Editorials
Stay Home, Watch Horror: 5 Truly Scary Horror Movies You Should Stream This Week
From a scientific standpoint, horror is healthy. Studies have shown that getting scared releases a surge of adrenaline, followed by a feeling of relief- your brain signals the release of feel-good endorphins. Quick bursts of scare-induced stress on the body also boost the immune system. None of that even begins to cover the catharsis that horror tends to bring.
All of which to say, we love the rush of a well-earned scare. And right about now is a great time to be chasing the thrill of that rush, from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Last week we sought to uplift spirits with movies that tickled the funny bone, but this week we’re selecting films that aim for the jugular in terms of spine-chilling frights and atmosphere. Turn the lights down low, grab your scream snacks, and stream some of horror’s scariest…
Banshee Chapter – Tubi
After her friend’s sudden disappearance, journalist Anne Roland discovers the strange and horrifying links between her friend, a government conspiracy involving a research drug, and an eerie radio broadcast of otherworldly origin. Drawing inspiration from actual government hallucinogenic drug experiments and H.P. Lovecraft’s “From Beyond,” Blair Erickson’s feature debut is as creepy as it is mysterious and engaging. Look for The Silence of the Lamb’s Ted Levine to steal every scene he’s in; but more than that, be ready for some great scares.
Ghost Stories – Hulu
Based on Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s 2010 stage play of the same name, Ghost Stories is an anthology of sorts that handily succeeds at giving you goosebumps. Skeptic Phillip Goodman (Andy Nyman) specializes in debunking fraudulent psychics on TV. When he’s given three unsolvable case files, he embarks on a journey that shakes his cynicism to its core. Dyson and Nyman understand how to get under your skin and deliver maximum jolts.
Grave Encounters – Tubi/Vudu
A ghost-hunting reality TV crew get more than they bargained for when they explore an abandoned psychiatric hospital for their latest episode. The Vicious Brothers (Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz) take full advantage of the creepy setting and unleash serious, unending scares. More than typical haunted house fare, they take the narrative to mind-bending places. Grave Encounters makes for one of the more substantial and memorable entries in found footage horror.
Terrified – Shudder
The cinematic equivalent of enjoying a haunted attraction, Demián Rugna’s feature is an onslaught of terror from beginning to end. Plot-wise, there’s not much to it, nor is there a lot of explanation for those that prefer answers. Though that doesn’t stop a cop on the cusp of retirement and a slew of paranormal experts from trying to get to the bottom of a series of bizarre activities plaguing a Buenos Aires neighborhood. With creative and innovative scares aplenty, Terrified is the type of horror film that lives up to its name; it’s freaking petrifying.
When a Stranger Calls Back – Prime Video
Proving that there’s way more to creating fear than ghosts, demons, and otherworldly beasts, this under-seen sequel delivers severe tension starting with one of horror’s best openings of all time. If you haven’t seen the original film, that’s okay; this stands on its own just fine. Jill Schoelen (The Stepfather, Cutting Class) stars as this outing’s babysitter, the target of an unseen stranger when left to care for two sleeping kids. While the first film delivered the iconic, “The calls are coming from inside the house” trope, this sequel takes it to some surprising and unnerving places.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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