News

Black Forest Films, the multi-award winning team behind My Cherry Pie (2022), The Viper’s Hex (2018) and Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla (2014), and Mad Alice Productions have unveiled the first images and synopsis for their upcoming feature film, An American Masquerade.

Two failing actors and a porn star. A car full of contraband. One hell of a road trip…

Scott Mifune (Yoji Yamada) and Lenny Bulger (Dylan Heath) are two failed actors attempting to eke out an existence in Portland, Oregon. Between smoking weed and embarrassing auditions, their dreams of moving back to Hollywood are seemingly dying. That is until a change of luck finds them with an opportunity to make a large sum of money to transport drugs to LA. En route, they defend a porn starlet, Indiana Union (Elissa Dowling), from her violent manager and she joins them on their journey. Along the way, the trio meet a wild array of criminals,...

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!

M3GAN 4K Uhd from Universal

M3GAN curiously didn’t receive a 4K Ultra HD edition when it hit home video earlier this year, but Universal is righting the wrong on October 3. The film is presented in 4K with Hdr 10 and Dolby Atmos sound.

Gerard Johnstone (Housebound) directs from a script by Akela Cooper (Malignant). Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Amie Donald, and Jenna Davis star. Jason Blum and James Wan produce.

Both the PG-13 theatrical version and the unrated cut are included, along with three featurettes: New Vision of Horror, Bringing Life to M3GAN, and Getting Hacked.

Ghost Face Doll from from Living Dead Dolls

Ghost Face joined the...

Troma Entertainment, the beloved independent film distributor and production house, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year – and as part of the celebration, they’re bringing their iconic Toxic Avenger franchise to 4K in an eight disc “Tox Box” collection! Also known as the “Tox Set”, the collection is available for pre-order on Amazon (get it Here) and has a release date of August 29th.

For this collection, all four films in the Toxic Avenger franchise have been given new 4K scans and restorations from the original camera negatives. They’re presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in Hdr with English DTS 2.0 stereo audio. Lloyd Kaufman, the President of Troma Entertainment and creator of The Toxic Avenger, has recorded new introductions for each movie. And the set also comes with a collectible Toxic Avenger postcard.

Here’s the list of bonus features that will be found in the Tox...

First published in 1881, Swiss author Johanna Spyri’s novel Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written. As Wikipedia explains, the story follows “a joyful and free-spirited young girl who is orphaned as a toddler” as she develops a friendship with a girl named Klara, who is unable to walk. More than 140 years later, the Swiss icon Heidi has been reimagined as Mad Heidi for an over-the-top action-adventure horror comedy. The film (read our review Here) received a one-night theatrical release in the United States and Canada last week, but if you missed out on that, you still won’t have to wait much longer to see the movie. Raven Banner Releasing and Swissploitation Films are teaming up to bring Mad Heidi to Blu-ray, digital HD, and cable VOD in North America on July 21st!

Directed by Johannes Hartmann and Sandro Klopfstein, who also wrote the screenplay with Trent Haaga and Gregory D. Widmer,...

Summer is underway and June is already ending, but we’ve still got plenty of goodies rolling out on Screambox as we barrel towards the fast-approaching Halloween season.

First, make sure you catch the definitive Robert Englund documentary, Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, now streaming, as well as the Screambox Original sci-fi horror movie everyone’s raving about, New Religion, also now streaming.

Getting a head start on Christmas in July, today we just unwrapped 24 shorts by 24 directors from around the globe with the horror anthology film Deathcember.

The premise of Deathcember, provided by Shout! Factory, is incredibly fun, with the film playing out like a cinematic advent calendar.

The “ultimate advent horror anthology” film’s full list of directors includes Dominic Saxl, Michael Varrati, Lazar Bodroža, Florian Frerichs, Isaac Ezban, Sonia Escolano, Bob Pipe, Steve De Roover, Jürgen Kling, Ama Lea, Sadrac González-Perellón, Julian Richards, Lee Sang-woo,...

First published in 1881, Swiss author Johanna Spyri’s novel Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written. As Wikipedia explains, the story follows “a joyful and free-spirited young girl who is orphaned as a toddler” as she develops a friendship with a girl named Klara, who is unable to walk. More than 140 years later, the Swiss icon Heidi has been reimagined as Mad Heidi for an over-the-top action-adventure horror comedy. Raven Banner Releasing and Swissploitation Films are teamping up with Fathom Events to give Mad Heidi a one-night theatrical release on June 21st – and in anticipation of that event, a clip that features some “killer combat” has been released online and can be seen at the bottom of this article.

The Fathom Events of Mad Heidi is scheduled to take place at 7pm local time on the 21st. “Exclusive to the Fathom event is an introduction from stars Casper Van Dien...

First published in 1881, Swiss author Johanna Spyri’s novel Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written. As Wikipedia explains, the story follows “a joyful and free-spirited young girl who is orphaned as a toddler” as she develops a friendship with a girl named Klara, who is unable to walk. 141 years later, the Swiss icon Heidi has been reimagined as Mad Heidi for an over-the-top action-adventure horror comedy. The film got an online release back in December, but now Raven Banner Releasing and Swissploitation Films have teamed up with Fathom Events to give Mad Heidi a one-night theatrical release!

Mad Heidi will be showing in theatres nationwide on Wednesday, June 21st at 7pm local time. “Exclusive to the Fathom event is an introduction from stars Casper Van Dien and Alice Lucy as well as co-directors Johannes Hartmann and Sandro Klopfstein.” To find out if Mad Heidi will be showing in a theatre near you,...

We've been madly anticipating Mad Heidi ever since our own Todd Brown reported on the film's crowdfunding campaign in 2018. Trent Haaga joined the screenwriting team in 2020, as our own Andrew Mack reported at the time. The finished film hit the festival circuit upon completion and, among other things, won the Audience Award at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, as our own Shelagh Rowan-Legg reported. Now, finally, we who reside in the lowly U.S. will have the glorious light of Mad Heidi shine upon us, though for one night only. (What? One night only?!) Yes, one night only means you'll possibly need to restructure your entire month around Wednesday, June 21, so that you can be in attendance for a very...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Yesterday, we shared the news that Encyclopocalypse Publications, the company that not only brought John Skipp and Craig Spector’s novelization of Fright Night and Jeff Rovin’s novelization of Re-Animator back into print, but have also commissioned new novelizations of older films like Scared to Death, Wishmaster, Vamp, Titan Find (a.k.a. Creature), and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, is set to bring us a novelization of the 1989 Troma release Redneck Zombies. But that’s not the only novelization they currently have in the works. Encyclopocalypse Publications has also announced that they’ve got Snow Shark author Brian G. Berry working on a novelization of the 1986 low budget classic Nail Gun Massacre, while A Bouquet of Viscera author Bridgett Nelson is writing a novelization of the unnerving 2008 film Deadgirl!

Written and directed by Terry Lofton, Nail Gun Massacre told the following story: Forget about that guy with the chainsaw.

Stars: Topher Hansson, Kamarra Cole, Lisa Wilcox, C.J. Graham, Michael Shields, Trent Haaga, Felissa Rose, Warrington Gillette | Written by Vincent Cusimano, Lola Devlin | Directed by Tom Devlin

Teddy Told Me To, the directorial debut of effects artist Tom Devlin is based on a character he created for an episode of SyFy’s makeup show Face Off back in 2011. Teddy was designed to be the villain for a slasher film, and now eleven years later, he’s just that.

The film opens with a YouTuber sneaking into an old haunted attraction, “abandoned since all the way back in the 90s!”, only to meet a bloody end. That video is being watched by Danny and Zoe who are meeting a realtor about that very property.

Of course, they buy it and renovate it with visions of making a killing in the spooky season. When their groundskeeper Ron tells them somebody made a...

Just two days before Sundance Film Festival will unveil its lineup, the other major January Utah festival has released theirs. Now in its 29th iteration, next year’s Slamdance Film Festival––which will also be providing programming both in-person and online, from January 20th through 29th––has unveiled its features slate. The lineup for the festival, which opens with Moby’s Punk Rock Vegan Movie, was culled from 7,600 total submissions, 1,522 of which were features. All films selected in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than 1 million Usd.

“From the streets of Seattle to the psychedelic skies of a unicorn-run dystopia, our filmmakers are transporting audiences to new dimensions with stories that explore the nuance of disability, immigration and gender. This year’s lineup represents a generation of new directors who are breaking boundaries and redefining what filmmaking...

Slamdance has announced its feature lineup and “Free LSD” as the closing night film for the 29th Slamdance Film Festival

This year’s lineup was chosen from 7,600 submissions — 1, 522 of which were features — and represents projects from 13 different countries. The selections for the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than 1 million.

In addition to Slamdance’s opening night film Moby’s “Punk Rock Vegan Movie,” the festival will also showcase two additional Spotlight Feature screenings: “Downwind” and “Free LSD,” which follows one man’s inter-dimensional journey where, after using an experimental drug, he is provided a glimpse into a parallel universe. The film features appearances from Keith Morris and Jack Black.

“From the streets of Seattle to the psychedelic skies of a unicorn-run dystopia, our filmmakers are transporting audiences to new dimensions with stories that explore the nuance of disability,...

The Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 29th edition — taking place both in-person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah from January 20-26, and online on the Slamdance Channel from the 23rd to the 29th.

This year’s lineup of films from 13 countries was chosen from more than 7,600 submissions, more than 1,500 of which were features. As has been the case at each edition of Slamdance since its 1995 founding, all films selected in Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition are directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than 1M Usd.

Slamdance revealed today that Dimitri Coats’ Free LSD will make its world premiere at the festival, serving as its Closing Night feature. The film featuring appearances from Keith Morris and Jack Black follows the inter-dimensional journey of a man who has used an experimental drug to cure a personal problem, thereby being provided a...

First published in 1881, Swiss author Johanna Spyri’s novel Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written. As Wikipedia explains, the story follows “a joyful and free-spirited young girl who is orphaned as a toddler” as she develops a friendship with a girl named Klara, who is unable to walk. 141 years later, the Swiss icon Heidi has been reimagined as Mad Heidi for an over-the-top action-adventure horror comedy. A few months ago, we heard that the movie would be released through “madheidi.com, a dedicated website created by A Film Company, during a three-month exclusive window. The film will then be made available on other platforms as well, followed by Blu-ray and DVD releases and TV.” Now The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the website release is going to happen in just one week, on December 8th!

Johannes Hartmann made his feature directorial debut with Mad Heidi, working from...

Stars: Alice Lucy, David Schofield, Kel Matsena, Casper Van Dien, Max Rüdlinger | Written by Johannes Hartmann, Sandro Klopfstein, Gregory D. Widmer, Trent Haaga | Directed by Johannes Hartmann, Sandro Klopfstein

After several years of raising funds and filming, Mad Heidi arrives just in time to join films like Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, The Banana Splits Movie and the Grinch-themed The Mean One in making bloody exploitation films based on our childhood memories. In this version, Heidi starts out living a carefree life in the Alps with her grandfather Alpöhi, but that’s where the similarities end.

Rather than tending to the goats, she spends her days rolling in the hay with Goat Peter (Kel Matsena; Doctors) whom her grandfather strongly disapproves of. Peter is a dealer in bootleg goat cheese, defying the state-enforced monopoly of Meili Cheese, owned by the Very Swiss Leader President Meili. In one terrible day, this...

(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)

The Movie: "Cheap Thrills"

Where You Can Stream It: Peacock, Hulu, Tubi, PlutoTV

The Pitch: What lengths would you go to in order to ensure that you had enough money to keep your family from being evicted? Would you punch a bouncer twice your size in the face at a club? Would you eat something absolutely disgusting? Would you cheat on your wife? Would you commit crimes? These are the questions posed by E.L. Katz's incredible feature debut, "Cheap Thrills." Craig (Pat Healy) and Vince (Ethan Embry) are two down-on-their-luck friends who reunite during a chance meeting at a bar shortly after Craig is let go from his job. The two get wrangled into sharing drinks with a wealthy couple,...

Jonas Govaerts unleashes his second directorial feature, "H4Z4RD," almost a decade after 2014's obscenely undervalued "Cub." He's been busy as a prolific music video director — roughy 20 or so credits between releases — which speaks to the breakneck style of auto-thriller "H4Z4RD." Conceptually, it mimics "Wheelman," as the camera stays within our protagonist's pimped-out whip, with the 2000s action-destruction zaniness of "Crank" with some of "Titane" and "Cujo" thrown in for good measure. It's combustibly chaotic, high-octane, and someone's stripped the narrative brakes too. Whether that's at an advantage or detriment will be made clear for audiences relatively early into Govaerts' car-crunching cinema.

Dimitri 'Vegas' Thivaios — yes, the famous Belgian-Greek DJ — stars as Noah Hazard, a world-class driver who loves his daughter Zita (Mila Rooms), his girlfriend Leah (Jennifer Heylen), and most importantly, his super-fly roadster. Cinematography pours over the immaculately cleaned car's interior, from squeaky leather seats...

Screenwriter Trent Haaga (Cheap Thrills, Deadgirl) teams up with director Jonas Govaerts (Cub) to put the pedal to the metal in their gonzo action thriller H4Z4RD. A simple day in the life of a driver and his beloved car quickly spirals out of control, taking viewers on an entertaining and violent thrill ride through the streets of Antwerp. H4Z4RD massively delivers on high-octane thrills, laughs, and more than a few shocking moments.

Driver Noah Hazard (European DJ Dimitri ‘Vegas’ Thivaios) takes immaculate care of his prized Lexus, dipped in gold and adorned with a H4Z4RD vanity plate. Noah keeps it pristine; he enforces strict passenger rules to keep it clean. As he drops off girlfriend Lea Lea (Jennifer Heylen) and young daughter Zita (Mila Rooms), with promises to pick up Zita from school by 3:30, Noah sets off to fulfill a favor for his...

Aptly titled for the vanity plate on what is essentially its main character – a shiny new tricked-out Lexus – H4Z4RD has a lot of talent behind the camera. Scripted by Cheap Thrills and 68 Kill’s Trent Haaga, there’s a madcap energy to the writing that’s hard to find in more mainstream genre fare, and with Cub’s Jonas Govaerts on directing duties, it’s a gorgeous, slick-looking journey to take too. Albeit one that sadly never quite seems to equate to the sum of its wickedly ambitious parts.

Electronic music star Dimitri ‘Vegas’ Thivaios makes his leading-man debut as Noah, a former getaway driver turned family man who finds himself dragged back into Antwerp’s seedy underbelly by his fresh-out-of-prison cousin Carlos (Jeroen Perceval). Naturally, there’s a drug heist on the cards, followed by a shootout, followed by Noah’s young daughter being ruthlessly kidnapped by some very bad people,...

Writer-director Trent Haaga, who got his start with Troma working on everything from Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV to Terror Firmer, would go on to pen classics such as Deadgirl and Cheap Thrills, not to mention direct both Chop and 68 Kill. Next up, he’s revving his engines for Cub director Jonas Govaerts, having […]

The post Trent Haaga Hits the Gas With Chaotic ‘H4Z4RD’! [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Today's Horror Highlights include the trailer and release details for Deathcember, the trailer for Blood from Stone, and Destination Marfa acquisition news!

Deathcember is Now Available: "This frighteningly festive film has been scaring audiences worldwide, winning Most Shocking Film at Hexploitation Film Festival 2020 and Best Anthology Feature at South African Horrorfest 2019. Featuring films directed by Lucky McKee, Pollyanna McIntosh, Ruggero Deodato, Julian Richards, and Trent Haaga and performances by genre favorites including Sean Bridgers, Barbara Crampton, Richard Glover, Aj Bowen, Tiffany Shepis and many more, these spine-tingling tales will make you ready to deck the halls…with dread!

Deathcember is the world’s first cinematic Advent calendar. Behind its doors lurk 24 terrifying short films by directors from around the globe, turning the season of love into a season of fear, with gifts of blood and terror to unwrap for audiences everywhere. Those who makes it through this creepy calendar will be rewarded with additional segments,...

Toronto-based company also acquires Spiral, Deathcember

Raven Banner has acquired Canadian rights to Keith Thomas’ SXSW supernatural horror debut The Vigil, one of several pick-ups announced by the Toronto-based company on Tuesday (November 10).

The film, a SXSW official selection this year that premiered in 2019 Toronto Midnight Madness, centres on a man who encounters a malevolent force when he is tasked with watching over a deceased member of his former Orthodox community.

Raven Banner brokered the deal with Elle Driver and plans to release The Vigil alongside US distribution IFC Films in early 2021. Dave Davis and Malky Goldman star.

The company...

Today's Horror Highlights include the trailer and release details for Deathcember, info on Shudder's Drive-In Nights, and the trailer for Sleepless Beauty!

Watch the Trailer for Deathcember: "This frighteningly festive film has been scaring audiences worldwide, winning Most Shocking Film at Hexploitation Film Festival 2020 and Best Anthology Feature at South African Horrorfest 2019. Featuring films directed by Lucky McKee, Pollyanna McIntosh, Ruggero Deodato, Julian Richards, and Trent Haaga and performances by genre favorites including Sean Bridgers, Barbara Crampton, Richard Glover, Aj Bowen, Tiffany Shepis and many more, these spine-tingling tales will make you ready to deck the halls…with dread!

Deathcember is the world’s first cinematic Advent calendar. Behind its doors lurk 24 terrifying short films by directors from around the globe, turning the season of love into a season of fear, with gifts of blood and terror to unwrap for audiences everywhere. Those who makes it through this creepy...

The team behind the world’s first Swissploitation movie today announced that cult US screenwriter, actor, director and producer Trent Haaga has joined Mad Heidi’s scriptwriting team. The award-winning Haaga has been involved in over 100 films in a long and sometimes controversial career. Mad Heidi is being produced by Iron Sky producer Tero Kaukomaa and …

The post Trent Haaga joins Mad Heidi, the world’s first Swissploitation film appeared first on Hnn | Horrornews.net.

A couple years ago we first reported about a crowdfunding campaign launched to support the creation of Mad Heidi, the first Swissploitation film. Produced by Iron Sky's Tero Kaukomaa, who knows a thing or two about exploitation cinema, and Valentin Greutert, Mad Heidi will be directed by Johannes Hartmann. If all goes according to plan this will be Hartmann's feature film debut.    The production announced today that Trent Haaga, writer of films like 68 Kill, Cheap Thrills, and Girl on the Third Floor (story), will come on board to go over the script. He also wrote It Came From The Desert but I'm willing to grant him the benefit of the doubt because of what else he has written.    The writing and drafting...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

In his latest interview/podcast, host Stuart Wright talks with Deathcember producers Dominic Saxl / Ivo Scheloske about their 24 days of Xmas Horror Anthology.

Deathcember screens at the following festivals, withews of general release still to be announced;

24 November – Night Visions, Helsinki, Finland 30 November / 01 December – Rojo Sangre, Buenos Aires, Argentina 08 December – PDXTreme Fest, Portland, Or, USA 13 December – Crash International Fff, Goiania, Brazil 19 December – /Slash X-mas, Vienna, Austria 10-19 January – Fantasy Filmfest White Night, Germany

The anthology film is composed of 24 shorts + 3 bonus segments, each inspired by a unique take on holiday terror, with concepts ranging from giallo-inspired to stop-motion to Japanese ghost tales, and beyond every corner of the horror genre. The full list of directors includes Dominic Saxl, Michael Varrati, Lazar Bodroža, Florian Frerichs, Isaac Ezban, Sonia Escolano, Bob Pipe, Steve De Roover, Jürgen Kling, Ama Lea, Sadrac González-Perellón, Julian Richards, Lee Sang-woo, Vivienne Vaughn, Ruggero Deodato, Sam Wineman, Andreas Marschall,...

I have a personal belief that when children are shown in horror movies, 9 times out of 10 they’ll be just fine. This is because children can be protected from dangers by adult figures, such as parents, police, teachers, etc… Adults don’t really have someone older than them to rely on because the word “adult” […] The post Dread X: Deathcember’s Trent Haaga Picks His Top 10 Kid Deaths appeared first on Dread Central.

Epic Pictures have acquired the worldwide sales rights for the upcoming Christmas horror anthology Deathcember, which features rising and celebrated directors and talent from around the world in an impressive advent calendar of terror and to accompany the announcement have also released the first teaser trailer and poster!

The anthology was created by Dominic Saxl, who produced alongside Ivo Scheloske, production manager with Anolis Entertainment, and Frank Vogt, COO of Magna Mana Production and made in part thanks to the German HessenFilm fund. Says Saxl:

We’re beyond proud of the film that Deathcember has become. With all the incredible and diverse talent involved, it holds something for every horror fan – and we‘re confident that our collaboration with Epic will give everyone the chance to see for themselves.

Notable directors include Pollyanna McIntosh (Darlin’), Isaac Ezban (Parallel), Lucky McKee, Lee Sang-woo (Barbie) and Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust). Segments from...

Hey, kids! Have you all survived the holidays? Well, you may not next year, because that's when indie horror anthology Deathcember should be rolling around. Yep, you got it ... it's 24 holiday themed horror shorts from 24 international directors for what will quite possibly be the bloodiest advent calendar ever. The director roster is a blend of familiar and new faces with the likes of Trent Haaga (68 Kill), Sadrac Gonzalez-Perellon (Black Hollow Cage), Pollyanna McIntosh (best known these days for her role on The Walking Dead), Korean maverick Lee Sang-woo, Chelsea Stardust (currently directing Satanic Panic for Fangoria), Isaac Exban (The Similars), Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust) and Lucky McKee (May) among the more notable names. The film is currently running a Kickstarter campaign...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Gamers from the late ’80s and early ’90s may have fond memories of spending countless hours battling massive insects in the Cinemaware video game It Came from the Desert. Featuring motocross stunts, giant ants, and a potent blend of horror and humor, the film adaptation of the 1989 video game is out today on digital platforms from The Orchard, and we caught up with co-writer/director Marko Mäkilaakso in our latest Q&A feature to discuss the making of his modern-day creature feature.

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions for us, Marko! Your new movie It Came from the Desert is inspired by the 1980s video game of the same name. Do you have a nostalgic connection to that game?

Marko Mäkilaakso: My pleasure! Yes, when the first game came out in Finland where I grew up, me and my friends spent hours and hours in front of the...

When you're going up against giant ants, you need a lot of firepower (unless you have gallons of bug spray on hand), and that's exactly what two motocross-loving survivors use when they face one massive insect in our exclusive clip from the new creature feature It Came from the Desert.

You can watch two survivors gear up against a giant ant in our exclusive clip from the new horror comedy below. It Came from the Desert will be on Digital and On Demand beginning 5/29 from The Orchard. To learn more about the movie, visit:

http://radi.al/ItCameFromTheDesert

Directed by Marko Mäkilaakso from a screenplay co-written by Mäkilaakso, Hank Woon Jr., and Trent Haaga, It Came from the Desert stars Mark Arnold, Harry Lister Smith, Alex Mills, and Vanessa Grasse.

Synopsis: "A pulpy monster movie inspired by the cult classic 1980s video game "It Came from the Desert," featuring rival motocross heroes and heroines,...

You can now buckle up and take a cinematic joy ride on Blu-ray and DVD with the risk-taking characters in 68 Kill, and to celebrate Scream Factory and IFC Midnight's home media release of Trent Haaga's adaptation the Bryan Smith novel of the same name, we've been provided with three Blu-ray / DVD combo pack copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

---------

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray / DVD combo pack copy of 68 Kill.

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 "68 Kill Contest". Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details:...

Back in August, I interviewed director Trent Haaga and actor (sometimes director) Matthew Gray Gubler at Fantasia for their new movie, 68 Kill. You can read that interview here and Josh Hurtado's review here. If you read both articles, you'll see how polarizing this film has been to the film community, and I understand and appreciate each position. Based on Bryan Smith's novel of the same name (a sequel --- "68 Kill Part 2" --- is already for sale on Amazon). If you haven't heard of this film, here's a recap: Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler) plays a guy easily manipulated into a ton of horrific crimes usually pulled off by his crazy girlfriend Liza (a terrific AnnaLynne McCord), all for the sake of scoring a...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Even though everyone is pretty much amped that Pennywise and the newest adaptation of It are making their home entertainment debuts this Tuesday, we also have more great Blu-rays and DVD releases to look forward to as well. It’s a big week for Troma, as not only their latest feature, Hectic Knife, comes home on Blu this week, but Troma alum Trent Haaga’s wickedly wild crime caper 68 Kill is being released by Scream Factory and IFC Midnight.

Arrow Academy has put together a Special Edition release of The Witches, and a film that I really enjoyed out of Sundance 2017—Bad Day for the Cut—gets released this week via the fine folks over at Well Go USA. Other notable releases for January 9th include Friend Request and Nails.

68 Kill (Scream Factory/IFC Midnight, Blu-ray & DVD)

Trailer-dwelling, sewage-pumping Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler, Criminal Minds) may not lead the most glamorous life,...

Love is strange. You can now visually go for the wild ride that Liza (AnnaLynne McCord) takes Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler) on in three high-def clips from Trent Haaga's film adaptation of Bryan Smith's 68 Kill, out this month on Blu-ray and DVD from Scream Factory.

68 Kill Blu-ray / DVD: "Trailer-dwelling, sewage-pumping Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler, Criminal Minds) may not lead the most glamorous life, but he's got one thing going for him: he's head over heels infatuated with his girlfriend Liza (AnnaLynne McCord, 90210). He's more than willing to overlook her wild streak — the fact that she's hooking up with their landlord, her rather extreme mood swings — so when she proposes a plot to steal $68,000, he goes along with the plan. But what was supposed to be a simple heist turns into an off-the-rails, blood-spattered crime spree, and Chip learns the hard way just how deranged the love of his life really is.

Trent Haaga’s wild, chaotic, and wickedly funny 68 Kill (review) will be released by Scream Factory on January 9 on both Blu-ray and DVD options. Pre-orders are available at Shout Factory’s website. I got the chance to see 68 Kill at SXSW earlier this year and I can safely tell you that it’s an absolute […]

The post 68 Kill Getting the Scream Factory Treatment in Early January appeared first on Dread Central.

Filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka The Twisted Twins, take center stage as the latest guests on Shudder's new show The Core, hosted by Mickey Keating, and in today's Horror Highlights we also have a look at Scream Factory's Blu-ray / DVD release of Trent Haaga's 68 Kill and details on a live event for Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks from Hell.

Jen and Sylvia Soska Guest Star on The Core: "Today, Shudder releases the latest episode of The Core with host Mickey Keating and special guests The Soska Sisters. Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska also known as The Soska Sisters or The Twisted Twins, are Canadian twin sisters who work together as film directors, producers and screenwriters.

Whether it's a demo on head explosions, or a primer on avoiding predictable jump scares, The Core busts open the traditional talk show and plays with its guts. Host Mickey Keating (Carnage Park,...

Trailer party tonight

One of the biggest hits on the horror festival circuit this year, pulp crime spectacular 68 Kill is about to be released on DVD and Blu-ray. It's the sort of film you can see once and never forget, even if you're a critic who watches 20 films a week. Earlier this year, when it screened at Fantasia, I chatted to producer Travis Stevens about how it came into being.

Liza introduces her brother

"The primary factor was writer/director Trent Haaga," he told me. "We've had a friendship for many years - we worked together on a movie called Cheap Thrills and you know, we'd both made a few movies since then, but he called me up and he said 'I want to write and direct this thing called 68 Kill based on a crime novel I've read.' So I read the novel to see what this thing is and it's a.

Ahead of the UK premiere of his latest film It Came From the Desert at the Horror Channel Frightfest Halloween event, director Marko Mäkilaakso shares his admiration for Roger Corman, love of B-Movies, spoofing and overcoming homeland obstacles.

It Came From the Desert is inspired by Cinemaware’s cult 1980s video game, which in turn was motivated by the giant creature feature craze infesting 1950s Hollywood. What was the main inspiration for you?

There’s so many movies and makers which inspired Icftd, but the main inspiration was exactly that; creature feature infested 1950s Hollywood films, and the legendary Cinemaware Desert games and creature features and action comedies I grew up with in the 1980s. I love B-movies and mainstream filmmakers who give homages to those in their works, like Joe Dante, John Landis, Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg etc. There’s something so pure and honest about B-movies and even...

In 68 Kill, starring Matthew Gray Gubler and AnnaLynne McCord (and based on Bryan Smith's novel of the same name), a simple heist goes awry (honestly, when does a simple heist ever go according to plan?). Following its theatrical and VOD release this past summer, the new film from Trent Haaga is coming to Blu-ray and DVD this winter from Scream Factory, and we have a look at the cover art and release details:

From Scream Factory: "We are pleased to announce that we have a new IFC Midnight films planned for release on Blu-ray & DVD this January!

68 Kill – Trailer-dwelling, sewage-pumping Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler, Criminal Minds) may not lead the most glamorous life, but he's got one thing going for him: he's head over heels infatuated with his girlfriend Liza (AnnaLynne McCord, 90210). He's more than willing to overlook her wild streak — the fact that she's hooking up with their landlord,...

I arrived at Shinji Mikami’s The Evil Within about two years after its release, having grown tired of survival horror and the staleness of the genre as a whole. However, when I finally settled in for a playthrough, I couldn’t let it go. Roughly fifteen hours later, I’d guided embattled hero Detective Sebastian Castellanos through a series of terrifying encounters and remarkably freaky scenarios inside one of the most hellish mental hospitals in video game history. It was a grueling experience, complete with sweaty hands and muffled screams, but it reminded me of why, exactly, I’d spent so much time with Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and their ilk over the years.

Naturally, I had high expectations for The Evil Within 2, especially considering the team responsible for the first outing — writer and Troma vet Trent Haaga, in particular — was returning for yet another horrifying go-around. Thankfully, the...

This past summer, I was invited to Dallas for the annual QuakeCon gaming celebration, and while there, I entered the haunted city of Union in an immersive demo for the new video game The Evil Within 2. After surviving the demo, I had the chance to sit down with some of the creative team from The Evil Within 2, including Tango Gameworks Studio Director Shinji Mikami (also known for his work on the Resident Evil video game series), Game Director John Johanas, and Writer Trent Haaga (Cheap Thrills, Deadgirl).

Continue reading to learn about expanding the world of the 2014 game, bringing back Sebastian Castellanos as a main character, and the emotional journey behind the surreal scares of the sequel, which is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

So, how did you all get involved with The Evil Within 2?

Shinji Mikami: Well, at first, when we finished making The Evil Within,...

Grimmfest, Manchester’s Festival of Horror, Cult and Fantastic Film is back; bigger, bolder, and bloodier than ever before. As the Printworks once again find itself under siege by blood-soaked hordes of horror enthusiasts and film freaks, as Team Grimmfest unleashes…the Ninth Configuration! The festivals latest and greatest line-up yet of dark, dangerous, wild, weird, witty, thrilling, chilling, blood-spilling movies, every one of them a premiere or cult classic of one kind or another.

Highlights include: World Premieres!

Grimmfest is proud to be presenting the world premiere of the remarkable and utterly unique Borley Rectory. Using an elaborate mixture of live action, stills, paintings, and model work, it’s an immersive, eerily atmospheric, and elegantly retro-styled exploration of the Most Haunted House in Britain. Over six years in the making, it’s a real labor of love for its creator, Ashley Thorpe. Featuring a score by Ex-Banshee Steve Severin,...

One of the most ambitious and celebrated survival horror games in recent memory is 2014’s The Evil Within, which was developed by Tango Gameworks and designed by survival horror icon Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil). Generally loved by critics, the game… Continue Reading →

The post Trent Haaga Discusses His Role as Writer on The Evil Within 2 appeared first on Dread Central.

Cheap Thrills co-writer David Chirchirillo is swiping right with his directorial debut Bad Match, a new indie production from BoulderLight Pictures (Contracted) and MM2 Entertainment. Starring Lili Simmons (Bone Tomahawk), Jack Cutmore-Scott, Noureen DeWulf, Trent Haaga (Deadgirl, 68 Kill, Chop), and Chase Williamson (The Guest, John Dies at the End, SiREN), here’s the first trailer that warns of falling in love at first swipe. In the film, […]...

Stars: Matthew Gray Gubler, AnnaLynne McCord, Alisha Boe, Sheila Vand, Sam Eidson | Written and Directed by Trent Haaga

Seemingly inhabiting the same universe as Cheap Thrills, the film he co-wrote with David Chirchirillo, 68 Kill, Trent Haaga’s second feature as director (his first being Chop) is a similar deep-dive into the fringes of American society – an underbelly that walks the fine line between morality and depravity. A world where people will do anything for money. Or so it would seem.

Trailer-dwelling, sewage-pumping Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler) may not lead the most glamorous life, but he’s got one thing going for him: he’s head over heels infatuated with his girlfriend Liza (AnnaLynne McCord). He’s more than willing to overlook her wild streak, the fact that she’s hooking up with their landlord and her rather extreme mood swings. So when she proposes a plot to steal $68,000, he goes along with the plan.

Cheap Thrills co-writer David Chirchirillo is swiping left with his directorial debut Bad Match, a new indie production from BoulderLight Pictures (Contracted) and MM2 Entertainment. Starring Lili Simmons (Bone Tomahawk), Jack Cutmore-Scott, Noureen DeWulf, Trent Haaga (Deadgirl, 68 Kill, Chop), and Chase Williamson (The Guest, John Dies at the End, SiREN), here are some first images from the […]...

[Pictured above is AnnaLynne McCord as Liza.] Trent Haaga has a new film out produced by Snowfort Pictures -- 68 Kill -- but he’s been in the gore and exploitation biz for a while now, with his earliest professional beginnings at Troma. Creative people often have a myriad of interests, and Haaga is no exception. He’s written several screenplays, most notably for Cheap Thrills (directed by Evan Katz, and also produced by Snowfort) and Deadgirl, but moonlights as an actor, too. Similarly, the cheerful Matthew Gubler is a popular actor, most known for his role on Criminal Minds, and he’s directed some episodes and a few shorts, as well. So, what happens when you mix the talents of Haaga, Gubler, Snowfort, AnnaLynne McCord, Alicia Boe, Shelia Vand,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

In his latest FrightFest 2017 interview, host Stuart Wright talks to 68 Kill writer/director Trent Haaga about his film, which has its European Premiere at this years Frightfest on Friday 25th August.

Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler, star of ‘Criminal Minds’) is a hapless nice guy who pumps sewage for a living and is completely infatuated with his out-of-control girlfriend, Liza (AnnaLynne McCord). Realizing she wants a better life outside of their trailer park, Liza informs the besotted Chip of her plan to prosperity: jack the $68,000 currently residing in her sugar daddy’s safe and take off together for greener pastures outside of Louisiana. But when their robbery attempt goes crazily wrong, she shows her true, off-kilter colours to her beloved, complicating both their relationship and Chip’s own upstanding sense of morality.

The Horror Channel Frightfest takes place August 24th – 28th 2017 at both the Empire Cinema and Prince Charles Cinema in London’s Leicester Square.

Nobody writes quite like horror author Bryan Smith, and Trent Haaga recently brought one of Smith's novels, 68 Kill, to life on screen in a film that's now out in theaters and on VOD platforms from IFC Midnight. If you haven't seen it yet or you're looking for some memorable moments to reflect upon, we have a set of stills and an alternate poster for the movie.

"Trailer-dwelling, sewage-pumping Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler) may not lead the most glamorous life, but he’s got one thing going for him: he’s head over heels infatuated with his girlfriend Liza (AnnaLynne McCord). He’s more than willing to overlook her wild streak—the fact that she’s hooking up with their landlord; her rather extreme mood swings —so when she proposes a plot to steal $68,000, he goes along with the plan. But when what was supposed to be a simple heist turns into an off-the-rails,...