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[Interview] Gretchen Lodge On Research, The “Kissing Scene”, And What She Was Afraid To Shoot In ‘Lovely Molly’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 18, 2012 @ 10:00am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

After months of taking Mr. Disgusting’s word for it (review here), I finally saw Image Entertainment’s Lovely Molly. And I loved it. It’s super unsettling, well-directed, well-paced, and has some truly striking imagery.

It’s also a role that requires a lot of its lead actress, Gretchen Lodge. I felt bad for her just watching it, but she more than rose to the occasion. Earlier this week I sat down with Lodge to discuss her role as Molly, what she thought of the script, and the elements of the story she might have been the most trepidatious about filming.

Lovely Molly opens in limited theaters today, May 18th. If you live in Los Angeles, Lodge will doing a Q&A following the 7:40PM show at the Chinese 6 at Hollywood and Highland this evening. She’ll also be conducting a poster signing at Dark Delicacies on Tuesday night.

Directed by Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project), “When newlywed Molly Reynolds returns to her long-abandoned family home, frightful reminders of a nightmarish childhood begin seeping into her new life. She soon begins an inexorable descent into evil that blurs the lines between psychosis and possession.”

Become a fan on Facebook and head inside for the interview. READ MORE

[Interview] Transcript From Our Twitter Interview With ‘Killer Joe’ And ‘The Exorcist’ Director William Friedkin

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 17, 2012 @ 3:11pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

On July 27th, LD Films will release Killer Joe, which is directed by the man behind The Exorcist and To Live And Fie In LA – William Friedkin. This may not sound like a horror film to you – but it is indeed bloody and disgusting. It’s also very entertaining. I can see why some people might have issues with it – it’s an absolutely bonkers movie. But it’s intense and unsettling and bold. It weirded me out more than Human Centipede and was much more fun to watch. A pulpy ride with huge performances all around, and an interesting character study from Juno Temple.

Last week I interviewed Friedkin live on Twitter and we discussed Killer Joe in as much depth as I think you can in that format. We also talked about The Exorcist and found out that the legendary director is sort of a found footage fan – he cites Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity as his favorite recent horror movies.

“When 22-year-old Chris (Emile Hirsch) finds himself in debt to a drug lord, he hires a hit man to dispatch his mother, whose $50,000 life insurance policy benefits his sister Dottie (Juno Temple). Chris finds Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a creepy, crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer. When Chris can’t pay Joe upfront, Joe sets his sight on Dottie as collateral for the job. The contract killer and his hostage develop an unusual bond. Like from a modern-day, twisted fairy tale, “Killer Joe” Cooper becomes the prince to Dottie’s Cinderella.”

The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church and Gina Gershon. It’s based on the play by Pulitzer and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts. Head inside for the transcript. READ MORE

Exclusive

Interview: Kurtis Wiebe On ‘Grim Leaper’

Comics
Posted by Lonmonster on May 17, 2012 @ 11:23am
Category: Comics / Exclusives

Kurtis J. Wiebe stole our hearts last year with his incredibly dark murder-mystery, “Green Wake”, and he’s exploded onto the comic scene ever since. He’s got a brilliant mind full of ideas, and he stretches his work across multiple genres proving that he’s no one-trick pony. Although he’s new to the comic world, he’s already made a huge impact, proving himself as a talented storyteller.

His newest book, Grim Leaper, is a tragic, gory, romantic comedy that mixes Final Destination with Groundhog Day. It follows Lou Collins, a man who cannot stop dying, only to wake up in the body of strangers. But his monotonous life takes a wild turn after he falls in love with a fellow leaper. We caught up with Wiebe about his new series, wrapping up “Green Wake”, his plans for the future, and a whole lot more. READ MORE

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[Interview] ‘Entrance’ Directors Dallas Richard Hallam And Patrick Horvath On Budget, Slashers And Shooting Los Angeles

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 17, 2012 @ 10:30am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Indie slasher Entrance opens on IFC Midnight Cable VOD and Digital Outlets (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, XBOX Zune, Playstation Unlimited) this Friday, May 18th. It’s a deceptively quiet horror film starring Suziey Block as Suzy, a lonely young woman in Los Angeles going through a serious case of malaise. It’s almost a mumblecore From Dusk Till Dawn in that you might not even know it’s a slasher movie until you’re a good deal of the way through it. It’s also really good.

But don’t take my word for it. From BC’s review, “On a technical level with regards to its slasher elements, Entrance is a pretty great flick. There are a couple of earned jolts, some surprisingly good kills, and a slow burn creepiness not unlike The Strangers or Ils, not to mention the creative approach – our “Final Girl” is in every single frame of the film, which doesn’t allow for her slutty best friend to go off alone or even cutaways during the scare scenes. By design the slasher film is a fairly limited concept, so anytime I can walk away impressed by how the filmmakers handled their well-worn material on the directorial side of things, I am happy.”

I recently hopped on the phone with directors Dallas Richard Hallam and Patrick Horvath to talk about the film’s style, their approach to shooting LA and adding horrific stakes to a genre some would refer to as mumblecore. Head inside to check it out. READ MORE

Exclusive

[Interview] Director Brett Donowho On ’5 Souls’ And His Three Other Current Films!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 11, 2012 @ 6:05pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Premiering at Cannes this year will be Outsider Pictures’ new thriller 5 Souls. The Brett Donowho (At Silver Falls) directed film stars Ian Bohen (Pearl Harbor), Steve Bacic, Kristina Anapau (Black Swan), Steven Schub (The Thirteenth Floor), Samaire Armstrong (“The OC”) and Allison McAtee (“NCIS”). The other day I had the chance to catch up with Donowho on the phone and we talked about the Souls, shooting on location and the three other films he has going to Cannes this year (Silver Falls, No Tell Motel, and The Sacred).

In the film, “After falling into a coma after a routine doctors visit, Noah awakens to find a man sitting at the end of is bed. The good news is that he has come to kill him, and then there is the bad news…” This clip comes straight from that premise, it’s here that we first see Noah awake in the hospital to less than a warm welcome.

Head inside for the interview! READ MORE

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[Interview] Singer/Songwriter Kina Grannis Talks Social Media And Being A Woman In The Industry

Music
Posted by Jonathan Barkan on May 11, 2012 @ 2:00pm
Category: Music / Exclusives

Being the music editor for a horror website is quite challenging. If I post something that isn’t rock and/or metal related, people ask, “What does this have to do with horror?” But at the same time, what does rock and metal have to do with horror? Just because they’re “extreme” genres doesn’t mean that there is necessarily a connection. Rather, I like to think that just as horror is a part of our daily lives, so is music. And just like some people prefer one type of horror over another, so to do they enjoy different genres of music. I’m a huge fan of metal but sometimes I like to relax to mellower tunes.

And so it was that last week I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with singer/songwriter YouTube sensation Kina Grannis at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, MI. Kina is touring in support of her latest album Stairwells. We sat down to discuss what her future plans are, how she utilizes and views social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to promote and communicate her music, and, lastly, we discussed gender dynamics in the industry. You can read this exclusive interview below.

Make sure to get Kina‘s music on iTunes. READ MORE

Interview

Alice In Chains Guitarist Jerry Cantrell Discusses New Album

Music
Posted by Jonathan Barkan on May 10, 2012 @ 5:31pm
Category: Music / Interviews

In a recent interview with RollingStone, Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell opened up about the long-awaited new studio album, which is a follow up to 2009′s Black Gives Way To Blue. The new album was delayed when Cantrell underwent shoulder surgery but plans are no back on track.

“It‘s time to get to work and the material is really interesting, the body of work that we’ve done. It’ll be as different as any one of our records is to any other, and it’ll also be just as recognizable. It’s an Alice record, for sure.”

Whereas the last album was a tribute to the late AIC singer Layne Staley, the new album will be the next step forward. Cantrell expands upon this idea, “”Albums, to me, are like snapshots of periods of time, and it’s kind of a mosaic of all the people involved. It’s a process that you go through to make it happen lyrically and musically. It’s always been our style to tell our story.”

Cantrell hopes the album will come out either late this year or early next year.

Alright readers, what do you think? I can’t wait to hear some new AIC material, so I’m beyond excited to see what the new album sounds like. READ MORE

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[Interview] Seth Grahame-Smith On Crafting ‘Dark Shadows’ With Tim Burton And Johnny Depp, ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ And ‘Beetlejuice 2′

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 09, 2012 @ 3:45pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Warner Brothers’ new release Dark Shadows hits theaters at the end of the week. Johnny Depp, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Cloe Moretz, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Thomas McDonell, Gulliver McGrath and Jonny Lee Miller all star. The film is of course directed by Tim Burton.

Earlier in the week I had the chance to sit down with the film’s screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith to talk about working with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp to distill this soap opera from the 1970′s into something more attuned to today’s big screen experience. We also touched on future projects Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Beetlejuice 2. As for Unholy Night and Pride, Prejudice and Zombies, we only had so much time so I had to drop those from the conversation.

In theaters May 11, “The story focuses on Barnabas Collins (Depp), who was transformed into a vampire by a jilted lover (Eva Green’s witch Angelique) way back in the 1700s and buried. He’s just been dug up, and attempts to reintegrate with his descendants, led by Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elizabeth and Jonny Lee Miller’s Roger – despite the fact that Angelique is still around and still not in a forgiving mood.”

Head inside for the interview. READ MORE

[Interview] Darren Lynn Bousman On ‘Mother’s Day’, ‘Cinco De Mayo’ And Part Two Of ‘The Devil’s Carnival’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 08, 2012 @ 10:22am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Darren Lynn Bousman’s Mother’s Day is out today from Anchor Bay Films on Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack and on DVD. It’s an intense little film with an enesemble cast that includes Rebecca DeMornay (The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Wedding Crashers), Jamie King (Red Tails, My Bloody Valentine, Sin City), Brianna Evigan (S. Darko, Step Up 2: The Streets), Patrick John Flueger (Footloose, Brothers), Deborah Ann Woll (HBO’s “True Blood”), Lyriq Bent (Saw II-IV, Skinwalkers), Frank Grillo (The Grey, Minority Report) and Shawn Ashmore (the X-Men films, Frozen).

This movie is actually pretty damn intense. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be quite as visceral as it is, and it adds a few new scenarios to the home invasion genre that I hadn’t seen yet. I recently hopped on the phone with Bousman to discuss the film, its long road to release and the impact of the film’s violence (along with an alternate 4 hour cut that will probably never see the light of day). We also discussed Cinco De Mayo, the upcoming film that took us all by surprise last Saturday. Finally we touch upon The Devil’s Carnival tour and his plans for that film’s sequel.

In the film, “After a bank robbery gone wrong, three brothers go home to hideout…only to discover that their Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) lost their house in a foreclosure. The new owners and their party guests become the depraved brothers’ unwitting hostages. Their sadistic Mother soon arrives and brilliantly takes control of the situation, ratcheting up the terror. As the hostages struggle desperately to survive the harrowing torture, they realize that there is nothing a Mother won’t do to protect her children.”

Head inside for the interview. READ MORE

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[Interview] Director Yam Laranas Talks Violence, Structure And That Creepy “Bag” Imagery In ‘The Road’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 07, 2012 @ 12:00pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Opening for travel on May 11 (in limited theaters, VOD, Netflix and more) from Freestyle Releasing is Yam Laranas’ R-rated Filipino horror The Road, a supernatural chiller that’s a trilogy all within one movie! It’ll play in select markets including: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Honolulu, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.

While my review doesn’t hit until Friday, I can tell you that I think this movie is absolutely worth your time. It’s scary, evocative, beautiful and doesn’t pull its punches. I recently hopped on the phone with director Laranas to discuss the film’s themes, imagery and his approach to its non-traditional structure.

“‘The Road’ tells the story of a twelve-year-old cold case that is reopened when three teenagers vanish while traversing an infamous and abandoned road. As investigators try to find leads to the whereabouts of the missing teens, they also unearth the road’s gruesome past that spans two decades – a history of abduction, crimes and murders.” Carmina Villarroel, Marvin, Agustin, TJ Trinidad, Rhian Ramos and Barbie Forteza all star.

Head inside for the interview. READ MORE

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Seth Grahame-Smith Says ‘Beetlejuice 2′ Is A Straight Sequel, Other Characters Possibly Returning

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 06, 2012 @ 6:05pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

I met up with writer Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Pride, Prejudice And Zombies) today at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills to talk about Dark Shadows. While he’s made a name for himself with his novels and has several high-profile screenplay credits on the horizon, it’s his first major release as a screenwriter. We had a nice long chat about the film, the bulk of which will be hitting later this week. But I figured I’d go ahead and share his update on Beetlejuice 2 with you guys. It’s not too much different than updates he’s offered in the past, though things seem to be progressing – and he’s acknowledging that some other favorite characters may return.

I have to ask, what’s that status of Beetlejuice 2?

The status is everyone’s waiting for me to get off my ass. I’ve met with Michael Keaton about it, I’ve met with Tim [Burton] about it. Warner Brothers is obviously eager. But right now the ball’s in my court to sort of crack the story that will make it worth of doing this again. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it to you. I don’t want to have to look fans in the face and apologize for making a bad Beetlejuice movie, because it’s one of my favorite movies. And I don’t want to make anything just because I can. I don’t think Tim would participate [with those motives in mind] and I certainly know Michael wouldn’t. If we get something worthy…

Any chance of Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis or Winona Ryder’s characters returning?

It’s all possible. In terms of the story, however many years that are between the two films will be the amount of years that are between the two story lines. It’s not a reboot or a remake, it’s a straight sequel with Michael Keaton returning as Beetlejuice.

Check back later in the week for the rest of the interview. Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Chloe Moretz and Helena Bonham Carter. It opens this Friday, May 8th.

Exclusive

[Interview] Butch Vig Talks New Garbage Album ‘Not Your Kind Of People’

Music
Posted by Jonathan Barkan on May 04, 2012 @ 5:00pm
Category: Music / Exclusives

A week and a half. That’s how much longer we have to wait until Not Your Kind Of People, the first new Garbage record in seven years, comes out. We’ve already heard their first single, “Blood For Poppies” (review), and I still can’t get enough of it. So, to build up the hype just a wee bit more, I’ve got an exclusive interview with drums/percussionist/songwriter/producer/wizard Butch Vig for you to enjoy below!

Forming in 1994, Garbage has gone on to sell over 17 million albums worldwide. Their first album, Garbage, went double platinum in the US while their second album, Version 2.0, went platinum. Make sure to preorder your copy of Not Your Kind Of People on iTunes. READ MORE

Home Video

[Interview] Robin Hardy Talks ‘The Wicker Tree’ & The Legacy of ‘The Wicker Man’

Movies
Posted by David Harley on May 03, 2012 @ 6:00am
Category: Movies / Home Video

In 1973, Anthony Shaffer and Robin Hardy unleashed The Wicker Man on an unsuspecting world and in mixing folklore, paganism, and some strange music numbers, created what is now referred to as ‘The Wicker Man genre.’ When I discovered the film around a decade ago, it was one of most distinct films I had seen and there’s still nothing really like it. Well, unless you count its spiritual successor, The Wicker Tree. It’s not quite a sequel or a remake, but rather a reinterpretation of the original as a comedy. If The Wicker Man was quirky, then The Wicker Tree is pure exaggeration. I recently got to chat with writer/director Robin Hardy about the legacy of one of my favorite films of all time and his satirical approach to reframing it. READ MORE

Director Zal Batmanglij On Cults, Belief And The ‘Sound Of My Voice’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 26, 2012 @ 12:00pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

While my official review doesn’t hit until Friday, it’s safe to say that I pretty much love Sound Of My Voice. It’s a small, but very effective, thriller with some genuinely creepy moments. It also gives you a lot to think about and asks some interesting questions about the nature of belief itself – not necessarily religious belief (though it can be interpreted that way), but the mechanics behind what we accept as fact and reject as fiction.

Last week I sat down with Zal Batmanglij, the film’s director and co-writer, to talk about cults, the nature of belief and debunking, long (intense) scenes and crafting the film in general.

In the R-rated thriller from director Zal Batmanglij, “Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius), a couple and documentary filmmaking team, infiltrate a mysterious group led by an enigmatic young woman named Maggie (Brit Marling). Intent on exposing her as a charlatan and freeing the followers from her grip, Peter and Lorna start to question their objective and each other as they unravel the secrets of Maggie’s underworld.”

Sound Of My Voice opens in tomorrow, April 27th. I strongly urge you to seek it out. Head inside for the interview. READ MORE

Exclusive

Producers Marc Evans And Aaron Ryder Talk About Getting Poe Right In ‘The Raven’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 26, 2012 @ 10:00am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Relativity Media’s The Raven opens on Friday. It stars John Cusack (Hot Tub Time Machine), Alice Eve (Star Trek 2), Luke Evans (The Hobbit) and Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and is probably quite a bit bloodier than you’re expecting.

Last week I sat down with producers Aaron Ryder (The Prestige) and Marc D. Evans (The Strangers) to talk about this film’s long journey to the screen as well as their efforts to stay true to the more graphic aspects of Poe’s work. Please be aware that there are spoilers contained within. I decided to include them because Marc Evans explicitly stated (and is sort of back up by historical fact) that he’s comfortable with the audience knowing this stuff going in. Not to mention the fact that this information is also contained in a title card at the beginning of the film. Still – I want to give you fair warning.

From V for Vendetta director James McTeigue , “The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life – and death – in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author. When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve) becomes the next target.”

Head inside for the interview. The Raven is in theaters this tomorrow, April 27th. READ MORE

Brit Marling On The Many Faces Of Maggie And Writing ‘Sound Of My Voice’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 25, 2012 @ 12:00pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Last week I sat down with Brit Marling, the film’s star (and co-writer), to talk about the process of bringing this unique vision to the screen as well as the challenges of playing the film’s cult-leader Maggie.

Sound Of My Voice opens in theaters April 27th, go see it. And head inside for the interview. READ MORE

Interview

Interview: Jamie Delano On ‘Crossed: Badlands’

Comics
Posted by Lonmonster on April 25, 2012 @ 10:59am
Category: Comics / Interviews

Writer Jamie Delano is a legend in the horror comics scene. His lengthy, and essential runs on “Hellblazer” and “Animal Man” still stand the test of time, and are recognized as some of the best works with those characters. Delano is making his triumphant return to the comics world with a six issue arc on Avatar’s brutal, twisted, and violent series, ‘Crossed: Badlands‘, beginning this week with issue #4. Bloody-Disgusting caught up with Delano to discuss his upcoming work on “Crossed”, his thoughts on DC’s New 52, and his inspiration within the darkness. READ MORE

Exclusive

Luke Evans Talks Tone, Gore And Character Dynamics In ‘The Raven’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 25, 2012 @ 10:00am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

As Detective Fields in The Raven, Luke Evans plays the straight man to John Cusack’s Edgar Allan Poe. The film is, in many ways, structured like a buddy cop movie – albeit with a historical figure in a period setting and lots and lots of blood. Nevertheless, two leads from opposite walks of life are forced to team up to solve a series of crimes. It’s not the easiest job to maintain the screen with a more flamboyant presence, but Evans rises to the occasion.

I hopped on the phone with Evans late last week to discuss his role, balancing fiction with reality and staying true to the gruesomely beautiful spirit of Edgar Allan Poe’s writing.

Head inside for the interview. The Raven is in theaters this Friday, April 27. READ MORE

Exclusive

Directors Adrián García Bogliano and Ramiro García Bogliano Talk ‘Penumbra’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 25, 2012 @ 4:11am
Category: Movies / Exclusives

On April 20th, IFC Midnight released Penumbra, nationwide on IFC Midnight Cable VOD and Digital Outlets (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, XBOX Zune, Playstation Unlimited). It’s also currently playing at the IFC Center in New York.

To that end, I recently conducted an email interview with Adrián García Bogliano and Ramiro García Bogliano regarding their South American horror outing and their approach to its unsettling imagery and suspense (among other things).

“Combining stylistic elements of classic Polanski with a contemporary vision that rivals anyone working in horror today, the Bogliano brothers’ ‘Penumbra’ is a superbly realized South American horror slow-burner. Marga is a highly motivated, arrogant and successful business woman on assignment in Buenos Aires – a city she hate and whose people she loathes. While in the Argentina capital on a day the whole population is waiting to view a rare solar eclipse, she must also find a new tenant for her family’s decrepit apartment. Rapidly losing her patience waiting for one applicant, she runs into the mysterious Jorge lurking outside the front door of the place who informs her that he has a client willing to pay four times what she is asking in rent. There’s one catch – the paperwork must be signed immediately. As greedy Marga waits to complete the transaction, several of Jorge’s associates suspiciously appear at the apartment ready to strip the wallpaper. And what’s behind the decor signals a startling fate worse than death – or should that be life!”

Head inside for the interview! And be sure to check out the film, it’s available now. READ MORE

Exclusive

Alice Eve On Poetry, Society And Coffins In ‘The Raven’

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on April 24, 2012 @ 2:00pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

As Emily Hamilton in The Raven, Alice Eve plays the love interest of John Cusack’s Edgar Allen Poe. And it’s a more complicated role than that sounds. She’s simultaneously at odds with her protective father (as played by Brendan Gleeson) and the demands of 19th Century Baltimore society while trying to tame her lover’s demons and addictions. She also has to spend a solid chunk of the film trapped inside a coffin, which provides for some fairly intense scenes.

I sat down with Eve a few weeks ago to discuss the demands of her role, what it’s like interplaying between Gleeson and Cusack, and just how many days she had to spend in that coffin.

Head inside for the interview. The Raven is in theaters this Friday, April 27. READ MORE