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This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with most selections reflecting a specific day or event in December.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings feature vengeful Christmas ghosts, home intruders, and more.

The Dumb Waiter (1979)

Image: Geraldine James as Sally in the1979 short film The Dumb Waiter.

Directed by Robert Bierman.

December 28 is National Short Film Day, and no genre thrives in this format as much as horror. And while story often has to be sacrificed or compromised when something is as brief as The Dumb Waiter, Robert Bierman compensates with an unwavering sense of dread. The Vampire’s Kiss director adeptly condenses the plot and action of a standard ’70s long-feature into this tense and well-shot 18-minute clip.

The story...

Yesterday, Entertainment One announced that Bitten will return for a third season on Syfy. Also in this round-up: a Kill Bill: Volume 1 episode of Real Fake History and details on the release of Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim: Tales from the Drift #1.

Bitten: Press Release: "Leading independent studio, Entertainment One (eOne) is thrilled to announce 10 episodes of the supernatural thriller Bitten will return to Syfy for a third season. Based on the best-selling series of novels by Kelley Armstrong and produced by No Equal Entertainment, eOne, and Hoodwink Entertainment, Season three sees the return of genre icon Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, Ted) as Elena Michaels; Greyston Holt (Alcatraz, Durham County) as Clayton Danvers; Greg Byrk (A History Of Violence, Rookie Blue) as Jeremy Danvers; Steve Lund (Being Erica, Haven) as Nick Sorrentino, and Genelle Williams (Warehouse 13) as Rachel Sutton. Production will begin this summer in Toronto.

Syfy’s “werewolf” series Bitten stars is based on the bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series of novels. In anticipation of the season 2 debut, we sat down with stars Laura Vandervoort and Greyston Holt to discuss the show and what we can expect from the new season…

Greyston, I know Laura you already talked about this, but can you talk about kind of your character’s experience being with the witches and how it’s going to kind of change Clay this season?

Greyston Holt: Yes. I mean, I think it just – it broadens all of our horizons a little bit you know. It’s a big bomb to drop in our world that there was – there were others out there with you know supernatural abilities and there’s a whole new world that’s opened up and I think it’s just kind of...

TORONTO -- Canadian movie producer Brightlight Pictures on Wednesday said that Patrick Lussier (Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2000, White Noise 2) will direct Headhunter, a psychological thriller based on Michael Slade's 1984 debut novel of the same name. Vancouver-based Brightlight said Wil Zmak (The Dark Hours) is penning the screenplay for the feature-length picture about a serial killer on the loose in Vancouver. Brightlight Pictures co-founders Stephen Hegyes and Shawn Williamson will produce Headhunter, having reunited with Lussier, who directed their earlier Michael Keaton starrer White Noise 2: The Light. There was no word on casting for Headhunter. Brightlights' recent movie credits include American Venus with Rebecca DeMornay and Jane McGregor and Dungeon Siege, which starred Jason Statham and Ray Liotta.

TORONTO -- Canadian comics Brent Butt and Paul Mather on Monday night picked up trophies for best comedy writing at the 2006 Canadian Screenwriting Awards, which were handed out in Toronto. Butt picked up his award for work on Corner Gas, the hit feel-good CTV comedy that he stars in and executive produces. The Writers Guild of Canada, which organizes Canada's screenwriting awards, also honored Suzette Couture with the best TV movie and mini-series writing award for her work on The Man Who Lost Himself, while giving Wil Zmak the best feature film script for The Dark Hours, the 2005 psychodrama that starred Aidan Devine and Gordon Currie.