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[Sundance '12]: ‘V/H/S’ Filmmaker Joe Swanberg Talks ‘Silver Bullets’, ‘You’re Next’, And His New Distribution Model

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Posted by EvanDickson on January 20, 2012 @ 8:10pm
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SwanbergVHS12012 [Sundance 12]: V/H/S Filmmaker Joe Swanberg Talks Silver Bullets, Youre Next, And His New Distribution Model

Joe Swanberg has been a busy guy. Immensely busy. Starting with 2005′s Kissing On The Mouth he’s directed over a dozen films including Hannah Takes The Stairs, Nights And Weekends and last year’s werewolf pic Silver Bullets. He’s also found time to act in films such as A Horrible Way To Die and You’re Next (a movie he’s absolutely hilarious in).

As one of the directors (and actors) of V/H/S – Swanberg is once again stretching his horror wings. I spoke to him recently about his dalliances in the genre, his recent acting roles, and his ideal career trajectory.

In the film, “When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.”

Hit the jump to check out the interview! READ MORE

[Sundance '12]: UPDATE – Does ‘West Of Memphis’ Have New Evidence In Real Life Murder Case?

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Posted by EvanDickson on January 20, 2012 @ 6:05pm
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MemphisLand12012 [Sundance 12]: UPDATE Does West Of Memphis Have New Evidence In Real Life Murder Case?

UPDATE: A press release from Damien Echols’ legal team, regarding the new case information detailed in the film, is after the jump.

Premiering today at the Sundance Film Festival is a new documentary written and directed by Academy Award nominated filmmaker, Amy Berg (Deliver us From Evil) and produced by first time filmmakers Damien Echols and Lorri Davis, in collaboration with the multiple Academy Award winning team of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. West Of Memphis tells the untold story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light. This of course is all about the (now proven in court) erroneous incarceration of the “West Memphis Three”.

Now, there are emerging reports that the documentary actually presents new evidence in the murder case. Per Deadline, “I’m hearing rumblings here in Park City that the Sundance documentary West of Memphis will include some new important evidence obtained within the last month that could have direct bearing on the future of the case… Press that screened the film in New York and Los Angeles last Friday were told that a scene was missing from the movie, but weren’t given specifics. I’m hearing the new scene will be included in the print of the film shown for the first time at Sundance this morning at 8:30 AM at a press and industry screening at the Holiday Village. The film has its official premiere today at 4:45 PM at the MARC Theater.”

In the film, “starting with a searing examination of the police investigation into the 1993 murders of three, eight year old boys Christopher Byers, Steven Branch and Michael Moore in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, the film reveals the story from the inside. West of Memphis uncovers new evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the other three victims of this shocking crime – Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley; all three of whom were teenagers at the time of their arrests and all three of whom were imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.”
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[Sundance '12]: ‘V/H/S’ Filmmaker Adam Wingard Talks Directing ‘You’re Next’, Dog Tranquilizers, And The ‘ABC’s Of Death’

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Posted by EvanDickson on January 18, 2012 @ 8:24pm
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[Sundance 12]: V/H/S Filmmaker Adam Wingard Talks Directing Youre Next, Dog Tranquilizers, And The ABCs Of Death

Adam Wingard has made a name for himself by brining a unique directorial voice to films like Pop Skull, A Horrible Way To Die and this year’s sure-to-be breakout hit You’re Next.

As one of the directors of V/H/S – a film that breathes new life into the stagnant found footage genre – he again teams up with writer Simon Barrett to bring unhinged chaotic lunacy to the film’s wraparound piece.

In the film, “When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.”

Hit the jump to check out the interview! READ MORE

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[Sundance '12]: ‘V/H/S’ Filmmaker David Bruckner Talks Emerging Media, ‘The Signal, And ‘Enter The Void’ As An Influence

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Posted by EvanDickson on January 18, 2012 @ 1:19am
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VHSStill311411 [Sundance 12]: V/H/S Filmmaker David Bruckner Talks Emerging Media, The Signal, And Enter The Void As An Influence

Writer/Director David Bruckner made a name for himself with 2007′s The Signal. Now, as one of the directors of V/H/S – a film that breathes new life into the stagnant found footage genre – he’s able to explore his fascination with the sociological repercussions of technological immersion in deeper, more horrific, areas.

I spoke with Bruckner recently about his interest in media, V/H/S, his new short, and what’s coming up next for him.

In the film, “When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.”

Hit the jump to check out the interview! READ MORE

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[Sundance '12]: ‘V/H/S’ Filmmaker Simon Barrett On ‘You’re Next’ And Found Footage Movies For People Who Hate Found Footage

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Posted by EvanDickson on January 16, 2012 @ 11:08pm
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[Sundance 12]: V/H/S Filmmaker Simon Barrett On Youre Next And Found Footage Movies For People Who Hate Found Footage

“A lot of horror filmmakers think their audiences are complete f*cking idiots. And the one thing I try and do the most is make movies that are fun, that we would like to see – and not assume that the people who want to see them are complete and utter fools. Because they’re not.”

Simon Barrett knows a lot about making horror films that don’t condescend to their audience. As the writer behind films like A Horrible Way To Die, Dead Birds and this year’s sure to be breakout hit You’re Next he’s proven that he’s not susceptible to many of the lazy traps horror writers often find themselves falling into.

As a co-writer and producer on V/H/S – a film that breathes new life into the stagnant found footage genre – he again teams up with director Adam Wingard to simultaneously subvert and embrace genre in new and exciting ways.

In the film, “When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.”

Hit the jump to read a portion of our recent, epic, interview. READ MORE

[Sundance 2012] ‘West of Memphis’ Trailer, Poster

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Posted by MrDisgusting on January 13, 2012 @ 4:56pm
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Premiering at next week’s Sundance Film Festival is a new documentary written and directed by Academy Award nominated filmmaker, Amy Berg (Deliver us From Evil) and produced by first time filmmakers Damien Echols and Lorri Davis, in collaboration with the multiple Academy Award winning team of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. West Of Memphis tells the untold story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light.

“Starting with a searing examination of the police investigation into the 1993 murders of three, eight year old boys Christopher Byers, Steven Branch and Michael Moore in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, the film reveals the story from the inside. West of Memphis uncovers new evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the other three victims of this shocking crime – Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley; all three of whom were teenagers at the time of their arrests and all three of whom were imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.”

With the fest just a week away, we got our hands on the film’s official trailer and poster. READ MORE

[Sundance 2012]: Another Look at ‘Black Rock’

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 22, 2011 @ 5:31am
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[Sundance 2012]: Another Look at Black Rock

Actor Katie Aselton’s (one of the best parts of “The League”) directorial debut, Black Rock, is slated to premiere next month at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Aselton’s husband Mark Duplass (Baghead, Cyrus) wrote the screenplay that “follows what happens when three childhood friends meet for a weekend getaway on an isolated island and discover that they have company.”

Lake Bell (“The League”), Kate Bosworth (Strawdogs, Superman Returns), Jay Paulson (“Happy Town”), Anslem Richardson and Will Bouvier will co-star with Aselton.

“I grew up watching classic suspense films and have long had the idea of making a girl-based thriller where the threat to the characters is very real, and the audience is left with the terrifying thought ‘this could happen to me,” said Aselton earlier this year.

Check out a brand new still above with all of our Sundance news available here. READ MORE

[Sundance 2012] One Final Sneak Peak at ‘V/H/S’!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 06, 2011 @ 6:56pm
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[Sundance 2012] One Final Sneak Peak at V/H/S!

On Sunday, January 22, 2012 the Sundance Film Festival will hold the World Premiere of V/H/S, our found footage horror film that features the works of Adam Wingard (You’re Next, A Horrible Way to Die, Pop Skull), Simon Barrett (You’re Next, Dead Birds, Read Sands), Ti West (The House of the Devil, The Roost, The Innkeepers), David Bruckner (The Signal), Joe Swanberg (Silver Bullets), Glenn McQuaid (I Sell the Dead), and Radio Silence. The horror flick will be playing as part of the Park City at Midnight program at 11:45PM.

Here’s the plot: “When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.”

While we’ve already shared two images with you guys, we’ve given the boys over at Radio Silence the green light to sneak out a look at their segment, making this the final look before the screening. Radio Silence, formerly known as “Chad, Matt and Rob”, are YouTube sensations that I’ve been a huge fan of for years. Become a fan too on their newly launched Facebook page. READ MORE

[Sundance 2012] ‘Red Lights’ to World Premiere, New Imagery!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 05, 2011 @ 9:04pm
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[Sundance 2012] Red Lights to World Premiere, New Imagery!

It was announced today that Rodrigo Cortes’ Red Lights, the supernatural thriller starring Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, and Cillian Murphy, will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this coming January in Park City, Utah. Check out some new stills inside and watch for a review next month.

“In the film, De Niro stars as Simon Silver, a legendary psychic, perhaps the most famously gifted of all time, who returns after thirty years of mysterious absence to become the world’s greatest challenge to orthodox science and professional skeptics.

Meanwhile, paranormal fraud investigator Tom (Murphy) begins to develop a dense obsession Silver, whose magnetism is enhanced dangerously with each new manifestation of inexplicable phenomena.” READ MORE

[OMFG] Our Film ‘V/H/S’ Will Premiere at Sundance 2012, First Look!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 01, 2011 @ 10:58pm
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[OMFG] Our Film V/H/S Will Premiere at Sundance 2012, First Look!

It still hasn’t even sunk in…

Our film V/H/S is going to have its world premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival as part of their Park City at Midnight program on Sunday, January 22nd! It’s insane to be mentioned in the same breath as Saw, High Tension, Open Water, The Signal, The Woman and even The Descent. INSANE.

I’ve always been sort of an oddball when it comes to setting life goals. While most people I know shoot for the stars, I always shoot towards happiness. For example, Bloody Disgusting was never meant to be as successful as it is. When Tom and I started the site back in January 2001 we did it out of the pure love of the genre, and because doing things with your friends is not only cool, but also fun. While the site continues to blossom, everything I do continues to be about personal happiness as opposed to making a dollar.

This bleeds into my side projects. I Associate Produced A Horrible Way to Die, which was a friend “experiment”, a way to see if a group of friends could work together to create a great piece of art. I’m proud of the final product and what my buddies were able to achieve. After that, both Tom and myself were fortunate enough to get two more projects off and running – Under the Bed and V/H/S – both of which we’re Producers on. And with both, the aim wasn’t to reach the stars, it was to have a memorable experience with a group of people I respect and love.

This is why I can’t wrap my head around the idea of V/H/S being accepted into Sundance. While the goal is always to make a great movie, personally I just wanted to share an experience with some of the most talented filmmakers I think the world of… READ MORE

[Sundance 2012] Blood-Soaked ‘Excision’ Stills

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 01, 2011 @ 10:17pm
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[Sundance 2012] Blood Soaked Excision Stills

The most left-field announcement in the upcoming Sundance Film Festival is Richard Bates, Jr.’s Excision, which looks insanely bloody.

Starring AnnaLynne McCord, Traci Lords, Ariel Winter, Roger Bart, and John Waters, the flick will premiere as part of the Park City at Midnight program next January.

“A disturbed and delusional high school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.”

Check out all of the blood-stained imagery inside. READ MORE

[Sundance 2012] Park City at Midnight Announced!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 01, 2011 @ 9:04pm
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[Sundance 2012] Park City at Midnight Announced!

Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, NEXT < => and New Frontier. The Festival takes place from January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.

Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In many ways, the extremes of the Festival’s program are most readily apparent in our out-of-competition sections, which showcase the wildest comedies, the most terrifying horror films and uncompromised visions from singular voices springing up from around the country and the world. We hope audiences experiment with their film selections to an equal degree as these filmmakers have experimented with their storytelling.”

After the break you’ll find the full list of Park City at Midnight genre titles, along with a few other horror-themed movies sneaking around the fest. READ MORE

Mumblecore Guru Heads to ‘Black Rock’ with Wife, Actress

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Posted by MrDisgusting on May 11, 2011 @ 5:14pm
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Actor-director Katie Aselton (one of the best parts of “The League”) has joined the thriller Black Rock with intentions to direct, writes THR.

“The film follows what happens when three childhood friends meet for a weekend getaway on an isolated island and discover that they have company.”

Lake Bell (“The League”), Kate Bosworth (Strawdogs, Superman Returns), Jay Paulson (“Happy Town”), Anslem Richardson and Will Bouvier will co-star with Aselton.

“I grew up watching classic suspense films and have long had the idea of making a girl-based thriller where the threat to the characters is very real, and the audience is left with the terrifying thought ‘this could happen to me,’ ” said Aselton.

Aselton’s husband Mark Duplass (Baghead, Cyrus) wrote the screenplay.
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