In 1980, “Christmas Evil” which is also known as “You Better Watch Out” was released. It’s about a boy that loves Christmas and is scarred emotionally. He is a toy maker that snaps and goes on a Christmas killing spree.
Evil Christmas stars Brandon Maggart, Jeffrey DeMunn, Dianne Hull, Andy Fenwick, Brian Neville and many others. It was written and directed by Lewis Jackson. Many people put this as number 1 on their list of Christmas horror movies! What do you think?
Harry Stadling (Brandon Maggart) is obsessed with Christmas! In fact he wants to “be” the authentic Santa Claus, with a real suit, sleigh and reindeer. Ever since he learned the “truth” about Santa, he’s tried to make Christmas a reality. Growing up …
Welcome back to another edition of Mutantville Monday, oh faithful Mutants! We’ve come through another long and productive weekend aboard the Mutantville Mothership so it’s time to give you a rundown on the latest happenings in the worlds of speculative fiction – as seen through the eyes of independent filmmakers. We have a steaming hot load of MVP News for you this morning followed by the Box Office Report with Contagion topping the charts and crazy rumors from around the web – so let’s get started!
(Get your mind and your noses blown after the leap!)
This weekend sees not one – but two new horror films hitting theaters across the country. Shark Night 3D will attack the box office this weekend and attempt to take home that coveted number one spot that has eluded horror flicks for the past month – by using the tried and true method of tacking on extra charges for the 3D gimmick.
Will it work or will audiences say that they’ve had a belly full of 3D already and pass on sampling Shark Night 3D? Only time will tell. Check out the trailer below.
Welcome back for your end of the week roundup with MVP! First up we’re going to break the fourth wall for just a moment to ask you all to send out your prayers to MVP’s own Brento and his family. His mother was severely injured in a tragic accident this week and has been in the hospital ever since. Here’s to wishing her a safe and speedy recovery and we hope that Brento and his family can find peace during this troubled time.
We have a lot of work to do this weekend in order to get ready for the final Tales From Mutantville shoot next week so we’re going to have to hit you with a few quickie bulletin points! Ready? Let’s go!
Our good friends at Quiet No More Pictures are premiering their first film tonight in Cornelius, NC. My Name Is Paul tells the story of Paul Cambio - judge, jury and executioner for the corrupt modern Government, who meets with a terrible near fatal accident that transforms the way he sees the World and the dreaded ‘Way-People.” For more information check out their official Facebook fanpage by clicking here.
Michael Sharpe, star of Devil’s Crossing, Split and Scarecrow At Midnight, was recently interviewed on the Creepture Feature Horrorshow podcast. Michael has had an exciting start to his career in the Charlotte Film Community over the past year starring in a wide range of productions from Split to Devil’s Crossing to MVP’s own Scarecrow At Midnight. Not only did Michael win “Best Actor” award from the CFC for his performance in Knowing, but he somehow found time to write and direct two independent short films over the past year entitled Monomaniacaland Deviling.
Head on over to thecreepturefeaturehorrorshow.com and join the fun as Gregamortis, Dr.Shock and the Pumpkin King discuss the Scream series and the upcoming Scream 4. Michael Sharpe joins the show at approximately 1 hr 15 min. They discuss his career acting in in such indie horror flicks as Devil’s Crossing and Scarecrow At Midnight as well as his career behind the camera directing his own scripts for Monomaniacaland Deviling.
Download the podcast directly from the Creepture Feature Horrorshow by visiting their website here.
Posted 1 year, 2 months ago at 3:19 am. Add a comment
If you’re a fan of horror then you’re more than likely a fan of the fantastic music that accompanies our favorite horror flicks. According to legend when John Carpenter showed his final cut of Halloween without the music to his producers – everyone thought the movie was horrible. One classic Carpenter score later – and Halloween became an instant classic!
If you just can’t get enough great horror scores – then check out the vintage Canadian Ferox episodes featuring music in horror where your hosts Jdog and the Changeling play classic tracks from your favorite horror flicks and discuss each one. Unfortunately Canadian Ferox is no more – but you can still download their shows from the archive. What are you waiting for? Get to listening or get to dying!!
Youtube user HORRORZone666999 has posted a four part video series featuring his picks for the top twenty horror film scores of all time! Featured scores include The Omen, Hellraiser, The Burning, IT, Silence of the Lambs, A Nightmare on Elm Street and many more! If you’re a fan of horror scores – then these vids are for you!
Posted 1 year, 2 months ago at 4:00 pm. Add a comment
In honor of our Inspirational Filmmaker of the Week and guest of honor at the upcoming Fright Night Film Fest – John Carpenter, we are going to play one of Carpenter’s classic sci-fi/horror flicks They Live. They Live stars former WWF superstar and WCW star Rowdy Roddy Piper as “John Nada” a nomad who finds himself caught up in a worldwide conspiracy to expose alien take over of the world. If that doesn’t get your spleen to jumping then as the posters say “you’re already dead!”
In need of something scary to watch on this chilly Winter weekend? Then why don’t you turn out the lights, fire up some microwave popcorn, grab your girl and sit down with one of these chilling horror flicks?
Check out the video below for a compilation of some of the scariest movie scenes ever committed to film – and then grab the video from your shelf, drop it in your Netflix queue or dust off that old betamax! I don’t care! Just watch something good tonight.
Posted 1 year, 4 months ago at 4:06 pm. Add a comment
Major Charles Rane returned from Vietnam as a war hero. Little did he know that a group of desparate thugs would bring violence to his home and destroy everything he loved – forcing the Major to set out seeking righteous retribution with the help of Tommy Lee Jones. That’s right – we’re talking about the oft overlooked Vietnam Veteran revenge flick Rolling Thunder! Not only did Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder Pictures distribution company bring us such cult classics as Chunking Express, Switchblade Sisters and Sonatine, but there is an actual movie that served as the inspiration for Tarantino’s company. Rolling Thunder is airing tonight at the Colony Theater in Raleigh to kick off the 2011 movie season of Cinema Overdrive! Matt Penachi and the gang do a tremendous job in bringing Raliegh the rarest and craziest cult and horror flicks this side of Castle Rock!
We hope that everyone is safe and warm and looking forward to coming out to the Colony on Wednesday, January 12th for ROLLING THUNDER. This is a fantastic yet little seen film, and we’re extremely pleased to be able to present this one on 35mm. You can check out the original theatrical trailer right here:
In addition to that, the new ROLLING THUNDER screen print poster designed by Travis Getz looks terrific as well! It is a 3 color design measuring 18″ x 24″, and since we know the holidays were hard on everyone we’ll be offering this awesome poster for only $20.00 each. That’s a steal, and if you put it in a back lit poster frame it has a special surprise as well! You can get a quick idea of what it looks like by checking out the Facebook Cinema Overdrive group page or the “Rolling Thunder” event page, but the jpeg really doesn’t do it justice.
Showtime is Wednesday, January 12th at 8:00pm. Tickets are $5.50 each. See you there!”
Check out the trailer here:
Be sure to visit the Cinema Overdrive website for more information on Rolling Thunder and the 2011 season of Cinema Overdrive by clicking here.
This past weekend, yours truly made the trip out to the historic Carolina Theatre in Durham, NC for the annual Nevermore Fundraiser. Every year, the Carolina Theatre hosts the Nevermore Festival featuring fantasy and horror films both new and old. This past weekend marked their fundraiser event for this year’s Nevermore Festival. What better way to get the event started than by hosting a double feature of Jim Henson’s fantasy epic – The Dark Crystal and the final film of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy – The Army of Darkness?
Ignoring warnings of encroaching winter storms – I traveled to Durham to partake of the weekend’s festivities. I arrived a good half hour before the events started – allowing me enough time to tour the facilities and take in all the sights and sounds of the theatre. I wandered through the halls like a stricken country mouse – mouth agape as I looked in wonder at the array of rare horror and cult film one sheets adorning the walls. I appeased my inner geek by taking a few photos of the amazing collectibles staring down at me. I stopped by to sign up for the zombie walk scheduled for the Saturday of the Nevermore event. I figured if I’m going to check out the festivities – I might as well go all the way and get in on the gutmunching action. If you want to go with me – shoot me an email at streebo [AT] mutantville.com. I grabbed one slice of pizza and a nice beverage and plopped down into some primo seats ready to begin the night’s activities!
Before the movies – we were treated to a greatest hits assortment of classic movie scenes ranging from Rocky to Wargames to Scooby Doo and so on and so forth. There was a brief announcement about the upcoming Nevermore festival including the scheduled films and special guests which will include director Kevin Tenney hosting his cult horror flicks Witchboard and Night of the Demons! Once the announcements were out of the way – the entire theatre turned into a way-back machine and transported us all to 1982 and opening night of Jim Henson’s dark fantasy epic The Dark Crystal!
First up – we were treated to a bevy of period trailers from 1982 including the ultra rare early promo for the third film in George Lucas’ true Star Wars trilogy – Revenge of the Jedi! That’s right – this was the original trailer that aired the year before its release. The title was subsequently changed to Return of the Jedi leading to months of confusion amongst the card carrying members of the Star Wars fan club as we were suddenly expecting two Star Wars movies in the coming year! Alas that was not meant to be. Back to the present and the amazing presentation of The Dark Crystal in glorious 35mm. This was audacious filmmaking at it’s finest. Long before James Cameron came along with the waterhose of money to spray 3D blue tint on the celluloid of Avatar, The Dark Crystal left audiences awestruck by it’s breathtaking visuals. Every frame of The Dark Crystal featured new and amazing sights – imaginative creatures, new cultures, and lifeforms that seemed to crawl from the depths of our collective subconsciousness and wiggle their way across the screen. If you have never watched The Dark Crystal – do yourself a favor and pick up the special edition DVD on the cheap at Wally world and experience it for yourself. You will thank me later.
Our next stop was 1993 and the premiere of The Army of Darkness! This film was preceded by trailers of it’s own era – featuring the Stephen King adaptation Needful Things and the mainstream hit – Grumpy Old Men. To say the trailers of 1993 reminded me of a less than stellar time of cinema would be an understatement. But enough of that – we were here for one thing and one thing only – to get down with that deadite bashing badass Ashley Williams! Ashley was never a very heroic name – that’s why we know him better as Ash – the man with a chainsaw for a hand and a boomstick at his back. As long time Evil Dead fans will know – the movie begins with a five minute prologue explaining the convoluted history of Ash and the Evil Dead and introduces a third actress in the role of ill fated girlfriend Linda! I can only imagine how confused first time viewers must have felt at this moment – but this movie wasn’t for them – it was for us – the fans that know better. Luckily once all of that backstory is out of the way – Army of Darkness never let’s exposition get in it’s path again and sets off like a rocket through this medieval landscape. It’s not long before Ash gets pushed into the pit and puts his deadite bashing fu to good use. And that was when the sound went out!
This crowd wasn’t about to be deterred by a little thing like the sudden loss of sound. We had risked life and limb to make this trip, sat through two hours of movies and trailers to get to this moment. So what should one do in the event of the loss of sound during a showing of an Evil Dead movie? A) complain to the manager? B) get up and walk out? Or C) make up your own damn dialogue? If you guessed C) then you are correct. Suddenly this turned into a make-shift Rocky Horror Show as the crowd started making sound effects and shouting out key lines from the movie. Yours truly had to get in on the action by shouting out a “groovy” or two of my own. of course the technical issues were solved and the movie played on as planned.
All in all – it made for an amazing night at the theatre. I am glad that I was able to attend. I met some fun new people, saw some great memorabilia, and enjoyed some classic movies. To me this is what it means to be a Mutantville Player – to show an eagerness to enjoy oneself by sharing the love and appreciation of the arts with our fellow fans. I’m sorry that you couldn’t join me – but perhaps in reading my recap – you will have lived it vicariously with me. At least you didn’t have to worry about the drive home. Suddenly the movies were over, it was 12:30 AM and the streets were piled with snow. I had to drive home across what looked like the frozen wasteland of Hoth – but it was a small price to pay for another night at the theatre.
Be sure to join us as we attend the Nevermore Festival next month. Check the Carolina Theatre website for further information.
Posted 2 years, 3 months ago at 5:52 pm. Add a comment
