Movies
If Gene Simmons and WWE’s ‘Temple’ Is Good, I’ll Eat This Article!
Netflix, Redbox and other VOD outlets are killing entertainment, as it’s not about quality, but about quantity (units sold).
WWE Studios is already the worst at producing horror movies (Leprechaun: Origins is the latest fatality), and now they’re teaming with Gene Simmons of KISS to make one. Why? Not because Simmons is a horror expert, and not because WWE knows anything about the genre, but because with the wrestling audience and KISS fans they can sell a shit load of crappy movies.
Simmons, who is openly a money grubbing sellout, has formed Erebus Pictures with WWE Studios to finance and produce movies, says Variety.
The first production in a 3-picture deal (guaranteed to end after that) is Temple, written by Matt Savelloni.
“It follows a team of trained operatives who find themselves trapped inside an isolated military compound after its artificial intelligence is suddenly shut down — and then begin to experience strange and horrific phenomena.”
Again, this deal is about selling movies, not about art, which is why I guarantee these films are going to be trash. How confident am I? If I like Temple – and I’m an extremely honest guy who can admit when I’m wrong – I will print this article out, and take a video of me eating it. Literally, I’ll eat my words.
Even Simmons’ quote is weird, as it sounds as if he’s not even a horror fan*: “The horror genre continues to fascinate me as it proves to be endlessly thrilling and engaging for audiences.” So, the genre is fascinating because it’s thrilling and engaging for audiences, not Simmons. Why is he projecting outward? It’s a weird quote, if you ask me.
The kicker comes from Michael Luisi, president of WWE Studios, who swears this is a passion project.
“Horror films fall into a genre that thrives on genuine passion, and I believe this partnership truly capitalizes on that sentiment and supports our vision.”
Bloody readers may slam me in the comment section below, but I’ll be right. And if not, you can loop a video of me dipping this article in some salsa and forcing it down my throat.
*It should be noted that Simmons’ “Demon” persona was inspired by old horror comics, and he’s said he’s a fan of monsters movies and Godzilla in the past.
Before updating the video nasty Faces of Death, director Daniel Goldhaber and writer Isa Mazzei explored the dangers of online life in tech-thriller Cam, their feature debut that was acquired by Netflix in 2018 after making waves on the festival circuit.
At the end of last year, the Netflix exclusive quietly departed from the streaming platform, left without another streaming home.
It’s not an isolated story; Mike Flanagan’s Hush also left streaming entirely for a period until it was finally picked up on both physical media and other streaming services.
While the tech-thriller currently isn’t available to watch on Netflix, Tubi, Hulu, or any other platforms, that’s not a problem for Cam thanks to a very cool move by Goldhaber: the director has made his breakout film accessible to watch online for free via his website.
As his site notes: “CAM is unfortunately not currently available to view on any platforms, so you can watch it here if you like :).“
No subscriptions or fees necessary, just hit play.
Cam follows Alice (Madeline Brewer), who works as an online cam girl obsessed with her ranking on the cam site. The higher her ranking goes, the more it draws unwanted attention, and Alice soon finds herself replaced on her own show with a doppelganger.
Written by Mazzei, a former camgirl, it uses the horror thriller premise to examine the life of a sex worker; Alice’s career ambition is directly at odds with the shame it brings to her family, and how she tries to spare them from it by keeping them in the dark. It only compounds her danger when the doppelganger enters the equation in Goldhaber’s engaging thriller.
For a deep dive into the treacherous world of Cam, listen to Horror Queers’ episode on it now.
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