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[Interview] Talking Theories And Conspiracies With ‘Room 237′ Director Rodney Ascher

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on March 28, 2013 @ 4:00pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining won’t want to miss the wild theory infused documentary Room 237. IFC Films releases it tomorrow, March 29th at IFC Center and Elinor Bunim Monroe Film Center in New York City followed by a national rollout. The film will simultaneously be available on Cable VOD, iTunes and other digital outlets (Sundance Now, Amazon Streaming, XBOX and more).

There’s a host of great and interesting stuff in the film if you’re a fan, and director Rodney Ascher does a great job of laying out the various theories of the people he interviewed for the project in a way that the audience is primed to actually consider them rather than reject them outright. I sat down with him a few weeks ago and we discussed his methodology and how far he found himself being invested in these various trains of thought.

“After the box office failure of Barry Lyndon, Stanley Kubrick decided to embark on a project that might have more commercial appeal. The Shining, Stephen King’s biggest critical and commercial success yet, seemed like a perfect vehicle. After an arduous production, Kubrick’s film received a wide release in the summer of 1980; the reviews were mixed, but the box office, after a slow start, eventually picked up. End of story? Hardly. In the 30 years since the film’s release, a considerable cult of Shining devotees has emerged, fans who claim to have decoded the film’s secret messages addressing everything from the genocide of Native Americans to a range of government conspiracies. Rodney Ascher’s wry and provocative Room 237 fuses fact and fiction through interviews with cultists and scholars, creating a kaleidoscopic deconstruction of Kubrick’s still-controversial classic.”

Head inside for the interview! READ MORE

The Creepy ‘BioShock Infinite’ Faux Documentary Continues With A Look At The Songbird

Games
Posted by Adam Dodd on February 15, 2013 @ 10:50am
Category: Games / Videos

Songbird, Songbird, see him fly. Drop the children from the sky. When the young ones misbehave, escorts children to their grave.

That’s creepy, and you can get more of that from this new video for BioShock Infinite! The first episode in the ‘Columbia: A Modern Day Icarus’ documentary focused on the floating city of Columbia. In this new episode, we learn more about its watchful protector, its silent guardian, the winged beast Columbia deserves, but not the one it needs ri-wait, that doesn’t apply here. You watch this video — I’m going to go watch The Dark Knight again.
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I Would Totally Watch A Documentary On ‘BioShock Infinite’s’ Floating City Of Columbia

Games
Posted by Adam Dodd on January 30, 2013 @ 11:00am
Category: Games / News

I so desperately want this documentary on Columbia from BioShock Infinite to be real, because it’s totally something I would watch. I want to learn more about the floating city and its volatile relationship with the United States after it took matters into its own hands with the Boxer Rebellion in 1901. I also want to know more about its leader, Zachary Comstock, and his tyrannical rule over the people of Columbia.

Where too many games take having an interesting story as something to consider tossing in after they’ve made sure the enemy dismemberment looks as gruesome as possible, BioShock has always revolved around its world and the characters that inhabit it. I highly recommend you pop a bag of popcorn and really soak in this two minute tease of what could be, after the jump.
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Here’s What The ‘Prometheus’ Chestburster Was Supposed To Look Like!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on October 18, 2012 @ 5:41pm
Category: Movies / Images

Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, his quasi Alien prequel, hit Blu-ray and DVD recently both in the UK and in the States. It apparently features some killer documentaries about the film’s development process from being a straight Alien prequel to its more heady end result.

About a week ago we provided you with a rundown of what original writer Jon Spaihts’ draft might have looked like had Ridley Scott put it up onscreen. And now we have a visual rendering of what a chestburster might have looked like in the film via a piece of concept art. If you’ll remember from last week’s article, the chestbursting was intended to occur during a sex scene between Shaw and Holloway. So be prepared for some male naughty bits.

Head inside for a more complete rendering of the Prometheus chestburster!! Warning – the image is a bit NSFW. READ MORE

Possession Examined In New ‘Lovely Molly’ Viral Feature, “Demonic Forces”

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on May 07, 2012 @ 4:57pm
Category: Movies / Videos

Image Entertainment has released part two of their “Haunted Past” faux doc for Lovely Molly. If you didn’t get a chance to check out the first one, you can do so here here (or head below the jump). Mr. Disgusting really digs this movie and I can’t wait to see it myself. Now, we have a new installment in the series of faux-documentaries that have been popping up leading to the film’s release. They’ve all been cool so far – and this one is no exception.

In theaters May 18, the supernatural horror film that brings viewers face-to-face with pure evil. 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.

‘Never Sleep Again’ Producers Take On Jason Voorhees With ‘Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th‘ Doc!!!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on April 28, 2012 @ 3:05am
Category: Movies / News

Have you guys seen the A Nightmare on Elm Street documentary Never Sleep Again yet? No? Well, you’re missing out on the single best horror doc ever assembled. Now, the producers are tackling the world of Jason Voorhees.

Panic Productions and Hutson Ranch Media announced today that the documentary Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th officially began lensing on April 24, 2012 in Los Angeles, New York, Connecticut and Vancouver. Inspired by author Peter M. Bracke’s bestselling book, this thrilling retrospective promises to be the definitive look at the making of the iconic horror franchise.

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of ‘Friday the 13th’ promises to give horror fans a unique insider’s look into the iconic horror series, featuring over 100 interviews with cast and crew spanning all twelve films and the television series, many of whom have never before publicly discussed their involvement in the long-running franchise. The documentary is written and directed by Daniel Farrands and produced by Thommy Hutson, who previously combined forces on the most acclaimed horror franchise documentary ever made, 2010′s Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy, an epic four-hour journey that chronicled the making of director Wes Craven’s seminal 1984 shocker and its seven sequels. READ MORE

Deathwish Inc. To Release Give Up The Ghost (American Nightmare) Reunion Documentary

Music
Posted by SuperRadMike on April 27, 2012 @ 12:04am
Category: Music / Videos

This past winter something happened that I never thought would. American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost) got back together to play 2 shows at the end of this past December. Now whether or not they plan on pursuing the band can neither be confirmed or denied, but at the very least they are releasing a documentary for our viewing pleasure.

Now, from the trailer you can watch past the break, I can assume that a lot if not all the performance footage will be included as well as interviews with the band and all parties involved such a Chris Wrenn (Bridge Nine Records) and Jacob Bannon (Frontman for Converge and Co-owner of Deathwish Inc.) Let me say, for the record, that I couldn’t be more excited for this. American Nightmare was a big deal for me growing up and is still a big influence on me today. Now please, go and enjoy the 11 minute trailer.

Music
Posted by John Marrone on March 13, 2012 @ 5:09pm
Category: Music / News

dontstopbelievinsjourney [Tribeca 12] Dont Stop Believin: Everymans Journey

Photo credit: Tribeca Film Festival

Its hard to deny Steve Perry, former lead singer of Journey, of his epic status in the history of rock and roll. He was without a doubt one of the most powerful and vocally gifted singers of our time. While many of you have heard that he is no longer with the band – not as many are familiar with the story of Arnel Pineda, the formerly homeless Filipino who has taken his place. Discovered on YouTube by Neil Schon, Arnel barely speaks a lick of English, yet he is perhaps the only man in world skilled enough to fill Steve’s shoes. If you haven’t heard him perform with Journey, take a peek at the trailer inside. His Perry-like voice alone is incredible.

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on March 01, 2012 @ 2:01am
Category: Movies / News

MemphisLand12012 Sony Pictures Classics Acquires West of Memphis

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to Amy Berg’s docu about the West Memphis Three, West of Memphis,” which was produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, as well as first-time producers Damien Echols and Lorri Davis, says Variety.

The pic, which debuted at Sundance, “chronicles the new investigation surrounding the West Memphis Three, which ultimately broke the case open and led to the freedom of three innocent men: Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr.”

Berg’s film examines the flawed police investigation into the 1993 murders of three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, and reveals details of Echols’ fight to save his life while sitting on death row for 18 years.

Watch the festival trailer below. READ MORE

[Sundance '12]: ‘Room 237′ A Gift For ‘Shining’ Obsessives!

Movies
Posted by EvanDickson on January 26, 2012 @ 5:06pm
Category: Movies / News

Room237Land12612 [Sundance 12]: Room 237 A Gift For Shining Obsessives!

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival last week was Rodney Ascher’s Room 237, an experimental documentary that explores the numerous theories about the real meaning of Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining. An we have a review!

Ryan Daley writes in from Sundance, “Many of the ideas presented are preposterous and absurd, but every interview subject has a point or two that’s surprisingly relevant. The film as a whole is insanely thought-provoking. And more importantly, whether it’s discussing subliminal Hitler mustaches or implied erections, Room 237 is consistently entertaining. But this is coming from someone who has seen ‘The Shining’ more than 20 times.”

From the official site, “‘Room 237′ is a subjective documentary that explores the numerous theories about the hidden meanings within Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining. The film may be over 30 years old but it continues to inspire debate, speculation, and mystery. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments. Together they’ll draw the audience into a new maze, one with endless detours and dead ends, many ways in, but no way out…”

Click here for the full review. READ MORE

Peter Jackson Investigates Infamous West Memphis Three Case

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on December 05, 2011 @ 4:48pm
Category: Movies / News

Peter Jackson Investigates Infamous West Memphis Three Case

I just recently decided to delve into Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, which has since turned into a trilogy of films about the “West Memphis Three”. It appeared to have everything you could possibly need to translate into a film, but apparently it wasn’t enough.

Peter Jackson and his Wingnut Films have announced completion of helmer-scribe Amy Berg‘s West of Memphis, a docu about the West Memphis Three, who were jailed for murder and recently freed, reports Variety.

What’s interesting is that Damien Echols, one of the three, produced the film with his wife Lorri Davis. 8 years in the making, Jackson and Fran Walsh helped reinvigorate the case in 2005 when they funded a new probe into the conviction of Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelly Jr., who were teenagers at the time of the murders of three 8-year-old boys and spent 18 years in prison.

A statement from Jackson said the film reveals unknown forensic evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the three defendants. The new evidence prompted the Arkansas Supreme Court to overturn previous denials of appeals and allowed for a new evidentiary hearing to proceed. READ MORE

[Review] ‘Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on November 21, 2011 @ 6:34pm
Category: Movies / News

[Review] Cormans World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel

Opening in limited theaters December 16 from Anchor Bay Films is Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, Alex Stapleton’s Sundance documentary on DIY producer/director Roger Corman and his alternative approach to making movies in Hollywood.

“Boasting one of the most impressive collections of interview subjects I’ve ever seen for a Hollywood-based documentary, the only problem with Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel is that it’s too short – I could easily listen to these guys tell stories about their various Corman productions for hours on end, but until the (hopefully jam-packed) DVD, 90 minutes will have to suffice.”

Click the title for the entire review. READ MORE

NSFW Clip from ‘Machete Maidens’

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on November 01, 2011 @ 7:41pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

From the early ’70s well into the ’90s the Philippines was a back-lot for a bevy of B-movie mavericks and cinema visionaries alike. The country was utilized for its inexpensive labour, exotic locations and distinct lack of rules. A large body of genre work emerged that somehow managed to capture the raw, chaotic energy of contemporary Filipino culture. These productions (a cavalcade of monster movies, jungle prison movies, blaxploitation and kung fu hybrids) were miraculously made at a time when the country’s political situation was repressive at best.

From Mark Hartley, director of the Ozploitation doc, Not Quite Hollywood, comes Machete Maidens Unleashed! The doc arrives on DVD at retailers everywhere today from Dark Sky Films. Check out a very NSFW exclusive clip inside! READ MORE

Meet the “Real” Tarman in ‘More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead’ Clip!

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on October 21, 2011 @ 5:52pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

Meet the Real Tarman in More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead Clip!

Fans of the horror doc Never Sleep Again get ready for the latest in “definitive” documentaries as More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead is now available on DVD — and purchasing it at the film’s official website will score you a 12″x18″, full-color commemorative poster created by original Return of the Living Dead poster artist Carl Ramsey and signed by Beverly Randolph (“Tina”), Brian Peck (“Scuz”) and James Karen (“Frank”)!

To revive your juices, we’ve scored an exclusive clip that depicts the actor behind the macabre face of Tarman talking about how he got the job to portray one of the most iconic zombies ever.

“More Brains” is an original 2-hour documentary with never-before-seen material, incredible untold stories and more. Over 30 brand-new interviews with cast and crew from the first three “Return of the Living Dead” films. Never-before-seen deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes, bloopers and special effects test footage that brought the “Dead” to life! READ MORE

Staind Release Must-See One Hour ‘Making Of Staind Documentary’: Stream Live Show Tonight

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on September 15, 2011 @ 2:16pm
Category: Music / Videos

Staind released their 7th album this week and the self-titled album is a return to a heavier, more aggressive, more violent sound. Everything I’ve heard so far has been fantastic and this is coming from a guy who wasn’t too into the past few albums, though I did blast the hell out of Dysfunction when I bought it. To show the fans (and the general Internet population) just how much goes into recording an album and how stressful it can be, the band has released a one hour documentary that details not only the creative difficulties the band was having but also the personal issues they had with one another.It’s a fascinating video and I highly recommend checking it out after the jump.

Also after the jump is a UStream video that will show Staind live at the Best Buy Theater in New York City tonight at 9pm EST. The show is a benefit concert with all revenue going to the families of 9/11 victims. If you are in the New York area and want to go, you can still snag tickets here.

Staind Release Must See One Hour Making Of Staind Documentary: Stream Live Show Tonight

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on August 17, 2011 @ 4:11pm
Category: Movies / News

Magic Stone Productions and Brainstorm Media announced today that they have signed a deal to produce an Untitled Haunted House feature documentary for an NBC Universal cable network. The production is currently accepting submissions for documentary cast here.

“October 31 has been the target for mischief, monsters and – above all – FUN. This dedication to Halloween mayhem isn’t just carried out by costumed children and prank-crazed teens. The feature documentary will provide a fun and intimate look into the lives of devoted adults who go to fantastic and frightening lengths to create the ultimate homemade haunted house.” Michael Stephenson will direct.

Magic Stone Productions is searching for passionate Halloween die-hards who live to scare through creating amateur haunts and would like to share their creations with the world. Casting and submission information can be found by visiting the film’s official website.
READ MORE

Poster For Green And Pardee’s ‘Digging Up The Marrow’ Doc

Movies
Posted by David Harley on July 15, 2011 @ 3:35pm
Category: Movies / News

Earlier this week, Adam Green announced his documentary about monster art, Digging Up The Marrow, which he’s collaborating on with Alex Pardee, who made a limited edition screen print for Hatchet II. Personally, my walls are lined with “monster art” and the like, so I’m jazzed about this.

There’s really not much to go on at this point, as the doc is just entering the first phase of its production and won’t be out until 2013. In the meantime, Green and Pardee will be appearing at the San Diego Comic-Con on Friday July 22nd at the ZeroFriends booth to sign limited edition posters for the upcoming project. Check out the poster after the jump and if you’re going to Comic-Con next week, stop by and grab one.
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DVD Review: ‘Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story’

Movies
Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on June 16, 2011 @ 8:48pm
Category: Movies / Home Video

It’s difficult to watch Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story without a smile. A documentary traversing the career of a legendary producer and renowned architect of moviegoing gimmicks, the feature takes viewers back to premium era of theatrical exhibition, where a cigar-chomping man could make a splash dreaming up ways to deceive his audience, creating a sensation everywhere he went. Though lacking a truly in-depth analysis of Castle’s private life, the doc achieves a distinct tone of nostalgia, goosed by interviews from an impressive assortment of admirers and employees, generating an affectionate atmosphere befitting a man who loved to entertain.
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Check Out A Clip From God Bless Ozzy Osbourne

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on April 27, 2011 @ 1:44pm
Category: Music / News

Having just made its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, a clip from God Bless Ozzy Osbourne has been released. The clip features small bits of interviews conducted with Louis and Jessica Osbourne, two of Ozzy’s children. The discuss how Ozzy was as a parent, birthdays, drinking, and more. Check it out after the jump.

God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to detail Ozzy’s road to sobriety. It was produced by Ozzy’s son, Jack, and features interviews with Ozzy’s siblings, children and Sharon Osbourne.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on March 11, 2011 @ 10:26pm
Category: Music / News

There is no doubt that the Cry Baby wah wah pedal is probably the most influential pedal of all time. It’s been used by the biggest musicians since it’s existence and continues to be the number one top selling pedal, for good reason. I love my Cry Baby and will always make sure to have one, no matter what style of music I’m playing.

So, naturally, a documentary was filmed to discuss the importance and impact of this pedal. Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks The World, which you can watch below, tells the story of this pedal, featuring interviews with Slash, Kirk Hammett, Steve Lukather, Jerry Cantrell, Eddie Kramer, and more. Keep in mind that this is just under an hour, so sit back to expand your knowledge!

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on December 04, 2009 @ 2:01am
Category: Music / News

“Of the 10 videos we’ve done through the years, I felt we have never been truly captured ‘in our element…which of course is on tour, playing to our fans, with our lighting and video show. So I thought it was time to do a video that showed us in our ‘real world’ (unlike the ‘fake worlds’ that are usually created when shooting a promo video),” says MIKE PORTOY of DREAM THEATER about the band’s new documentary road video for their new single “Wither” from their 10th studio release BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS (Roadrunner).

Directed by Ramon Boutviseth, who did the same honors for the first clip for the album’s first single “A Rite Of Passage,” the “Wither” video was shot on location in the U.K. (London, Manchester), France (Paris, Lille) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) as part of DREAM THEATER’s September/October 2009 headlining “Progressive Nation” tour reaching 15 countries.

Meanwhile, the legendary progressive metal masters just launched their headlining down under tour December 1, encompassing seven shows in Australia and New Zealand, wrapping December 12 in Perth, with special guests Pain of Salvation will join the band on all dates except in New Zealand. Look for the band to head to South America in the winter-spring.

Read on for a Q&A with Mike Portnoy about the “Wither” videoand tour dates. READ MORE