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House of Purgatory (2014)

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‘No one escapes purgatory’

House of Purgatory is a 2014 American horror film written and directed by Tyler Christensen. It stars Anne Leighton (Cyrus: Mind of a Serial KillerHybridsGrimm), Laura Coover, Brad Fry, Aaron Galvin (Die Cheerleader Die) and Brian Krause (Camel Spiders; Poseidon Rex; Plan 9).

Worldwide rights have been picked by Terror Films.

Plot:

Four mid-west teenagers who go looking for a fabled haunted house on Halloween night.

Once finding it, they slowly realize that the house is much more than a run-of-the-mill Halloween attraction – somehow the house knows each of their deepest secrets. One-by-one the house uses these secrets against the terrified teens, who soon find themselves in a battle to save not only their lives, but also their very souls…

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Filming locations:

Ashwaubenon and Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA

IMDb



Alienween (2016)

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‘They come from outer space… to make a HELL of a party’

Alienween – aka Alienween: Halloween Party Apocalypse – is an Italian science fiction horror film written and directed Federico Sfascia (I rec u). It was produced by Alex Visani.

The film stars Guglielmo Favilla, Raffaele Ottolenghi and Giulia Zeeti.

Alienween was released in the US on DVD on September 20, 2016 by Bayview Entertainment.

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Buy: Amazon.com

Plot:

Four friends decide to spend Halloween night partying in a country house with call girls. The house has been abandoned ever since a tragic death occurred there years ago. While they are partying, strange slimy meteors begin to fall from the sky. The raging storm outside brings them face to face with not only the house’s tragic past, but with an alien invasion of the strangest kind…

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Reviews:

” …plentiful wet, gruesome, cheapskate, imaginative effects provide some entertainment even as the human element is wildly inconsistent … this looks beyond the accepted 80s ‘classics’ for inspiration – with results as variable as the films it riffs on. Here’s a movie that would like to make you think of Night of the Creeps, but all too often edges into Troll 2 territory.” The Kim Newman Web Site

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IMDb | Facebook | Twitter


Boo! A Medea Halloween (2016)

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‘The night she came home!’

Boo! A Medea Halloween is a 2016 American comedy horror film written, co-produced, directed by and starring Tyler Perry. It also stars Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Lexy Panterra, Yousef Erakat, Andre Hall, Brock O’Hurn and Bella Thorne.

The film was released in the US by Lionsgate on October 21, 2016. Surprisingly, it performed better than Tom Cruise’s sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back to win the weekend box office race by taking $27.6 million from 2,260 North American theaters.

Plot:

Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry) spends Halloween keeping an eye on a group of misbehaving teens who are trying to party, while fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, ghouls and zombies…

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Reviews:

“At 103 minutes, this film has way too much dead weight. Scenes are repeated over and over, and some of the acting would not cut it in a school play. But in the rare moments when “Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween” is firing on all cylinders, it displays a cleverness which hints that, with more time and a few more iterations of the script, this might have been a good movie.” Odie Henderson, RogerEbert.com

Shot sitcom-style with multiple cameras and minimal takes, the film looks atrocious. It’s disheartening that Perry, for all his obvious smarts and savvy, is unwilling to up his cinematic game … But the puerile humor that he continues to peddle makes awfully depressing viewing for those who don’t find the concept of a large, middle-aged man in drag inherently funny.” Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

“The director-star’s latest has a few old-school laughs, as well as an unassailable message about parents standing up to their children. But it also has a lack of surprise that’s almost scary … “Boo!” should have little trouble connecting with Perry’s fans (who, as the media rarely bothers to acknowledge, are now a multi-racial audience).” Owen Gleiberman, Variety

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“…this movie’s prank-war payoffs don’t offer thrills or catharsis. A Madea Halloween has far more in common with a Halloween episode of a sitcom than a Halloween movie, and, if not for its 103-minute running time, would have even more in common with a skit performed by a church youth group on the Sunday before Halloween.” Jesse Hassenger, A.V. Club

“I can’t call Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween anything resembling a good film (it’s shot with the production values of a television sitcom) but it is so relentless that, like gorging on a bag of trick or treat candy, it’s undeniably addictive. Before the stomach ache comes.” Jordan Hoffman, The Guardian

” …the dialogue is lazy to say the least and the more the film plays, the silliness it gets. Had he tightened the film to about 90 minutes of comedy with some really scary moments, it would play better, but at 103 minutes the dramatic side to the film is non-existent and becomes a wasted effort in Madea’s return to the big screen.” Wilson Morales, BlackFilm.com

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A Madea Halloween is all over the place in terms of tone, and it doesn’t do nearly enough with its holiday potential. It’s simply the same old crummy directing (spatial relationships are mystery to the production), irresponsible writing, and ear-splitting acting that’s come before, only offered with more aggressive stupidity to compensate for the lack of substance.” Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com

“Don’t be fooled by promotional posters spoofing The Exorcist, Halloween and other classic horror films … It’s more of the same Christian tomfoolery and annoying “Hallelujer!” exclamations – just with spooky masks and Halloween themes this time around. Expectations, meet G-rated haunted house mediocrity featuring lippy PG-13 elders.” Matt Donato, We Got This Covered

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Cast and characters:

Filming locations:

Atlanta, Georgia

Wikipedia | IMDb


Lost Creek (2016)

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‘Some things don’t go away when you stop pretending’

Lost Creek is a 2016 independent horror film co-produced and directed by Colin Adams-Toomey. The film became possible when Adams-Toomey, his writing and producing partner Dan John Witherall, and cinematographer Kevin Eikenberg decided to pool their resources to produce it together.

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The film includes a trio of first-time child actors in the lead roles: Oliver Stockman, Brynna Bartoo and Henry Stockman. Evan Chapman of the band Square Peg Round Hole provided the original soundtrack, with additional music by indie rock band Murder by Death.

The film is currently on the festival circuit showing at events such as FEARnyc and the Freak Show Horror Film Festival in Orlando.

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Plot:

Eleven-year-old Peter Rowland has just moved with his mother to the town of Brackenvale. There he meets Maggie, a mysterious girl with whom he shares an instant bond. As Peter settles into his new life, he realizes something is wrong in the town. He is plagued by nightmares, and the scary things from his imagination are becoming more and more real with each passing night.

With Halloween coming soon, Maggie and Peter discover something frightening waits in the woods near Lost Creek. They must band together to face their fears, and uncover the dark secret of Lost Creek before it’s too late…

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IMDb | Official site


The Crooked Man (2016)

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‘No soul is safe’

The Crooked Man – aka Crooked Man – is a 2016 American horror film directed by Jesse Holland (Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of FearYellowBrickRoad), based on a story and screenplay by Justin Smith (Ominous; The Monkey’s Paw) and Peter Sullivan (OminousChupacabra vs. the Alamo; Hydra).

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Based on the same nursery rhyme that was featured in The Conjuring 2, the Hybrid production premieres on October 1, 2016, as part of the Syfy channel’s ’31 Days of Halloween’.

Main cast:

Michael Jai White (An Accidental Zombie (Named Ted)Spawn), Angelique Rivera, Cameron Jebo, Dina Meyer (Saw), Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Dmitrious Bistrevsky [as The Crooked Man], Reilly Stith, Alexis Wilkins, Brianne Tju, Marco Rodríguez, Dia Frampton, Daniel Booko, John Colton.

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Reviews:

“During this film’s unbelievably dull sub 90-minute runtime, it was impossible for me to tell if it was actually aware that it was an extremely low-budget TV movie. That was probably the worst part of it; if you are stuck with little to work with, show that you are all right with that. Don’t set out to make a simple slasher film but present assomething that we’re supposed to get really invested in. That just won’t fly. So for the viewer, you are then forced to look for other aspects of the film that could salvage it. Sadly, this one offers nothing of value besides a few derivative attempts a jump scares.” Henry Faherty, MovieTVTechGeeks.com

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“Thankfully, The Crooked Man is no Sharknado; despite a good helping of genre clichés it does a great job creating a sustained mood of dread mixed with a compelling story. Add in some interesting characters who display a baseline level of competence and intelligence and you have yourself an enjoyable start to the Halloween season.” Ann Laabs, SciFi4Me.com

“SyFy Original film The Crooked Man is a straightforward made-for-cable fright flick. Director Jesse Holland has previously played in more daring indie horror territory with the psychologically-centered spooks of Yellowbrickroad and We Go On. Here, Holland sticks instead to by-the-book standards of pat plotting and simple setups that read as routine, but with a mild manner that is amusingly entertaining rather than strictly pedestrian.” Culture Crypt

IMDb | Image credits: MovieTVTechGeeks.com


Shudder – online video streaming platform

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‘Screams on demand’

Shudder is a video streaming platform, launched in October 2016, devoted to horror.

Press information:

Shudder is the diabolical new streaming service devoted exclusively to things that go bump in the night. On Shudder, you’ll discover a growing, ghoulish library of horror films from around the world and across the decades.

Shudder has something for everyone, from the casual fan to the hardcore horror devotee. Whether you’re looking for a classic suspense film, a cat-and-mouse thriller, a good old fashioned monster movie, a terrifying tale of the supernatural, or a bloody giallo masterpiece, you’ll always find something to scare you in a new way at Shudder.

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Our Shudder Collections are curated by horror aficionados with a deep love and respect for the many peculiar varieties and genres of horror – they showcase films you never knew existed right alongside old favorites that never fail to frighten, and everything in between. You can also explore different perspectives on all things horror by perusing the selections of our guest curators, or flip on Shudder.TV, a horror-devoted channel programmed by our curators – tune in anytime and discover a gem.

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In the U.S. our expertly curated subscription services cost $4.99 per month or to save more $49.99 per year. For Canada and the UK, the subscriptions will be adjusted to reflect your local currency.

Joining Shudder gives you access to monthly curation of horror content by leading industry experts and access to our entire archive and monthly collections not only through our site, but also our various platforms as well.

www.shudder.com

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Halloween – celebration

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Halloween, or Hallowe’en (a contraction of All Hallows’ Evening), also known as All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated in the British Isles from Celtic harvest festivals which may have pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, and that this festival was Christianised as Halloween.

 

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising), attending Halloween costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing and divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories and watching horror films. Today’s Halloween customs are thought to have been influenced by folk customs and beliefs from the Celtic-speaking countries, some of which are believed to have pagan roots.

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A traditional Irish Halloween turnip (rutabaga) lantern

The word Halloween or Hallowe’en dates to about 1745 and is of Christian origin. The word “Hallowe’en” means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening”. It comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows’ Eve (the evening before All Hallows’ Day).

From at least the 16th century, the festival included mumming and guising in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and Wales. This involved people going house-to-house in costume (or in disguise), usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food. Youths went house-to-house with masked, painted or blackened faces, often threatening to do mischief if they were not welcomed. From at least the 18th century, “imitating malignant spirits” led to playing pranks in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Wearing costumes and playing pranks at Halloween spread to England in the 20th century.

It was not until mass Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century that Halloween became a major holiday in North America. Confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-19th century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the 20th century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.

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Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. Jack-o’-lanterns are traditionally carried on All Hallows’ Eve in order to frighten evil spirits. In Ireland and Scotland, the turnip has traditionally been carved during Halloween, but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which is both much softer and much larger – making it easier to carve than a turnip. The modern imagery of Halloween comes from many sources, including Christian eschatology, national customs, works of Gothic and horror literature (such as the novels Frankenstein and Dracula) and classic horror films.

Happy Halloween party with children trick or treating

Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, “Trick or treat?” The word “trick” refers to “threat” to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.

Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as vampires, monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, in the United States the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States.

Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses. The origins of these paid scare venues are difficult to pinpoint, but it is generally accepted that they were first commonly used by the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) for fundraising. They include haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides, and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown. Haunted attractions in the United States bring in an estimated $300–500 million each year, and draw some 400,000 customers.

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Wikipedia


Dead By Daylight – video game (2016)

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Dead by Daylight is an asymmetric survival horror video game developed by Behavior Interactive and published by Starbreeze Studios. The game was released for Microsoft Windows on June 14, 2016. Dead by Daylight sales topped one million units after just two months on sale.

In October 2016, the game’s Halloween update included Laurie Strode as a survivor and Michael Myers as a killer.

Gameplay:

A group of survivors – anywhere from one to four players (typically four) – must elude one player who is the killer in an enclosed area at night which will either be a secluded forest, an abandoned junkyard, a decrepit cornfield, or a haunted asylum. The survivors’ perspectives are third-person, while the killer’s perspective is first-person.

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Survivors:

When playing as a survivor, players assume the role of Jake Park, Meg Thomas, Dwight Fairfield, Claudette Morel, Nea Karlsson, or Laurie Strode. The goal of the survivors is to escape the enclosed area, which can be done in one of two ways: either by repairing a certain number of disabled generators (usually, the number of generators is one greater than the number of survivors playing) to provide power to switches which open large metal doors leading out of the area, or by escaping through a trapdoor (hatch) which only opens when there is one survivor left and at least two generators have been successfully repaired.

The survivors’ movement options consist of sprinting, walking, or crouch-walking. They must elude the killer by using the darkness, crouching behind objects, and hiding in buildings, foliage, or inside lockers.

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Killers:

As the killer, players assume the role of either the Trapper, the Wraith, the Hillbilly, the Nurse or Michael Myers; each of which has his own unique ability. The killer cannot run or crouch, but simply walks at a very fast pace which is slightly faster than the pace of a sprinting survivor.

When hunting the survivors, the killer must capture them by either striking them twice with his weapon (the first hit reduces the survivor to a limp, while the second hit drops them to crawling on the ground), or can grab them in one move by either catching them inside lockers, while attempting to vault over pallets or through windows, while repairing a generator, or attempting to escape through a trap door. The Hillbilly’s chainsaw attack will also drop survivors to crawling on the ground in one hit.

The killer can initially only kill the survivors by sacrificing them by placing them on one of the many meat hooks in the area and waiting for the demonic claws to eventually finish off the survivor, carrying their soul into the sky. After a player has earned enough experience points as the killer, certain single-use items can be unlocked that include the ability to finish off survivors instantly with their weapon, rather than the lengthy process of taking them to the meat hooks.

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Blood Web:

Both survivors and killers are able to unlock items, perks, and offerings through the Blood Web. Every action performed in a match gives the player a number of Bloodpoints, and the sum are added to the player’s total at the end of the match.

Each level of the Blood Web is procedurally generated, and gets larger as the character gains levels. The rewards are connected to each other in a radial tree, and players must purchase rewards along the progression path to gain access to others. Once every reward on the tree has been purchased, the Blood Web will generate a new level for the player to progress to, increasing that character’s level.

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Setting:

The game takes place across four locales (split into thirteen maps in total) which are based on the places the killers became murderers. Over time, the evilness of their actions accumulated there until it attracted the attention of the Entity, an unknown force of darkness from a place with no name. The Entity pulls those who encounter it into a purgatory of its own construction, where they must play an endless game of life or death in the Entity’s recreations. The killers, who worship the Entity, are tasked with hunting down the survivors and sacrificing them, while the survivors seek an escape from the nightmare.

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Plot:

The Entity, a supernatural being hailing from some ancient, evil place, is awakened from its slumber whenever it is summoned by actions of great violence and malice. The killers, exclusively serial murderers, are pulled out of reality by it and convinced to do its bidding. In order to maintain its existence, the Entity requires sacrifices, and demands that they hunt and kill the survivors so it can feed off their hope and steal a piece of their soul upon death. Then they are brought back to life to repeat the trial, endlessly attempting to escape.

The survivors are pulled into the Entity’s constructed world when they wander too close to the places the killers were taken from, disappearing from the real world without a trace. They end up at a lonely campfire, where they rest between trials, until a killer pursues them again. Escaping from the grounds always takes the survivors back to the campfire, and offerings can be created to be burnt at it and appeal for the Entity’s favor. Since the Entity feeds off the hope of the survivors to escape, it helps them just as much as the killers, acting as an impartial observer of the hunt, stepping in only to claim those hanged on its hooks.

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Reception:

“As players become more familiar with both roles, the horror dissipates and they begin to play for the competitive element alone. The poor matchmaking and the highly exploitable scoring system make Dead by Daylight less competitive than it should be, resulting in gameplay which doesn’t resemble the horror experience it sets out to be.” Joab Gilroy, Gamespot

“It might be short-lived and plagued by lobby issues, but Dead by Daylight is whip-smart, original, exciting and genuinely frightening. It puts you right at the centre of your own slasher movie, then asks you if you’ve got the guts and cunning to slay or survive. Only time will tell whether it can evolve into a long-term hit but, right now, it’s a terrifying new entry on the multiplayer scene.” Stuart Andrews, Trusted Reviews

“When Dead By Daylight was first launched, it was a flawed but fun game that needed a bit more work to tighten things up. Since its release, Behaviour Interactive has spent the last few months doing just that; it’s in a really good place right now. It has a healthy, active community where the player base can also go and interact with the developers on a weekly basis. All in all, Dead By Daylight is an amazing survival horror experience… Luke Lawrie, Stevivor

Wikipedia | Official site



Terrifier (2016)

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Terrifier is a 2016 American horror film written and directed by Damien Leone (Frankenstein vs. The Mummy). It features a maniacal clown named Art who first appeared in the director’s 2008 short, The 9th Circle.

The Dark Age Cinema production is a feature length version of Leone’s 2011 short film of the same name, which has also been used as one of the segments in his 2013 anthology movie, All Hallows’ Eve.

Main cast:

Margaret Reed (Central Park Dark; White Privilege Frankenstein), Jenna Kanell (The Bye Bye ManDemonica’s Reign), Katie Maguire (All Hallows’ Eve) Pooya Mohseni, Catherine Corcoran, Samantha Scaffidi, Gino Cafarelli, David Howard Thornton [as Art the clown].

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Plot:

A maniacal clown named Art, terrorizes three young women on Halloween night and everyone else who stands in his way…

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IMDb


Skypemare (2013)

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‘Log in. Dial a friend. Chat. Die.’

Skypemare is a 2013 American horror short film written and directed by John Fitzpatrick. It stars ‘scream queen’ Cerina Vincent (Tales of HalloweenFreaks of Nature; Cabin Fever) and Annika Marks (Brentwood Strangler; Anguish).

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Alison (Cerina Vincent) is left home alone on Halloween night, but while chatting with her best friend Jenna (Annika Marks) over Skype, something terrifying happens to Jenna, leaving Alison helpless on the other side of the computer screen, watching in horror…

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Having premiered at the 2013 Telluride Horror Show, Skypemare was posted online Halloween 2014 and became a viral YouTube short hit, receiving over 1.5 million views.

The same production team made a follow-up film, Brentwood Strangler, in 2016.

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Reviews:

” …well directed, with decent performances from the two leads. I like the way it’s shot and lit, with warm tones in Alison’s apartment, and cold blues the other end of the video connection. It borrows from classic slasher movies like the original Halloween and April Fool’s Day, but with a sprinkling of modern technology added to the mix.” Gore Blimey

“When it comes to the other key components – the acting and the special effects – there is enough greatness here to satisfy horror fans. Although Skypemare is far from torture porn, the blood and guts were used wisely and didn’t look the slightest bit fake.” Horror Society

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“It’s nice and compact, so there’s not a second of padding. The performances and camera work are great, as are the lighting and direction… they simply hit every facet out of the park. It’s as near to perfect as one can get.” Creative Jamie

“Previous features such as the disappointing Smiley have struggled to generate the same fearful trepidation that Fitzpatrick has crammed into a fraught 8 minutes, successfully balancing the need for gory scares with bleak humour.” John Townsend, The Horror Asylum

Cast and characters:

  • Cerina Vincent as Allison
  • Annika Marks as Jenna
  • Ryan Dillon as Steve
  • Adam J. Yeend as Gary Gray

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site | Facebook


Mortuary Massacre (2016)

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‘Everyone will rest in pieces!’

Mortuary Massacre is a 2016 American horror anthology film directed by Christopher James Miller (The Forbidden Dimensions; IronhorseOctober Nightmare; Carrion) from a screenplay co-written with Erin Blaisdell.

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The plot focuses around Detective Giger’s (Todd Brown) debriefing of several mysterious deaths, all of which took place on Halloween night. The local mortician (Carl Crew) tells Giger the backstories behind three particular victims via their stories:

‘The Apartment’; ‘False Face’; and ‘Snake-eyed Jack’.

In the US, the Razorwire Pictures film is released on DVD by Video Music, Inc. on March 28, 2017. Pre-order from Amazon.com

The teaser trailer below is NSFW:

IMDb


Boys in the Trees (2016)

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‘Nobody gets us… that’s half the fun’

Boys in the Trees is a 2016 Australian fantasy horror film written and directed by Nicholas Verso. It stars Toby Wallace, Gulliver McGrath and Mitzi Ruhlmann.

It’s Halloween 1997 – the last night of high school for Corey, Jango and their skater gang, The Gromits. Childhood is over and adult life beckons. But for Corey, his past has some unfinished business. When he encounters Jonah, a former childhood friend but now victimized by Jango’s cruel streak, Corey takes pity on him and agrees to walk him home for old time’s sake.

What begins as a normal walk through empty suburban streets descends into something darker and magical as they tell each other ghost stories, drawing upon their fears of the world around them.

Whilst they walk through their memories and ghosts of the past, Corey is surprised to discover how much he still has in common with his abandoned friend. But on the night of the grave’s delight, even the most buried truths will find a way of coming to life…

Reviews:

“Mark my words, Toby will soon enter the international market and Verso will be getting a few film offers himself. Will it make money? I am unsure, I think it will garner quite a few positive reviews and the art-house audiences will enjoy it but sadly it isn’t listed on all the commercial chains’ websites.” Jason King, Salty Popcorn

“As Boys in the Trees drones on, becoming an interminable trudge at nearly two hours, viewers can’t help but zone out, disenchanted with accounts of darkness, wolf and lamb metaphors, similes, symbols (the entire stylistic shebang) and more trite life lessons than any fairy tale volume is equipped to handle… Tom Kiesecoms, Screen Anarchy

“While Verso hand holds his audience a bit too much, bogging down the pacing in places, his message is poignant and authentic. Harsh realities are counterbalanced with an ethereal, Halloween dreamscape that’s breathtaking and devastating. Equal parts nostalgia, wonderment, and grief, Boys in the Trees is worth the annual Halloween watch that’s sure to come.” Meagan Navarro, Modern Horrors

Wikipedia | IMDb

 


Heineken – monster adverts

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Dutch beer brewer Heineken has run a number of advert campaigns that feature classic monsters such as Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man and even Death himself.


The Terror of Hallow’s Eve (USA, 2017)

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The Terror of Hallow’s Eve is a 2017 supernatural horror film directed and co-produced by Todd Tucker from a screenplay by Zack Ward (Bethany; Circus Kane; Restoration), based on a story by Ronald L. Halvas and Todd Tucker. The Illusion Industries/Quixotic production stars Caleb Thomas, Sarah Lancaster and Annie Read.

Fifteen-year-old Timmy Stevens is brutally beaten up by high school bullies on Halloween. Yearning for revenge while carving out a pumpkin head, he unknowingly summons up the evil spirit of the hideous scarecrow. And before long Timmy has unleashed a mighty supernatural force offering to grant his dark desires to scare his hated enemies to death…

The film is being shown in London, England, at the Horror Channel FrightFest on 28 August 2017.

Main cast:

Caleb Thomas, Sarah Lancaster, Annie Read, JT Neal, Mcabe Gregg, Niko Papastefanou, Doug Jones, Kent Kasper, Christie Nicole Chaplin, Christian Kane, Brett Stimely, Eric Roberts (Sorority Slaughterhouse; Evil Exhumed; Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs; et al) Reatha Grey, Jade Warner, Jentzen Ramirez, Damaris Diaz, Chelsea Marie Mckenzie, Juliet Landau, Audrey Huynh, Allegra Copeland, Troy Verso, Baylie Hileman, Enrique Tito Contreras, Wyatt McClure, Marissa Caprielian, Peter Jason, Emma Rose Maloney, Todd Tucker, Tom Harrison, Eric R. Evans.

Filming locations:

Burbank, Los Angeles National Forest and Santa Clarita, California, USA

Trivia:

The film’s working titles were The Terror and Terror of Halloween

IMDb


Ruin Me (USA, 2017)

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‘They paid to be scared. They didn’t know how much it would cost them.’

Ruin Me is a 2017 American slasher horror film directed by Preston DeFrancis, making his feature debut, from a screenplay co-written with Trysta A. Bissett. The Terror Weekend Productions film stars Marcienne Dwyer, Matt Dellapina and Chris Hill.

Every Halloween, more extreme haunted attractions open for business, each promising even more thrills. Some have taken this to a whole new level. Welcome to Slasher Sleepout: The Ultimate Horror Movie Experience. It’s part camping trip, part haunted house, and part escape room, all rolled into one extreme 36-hour event.

Six strangers are hooded, dropped in the middle of the woods, and must navigate increasingly strange and dangerous mysteries. Alexandra (Marcienne Dwyer), the only participant who has never even seen a horror film, reluctantly tags along with her boyfriend. One by one, the other campers meet grisly fates, and Alex must unravel the mystery of who’s responsible if she wants to have any hope of survival…

Ruin Me will make its world premiere in London at the Horror Channel FrightFest on 26 August 2017.

Main cast:

Marcienne Dwyer (Dracula: The Impaler), Matt Dellapina, Chris Hill, Eva Hamilton, John Odom, Sam Ashdown, Cameron Gordon, Rocky Rector (Return of the Dead), Tom Harryman, Alex Galick, Trenton Colbert, Traver Johnson, Jerry Maxwell, Tim Taylor.

Filming locations:

Muskegon, Michigan, USA

Running time:

87 minutes

IMDb | Facebook | Twitter



Haunters: The Art of the Scare (USA, 2017)

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Haunters: The Art of the Scare is a 2017 American documentary film written and directed by Jon Schnitzer and produced by The Brain Factory.

The documentary features interviews with McKenzie Westmore, Jason Blum, Jessica Cameron, Slash from Guns n’ Roses, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska and owners of haunted house and scare shows.

Official synopsis:

“A heart-warming and heart-stopping documentary about people who sacrifice everything to create the most popular and polarizing haunted houses for Halloween – from boo-scare mazes to a controversial new subculture of extreme terror experiences.”

IMDb | Official siteFacebook | Twitter


Another Evil Night (USA, 2017)

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Another Evil Night is a 2017 American slasher horror film directed by Jason Harlow (Meatball Massacre; Killer Shades) from a screenplay by Justin Bates. It stars Ben Purvis, Tommie Vegas, Michelle Chambers, Cody Scott, and Sydney Rachel Armstrong.

A tormented teenage boy comes into contact with the clown-faced murderer known as Jimmy Fisher in order to exact revenge upon his wrong-doers on Halloween night…

Todd Jason Cook, the director of the 1992 Evil Night, is the executive producer. His company, Screamtime Films, will be releasing the sequel via DVD, VHS, and VOD. Director Jason Harlow’s label, Life After Death Productions LLC, will be handling the Blu-ray release and the theatrical screenings.

IMDb | Info: Pop Horror


Neverknock (Canada, 2017)

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Neverknock is a 2017 Canadian horror film written and directed by Sheldon Wilson (The Night Before HalloweenThe Hollow; The Unspoken; Red: Werewolf Hunter). The Blue Ice Pictures-Dandelion Production stars Dominique Provost–Chalkley, Jodelle Ferland and Eliana Jones.

In 1986, three teens were brutally murdered after knocking on the door of 59 Oakwood Lane. The killer was never found. Over the next forty years, rumours turned to legend, and while few will admit to believing the stories, kids are still warned never knock on the door of 59 Oakwood Lane for fear of what may answer.

On this Halloween night, Grace and her friends are going to wish they’d heeded the warnings and never knocked…

The film premieres on the Syfy channel on October 15, 2017.

Main cast:

  • Dominique Provost–Chalkley – Buckout RoadWynonna Earp; The Seasoning House
  • Jodelle Ferland – Dark MatterThe Unspoken; The Cabin in the Woods; Silent Hill; Carrie (2002); Masters of Horror
  • Eliana Jones – Hemlock Grove
  • Kiana Madeira – Wynonna EarpDark MatterThe Night Before Halloween
  • Nicholas Campbell
  • Jack Fulton
  • Varun Saranga
  • Lola Flannery – The Mist
  • Benjamin Sutherland
  • Adrienne Kress
  • Kiriana Stanton
  • Troy James
  • Jacob Skiba

IMDb


Live-Evil aka Grave Walkers (USA, 2015)

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live evil

‘It’s the end of the f*cking world.’

Live-Evil – aka Grave Walkers – is a 2015 American horror film co-produced, written and directed by Ari Kirschenbaum. It stars Vladimir Kulich, Charlene Amoia and Vincent M. Ward.

The synthesizer soundtrack was composed by Shawn Lee (Bully).

Live-Evil-2015

When a small college town police station is besieged by “Evil” on a sleepy Halloween night, Pete, the sheriff, and Hancock, his loyal deputy, are thrown into the middle of a holy chess-game that could destroy the town, and possibly the world…

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The design of this film obviously distances itself from serious or scary motivations, instead offering viewers a chance to enjoy a blood-soaked comedic piece with a dozen different ideas stuffed into a 95-minute film that features a dozen different nutty personalities. In short, Grave Walkers shouldn’t work, at all. But it does work. It works surprisingly well.” Matt Molgaard, Addicted to Horror Movies

“Throughout the film we are treated to some surreal dream-like sequences, more-so in the black and white section, but the circumstances in which they are used occur mostly in the first part. The quick jump to the bright and vivid slo-mo blood clouds break some of the tension, but they soon become more sinister and provide an insight into how the evil affects people.” Ally Bell, UK Horror Scene

A combination of horror and humor can be a tough tone to manage, but Live-Evil straddles that line well. Between sight gags and one liners, the film keeps you grinning, and many of the actors share a genuine chemistry that allows recurring bits to land well. The score is a lot of fun, as well.” Hope Madden, Screen Relish

“If you’re looking for a weird, creepy film with religious connotations (in case Tony Todd’s get up didn’t give it away), Live-Evil might be for you. Unfortunately I wasn’t the target audience. I need more excitement and energy from the plot, not just from the actors.” Fox Emm, Wicked Horror

“While I could not rate Grave Walkers as a great film due to the sometimes dodgy effects and lack of a cohesive plot I still really loved it and had a lot of fun watching it. There are some stand out scenes that rival anything else I have seen this year in terms of the sublime editing and mashing together of music and visuals.” Daniel Simmonds, The Rotting Zombie

Main cast:

  • Vladimir Kulich
  • Charlene Amoia
  • Vincent M. Ward – The Walking Dead
  • J. Richey Nash
  • Tony Todd – CandymanPenanceArmy of the Damned
  • Meagan Mackenzie
  • Jackson Prather
  • Tim Ross
  • Ed Ricker
  • J. Richey Nash
  • Meredith Parks

Trivia:

The film debuted on 17 October 2015 at the Horror in the Hills festival.

 

The Night Before – USA, 2017

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‘Behind every mask there is a face’

The Night Before is a 2017 American horror suspense thriller film written and directed by Brett Bentman (Apocalypse Road). It stars Steven Michael Quezada, Rachel G. Whittle and Kimi Acosta.

On the night before Halloween, a single mother and her daughter are taken captive in a strange home…

Reviews:

“The films slow burn nature and lack of action hurts it, especially when the tension levels constantly waver and on occasion don’t even hit at all. A lot of screen time was sucked up by Jasper’s mundane activities, where a successful substitute may have been some additional scenes that correlate to his foundation, particularly if there’s no killing.” Adam Weber, Adam the Movie God

Main cast:

  • Steven Michael Quezada … Detective Perez
  • Rachel G. Whittle … Kristina
  • Kimi Acosta … Penny
  • Tom Zembrod … The Mask
  • Tiffany McEvers … Rose
  • Eric Hanson … Michael
  • Chip Llorens … Captain Taft
  • Jill Waterston … Nurse
  • Drew Farmer … Trenton

Filming locations:
 
Dallas, Texas, USA

IMDb | Facebook


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