Halo-8 Entertainment has secured North American distribution rights to the manic, twisted, drug-infused Pop Skull (review), an award-winning psychological horror film directed & co-written by Adam Wingard (Home Sick), starring & co-written by newcomer Lane Hughes, co-written and co-produced by E.L. Katz (Autopsy), and produced by Peter Katz (Mortuary). The film premiered domestically at the AFI Film Festival and internationally at the Rome Film Festival, where Wild Bunch acquired the foreign rights. Halo-8 has slated the film for a limited theatrical run followed by a DVD release on July 28, 2009! More details inside.
“Adam Wingard’s brash and gutsy film isn’t a breath of fresh air–it’s a breath of toxic, dextromethorphan-laced air that leaves audiences shocked to the core and proves horror can still be bold and inventive and smart,” said Matt Pizzolo, President of Halo-8. “What makes POP SKULL so unique is the fact that its aggressive voice is mixed with a subtle and evocative story, a compellingly vulnerable lead, and a gorgeously photographed visual style. We’re honored by the opportunity to bring this bleeding-edge film to audiences.”

“From the visionary director Adam Wingard, POP SKULL is an atmospheric horror film inspired by a true ghost story. It has terrified audiences and critics around the world,” said POP SKULL producer Peter Katz. “Co-writer/producer E.L. Katz and I are thrilled Halo-8 will distribute our movie to the real horror fans. Halo-8 has built a reputation of applying innovative marketing/distribution strategies for cutting-edge independent cinema.”

“Two years in the making and dozens of cough medicine induced drunken hazes later, POP SKULL is finally emerging onto DVD with the support of indie distributor Halo-8,” said POP SKULL director Adam Wingard. “It wasn’t an easy road to get here, and perhaps in this time of economic collapse it is appropriate that at last our low budget masterpiece will finally see the light beyond its extended festival circuit tour.

“I started with the simple urge to tell the story of my friend and eventual collaborator Lane Hughes. His tale is one of heartbreak, drugs, rock n roll, and ghostly encounters. You could say the movie wrote itself and, to put the icing on the cake, I even convinced Lane to co-write the film and star in it. I won’t say Lane is playing himself, but he is playing a character going through his real life experiences. Now if that isn’t post modern I don’t know what is! Stylistically inspired by the works of Shinya Tsukamoto, David Firth, and Merzbow, POP SKULL is a film that only a punk rock, balls-out distributor like Halo-8 could handle.”

POP SKULL depicts the lonely and disjointed life of Daniel, a young Alabama pill addict, as his efforts to cope with the trials of his day-to-day life collide with the increasing influence of murderous and displaced spirits that inhabit his home. Plagued by ghosts, Daniel discovers his home holds a secret to a grisly crime… a crime he’s doomed to repeat if he can’t prevail against the forces that haunt him.

Pop Skull premiered domestically at the AFI Film Festival and internationally at the Rome Film Festival before playing the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, San Diego Film Festival, San Francisco Independent Film Festival, and New Zealand International Film Festival. It was awarded grand jury prizes at the Indianapolis International Film Festival and the Boston Underground Film Festival.

Halo-8 Entertainment (www.halo8.tv) is a Hollywood-2.0 movie studio using bleeding-edge strategies to create and distribute daring new films and lifestyle videos. Recent releases include the arthouse-horror film THE DEVIL’S MUSE (which Rue Morgue called “intoxicating and sensual”), the award-winning hardcore-punk thriller THREAT (which Urb Magazine said “makes KIDS look like an after-school special”), the legendary NY hardcore documentary N.Y.H.C. (which Cinematical called “smashing… a terrific, well-told, engaging story”), and the campy, interactive horror-DVD-game SLUMBER PARTY SLAUGHTERHOUSE: THE GAME (starring Tiffany Shepis, Joanna Angel, Melissa Bacelar, Katie Nisa, Masuimi Max). Current productions include the iconoclastic hero’s journey GODKILLER (starring Lance Henriksen, Bill Moseley, Tiffany Shepis, Lydia Lunch, Justin Pierre, Davey Havok) and the sly, subversive sex comedy HOW I LOST MY VIRGINITY -BY ALEXANDRA JONES.