love of writing and performing music. All the stuff I’m naturally into helps, sure, but it’s a total kick just to write songs and riffs that you actually like hearing yourself. Performing live is fun as hell, too. Nothing like showing off your musical creation to a group of people, who are also into it. It’s cool sh*t!”

Other than your next album, what exciting upcoming projects can you say shouldn’t be missed? Bobby — “Ahh, we got a bunch of stuff we’re working on! Like you said, a whole new album by the end of the year, cover art by a super rad artist, plus some new t-shirts and other fun merch you can’t pass up! We’re also working on a full length, super kick-ass comic book, featuring yours truly as a monster-killing group of rock and rollers. Get stoked!” Look forward to Calabrese’s next album if you’re into horror punk.

Reviewer Magazine has asked me to start writing for their magazine. I don’t know what I have time for, I put alot of time and devotion into my writing for horror news and I wouldn’t let anything come in between that….as savy as that sounds it’s true. However, there are a lot of local bands even horror based bands I would love to talk about. They even made mention of me being on the cover if I go out to San Diego. Not sure what I will do with that. Will keep you updated. Oh and it’s a magazine about music…nothing to do with horror but still me being me, I will write about horror based bands.

MY PROJECTS:
I actually have some pretty awesome projects coming up for myself but all will be revealed in due time. Not sure if I’m going to say yes yet but if I do go along with these projects I will keep you informed. Don’t forget to check out my reviews. I Sell the Dead and Evil Dead Trap II were added. I’m trying to get all the 8 Films to Die for Down. Look for that as well. Oh and that reminds me; yesterday I announced that After Dark Films is ready for another “8 Films to Die For” as they’ve officially announced that After Dark Horrorfest IV will in fact be taking place in 2010. No official dates have been slated just yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as it’s announced. HOORAY!

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