Dark Shadows Put on Hold

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.
[Read more]

Beetlejuice – 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

It’s really hard to believe that 20 years have passed since Beetlejuice grabbed my attention. It had all the twisted surrealistic nightmare dreams you’d imagine as a child, and even more considering its director, Tim Burton, packed the movie full of carnival freak show like qualities. Though the name of the movie implies it is solely about Beetlejuice, the story revolves around the Maitlands, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis. The Maitlands find themselves in the recently deceased category after an accident involving a stray dog and a bridge. The ghosts return to their homes to live out 125 years on earth, only to discover the bliss of death is interrupted by the new home owners. The Maitlands discover the Deitzes are renovating their home and unable to cope with the new living conditions, the Maitlands enlist the help of Betelgeuse to rid them of the living.

The new DVD is the second release of the movie on DVD and being an “Anniversary Deluxe” edition, you’d think it would be packed with special features. You’d be wrong. The only thing that sets this release apart from the first is the inclusion of three episodes of the Beetlejuice animates series. You’ll be getting no documentary, no bonus footage, no outtakes, nothing, nada, zilch. Unless you enjoyed the Beetlejuice cartoon of the early 90s, you can probably skip this DVD if you already have the first in your collection.

The Raven With Billy Drago - Teaser

In this new adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, Nicanor Loreti and Mariano Cattaneo have created an animated horror/suspense masterpiece that could only be narrated by Billy Drago (Masters of Horror: Imprint). As Drago has been around the genre for quite some time, both directors felt him a good choice since their version would focus on the terror that the narrator finds himself wrapped up in throughout the telling. Poe’s poems have always focused on the psychological aspects of horror, which in this tale revolves around the loss of the narrators love Lenore and the manifestation of his guilt as the raven.

Loreti and Cattaneo do add their own twist to this film, focusing on what really happened with Lenore. Perhaps she was murdered and still wants to come back? With ideas like these, it’s clear that their influences stretch far and wide, from German expressionist films, to great directors like Sam Raimi, George A. Romero, Tim Burton, Robert Rodriguez, John Carpenter, and Stephen King.

[Read more]