“Weeeee’re gunna review yooooou. Not another claaassic. Time to get criticized.”
On this months show Keenan, David and Lauren jump right into the gore with this years number one talked about horror remake. Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead! We also take a look at Room 237, Hitchcock, The Collection and we’re giving away some real treats! READ MORE
Man, the Stanley Film Festival really came out of the gate swinging. It’s the first year for the Fest, which will be held May 2-5 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Some of the films playing? Aftershock, All The Boys Love Mandy Lane, Frankenstein’s Army, Maniac, Tower Block and V/H/S/2. That’s not even the half of it.
The mission statement, “The Stanley Film Festival is a unique opportunity to showcase exhilarating voices in classic and contemporary horror within a haunted space chosen to amplify the experience beyond the terrors shown on screen. Armed with the goal of procuring the most imaginative tales of fright from around the globe, we will proudly present short and feature films that offer a vast spectrum of tantalizing thrills and ghastly delights throughout the weekend. Like the best spooky stories told in the dark, each will be wildly distinct, inventive and unexpected. The Stanley Hotel’s ghostly history as one of our eeriest landmarks, and its inspiration for some of cinema’s most unnerving spectacles, make this the perfect place to tempt the spirits and bring out your deepest fears in a way no other venue can. Enter if you dare, and let these films stay with you forever. And ever. And ever.”
Eli Roth will be on hand to receive the Inaugural Visionary Award and will do a Q&A after Aftershock, which closes the Fest. The Stanley Film Festival is curated by Programming Director Landon Zakheim and programmer Michael Lerman, who selected films from 13 different countries, 2 US premieres, and 13 Colorado premieres. Hit the link above to buy tickets – and head inside for the lineup!!! READ MORE
Now in limited theaters and Ultra VOD is Rodney Ascher’s Room 237, an experimental documentary that explores the numerous theories about the real meaning of 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…
Ryan Daley wrote his review out of 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.”
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.
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
Opening in New York and on VOD platforms tomorrow is IFC’s Room 237, Rodney Ascher’s fascinating documentary that tackles the infamous conspiracy theories attached to Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic The Shining.
The NY Times did a lengthy piece on the release, which landed them a gem of a quote when they interviewed Leon Vitali, who is listed in the closing credits of The Shining as personal assistant to Kubrick…
Says the site, Vitali was recently sent an advance copy of Room 237, and not surprisingly it elicited a strong response.
“I was falling about laughing most of the time,” he said by telephone. “There are ideas espoused in the movie that I know to be total balderdash.”
Vitali explains that he never spoke with Kubrick about any larger meaning in The Shining: “He didn’t tell an audience what to think or how to think,” he said, “and if everyone came out thinking something differently that was fine with him. That said, I’m certain that he wouldn’t have wanted to listen to about 70, or maybe 80 percent” of Room 237.
With that, Vitali concludes by calling the film “pure gibberish.”
You be the judge! Check it out and let us know what you think… READ MORE
Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining won’t want to miss the conspiracy thriller doc Room 237, releasing via IFC Films on March 29 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).
The newest theatrical poster makes another tease at the conspiracy theories surrounding Kubrick’s classic adaptation of Stephen King’s novella. Since its premiere at Sundance, Room 237 had been a festival sensation at Cannes, Toronto, New York, Chicago, AFI and Fantastic Fest. The film also won the IDA Documentary Award for Best Editing.
“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.” READ MORE
Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining won’t want to miss the conspiracy thriller doc Room 237, releasing via IFC Films on March 29 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).
The newest theatrical poster teases conspiracy theories surrounding Kubrick’s classic adaptation of Stephen King’s novella. Since its premiere at Sundance, Room 237 had been a festival sensation at Cannes, Toronto, New York, Chicago, AFI and Fantastic Fest. The film also won the IDA Documentary Award for Best Editing.
“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.” READ MORE
Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining won’t want to miss the conspiracy thriller doc Room 237, releasing via IFC Films on March 29 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).
The trailer has finally been released, which gives you a taste of the conspiracy theories surrounding Kubrick’s classic adaptation of Stephen King’s novella. Since its premiere at Sundance, Room 237 had been a festival sensation at Cannes, Toronto, New York, Chicago, AFI and Fantastic Fest. The film also won the IDA Documentary Award for Best Editing.
“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.” READ MORE
IFC continues to push out genre product as they’ve slated two for the first quarter of 2013.
Fans of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining won’t want to miss the conspiracy thriller doc Room 237, releasing on March 29. “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.”
Would You Rather, starring Brittany Snow, Jeffrey Combs and Sascha Grey, has been slated for release on February 8. “In the wake of her parent’s death, Iris struggles to make ends meet while caring for her terminally ill younger brother. Shepard Lambrick, a seemingly philanthropic aristocrat, expresses an interest in helping them. When he invites her to an exclusive dinner party, she accepts. Also attending the dinner party are seven more desperate individuals. They soon find themselves trapped in Lambrick’s mansion and forced to play a sadistic game of Would You Rather, where the winner will be awarded untold amounts of money. As the game progresses, the dilemmas Iris and the other players face grow increasingly deadly.” Trailer inside.
Both films should be playing in New York theaters around the same dates. READ MORE
I’m old and have two young daughters. Before kids, I used to go to the movies at least two times a week. Now, I almost never head out to the theater to catch a first-run movie. I do, however, get to attend a couple of film festivals each year.
As a result, I get to see a lot of movies that many of you won’t see for a long time. Just think of these reviews as a primer for shit you should most definitely check out whenever you can.
Some of these films have since had theatrical runs; a few with limited runs, and some are available on DVD or Netflix. Most of these though have not seen the darkness of a theater outside of their film festival runs.
Do yourself a favor and track them down. You’ll be glad you did. READ MORE
The 8th annual Fantastic Fest has passed the halfway point of its 8-day reign of chaos in Austin, Texas. The sci/fi, fantasy, martial arts, Asian fantastic, and horror film festival offers up a little something for all genre lovers.
It is my duty to bring you the most horror and/or horror-related film reviews possible. With less than 20 feature films considered to be true horror, I will occasionally spotlight other non-horror films that will, hopefully, appeal to our readers here at Bloody Disgusting.
Be sure to be on the lookout in Austin, Texas from October 25-27, 2013, for my very own Housecore Horror Film Festival. I will be joined by my partner, former Pantera lead singer and heavy metal legend Philip H. Anselmo. We will be bringing 100% horror and heavy metal to the Lone Star state!
Check out Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 for more Fantastic Fest reviews! READ MORE
Airing October 28 on Chiller is The American Scream, which also is premiering this weekend at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas (review forthcoming). AICN scored an exclusive first look at the one-sheet, also added below. From Best Worst Movie director Michael Stephenson, “Every Halloween, sleepy Fairhaven, Massachusetts erupts with the most ambitiously creative spookery in the world. Endless styrofoam tombstones and backyard beasts come courtesy of a few supremely dedicated local “home haunters” who’ve devoted their lives to the art of handmade monster making. The American Scream follows three of these horrific households to uncover the triumphs and tragedies that come with carrying the blackened banner of true Halloween spirit.”
Also added is the UK quad poster for Room 237, IFC Midnight’s odd doc opening in the UK October 26. The one-sheet comes courtesy of Empire. “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.”
Lastly, check out the UK quad for Stitches, directed by Conor McMahon. “The pic centers on Richard “Stitches” Grindle, a jaded workaday kids’ birthday clown, whose one-liners are witty in a way that’s just not for kids. He falls victim to a fatal party mishahp at the hands of a group of particularly nasty children. Years later, the group of now teenagers attend a party at which Stitches is the uninvited guest of honor, returning to avenge his untimely death.” READ MORE
Ryan Daley was a huge fan out of the Sundance Film Festival, now Rodney Ascher’s awesome Room 237 will be taking Canada by storm.
Acquired by IFC Films, TIFF will be screening this experimental documentary explores the numerous theories about the real meaning of Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining. Check out some new images just added.
“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.”
![1 Room 2371 150x150 [TIFF 12] Room 237 Explores The True Story Of The Shining](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1-Room-2371.jpg "1-Room-237")
![2 Room 2371 150x150 [TIFF 12] Room 237 Explores The True Story Of The Shining](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2-Room-2371.jpg "2-Room-237")
![3 Room 2371 150x150 [TIFF 12] Room 237 Explores The True Story Of The Shining](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/3-Room-2371.jpg "3-Room-237")
I have still never been to Fantastic Fest and every year it gets to be a big reminder that, at some point, I need to get back down to Austin to check it out at some point. We already knew that Frankenweenie would be playing. Now they’ve announced that director Pete Travis’ nuts violent Dredd 3D (written by Alex Garland) will be making its premiere at the fest, which will be held from September 20-27 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past the festival has been home to world premieres of There Will Be Blood, Apocalypto, Zombieland, The Human Centipede 2 and Red while the guest roster has included such talent as Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Ryan Reynolds, Karl Urban, Josh Hartnett, The RZA, Dolph Lundgren, Jemaine Clement, Paul Rudd, Bill Pullman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau, George Romero, Darren Aronofsky and Mike Judge. Fantastic Fest also features world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films. Fantastic Fest is held each year at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas.
You can check out their official site, Facebook and Twitter. Head inside to check out the rest of the titles which include Dead Sushi, Room 237 and Cockneys Vs. Zombies. READ MORE
![Room237Land12612 [Sundance 12] IFC Goes Conspiracy With Room 237](http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/photosizer/upload/Room237Land12612.jpg "[Sundance 12] IFC Goes Conspiracy With Room 237")
IFC Films has picked up Sundance ’12 Stanley Kubrick doc Room 237, which Ryan Daley says “is insanely thought-provoking [and] is consistently entertaining.”
A world premiere in the festival’s New Frontier section, the experimental documentary directed by Rodney Ascher explores the numerous theories about the “real meaning” of Kubrick’s film The Shining. Deadline adds that the film will screen this Spring in the New Directors/New Film series in New York and Cannes is a likely bet to debut the film across the Atlantic.
IFC Films will roll out the film later this year via a theatrical/day and date VOD release. READ MORE
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