Today In Horror History

May 23,1980
On this day in Horror History, The Shining made it’s theatrical debut. Undeniably one of the most memorable and terrifying movies of all time, the Stephen King adaption directed by legendary film-maker Stanley Kubrick will forever be a cult masterpiece at the heart of the horror genre. Starring Jack Nicholson in the iconic role of Jack Torrance, the initial release of the film in the United States garnered less than favorable reviews and box office sales. The result was a re-edited European version and a legacy that will forever shadow the trials and tribulations faced by everyone who lent their brilliance to what is one of the most celebrated and inspiring moments in cinematic history.

“Have you ever had a SINGLE MOMENT'S THOUGHT about my responsibilities? Have you ever thought, for a single solitary moment about my responsibilities to my employers? Has it ever occurred to you that I have agreed to look after the OVERLOOK Hotel until May the FIRST. Does it MATTER TO YOU AT ALL that the OWNERS have placed their COMPLETE CONFIDENCE and TRUST in me, and that I have signed a letter of agreement, a CONTRACT, in which I have accepted that RESPONSIBILITY? Do you have the SLIGHTEST IDEA, what a MORAL AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLE IS, DO YOU? Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to my future, if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occurred to you? HAS IT?” –Jack Torrance

Upcoming Horror on TV: American Horror Story: Coven - Casting update

Some more casting news from "American Horror Story:Coven" was announced today.

FX’s “American Horror Story: Coven“ is close to retaining the services of Emma Roberts (Scream 4) for its third season.

Per TV Line she is, “ nearing a deal to join the FX drama’s witch-themed third chapter. Roberts will play a self-involved party girl by the name of Madison.” - Bloody Disgusting

 Roberts stars next to Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Gabourey Sidibe with the third season premiering this October.


The new season will revolve around a coven of witches.

"American Horror Story: Coven" is set to premiere on FX this October.

 

Upcoming Horror: World War Z

I can't believe I haven't coverd this yet.. but who is excited for the release of "World War Z"?

I've yet to read the book, but the movie looks pretty interesting.

I feel like it looks like a fresh, different take on zombies. And by that I mean the zombies don't look like your average Romero slow walking brain dead zombies.


Synopsis:  “The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. Enos plays Gerry’s wife Karen Lane; Kertesz is his comrade in arms, Segen.“ - Bloody Disgusting

 In theaters June 31 from director Marc Forster, the zombie epic stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, and David Morse.


"World War Z" hits theaters June 31st 2013


Trailer:  World War Z - Official Trailer 
               World War Z Trailer 2

Clips:  World War Z Official Movie Spot : World You Know
            World War Z Official Movie Spot: Law
             World War Z Official Movie Spot: Getting Out

             
           

Today In Horror History

May 22, 1972
On this day in Horror History, Maximilian Michael Brooks was born. Author of The New York Times Bestselling novel ‘The Zombie Survival Guide’ and ‘World War Z’, Brooks has furthered zombie related literature to unimaginable popularity in the last decade. An inspiration too many of demographics, the survival aspect of Brooks’ first novel would challenge in a comedic vein, for everyone to take the impending zombie outbreak with a little more severity. Also inspiring an upcoming blockbuster from Plan B Entertainment, World War Z is set to hit theatres June 21st. The son of legendary actor and film-maker Mel Brooks, Max will forever be a testament to the reinvigoration of zombies in popular culture.

“The only rule that ever made sense to me I learned from a history, not an economics, professor at Wharton. "Fear," he used to say, "fear is the most valuable commodity in the universe." That blew me away. "Turn on the TV," he'd say. "What are you seeing? People selling their products? No. People selling the fear of you having to live without their products." Fuckin' A, was he right. Fear of aging, fear of loneliness, fear of poverty, fear of failure. Fear is the most basic emotion we have. Fear is primal. Fear sells.”-Max Brooks

Today In Horror History

On this day in Horror History, Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired its series finale. Starring the beautiful Sarah Michelle Gellar as the high school girl who hunts vampires opposite of her teenaged social life, the show itself has became a cult icon. Today marks ten years since Buffy would end its 7 season reign as one of the highest rated television series of all time.

“In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.” -Rupert Giles 

Yesterday In Horror History.

May 19

On this day in Horror History, the world would say goodbye to two beloved television shows. After 9 Seasons and 203 episodes, ‘The X-Files’ would come to a close in 2002 and make its mark as one of the most celebrated science fiction horror dramas of all time. Also ending after 5 seasons and 110 episodes, ‘Angel’ proved to be one of the most lucrative spinoff series in history after it’s advent from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’.

Scully: "You've always said that you want to believe. But believe in what Mulder? If this is the truth that you've been looking for then what is left to believe in?"

Mulder: "I want to believe that the dead are not lost to us. That they speak to us as part of something greater than us-- greater than any alien force. And if you and I are powerless now, I want to believe that if we listen to what's speaking, it can give us the power to save ourselves."
“The Truth” S9 E19 The X-Files

 

 

Today In Horror History

May 18, 1978
On this day in the Horror Movie Timeline, Ruggsville Texas authorities under the command of Sheriff John Quincy Wydell run a "search and destroy" mission on the Firefly home. The onslaught results in many deaths and the arrest of mother Firefly. Otis B. Driftwood, Baby and Tiny narrowly escape with their lives. –The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

“You listen to me, and you listen good! I am gonna kill every member of your family! I'm gonna hunt them down like the animals they are, and I'm gonna skin em' alive! They are going to feel the pain and suffering of every last victim! They're gonna crawl on on their hands and knees, and they're gonna beg me for mercy! But all I'm gonna have for them is pain! Pain and death!” -Sheriff John Wydell

The Devil's Rejects - Full Shootout Scene  

Today In Horror History

May 17, 1936
On this day in Horror History, Dennis Lee Hopper was born. A brilliant and celebrated actor for more than half a century, he gave the world some of the most adored roles in cinematic history. Hopper’s resume gifted us all such films as Apocalypse Now (1979), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Waterworld (1995), Land of the Dead (2005), and hundreds of cult movies and award winning performances. Passing away just 10 days after his 74th birthday, Dennis Hopper will forever be remembered for the brilliance that he lent to every character he ever epitomized and a legacy that will never be shadowed.

“I am just a middle-class farm boy from Dodge City and my grandparents were wheat farmers. I thought painting, acting, directing and photography was all part of being an artist. I have made my money that way. And I have had some fun. It's not been a bad life.” 

Horror on TV: Zombieland on Amazon

The pilot episode of "Zombieland" went live on amazon instant video on April 19th and stayed up for about a month.

After watching the show viewers were suggested to vote on the show.

Basically the vote was to keep or get rid of the show.


unfortunately amazon has decided to cancel the "Zombieland" TV series.

"Amazon Studios’ “Zombieland” pilot has ended its one month trial presentation and, sadly, the show will not continue. Not on Amazon at least, the network has passed on the series. While it’s technically possible the show could be passed on to another network, it’s probably not all that likely." - Bloody Disgusting 

 The show was based on the hit Columbia Pictures movie of the same name, and found our four survivors outwitting zombies and searching for a place to call home. The Zombieland pilot came from the feature film’s original creative team, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Joe Schmo Show), and producer Gavin Polone (Gilmore Girls, Curb Your Enthusiasm). Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil) directed the pilot. 

I'm a bit upset to see it go. I thought it had potential.

My only complaint is that the characters were awkward.. but then again they had big shoes to fill.  

Did you watch? What were your thoughts?

Today In Horror History

May 16,1944
On this day in Horror History, Danny Trejo was born. A celebrated cult actor for nearly 30 years, Trejo’s dominating personality as well as being type casted as a tough criminal stems from his early life. After being in and out of jail for 11 years, a stint for armed robbery and drug charges would land him in a Rehab program until a chance meeting at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting would result in a role in Runaway Train (1985). Since then, his presence in the film industry has surmounted an incredible resume including The Devil's Rejects (2005), Hood of Horror (2006), Predators (2010), Machete (2010), and countless more beloved films.

(2011, on Runaway Train) “I walked on that movie set as a drug counselor. I was helping this kid I was counseling. He called me up and said, "Hey, there's a lot of blow down here." It was 1985, and cocaine was running rampant in the movie industry. It was crazy. You'd walk into production and there'd be lines on the table. He just asked me to come down and support him, because that's what I did. I still do it. I'm going over on an intervention right now to one of our Hollywood actors. I went onto this movie set, and he was a PA, and I thought it was cute. I had never been on a movie set in my life. All these guys were dressed up as inmates, and they were all trying to act tough. They all had these fake tattoos. I kept smearing these tattoos. I had to say, "Oh shit, I'm sorry. That stuff smears." This guy asked me if I wanted to be in a movie, and I said, "What do I gotta do?" And he said, "Do you want to be an extra?" And I said, "An extra what?" And he said, "Can you act like a convict?" I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. I'd been in every penitentiary in the state. I looked at him and I said, "Well, I'll give it a shot." He gave me a blue shirt, and I took off my shirt, and I have that big tattoo on my chest. He said "Leave your shirt off." Then this other guy comes over and says, "Hey, you're Danny Trejo. I saw you win the lightweight and welterweight title up in San Quentin." And I go, "Yeah. You're Eddie Bunker." I had been in prison with him. And he was a writer. We started talking, and he asked, "Are you still boxing?" And I go, "Well, I still train." And he said, "Do you want a job? We need someone to train one of the actors how to box." And I said, "I got a job. They're going to give me 15 bucks for acting like a convict. What's this pay?" He said, "It pays $320 a day." So I said, "How bad do you want this guy beat up? Shit, for 320 bucks-" And he goes, "No, you have to be really careful, this actor's really high-strung. He's already socked a couple of people." I said, "For $320, man, give him a stick. I'll fight Godzilla for 320 bucks." I started training Eric Roberts how to box. Eric wanted to learn how to box, and I think he was scared of me, so he'd do whatever I told him to do. Andrey Konchalovskiy, the director, saw that he would do whatever I told him to do. I guess Andrey had some problems with it. So Andrey comes over and hires me. He says, "You be in the movie. You fight Eric in the movie." And that's where it started. From that day until right now, I've got 183 movies.” –Danny Trejo

Upcoming Documentary: Crystal Lake Memories

Who likes to know the behind the scenes information about movies?

To me personally one of my favorite things about buying a DVD is the behind the scenes action we get to witness.

Every once and a while there will be a behind the scenes book such as "Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th"

Which you can buy here:Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th

Now there is a documentary about Friday the 13th based on the book.

Bloody Disgusting is reporting:
July 8 is an important date as it will be the day you can pre-order what will be the greatest Friday the 13th documentary ever assembled.

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, written and directed by Daniel Farrands and produced by Thommy Hutson, who previously combined forces on the most acclaimed horror franchise documentary ever made, 2010′s Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy, an epic four-hour journey that chronicled the making of director Wes Craven’s seminal 1984 shocker and its seven sequels, will arrive on Blu-ray August 27, 2013. It can be pre-ordered now on the film’s official website in July.

Inspired by author Peter M. Bracke’s bestselling book, this thrilling retrospective promises to be the definitive look at the making of the iconic horror franchise.

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of ‘Friday the 13th’ promises to give horror fans a unique insider’s look into the iconic horror series, featuring over 100 interviews with cast and crew spanning all twelve films and the television series, many of whom have never before publicly discussed their involvement in the long-running franchise.

Upcoming Movies: Riddick

So who is a fan of the "Riddick" movies?

Well if you are you're in luck there is a new Riddick movie scheduled to come out this year.

Here is the trailer: Riddick - Debut Trailer

Synopsis:  “Diesel reprises his role as the antihero Riddick, a dangerous, escaped convict wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy. The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty. The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.” - Bloody Disgusting

 The film is scheduled for a September 6, 2013 release.

Upcoming Horror: V/H/S/2 - Red band trailer.

Yesterday Magnet Releasing premiered the red band trailer for V/H/S/2

You can check that out here: V/H/S/2 Red Band trailer


Synopsis:  In the film directed by Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Gareth Evans, Eduardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Jason Eisener and Timo Tjahjanto, “Inside a darkened house looms a column of TVs littered with VHS tapes, a pagan shrine to forgotten analog gods. The screens crackle and pop endlessly with monochrome vistas of static—white noise permeating the brain and fogging concentration. But you must fight the urge to relax: this is no mere movie night. Those obsolete spools contain more than just magnetic tape. They are imprinted with the very soul of evil.

From the demented minds that brought you last year’s V/H/S comes V/H/S/2, an all-new anthology of dread, madness, and gore. This follow-up ventures even further down the demented path blazed by its predecessor, discovering new and terrifying territory in the genre. This is modern horror at its most inventive, shrewdly subverting our expectations about viral videos in ways that are just as satisfying as they are sadistic. The result is the rarest of all tapes—a second generation with no loss of quality.”- Bloody Disgusting


V/H/S/2 will be arriving on video on demand  platforms June 6 with a theatrical rollout set for July 12.

Horror On TV: Dracula on NBC

With horror going from the silver screen and becoming increasingly popular for networks to have genre themed shows such as "Bates Motel", "Hannibal", American Horror Story" & "The Walking Dead" it's no wonder more and more channels want to get in on the action.

A few weeks ago we saw the announcement  of "Scream" coming to MTV.

This week we see the announcement of THREE new horror themed shows coming to network TV.

This post is about "Dracula" coming to NBC.

Synopsis:  The series, which bypassed the traditional pilot stage, takes place in the 1890s and finds Dracula (“The Tudors’” Jonathan Rhys Meyers) living a double life in London as an American businessman interested in bringing modern science to Victorian society. But his true plan — to exact revenge on those who burdened him centuries ago — is derailed when he falls in love with Mina (“Arrow”‘s Jessica DeGouw), who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife. Van Helsing (Thomas Kretschmann) is a brilliant professor obsessed with revenge and power. He may be a greater threat to the public than the titular count. Katie McGrath and Nonso Anozie also star.                   

Bloody Disgusting is reporting: NBC’s upcoming “Dracula” has unveiled several looks at the show (via EW) all of whom feature Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the titular character. Looks alright I guess in the sense that it looks like a high budget TV show. We’ll know more soon, I hope!

“Dracula,” a co-production from British Sky Broadcasting, Carnival Films & Television, Flame Ventures and NBCUniversal, hails from Tony Krantz (“24,” “Sports Night”) and former HBO Films president Colin Callender and writer-creator Cole Haddon (who will co-exec produce).



NBC plans to air Dracula in the fall of 2013.

This is the one I am most excited about. I feel NBC has proved itself to be a good home for horror with "Hannibal"


Trailer for Dracula: Dracula Official Trailer - NBC

Horror On TV: From Dusk Till Dawn

With horror going from the silver screen and becoming increasingly popular for networks to have genre themed shows such as "Bates Motel", "Hannibal", American Horror Story" & "The Walking Dead" it's no wonder more and more channels want to get in on the action.

A few weeks ago we saw the announcement  of "Scream" coming to MTV.

This week we see the announcement of THREE new horror themed shows coming to network TV.

This post is about "From Dusk Till Dawn" coming to El Rey Network.

Creator Robert Rodriguez announced this himself.

Not to much information is available



Bloody Disgusting is reporting: Fans of Robert Rodriguez and his From Dusk Till Dawn might want to make an appointment with Univision in the coming months. The director has announced a partnership with the network via his own English language cable outlet El Rey Network. 

Among the projects announced at the presentation were a TV his Quentin Tarintino’s vampire collaboration and movie “an as yet unnamed action series” from “Fringe” and Star Trek Into Darkness producer/writers Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. Before we get too excited – remember that From Dusk Till Dawn has had two DTV follow-ups, where you a fan of those?

El Rey is set to launch at the end of the year via Comcast. Univision will be responsible for the back office operations, sales and distribution of the network.

What are your thoughts on this?