Movies
News Bites: ‘REC’ Wedding, Animated ‘Monster,’ ‘Exorcist’ Play, Dracula Badass Again & First ‘House’ Pic
Click on over to the official Facebook page for Filmax’s now-filming REC 3: Genesis and you’ll find a slew of behind-the-scenes wedding photos, which is pretty much like looking through a boring wedding album. It’s hard to complain considering how awesome the first batch of stills were. Paco Plaza is behind the camera solo this time around, with Leticia Dolera and Diego Martin both starring. Watch this spot for an exclusive set report in the coming week.
The boys at /Film caught wind of a bizarre animated project from artist/director Rosto entitled The Monster of Nix, which feature the voice talents of Terry Gilliam and Tom Waits. The animated musical is about Willy, “a troubled boy who fights the destructive force of an all-devouring monster in the village of Nix.” Tom Waits voices Virgil, “a terrifying giant pitch-black swallow,” and Terry Gilliam is voicing the Ranger, “who locks himself up in terror in his forest cabin.” You’ll find a really weird teaser video inside.
Just the other day we told you about a Silence of the Lambs spoof heading to Broadway, now Los Angeles is getting one that’s more head-spinning. A John Doyle-helmed stage adaptation of The Exorcist and world preem plays by Alan Alda and Beth Henley are on tap for the 2011-12 season at L.A.’s Geffen Playhouse, writes Variety. “Agnes of God” playwright John Pielmeier adapts William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, also the inspiration for the famous 1973 horror pic. Production from director Doyle (“Sweeney Todd”) is slated to play July 3-Aug. 12, 2012.
It was announced last month that House of Wax and Orphan director Jaume Collet-Serra would be telling a re-imagining of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” in Harker. Details were slim as it’s said to focus on Jonathan Harker as the Scotland Yard detective who is tracking Dracula, with the script setting up the sleuth as a potential new franchise character. Collet-Serra chatted up with Spanish site Aullidos explaining their gonna make the Count nice and evil again: “[Today is all about] vampires and very romance for girls thirteen years. But we want to bring back Dracula and demonstrate who is boss.” Hell yes! Warner Bros. is behind this little fella.
Update: Image removed at request of Relativity. Lastly, check out this teaser image from Mark Tonderai’s House at the End of the Street, which “centers on a teen girl (Jennifer Lawrence) who moves with her mom to a new town and learns that their home is across the street from a house where a double murder took place. Complications ensue when the teen befriends the massacre’s sole surviving son (Max Thieriot). Elisabeth Shue costars as Lawrence’s mom.” In theaters February 3 from Relativity Media.
One of the all-time foundational fixtures in horror is the vampire. That means over a century’s worth of bloodsuckers in film, in various styles and mythology, from across the globe.
As prominent as this movie monster is, with dozens of adaptations of Bram Stoker’s Dracula alone, there’s an overwhelming selection of vampire fare that makes it easy for many worthwhile gems to fall through the cracks. This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to underseen vampire horror movies worth seeking out.
As always, here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Mr. Vampire – The Criterion Channel – Plex, the Roku Channel
This supernatural genre-bender from director Ricky Lau stands far apart from standard vampire fare thanks to its comedy, martial arts, and jiangshi. Taoist priest Master Kau (Lam Ching-ying) guards the realm of the living by maintaining control over the area’s hopping vampires, and other restless spirits. When Master Kau is hired to oversee the reburial of an affluent town elder, he and his two bumbling assistants find themselves in a supernatural battle to the death when the elder’s corpse resurrects as jiangshi. Produced by martial artist and Hong Kong cinema legend Sammo Hung, Mr. Vampire was a huge box office success in Hong Kong and launched a franchise. Still, it’s a charming, lively horror comedy that could use more love among contemporary audiences.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To – Plex, Prime Video, SCREAMBOX
Writer/Director Jonathan Cuartas‘s feature debut feels like a spiritual sibling to We Are What We Are in many ways. Both offer meditative, brooding depictions of isolated families far removed from the rest of the world. Both families are willing to commit unspeakable acts on behalf of their loved ones. In this case, siblings Dwight (Patrick Fugit) and Jessie (Ingrid Sophie Schram) find themselves routinely tasked with murder so their sickly younger brother Thomas (Owen Campbell, Super Dark Times) can have the fresh blood to survive. In the vein of The Transfiguration or Martin, this brooding debut feature grounds its vampirism in reality and focuses on the constricting, devastating toll of familial obligation.
The Night of the Devils – Kanopy
A disturbed man, Nicola, recounts the story of getting stranded in the woods, only to find refuge in a charming family’s house. The longer he’s there, the more he uncovers something is deeply amiss. Witches, vampires, and sordid family secrets ensue. Like Mario Bava’s anthology segment “The Wurdulak” in Black Sabbath, The Night of the Devils is also based on The Family of the Vourdalak by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Director Giorgio Ferroni balances the gore and sleaze with haunting Gothic atmosphere and stunning cinematography. While it’s methodical in its buildup, the craftmanship and grim ending make this underseen Italian and Spanish co-production worth the watch.
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat – Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Plex, the Roku Channel
Director Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Hellraiser III) has a blast with his high concept horror comedy that sees vampires living in the reclusive desert town Purgatory. They seek a peaceful life, with the plan to get an artificial blood factory in operation. Everything goes off without a hitch until Van Helsing’s descendant, Robert Van Helsing (Bruce Campbell), arrives in town. It’s a vampire western horror comedy that lovingly pokes fun at vampire tropes. The simple setup becomes anything but thanks to town politics, new tourists, and Van Helsing’s irresistibility to a vampire (Deborah Foreman). David Carradine presides over the vampire hijinks as Count Jozek Mardulak. For those looking for something fun and lighthearted, this pick is your best bet.
Vamp – AMC+, Plex, the Roku Channel, Shudder, Tubi
This highly entertaining horror comedy features a vampire that doesn’t get nearly enough attention; Grace Jones exudes raw power as vamp Katrina. Robert Rusler and Chris Makepeace star as two fraternity pledges that venture into the city to hire a stripper, all to impress their frat brothers. They find themselves in a shady part of town, unaware that the dive bar they’ve entered is full of vampires. Naturally, they find themselves in an all-night battle for survival. The neon haze-soaked urban setting makes for a refreshing change of pace. The bromance between the leads is as sweet as it is funny. Most of all, though, watch for Grace Jones’ riveting performance.
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