Exclusives
‘Freaked’ Exclusive Clip Introduces the Misfits Within Alex Winter & Tom Stern’s 1993 Cult Classic
Long out-of-print cult classic Freaked has received a 4K restoration with Dolby Vision from Drafthouse Films and Umbrella Entertainment.The 1993 black comedy is now available on digital platforms as well as a special edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray collector’s set that you can order now. Today, we’ve got an exclusive clip from the release that introduces the misfits and gives you a whiff of the chaos.
Watch below.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure star Alex Winter co-directs with Tom Stern from a script they wrote with Tim Burns (An American Werewolf in Paris).
In the film, a vain former child star, his best friend, and an activity visit an amusement park filled with human oddities. The trio get a much closer look than they cared for, though, when the park’s demented owner transforms them into mutants and puts them on display with the other freaks.
New special features will include never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, restored deleted scenes, and interviews with Winter, Stern, Burns, The Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary, production designer Catherine Hardwicke, cinematographer Jamie Thompson, special effects artist Bill Corso, and more.
“We are thrilled to see Freaked roaring back to life with Drafthouse Films and Umbrella, in a glorious, full restoration,” said Winter. “It’s been a long time coming and well worth the wait!”
“Freaked holds a special place in the hearts of the film nerds at Drafthouse Films,” added Drafthouse Films CEO Nick Savva. “This 4K restoration gives this nostalgic gem the respect and visibility that it’s due. We’re thrilled, also, that younger generations will get to discover the film. Buckle up, it’s a wild ride.”
“Freaked is one of those truly singular cult films that defies genre – and that’s exactly why we love it,” said Umbrella General Manager Ari Harrison. “We had a blast working with Alex and Drafthouse to unearth the beautiful chaos of this classic. From the meticulous restoration to the freakishly fun special features, we are thrilled to help give Freaked the deluxe release it has always deserved — for fans around the world.”
Winter, Michael Stoyanov, Megan Ward, Randy Quaid, and William Sadler star with cameos from Keanu Reeves, Mr. T, Brooke Sheilds, and Bobcat Goldthwait.
A gnarly infection threatens to claw its way out of a moving camper in the first trailer for Shudder’s claustrophobic Hellcat.
The feature debut of writer/editor/director Brock Bodell, who previously edited the Fantasia title Ultrasound, makes its debut on Shudder on August 14.
In Hellcat, “Lena wakes up in a moving camper trailer with a horrifying wound. She’s warned by the driver that they have one hour to get to a doctor, or she’ll succumb to an unimaginably awful fate. As the pain sets in and reality begins to fray, who should really be afraid?”
Dakota Gorman (Natural Disasters) leads the cast that also includes Todd Terry (“Breaking Bad”), Liz Atwater (The Other People), Jordan Mullins (The Bikeriders), and James Austin Johnson (“Saturday Night Live”) in a voice role. Bodell also produces alongside Andrew Duensing and Nate Eggert.
Hellcat made its world premiere last summer at Fantasia. I wrote in my review, “Hellcat is a bit of a Trojan horror that defies easy classification, by design. Bodell’s sneaky debut feature is occasionally too sparse in its worldbuilding in its bid to preserve the mystery, but not enough to detract from the thrilling road thriller that transforms into a completely left-field type of horror we don’t get nearly enough of. The stripped-down tribute to a classic horror staple catches you off guard in more ways than one, marking Bodell as one to watch.”
In other words, there’s a lot more than meets the eye to Hellcat‘s simple infection setup, delivering plenty of surprises along its bumpy road of horrors.
Check out the trailer and poster below and add Hellcat to your watchlists asap.
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