Movies
IGN Editor to Adapt Clive Barker’s ‘Down, Satan!’
Some interesting news was reported over at IGN this morning as they revealed that their very own DVD Editor, Christopher Monfette, has scripted an adaptation of Clive Barker’s short-story Down, Satan!, one of Barker’s infamous Books of Blood stories. Read on for details on the adaptation, along with a synopsis for the short story.
DOWN, SATAN!, one of the shortest stories, relates the tale of a wealthy middle-aged businessman, Gregorius, who becomes depressed when he believes God has deserted him, and he comes up with a plan to build a Hell on Earth in order to summon Satan, believing that God will then sweep him (Gregorius) out of Satan’s clutches and into His heavenly fold. In his vast Satanic Cathedral, Gregorious soon loses sight of his original intention of attracting God’s attention, and he is captured after torturing to death hundreds of people in the well-equipped torture chambers. It is deliberately left ambiguous whether Gregorius went insane, or if he really did succeed in tempting Satan into taking residence in his own personal Hell.
Monfette talked with IGN a bit about how difficult it was to turn a 4-page story into a feature length screenplay.
“It’s not easy,” he says. “But we found a way into the narrative that expands upon the ideas without stretching or distorting them. There’s drama and horror and suspense and scale and if we’ve done our jobs, we should have something intensely original.”
Click here for the full story or check here for a complete list of announced BOOKS OF BLOOD adaptations.
Movies
Euro-Schock Cult Classic ‘Der Fan’ Gets First U.S. Theatrical Release With New 4K Restoration
Fun City Editions is bringing a rare ’80s Euroshocker to U.S. theaters for the very first time, thanks to a new 4K restoration.
The restoration of 1982’s Der Fan, aka Trance, will premiere at the Metrograph theater in NYC on August 28.
In the film, “The hero-worship that Simone has for a pop singer is built to a crescendo until she passes out when she finally sees him up close in a crowd of fans. She is later shocked when he lets her know that he does not love her.”
Der Fan, written and directed by Eckhart Schmidt, stars Désirée Nosbusch as Simone and Bodo Staiger as “R”, the object of Simone’s desire.
Staiger, as frontman for new wave group Rheingold, also provided the film’s score.
Without giving anything away, it’s the shocking third act that sets Der Fan apart and earned its cult status. Much like Takashi Miike’s Audition, it’s an assuming feature that hides its visceral horror side until a jaw-dropping finale.
Fun City Editions announced the restoration’s premiere on socials, with promises to reveal further details closer to its August date.
That also includes additional theatrical screening locations, so stay tuned.