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Stars: Caroline Williams, Debbie Rochon, Adrienne King, Amy Steel, Randy Jones, Desiree Gould, Lesleh Donaldson, Alan Rowe Kelly, Brewster McCall, Michael Varrati, Andrew Glaszek, Susan Adriensen, Bette Cassatt | Written by Alan Rowe Kelly, Bart Mastronardi, Michael Varrati | Directed by Alan Rowe Kelly, Bart Mastronardi

It’s something of an understatement to say that the work of poet and short story writer Edgar Allan Poe has had a lasting effect on the horror genre. Especially when it comes to horror cinema in particular. It’s not so long ago that we had the likes of P.O.E.: Poetry of Eerie and it’s sequel Project of Evil, David DeCoteaus’s The Pit and the Pendulum, and the animated anthology Extraordinary Tales; and now comes Tales of Poe – which adapts Poe’s short stories The Tell Tale Heart, Cask of Amontillado and Dreams.

The first story, The Tell Tale Heart,...

In the history of the horror genre, there has been no shortage of movies adapted from the great Edgar Allan Poe. From the classic 1935 Universal adaptation of “The Raven," to the brilliant gothic Roger Corman/Vincent Price collaborations of the 1960s, and even through Stuart Gordon’s 1991 filming of “The Pit and the Pendulum” for Full Moon Features, there’s not a corner of horror that hasn’t been touched by the works of Poe. This makes any new adaptation of the author’s work challenging, though, because so many horror fans may carry a “been there, seen that” mentality towards the umpteenth retelling of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” It is to the credit of directors Bart Mastronardi and Alan Rowe Kelly that their new anthology, aptly titled Tales of Poe, offers a new spin on an author whose work has been brought to the screen for nearly 100 years.

Adapting three...

by MoreHorror.com

Edgar Allan Poe is resurrected by iconic Scream Queens as Wild Eye Releasing brings Tales of Poe to DVD and Digital HD October 11th.

Check out all the details below.

From The Press Release

Wild Eye Releasing has announced the October 11th DVD and Digital HD release of the acclaimed horror anthology Tales of Poe. Since the world premiere at the famous Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Tales of Poe has been met with acclaim and awards on the festival circuit. San Francisco Weekly called the anthology "a worthy successor to the Roger Corman/ Vincent Price Poe films" while Icons of Fright hailed the result as "downright stunning to witness...wickedly adventurous".

Co-directed by Bart Mastronardi and Alan Rowe Kelly and co-written by Michael Varrati, Tales of Poe combines the classic horror prose with the star power of legendary scream queens Adrienne King (Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Part 2...

"What is it?" Two preview pages from Night Trap #4 give fans a look at the Trapper. Written by Cullen Bunn with artwork by J.B. Bastos, the fourth issue of the slasher comic book series is now on store shelves. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Tales of Poe DVD details and 2307: Winter's Dream La premiere info.

Check Out Preview Pages and Cover Art for Night Trap #4: "Night Trap #4

JUL161741

(W) Cullen Bunn (A) J.B. Bastos

"What happened to you, Kelly?" The answer to this might save their lives - or end them - as Kelly's traumatic past boils to the surface in a final showdown with the Trapper. Acclaimed horror writer Cullen Bunn's unexpected twist on the slasher genre concludes in this non-stop blood-streaked fight to the finish!

In Shops: Sep. 14th, 2016

Srp: $2.99"

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Tales of Poe on DVD Forevermore: Press Release: "New York, NY -...

To celebrate the success of a variety of Game of Thrones merchandise, HBO is hosting a scavenger hunt for fans at Comic-Con starting on Wednesday, July 20th at 6:00pm! Also: Famous Monsters at Sdcc 2016, Tales of Poe DVD and Digital HD release details, and info on Spell on Wheels‘ first issue debut.

Game of Thrones Sdcc 2016 Scavenger Hunt Details: Press Release: “Wednesday, July 13, 2016 — HBO Global Licensing is excited to debut a wide array of new Game of Thrones products and convention exclusives at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, and to highlight some of its bestselling products released throughout the series’ run. To help celebrate, HBO is inviting fans to participate in a Comic-Con Scavenger Hunt, sending them on a quest to find some of the coolest Game of Thrones products available on the Comic-Con floor.

Starting Wednesday, July 20th, at 6 p.m. Pt when the convention floor opens for Preview Night,...

We return with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes a trailer for Bloodsucking Bastards, Phantasmagoria, and The Scarehouse, The Boston Horror Show lineup for 2015, Zombie with a Shotgun episode details, a Q&A with Ninjas vs Monsters director, Justin Timpane, and much more:

Bloodsucking Bastards Trailer and Premiere Details: “An Office Space meets Shaun of the Dead action-packed vampire comedy, Bloodsucking Bastards stars Fran Kranz as Evan Sanders, a dutiful and overworked employee stuck at a soul-killing corporation with his beautiful co-worker and girlfriend Amanda (Emma Fitzpatrick) and his slacker best friend Tim (Joey Kern). Evan’s world begins to crumble when Amanda dumps him and his boss Ted (Joel Murray) hands his coveted promotion to his nemesis Max (Pedro Pascal). When his officemates start going through disturbing changes and bodies begin to pile up, Evan must...

One month from now, the 13th edition of the New York City Horror Film Festival will kick off and it has been announced that they’ll be honoring Norman Reedus and Angus Scrimmm for their contributions to the genre:

“New York, NY – Oct. 13, 2014. The 13th edition of the New York City Horror Film Festival celebrates two stalwarts of the genre with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented to 88-year-old Phantasm series star, “Tall Man” Angus Scrimm, and The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus receiving the Achievement in Acting Award for his strong dedication to the craft, currently creating new heights, and depths, as everyone’s favorite crossbow-wielding zombie-killer Daryl Dixon.

Award recipient Norman Reedus is internationally known for the role of Daryl Dixon in AMC’s immensely popular series, now entering its fifth season. Roles for Guillermo del Toro in Mimic and Blade 2 have led to the upcoming dark videogame Silent Hill,...

By Jonathan Weichsel, MoreHorror.com

Tales of Poe, an anthology film directed by Bart Mastronardi and Alan Rowe Kelly, consists of three very strong, but very different short films adapted from the works of Edgar Alan Poe. Some viewers will prefer the straightforward yet creepy The Telltale Heart, others will laugh out loud the campy Tales from the Crypt inspired The Cask of Amontillado, while others will get sucked into the lush visuals of the abstract, surreal Dreams. The three stories in the anthology are all so strong, yet so distinct, that three people could watch the film and each one have a different favorite.

"The Telltale Heart", the most straightforward adaptation in the anthology, is also conversely the one that takes the most interesting liberties with its source material. Switching the genders of the main characters, and having the narrator, brilliantly played by the great Debbie Rochon, tell her...

Lesleh Donaldson with Cinema Retro columnist Todd Garbarini.

By Todd Garbarini

Richard Ciupka’s unfairly maligned 1983 horror film Curtains was screened recently as part of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Scary Movies 7 exhibition that also included screenings of Lucky McKee’s new film All Cheerleaders Die, Michele Soavi’s highly regarded Cemetery Man (1994), Eli Roth’s new film The Green Inferno, John D. Hancock’s ultra creepy Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971), the New York premiere of Clive Barker’s 1990 film Nightbreed - the Cabal Cut, and Peter Carter’s brilliant Rituals (1977), better known as The Creeper, which stars Hal Holbrook and Lawrence Dane in a film that is clearly influenced by John Boorman’s Deliverance (1971) but easily stands on its own as a strong piece of independent filmmaking.

Appearing in person at the Curtains screening was actress Lesleh Donaldson who played Christie Burns, the ice skater in the film.

Horror film actor Joe Zaso, the author of the well-received and original publication Cafe Himbo, has just released a new cookbook entitled Cafe Himbo: Cookbook II. The new book features dozens of new recipes from such film personalities as:

Adrienne King of Friday The 13th

Barbara Magnolfi of Suspiria

Bart Mastronardi

Belinda Balaski of The Howling

Catherine Mary Stewart of Night Of The Comet

Charles Busch

Desiree Gould … Continue reading →

Horrornews.net...

Now in its 11th year, the New York City Horror Film Festival runs November 14-17, and along with the lineup, they've announced some of the special guests who'll be in attendance this go-round.

From the Press Release:

Giving a platform to new and independent international horror films, the New York City Horror Film Festival (Nychff) returns for another grand weekend, November 14–17, 2013, on the twin screens of the Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street, just south of Canal.

Honoring the career of Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Nevermore), this year's festival is put together by Fangoria’s Tony Timpone and Ronnie Hein, and filmmakers Alan Rowe Kelly and Bart Mastronardi are among the guest presenters.

Things kicks off Thursday, November 14, at 7 pm with a gala opening night Us premiere screening honoring Troma’s fortieth anniversary with their latest feature, Return To Nuke ‘Em High: Vol. 1. Director Lloyd Kaufman will be in attendance...

The 11th Annual New York City Horror Film Festival will be taking place next month and a number of screenings and special events have been announced, including appearances from Stuart Gordon and Lloyd Kaufman:

“Now in its 11th year, the spectacular New York City Horror Film Festival, giving a platform to new and independent international horror film, returns for another grand weekend, November 14–17 on the twin screens of the Tribeca Cinemas, at 54 Varick Street, just south of Canal. Honoring the grand career of Mr. Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Nevermore), the festival is put together by Fangoria’s Tony Timpone and Ronnie Hein, and filmmakers Alan Rowe Kelly and Bart Mastronardi among the

guest presenters.

The festival opens Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 pm with a gala opening-night Us premiere screening honoring Troma’s fortieth anniversary with their latest feature Return To Nuke ‘Em High, Vol. 1 with director Lloyd Kaufman in...

J. Lee Thompson is an auteur – he’s an amazing director with a personal sense of style, usually low-key and humorous, and actors love working with him. With films like The Guns of Navarone (1961), Cape Fear (1962), Conquest of the Planet Of the Apes (1972) and Battle For the Planet Of The Apes (1973), J. Lee Thompson is a favorite amongst genre fans. My personal favorite is The Reincarnation Of Peter Proud (1975), starring Michael Sarrazin, Jennifer O’Neill and Margot Kidder. If you haven’t seen this film, you need to run to your nearest video/dvd rental store – David Fincher currently holds the remake rights, so it’s only a matter of time before we see a redux! In the early 80s, Thompson directed the popular horror cult classic Happy Birthday To Me (1981), starring Melissa Sue Anderson (of Little House On The Prairie fame) Glenn Ford (who needs no introduction), and Lesleh Donaldson...

Much beloved indie actress Debbie Rochon has been named the Honorary Chairperson of the Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival, which expands to six days in its third year, October 17th–22nd at the Market Arcade Film and Arts Centre in downtown Buffalo, NY.

Ms. Rochon was the festival’s first guest in 2010, when she received the Dedication to Excellence in Independent Filmmaking award. In 2011 she won the festival’s award for Best Actress in a Horror Short for her work in Bart Mastronardi’s critically acclaimed interpretation of The Tell Tale Heart.

"I am deeply honored and very excited to be involved with The Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival again this year!" says Debbie. "This time I have been asked to be the Honorary Chairperson, and I can't think of a higher compliment than that. I am so grateful to be standing beside some of the most dedicated, talented, and...

"I made the choice to do indie films, and I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve had much better roles than a lot of the women that are working in Hollywood because I get to do the sort of crazy, nutty characters... like in American Nightmare I play a psycho serial killer. Very seriously. Not for laughs. I get to play really good roles, and that’s why I’ve always been drawn to it."

That quote was from a 2008 interview with Debbie Rochon. Seeing how we're celebrating Indie Horror Month here at Dread Central, I thought it would be nice to focus this month's Tip of the Scalpels on indie stars (don't worry, Stephen King fans, we'll get back to him very soon). My deliberation process on just who should get the Tip of the Scalpel nod during Indie Horror Month lasted about two seconds. There was...

Anthony G. Sumner is the director of what I consider the stand out indie film of 2010. Many of you followed along with our coverage of this cool little movie and now it's finally available on VOD and will hit store shelves on DVD in June so be sure and check it out because I honestly think you'll enjoy the fun horror treat. Check out my latest Versus with director Anthony G. Sumner and watch the cool Exclusive GeekTyrant clip and Red Band trailer after the interview!

Hey Brian - Thank you so much for all the support you have shown III Slices Of Life, it has been huge in helping the project move along. Before we jump into the questions, I want to ask everyone to Please visit our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/3Slicesoflife) and become friends of the film- it is the best way for us to...

The first thing people will notice about horror director Alan Rowe Kelly (Don't Look In The Basement, I'll Bury You Tomorrow) is that he is a gender bender, but Kelly has been bending more then genders his entire career as he has broken out the idea of conventionality. At the age of 39, with 40 just right around the corner, he had an epiphany. Bored with a career as a stylist, he made the sudden and dramatic move to horror. First testing the waters as an author, he switched over to the world of indie horror film directing where he won great acclaim for "I"ll Bury You Tomorrow". As he continued to direct films, he also started making a name for himself in the indie horror world as an actor playing power players, agents, something that rhymes with witch, etc. These were powerful, empowered characters that personally reflected upon Alan Rowe Kelly himself.

 

Cinematographer Dominick Sivilli recently took a time out of his busy schedule to talk about how he got into film making all the way to his new partnership in codebreakerproductions  . The guy is as talented and professional as they come but can crack a joke in an instant, just read on and you'll see! Sivilli keeps good company too, working with talented award winning actors, actresses and directors you can see why the films get the praise that they do, it's all about the chemistry.   Check out my latest "Versus" where you'll find out why Sivilli is considered to be one of the best if not the best at what he does, how Robocop got into our conversation all the way to the highly anticipated upcoming horror/slasher The Sadist and to other cool projects in the works.  

Brian  S- First off, how'd you get into film making?

DS- This...

Raine Brown and a slew of other Indie Horror stars are breaking out the butcher knives and buckets of blood and joining in on the battle against breast cancer. The Hot Honeys and Hunks of Horror 2011 Calendar is the brainchild of Andrew Rose and Eve Blaack and will feature fan favorites posed in classic horror moments from creepy killer clowns to provocative serial killers gone wild. Participants include: Tyler Tackett, Kelli Maroney, Azman Toy, Dai Green, Marv Blauvelt, Deneen Melody, Alan Rowe Kelly, Debbie Rochon, Bart Mastronardi, David Marancik, Bart Butler, Andrea Schweers, Kevin Tenney, Michelle Tomlinson, Tony Simmons, Denise Gosset, Mike Watt, Amy Lynn Best, JimmyO Burril, April Burril, Abel Berry, Lynn Lowry, Kerry Beyer, Julin Jean, Denise Williamson and Roxy Vandiver. The Hot Honeys and Hunks of Horror 2011 Calendar is on sale now and all profits from the sale of the calendar will be donated to [...]...

Pennsylvania-based independent production company Happy Cloud Pictures is set to begin production on its sixth feature film, Razor Days, a grim story of survival and revenge starring Amy Lynn Best and Debbie Rochon.

Razor Days represents quite a departure from the hybrid films Happy Cloud is known for (i.e., the “zombie-noir” The Resurrection Game, the meta-fictional Splatter Movie: The Director’s Cut, the horror-comedies Severe Injuries and Demon Divas and the Lanes of Damnations) and is set in the very real world.

From the Press Release:

Razor Days tells the story of three women, each a survivor of horrific violence, who bond together first for support and then to exact revenge on those responsible for their horrific pasts, including a group of cannibalistic “weekend warriors”. This gritty, character-driven thriller begins production in mid-November.

“We’ve been developing this script for six or seven years now,” says writer-director Mike Watt.

 

Following the 2009 Hot Hunks of Horror Calendar and the 2010 Hot Honeys and Hunks of Horror Calendar, producers Andrew Rose and Eve Blaack continue the fight against breast cancer, with the 2011 Hot Honeys and Hunks of Horror Calendar.

As in previous years, 100% of the profits from the sale of this calendar will be donated to The Lynn Sage Foundation (http://www.lynnsagefoundation.com). The Lynn Sage Foundation, established by the family of Lynn Sage, a victim of this terrible disease, is committed to the discovery of a cure for breast cancer. To achieve this goal, the Foundation has partnered with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, a nationally recognized leader in breast cancer care, education and research. The Cancer Center, under the direction of Dr. Steven T. Rosen, is one of only two National Cancer Institutes designated "Comprehensive" Cancer Center in the State of Illinois. The Cancer Center's solid,...

Many little girls fantasize about being an actress—the glamour and high life of the stage and screen. I was one of those little girls. The first movie that captured my heart was The Sound Of Music, and as a result I wanted to be Julie Andrews. Just watching her wasn’t enough for me; I ran around my house singing all the songs, playing her part both before and after she fell in love with Captain Von Trapp. For me, the best part was when she was a nun: I put a towel on my head and paraded in and out of all the rooms of our home as if I too were the spirited Maria. So, who would have thought that all these years later, Vindication director Bart Mastronardi would make my dream come true and ask me to be an extra in his horror short The Tell-tale Heart?...

I was introduced to Jeremiah Kipp's creepy short film masterpiece 'Contact' just a few weeks ago and I instantly became a fan and found out alot of cool info about him afterwards. Kipp has been involved in some really cool projects from the critical smash zombie opus I Sell The Dead to the upcoming Psycho Street horror anthology. Check out my interview with filmmaker Jeremiah Kipp where we talk about the cool projects he has going on, some of the cool people he's involved with in filmmaking, working with some legendary genre vets, his acting and I brought up my crush on actress Debbie Rochon. Brian S- Hey Jeremiah, we posted your short film 'Contact' a few weeks ago and people really are digging it! It feels like I'm actually watching an episode of The Twilight Zone (on drugs) and with it being shot in...

Bart Mastronardi is part of the East Coast low-budget horror film community that seems to crank out genre features and shorts about once a month, more often than not with him behind the camera as the Dp. His first feature as a writer/director, Vindication, was anointed by no less than Clive Barker, and the upcoming DVD release from Big Bite Entertainment/R2 Films carries his seal of approval.

Halloween is over, but the horror-film screenings continue. A quartet of genre features that have yet to achieve general distribution will be shown this month on opposite coasts, all with special guests on hand.

Tonight at midnight (actually 11:55 p.m.) at Los Angeles’ New Beverly Cinema (7165 Beverly Boulevard), the Grindhouse Film Festival presents a special showing of Lee Damarbre’s Smash Cut, about a horror filmmaker (played by the original Last House On The Left’s David Hess) who uses real body parts in his screen shockers. Inspired by the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis (who has an onscreen role, along with his The Wizard Of Gore star Ray Sager), the movie also features adult-film star Sasha Grey, Jesse Buck and Fango fave Michael Berryman. Demarbre and Hess will introduce the Grindhouse showing—Smash Cut’s only big-screen engagement in La—and take part in a Q&A afterward.

Fango recently spent a day on location with the new horror short Something Just—specifically the basement of filmmaker Scott W. Perry (pictured left). Here, sadistic serial killer Thomas Sutcliffe, portrayed in a bit of against-type casting by East Coast horror stalwart Alan Rowe Kelly, terrorizes a bound, captive girl played by genre newcomer Joslyn Jensen. You can see some exclusive pics from this and other Something Just moments below.

Perry’s follow-up to his vampire story Insatiable (which we covered here) also stars Jerry Murdock as the guardian of one of Sutcliffe’s victims, who goes to an old friend (Joe Zaso) to seek vengeance; in the process, dark secrets from the past are revealed. This is the first production of Perry’s Slick Devil Entertainment to be lensed in 1080p high definition, with cinematographer Dominick Sivilli creating an oppressively creepy atmosphere in the smoke-suffused basement as Kelly manhandles and murders Jensen.

Note: This blog is a continuation of a post we ran yesterday. To read the first installment, please click here!

Day Three

On Sunday I tried to make it to the Vindication panel to see writer/director Bart Mastronardi and his cast, but just couldn’t do it as I had NewFest commitments. Later I did race from NewFest (in Chelsea) to the con to catch the Vindication screening. I got there about 10 minutes late, but the room was standing room only. I’ve already seen the film, so I’m glad my butt wasn’t taking a seat from someone who hasn’t seen this really f-ing awesome film. Keep an eye out in this blog for more info and interviews from the cast and crew in the near future.

Mastronardi had the amazing fortune of getting a copy of the film into the hands of Clive Barker, who...

Somehow the gay scheduling gods and the horror scheduling gods saw fit to allow Fango’s NYC Weekend Of Horrors and NewFest: The New York Lgbt Film Festival to overlap this year. Which meant that I got to fly to NYC for both the world premiere of my latest gay thriller, Pornography, and some good, fanboy geekout.

The downside to film fests and conventions is - I really hate crowds. I’m a very shy person, believe it or not, and being dropped into a crowd of people I don’t know is pretty much torture. (Strangely, I love to talk in front of a crowd.) I’ve learned to handle it because I have to, but… blech. So I have to give big ups to Alan Rowe Kelly, Bart Mastronardi and Jerry Murdock for letting me tag along all weekend.

Day One

I arrived at the con on Friday...

If you were lucky enough to attend Fango’s recently wrapped Weekend of Horrors, you hopefully were also fortunate enough to check out the phenomenal short Insatiable, which screened on Sunday. As much about vampirism and fetishism as it is about a dwindling marriage, the flick is a rare silent pleasure, harking back to the days when creating films was more about experimentation than making money.

“Insatiable really started out of my frustration from trying to sell a feature script of mine in 2004,” writer/director Scott W. Perry reveals. “I kept on inquiring to many production companies looking for scripts, but the answers were all the same: no vampires, because they’ve been done to death. I had just left a job at A&E, where one of my duties was to watch their prime-time programming before it went to air for quality control. Now, it was reality shit, but...

After a year of planning, the schedule for the East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors convention, which will be held this coming June 5-7 (three monstrous days!) at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets; use Javits’ Crystal Pavilion entrance; panels and vendors’ area are in Hall 1-d), is ready to be unveiled. All guests/events listed here are tentative.

More stars are still joining the fun at this late stage, so expect a few surprises all weekend long. Details for the jam-packed film schedule (Room ID05 in Hall I-d), including several world premieres and more unannounced bonus guests, can be found here. For more information on the Weekend of Horrors, including details for autograph signings, seminars, photo ops and special late-night parties, go here. It’s gonna be a killer!

Friday, June 5

5:00 P.M.: Greetings

With our hosts,...

While we put the finishing touches on the schedule for the East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors convention, which will be held this coming June 5-7 (three monstrous days!) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City, here’s a look at the Fearsome Fango Film Show. The movie marathon will unspool in Room ID05 in Hall I-d (use Javits’ Crystal Pavilion entrance).

Several notable filmmakers will be introducing their movies, so expect surprises. For more information on the Weekend of Horrors, go here, and watch this website for the full schedule of panels tomorrow. It’s gonna be a killer!

Friday, June 5

6:00 P.M.: Short Film Showcase, Part I

Fangoria presents a block of some of the best and bloodiest minimovies we’ve seen this year.

7:00 P.M.: “A Far Cry From...

Wrong Turn 3 director Declan O’Brien will be previewing his new Fox DVD splatter sequel at the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held June 5-7 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. O’Brien (pictured below with friend), the director of the Sci Fi Channel original movies Rock Monster, Monster Ark and Cyclops, will debut exclusive clips from Wrong Turn 3 (about another group of lost travelers facing off against inbred hillbilly maniacs) at the convention on Sunday.

In addition to his directing chores, O’Brien has also scripted Harpies, The Snake King and Savage Planet for Sci Fi. Stop by this site again over the next couple of days as we begin posting the full schedules (auditorium panels and film programs) for the Fango show.

In other convention news, Trick ’R Treat...

A panel devoted to the Canadian slasher flick Smash Cut has been added to the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Representing the film will be stars David Hess and Jennilee Murray, plus director Lee Gordon Demarbre (Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter), writer Ian Driscoll and the Godfather of Gore himself, Herschell Gordon Lewis!

In Smash Cut (an ode to the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, who has a cameo in the movie), Hess (pictured below) plays Able Whitman, a troubled filmmaker losing his mind in an extraordinary way. After accidentally killing an exotic dancer, he decides to use her body parts in his newest horror picture. But when her sister (played by porn star Sasha Grey) begins investigating, Able must...

A panel devoted to the Canadian slasher flick Smash Cut has been added to the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Representing the film will be stars David Hess and Jennilee Murray, plus director Lee Gordon Demarbre (Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter), writer Ian Driscoll and the Godfather of Gore himself, Herschell Gordon Lewis!

In Smash Cut (an ode to the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, who has a cameo in the movie), Hess (pictured below) plays Able Whitman, a troubled filmmaker losing his mind in an extraordinary way. After accidentally killing an exotic dancer, he decides to use her body parts in his newest horror picture. But when her sister (played by porn star Sasha Grey) begins investigating, Able must...

30 Days Of Night actor Ben Foster (pictured below), star of the upcoming sci-fi thriller Pandorum, has joined the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Foster, who also won raves for his roles in 3:10 To Yuma and X-men: The Last Stand (as Angel), will be joined on Saturday by Pandorum co-star Cung Le, the three-time world champion martial artist.

In other convention news, the Offspring presentation has added castmates Holter Graham, Vic Manetti, Ahna Tessler, Leigh Shannon, Brainscan’s Amy Hargreaves and Headspace’s Pollyanna McIntosh, as well as Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer composer Ryan Shore, to its Saturday preview slot. Other exciting guests/programs set for Fango’s Big Apple blowout include:

• Guillermo del Toro: acclaimed director of Hellboy movies,...

Monster metalheads Gwar will be invading the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Bandmates Sleazy P. Martini, Slave, Jizmak Da Gusha and Oderus Urungus will be on hand all three days (at their “human skin” booth), and host a panel on Sunday in their human guises (Don Drakulich, Matt Maguire, Brad Roberts and Dave Brockie).

In another convention update, some new Friday The 13th veterans have joined the roster, namely first Jason Ari Lehman, Part 2’s Warrington Gillette and Part V: A New Beginning director Danny Steinmann, who also helmed The Unseen (under a pseudonym) and Savage Streets. Other exciting guests/programs set for Fango’s Big Apple blowout (more to come!) include:

• Guillermo del Toro: acclaimed director of Hellboy movies, Pan’S Labyrinth,...

Friday The 13th’s Mrs. Voorhees, actress Betsy Palmer, and her “son,” Jason actor Kane Hodder from the series’ seventh through 10th installments, have joined the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors. The event will be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Fan favorite Palmer also appeared in The Fear: Resurrection and Bryan Norton’s Penny Dreadful, while Hodder stalked through Hatchet, B.T.K. (pictured), Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield, Fallen Angels and Prison, to name a few.

Two other additions to the NYC Fango con worth noting:

• Toxic Avenger: The Musical: special guests and song highlights from the Off-Broadway smash! (Saturday)

• Walking Distance panel: with Closet Space writer/director Mel House and sexy actresses Debbie Rochon, Shannon Lark and Natalie Jones

Other exciting guests/programs set for...

Trick ’R Treat writer/director Michael Dougherty (pictured below) has joined the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors. The event will be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. Dougherty, co-scripter of Superman Returns, X2 and Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, made his directorial debut on Trick ’R Treat, an anthology that has garnered raves on the festival circuit and will debut on DVD this fall.

Other exciting guests/programs set for Fango’s Big Apple blowout (more to come!) include:

• Guillermo del Toro: acclaimed director of Hellboy movies, Pan’S Labyrinth, Blade II, Mimic and Cronos, signing copies of his first novel, the vampire epic The Strain, on Friday (5 p.m.-7 p.m.). Also appearing: The Strain co-author Chuck Hogan

• Dario Argento: Italian maestro behind Suspiria,...

Indie filmmaker Bart Mastronardi gave Fango the first word that the official website for his psychological shocker Vindication has just gone live. It was designed by fellow East Coast frightmeister Alan Rowe Kelly, who also has a small role in the movie.

Described as “…total vindication for moviemaking the old-fashioned way…made with brains, beauty and balls” by Clive Barker, Vindication stars Keith Fraser as Nicolas, a severely troubled art student who slashes his wrists but survives—only to be plagued by a physical embodiment of his own guilt. Miguel Lopez, Zoë Daelman Chlanda, Jerry Murdock, Christopher J. Otis, Patrick Cronen, Jessie May Laumann, Raine Brown and Joe Zaso co-star; go here to check the site out.

“It was constructed so that horror fans can get a glimpse into the horrific world of Vindication,” Mastronardi tells us. “The easily navigated site captures the movie’s horrific tone through its stunning visuals,...

Hellboy movies director Guillermo del Toro has joined the lineup of the fast-approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors. The event will be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. One of the most celebrated genre directors of our time, del Toro will be appearing at the convention on Friday (5 to 7 p.m. only) for an exclusive stage appearance and to sign copies of his first novel, the vampire epic The Strain: Book One Of The Strain (coming June 2 from William Morrow), with co-author Chuck Hogan.

Del Toro has also helmed such thrilling horror and fantasy films as Pan’S Labyrinth, Blade II, Mimic and Cronos. He next begins shooting The Hobbit for producer Peter Jackson in 2010. You can find out more about The Strain here. Other exciting guests/programs set for Fango...

Hellraiser actress Ashley Laurence (pictured below) has joined the lineup of the fast approaching East Coast edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors. The event will be held June 5-7, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets) in New York City. The lovely Laurence played Kirsty Cotton in Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Hellraiser: Hellseeker, and also appeared in Lightning Bug, Red, Warlock III and Lurking Fear.

In addition, the Big Apple show will welcome a reunion of original Last House On The Left’s villains David Hess, Fred Lincoln, Jeramie Rain and Marc Sheffler. Plus, here are some more cool Manhattan additions:

• Dead Air: world-premiere screening of the Corbin Bernsen-directed zombie flick; introduced by cast members Josh Feinman (from Sleeper Cell) and Elle Travis (Saturday)

• Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni: actress from Dario Argento’s Mother Of Tears, Opera and Phantom Of The Opera,...

Indie filmmaker Alan Rowe Kelly sent along word that his long-aborning anthology feature Gallery Of Fear has wrapped, with the completion of the wraparound segment “Critic’s Choice.” This part of the film stars Fangoria Radio’s Debbie Rochon (pictured) as Roberta Van Houten, a nasty art critic who introduces each story.

The four tales are “A Far Cry from Home” and “Down the Drain,” along with “By Her Hand, She Draws You Down” and “It Rips,” directed by Anthony G. Sumner, also a cinematographer and FX creator on the project (see more details and photos here). The filmmaking team additionally includes cinematographers Bart Mastronardi and Dominick Sivilli, composer/sound designer Tom Burns and FX artists Brian Spears, Benzy, Michael Todd Schneider and Henry Boriello, along with actors Zoë Daelman Chlanda, Jerry Murdock, Joshua Neslon, Terry Shane, Raine Brown, Katherine O’Sullivan, Don Money, Benzy, Susan Adriensen, Terry M. West,...

Our first stop on the 2009 Weekend of Horrors Tour gets started today in Chicago, and we've got an updated look at this weekend's festivities, along with a map of the event facility.

Friday, March 6

2:15 P.M. Greetings

With our hosts, Creation chief Adam Malin and Fangoria editor Tony Timpone

2:30 P.M. Previews: Future Fears

3:30 P.M. Previews: “Beast” & “Braincell”

The gruesome details behind two new indie gorefests with actor Joe Zaso and

scream queen Raine Brown

4:00 P.M. Preview: “Plague Town”

Director David Gregory gives us the scoop on his old-school

killer-kids shocker!

4:30 P.M. Bill Moseley

The star of The Devil’S Rejects and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is now in

The Graves, Dead Air, Blood Night and Halloween 2!

5:00 P.M. H.G. Lewis Photo Op (In Stephens 1. Purchase your tickets

at registration)

5:10 P.M. Tom Towles

This guy has been in everything: Henry,...

Our first stop on the 2009 Weekend of Horrors Tour gets started today in Chicago, and we've got an updated look at this weekend's festivities, along with a map of the event facility.

Friday, March 6

2:15 P.M. Greetings

With our hosts, Creation chief Adam Malin and Fangoria editor Tony Timpone

2:30 P.M. Previews: Future Fears

3:30 P.M. Previews: “Beast” & “Braincell”

The gruesome details behind two new indie gorefests with actor Joe Zaso and

scream queen Raine Brown

4:00 P.M. Preview: “Plague Town”

Director David Gregory gives us the scoop on his old-school

killer-kids shocker!

4:30 P.M. Bill Moseley

The star of The Devil’S Rejects and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is now in

The Graves, Dead Air, Blood Night and Halloween 2!

5:00 P.M. H.G. Lewis Photo Op (In Stephens 1. Purchase your tickets

at registration)

5:10 P.M. Tom Towles

This guy has been in everything: Henry,...

After a year of planning, the schedule for the Midwest edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors convention is ready to be unveiled. We’ve even added a few last-minute guests, like Jeffrey Combs and Ashley Laurence (see item here). And for a peek at our jam-packed indie film fest, go here.

The Weekend will be held this coming March 6-8 (three monstrous days!) at the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont). Fans are urged to arrive extra early, as the show will probably sell out like previous editions. For more information on the Weekend of Horrors, go here. It’s gonna be a killer!

Friday, March 6

2:15 P.M.: Greetings

With our hosts, Creation chief Adam Malin and Fangoria editor Tony Timpone

2:30 P.M.: Previews

Future Fears

3:30 P.M.: Previews: “Beast” & “Braincell”

The gruesome details behind two new indie gorefests with actor...

Wonderin’ where the Chicago Fango schedule is? Well, we’re still tweaking it because we have a few surprise guests! We are happy to report that Jeffrey Combs, the Re-animator himself, will be attending Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held this coming March 6-8 at the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare Hotel (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont, Il).

In addition, Ashley Laurence is back in the lineup! The actress from Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Hellraiser: Hellseeker, plus Lightning Bug, Red, Warlock III and Lurking Fear, will be attending on Saturday, while Combs (also best known for From Beyond, Deep Space Nine, Pit And The Pendulum, The Frighteners, The 4400 and many more) hits the stage on Sunday. In other convention news, sadly, directors Tobe Hooper and R.W. Goodwin had to bow out due to unexpected commitments. The full Fango schedule will be live tomorrow morning. Other guests comin’ to...

WildClaw Theatre, Chicago’s leading horror stage troupe, will bring their brand of terror and the supernatural to the fast-approaching Chicago edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held March 6-8 at the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare Hotel (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont, Il). On Sunday of the event, the local horror theater stalwarts will discuss their previous shows, screen clips of their most outlandish work, answer questions, talk about their upcoming Zombie Bowling and zombie play, The Revenants, then close out the convention with a round of “Scary-aoke,” where the audience will have the opportunity to act out scenes from their favorite horror flicks.

For more about WildClaw Theatre, go here. Other guests comin’ to our Midwest extravaganza (come back tomorrow for the complete schedule!) include:

• George A. Romero: the director of Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead, Day Of The Dead, Land Of The Dead,...

While we put the finishing touches on the schedule for the Midwest edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors convention, which will be held March 6-8 (three monstrous days!) at the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont), here’s a look at the Fearsome Fango Film Show. The movie marathon will unspool in the O’Hare Ballroom. Several notable filmmakers will be introducing their movies, so expect surprises.

For more information on the Weekend of Horrors, go here, and watch this website for the full schedule of panels on Monday. It’s gonna be a killer!

Fangoria Weekend of Horrors Film Show

Friday, March 6

3 p.m.: It’S My Party And I’LL Die If I Want To

Sara must use her martial arts skills to fend off zombies, creatures and demons in order to get her friends out of the haunted Burkitt Manor alive. With Tom Savini!

The independent horror film Plague Town, which Fango’s Michael Gingold called “a nightmare captured on film,” will make its Midwest premiere at the fast-approaching Chicago edition of Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, to be held March 6-8 at the Wyndham Chicago O’Hare Hotel (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont, Il). The screening will be introduced by writer/director David Gregory.

Plague Town is about a group of American travelers lost in the Irish countryside who run afoul of a group of bloodthirsty, disfigured children. Gregory (pictured with actress Kate Aspinwall and victim) makes his feature debut with the movie, having previously helmed nearly 100 genre documentaries and DVD features, including Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth, Portrait: The Making of Henry, Inside Manhunter, Tom Savini: The Early Years, The Godfathers of Mondo and many more.

Other guests comin’ to our Midwest extravaganza include:

• George A. Romero: the director of Night Of The Living Dead,...

Indie director Stolis Hadjicharalambous gave us the heads-up that a new trailer for his gory action-thriller Crossed recently went live on the movie’s MySpace page. You can check it out below.

Crossed was scripted by Christopher J. Otis, who stars as a young hitman dealing with the unsolved murder of his father (Jerry Murdock), while also tangling with other underworld figures, including an especially sadistic killer called The Ripper (Javier Rodriguez, who also produced). Fango caught an early screening of the movie and was duly impressed by the intense, brutal and frequent scenes of hand-to-hand combat and other carnage. The cast additionally includes Henry Boriello (who created the makeup FX), Talia Marrero, Andrew Roth, Ashley Bernardes, Keith Fraser and filmmaker Alan Rowe Kelly, for whom Hadjicharalambous has served as an editor; their frequent collaborator/Vindication director Bart Mastronardi was cinematographer. You can find out more about Crossed at the...