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Stuart Ortiz’s “Strange Harvest” (2024) blurs the lines between truth and fiction as it follows a supernatural horror narrative through the framework of a true-crime documentary. It employed a pseudo-documentary structure, as seen in films like “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” (2007) and, more recently, “Lake Mungo” (2008). It’s a choice of approach, much like any other, to follow a narrative. Ortiz uses it to cover a horrifying occult-themed tale like an investigative mystery thriller. The latter of which is something that David Fincher has mastered throughout his career, particularly in projects like “Zodiac” (2007).

Fincher brings a crisp and clean digital aesthetic through his visual language, which feels unnervingly cold and distant. Unlike Fincher, Michael Haneke employs a far different approach in “Caché,” filmed almost entirely using the naturally available light. It feels intentionally devoid of conventional norms of beauty in art. Still, it manages to feel as clinical and unnerving as Fincher’s film.

A pair of music documentaries and a live concert from Jin of BTS on his first solo tour join indie animation, a searing look at Sudan, a serial killer horror and Kristin Scott Thomas’ directorial debut at the specialty box office as independents spot another window with fewer new studio releases. Roman Polanski’s 2019 historical drama on the Dreyfus Affair opens in New York.

The widest this weekend is Roadside Attractions’ horror-thriller Strange Harvest, written and directed by Stuart Ortiz, on 771 screens. Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny,” a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force. Stars Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Travis Wolfe Sr., Christina Helene Braa. This is at 94% with critics off 32 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Vertical is out with comedy-drama My Mother’s Wedding,...

This week kicked off with the at-home premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth and the return of Jenna Ortega in “Wednesday” Season 2, and eight more new releases have arrived today.

Here’s all the new horror unleashed on Friday, August 8, 2025!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

First up, Zach Cregger’s (Barbarian) new horror movie Weapons is now playing in theaters!

Weapons has been compared to PTA’s Magnolia and described as an epic tale that’s both unconventionally structured and “really fucked up” (Cregger’s own words).

In Weapons, “When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.” Dive deeper into the mystery on MaybrookMissing.com.

The cast for Cregger’s new film includes Josh Brolin (Dune 2), Julia Garner (The Royal Hotel...

Plot: Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”-a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.

Review: The popularity of true crime documentaries has been pretty steady, with many streaming services showcasing a different case and the general public really taking to it. Some have more success than others, but there’s no doubt that there’s a demand for it. So it’s not surprising to see someone come along and make a faux-documentary that blends the real world with a much more sinister threat. Strange Harvest is told in a very straightforward documentary style, almost like an episode of Dateline. But where it differs, and may turn off some, is with its implication of the supernatural.

Strange Harvest follows the investigation and manhunt for a serial killer...

In our never-ending quest to find you the best horror films, we’ve got a brand new entry from The Vicious Brothers’ Stuart Ortiz, popular for giving us the Grave Encounters franchise. Strange Harvest is all set for its theatrical release on August 8, 2025, and we suggest you grab a ticket at the nearest theatre.

The film uses found-footage and faux-true crime documentary storytelling styles. Following two detectives as they investigate the resurgence of a terrifying serial killer, named “Mr. Shiny”, the film is poised to deliver equal parts psychological horror, dread, and suspense (via Fantastic Fest). Let’s discuss why the movie stands as a notable addition in Ortiz’s filmography and why it needs to be your next watch.

Positive Critical Reception For Strange Harvest Ahead of Its Theatrical Release

Strange Harvest is only a day away from its theatrical release, but the film previously debuted at the Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2024. Since then,...

America’s obsession with serial killers has made posthumous industries of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy and others, while providing a foundation for the entire “true-crime” genre onscreen and in print. How much is too much, when it comes to this popular fixation? Well, one measure might be the existence of “Strange Harvest,” an elaborate faux documentary about a fictitious serial slayer. Subtitled “Occult Murder in the Inland Empire,” Stuart Ortiz’s feature maintains its ruse convincingly right up to the final credits, when those who stumble in blind might be surprised to find actors credited with playing all the supposed “real people.”

It’s worth asking why a stunt like this is even desirable. Wouldn’t a more conventionally staged horror movie provide better opportunity for suspense and thrills, being unconstrained by requirements of mimicking reportage? Probably yes. But beyond the admiration generated by its immaculate imitation of tabloid journalism,...

August 2025 is set to be a massive month for the horror genre, with icons like Jason Voorhees and the Alien franchise’s Xenomorphs making their return to the screen. A master of 1980s horror is also back with a brand new horror movie later this month, while a fan favorite found footage horror franchise takes over the big screen for the first time in its fifth and final outing.

And of course, even Troma’s cult hero The Toxic Avenger is back this month! It’s a month that’s absolutely full of exciting returns, with many familiar faces coming back into our lives.

Here’s all the new horror you don’t want to miss in August 2025…

Weapons – August 8

First up, Barbarian director Zach Cregger is back on August 8 with the release of his second horror movie Weapons, which has been compared to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia and described as a “horror epic.

Those of us who are film critics, especially ones who cover horror, watch so many movies that it’s hard to find one that leaves us genuinely shaken. One of the scariest movies of the year thanks to how effectively it conjures up a threat that feels genuinely and thoroughly sinister, Stuart Ortiz’s Strange Harvest will have you both looking away and on the edge of your seat — a combination that will prove to be completely unforgettable.

Strange Harvest Review

Strange Harvest is a horror “mockumentary” following a group of detectives on the hunt for a serial killer named “Mr. Shiny,” known for committing a series of grotesque, ritualistic murders tied to an otherworldly force. Much like the films it references, Ortiz’s movie draws viewers in with a twisted, twisty mystery that will leave viewers shaken by the evil potential of humanity.

Stylistically, Ortiz has the grammar of...

Mr. Shiny is ready to drill his message into you with the lo-fi clip from Strange Harvest below.

The mysterious serial killer is at the center of an otherworldly investigation in the faux-true crime documentary from Grave Encounters writer-director Stuart Ortiz.

Strange Harvest opens in theaters next week on August 8 via Saban Films and Roadside Attractions.

A routine welfare check in the San Bernardino suburbs leads to a gruesome discovery: a family of three has been bound, bled, and posed below a strange symbol written in blood on the ceiling. Detectives Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recognize the symbol as the calling card of a killer from 15 years earlier calling himself Mr. Shiny, who has seemingly returned to continue his murder spree.

It’s not long before Mr. Shiny begins leaving horrifying new crime scenes in his wake. It soon becomes evident the case is anything but routine and that the murders,...

As we prepare for the spooky season, Collider is continuing our celebration of Summerween with a brand-new found footage horror, Strange Harvest. We’re thrilled to announce that we’re partnering with Saban Films and Roadside Attractions to offer our readers and the horror community the chance to catch this original feature on the big screen ahead of the crowds with an advanced screening. In addition to the movie, we'll invite writer-director Stuart Ortiz (Grave Encounters) and the movie’s most sadistic star,Jessee Clarkson, who plays the terrifying “Mr. Shiny,” on stage for an exclusive Q&a conversation. Read on for the full details on how to enter for your chance to win free tickets.

Officially opening in theaters on August 8, Strange Harvest (previously titled Strange Harvest: Occult in the Inland Empire) is an account of the brutal Southern California murders by the serial killer known as Mr. Shiny...

The endless ribbons of Southern California freeway, viewed from above, form a circuit board of profound loneliness. In this sprawling, sun-bleached noir landscape, individuals are merely points of light, their comings and goings a meaningless pattern until one light blinks out.

Or, far worse, begins to move with a predatory intelligence. Strange Harvest posits such a predator, a bogeyman for the cul-de-sac, a ghost story born from the very real anxieties of the Inland Empire. The film presents itself as a retrospective, a true-crime documentary revisiting the cold case of a killer christened “Mr. Shiny.”

We enter the narrative years after the fact, when a gruesome 2010 family murder, executed with chilling ritualism, signals the return of a phantom who had vanished for a decade and a half. The story is not merely a hunt for a man. It is a descent into a methodical madness, an attempt to find the...

We’re in a Golden Age of found footage, with filmmakers like Stuart Ortiz using the format to craft terrifying stories that feel like reality. Ortiz, who previously co-wrote and co-directed Grave Encounters, is back with his solo horror effort Strange Harvest, a pseudo-documentary about a nasty serial killer with cosmically horrifying consequences.

In the new film, “Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.“

We have some exclusive photos from the film that reveal the horrendous crimes of Mr. Shiny and the lengths he goes to create horrific tableaus…

Check them out below: In our review from the 2024 Fantastic Fest, Dread Central’s Mary Beth McAndrews wrote,

“Strange Harvest is the sleeper hit of Fantastic Fest, a film that flew under...

Kayaking is about to get a horrifying twist in the official trailer for River of Blood. The new survival horror title from Saban Films hits theaters, digital, and on-demand platforms next month and follows a group of friends on what's supposed to be a relatively peaceful jungle adventure on the river. Instead of enjoying nature from the comfort of their boats, however, they soon find themselves the targets of a bloodthirsty tribe that is none too happy with outsiders encroaching on their land. Things take a grisly turn as they realize they're little more than flies caught in a spider's web, with the footage showing their desperate attempts to escape a foe that is almost always around them.

The trailer opens with a gorgeous overhead shot of rivers cutting through the jungles of Thailand, where the film was both shot and set. While the majestic scenery invokes adventure, the winding...

There's no denying that 2025 has already been filled with some great horror movies. The Monkey, 28 Years Later, and Final Destination Bloodlines all managed to impress, but there's one film that's flown under the radar that could just be the sleeper hit of the year. Titled Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire, the terrifying new mocumentary hits theaters on August 8, and it already has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94% thanks to its festival appearances. If the newly released trailer is any indication of anything, horror fans definitely need to add this one to their watch list, because it's poised to become the talk of the community later this year.

Directed by Stuart Ortiz (Grave Encounters), Strange Harvest stars Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, and Matthew Peschio. The film focuses on a couple of detectives who are thrust into a chilling hunt for Mr. Shiny – a sadistic serial...

Watch the Trailer for Bone Lake: "A couple’s romantic vacation at a secluded lakeside estate is upended when they are forced to share the mansion with a mysterious and attractive couple. In this darkly hilarious and seductive horror story, a dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies, and manipulation, bringing terrifying secrets to light and triggering a bloody battle for survival.

Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan Starring Maddie Hasson, Marco Pigossi, Alex Roe, Andra Nechita, Eliane Reis and Clayton Spencer Written by Joshua Friedlander Produced by Jason Blumenfeld, Joshua Friedlander, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Jacob Yakob Release Date October 24, 2025



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Watch the Trailer for Bone Lake: "Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force."

Directed & Written...

The official trailer for Stuart Ortiz's horror flick, Strange Harvest, arrived today. The faux doc horror will be in theaters on August 8th, 2025, from Saban Films and Roadside Attractions. Check out the trailer down below. From writer-director Stuart Ortiz (Grave Encounters) comes Strange Harvest, a chilling new thriller that introduces “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer at the center of a terrifying and otherworldly mystery. Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force. Strange Harvest was directed and written by Stuart Ortiz. The cast includes Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia,...

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

Saban Films and Roadside Attractions have just released the trailer for the chilling new found footage horror film Strange Harvest. The movie comes from writer-director Stuart Ortiz, who is known for Grave Encounters. Strange Harvest is a hauntingly grounded thriller that introduces “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer at the center of a terrifying and otherworldly mystery. The movie uses various methods of voyeuristic point-of-views in a twist on the usual found footage formula as we see the action through webcams, news outlets and body cams.

The official synopsis for Strange Harvest from Saban and Roadside Attractions reads,

“Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.” The movie stars Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Travis Wolfe Sr. and Christina Helene Braa.

"We are begging for you to help us!" Saban Films & Roadside Attractions have debuted the trailer for an indie horror thriller film titled Strange Harvest, the latest from filmmaker Stuart Ortiz (also the director of Grave Encounters). Not to be confused with either The Strangers series or the other film titled Harvest with Caleb Landry Jones. This is a chilling new found footage thriller that introduces "Mr. Shiny," a serial killer at the center of a terrifying and otherworldly mystery in Inland Empire. Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for "Mr. Shiny" — a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force. The horror film stars Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Travis Wolfe Sr, & Christina Helene Braa. All this grainy, jittery cam footage doesn't make this look any good.

A serial killer’s grisly murder spree might lead to supernatural terror in the faux-true crime documentary Strange Harvest from Grave Encounters writer-director Stuart Ortiz.

Saban Films and Roadside Attractions will unleash Strange Harvest in theaters on August 8, 2025, and we can exclusively debut the eerie trailer and poster this morning.

In the upcoming horror film, “Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for ‘Mr. Shiny’—a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.”

Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple star as Detectives Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor, who act as talking heads as they investigate the mysterious and elusive “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer who leaves little in the way of clues despite the ghastly, horrific nature of his crimes spanning multiple years.

Watch the trailer below that introduces the elusive Mr. Shiny in action.

Saban Films will be releasing Strange Harvest, the faux-true crime documentary from Grave Encounters writer-director Stuart Ortiz, and the film has received an “R” rating this week.

Strange Harvest is rated “R” for “disturbing/grisly violent content and language.”

In the film, “A routine welfare check in the San Bernardino suburbs leads to a gruesome discovery — a family of three has been bound, bled, and posed below a strange symbol written in blood on the ceiling. Detective Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recognize the symbol as the calling card of a killer from 15 years earlier calling himself Mr. Shiny, who has seemingly returned to continue his murder spree.”

Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, LA Williams star.

“Strange Harvest is like nothing you’ve ever seen,” Saban Films co-presidents Jonathan Saba and Shanan Becker said in a recent statement.

Dubai-based sales agency Cercamon has launched Vorteks, a new genre label running the gamut from horror to sci-fi, thriller, fantasy, dark comedy and action movies. Handling 8-10 features a year, Vorteks will be run by David Kwok, the Tribeca Film Festival director of programming for its first 10 editions. A partner at Vorteks, Kwok will spearhead acquisitions and sales.

“With a special focus on emerging talent, the label’s evolving slate will reflect the incredible new voices coming out of the genre community,” Kwok said, noting that Vorteks expands Cercamon’s mission of “searching for the best films and to work with bold filmmakers.”

In one case in point, Vorteks’ first official acquisition is “Ancestral Beasts,” the second feature from Canadian writer-director-producer Riedel (“Jackstones”) and a tale of an Indigenous woman’s battle with trauma which weighs in as one of the buzzy projects at Cannes Frontières Platform’s Proof of...

Saban Films has acquired the North American rights to Strange Harvest, the faux-true crime documentary from Grave Encounters writer-director Stuart Ortiz.

Variety broke the news, noting that a summer release is planned.

The film premiered at Fantastic Fest in September under the title Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire.

A routine welfare check in the San Bernardino suburbs leads to a gruesome discovery — a family of three has been bound, bled, and posed below a strange symbol written in blood on the ceiling. Detective Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recognize the symbol as the calling card of a killer from 15 years earlier calling himself Mr. Shiny, who has seemingly returned to continue his murder spree.

Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, LA Williams star.

“Strange Harvest is like nothing you’ve ever seen,” Saban Films co-presidents...

Saban Films has acquired the North American rights for Stuart Ortiz's horror flick, Strange Harvest. The faux-doc had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest last September and had a decent festival run, making stops at Beyond Fest, Fright Night Film Fest, Atlanta Horror Fest, Telluride Horror Show, NYC Horror Film Festival, Strasbourg Film Fest, Rama Skirk, Grimmfest, Soho Horror Fest, Morbido Mexico, and Vancouver Horror Show. That is a good stretch of festivals.    A routine welfare check in the San Bernardino suburbs leads to a gruesome discovery - a family of three has been bound, bled, and posed below a strange symbol written in blood on the ceiling. Detective Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recognize the symbol as the calling card of a killer from...

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

Saban Films has acquired the North American rights to director Stuart Ortiz’s (“Grave Encounters”) newest horror film “Strange Harvest,” set to release later this summer, Variety can report exclusively.

The acquisition comes after a long festival run following the film’s Fantastic Fest premiere in 2024. The official synopsis reads: “A routine welfare check in the San Bernardino suburbs leads to a gruesome discovery — a family of three has been bound, bled, and posed below a strange symbol written in blood on the ceiling. Detective Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor recognize the symbol as the calling card of a killer from 15 years earlier calling himself Mr. Shiny, who has seemingly returned to continue his murder spree.”

“’Strange Harvest’ is like nothing you’ve ever seen,” Saban Films co-presidents Jonathan Saba and Shanan Becker said in a joint statement. “Stuart has crafted the perfect film for horror and true crime fans.

The best horror films are the ones that can shock their audiences. Whether it be through jaw-dropping twists or disgusting gore, these are the movies that imbue their fear with something unpredictable, keeping viewers on their toes and forcing them to constantly question what will happen next. Many films are able to do this, but few offer such an unforgettable, completely horrific moment of pure shock like Grave Encounters 2. Directed by John Poliquin, this sequel hasn't earned much love since its release; it is the follow-up to Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz's seminal found footage horror film, Grave Encounters.

Directed and Written by: Stuart Ortiz Starring: Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, LA Williams Synopsis: A faux true-crime documentary about two detectives pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California for almost two decades. Run Time: 94 …

The post Trailer Now Live!!! – Strange Harvest: Occult Murder In The Inland Empire – World Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

In 2019, while on a trip to Los Angeles, I decided to visit the Museum of Death. I have a complicated relationship with true crime. It’s a morbid and problematic fixation, sure. But there’s a reason why it’s also a pervasive one. We all die, and most of...

London is set to become the capital of fear this winter as the Soho Horror Film Festival makes its eagerly awaited return for 2024. With an expanded hybrid format, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest yet, delivering a chilling mix of in-person and online scares across two weekends. Kicking off at Brixton’s Whirled Cinema from 22nd to 24th November, the festival then moves online for its Sohome Horror Film Festival from 28th November to 1st December, offering fans a ghoulish feast of over 80 films from 17 countries.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, the festival will showcase an exceptional strand of found footage films. Leading the charge is the international premiere of Tim Kasher’s Who’s Watching, a disturbing tale of obsession starring Zachary Ray Sherman. Horror fans can also expect chills from Stuart Ortiz’s documentary Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire,...

Found footage has always been one of the scariest subgenres of horror. Ever since The Blair Witch Project scared audiences in 1999, there have been many horror films that are purposefully shot in a way that is grainy and handheld. Viewers see through the perspective of the character holding the camera, lending authenticity and an immersive quality to the movie. It's meant to feel like one is truly there living the experience, which makes it seem more real and more frightening.

Some found footage films are terrifying enough to evoke nightmares for weeks. These movies take advantage of the tight frames and first-person perspective to create some of the most impactful jump scares in horror. One doesn't need to watch The Blair Witch Project or any of the Paranormal Activities to get quality found footage. There are many underrated gems that feature creepy characters, ominous settings, and above all, terrifying moments.

Directed & written by Stuart Ortiz, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire uses the true crime documentary format to unleash grim horror.

Framed entirely as a grisly true crime documentary, Strange Harvest tracks two detectives’ pursuit of a grisly serial killer’s murder spree across San Bernardino County.

Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple star as Detectives Joe Kirby and Lexi Taylor, who act as talking heads as they investigate the mysterious and elusive “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer who leaves little in the way of clues despite the ghastly, horrific nature of his crimes spanning from the early ’90s to the early aughts.

Stuart Ortiz, one half of the filmmaking duo known as The Vicious Brothers, is no stranger to blurring fact and fiction. Bloody Disgusting spoke with Ortiz and lead stars Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple at Fantastic Fest, where the film made its world premiere (our review).

Despite its sprawling,...

One half of the Vicious Brothers, Stuart Ortiz, directs his first solo horror feature with Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire. It's a faux true-crime documentary about San Bernardino's most prolific serial killer, doing the work to trick audiences into believing its narrative authenticity. Think of Strange Harvest as the little sibling of John Erick Dowdle's The Poughkeepsie Tapes the horrors of a violent, inhumane murder spree are recalled by talking heads and through revolting footage. Ortiz pays meticulous attention to the documentary's composition, which results in believable interview subjects and tight editing techniques. It plays like a late-night serial killer special on a true crime channel. It's organic, unnerving, and proficiently grounded as a modern criminal nightmare.

Mixing the creeping faux true crime chills of The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) with hearty daubs of compelling supernatural mythos, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire is an impressive, engrossing, and downright scary instant found-footage/pseudo-doc horror classic from writer/director Stuart Ortiz.

Told in a docu-series format, Strange Harvest uncovers the weird tale of Mr. Shiny, a masked murderer responsible for a spate of ritualistic deaths located in and around San Bernardino, California, stretching back to the early ‘90s. Through news reports, still photos, the killer’s own letters, archival videos, and interviews with detectives Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Alexis Taylor (Terri Apple) as well as various others, the film takes viewers into the mind of a mysterious killer and the occult beliefs he may be killing for.

Ortiz brings the skills he sharpened on Grave Encounters (2011) and its sequel to bear here, gifting lovers of true crime...

Writer/Director Stuart Ortiz, one half of the filmmaking duo known as The Vicious Brothers, is no stranger to blurring fact and fiction. The filmmaker used a reality TV show to send a film crew to their doom in the 2011 found footage gem Grave Encounters. Ortiz’s latest, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire, makes for an exciting evolution in his craft.

Framed entirely as a grisly true crime documentary, Strange Harvest tracks two detectives’ pursuit of a grisly serial killer’s murder spree across San Bernardino County. Talking heads and case detectives Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Lexi Taylor (Terri Apple) investigate the mysterious and elusive “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer who leaves little in the way of clues despite the ghastly, horrific nature of his crimes spanning from the early ‘90s to the early aughts.

Ortiz weaves an impressive, almost dizzying level of mythology that unfurls slowly,...

The Following Film Review is Based on A True Story. Reader Discretion is Advised.

According to statistics (that I’ve just now fabricated to support my claim), the average horror fan consumes approx. 736 true crime documentaries each year. It’s an outrageous number, but one feels closer to reality than zero. The good, however, is that those countless hours of over-produced, mildly exploitative junk content have prepared you for a new mockumentary from the co-director of the Reality TV parody Grave Encounters.

Stuart Ortiz’s Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire is an incredibly spot-on spoof of the now classic Netflix True Crime documentary format. It’s got salacious crime scene footage, distressing interviews with the parents of victims, cops that have gotten to close to the case, cliffhangers designed for commercial breaks, and a mysteriously intriguing intro montage. It so closely resembles the medium it’s mimicking...

Strange Harvest: Occult Murder In The Inland Empire Photo: Matthew M Garcia

One of the more unusual films on the genre festival circuit this year, and one of the best, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder In The Inland Empire is styled as a true crime documentary whose chronicle of the pursuit of a serial killer takes in some unexpectedly strange phenomena. It’s a beautifully crafted work with a slow burn plot and little stylistic touches that elevate it above the genre it’s based on, without hampering believability. Shortly before its Fantastic Fest screening, I met director Stuart Ortiz and stars Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple, who play the investigating officers. Stuart told me how the idea originally developed.

“My first film is a film from 2011. It's called Grave Encounters, and it's like a found footage film,” says Stuart. “But in that movie we do have some documentary elements where we interview some people,...

Making its premiere at Fantastic Fest this weekend is Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire, from director Stuart Ortiz. Having taken part in a recent press day, I caught up with Ortiz, and co-stars Peter Zizzo and Terri Apple, to talk about everything that went into making this compelling faux doc.

via Fantastic Fest: "In July 2010, the San Bernardino County authorities were faced with one of the most bizarre crime scenes they'd ever encountered. Alerted by a concerned friend, local police arrived at the victims’ home, and the murders they discovered shook them to the ground. The crime scene showed ritualistic aspects, and quickly, one of the detectives recognized a symbol painted on the ceiling in the victims’ blood linking back to a serial killer they’d chased in 1995, before the killer seemingly took a 15-year break.

Having previously co-written and co-directed both the first and second Grave...

World Premiere – Fantastic Fest 2024 Directed and Written by: Stuart Ortiz Starring: Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, LA Williams Synopsis: A faux true-crime documentary about two detectives pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California …

The post Trailer Now Live!!! – Strange Harvest: Occult Murder In The Inland Empire – World Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Directed & written by Stuart Ortiz, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire will have its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 22, and we’ve got the official poster art along with an image set for ya today.

Stuart Ortiz is one half of the directing duo known as the Vicious Brothers. This solo outing from Ortiz uses the true crime documentary format to unleash horror, and you can further preview the upcoming movie by watching yesterday’s official teaser trailer down below as well.

The faux true-crime documentary centers on two detectives’ pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California for almost two decades.

Fantastic Fest’s official description gives further insight:

“In July 2010, the San Bernardino County authorities were faced with one of the most bizarre crime scenes they’d ever encountered. Alerted by a concerned friend, local police arrived at the victims’ home,...

The next evolution in found footage may have arrived. A new teaser for Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire uses the true crime documentary format to unleash horror.

Watch the new teaser below, with the horror movie is set to make its world premiere later this week at Fantastic Fest.

In the film, “A faux true-crime documentary about two detectives pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California for almost two decades.”

Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire hails from writer/director Stuart Ortiz, one half of the filmmaking duo known as The Vicious Brothers. In other words, Ortiz is no stranger to the realm of found footage horror, so expect the filmmaker to make bold swings with the format.

Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, LA Williams star.

A faux true-crime documentary about two detectives pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California for almost two decades.   Strange Harvest will have its world premiere at Fantastic Fest soon. The trailer has gone out today, check it out below. Strange Harvest was directed and written by Stuart Ortiz, one of the writer and directors of the effective and jumpy Grave Encounters movies back in 2011 and 2012.   Their latest stars Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, Andy Lauer, Matthew Peschio, Janna Cardia, Thomas Wolfe Jr, Tim Shelburne, Christina Helene Bra, and LA Williams.    In my first film Grave Encounters, we used the found footage medium to try and present a fantastical supernatural story, as if the events actually...

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The world premiere of Bruce Goodison’s Black Cab starring Nick Frost will open this year’s Grimmfest, a UK horror and sci-fi fantasy festival held in Manchester October 3-6, 2024.

Frost stars in the Shudder title as an erratic cab driver who has no interest in taking the bickering couple he’s just picked up to their destination. Synnøve Karlsen and Luke Norris also star in the film which Sony Pictures Television and Stolen Pictures produce.

Black Cab will screen as part of the festival’s ‘Fear On Four Wheels’ strand which also includes the world premiere of Joey Palmroos...

When done well, found footage horror makes for one of the most immersive and unnerving viewing experiences. The inherent naturalism tends to make the horror feel more plausible and real. Found footage horror doesn’t need a huge budget or recognizable names among the cast to induce chills, either, and the lo-fi visuals only further add to the scares.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to found footage horror movies that excel with the format, delivering unsettling atmosphere and scares while making the most of their immersive, lo-fi aesthetics. Here’s where you can stream them this week.

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

Banshee Chapter – Screambox, the Roku Channel, Tubi

Drawing inspiration from actual government hallucinogenic drug experiments and H.P. Lovecraft’s From Beyond, Blair Erickson’s feature debut is part found footage, part faux documentary. After her friend’s sudden disappearance, journalist Anne Roland...

In this edition of The Silver Lining, we’ll be covering Colin Minihan’s alien abduction thriller, Extraterrestrial!

At one point, it can be argued that the Vicious Brothers were one of Canada’s most influential filmmaking duos, only challenged by the Soska Sisters in genre cinema. While these punk-rock partners (who aren’t really brothers) skyrocketed to stardom after the popularity of 2007’s Grave Encounters, they weren’t too keen on repeating themselves after that initial success, even passing along their directorial duties to John Poliquin on Grave Encounters 2.

For their next endeavor, the duo decided to look back on an unproduced passion project. Inspired by their perceived lack of “cool” alien movies in the horror genre, the filmmakers had come up with a story informed by UFO abduction accounts and government conspiracy theories long before their first feature film. Updating the script, they soon began production on what would eventually become 2014’s Extraterrestrial.

What they captured on camera cannot be explained.

Still relatively early in its existence, YouTube was busy bringing Rebecca Black’s weekend anthem “Friday” into homes around the world and teaching viewers how to do the dance moves to The Lonely Island’s “The Creep," but for millions of horror fans in late 2010 and early 2011, the relatively new video platform was home to one of the first horror movie trailers to go viral in the 2010s. The name of the movie was Grave Encounters, and similar to The Blair Witch Project—its found footage predecessor that went viral in its own grassroots way in the ’90s—the film’s trailer was presented as real footage assembled from a real event that went really wrong. Centered on a paranormal investigative team making a TV show called Grave Encounters, the trailer showed what would happen if supernatural sleuths really did make contact with the other side…...

Urban Legend is the next horror movie to get the reboot treatment as an updated version is now in development at Screen Gems. Colin Minihan has been tapped to write and direct a new take on the 1998 movie. Reportedly, the studio has set the project on the fast track and is currently casting its key roles. Mike Medavoy and Benjamin Anderson are also on board to produce for Phoenix Pictures, with Screen Gems' Eric Paquette and Michael Bitar overseeing the project.

Full details are not yet known about the plot of the Urban Legend Reboot, but the modernized reboot will "introduce an iconic new slasher for the digital age in a world where internet urban legends are born and move at a terrifying pace." Similar to the original, Minihan's reboot will also focus on a diverse group of college students, now investigating a series of murders that "resemble urban legends...

"My dad, he used to say to me: You only kill what keeps you alive." This moral hunter's credo takes on sinister overtones when spoken by Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) to her lover Jules (Brittany Allen) in the brutal Red Band trailer for writer/director Colin Minihan's What Keeps You Alive. The film was scooped up for distribution by IFC Midnight following an impactful debut at SXSW last March and can now be seen in theaters in Los Angeles and New York or on VOD. The film's premise seems as straight-forward as it is nerve-shredding:

"How much can you really know about another person? The unsettling truth that even those closest to us can harbor hidden dimensions drives this thrillingly unpredictable, blood-stained fear trip. Jackie (Anderson) and Jules (Allen) are a couple celebrating their one year anniversary at a secluded cabin in the woods belonging to Jackie's family. From the moment they arrive,...

"My dad, he used to say to me: You only kill what keeps you alive." This moral hunter's credo takes on sinister overtones when spoken by Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) to her lover Jules (Brittany Allen) in the brutal Red Band trailer for writer/director Colin Minihan's What Keeps You Alive. The film was scooped up for distribution by IFC Midnight following an impactful debut at SXSW last March and can now be seen in theaters in Los Angeles and New York or on VOD. The film's premise seems as straight-forward as it is nerve-shredding:

"How much can you really know about another person? The unsettling truth that even those closest to us can harbor hidden dimensions drives this thrillingly unpredictable, blood-stained fear trip. Jackie (Anderson) and Jules (Allen) are a couple celebrating their one year anniversary at a secluded cabin in the woods belonging to Jackie's family. From the moment they arrive,...

Though writer/director Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz made a big splash a couple of years ago with the release of Grave Encounters (review) under the moniker of "The Vicious Brothers," the pair have slowly drifted into separate careers with What Keeps You Alive marking Minihan's first solo effort as both writer and director.

Minihan's latest has been much buzzed about since it premiered at SXSW earlier this year. It stars Hannah Emily Anderson and Brittany Allen as Jackie and Jules respectively, a couple who take a vacation to a remote cabin to celebrate their one year anniversary. Shortly after the pair arrive, Jackie starts to display a dark streak and when she shares a...

(Aotn)- Ok, Smt Heads, you’ve been chomping at the bit for a new take on zombies. Fortunately, the zombie makers have heard your plea…. That’s why we’re sitting down with ‘Jigsaw’ star, Brittany Allen, and talking about her bold, new take on the last survivor trope in her film “It Stains The Sands Red,” out on DVD/Blu-Ray on Sept. 26th!

Check out our conversation with Brittany (and our nifty, new Aotn graphics) right here:

It Stains The Sands Red

Comes to DVD on September 26th

In the throes of a zombie apocalypse, Molly, a troubled woman from Las Vegas, finds herself stranded in the desert with a lone ravenous zombie on her trail. At first, she’s easily able to outpace her undead pursuer, but things quickly become a nightmare when she realizes the zombie doesn’t need to ever stop and rest. Running low...

A Las Vegas stripper attempts to escape the zombie apocalypse in Colin Minihan's low-budget It Stains the Sands Red, a film whose eponymous "it" may not refer to the undead menace we're expecting. All My Children's Brittany Allen is a solo protagonist here, bucking the genre's customary ensemble format, and that's not the only way Minihan's picture (co-written with Stuart Ortiz) strays from the usual script. Genre fans will likely have a hard time coming to terms with this tonally confused and sometimes grating film, whose commercial prospects are limited despite the appeals it makes to some underserved audiences.

That...