Here at Dread Central we’re pretty excited that “Hellevator” is returning to the airwaves of GSN, and today we have two new 360° promo videos for the show to share. Meet the horrifying creatures of the “Hellevator” Inferno, and then be sure to tune in on Fridays in October at 9/8c.
Count. Your. Sins. The punishment begins in just a few more weeks!
About “Hellevator” Season 2: GSN’s horror-themed game “HELLEVATOR” returns for Season 2 with a special four-week network event, just in time for the Halloween season, with all-new spine-chilling weekly episodes, beginning Friday, October 7, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. “HELLEVATOR” is produced by Matador and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Lionsgate.
Jason Blum, executive producer and master of the horror genre, whose company, Blumhouse Productions. brought the world the Purge, Insidious, Ouija, and Paranormal Activity franchises, now presents a terrifying, genre-bending series that dares a team of four friends to ride a haunted elevator into the depths of an abandoned slaughterhouse. With $50,000 at stake, contestants must conquer multiple floors of terrifying chaos and hair-raising challenges in order to move on to the final level — The Inferno.
Each specially-themed episode is inspired by a true crime story and will also emulate a grisly scene invoked by one of the “Seven Deadly Sins” (Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Greed, and Sloth). In addition to the psychological terror players will face during their quest, they must also endure the wrath of the show’s masterminds, horror film icons Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka the “Twisted Twins,” who work in tandem from their secret lair to torment and trip-up players as they struggle to remain sane and keep in mind that “it’s just a game.”
“HELLEVATOR” is produced by Matador and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Lionsgate. Executive producers are Jason Blum, who won a 2014 Emmy Award for “The Normal Heart” and “The Jinx” in 2015 and was nominated for an Academy Award for Whiplash; Matador’s Jay Peterson and Todd Lubin (producers of “Lip Sync Battle”); Daniel Soiseth (“America’s Next Top Model”); and Jessica Rhoades.
We reported last month that director Shahin Sean Solimon was working in a remake of Plan 9 from Outer Space. However, as the script progressed, the decision was made to drop the connection to Plan 9, and instead it became an original feature titled Attack from Alpha Centauri, which you can learn more about below:
From the Press Release: Giant Flick Films LLC., announced today that writer/director/actor Shahin Sean Solimon who is best known for the title Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage (2014) PG-13 will be completely scrapping any movie sequels previously planned, and instead developing a fresh new Sci-Fi/Horror project.
“It’s simple, I originally wrote this project as a possible sequel to another classic film from the 50’s era. But after writing the script, and witnessing the story develop much further than I anticipated. Including all fresh ideas and characters, it dawned on me (and this is after much consideration and thought to the process), that this is not a sequel at all, of any kind, without any connection to any other films past or present.” Said Solimon. “It basically got written to a new concept, and I am actually proud and excited to see this happen so organically and true.
No reason to retread an old story with new skin. Therefore my team and I are proud and excited to announce our film will be a classic original Sci-Fi/Horror, titled; Attack from Alpha Centauri. According to Solimon, Attack from Alpha Centauri is very character driven, dramatic, will be very stylized, and set in a post-apocalyptic future America. The project is being developed independently, and is currently being pitched to movie distributors such as Netflix and others; there is also a possibility that the project may be developed into a full series after the initial film is created.
“Sometimes (very often in my case) you stumble on ideas, and stories that come to you in a dream or thought, and you have to create this world that may entertain and inspire others watching at home. That’s what it’s all about for me, the creativity process, and I hope to develop many more.” Said Solimon.
No release dates are set yet for Attack from Alpha Centauri. Since the project is in early stages of development. More info can be found by getting on Shahin Sean Solimon’s Official FB page: https://www.facebook.com/shahinsolimon
Giveaway time again, kids! Right now we have your chance to score a copy of Clowntown on DVD! Even if you don’t wanna see it, you can still have endless fun hiding it under the pillow of the coulrophobic in your life!
To enter for your chance to win, just send an email to contests@dreadcentral.com including your FULL NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS along with “Clowntown” in your subject line. We’ll take care of the rest.
This contest will end at 12:01 AM PT on October 4, 2016. Note: By entering this contest, you are consenting to allow Dread Central and its subsidiaries use of your email address.
Clowntown Release Details: ITN Distribution, Inc., has acquired North American rights to the horror thriller CLOWNTOWN. Written by Jeff Miller (Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan) and directed by Tom Nagel (The Retrieval), the film stars Brian Nagel (Katy Perry’s “Roar”), Lauren Elise (Justin Lin’s Help), Andrew Staton (Relentless), Katie Keene (Union Furnace), Jeff Denton (The Beast of Bray Road), and Greg Violand (Batman v Superman).
CLOWNTOWN will roll out in theaters starting September 30, 2016, and on VOD and DVD on October 4, 2016.
CLOWNTOWN tells the story of a group of friends who get stranded in a seemingly abandoned town and find themselves stalked by a gang of violent psychopaths dressed as clowns. It is loosely inspired by the clowns who terrorized Bakersfield, California, in 2014.
CLOWNTOWN was produced by Jeff Miller, Tom Nagel, Brian Nagel, Christopher Lawrence Chapman, and Ronnie D. Lee. Robert Kurtzman (creator of From Dusk Till Dawn) co-produced. David H. Greathouse (Syfy’s “Face Off,” Tusk) handled the bulk of the makeup FX.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, director Nick Sanford’s The Harvesters will premiere at the Landmark Regent in the Westwood area of Los Angeles on October 18th. If you live in the area and are intrigued by that news, then read on to get the full picture.
From the Press Release: They’ve been watching. They’ve been waiting. And now, you finally get to see them…
Broadcast Pictures and Flicks for Fans are thrilled to announce the world premiere of THE HARVESTERS (official website here). This frightening new tale of terror is written and directed by Nick Sanford. After an attention-grabbing $33,000 Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, this modern tale of terror will premiere on October 18, 2016, in Los Angeles, California, at the Landmark Regent in Westwood. Doors open at 7:00 pm, and the movie begins at 8:00 pm.
Flicks for Fans will host the premiere of the film, giving fans a “more than just a movie” experience, including a Q&A with the cast and crew, prizes for audience members, and all sorts of Halloween-related insanity for a night that movie fans will never forget. The premiere is FREE and open to the public.
The film is notable for being set and filmed completely in Oklahoma, writer-director Nick Sanford’s home state, a state not normally known for grassroots, large-scale micro-budget horror films. It was shot in Purcell, Tuttle, Newcastle, Bridge Creek, and Moore, Sanford’s home town.
The film stars Alissa Rose Ford (Army of Frankensteins), Laurie Cummings (The Scent of Rain and Lightning), Adam Hampton (Gremlin), Jason Gwynn (Going Dark: The Final Days of Film Projection), Andrew McDonald (Elusive), Lucas Ross (Rudderless), Sidney Flack (Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial Killer, Children of the Corn: Runaway, Hellraiser X: Judgment), Arden Moad (The Lure), and Page Tudyk (Electric Nostalgia, Rough Cut).
The producers include Laurie Cummings (Blueberry Hall), Paul Lister (By Dawn), Andrew McDonald (Thai Food), and James Oster (aka JimmyO, Sick for Toys); the director of photography is Matt Bauske (Hellraiser X: Judgment, Children of the Corn: Runaway), and the composer is Jonathan Paulsen (Hunt the Truth, Tempus Fugit).
Synopsis:
On Halloween in Baileyville, Oklahoma, Jane, a journalist who prides herself on objective reporting, discovers that she is trapped in the middle of a series of horrifying murders and disappearances. When the terror intensifies and a countdown begins, the people closest to Jane are put in danger, and her journalistic stance on “not becoming the story” is put to the ultimate test.
With its mix of murder, mystery, and marijuana, horror comedy Halloweed looks to be just what Dr. Feelgood ordered for the Halloween season. It contains appearances by genre faves Ray Wise, Danny Trejo, Tom Sizemore, and yes, even Jason Mewes.
Here’s what else you can expect if you opt to light it up; along with release info, we have the flick’s trailer, several stills, and a trio of posters.
From the Press Release: He who has the weed has the power…
The official release trailer and three versions of the VOD poster for Halloweed are available now, courtesy of Screen Media Films, and the DVD release date has been set for November 8, 2016, announced the filmmaking team of Roberto Rosario, Jr., and Jayson Bernard of J&R Productions. Rosario executive produced, and Bernard produced the film along with co-producers Tatiana Chekhova, Jamie Trent, and LazRael Lison, who directed.
Halloweed is a comedy/stoner/slasher/mystery genre hybrid, starring Simon Rex, Shannon Brown, Jim O’Heir, Michelle Mueller, Jayson Bernard, Ray Wise, Jason Mewes, Deje Dee, Lester Speight, Danny Trejo, and Tom Sizemore. Written by Dale Zawada based on a story by Michael Bussan, it will be released on all VOD platforms and Cable On Demand by Screen Media Films on October 18th.
“Halloweed is an homage to the slasher horror films I grew up with combined with the fun of buddy comedies and stoner films, with a bit of classic John Waters-inspired twisted humor added to the mix,” said Bernard. “Roberto and I had been looking for a comedy to produce as our first feature for J&R Productions, and when the project came our way, we knew this was the one,” he added.
“Jayson and I formed J&R Productions in Chicago and moved to California to set up shop when we started production on Halloweed,” said Rosario, Jr. “We have the best of both worlds now, with access to the immense pool of talent LA has to offer in front of and behind the camera, plus our longstanding relationships with the talented people in Chicago. We are thrilled that Screen Media Films is getting Halloweed out in such a big way.”
Synopsis: Trent Modine and his goofball stepbrother, Joey, try to escape the infamy that comes from having a serial killer, The Candy Corn Killer, for a father (Tom Sizemore). Seeking a new start, they find refuge in the small town of Mooseheart. It does not take long before the besmirched family name catches up to them. Joey, a free-spirited stoner, and Trent, a lovesick pessimist, look like the main suspects after a string of murders, similar to a rash of killings 20 years earlier, coincidentally begins just as they arrive in town. It is a race against time because a slash-happy killer clown on the loose, and the bodies are piling up!
Pandorica, a horror/sci-fi hybrid (and who doesn’t love those?), is crash landing in limited theaters, On Demand, and on DVD next month; and we have all you need to know about it right here, including several stills, character posters, and the official trailer.
From the Press Release: John Carpenter meets Predator in writer-director Tom Paton’s multi-genre mixer PANDORICA, which combines the classic elements of sci-fi, horror, suspense, and action, resulting in a cocktail of a visually-stunning and relentlessly thrilling indie surprise.
PANDORICA is set in a world that’s plunged into a new dark age where humanity devolves into a vicious, primal state. A trio of youths – Eiren, Ares, and Thade – have been selected to take part in the leadership trials of The Varosha Tribe, with the winner claiming the tribe for him/herself. They must battle dark and mysterious forces if one of them is to win, but not everyone is worthy of becoming a leader, and the trio soon learn that fighting each other may be the only path to victory.
Starring an electric ensemble including Adam Bond, Marc Zammit, Jade Hobday, Amed Hashimi, Luke D’Silva, and Bentley Kalu, PANDORICA is being released in limited theaters, On Demand, and on DVD October 11, 2016.
The 16-bit horror game Camp Sunshine now has a listing on Steam ahead of its release later this year. We interviewed the developers earlier this year, and we’ve been incredibly excited for this retro-style blood-soaked game since, so we’re thrilled that it’s nearly here.
Synopsis Camp Sunshine is a 16-bit blood-soaked Horror RPG that pits you as Jez, who is dropped off at Summer Camp. He awakes in the middle of the night to discover blood everywhere and a rampaging killer on the loose dressed in a mascot costume. It’s up to you to piece together the puzzle, and relive the past of the Summer Camp Slasher in order to put a stop to this night of terror!
Discover and explore an entire Summer Camp. Beautiful hand-drawn 16-bit graphics. A fantastic story-driven narrative. Unique lighting mechanics that really set the atmosphere. Don’t run out of batteries for your torch! Find the diary pages to discover the history of Isaac Illerman. Avoid the Serial Slasher, two hits and it’s game over! Lots of scares, spooky scenes and nods to famous franchises! Devious puzzles to tax your brain box.
He may have now been on this planet for 72 years, but when it comes to balls-to-the-wall action, Danny Trejo certainly still has it in him. Who else would you want to lead what remains of humanity against an army of killer robots? Which is exactly what he does in the new film Cyborg X from director K. King.
It’s now available on DVD from Amazon UK, and you can also dig the pretty brutal NSFW trailer below. We’ll keep you posted if we hear anything about a US release.
Synopsis: The year is 2018, one year after a deadly Cyber Virus has infiltrated and seized control of X-Corp, a top secret and highly advanced weapons manufacturer. Now the world is an apocalyptic wasteland of death and destruction. What’s left of the human race is hunted down and destroyed by X-Corp’s ground units (an army of Cyborgs and Battle Drones).
In order to save themselves and all of mankind from extinction, a small group of fighters band together in their quest to fight back. Armed with a new piece of counter intelligence, big guns, and lots of bullets, they set off on a suicidal mission to penetrate X-Corp’s head facility and shut the machines down from the source. But once inside they soon discover there may be more to the Cyber Virus than initially realized.
The horror on demand service Shudder is getting set to bring big scares to its subscribers this coming October, the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else, including some new TV series additions.
Read on for the details, and be sure to hit the link below to learn even more about the service.
From the Press Release: The AMC-backed streaming service Shudder.com is THE entertainment destination for everything you need to watch this Halloween season. Whether you’re a hardcore horror fan or simply looking for the scariest films to celebrate this time of year, Shudder has something for everyone in its sweeping library, carefully curated by some of the top horror experts in the world.
As Halloween approaches, Shudder is expanding its database with a variety of new titles including cult favorites, blockbuster hits, and classic thrillers. Additionally, for the first time ever, Shudder will be offering horror TV series to complement its expansive film library.
Premiering October 20th is supernatural thriller “Beyond the Walls.” Shudder’s first exclusive acquisition is a three-part French miniseries that follows a woman who discovers a parallel world behind the wall of her recently inherited home. The series takes viewers on a frightening and mysterious adventure into a world where old wounds never heal.
Additionally, all 83 episodes of the classic George Romero-produced series “Tales from the Darkside” will keep you up at night with an anthology of chilling ghost stories, spooky science fiction adventures, and other creepy features.
For those new to the service or those looking to celebrate the season, the “Horror Essentials” collection includes the must-see titles on Shudder, perfect for the growing horror fan or for your all-night Halloween marathon.
Choose from Shudder’s lineup of upcoming October titles… if you dare:
October 1
“Tales from the Darkside” – The Complete Series (1983-1988) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
October 3 Dungeon of Harrow (1962)
Director: Pat Boyette
Cast: Russ Harvey, Helen Hogan, William McNulty
Soulmate (2013)
Director: Axelle Carolyn
Cast: Anna Walton, Tom Wisdom, Tanya Myers
Tony: London Serial Killer (2009)
Director: Gerard Johnson
Cast: Peter Ferdinando, Greg Kam, Ricky Grover
October 5 Cherry Tree (2015)
Director: David Keating
Cast: Naomi Battrick, Patrick Gibson, Sam Hazeldine
October 6 Demons of Ludlow (1983) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Bill Rebane
Cast: Paul von Hausen, Stephanie Cushna, Carol Perry
Harlequin (1980) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Simon Wincer
Cast: Robert Powell, David Hemmings, Carmen Duncan
House of the Living Dead (1974) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Ray Austin
Cast: Mark Burns, Shirley Anne Field, David Oxley
Mirror/Mirror (1990) – ONLY ON SHUDDER Director: Marina Sargenti Cast: Karen Black, Yvonne De Carlo, William Sanderson
October 11 Horrors of the Black Museum (1959)
Director: Arthur Crabtree
Cast: Michael Gough, June Cunningham, Graham Curnow
Invasion of the Blood Farmers (1972) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Ed Adlum
Cast: Norman Kelley, Tanna Hunter, Bruce Detrick
La Grande Bouffe (1973) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Marco Ferreri
Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli, Philippe Noiret
Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)
Director: Charles B. Pierce
Cast: Willie E. Smith, John P. Hixon, Vern Stierman
October 13 Blood Rage (1987)
Director: John Grissmer
Cast: Louise Lasser, Mark Soper, Julie Gordon
Darklands (1996) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Julian Richards
Cast: Craig Fairbrass, Jon Finch, Rowena King
Funeral Home (1980)
Director: William Fruet
Cast: Kay Hawtrey, Lesleh Donaldson, Barry Morse
The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Asia Argento, Thomas Kretschmann, Marco Leonardi
October 17 Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
Director: Eiichi Yamamoto
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Katsuyuki Itô, Aiko Nagayama
Contamination (1980)
Director: Lewis Coates
Cast: Ian McCulloch, Louise Marleau, Marino Masé
The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001)
Director: Takashi Miike
Cast: Kenji Sawada, Keiko Matsuzaka, Shinji Takeda
Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
Director: Sergio Martino
Cast: Edwige Fenech, Anita Strindberg, Luigi Pistilli
October 20
“Beyond the Walls” (2016) – ONLY ON SHUDDER
Director: Hervé Hadmar
Cast: Veerle Baetens, Geraldine Chaplin, François Deblock, Lila-Rose Gilberti
Following 2010’s riot of a found footage creature feature Trollhunter, Norwegian director Andre Ovredal returns with his English language debut, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, which recently screened at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. Trading in his humor-laden, fantastical approach for more traditional horror fare, Ovredal delivers a film that is mostly effective, though it is not without its problems.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe follows father-son coroner team Austin and Tony Tilden (Hirsch and Cox, respectively) as they receive the body of a beautiful young homicide victim with no clear cause of death. Attempting to uncover how she died, the Tildens begin to perform an autopsy on the deceased, slowly revealing clues that become more and more bizarre as the night goes on. As inexplicable happenings begin to unfold in their family morgue, the coroners begin to suspect that there is something very special about the circumstances that led to their Jane Doe’s death.
Though it is very much a straightforward horror film, The Autopsy of Jane Doe is also very concerned with the theme of family, with a story that is heavily focused on Cox and Hirsch’s relationship. Screenwriters Ian B. Goldberg and Richard Naing do a solid job of developing a believable and enjoyable father-son dynamic between Cox and Hirsch from the get-go as we are introduced to the ins and outs of Austin and Tony’s autopsy sessions and the quirks of their practice. Though it is occasionally the case that such seasoned actors might opt to phone in their performances in such genre projects, Cox and Hirsch both deliver above and beyond here, digging deep emotionally in some of the more intense scenes far more than would be expected in this type of film.
Boasting a plot that is rather unique, The Autopsy of Jane Doe starts off particularly strong; the introduction of the mystery of Jane Doe’s death is immediately intriguing, and as the discoveries grow stranger, it is very easy to find yourself pondering the myriad possibilities that might ultimately explain what the truth really is. Are naturally bizarre or supernaturally malevolent forces at work here? Ovredal’s careful hand initially keeps you unsure, relying on an effective ambiguity that sets a very unsettling tone. Unfortunately, once the truth begins to surface, the script itself becomes one of the film’s most problematic traits. In its second half, some of the exchanges between Cox and Hirsch grow far too expository and even silly, though both actors commit wholly to even the weaker material here. There are also some turns of plot that are much too convenient for a film like this that otherwise has a lot of original ideas going for it.
Given that the film is set almost entirely in the the Tilden family morgue, Ovredal succeeds in establishing a very claustrophobic atmosphere, especially in the more deliberately paced and slowly revelatory autopsy scenes. Though he delivers some truly chilling imagery throughout, the director’s ultimate over-reliance on run-of-the-mill scare tactics is what truly prevents The Autopsy of Jane Doe from elevating to a wholly novel horror experience. There are times when the scares here reminded me heavily of Anthony DiBlasi’s Last Shift run through a “James Wan lite” filter. One particular moment of misdirection in a very intense elevator scene left me feeling especially frustrated, mostly because we have seen it done a million times before (and to greater effect in other films). For a director that gave us such a refreshing and fun take on the genre with his previous effort, it is a shame to see his Stateside debut peppered with so many overly used devices.
Still, what The Autopsy of Jane Doe lacks in genuine jump-out-of-your-seat thrills, it makes up for in outright squirm-inducing practical effects. The autopsy scenes are just the perfect amount of icky, and the accompanying sound design will leave you cringing… in the best way. Ovredal’s marked focus on Jane Doe’s truly terrifying corpse also sets an increasingly menacing tone to the film that helps it overcome its shortcomings elsewhere. Jane Doe herself (Olwen Kelly) becomes a surprisingly commanding presence in the film for a corpse, and you will no doubt see her cloudy, glazed over eyes in your nightmares for weeks to come.
Despite its flaws and occasional moments of directorial regression for Ovredal, The Autopsy of Jane Doe provides enough of a unique spin on the story it ultimately tells to certainly be worth a watch. It is most definitely the kind of horror film that is best enjoyed if you leave your expectations at the door and just commit to taking the fun, quirky, and occasionally surprising ride.
Had a chance to catch The Autopsy of Jane Doe? Share your thoughts with me on Twitter!
Starring Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox, Ophelia Lovibond