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For most moviegoers, Brad Pitt basically dropped out of the sky and into the backseat of a 1966 Ford Thunderbird Convertible in Ridley Scott's 1991 classic "Thelma & Louise." They'd never seen or heard of this ludicrously handsome charmer before, but now that he was so emphatically here, they knew they'd be lining up to see him in just about anything for decades to come.

34 years later, Pitt, at the age of 61, is still one of the most sought-after movie stars in the world -- and those sun-kissed good looks have kept better than Robert Redford's, so he remains a viable romantic lead at a point in his career where you'd expect him to start playing men who are uneasily aware that they've entered their third act. Or he could make like Cary Grant and simply retire rather than face the awful indignity of playing grandfathers.

This would be unthinkable because,...

It’s safe to say that body horror is having a moment between recent releases The Substance, Grafted, and The Ugly Stepsister. It’s a welcome trend; body horror has a way of getting under our skin like no other, figuratively and otherwise. There’s no end to the creative ways body horror violates, mutilates, and mutates basic biology, finding endless ways to test the gag reflex in the process. Body horror has also long provided fertile ground for groundbreaking filmmakers to explore the psychologically and physically disturbing ways human anatomy can be abused.

There’s a wide world of body horror beyond Society, The Thing, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Raw, Titane, or even David Cronenberg‘s horror output. For those looking to venture deeper into the stomach-churning abyss, here are 10 body horror movies you maybe haven’t seen from gateway horror to gross-out gorefests.

Attack of the Mushroom People...

The opening of 1979’s When a Stranger Calls features twenty of the most potent minutes in horror. From an unassuming heroine whose tenable performance lingers, to the attentive buildup of suspense ahead of a nightmarish climax, the movie begins on the best note possible. Replicating what feels like lightning in a bottle seemed impossible at the time, but as it happens, Fred Walton’s less familiar sequel When a Stranger Calls Back is a remarkable successor in more ways than one. Walton redefined the same story rather than repeat it. Instead of shifting the focus away from the babysitter like in the first movie, the sequel follows her trauma and never loses sight of it.

Julia (Jill Schoelen) is babysitting a couple’s two children one evening when she receives an unexpected visitor. An unknown man comes to the front door and asks to use the phone because his car has broken down nearby.

On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.

In October 2024, we’re doing the Midnight Movie Monster Mash with films that challenge our understanding of evil characters and creatures just in time for Halloween.

First, read the spoiler-free Bait: a weird and wonderful pick from any time in film. Then, come back for the Bite: a breakdown of all the spoiler-y bits you’d want to unpack when exiting a theater.

The Bait: A Meta Slasher That Should Be a Genre Standard

There comes a time in every internet writer’s life when they must make the dreaded Public Apology. For me, this is that day, and to my beloved After Dark loyalists, I am sorry. You’ll have to excuse me for not crying on camera, but the tragedy of the truth is too much to bear: “Popcorn” is unavailable to stream.

Stephen King's It miniseries was one of the great horror releases of the 90s, and still terrifies audiences more than 30 years after release. Featured within In Search of Darkness 1990-1994, we have an exclusive clip with director Tommy Lee Wallace, who talks about the world's fear of clowns, and bringing Pennywise to life with Tim Curry!

Ready to explore the best of ‘90s horror films and TV? In Search of Darkness 1990-1994, a five-plus-hour documentary featuring brand-new interviews with the greatest line-up of horror icons and experts, is now available to pre-order exclusively at 90sHorrorDoc.com until Midnight Halloween (Pacific Time) on October 31st, 2024. Audiences will have their last chance to have their names alongside their favorite horror icons in the credits!

From Creatorvc, the creative minds behind the In Search of Darkness ‘80s horror trilogy and Aliens Expanded documentary, In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994 delves into an...

From the producers of the hit In Search of Darkness documentary franchise comes In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994, an all-new epic documentary that aims to be the ultimate celebration of the wacky world of 1990s horror. Horror icons John Carpenter, Heather Langenkamp, and Mike Flanagan lead the line-up of 40+ genre favorites who were interviewed for this in-depth re-assessment of the decade, and we’re debuting the official trailer this morning!

In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994, a five-plus-hour documentary featuring brand-new interviews with an incredible line-up of horror icons and experts, is now available to pre-order exclusively at 90sHorrorDoc.com until Midnight Halloween (Pacific Time) on October 31st, 2024. This is your last chance to have Your name alongside your favorite horror icons in the credits.

In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994 Purchase Options:

Isod: 1990-94 Blu-ray Package (including Blu-ray w/slipcase; 2 posters; sew-on patch; membership card; name in credits; digital...

Back in April, JoBlo’s own Kier Gomes – who hosts the JoBlo Originals Live Stream, Friday Night Flicks, on our JoBlo Originals channel – put together an episode of the Deconstructing series that took a look at the 1987 classic The Stepfather. A couple of months ago, we shared the news that Kier also contributed an audio commentary to the new 4K and Blu-ray release of The Stepfather from Scream Factory – and today happens to be the release date for that 4K and Blu-ray! Copies are available at This Link.

Directed by Joseph Ruben from a screenplay by popular crime novelist Donald E. Westlake (who crafted the story with

Carolyn Lefcourt and Death Wish author Brian Garfield), The Stepfather has the following synopsis: Jerry Blake is a family man, but he happens to have a series of families, with each one on the receiving end of his murderous ways. When Jerry sets...

Family horror is huge right now, dealing with everything from generational trauma in Hereditary to learning the ugly truth about a partner in Ready or Not. But its by no means a new concept, and 1987 gave us one of the most memorable family members imaginable in The Stepfather. Starring Terry O'Quinn and Jill Schoelen, this classic slasher pulled inspiration from a real-life mass murderer. In a story ripped straight from the headlines, The Stepfather centers on a teenager who suspects that her new stepdad might have killed his previous family - and she and her mother are next. The movie was successful enough to spawn two sequels and a remake in 2009. The sequels are pretty mediocre, but thats not unusual for a horror series; its the remake with Dylan Walsh that completely falls flat against the original.

Back in April, JoBlo’s own Kier Gomes – who hosts the JoBlo Originals Live Stream, Friday Night Flicks, on our JoBlo Originals channel and over on our Rumble channel – put together an episode of the Deconstructing series that took a look at the 1987 classic The Stepfather. Now Scream Factory has revealed the list of bonus features that will be included on their upcoming 4K and Blu-ray release of The Stepfather – and that list includes an audio commentary by Kier Gomes! The street date for this release is September 10th, and copies are available for pre-order at This Link.

Directed by Joseph Ruben from a screenplay by popular crime novelist Donald E. Westlake (who crafted the story with

Carolyn Lefcourt and Death Wish author Brian Garfield), The Stepfather has the following synopsis: Jerry Blake is a family man, but he happens to have a series of families, with each one on...

Scream Factory has announced today that The Stepfather and The Strangers will be joining the world of 4K Ultra HD with brand new releases.

Both films get a 4K Ultra HD upgrade on September 10, 2024, and they’re available to preorder now.

In 1987’s The Stepfather, directed by Joseph Ruben and starring Terry O’Quinn, “After murdering his entire family, a man marries a widow with a teenage daughter in another town and prepares to do it all over again.”

The release comes loaded with special features, including a brand new audio commentary track by me!

The Stepfather has been newly restored in 4K with Dolby Vision and DTS-hd Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono. Special features are listed below.

Disc One- 4K Uhd:

Audio commentary by director Joseph Ruben Audio commentary by actress Jill Schoelen and Beyond the Gates filmmaker Jackson Stewart (new) Audio commentary by film critic Meagan Navarro (new) Audio commentary...

The Phantom of the Opera is sometimes considered one of the Universal Monsters. I get it. From the 1925 version that gave us one of the most infamous unmasking sequences ever courtesy of the great Lon Chaney Sr., through the Hammer iteration with Herbert Lom, all the way up to the 2004 film that gave a lot of us our intro to Gerard Butler. Speaking of that movie, its inspiration and reason for its existence was the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical that premiered in October of 1986 and has had runs all the way through as recently as 2021. 1989 was the beginning of its U.S. tour and we got not one but Two Phantom movies that year. Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge is cheesy and may just be more well known due to our friend Joe Bob featuring it on the Last Drive In recently. Here in the JoBlo Horror kitchen today...

As the ’80s came to a close, so too did the first wave of the slasher cycle. While they would continue to be produced into the next decade, 1989 was the last gasp of a dying genre. Returning franchises and hopeful upstarts alike struggled to make an impact. We all know you can never really kill a slasher, but it would take Scream‘s reinvention of the concept in 1996 to renew broad interest.

Cutting Class, another ’89 entry in the subgenre, marked the directorial debut — and, as it turned out, sole directorial effort — from Rospo Pallenberg, who notably co-wrote Excalibur, contributed uncredited rewrites on Exorcist II: The Heretic, and served as a “creative associate” on Deliverance. Despite his pedigree, Pallenberg did not write the script; that was the work of Steve Slavkin, who would go on to create Nickelodeon’s pivotal series Salute Your Shorts.

The plot finds prototypical girl-next-door Paula in...

Presented by Lisa Frankenstein, 1989 Week is dialing the clock back to the crossroads year for the genre with a full week of features that dig six feet under into the year. Today, Jenn Adams weighs in on the dreamiest and scariest boyfriends the genre has to offer.

We’ve all dated our fair share of bad boys. They win us over with their dreamy aloofness, then just when we’ve let our guard down, they turn out to be monsters in disguise. Horror has a long history of these roguish young lovers, some so bad they commit cold-blooded murder. But they’re not all monsters.

Every once in a while, a cinematic boyfriend manages to be attractive, kind, and non-murderous, all while supporting his girlfriend as she runs away from the film’s true villain. Rospo Pallenberg presents us with two appealing boyfriends in the 1989 slasher Cutting Class. Brian (Donovan Leitch Jr....

There’s a reason that home invasion horror films like The Strangers, Them, The Purge, Hush, Don’t Breathe, Funny Games, and more rank highly among horror fans. The very concept of your private sanctuary getting corrupted and invaded by an unhinged intruder who means you grave harm is inherently terrifying. The realistic thrills of home invasion films can offer some of the most intense horror, and some of the biggest surprises when the formula is subverted.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to home invasion horror movies that unleash suspense, chills, violence, and stalker thrills. Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Angst – Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Mubi, Tubi

An unconventional, stylized Austrian horror movie that largely influenced Gaspar Noe’s work, Angst follows a psychopath as he’s released from prison and eager to commit crime again. After a botched murder attempt,...

The Phantom of the Opera has been adapted into various TV and film versions, but not all have been successful. Some adaptations deviate from the original book and focus more on the Phantom as a slasher villain. The 1989 horror version with Robert Englund is confusing and does not follow the book closely, resulting in a critical and financial failure.

The Phantom of the Opera has been adapted for television and movies for almost a century, and some productions have been far better than others. This includes several horror versions and ones based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that premiered in the 1980s. There have also been many famous faces behind the masked men, including Ramin Karimloo and even the late Julian Sands.

The Phantom of the Opera started as a book published by Gaston Leroux in 1909. The story follows a disfigured musical genius named Erik Destler, or the Phantom,...

Nearly four decades ago, NBC brought Babes in Toyland back to life with an all-star cast.

The holiday project was based on the 1903 operetta, which features Victor Herbert’s score — including Christmas staple “Toyland” — and a libretto from Glen MacDonough that draws together numerous Mother Goose characters. It followed such previous adaptations as a 1934 Laurel and Hardy film, a 1960 Shirley Temple-led TV version and a 1961 Disney movie starring Annette Funicello.

Filmmaker Clive Donner — whose 1965 comedy What’s New Pussycat? marked Woody Allen’s first produced screenplay — directed Babes in Toyland from a script by Paul Zindel (Mame).

Shot in Munich, it starred 11-year-old Drew Barrymore as Lisa, who has no interest in toys until she gets magically transported to Toyland on Christmas Eve, where she teams up with the Toymaster (Pat Morita, fresh off The Karate Kid Part II) to stop the villainous Barnaby Barnicle (Richard Mulligan) from taking over the realm.

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Cutting Class 4K Uhd from Mvd

Cutting Class will be released on 4K Ultra HD on January 16 via Mvd as part of its 4K LaserVision Collection. The 1989 slasher is presented in 4K from Vinegar Syndrome’s 2018 4K restoration with Lpcm 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound.

Excalibur writer Rospo Pallenberg makes his directorial debut from a script by Steve Slavkin (Salute your Shorts). Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull star.

Special features include: the R-rated edit (in standard definition), interviews with Leitch and Schoelen, Kill Comparisons featurette, VHS video store retailer promo, and the trailer.

Chucky Board Game from Trick or Treat Studios

Just in time for his 35th anniversary,...

Back in 1989, just a few years before he broke into the Hollywood A-list level, Brad Pitt starred alongside Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull in the slasher movie Cutting Class – and Mvd Rewind Collection has announced that they will be celebrating the 35th anniversary of Cutting Class by giving the film a 4K release on January 16th!

Directed by Rospo Pallenberg from a screenplay written by Steve Slavkin, Cutting Class has the following synopsis: High school can be murder. Just ask Paula. Her overprotective father disappears during a weekend hunting trip. She’s being romantically pursued by Brian Woods, a creepy classmate who recently graduated from a mental institution. Her jealous jock boyfriend Dwight is looking for any reason to release his juvenile rage. The lecherous school principle Mr. Dante is after her student body, and her friends and teachers are rapidly falling victim to a silent,...

Warning: Major spoilers for the following films abound.

Few experiences unite people from all walks of life like a fear of the dark. Often surpassing specific concerns of serial killers, monsters, witches, or demons, what we collectively fear most is that mysterious, dark unknown. Anything and everything could be lurking in the shadows just waiting to pounce. Bishal Dutta’s terrifying new film It Lives Inside follows an ancient evil that hides in dark corners while terrorizing its prey. The film follows a troubled teen named Tamira (Mohana Krishnan) terrorized by a flesh-eating demon known as the Pishacha that feasts on negative energy. This malevolent being soon sets its sights on her best friend Samidha (Megan Suri) and begins a campaign of terror hoping to gorge itself on chaos, destruction, and emotional pain.

One of Dutta’s most frightening scenes takes place in Samidha’s darkened bedroom. Staring at her open closet door,...

It’s time for a new episode of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series, and with this one we’re looking back at a 1991 slasher that had a rather troubled production but still managed to gain a solid cult following. The movie is Popcorn (watch it Here), and you can find out all about it by watching the video embedded above.

Directed by Mark Herrier, Popcorn has the following synopsis:

What could be scarier than an all-night “Horrorthon”? A group of film students finds out when they stage just such an event at an abandoned movie palace. In addition to the three features — Mosquito, The Attack Of The Amazing Electrified Man and The Stench — they decide to screen a bizarre short called The Possessor, whose creator, Lanyard Gates, killed his family and set the theater on fire after its first showing. Maggie has been having frightening dreams...

It’s time for a new episode of the video series Wtf Really Happened to This Horror Movie?, and in this one we’re looking into the disturbing, tragic real world events that inspired the classic 1987 horror thriller The Stepfather (watch it Here). To find out all about it, check out the video embedded above.

Wtf Really Happened to This Horror Movie? is sort of a spin-off from our show Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie. Wtf Really Happened to This Horror Movie? dives into movies that were based on or “inspired by” true stories, real people, and actual historical events so we can try to separate fact from fiction.

Directed by Joseph Ruben from a screenplay by popular crime novelist Donald E. Westlake (who crafted the story with

Carolyn Lefcourt and Death Wish author Brian Garfield), The Stepfather has the following synopsis:

Jerry Blake is a family man, but...

Movie theaters bring entertainment and escapism. The smell of popcorn wafting through the air, the previews of coming attractions, and the communal reactions to seeing a movie on the big screen often bring a viewing experience that can’t be replicated elsewhere. It’s also a safe way to experience horror, as the terror is harmlessly confined to celluloid.

But what if it isn’t…?

This week’s streaming picks center around horror movies that feature or are set at the cinema. For the characters in these six titles, their haven becomes anything but when movie theaters turn into slaying grounds for killers and creatures alike.

Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Messiah of Evil – Fandor, Paramount+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Screambox, Shudder

Arletty has arrived in a Coastal Californian town to visit her father after receiving a series of worrying letters.

Drew Barrymore and Keanu Reeves are taking a ride down memory lane. During the Dec. 21 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the two stars, who appeared in the 1986 Christmas movie Babes in Toyland, reminisced about their time working on what Drew described as an "obscure masterpiece." "We had so much fun making it," she said, as Keanu called the experience "crazy" and gave shout-outs to co-stars Richard Mulligan and Jill Schoelen. "I'm just looking back from 1986 until now, we have both had the privilege and fortune to keep going—what a blessing that is," Drew told the Matrix Resurrections star. "You're someone I think of, too, as being so gracious...

So with the New Year upon us I decided that I wanted to mix things up a little bit and bring something new to the website/podcast. I thought about how the whole website started with the 365 movies in 365 days and wondered maybe something like that would be pretty cool. Then I remembered an epsiode of Community where Abed watched a load of Nic Cage movies in a whole weekend and it sent him a bit mental.

Thus the Nicolas Cage Appreciation Society was born… A tribute to the 1 time Oscar winner, 5 times Razzie nominated, method-acting icon. With a total of 103 movie credits (at the time of writing). With every one of them better than the last, this should be a pretty interesting dive into the legacy of one of the greatest actors of our time. I will be writing up reviews on the site but also listen into the...

While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Lillian from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, the lattermost of which is coming to Blu-ray from Scream Factory on May 28th, and we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers!

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of When a Stranger Calls Back.

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “When a Stranger Calls Back Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

The made-for-tv terror sequel When A Stranger Calls Back is getting an all-new blu-ray release on May 28 from Scream Factory.

In When A Stranger Calls Back, The Stranger is watching you...again. Five years after her own terrifying baby-sitting ordeal, Julia Jenz is trying to put her life together when the past comes back to haunt her. Someone is breaking into her apartment, moving objects around and toying with her. The police think she's just a hysterical coed, but student advisor Jill Johnson (Carol Kane), similarly victimized thirteen years earlier, is determined to nail Julia's stalker. Retired detective John Clifford (Charles Durning), who saved Jill's life before, must find and outwit the culprit before it's too late in this riveting sequel that reunites writer/director Fred Walton with the stars of the original When a Stranger Calls.

When A Stranger Calls Back blu-ray special features:&#8226 New: 2019 2K scan of the...

While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Lillian from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, which will be released on Blu-ray this May from Scream Factory, complete with a fresh "2K scan of the original film elements" and a new interview with Kane.

We have the official press release with the full list of special features below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube column on When a Stranger Calls Back.

Press Release: The Stranger is watching you … again. The chilling sequel to When A Stranger Calls, this suspenseful thriller makes its North American Blu-ray debut May 28th, 2019 from Scream Factory. Featuring a new 2k scan of the original film elements in both 1.33:1 (original TV broadcast) and an alternate 1.78:1 version, When...

While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, and Scream Factory just announced that the latter of the films is getting the Blu-ray treatment this May.

You can view Scream Factory's announcement and cover art for When a Stranger Calls Back Blu-ray below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube entry on the sequel.

From Scream Factory: "We’re dialing in more terror on Blu-ray this Summer with When A Stranger Calls Back—the often-requested sequel to the classic original babysitter chiller. Street date is planned for May 28th.

Five years after her own terrifying baby-sitting ordeal, Julia Jenz is trying to put her life together when the past comes back to haunt her. Someone is breaking into her apartment,...

For this final week of home media releases in January, I hope everyone has prepared their wallets, because we have a lot to get excited about, especially if you’re a cult film fan.

Vinegar Syndrome is doing the dark lord’s work this Tuesday, as they are putting out four different titles, including Cutting Class, Splatter University, There’s Nothing Out There, and Uninvited. Severin is celebrating giallo filmmaking with their releases of All the Colors of Giallo and All the Colors of the Dark, Scream Factory is showing some love to Screamers, and if you missed it in theaters, you can also finally catch up with Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria on Blu-ray this week as well.

Other notable releases for January 29th include a new edition of Willow, Save Yourself, and Dead Silence (1989).

All the Colors of Giallo

'Giallo' is Italian for 'yellow', the color of the lurid...

As the saying goes, if you don’t learn from your boners they’ll just come back and bite you in your keister (I may be paraphrasing), and so that goes doubly for horror sequels; too often we’ve been burned with simply retreading old tires in the hopes of gaining new traction. So what a delightful surprise it was then to see Showtime’s When a Stranger Calls Back (1993), a true sequel to Fred Walton’s 1979 hit that manages to fix that film’s somewhat saggy middle and come out all the stronger for it.

Perhaps Walton himself sensed that the original could have been fine tuned; he wrote and directed the sequel for cable network Showtime, which originally aired on Sunday, April 4th. And determined as he was to do a proper follow up, he even managed to snag both Carol Kane and Charles Durning to reprise their roles,...

Happy October, gang! With the Halloween season now officially underway, we have an incredible day of horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases to enjoy. Arrow Video has put together three stunning special edition sets for Children of the Corn, Don’t Torture A Duckling, and The Suspicious Death of A Minor, but we also have several other modern cult titles debuting as well, including Popcorn, 976-evil, and The Hidden.

For all you Charles Lee Ray enthusiasts out there, Cult of Chucky and the Chucky: Complete 7-Movie Collection both come home on Tuesday, and Scream Factory is also releasing the recent indie horror thriller Jackals on Blu-ray.

Other notable home entertainment titles bowing on October 3rd include American Horror Story: Roanoke, A Ghost Story, Haunters: The Art of the Scare, Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut, iZombie: The Complete Third Season, and Vampyr: Special Edition.

A horror movie marathon becomes host to all-too-real scares in 1991's Popcorn, coming out on a standard Blu-ray following its special Steelbook release from Synapse Films. We have details on the anticipated home media release in today's Horror Highlights, which also includes the poster for Brawl in Cell Block 99, a behind-the-scenes video from The Mummy (now out on Digital HD), and the trailer and release details for #FromJennifer, co-starring Tony Todd and Derek Mears.

Popcorn Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD: "Press Release: "In the history of Synapse Films few titles have generated as much excitement as Popcorn, director Mark Herrier’s 1991 cult favorite that’s been one of the most in-demand genre films of the Blu-ray era. Unavailable for over a decade, Popcorn now comes to HD in a deliciously butter-topped Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD release that will have fans craving for refills!

What could be scarier than...

Grab something sweet and salty from the concession stand and save yourself the best seat in the house, because this March, Synapse Films will release a limited edition Steelbook Blu-ray of Mark Herrier’s cult horror film Popcorn:

Featuring a 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive, Synapse Films' Popcorn Collector's Edition Steelbook Blu-ray is limited to 3000 items and is slated for a March 7th release. Below, we have a look at the cover art as well as the press release with full details:

Press Release: In the history of Synapse Films few titles have generated as much excitement as Popcorn, director Mark Herrier’s 1991 cult favorite that’s been one of the most in-demand genre films of the Blu-ray era. Unavailable for over a decade, Popcorn finally comes to HD in a deliciously butter-topped Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Steelbook® Blu-ray that will have fans craving for refills!

Without question, being a stepparent can be rough. It’s a balancing act between wanting what’s best for the child, and the need to ingratiate oneself and hopefully, earn and obtain love. This is a tightrope that Jerry Blake (Terry O’Quinn) has no interest in walking – if he can’t implement his perfect family plan, he switches policies in the most violent way possible. Welcome to the world of The Stepfather (1987), a pretty good thriller elevated to classic status due to a legendary performance by O’Quinn.

And while Jerry Blake has little patience for deviation from his ideals, so too do Henry Morrison and Bill Hodgkins – all identities that our stepdad creates in his twisted pursuit of perfection. (If at first you don’t succeed, kill and kill again.) The Stepfather proves that home is where the hurt is.

Released by New Century Vista Film Company in June,...

From the deadly dreamscapes of Freddy Krueger, to the graveyard where Jason Voorhees was resurrected, to one of the most perilous proms put to celluloid, the special guests for Crypticon Minnesota 2016 come from all avenues of horror genre history, and they will congregate this weekend in the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the 11th annual "Nightmare Before Halloween."

Crypticon Minneapolis may not begin until Friday, but festivities for the event will take place tonight at the Theatres at Mall of America with a special screening of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, featuring star Mark Patton on hand for an audience Q&A.

The event will then officially kick off on Friday, October 14th and run through Sunday, October 16th at the Crown Plaza Aire Hotel in Bloomington, Mn. Special guests include Thom Mathews, William Katt, Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Verne Troyer, Tuesday Knight, Jill Schoelen, Suzanne Snyder,...

This week delivers up a wealth of joy. Cannibal Women! Zombies! Curses! Sinful Dwarfs! Doctor Who! So let’s dive in and see just how we’re going to spend our week!

Cannibal Women In The Avocado Jungle Of Death

With a title like that, do you even need to know more? Yeah? Well, it stars 1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed. And Adrienne Barbeau from Swamp Thing and Creepshow. (Fun Fact: Adrienne Barbeau played Rizzo in the original Broadway production of Grease! And got a Tony nom for it! What!) And Bill Maher, before he got all respectable with his own HBO show and all. To avoid an avocado shortage, an anthropology professor (Tweed!) heads into the avocado jungle of Southern California to confront the man-eating Piranha Women tribe. How the cannibals are affecting the avocado crops is anyone’s guess. But, hey, I live in SoCal, and...

Ahead of Scream Factory’s February 23rd home media release of The Curse and Curse II: The Bite double feature, we’ve been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Curse and Curse II: The Bite double feature.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Curse / Curse II: The Bite Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 26th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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“The Curse

Life on the family dairy farm is difficult for young Zach Hayes (Wil Wheaton, Stand by Me): hard work, long hours and the normal family squabbles.

Take a double shot of '80s horror with The Curse and Curse II: The Bite on Blu-ray from Scream Factory on February 23rd. Below, we have a Blu-ray clip and official trailer for The Curse as well as a Blu-ray clip from Curse II: The Bite.

Press Release: On February 23rd, get ready for a double dose of ‘80s horror with the release of The Curse and Curse II from Scream Factory! Available on Blu-ray for the first time, fans can pre-order their copies of this double feature by visiting ShoutFactory.com.

The Curse

Life on the family dairy farm is difficult for young Zach Hayes (Wil Wheaton, Stand by Me): hard work, long hours and the normal family squabbles. But after an ice-blue meteor plunges through the midnight sky and lands on their property, it gets worse. Zach and the local doctor discover that something inside the...

Last November, Scream Factory announced that The Curse and Curse II: The Bite would be released as a double feature on Blu-ray on February 23rd. Now in 2016, the Blu-ray is available to pre-order on Shout Factory's website.

Press Release: On February 23rd, get ready for a double dose of ‘80s horror with the release of The Curse and Curse II from Scream Factory! Available on Blu-ray for the first time, fans can pre-order their copies of this double feature by visiting ShoutFactory.com.

The Curse

Life on the family dairy farm is difficult for young Zach Hayes (Wil Wheaton, Stand by Me): hard work, long hours and the normal family squabbles. But after an ice-blue meteor plunges through the midnight sky and lands on their property, it gets worse. Zach and the local doctor discover that something inside the meteor is infecting the local water on their farm. Fruits,...

Although it's not the New Year yet, Scream Factory's already gearing up for 2016 by announcing two double feature Blu-ray releases for February 23rd: The Curse / Curse II: The Bite and Millennium / R.O.T.O.R.

From Scream Factory: "More retro double features are planned for blu-ray release in the beginning of the new year! Read on for all the details:

The Curse & The Curse II

- The Curse (1987) Young Zach Hayes' (Wil Wheaton, Stand by Me) life on the family dairy farm is what anyone would expect. Hard work, long hours and the normal family squabbles. When an ice-blue meteor plunges through the midnight sky, Zach sees in hand on their property. Zach and the local doctor discover that something inside the meteor is infecting the local water on their farm. Fruits, which looked perfect on the outside are teeming with worms… and Zach's family is beginning to change…...

The Phantom of the Opera: The Motion Picture

Written by Gerry O’Hara and Duke Sandefur

Directed by Dwight H. Little

United States, 1989

Nearly 30 years went by since the 1962 Hammer Films production of The Phantom of the Opera until the ghoulish fiend made his way back onto the silver screen. An interesting turning point for the property, if it can be described as such, came in 1986, when arguably the most popular interpretation of the story ever graced not the movie theatres but rather the opera houses. Andrew Lloyd Weber’s sensational stage adaptation was all the craze in the 1980s and is still recognized as a tremendous success and achievement today. As such, it was only natural that filmmakers would want to pounce on the popularity of the title and produce yet another version, to say nothing of the fact that the rights had gone into the public domain by 1989. Enter producer Menahem Golan,...

Growing up, I was a huge Freddy Krueger fan. I had also become infatuated with Gaston Leroux’s novel, The Phantom of the Opera, which made me a pretty easy mark for Dwight H. Little’s (Halloween 4) 1989 film based on the popular work of fiction. Focusing more on the horror contained within Leroux’s original story, this version is a wickedly ghastly and blood-soaked tale of obsession that allows Robert Englund the room to do what he does best as a performer- go nuts. And after recently checking out the Scream Factory Blu-ray, it was great to see just how well Little’s inventive adaptation has held up over time and how much fun the film still remains, despite its age.

In this Phantom of the Opera, Jill Schoelen portrays an aspiring singer by the name of Christine Day who gets knocked unconscious during an audition, an event that mysteriously...

For the third week of February, Scream Factory is delivering a double dose of terror in their releases of the recent indie horror flick Animal as well as the 1989 cult classic adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera starring Robert Englund and Jill Schoelen.

Magnolia is also bringing us V/H/S: Viral, the latest edition of their popular horror anthology series, home on Blu-ray, DVD and VHS (which is awesome!), and indie genre fans have tons of new titles to look forward to. And for you Game of Thrones fans out there, season four is making its way on Blu and DVD this Tuesday too.

Animal (Scream Factory, Blu-ray/DVD)

When plans for a weekend getaway hit a dead end, a group of close-knit friends finds themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, pursued by a menacing, bloodthirsty predator. Holed up in an isolated cabin, they turn on one another as...

“You love the music. I am the music.” Though he’s best known for portraying the man of your nightmares, prolific actor Robert Englund has played a plethora of memorable roles over his impressive career, including his turn as the titular villain in 1989’s The Phantom of the Opera. Scream Factory is bringing Dwight Little’s take of Gaston Leroux’s classic novel to Blu-ray on February 17th, but you can watch clips and the trailer from the upcoming release right now.

“Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Galaxy of Terror, Freddy vs. Jason) assumes the classic role of The Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston Leroux’s timeless tale of music, madness and murder!

An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen, The Stepfather...

Scream Factory has detailed their February 2015 release of The Phantom of the Opera, starring Robert Englund:

“Los Angeles, CA – Get ready, Freddy. Scream Factory is going to the opera! A Blu-ray release of The Phantom of the Opera, including several bonus features, has been announced for release on February 17, 2015.

Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Galaxy of Terror, Freddy vs. Jason) assumes the classic role of The Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston Leroux’s timeless tale of music, madness and murder.

An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen, The Stepfather) enjoys success through the arrangements of her new lover (Englund)… until she realizes that he has been committing unspeakably grisly murders in her honor and won’t stop until he’s completed his masterpiece…...

Though he’s best known for playing the man of your nightmares, prolific actor Robert Englund has played a plethora of memorable roles over his impressive career, including his turn as the titular villain in 1989’s The Phantom of the Opera. Scream Factory is bringing Dwight H. Little’s take of Gaston Leroux’s classic novel to Blu-ray, but it will now take a little longer than anticipated.

Initially set to be released on January 13th, Scream Factory’s Blu-ray of The Phantom of the Opera will now come out on February 17th. Extras will be announced next month. In the meantime, we have the official cover art and the delay announcement from Scream Factory:

“Slight delay for our upcoming release of The Phantom Of The Opera. Originally slated for 1/13, it will now move to 2/17. Our apologies for the extension but we are trying to make it the best possible...

Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...

Beyond Fest here in Los Angeles brought the Jumpcut Cafe and Secret Sixteen into the fold. The trio pulled together a screening of the 1991 film Popcorn and star Jill Schoelen was in attendance for a Q&A moderated by Mike Williamson and Elric Kane. Williamson came out swinging with the questions, seeking an answer to: Did…

The post Beyond Fest Video Highlights from the Popcorn Q&A With Jill Schoelen appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

The Beyond Fest slate just added one more cool event! If you're in Los Angeles this Saturday, treat yourself to the previously-announced free screening of The Town That Dreaded Sundown, then, stick around for a 35mm presentation of the 1991 horror film Popcorn. Star Jill Schoelen will be in attendance for a Q&A.

This screening is being put on by Secret Sixteen and the Jumpcut Cafe (which houses the monthly Dead Right Horror Trivia Night event I co-host with Fangoria's Rebekah McKendry). You can get your tickets here.

The post L.A.! See Popcorn on 35mm This Saturday With Jill Schoelen in Person! appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Stars: Robert Englund, Jill Schoelen, Bill Nighy, Alex Hyde-White, Stephanie Lawrence, Terence Harvey, Nathan Lewis, Peter Clapham, Molly Shannon, Emma Rawson, Mark Ryan, Terence Beesley | Written by Duke Sandefur | Directed by Dwight H. Little

Christine Day (Schoelen) is a young Broadway singer in New York City. She is auditioning for a show and comes across a piece of music written by an unknown music composer named Erik Destler (Englund) nearly 100 years before. Erik had made a pact with the devil so the world would love his music, but the devil had one condition: that Erik’s face would be horribly disfigured forever. Once Christine sings his music, she is taken from present day New York to 1881 London were she is the star of the London Opera House. There she is coached by a mysterious caped figure who will do anything to make her the star of the opera even if it means murdering people,...