Exclusives
New 2K Restoration of Underseen Adventure-Horror ‘Hiruko the Goblin’ Gets International Premiere [Exclusive]
An underseen early ’90s gem by one of Japan’s best horror filmmakers is about to become way more accessible. Wild adventure-horror Hiruko the Goblin received a brand new 2K restoration just in time for the 30th anniversary of its initial 1991 release. Bloody Disgusting learned in an exclusive that the restoration will be making its International Premiere online at JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film.
After delivering one of horror’s most experimental body horror films with cyberpunk Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Shinya Tsukamoto’s immediate follow-up was a studio-backed, bizarre adaptation of Daijiro Morohoshi’s Yokai Hunter manga. The studio behind it supported Tsukamoto’s vision, allowing a far looser interpretation and continued experimentation with techniques and stop-motion animation. As a result, Hiruko the Goblin delivers over-the-top visuals, a practical effects-heavy showcase, and gory spectacle that channels the early gonzo works of Sam Raimi or John Carpenter. The genre mashup blends campy humor with gruesome body horror, ensuring a wild, unpredictable ride.
“Called to an idyllic countryside town, disgraced archaeologist Professor Hieda (pop idol Kenji Sawada) teams up with high schooler Masao (Masaki Kudou) when a series of disappearances—including those of Masao’s father (Naoto Takenaka) and classmate crush Reiko (Megumi Ueno)—take place. Together, the unlikely duo discover that the local high school sits atop an ancient burial mound that may very well be a subterranean gateway to hell.”
JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film, North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema, returns for its 15th edition as an in-person and online hybrid event. The fest runs from August 20-September 3, and Hiruko the Goblin will be on view for the duration under the fest’s Classics section online.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 10, 2021.
Daniel Roebuck has been cast as Santa Claus in Terrifier 3, Bloody Disgusting can exclusively report.
Writer-director Damien Leone is currently wrapping production on the highly-anticipated sequel, in which Art the Clown unleashes chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.
“I’ve been holding this secret for a long time!” Roebuck tells Bloody Disgusting. “I’ve been really excited about it. I’m actually entering into the movies that I watch. It’s extraordinary. This is Terrifier bigger, badder, best.”
Roebuck appears in Terrifier 3 alongside returning cast members David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Samantha Scaffidi, Elliot Fullam, and AEW superstar Chris Jericho.
No stranger to iconic horror properties, Roebuck has squared off against Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, played The Count in Zombie’s The Munsters, succumbed to The Tall Man’s sphere in Phantasm: Ravager, and investigated death in Final Destination.
A distinguished character actor with over 250 credits, Roebuck has also appeared in The Devil’s Rejects, 3 from Hell, Bubba Ho-Tep, John Dies at the End, The Fugitive, Lost, Agent Cody Banks, and The Man in the High Castle. Incidentally, he’s also playing Santa in the family drama Saint Nick of Bethlehem, due out later this year.
Terrifier 3 will be released in theaters nationwide later this year via Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting in conjunction with our partner on Terrifier 2, Iconic Events Releasing.
Terrifier 3 comes courtesy of Dark Age Cinema Productions. Phil Falcone Produces with Lisa Falcone acting as Executive Producer. Co-producers include Mike Leavy, Jason Leavy, George Steuber, and Steve Della Salla. Brad Miska, Brandon Hill, and Erick Opeka Executive Produce for Cineverse. Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor also Executive Produce.
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