Movies
RIP James Horner (1953-2015)
It is with a heavy heart that we bring news that, earlier today, famous film composer James Horner lost his life in a plane crash in Santa Barbara, California. When Variety reported on the incident earlier, it was only clear that the private plane was the property of Horner and that the then-unidentified pilot had been killed. Speculation has run rampant since and official confirmation has not yet been made. According to a statement by his assistant, as well as what we have heard from our own industry connections, it appears that it was indeed Mr. Horner himself who perished in the crash.
An esteemed veteran film composer who had worked in the industry since the late 1970s, James Horner created an impressive body of work that spanned across numerous genres and mediums. From action (48 Hrs., Commando) to drama (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) to high adventure (The Rocketeer, The Mask of Zorro) to historical epics (Braveheart, Titanic), Horner excelled musically at almost every subject he put his mind to. And then, of course, there are his contributions to our own favorite genres.
Horner was no stranger to science fiction, fantasy, and horror; crafting the scores to some of our most beloved classic and cult favorites. Aliens, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Wolfen, Humanoids from the Deep, Krull, Willow, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Avatar, and even Hocus Pocus are but a few from his countless contributions to the cinema of the fantastique and all contain themes that continue strike a chord with this writer today.
Rest in peace, Mr. Horner. You will be missed and your work will never be forgotten.
Grandma is back from the dead and ready to commit murder in Unholy Night, and our exclusive teaser debut gives a glimpse at some of the Christmas Eve carnage.
Unholy Night is set to make its World Premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, where writer/director Michael Gabriele‘s horror short “Get Away” won the Gold Audience Award for Best International Short in 2023.
In Unholy Night, “Gino’s traditional family Christmas Eve turns into a bloody battle for survival when his long-dead grandma drops by and goes on a murderous rampage. Amid the chaos, Gino reunites with his ex and the dysfunctional duo must avoid his dead Italian relatives popping up all around the neighbourhood as they search for a way to get rid of these Yuletide revenants and survive his family Christmas.”
Marc Bendavid (“Dark Matter”), Shailene Garnett (“Shadowhunters”), Al Sapienza (“The Sopranos”), Ron Lea (“Orphan Black”), Toni Ellwand (“Hannibal”), Cristina Rosato (Mother!), Jacqueline Robbins (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”), and Joe Pingue (Antiviral) star.
Gabriele, making his feature debut, drew inspiration for his bloody holiday horror movie from growing up in an Italian family. “Unholy Night was crafted to deliver not only a captivating horror experience but also to serve as a poignant exploration of cultural complexities and the universal quest for identity and respect,” the filmmaker said in his director’s statement.
Unholy Night was produced by Gabriele alongside Jenna MacMillan of Club Red Productions and Jason Levangie and Marc Tetreault of Shut Up & Colour Pictures (Kids vs Aliens). Executive producers are Tina Carbone, Jef Burnham, Mike Chapman, and Fatima Hayward.
The chaos of an Italian Christmas Eve gets dialed up to a zany, violent degree in the new teaser and images below. Stay tuned for more on Unholy Night and more when Fantasia kicks off later this month.
You must be logged in to post a comment.