Have you watched the trailer for the POLTERGEIST remake yet?

 If not, do yourself a favor and check it out now!  I haven't really been too excited about any new horror films coming out lately, but this one looks like it could be really good!  I loved the original POLTERGEIST and can't wait to see what producer Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures does with this new film.  Here is the plot of the new film from the movie's imdb.com page:

  Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi and director Gil Kenan reimagine and contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and take the youngest daughter, the family must come together to rescue her.

  POLTERGEIST is scheduled to hit theaters on July 24, 2015 in both 2D and 3D versions.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

ASH VS. EVIL DEAD TV series coming to STARZ!!!

 

  I was super excited when I heard that THE EVIL DEAD was being revamped for a TV series on the STARZ Movie Channel and would be staring Bruce Campbell as Ash!  I was even more excited when I realized I actually get the STARZ channel! 
  The tentative title of the series is ASH VS. EVIL DEAD.   Original Director Sam Raimi will be writing and directing the show and original series producer Rob Tapert will be on hand to executive produce along with Raimi and Campbell.
  To be honest, I really didn't get too excited when I first heard about it, because I figured this was just a rumor.  Let's be honest, how long have we been hearing that THE EVIL DEAD 4 was finally being made, and we have never seen that yet.   I still will not believe this news until I actually am watching the opening credits on the STARZ network.  This just seems too good to be true, but major news sources all over the net are writing about it, so I guess it is really happening!

Click below to read some more articles and details about the new EVIL DEAD TV show
from these various news outlets:

CNN
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
THE HUFFINGTON POST
VARIETY

DVD Review: MEMORY OF THE DEAD

 
MEMORY OF THE DEAD
Directed by Valentín Javier Diment
Distributed by Artsploitation Films

  I have said it before and I will say it again...I LOVE foreign horror films!  There are so many great horror movies being made all over the world, you owe it to yourself to check out some of these great foreign films!  I just watched a film from Argentina called MEMORY OF THE DEAD.  This was a visually stunning film that was heavily influenced by some of the top names in horror.   Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Artsploitation website:

  A stylish supernatural shocker that has been a hit at film festivals around the world. Argentina’s Memory of the Dead boasts some terrifying FX setpieces bathed in a candy-colored visual palette that makes Mario Bava’s gothic classics look monochromatic by comparison. Following the sudden death of her husband, Alicia assembles all his friends at a vast country manor for a reading of his final letter. But Alicia also has other plans in mind – helping her husband return from the grave with a spell that will put all of the gathered guests in mortal danger. Scary, hysterical and packed with mind-boggling visuals, Memory of the Dead is the cinematic equivalent of a funhouse ride.

  I love the reference comparing this film to a funhouse ride.  That is spot on as there is something different going on with each person in the house...a different surprise around every corner!  There are some crazy death sequences in this film, and just some crazy visuals all throughout the film.   One thing I noticed from the beginning was the excellent camera work.  There are some very cool shots throughout the film, great camera angles and such.

  It's interesting that this film was compared to a Mario Bava film in the plot synopsis.  I can totally see that, but I can also see influences from Dario Argento  (use of color),  and most of all, Sam Raimi and the EVIL DEAD films.  There are a few scenes taken directly from the EVIL DEAD films, a nice homage for sure!

  Fans of gore will be thrilled by this film...there are some crazy gore effects in this film, some that truly made me cringe, and I don't get bothered by too much!

  I highly suggest you check out MEMORY OF THE DEAD.  The DVD is available now from Artsploitation Films.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Coming soon....ARMY OF DARKNESS 2 !!!

  Raise your hand if you want to see a sequel to ARMY OF DARKNESS.  Me too, Ash!  Well, now you can  (or will be able to someday, anyway).  That's right!  In case you haven't heard, ARMY OF DARKNESS 2 is happening.  While that is awesome news, what is even better is that both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are attached to the project!  Raimi will be directing and Bruce will be starring in the new film.  Now, the bad news is it is slated for a 2016 release, which means we have a while before we will be able to see this new film.  The project has just been announced, so no word on any plot lines yet.  And as always with any film announcement this far in advance, things could change.  Stay tuned and I will pass on any details as I hear them!

CLICK HERE and HERE to read articles posted by bloody-disgusting.com about ARMY OF DARKNESS 2!

Book Review: THE DIBBUK BOX by Jason Haxton

THE DIBBUK BOX
by Jason Haxton
Published by Truman State University Press

  If you saw the 2012 film, THE POSSESSION, then you are already somewhat familiar with the topic discussed in the book, THE DIBBUK BOX.   That film was based on real events, and the real events are all laid out in detail in this book by Jason Haxton.  Here is a description of the book from the Truman State University Press website:

  A series of eerie events slowly unfolds when a wine cabinet sells at an estate sale in Oregon. It is soon sold and resold on eBay’s Internet auction, and each new owner becomes desperate to get rid of the box along with the health problems, accidents, or death they claim came with it.
   Jason Haxton, the curator of a medical museum in a small Missouri town, learns of the mysterious cabinet and is intrigued by it as an artifact to be studied and researched. He places a bid on eBay and soon finds himself the proud owner of the dibbuk box. But as he carefully investigates and records everything he can about this unusual item said to be possessed by a Jewish spirit, Haxton discovers far more than he bargained for. In this true account, a dark story comes to light—a story that began at the time of the Holocaust and seems to have come full circle.

  This is one of the best books I have read based on true accounts.   Haxton's writing style is very easy to read and his story telling skills really keep you involved in this book.  If you don't believe in these supernatural type events, you might have a different outlook after reading this.  Some of the stories told in this book are amazing and sound like something out of a movie.  To think these events really happened is very remarkable.  It is no wonder a movie was made about this subject. 

  The author does an amazing job of chronicling all the steps he took in the study of this box.   He includes e-mail transcripts, phone-interviews , and other personal accounts he had with a wide variety of people who were associated with the box at different points along the box's journey.   The box changed hands on many accounts, and the book tells you of each account and why the owner decided to get rid of the box.   It baffles me that someone would want to buy this box, even after hearing all that happened to the previous owners, but people are very curious and very skeptical that it could "happen to them", but as you will read, it happened to each and every person that owned this dreadful collector's item.

  I highly recommend THE DIBBUK BOX.  It is a great read and a worthy collection to your personal library.


CLICK HERE to purchase the book

THE EVIL DEAD remake is a go!!

I know a  lot of people hate horror remakes, but I personally love them.  They don't take anything away from the original...we will always have those, but they can introduce a new generation of movie watchers to some great stories and characters and even get them interested in seeing the originals if they haven't already.

I say all this because Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell have announced an official THE EVIL DEAD remake!   Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Rob Tapert will all be producing the film with the directing duties being given to Fede Alvarez.

I am personally very excited about this.  Anything involving THE EVIL DEAD is ok in my book, even if it is not the EVIL DEAD 4 we've all been wishing for.  I am confident Sam will make sure this is a top notch film that lives up to its name.  


CLICK HERE to read the full article from The Hollywood Reporter

Watch WITHIN THE WOODS, the film that was the basis for THE EVIL DEAD!!

Most fans of THE EVIL DEAD series have heard of WITHIN THE WOODS, but not many have seen it. I never realized it was sitting out there on Youtube for all to see so easily!! This is the film Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Robert Tapert shopped around to investors in order to raise money to shoot their first feature, BOOK OF THE DEAD, or as we now know it, THE EVIL DEAD. Here is the basic plot:

A group of friends spend a weekend at a remote cabin, and one of them accidentally desecrates an Indian burial ground. This causes him to turn into a zombie, and kill off his friends. They must band together to try and survive being massacred.

Sounds somewhat familiar, huh? Thanks to Youtube user TheUltimateEvilDead for posting this! He has the film split up into 4 parts, so CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4. When that is done, look at the "More from: TheUltimateEvilDead" section and pick part 2 of 4 and so on until you have watched all 4 parts.

Keep in mind, this was never meant for home video release. It was shot on Super 8mm film and has aged terribly, so it is hard to watch in terms of film quality. It is like watching a VHS tape that is all crinkled up. BUT....us true EVIL DEAD fans will look past that as long as we get a chance to watch this long heard about early effort from the folks that brought us the greatest Horror trilogy of all time, THE EVIL DEAD films!!!

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CLICK HERE to watch part 1 of 4 of WITHIN THE WOODS