Haunted Hell

Hoodoo For Voodoo

HorrorMan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:59:29 +0000

Hoodoo For Voodoo was shot in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina hit, and as such it offers a bit of a different point of view, especially from what’s common from low-budget films. The film takes us on a wild chase through houses and backyards, but also through live Mardi Gras footage and through an airport for what’s viewed as a quality high-end direct to video film. While Hoodoo For Voodoo has a bit of amateur acting going on, it did manage to collect the “Scream Queen Hall of Fame” for various appearances throughout the movie.

If you’re a cult film fan, you should take note, as Debbie Rochon makes several appearance throughout the film, and it casts Linnea Quigley as the Voodoo Priestess. Tiffany Shepis makes an appearance alongside these two, appearing in a few scenes, one of which is a lesbian makeout death scene, similar to what you’d find in Wicked Lake, only reversed. If it wasn’t for the small budget of the film, you’d likely have a killer hit on your hands with Hoodoo for Voodoo.

The problem with having such great names mixed in with amateurs is the fact that your great names are going to act circles around your average cast. This serves to hinder the film and the script, which has some pretty funny moments which the amateur actors in the film tend to flub up more often than not. There is a bit of situational humor peppered throughout the film, but the satire and the pop culture references offer more insight into the wit of the writers. With such a great cast and a solid script, you’d expect a great horror film, but this is where Hoodoo comes up just a bit short. There’s plenty of killing to be hand throughout the film, but it’s pretty standard slasher stuff. There’s no really creative ways of people dying, which is a shame. If you’re looking for cutting edge kills which make you cringe, you’re not going to find it in Hoodoo For Voodoo. Since it is a direct to DVD release, it’s hard to make films stand out, but those who enjoy performances by Shepis and Rochon should definitely pick this one up. While the film is pretty light on horror and heavy on pop culture references, their performances are the highlight of the film and essentially serve to save it from a dull death by suffocation in Target Bargain Bins.

Dark Shadows Put on Hold

HorrorMan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:56:42 +0000

This is a bit of bad news for horror fans who are looking for Johnny Depp to return to the genre. Entertainment Weekly has reports that two of Depp’s upcoming projects have been put on hold. Both Shantaram, which is based on a novel about a heroin addict traveling India, and a movie version of the ’60s vampire soap opera, Dark Shadows have been put on hold indefinitely. Dark Shadows is said to be a childhood favorite of Depp. Warner Bros. Pictures was scheduled to bring Dark Shadows to the big screen.

Tim Burton later told the Los Angeles Times, “Take one at a time, you know? It’s something I’m interested in of course. Definitely.” It looks like there is a glimmer of hope for Depp fans, but until then, we’ll just have to wait and see what comes from the announcement. Dark Shadows had over 1,225 episodes which were highly atmospheric and spooky, featuring horror staples such as vampires, witches, monsters, werewolves and zombies. The show has a hugely popular fan base and continues to be shown at conventions around the world, so perhaps it’s not a lost cause. Johnny Depp has not made a comment on either of the projects as of yet.

The Orphan Coming In ‘09

HorrorMan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:35:57 +0000

Warner Bros. has announced that they are shifting The Orphan once again, from it’s November 6, 2009 release date to earlier, July 24, 2009 release date. The film is still set to be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who also directed House of Wax. If House of Wax is any indication, we’re in for a real treat when The Orphan is finally released. The film follows Kate Coleman, a young mother who is devastated by the loss of her baby, which has also resulted in her inability to conceive more children. Because of this, she and her husband John decide to fill the empty space in their hearts by adopting another child. They are unaware the child they adopt would turn out to be anything other than what they wanted. The film sounds like it will contain elements from The Omen and perhaps draw a bit of inspiration from House of Wax.

Currently there’s no word on who’s set to play the parts, but you can expect to hear more information soon. Hopefully Warner Bros. won’t decide the film can’t be completed by the new release date and push it back again. There have been enough delays related to this film already.

Let The Right One In

HorrorMan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:30:18 +0000

Let The Right One In was the recipient of the critics award at this years Natfilm Festival in Copenhagen. The film is really hit and miss, so you’re either going to love it or hate it. The director, Tomas Alfredson has stayed true to the art house roots he started in Four Shades of Brown and he typically steers clear of formulas and cliches which are related to tales of vampires.

The script is written by John Ajvide Lindqvist which is based on his own novel. The script mixes an emotional tale of school bullying and prepubescent angst with first love and devotion, as well as the fact that your new girlfriend is a vampire. Sounds a bit like Twilight already doesn’t it? The film follows Oskar in suburban Sweden in 1982. He’s the target of daily school bullying, and the only catalyst which really moves the film forward is the young girl he falls in love with, Eli. The movie relies on mood and great storyline with detailed characters. The pace of the film is controlled and you slowly unlock information about the characters until it all comes together in a masterful, mesmerizing ending. The cast is exemplary and not only delivers powerful performances, but make you feel as if you’re involved on the story on screen.

The Gates of Hell

HorrorMan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:51:48 +0000

If there’s not some type of law which prevents horror movies from assuming the same name as another, there should be. The Gates of Hell is not a remake of the classic movie of the same name, as it’s not even really a zombie movie. There’s already been some confusion about that and no doubt the producers are hoping to capitalize off of the original film’s popularity. Lots of those who attended the Screamfest film festival assumed it was either a revival or a remake. It’s neither, and rightly so, as I can’t recommend it to even my most die hard horror fans.

The movie revolves around a mutant freak as a villain instead of zombies, while our heroes are stereotypical filmmakers who are looking to make a documentary on the hauntings of some mansion. Blair Witch Mansion, anyone? The title would be more fitting. Anyway, the direct of the movie wants to ensure his cast gets scared enough to sell the film, so he hires a friend to put on a rubber mask and mess with their heads. In pretty much the only redeeming scene of the movie, the guy never gets around to it as he’s the first to die.

The movie isn’t slow to get started, as there’s a body count of 5 before the sixty minute mark. The director, Kelly Dolen might be accused of going too fast, as there are only six in the group, so what appears to be a great slaugtherfest turns into a snoozefest as the remaining guy is still alive and.. doing nothing of interest. Perhaps if the killings had been a bit more spread out, the movie would have been more enjoyable. A great twist was thrown in for good measure and it serves its purpose, but the movie is a bit TOO faced paced to redeem its self.

While it’s supposed to be a slaughterfest in which we don’t really care about the characters, the “horror filmmakers” idea has been done to death. Kids and cameras don’t mix and the sooner directors learn this, the sooner we can start getting better films from them. The script has its moments aside from this lackluster detail, and the film is competently directed. It’s not the greatest horror movie, but then again, it’s certainly not the worst. If you’re in need of a slasher flick with terrible cliches which you can stand, go for it. Otherwise, watch the first 60 minutes and then give up. The endings not that great.

Children Teaser & Hi-Res Stills

HorrorMan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:48:50 +0000

Tom Shankland’s The Children, which was formerly known as The Day, will be released across the UK on December 5th. (Currently no word on a US release, but we can only hope!) The official website for the movie is now live and several teasers for the film have been released. They are quite short, but what they do show is enough to creep you out and make you want to watch the film. You can view the poster for the movie here on Haunted Hell, or you can visit the official website for more. The premise for the movie is pretty creepy and the poster only serves to creep you out more.

What seems like a normal trip to her aunt and uncle’s house turns into a disaster as Uncle Robbie is killed mysteriously by appearing to fall off a sled. Weird child like figures start appearing form the forest soon after her uncle’s death and begin attacking the living. It seems almost like a strange version of Children of the Corn, or at least inspired from that release. We’re looking forward to hearing more about this movie and hopefully seeing it cross the pond to make a debut in the US soon.

Horror In Your House: Halloween Boxed Set

HorrorMan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:45:44 +0000

Released only three days ago was the 6 disc re-release of the Halloween series which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the whole series. This boxed set includes the original Halloween directed by John Carpenter, as well as Halloween IV, Halloween V, and the Halloween: 25 Years of Terror documentary. Each disc also contains various special features related to the movie, including deleted scenes and commentary. There are only 20,000 units of this boxed set being made, which also includes a latex replica of the famous Michael Myers mask. These movies are available in both standard DVD and Blu-Ray formats, so whatever your taste is in DVD disks, you’ll have Halloween in your house! This isn’t the only release of the Halloween series to date, but it is the first boxed set which features several of the movies together.

All in all, this is shaping up to be a pretty good deal for Halloween and horror fans alike, especially with the mask included. Be prepared to put back quite a bit of cash for the set though, as the cheapest it can be found online is at Amazon for $62.99. Still, that’s not a bad price for three movies, a mask, and a documentary.

The Exorcist Head Bobber

HorrorMan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:42:16 +0000

Were you scared to death of The Exorcist as a child? It’s definitely one of the movies I have trouble watching alone and at night and more than once it’s been the cause of several nightmares of mine. The movie was released in 1973 and it was one of the defining movies for the horror genre of modern times. You can now own a piece of this movie with the Exorcist Head Bobber. This highly detailed model features Regan in the famous bed scene of the movie. The figure is disgustingly detailed and is priced at $17.95, which makes it a great gift for any horror fan you know, or for yourself if you want to overcome your fear of possession! There’s currently no details available on the size of the figurine, but since it’s a head bobber, we’d assume it would fit on a car dash just fine.

SALE! The site which is offering the figurine, House of Mysterious Secrets, is offering a 15% off sale on all their Halloween merchandise until October 17th, so if you’re wanting to get one of the great figurines or collectibles they have available on the site, now is the time! You should hurry, as the sale only lasts for two more days!

Halloween DVD Release

HorrorMan — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:15:46 +0000

Rob Zombie wrote and directed the 2007 remake of John Carpenter’s 1978 slasher flick which will be hitting store shelves everywhere on October 21st in both DVD and Blu-ray formats. The movie features Malcolm McDowell in the Donald Pleasance role, along with Scout Taylor Compton taking the role formerly played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Of course, the story is the same. At age 10 Michael Myers murders several people in his home town of Haddonfield Illinois and as a result, he spends several years in a psychiatric institution. On a dark night, he escapes the institution and returns to his hometown where he goes on another killing spree. In contrast with the old film, the new film features more time spent developing Michael’s childhood than the old film.

With any Rob Zombie release you can expect tons of gore and language, and this remake of Halloween doesn’t disappoint in that aspect. While the movie is quite gory, it’s also sometimes so dark it’s hard to follow what’s going on on screen. However, if you’re a fan of the Halloween series and want to see a competent remake, this DVD is for you. There are no special features on the DVD, other than the ability to play the movie both in fullscreen and widescreen formats.

Trick r’ Treat

HorrorMan — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:13:06 +0000

Trick r’ Treat isn’t due out until 2009, but the premise for the movie is worth mentioning early. The movie takes place in an unnamed town during All Hallows Eve in which four groups of people all have their own unique story to tell. One story follows Dylan Baker and his son who have perhaps too much fun with a group of trick or treaters, with another following Anna Paquin and her friends who are out partying it up in the middle of the woods. Another story follows a group of kids who are taking pumpkins to the site of a crash where it’s said the spirits of the dead are haunting the area. Last, we have an old man who gets visited by a costumed boy who teaches him the meaning of the holiday.

The movie has been in planning for a while now and it seems like it will be well worth the wait. Perhaps the best way to describe Trick r’ Treat is a live action version of Nightmare Before Christmas, in which a four separate stories are told but intermingle at the end. The characters are colorful and unique and the stories are completely unnerving, which we’ve come to expect from any horror flick.