At this year’s Sundance, Wan and Whannell returned to Utah’s ski resort hub to pay homage not only to their film’s anniversary, but also to Sundance’s final year in Park City before the impending move to Boulder, Colorado. Saw was programmed as part of a “Park City Legacy” slate, since a fateful Sundance Midnight premiere launched one of the buzziest, bloodiest intellectual properties in 2000s horror history.

Speaking exclusively to Bloody Disgusting, Whannell reflects: “I was standing outside the Egyptian last night, and they’re not showing movies there this year. I felt melancholy about that, because that was where Saw premiered. It feels like the end of an era for Sundance, and a full circle for us, just to be back here. Things were happening to us at that age, faster than we could move, and we were going along with it.”

The solemnity in his voice is understood. Saw’s triumphant return to Sundance 22 years later puts it among countless other monumental breakouts. Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, and Mary Harron’s American Psycho are in league with a trike-peddling puppet with blood-red, swirly cheeks (who also returned to Sundance).

It’s a full-circle moment for Wan, who made a promise to himself about attending film festivals.

“Leigh and I had this philosophy, back when we were in Australia, that we wouldn’t go to a particular festival unless we had a movie showing. Sundance was our first mainstream festival. I’ve always said, ‘I’m not going to come back to Sundance until I come back with a movie.’ And, well, I’ve never had a chance to come back with another movie until now.”

A lot was, in fact, happening to Wan and Whannell — but they were savvier than most rookie creators. According to Business Insider, they turned down a $5 million offer from Lionsgate before striking a deal with the studio where they’d forgo an advance, pay Lionsgate an “18%-20%” distribution fee, and pocket the rest. Notably, Saw grossed $104 million worldwide on a $1 million budget. These boys knew they had a hit on their hands, but to the extent that the franchise exploded? No one could predict.

Part of the pomp and circumstance around Sundance releases is the reception. Sometimes filmmakers humbly accept standing ovations; other times they’re verbally accosted outside theaters by furious attendees (like Lucky McKee after The Woman). When I asked Wan and Whannell what post-screening reactions stood out to them, the Aquaman director lit up and, quite playfully (very good-natured), recalled a close-to-home memory:

“Bloody Disgusting shit on it! [Saw] was reviewed by Brad Miska’s brother, and I have held Brad to the fucking fire over that. When he got around to watching [Saw], he told his brother, ‘What the fuck are you talking about? Did we not watch the same movie?’ [Brad] said that his brother watched [Saw] when he was really drunk that night, at the premiere. [His brother] was like, ‘I don’t know what movie I just watched.’ You can quote me on that one.”

Bloody Disgusting atoned for its sins when its managing editor Meagan Navarro ranked it among the best horror movies of the 2000s. (Editors note: Brad Miska, who left the company last year after ceding site operations to EIC John Squires in 2021, reviewed the film favorably.)

However, critiques are merely one post-release inevitability for any filmmaker. What’s more important is the almighty dollar. Ticket sales dictate a film’s longevity and future possibilities. Saw’s performance was so prolific that it didn’t just spawn a franchise that’s still beating John Kramer’s dead (or alive) corpse, with entries pouring out of his cracked skull like a graveyard piñata. Saw was the new “It” thing, horror’s subgenre du jour. Studios clamored to acquire or produce their Saw lookalike—your Grotesque (2009) or Captivity (2007)—but, as is typically true, no copycats could dethrone Jigsaw.

Still, Wan and Whannell had to watch as less-than-valiant mimicry turned the public sour on Saw-esque movies. Thus, the term “Torture Porn” became both a subgenre classification and a low-blow critique to generalize these gore-heavy, plot-thin mutilation parades. The “Splat Pack” era, as Wan remembers, although he shooed away the “Torture Porn” phrase (rightfully so, given how Saw reached far beyond mindless gratuity). Imitation is the sincerest form of flatter after all, and per Wan, “We were honored that people felt that our movie meant something and that they wanted to imitate it. [Horror] movies don’t look like that anymore, but I’m sure it’ll come back. Like fashion, it’s cyclical.”

Whannell is a little more introspective about their influence over the Horrorsphere. “It was cool that we were like the tip of the spear in this movement, this trend—and that was a great thing for two people who really wanted to be in the film business.” Saw was a pop-culture phenomenon, thanks in part to Tobin Bell‘s iconic role as John Kramer, and also to everyone’s favorite cackling dolly, Billy the Puppet.

“There were Saw references in The Simpsons, South Park, The Sopranos … It was pretty awesome to penetrate pop culture in that way.”

As we all know, much of the Saw franchise was produced without Wan or Whannell’s involvement despite being the concept’s masterminds. “I didn’t do the sequels because I felt I had already made the movie I wanted to make,” Wan confirms. “Leigh was going to produce, and ultimately, he was going to write [Saw II] … at least one of us has a creative voice that is going to at least shepherd the next one or two movies.” But that would only last Saw II and Saw III, as we all know. After that? Whannell reminisces about how Saw kept evolving without their guidance. “James and I had this strange, surreal experience once a year, driving down the street and seeing a billboard for this thing that we created in Melbourne when we were starving ex-film students, and now it’s out in the world.”

‘It wasn’t for a lack of money either,” Wan interjects, regarding his declining to participate in any sequels despite Lionsgate’s financial sweeteners. “I’m still crying about it,” a fourth voice chimes in from over my shoulder. “Put this in the article, ‘A single tier fell down the face of their agent, Scott Henderson,’” Whannell insists with a grin.

Whannell confirmed that although he lasted longer than Wan, apprehension was abound. “The true story is, I followed James’s lead at first. I didn’t want to be involved either.” Apparently, [Lionsgate] came back to Whannell once they had a writer and begged him to “pretty please get involved.” With proper incentives, Whannell penned his two sequels, but by Saw III, he’d reached his limitations. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I’m done here. I can’t think of any more ways to kill someone with a power drill.'”

So what did Whannell do? Put a stake through Jigsaw’s heart.

“I killed Jigsaw. I was like, ‘This is pretty definitive.‘ Which [Lionsgate] regrets to this day. If the producers could go back in time, they wouldn’t be killing Hitler, they’d be convincing me not to kill Jigsaw.”

With overnight attention came trepidation and mild paranoia. Whannell continues, “We had this fear of like, we didn’t want Saw to be our epitaph.” They didn’t want Saw to be their legacy because that would mean nothing else connected with audiences. “So when we did Insidious, it was a big sigh of relief … because luckily we were not one-hit-wonders.” In Whannell’s words, they avoided the curse of Dexys Midnight Runners. “[All] they get asked about is ‘Come On Eileen,’ yet they had other songs.” Thankfully, as the years went by and both filmmakers bolstered their resumes, success became a perennial occurrence.

Although there was one unfortunate side-effect of their meteoric rise to superstardom, in Whannell’s opinion: Dead Silence.

When I asked Whannell what advice he’d give to his pre-Saw self, the wide-eyed Australian lad about to rewrite horror history, he said, “I would go back and tell myself, ‘Hey, slow down. Wait until [Saw] comes out and then make some choices.’” When asked if that was a slight on Dead Silence, he confirmed directly, “I’ve been complaining about Dead Silence for 20 years, I’m not going to stop.”

At this point, the interview turned chaotic in a completely on-brand and delightful way. Wan and Whannell are poster boys for best-friend dynamics, with energetic jesting and mutually committed bits.

I tried my best, as a Dead Silence defender, to turn Whannell’s disdain. Alas, he insists, “I think my final words … My daughter’s going to grasp my hand, and [say], ‘I love you, Dad.’ Then I’m going to respond like, ‘Me too. But that fucking puppet movie, man. What the hell were they thinking?'”

Wan adds fuel to Ravens Fair’s fire by calling Dead Silence Whannell’s Rosebud, to which the goaded scribe retorts with a smile, “Yeah, Rosebud. Except no one will know what it means because I’ll be like, ‘Shh.'”

For what it’s worth, Mr. Whannell, I’m still a ride-or-die Mary Shaw advocate.

Dead Silence’s Billy might be a one-and-done scarer, but Saw’s Billy is a creepy phenomenon. What’s even funnier? He almost didn’t exist.

Whannell recalls pitching Wan Amanda Young’s “Reverse Bear Trap” sequence. He describes their working partnership as putting “two ingredients together,” bouncing ideas off each other from opposite perspectives. In this case, Wan’s intuition was spot-on. According to Whannell, after he detailed Amanda’s grueling test, Wan calmly added, “That’s cool. If we put a creepy doll in there, it’ll be perfect.” Wan’s social media handle is @creepypuppet, so duh.

“I didn’t, at the time, think the creepy doll was necessary,” Whannel confesses. It would be like, I felt like me calling Orson Welles and being like, ‘At the end of the movie they find [Rosebud], and it says Rosebud, and the whole movie is tied up in this beautiful bow.” And then Orson was like, “But then what if they had like a judo fight after that?” As we know, Billy the Puppet has endured countless failed sequels and still sells merchandise at a substantial clip, so it’s evident who was right. “James is clearly the smartest of the two of us. And so now, when he tells me what to do, I do it.”

Wan and Whannell’s Sundance trip is a bittersweet sendoff, yet it represents a milestone victory lap for the artists. What these two have accomplished since Saw‘s initial emergence is nothing short of a miracle. “You would walk down the street, and we would hear strangers talking about our film, not knowing that we were involved,” Whannell fondly remembers. Fame hasn’t corrupted these genuinely excellent humans, who still exude the passion and vitality of fresh-out-of-school babyfaces. Without James Wan, without Leigh Whannell, the horror landscape would’ve veered into territories unknown. Twice, if you count how Wan’s The Conjuring pulled theatrical horror back into the marketable haunted house era. Their ideas aren’t run-of-the-mill—they generate nightmares and lay groundworks for multi-entry stories that people ravenously crave.

But if there’s one constant in their lives, it’s a very special friend who is the real celebrity of their trio. States Wan, gesturing at the remote-controlled Billy wedged between them on a generic Sheraton Inn couch, “The kickstarter of our career, really. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for this guy.”

Related: James Wan and Leigh Whannell tease Saw future plans.

The post James Wan and Leigh Whannell Reflect on ‘Saw’ Origins and Lasting Legacy [Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Here are five upcoming horror releases you don’t want to miss this month.

Friday the 13th Part 2 – February 3

Friday the 13th Part 2 will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital on February 3 via Paramount.

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, the 1981 slasher sequel is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR and 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio.

Special features:

• Lost Tales from Camp Blood – Part II
• Inside Crystal Lake Memories
• Friday’s Legacy: Horror Conventions
• Jason Forever
• Original Theatrical Trailer

Set five years after the events of Friday the 13th, the legend of Jason Voorhees and his diabolical mother lives on. Despite ominous warnings from the locals, a group of counselors at a nearby summer camp decide to explore the sight of the Camp Crystal Lake massacre. All too soon, the killing begins again.

Steve Miner (Halloween H20) directs from a script by Ron Kurz.

Amy Steel and John Furey star, with Jason played by Steve Daskewisz while masked and Warrington Gillette when unmasked. Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, and Walt Gorney reprise their roles from the first film.

Keeper – February 3

Keeper will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 3 via Neon.

Osgood Perkins (Longlegs, The Monkey) directs the folk horror creeper from a script by Nick Lepard (Dangerous Animals).

Special features:

• Audio Commentary by Director Osgood Perkins
• Theatrical Trailer
• Teaser Trailer

While on a weekend getaway at a remote cabin, Liz (Tatiana Maslany) and Malcolm’s (Rossif Sutherland) romantic retreat takes a dark turn when a sinister presence unveils the cabin’s chilling past.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Keeper makes for one engaging and original grim fairy tale that bides its time getting under your skin as romance curdles into one fucked up nightmare.”

Predator Badlands – February 17

Predator: Badlands will be released on Steelbook, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 17 via 20th Century Studios.

The Predator franchise’s highest grossing entry is directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane) and written by Patrick Aison (Prey) and Brian Duffield (Love and Monsters).

Special features:

• Audio Commentary by Director Dan Trachtenberg, Producer Ben Rosenblatt, Director of Photography Jeff Cutter, and Stunt Coordinator Jacob Tomuri.
• Embodying the Predator
• Authentic Synthetics
• Building the Badlands
• Dek of the Yautja
• Deleted & Pre-Visualization Scenes with Optional Commentary

Set in the future on a remote planet, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Trachtenberg and his talented team craft a stunning adventure epic with winsome characters, action, and creatures, but one that’s so drastically different that it’s polarizing.”

Dead Silence – February 17

Dead Silence will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray on February 17 via Scream Factory.

Orlando Arocena designed the new artwork for the 2007 horror film from director James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) and writer Leigh Whannell (Saw, The Invisible Man).

The 89-minute theatrical cut is presented in 4K, while the 92-minuite unrated version is included in high definition.

Special features:

• 4K Master Presented in Dolby Vision (HDR 10 compatible)
• Theatrical Cut (2023 4K Master)
• Unrated Cut
• Masters Of Puppets: Interview with Director James Wan
• Dead Assignment: Interview with Writer Leigh Whannell
• No Children, Only Dolls: Interview with Ventriloquist Dummy Creator Tim Selberg
• Alternate Opening
• Alternate Ending
• Deleted Scenes
• The Making of Dead Silence Featurette
• Mary Shaw’s Secrets Featurette
• Evolution of a Visual Effect Featurette
• Theatrical Trailer

After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder.

Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw, a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife’s life and threatens his own.

Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Bob Gunton, and Judith Roberts star.

Mimic – February 24

Guillermo del Toro’s Mimic will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on February 24 via Kino Lorber.

Both the 106-minute theatrical version and the 112-minute director’s cut have been newly restored in 4K, approved by del Toro, with Dolby Vision.

Disc 1 – 4K UHD:

• 4K Restoration of the Director’s Cut, Approved by del Toro (new)
• Dolby Vision/HDR Presentation (new)
• Audio Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro

Disc 2 – 4K UHD:

• 4K Restoration of the Theatrical Cut, Approved by del Toro (new)
• Dolby Vision/HDR Presentation (new)
• Audio Commentary by Film Historians Arne Venema and Stefan Hammond (new)

Disc 3 – Blu-ray:

• 4K Restoration of the Director’s & Theatrical Cuts (new)
• Director’s Cut Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro
• Theatrical Cut  Commentary by Film Historians Arne Venema and Stefan Hammond (new)
• Video Prologue with Director del Toro
• Reclaiming Mimic Featurette
• A Leap in Evolution Featurette
• Back Into the Tunnels Featurette
• 3 Deleted Scenes
• 6 Animated Storyboards
• Gag Reel
• Theatrical Trailer

In the 1997 sci-fi horror film, the battle between man and nature comes to life when a team of scientists discover a glitch in their miracle cure.

With the power to mimic and destroy its every predator and the threat of an entire city’s destruction, their creation has taken on a horrifying life of its own. The ever-growing weight of extinction on their shoulders forces the team to take matters into their own hands.

Del Toro directs from a script he co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Matthew Robbins (Crimson Peak, Pinocchio), based on Donald A. Wollheim‘s short story of the same name.

Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam, Josh Brolin, F. Murray Abraham, and Charles S. Dutton star.

Which movies are you adding to your collection this month? Let us know in the comments!

Peruse our archive of must-have horror releases.

The post 5 Must-Own Horror Releases Coming to Physical Media in February 2026 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Dead Silence will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray on February 17.

The 2007 horror film is directed by James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) and written by Leigh Whannell (Saw, The Invisible Man).

The 89-minute theatrical cut is presented in 4K, while the 92-minuite unrated version is included in high definition.

Special features:

• 4K Master Presented in Dolby Vision (HDR 10 compatible)
• Theatrical Cut (2023 4K Master)
• Unrated Cut
• Masters Of Puppets: Interview with Director James Wan
• Dead Assignment: Interview with Writer Leigh Whannell
• No Children, Only Dolls: Interview with Ventriloquist Dummy Creator Tim Selberg
• Alternate Opening
• Alternate Ending
• Deleted Scenes
• The Making of Dead Silence Featurette
• Mary Shaw’s Secrets Featurette
• Evolution of a Visual Effect Featurette
• Theatrical Trailer

After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder.

Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw, a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife’s life and threatens his own.

Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Bob Gunton, and Judith Roberts star.

Nightcrawler will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray on February 17.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the the 2014 psychological thriller, written and directed by Dan Gilroy (Kong: Skull Island, “Andor”) in his directorial debut.

Special features:

• 4K Scan from the Original DI Film Negative
• Presented in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
• Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Dan Gilroy, Producer Tony Gilroy, and Editor John Gilroy
• Audio Commentary with Film Historian Joe von Appen
• Making the News: Scoring Nightcrawler—Interview with Composer James Newton Howard
• If It Bleeds, It Leads: Making Nightcrawler
• Trailer

Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work, discovers the high-speed world of LA crime. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cutthroat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling—where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars.

Aided by a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.

Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton, Kevin Rahm, and Michael Hyatt round out the cast.

Child’s Play 2 will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray on February 17 exclusively through Amazon.

The 1990 slasher sequel is directed by John Lafia and written by Don Mancini, both writers on the original Child’s Play.

Special features:

• Audio Commentary by Director John Lafia
• Interview with Writer Don Mancini
• Interview with Actor Alex Vincent
• Interview with Actress Christine Elise
• Interview with Actress Beth Grant
• Interview with Producer David Kirschner
• Interview with Executive Producer Robert Latham Brown
• Additional Scenes from the Broadcast Version
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spot

Despite being roasted to a crisp in his last escapade, Chucky rises from the ashes after being reconstructed by a toy factory to dispel the negative publicity surrounding the doll. Back in one piece, Chucky tracks the young Andy Barclay to a foster home where the chase begins again.

Alex Vincent, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham, Christine Elise, Grace Zabriskie, and Brad Dourif star.

Brotherhood of the Wolf will be released on Steelbook 4K UHD + Blu-ray on February 17 exclusively through Amazon.

The 2001 French period action-horror film is directed by Christophe Gans (Silent Hill) from a script he co-wrote with Stéphane Cabel (The Stone Council).

Special features:

• The Making of Brotherhood of the Wolf Featurette
• The Guts of the Beast Featurette
• The Legend Featurette
• Deleted Scenes with Introduction by Director Christophe Gans
• Theatrical Trailers

When a mysterious beast ravages the countryside, two unlikely heroes are called in to fight the evil. And now, their battle against dark, unspeakable terror is even more gripping with a daring extended version of the film.

Samuel Le Bihan, Vincent Cassel, Émilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci, Jérémie Renier, and Mark Dacascos star.

Deathstalker will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 17.

The 2025 reboot of the Roger Corman-produced 1983 sword and sorcery cult classic is written and directed by Steven Kostanski (Psycho Goreman, The Void).

Special features:

• Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt
• Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski, Director of Photography Andrew Appelle, and Editor Robert Hyland
• Interview with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt, Hosted by Todd Stashwick
• A Conversation with Visual Effects Supervisor Cody Kennedy, Visual Effects Artists Matthew Satchwill and Adarsh Bora, and Moderator Steven Kostanski
• Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Skeleton Fight
• “Deathstalker” Music Video by Brendan McCreary, Chuck Cirino, Slash, and Bear McCreary
• Trailer
• Easter Egg

The Kingdom of Abraxeon is under siege by the Dreadites, heralds of the long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. When Deathstalker recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he’s marked by dark magick and hunted by monstrous assassins. To survive, he must break the curse and face the rising evil.

Daniel Bernhardt stars with Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nicholas Rice, Nina Bergman, and Patton Oswalt as the voice of the benevolent wizard Doodad.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Deathstalker wears its cinematic reverence on its sleeves, delivering a love letter to practical effects and bygone sword & sorcery epics.”

The post Scream Factory’s February Line-Up Includes ‘Dead Silence,’ ‘Nightcrawler,’ ‘Child’s Play 2,’ More appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This week brings the release of M3GAN 2.0, which sees the high-tech killer doll getting an upgrade to battle a new threat. Naturally, this week’s streaming picks are dedicated to killer toy horror movies that deliver plenty of scares, kills, heart, humor, and occasionally a great fashion sense.

As always, here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Annabelle: Creation – Max

Director David F. Sandberg’s prequel to Annabelle rewinds to the eerie doll’s origins, centered around the tragedy that befell dollmaker Samuel Mullins’ family that ushered in demonic terror. It’s not just the rug pull reveal behind Annabelle’s true target among the young orphans and the Mullins household that sets this prequel/sequel apart; it’s the onslaught of potent scares. Sandberg utilizes every tool in his arsenal to deliver the chills in spades, with the demonic Annabelle taking advantage of every creepy crevice and darkened corner to induce maximum frights.

Dead Silence – AMC+, Shudder

A young widower heads home for answers regarding his wife’s murder, which may be linked to the restless spirit of a ventriloquist. While Mary Shaw had many dolls, ventriloquist dummy Billy was by far her favorite. Billy cut out Jamie’s wife’s tongue in the opening sequence, and it was Billy that haunted him more frequently than any other puppets. Before Annabelle’s first appearance in The Conjuring, James Wan practiced scaring audiences with Billy. The vengeful ghost of Mary Shaw might be just as spooky. Dead Silence features Billy the most, but the glimpse of Mary Shaw’s vast collection makes you wish this one received a sequel.

Dolls – MGM+, Pluto TV

“Toys are very loyal, and that’s a fact.” From the perspective of little Judy, a sweet little girl with a love of toys, the Gothic mansion belonging to Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke is a dream come true. Not only are they far kinder than her father and stepmother, but the estate is filled with dolls, puppets, and toys. However, if you’re a jerk adult, the mansion is a death trap. While this Stuart Gordon-directed fairy tale draws clear lines between the innocent and the morally corrupt deserving of their fate, it’s still really creepy to see them meet their doom at the hands of the dolls. Even creepier is what happens to them after the dolls attack.

The Hole – Fawesome, Prime Video, Roku Channel

Director Joe Dante’s gateway 3D horror movie forces its young protagonists to face their fears, while ensuring the fears are suitably terrifying and challenging. Teen Dane (Chris Massoglia) and his younger brother, Lucas (Nathan Gamble), discover a locked trapdoor in the basement of their new suburban home. Opening the trapdoor seems to reveal a bottomless pit, but the brothers, along with neighbor Julie (Haley Bennett), discover that they’ve unleashed something far more horrifying than they could’ve imagined. This ’90s suburban horror throwback tailors the horror to its victims’ personal fears, which means J-horror-like hauntings and one unsettling jester doll in this Twilight Zone-esque PG-13 horror movie.

Magic – AMC+, Fawesome, Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight+, Peacock, Prime Video, Roku Channel, Screambox, Shout! TV, Shudder

The ventriloquist dummy at the center of this horror film, Fats, was so creepy that the TV spots had to be taken off the air during the promotion of Magic. The 30-second ad featuring Fats was enough to cause nightmares in children, scarring some for life. Who can blame them? Ventriloquist dummies are a particular brand of horror on their own, but one as menacing as Fats? That he resembles his human counterpart, Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins, who also voices Fats), probably doesn’t help either. Ventriloquists and their dummies have nightmarish co-dependency issues in horror, which drives this fantastic psychological horror feature from director Richard Attenborough and writer William Goldman.

The post Five Killer Toy Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Nosferatu Casket from Titan Casket

In the wake of the Nosferatu popcorn bucket and Nosferatu sarcophagus bed, the ante has been upped with the official Nosferatu casket.

Created by Titan Casket, the limited edition casket features a vampiric black high gloss finish steel exterior with a red velvet interior featuring the film’s logo on the head panel and gold hardware.

It costs $3,999, which isn’t a bad price considering you’ll spend eternity in it. Plus, Titan plants 10 trees for every casket purchased!

Nightmare on Elm Street & Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Posters by Alex Pardee

Alex Pardee lends his Doppelgangers art style to A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 for a pair of homage posters: “Nightmare Man in Your House” and “A Bad Day in Texas 2.”

16×20 archival pigment prints are available for $50, alongside a ton of Pardee’s other work, from Harman Projects. The original 22×28 watercolor paintings are also up for grabs at $2,000 a piece.

Dracula Backpack from Loungefly

Looking for the perfect way to accessorize for Nosferatu? Loungefly has crafted a Dracula‘s coffin backpack.

The faux-leather bag features adjustable and removable straps so it can be worn as a backpack or a crossbody bag. It measures 12″ tall and 6.75″ wide.

Scheduled to arrive in January, the limited edition piece is available for $70 exclusively from Entertainment Earth.

Dead Silence Shirt from Cavity Colors

Beware the stare of Mary Shaw on Cavity Colors’ new Dead Silence tee designed by Dan Goldsworthy.

It’s available for $25.50 until December 29, after which the price increases to $30. It will ship the week of January 31.

Pinocchio 964 4K UHD from Media Blasters

Often compared to Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Pinocchio 964 will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on February 11 via Media Blasters.

The 1991 Japanese cyberpunk body-horror film has been newly scanned in 4K from the original 16mm camera negatives. No special features are listed, but a slipcase is included.

Also known as Screams of Blasphemy, Shozin Fukui directs from a script he co-wrote with Makoto Hamaguchi and Naoshi Gôda. Haji Suzuki and Onn-chan star.

For more merch madness, peruse the Killer Collectibles archives.

The post 5 of This Week’s Coolest Horror Collectibles Including a ‘Nosferatu’ Casket! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In “Death Becomes Her,” Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif) wallows over his mortality (when he’s not murdering people), which includes moping about in bed or watching TV. His channel surfing leads him to a string of killer doll horror movies playing, and Chucky’s commentary on his potential rivals will leave you in stitches.

The first film Chucky flips through is 2016’s The Boy, featuring the creepy but prim doll Brahms. After a brief scene of Brahms being cared for by his mother, Chucky dismisses this particular rival with “what a fucking joke.” He clicks to the next channel to discover Dead Silence, where Chucky retorts, “And this one, can’t even get a franchise.” Finally, Chucky changes the channel once more, leading to the main event of this extended meta-joke.

Chucky saying this about Megan was probably my favorite part about this episode pic.twitter.com/wt4D3osZns

— kiddo williams (@finalgirl_kiddo) April 11, 2024

He lands on M3GAN during the precise dancing scene that went viral from last year’s Blumhouse horror movie. Naturally, Chucky is repulsed by what he sees and responds accordingly. “Oh god, no, kill me now. That little bitch. She stole my moves,” Chucky bemoans. He then flips the TV screen the middle finger and shouts, “Fuck you, Ma-THREE-gan.”

Within a matter of minutes, Chucky asserts his killer doll dominance in the most hilarious way. 

Watch the channel-surfing crossover event below.

In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 finds Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?

The returning cast includes Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, and Devon Sawa, alongside Lara Jean Chorostecki, Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, and Alyvia Alyn Lind.

Catch new episodes of “Chucky” on USA and SYFY every Wednesday, with each new episode dropping on Peacock the following day.

The post The “Chucky” Midseason Premiere Delivered a ‘M3GAN’ Crossover in a Hilarious Way appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, and this past year’s Chucky!

Next up? Get ready to board the Nostromo with the Alien franchise.

You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gremlins, Jaws), one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (e.g. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Invasion of the Body Snatchers ), and even spinoffs like their recent run Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon | Store

The post Sorry Billy, Donnie Wahlberg Wins ‘Dead Silence’ [Halloweenies Podcast] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Hints of his future brilliance are all over Dead Silence, with a rich, neo-gothic atmosphere, well-executed horror set pieces, inventive visual storytelling, and a bonkers twist. In many ways, Dead Silence feels like a transitional point between Saw‘s grit and the expertly crafted scares of Insidious and The Conjuring, although its overall tone is perhaps closest to Malignant.

With viewers feverishly embracing Wan’s latest effort, Dead Silence is ripe for reappraisal — and there’s no better way to do so than via Scream Factory’s new 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray edition. The theatrical cut has been newly mastered in 4K with Dolby Vision and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and 5.1 sound. The unrated version — running three minutes longer and featuring more tongue effects — is also included (albeit not remastered).

Wan and Whannell haven’t spoken much about Dead Silence since its release, reportedly having had a negative experience making it due to studio interference, so I was pleased to find that they both sat down for new interviews as part of the special features.

Here are six things I learned…

1. Wan’s fascination with creepy dolls stems from Poltergeist.

Between Saw, Dead Silence, The Conjuring, and M3GAN, James Wan’s preoccupation with creepy dolls is well documented. The filmmaker theorizes that his interest stems from an early viewing of Tobe Hooper’s 1982 classic.

“I would say that my fascination with creepy dolls and puppets and such probably stemmed from me watching Poltergeist at too young an age. I think I was perhaps 6 or 7 when I saw that film, and it scarred me for life. That clown doll that the kid had right by his bed when he tried to sleep, just staring at him… That really terrified me at a very young age.”

2. Wan and Whannell made a conscious effort to distance themselves from Saw.

Knowing their sophomore effort had to be drastically different to avoid being pigeonholed, Wan and Whannell consciously steered away from the gore of Saw in favor of something more atmospheric.

“After Leigh and I finished Saw, we felt that it would be great to move into something that’s a bit more supernatural, and naturally the idea of a ghost story came to us,” Wan states. Of course, he wanted to incorporate his fascination with dolls.

“I wanted to basically do a modern Hammer horror film,” Wan notes. He also cites the classic Universal monster movies as an inspiration on the film’s heightened fairy tale quality, while Whannell mentions the influence of The Fall of the House of Usher and Sleepy Hollow.

3. Production was troubled from the start.

After Saw was completed but before it was widely released, Wan and Whannell’s agents encouraged them to have another project ready to go. While Whannell now recognizes the foibles, he was young and naïve at the time.

“It felt very rushed. It felt like a business chess move,” he explains. Unfortunately, this would mark the beginning of a troubled production. Originally titled Shhh, Universal bought the film based on a pitch. Unlike Saw, which was fueled by passion, Whannell was “just grasping at straws.”

4. An early version of the script was set in the vaudeville era.

While the final film features period flashbacks, an early iteration of the screenplay was set entirely in the vaudeville era. “I still think about that version of the movie,” Whannell confesses. He likens the alternate version to The Others.

It centers on a woman who serves as the assistant to her master ventriloquist husband, who had a stroke on stage and is now wheelchair bound. The vaudeville theater in which they perform is believed to be haunted, so priests are sent to investigate. They find it filled with hundreds of dummies, only to discover that the woman had killed her husband and had been puppeteering him.

He and Wan were advised that period movies don’t work so it would have to be set in the present day. “Along the way of the Frankenstein of the script, some of the period stuff got shoved in there, and there were these flashbacks. It ended up being this messy hodgepodge of different ideas to me.”

5. Billy was inspired by a classic dummy.

Wan wanted Dead Silence‘s standout doll, Billy, to be recognizable as a traditional ventriloquist puppet. While many have noted the similarities to Goosebumps‘ Slappy, both characters were actually inspired by the same source.

“Basically, the inspiration was Charlie McCarthy,” Wan says, referring to Edgar Bergen’s famed ventriloquist dummy partner. “With the classic slit jaw, bow tie, the plastic hair, the tuxedo suit. We knew we wanted him to feel classical.” A replica of the actual Charlie McCarthy doll makes a cameo in the film, alongside Billy from Saw.

6. Dead Silence found its audience… eventually.

Dead Silence seems to have a bigger fanbase now than it did upon its original release. Despite the arduous production and conflicted feelings about the final product, Wan is happy the film has found an audience.

“Looking back, as difficult as Dead Silence was to make, I’m just really happy that today it has become a cult classic. It has grown tremendously and built such a rabid audience. At the time of the release of this movie, I never thought this would happen,” he says, noting the poor box office and critical reception.

“It’s super exciting and really cool that people are discovering this movie that Leigh and I had a lot of passion [for] when we made the film. We gave it everything we had, and we’re very happy that it has a new lease on life,” Wan concludes with a smile.

Dead Silence is available now on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray via Scream Factory.

The post ‘Dead Silence’ – 6 Things We Learned from the New 4K Ultra HD Release appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Scream Factory brings Dead Silence to 4K UHD on March 28, 2023.

• Dead Silence [Collector’s Edition] 2-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray set (with slipcover — featuring the original theatrical artwork)
• Limited edition 18” x 24” rolled poster of original theatrical artwork
• An additional slipcover — made exclusively for this promotion — featuring new artwork from artist Devon Whitehead
• An exclusive, limited edition 18” x 24” rolled poster — made exclusively for this promotion — of the newly-designed art from artist Devon Whitehead

In the film, “Ever since Mary Shaw was hunted down and killed, the small town of Ravens Fair has been haunted by horrific deaths.

“When a local’s wife is brutally murdered, he returns home to unravel the terrifying legend of Mary Shaw and the reason why when you see her, you should never, ever scream.”

You can pre-order your copy from Scream Factory today.

The post James Wan’s ‘Dead Silence’ Upgraded to 4K Ultra HD for Upcoming Scream Factory Release appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This was excruciatingly common back in the 2000s, when the horror genre was heavily criticized by folks who didn’t realize that the quality of horror films hadn’t necessarily dropped, but expectations had suddenly changed. That’s why we’ve decided to compile this list of 6 critically panned horror movies from the 2000s that are still worth a watch, as it’s sometimes worth wading through the bargain bin in order to uncover an underappreciated gem or two.

While sorting through movie reviews isn’t an exact science, we’ll be using Rotten Tomatoes scores to judge whether or not a film is unfairly maligned. Of course, these aren’t the only good 2000s horror movies hiding behind negative reviews, so be sure to share your own spurned favorites with us in the comments below.

Now, onto the list…

6. Halloween II (2009) – Rotten Tomatoes Score: 21%

Even if you’re not a fan of Rob Zombie’s unapologetically gritty take on Carpenter’s iconic boogeyman, there’s no denying that the man is a rare example of a horror auteur. A Zombie movie always feels like a Zombie movie, and even if the end result is controversial, I’d rather watch a visionary director’s unique take on a familiar story rather than a safe rehash. That’s why I adore his strange approach to Halloween II.

Mercilessly bashed by critics back in 2009, The Shape’s return to Haddonfield understandably disappointed folks who were expecting a traditional Slasher sequel, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. If you can stomach the edgy dialogue and brooding tone, there’s a sincere exploration of survivor’s guilt and nature versus nurture to be found here, and the kills are more gruesome than ever. I only wish more critics had appreciated this refreshingly bleak vision of how life might continue after a Slasher flick.

5. Riding the Bullet (2004) – Rotten Tomatoes Score: 26%

From The Shining to The Mangler, not all Stephen King adaptations are created equal, and part of that is due to the difficulty of adapting King’s introspective character work to a visual medium. Based on the homonymous short story, Mick Garris’ Riding the Bullet was originally panned due to its lackluster scares and corny setup, but focusing on those elements kind of misses the point of this fun little character piece.

While the movie is admittedly a little cheesy, dealing with familiar themes of returning home and facing ghostly memories, it’s also a nostalgic throwback with a lot of heart and some memorable performances. David Arquette is particularly enjoyable as the undead George Staub, and it’s hard not to root for Jonathan Jackson as our hitchhiking protagonist. The flick’s groovy late 60s soundtrack is just further icing on the cake.

4. Cry Wolf (2005) – Rotten Tomatoes Score: 24%

The days of annoying e-mail chain letters are mostly behind us, but Jeff Wadlow’s 2005 feature Cry Wolf remains as a snapshot of a time when urban legends went digital. Following a group of prep school students as they face the deadly aftermath of a viral serial killer hoax, Cry Wolf may be dated in both dialogue and plot elements, but it’s also a surprisingly entertaining mystery.

A fake serial killer claiming real-life victims after becoming an online sensation makes for a really fun premise, and the whodunnit aspect keeps things interesting as these privileged students (including Supernatural‘s Jared Padelecki) start to turn on each other. The movie probably would have had a bigger impact as a more traditional R-rated Slasher, and the ending doesn’t quite tie up all of the story’s loose ends, but Cry Wolf is still a competently made thriller with some satisfying twists and turns.

3. Gothika (2003) – Rotten Tomatoes: 15%

Ghostly murder mysteries are rarely as stylish as Mathieu Kassovitz’s Gothika, a moody thriller about a psychiatrist (Halle Berry) that gets into a car accident and wakes up being accused of murder. While the film was trashed by most critics at the time, who accused it of being a pulpy mess, I believe that those pulpy elements are precisely what make it such a charming experience in the first place.

This isn’t Berry at her best (though her role as Dr. Miranda Grey netted her a Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress), but she’s still a compelling protagonist in a lovingly crafted thriller that isn’t afraid to get a little weird in both visuals and storytelling. The supernatural aspect might be a bit too silly for some viewers, but I find that the film is highly entertaining as long as you don’t take it too seriously.

2. Thirteen Ghosts (2002) – Rotten Tomatoes: 16%

The early-to-mid 2000s saw a curious trend of critically reviled remakes of 50s horror movies, but Thirteen Ghosts stands out as one of the strangest. Featuring Tony Shalhoub and Matthew Lillard trapped in a glass mansion with a collection of murderous phantoms, I believe the wacky premise alone is enough to justify the price of admission.

Obviously, most critics didn’t see it that way, claiming that the plot and characters were much less interesting than the ghosts’ creative designs and backstories. While I agree that the implied mythology is better than the film’s actual story, this retro romp through a bizarre haunted house is still a fun time if you’re up for a no-frills midnight movie. Just be prepared for plenty of cheesy dialogue alongside the impressive ghost makeup.

1. Dead Silence (2007) – Rotten Tomatoes: 21%

While it’s hard to imagine nowadays, there was once a time when James Wan and Leigh Whannell had yet to be cemented as modern-day Masters of Horror. Back in 2007, the duo had a critical bomb on their hands with the supernatural thriller Dead Silence, a misunderstood gem featuring ghostly ventriloquists and creepy puppets.

Whannell admits to having some regrets about the screenplay, going so far as to claim that the studio brought in a script doctor to revise his original vision, but I’d argue that Dead Silence is almost as entertaining as Insidious, Whannel and Wan’s more popular collaboration. Things may get a little silly towards the end, but it’s still a fun ride and l think it’s a shame that Mary Shaw never returned for an even spookier sequel.

The post 6 Critically Panned Horror Movies from the 2000s That Are Still Worth a Watch appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This week’s streaming picks belong to the killer doll subgenre. Unlike Chucky or Annabelle, it’s surprising that almost all of them never received a sequel despite the potential. Still, they offer plenty of scares, some heart, and even a good chuckle or two.

Here’s where you can stream them this week.

Dead Silence – HBO Max

A young widower heads home for answers regarding his wife’s murder, which may be linked to the restless spirit of a ventriloquist. While Mary Shaw had many dolls, ventriloquist dummy Billy was by far her favorite. Billy cut out Jamie’s wife’s tongue in the opening sequence, and it was Billy that haunted him more frequently than any other puppets. Before Annabelle’s first appearance in The Conjuring, James Wan practiced scaring audiences with Billy. The vengeful ghost of Mary Shaw might be just as spooky. Dead Silence features Billy the most, but the glimpse of Mary Shaw’s vast collection makes you wish this one received a sequel.

Dolls – Tubi

“Toys are very loyal, and that’s a fact.” From the perspective of little Judy, a sweet little girl with a love of toys, the Gothic mansion belonging to Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke is a dream come true. Not only are they far kinder than her father and stepmother, but the estate is filled to the brim with dolls, puppets, and toys. If you’re a jerk adult, however, the mansion is a death trap. While this Stuart Gordon-directed fairy tale draws clear lines between the innocent and the morally corrupt deserving of their fate, it’s still really creepy to see them meet their doom at the hands of the dolls. Even creepier? What happens to them after the dolls attack.

Dolly Dearest – Popcorn Flix

Following in the tiny footsteps of Chucky, this early ’90s killer doll flick saw a family uproot to Mexico after dad acquires ownership of a doll factory. He doesn’t know that a nearby tomb has been disturbed, letting the malevolent spirit of Sanzia loose. It just so happens to take root in the dolls, with which the factory owner’s daughter becomes obsessed. If you were to apply the zany antics of Cathy’s Curse to Child’s Play‘s general setup, you have Dolly Dearest. It brings the B-movie mayhem and stars Denise Crosby (Pet Sematary), Lupe Ontiveros, and Rip Torn.

Tourist Trap – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

No, mannequins aren’t dolls, but they fit under that same uncanny valley umbrella. Mannequins are already unnerving, with their life-like appearance and vacant eyes. But what if they unhinged their jaws and made eerie sounds as they closed in on their victim for the kill? Yeah. Pure nightmare fuel. A group of friends discovers this the hard way as they find themselves stranded at a roadside attraction owned by the plucky Mr. Slausen. Of course, things are more than they appear to be as the friends begin disappearing one by one. Released during the golden era of slashers, it’s the creepy mannequins that have made Tourist Trap so memorable.

Trilogy of Terror – Prime Video

Appearing in the final segment, “Amelia,” of the made-for-TV anthology Trilogy of Terror, Karen Black fights for her life against the pint-sized nightmare known as the Zuni fetish doll. Based on Richard Matheson’s short story Prey, the segment sees Karen Black as Amelia, the unwitting recipient of “He Who Kills.” The oddly proportioned aboriginal doll with one gnarly mouth of razor-sharp teeth held a vicious spirit within, only contained by a loose gold chain with a penchant for falling off the doll. The cat and mouse game between the Zuni doll and Amelia terrified because of the doll’s ghastly appearance, the relentless pursuit, and how easy it was for him to hide. That the Zuni doll is tough to kill only makes the tension draw out further. The little killer terrorized another victim in the sequel, Trilogy of Terror II.

The post 5 Killer Doll Movies to Stream This Week [Stay Home, Watch Horror] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Following the smash horror hit’s release, Wan decided against directing the sequel and instead opted to reteam with Whannell for Universal Pictures’ shockingly underrated Dead Silence, the duo’s ventriloquist-themed Gothic horror story that starred “True Blood’s” Ryan Kwanten as a young widower who returns to his hometown to search for answers to his wife’s murder, which may be linked to the ghost of a deceased ventriloquist. The film introduced horror fans to Judith Roberts as the frightening Mary Shaw and, unfortunately, never gained enough of an audience to demand a sequel.

Today, the film went on sale on various platforms for only $4.99, and a deeper dive revealed that VUDU has Dead Silence (both theatrical and unrated) available for UHD rental for only $3.99. Unfortunately, it is not available for purchase. Weirdly, FandangoNOW has the 4K for both versions only available for purchase at a $19.99 price tag.

The years have been kind to Dead Silence, a forgotten gem lost in a sea of great films from both Wan and Whannell, the latter of which has turned to directing one of the Insidious sequels as well as both Upgrade and The Invisible Man. At the very least, pick up the HD version for only $4.99.

The post ‘Dead Silence’: James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s Ventriloquist-Horror Streaming in 4K! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Over the weekend, Wan dug up another handful of boards, drawn by Greg Chown for the filmmaker and Universal Pictures, which take us behind the scenes of the Gothic horror film in which a young widower (played by “True Blood’s” Ryan Kwanten) returns to his hometown to search for answers to his wife’s murder, which may be linked to the ghost of a murdered ventriloquist.

In the latest batch, Wan takes us to the sequences where Jamie (Kwanten) and Det. Lipton (Donnie Wahlberg) discover Mary Shaw’s (Judith Roberts) secret lair that’s hauntingly lined with 100 dolls and have to escape.

“[These were] pretty intricate, detailed set-pieces to put together,” explained Wan who also revealed that he “got vertigo every time I had to get up on that catwalk!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

100 Dolls in Mary Shaw’s Chamber (1/4). More DEAD SILENCE storyboards (by Greg Chown). The scenes where Jamie and Det. Lipton (Ryan and Donnie) discover Mary’s secret lair, and then escaping it. Pretty intricate, detailed set-pieces to put together. I got vertigo every time I had to get up on that catwalk!

A post shared by James Wan (@creepypuppet) on Apr 17, 2020 at 2:39pm PDT

 

View this post on Instagram

 

100 Dolls in Mary Shaw’s Chamber (2/4). DEAD SILENCE storyboards (by Greg Chown).

A post shared by James Wan (@creepypuppet) on Apr 18, 2020 at 3:09pm PDT

 

View this post on Instagram

 

100 Dolls in Mary Shaw’s Chamber (3/4). Detective Lipton shouldn’t have screamed! DEAD SILENCE storyboards (by Greg Chown).

A post shared by James Wan (@creepypuppet) on Apr 19, 2020 at 6:09pm PDT

The post James Wan Shares ‘Dead Silence’ Storyboards from Mary Shaw’s Chamber of Dolls! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Joining other artists sharing rare and unseen relics, Wan posted to his socials several storyboards that were drawn by Greg Chown for Wan and Universal Pictures.

“Been doing some Spring cleaning and came across the storyboards for Dead Silence,” wrote Wan. “Kinda fun to revisit the filmmaking process from back then. Since this movie is getting some love these days, I’m gonna put some up!”

The art takes us to a sequence in which Ryan Kwanten‘s Jamie takes a rowboat up to a gothic-looking derelict theater in which a ghostly ventriloquist named Mary Shaw awaits his arrival.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Been doing some Spring cleaning and came across the storyboards for DEAD SILENCE. Kinda fun to revisit the filmmaking process from back then. Since this movie is getting some love these days, I’m gonna put some up! (Storyboards by Greg Chown)

A post shared by James Wan (@creepypuppet) on Apr 15, 2020 at 6:21pm PDT

The post James Wan Digs Up Previously Unseen ‘Dead Silence’ Storyboards appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

But not all great horror movies find instant success at the box office on opening weekend. Some get minimal marketing, some slip through the cracks in an overcrowded release weekend, and some head straight to home release, never even making it to theaters at all. Then there’s the wholly separate issue of corralling the cast and crew back together for a second round. All of which to say that the road to sequel-ville is often long and complicated.

There are so many great movies that left fans clamoring for more, and these 10 fantastic horror films in particular are ripe for continuation.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

We have no one to blame for the lack of sequel but ourselves. A hysterical deconstruction of the slasher formula set around an aspiring slasher icon, Leslie Vernon, Behind the Mask quickly found its way into the hearts of horror fans on DVD after an extremely limited theatrical run. Leslie’s dynamic relationship with his chosen final girl, Taylor Gentry, and that final shot post-credits left us clamoring for more. When Anchor Bay didn’t want to finance a sequel, director/producer Scott Glosserman turned to Kickstarter in 2012, and it didn’t meet its goal. In 2017, they tried again via Indiegogo with a prequel/sequel/remake comic book series in time for the film’s 10th anniversary. For many of us, we still want that prequel/sequel/remake in cinematic form, but it’s not for a lack of trying on the crew’s part.

The Burning

Released in the middle of the slasher craze, The Burning also faced steep slasher competition in its theatrical run from Happy Birthday to Me, Friday the 13th Part 2, Graduation Day, Final Exam and even a re-release of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Cropsy might have finally found his audience decades later, but in the summer of 1981, he didn’t stand a chance. Which is a shame, of course, because between the grisly deaths, gory makeup effects by Tom Savini, and the memorable villain in the disfigured Cropsy, The Burning had a lot of potential for sequels.

Bubba Ho-Tep

Don Coscarelli’s horror comedy saw Bruce Campbell as an aged Elvis Presley living in a retirement home and teaming up with “JFK” to battle an ancient mummy. At the end of the credits, Coscarelli snuck in a tease for a sequel meant to be a joke: “Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires.” But the joke was on him; fans really wanted Bubba Nosferatu. Getting it going, though, hasn’t been easy. Campbell long ago stated his days of playing Elvis are over, and getting funding for the project has proven tricky in the lengthy period of time that’s passed since the film was released. Even still, Coscarelli has long proven his fortitude and ingenuity in getting films made so long as fans want them, so we can’t rule out a sequel entirely.

Dead Silence

Dolls are freaking creepy. Especially in the hands of director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell. Dead Silence wasn’t exactly a box office hit, though. It was more like the beginning of the duo’s transition from Saw to supernatural chills; they moved on to the Insidious franchise after. Both Wan and Whannell have become extremely busy with their own respective horror films, franchises, and projects in the decade since. Meaning that the likelihood of returning to a smaller project that didn’t make much of a splash is probably zilch. Again, though, dolls are freaking creepy. So was the mythology behind Dead Silence. Mary Shaw is a formidable boogeyman on her own, but we only saw a fraction of her 101 beloved ventriloquist dummies. Talk about unexplored potential.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Of all the towns these killer space aliens could’ve invaded, they chose the small town of Crescent Cove. Meaning, there are lots of other small towns waiting to be visited by this circus act from hell. That everything was handled practically by the Chiodo brothers means this film has held up remarkably well, and it’s just plain fun. Considering it’s been featured in Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights two years in a row, in scare zones and now a haunted maze, well, it seems like now is the ideal time to revisit those sequel talks.

Splinter

This unique 2008 creature feature ended with a hook that screamed “give me a sequel!” When a young couple gets car-jacked by an escaped convict and his girlfriend, they’re forced to team up when a strange parasite traps them in a gas station. A parasite that spreads and turns its hosts into deadly beings. Brutal, suspenseful, and with an extremely cool creature concept, Splinter cut to infected corpses lying dormant before the credits rolled. A limited theatrical release meant that this didn’t set the box office on fire, and it remains an under-seen gem. So, it’s no surprise it hasn’t received a sequel, but boy does it deserve one.

Deep Rising

Now a heralded cult classic, Deep Rising was a flop upon initial release. Which means all hopes of finding out what was crashing through the forest toward the film’s survivors was abruptly cut short. Bummer. The massive sea creature that hijacked a cruise liner and ate its human passengers in the grisliest fashion made for an entertaining romp. It’s the precise type of aquatic horror we don’t get a whole lot of, either. While we’ll likely never find out what was on the remote primordial island at the end of the movie, I’ll still hold out a glimmer of hope that a resurgence of new aquatic horror will bring about something close enough to fill that void.

Trick ‘r Treat

This direct to DVD release is the epitome of Halloween spirit, and one innovative horror anthology to boot. Which is to say, it was an instant hit with horror fans and now requisite holiday viewing material. Little Sam, of course, became the new Halloween mascot (have you been to Spirit Halloween stores yet?). Understandably, we want more. So much so that I’m sure writer/director Mike Dougherty is tired of getting asked about it, though he has teased that he’s hoping to make the sequel his next project post-Godzilla. Translation: keep demanding a sequel, and we just might get it. More Sam and more Halloween fun are always welcome.

Grindhouse

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez attempted to recapture that drive-in double feature nostalgia with their own double feature, 2007’s Grindhouse, complete with made up trailers that played in between. Internationally, the double feature was split up as two separate releases. Either way, audiences didn’t show up for this experimental event. Any chance of seeing more were squashed. There were a couple of fake trailers that received their own feature films (Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun), but fans still hold out hope for Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving. Can you imagine actual sequels, though? Picture this: A Thanksgiving and Werewolf Women of the SS double feature, with more fake trailers to pluck from for future Grindhouse double features. It’ll never happen, but it’s still a cool concept to think about.

Evil Dead

In 2013, Fede Alvarez knocked us off our feet with one brutal reimagining of a horror classic. So. Much. Blood. As well as visceral horror, a new spin on the story, and glorious gore. All while paying homage to the original. Then there’s Jane Levy’s Mia, villain turned final girl. All of which has us clamoring for a follow up. The Necronomicon is still out there, after all. It’s only been six years, and nearly all involved, including producers Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, have expressed interest in continuing the story. So, come on Fede Alvarez, bring it!

The post 10 Great Horror Films That Should Have Gotten Sequels appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Of course, when you become an adult, it feels silly to be terrified of lifeless, plastic objects that barely come up to your knee— especially after witnessing a fair share of ridiculous doll horror movies that make us laugh more than scare us. (Pinocchio’s Revenge, anyone?) However, when done effectively and with the right amount of terror, doll horror can contain some of the most disturbing moments in the genre: anything from dolls cutting out their victims’ tongues, to attacking children, to even screaming in anguish as they die themselves.

And with the releases of this weekend’s Child’s Play remake (which is also going toe-to-toe against Toy Story 4), next week’s Annabelle Returns, and next month’s Brahms: The Boy II, summer 2019 is shaping up to be an interesting battle of the (vindictive) dolls in the horror genre. In anticipation, let’s take a look back at 10 of the most unsettling moments in doll horror history.

The opening sequence of Dead Silence (2007)

Filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell were riding off the massive success of Saw when their follow-up Dead Silence came to theaters.  Sadly, the movie failed to be a critical or box office success, but its scares, visuals, set design, score, cinematography (and those dolls!) have now made it a cult favorite in the doll horror subgenre that it deserved to be.  And don’t even try to pretend like Billy the dummy didn’t haunt your life in 2007.

While the movie indeed has its flaws, Dead Silence’s opening sequence is near perfect.  After the Ashens receive a mysterious and creepy ventriloquist doll named Billy at their door, Mrs. Ashen (Amber Valletta) stays at home as her husband leaves and thinks it’d be hilarious if she hides it under the covers to scare him when he returns.  Unfortunately for her, Billy has other plans.  The music starts to slow down; the clock slowly ticks; the teakettle screeches.  Mrs. Ashen begins to hear faint whispers coming from the bedroom where the doll sits.  As she lifts the covers up to check on it, the sounds of scraping knives and shrieks cause her to get thrown across the room, crawling for her life.  Blood pours from her mouth, and she gets yanked again.  Her husband Jamie (Ryan Kwanten) soon comes home to a bloody mess and hears the mimicking of his wife’s voice, before discovering his dead wife propped up on the bed with her mouth gaped open and sans tongue, as Billy watches on from the bedroom floor.

The mechanical doll enters the room – Deep Red (1975)

Sure, you could argue that there is little logical rhyme or reason for Dario Argento’s choice to include creepy prop dolls in several of his kill scenes in his 1975 giallo masterpiece Deep Red, but they really do add something special.  Particularly, when Professor Giordani (Glauco Mauri) returns to his office after endless nights of investigating who could be behind this slew of murders, he feels as if someone or something is watching him; he senses a threat.  Instead of taking a peek around the office to see who is lurking, he grabs the nearest weapon and waits it out.  And soon enough, he gets a real surprise when a laughing, smirking, mechanical doll comes barreling into the room— quickly floating in the air as it makes its way towards Giordani, flailing its arms and rotating its head towards him, as he is understandably horrified and confused.  Giordani cracks the doll’s head open and starts to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all…but just as he starts to let his guard down, the gloved killer comes from behind the window curtain and savagely murders him.  The doll was used as a mere trick to distract the professor, and he paid the ultimate price because of it.

Hugo the dummy stands up – Dead of Night (1945)

In this classic horror anthology’s most memorable story, party guest Walter Craig (Mervyn Johns) is haunted by the tale of an anxious ventriloquist who is convinced that his amoral dummy Hugo is alive.  Hugo— with his crisp white bow tie, his unnerving high-pitched voice and deadpan, dark humor— set the bar for terrifying dummies in horror.  So when Walter finds himself inside of a confined jail cell with the nightmarish Hugo staring at him from across the room, we are treated to some hair-raising visuals.  Hugo’s eyes widen, before he slowly gets up from his chair and starts to walk over to Walter’s bed.  There is just something so creepy about a doll that gets up and walks like a person would.  He never loses eye contact with Walter, as he starts to climb onto Walter’s bed and begins to put his hands around his neck.  “Wouldn’t I?”  Hugo taunts, as he chokes Walter more forcefully, and the camera zooms out of the room.  And, as this is far from the only disconcerting Hugo scene in this film, I had a difficult time choosing which one to include here— so do yourself a favor and seek Dead of Night out immediately!

May makes her own doll – May (2002)

(Contains Spoilers) A dissociated loner whose only friend is a glass-encased doll from her childhood, May (Angela Bettis) can’t seem to find what she’s looking for in a friend or soulmate— and, as her mother always told her, when you can’t find a friend, you make one.  Too bad she likely did not mean that to translate literally.  In this 2002 cult favorite, May’s super freaky-looking doll named Suzie is not even the most unsettling doll in the movie.  Instead, what takes the cake is the climactic reveal of May’s homemade doll: she has taken the best parts from each of her dead former friends and lovers: hands, legs, neck…not to mention gauges out her very own eyeball to complete this mesh of human parts plus doll parts creation she has named “Amy.”  We may have seen this coming from a mile away, but nothing can prepare us for the visual nightmare of this Frankenstein’s Monster-like creation that May eventually lies next to, touches, and talks to, as if it can understand her.  Equal parts upsetting and tragic, May still hasn’t found what she is looking for, as sadly, the film ends with May even lonelier than she ever was.

Zuni doll attacks Amelia – Trilogy of Terror (1975)

In what many regarded as the scariest 25 minutes of a TV movie ever during the time, this final story within Dan Curtis’s anthology Trilogy of Terror pinned Karen Black’s Amelia against a Zuni hunting fetish doll whose fallen gold chain unleashes a cruel spirit which is out for blood.  As Amelia settles in for the evening after feeling guilty for ditching plans with her mother, she gets distracted and loses sight of her newly bought Zuni doll.  The lights flicker off, and she stumbles in the darkness, only to begin to feel her legs getting hacked and slashed.  The imagery of the Zuni is unsettling enough, but the doll’s scratchy growls, baby-like screams, illogical jibberish, and swiftness as it chases Amelia throughout the rooms make it horrifying.  We watch with anxiety as the doll jabs the knife from under the door until it busts through the bathroom and screams for its life as Amelia attempts to drown it.  Of course, whatever attempts Amelia makes to stop the Zuni, the Zuni is always one step ahead, and even after she viciously stabs it, the unleashed spirit would go on to enter Amelia herself.  This sequence contains some solid jump scares as well as Curtis’s brilliant, kinetic camerawork from the doll’s POV that would influence Child’s Play a decade later.

Fats busts out the switchblade – Magic (1978)

In this slow-burn psychological horror, troubled ventriloquist Corky (Anthony Hopkins) begins to experience some fame with his new act that includes his vulgar dummy, Fats.  After suffering from some apprehension over his newfound success, Corky returns home to the Catskills where he grew up, and reunites with his former crush Peggy-Ann (Ann-Margret) and her now-husband, Duke (Ed Lauter) which becomes the start of an affair between Corky and Peggy-Ann.  As Duke grows more suspicious of the affair and especially of Corky’s odd behavior, he decides to confront Corky, so he makes his way into Corky’s cabin to dig around for evidence or anything he can find.  Unbeknownst to Duke, Fats is watching him root through Corky’s things and decides to teach him a fatal lesson.  We see a blurred shot of Fats watching Duke through the mirror behind him, slowly moving his head around and preparing to make his move.  As Duke feels Fats’s stare, he makes a huge mistake by walking towards the dummy, right before Fats busts out a switchblade and stabs him.  The most unnerving aspect of this scene is watching Fats’s grin spread across his face, deriving pleasure from every bloody stab into poor Duke.

Clown doll chokes Robbie – Poltergeist (1982)

Not only did Poltergeist traumatize us with a sinister doll— it decided to ruin our lives with a clown-doll hybrid that is considered one of the scariest aspects of this 1982 beloved film.  As young Robbie gets ready for bed, he decides to throw a blanket over the creepy, smiling doll that sheepishly sits in the rocking chair, so it isn’t staring directly at him during his slumber.  (And who could blame him.)  The doll seems to telepathically reject the blanket, and Robbie decides to give up and attempts to go to sleep, but to no avail.  The child senses that something is amiss, and looks over to see the doll missing from the chair, to which he begins to panic.  He peeks under his bed; the doll isn’t there.  And suddenly, in one of the most iconic jump scares in horror, the clown doll is standing right behind Robbie, wrapping its never-ending arms around him, wanting to choke him out.  It starts to drag Robbie under the bed, while the other family members suffer from various other supernatural forces throughout the house.  Luckily, Robbie bravely fights back, and the doll doesn’t get away with its shenanigans.

Talky Tina speaks for the first time –The Twilight Zone, ep. “Living Doll” (1963)

Creeping out generations of The Twilight Zone viewers for years to come, this quintessential episode of the Rod Serling-hosted show reached all encompassing levels of unsettling when it introduced the world to this sentinel, wind-up doll.  After a hurt Christie (Tracy Stratford) leaves her new doll on the couch with her cruel stepfather (after he just berated her and her mother) Erich (Telly Savalas) decides to check out the doll’s abilities for himself, winding her up to see what she says.  Talky Tina wastes no time in expressing her hatred for Erich, as she stops moving her arms and looks at him dead in the eyes and says, “My name is Talky Tina, and I don’t think I like you…I think I could even hate you. You’ll be sorry.” And with her judgmental eyes and her knowing smirk, Talky Tina just looked like she despised him, especially after he throws her across the room and her eyes catch up to his.  From this moment on, we knew Talky Tina was a real threat, and the rest of the episode proved this to be true.  But nothing can beat that pivotal first moment when Talky Tina showed us her true colors…

Annabelle glares at Judy – The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring is first and foremost a well-crafted haunted house story with an innocent family trapped within its throws— however, the movie’s porcelain doll named Annabelle, which was based off of the Warrens’ actual “haunted” ragdoll of the same name, really stole the show.  When the Warrens’ daughter Judy (Sterling Jerins) gets woken up from a tug on her sheets in the middle of the night, she does what every kid would do and wanders into her parents’ room full of possessed objects, of course.  Searching for her parents, she runs into a different room in the house, where she locks herself inside.  After thunderous banging on the door, Judy turns around to see a ghastly sight: the ghost of witch Bathsheba holding an uncaged Annabelle on her lap in the rocking chair.  Annabelle slowly begins to twist her head around and stares threateningly at Judy, to which Judy is mortified.  As Judy cries for help, the rocking chair gets thrown over her head, just in time for the Warrens to come in and rescue her.  Even as Annabelle became the star of her own movies since then, we still haven’t shaken off this scene.

Chucky’s first kill – Child’s Play (1988)

In 1988, we were not prepared for the world’s deadliest, most foul-mouthed, voodoo-loving Good Guy doll.  After little Andy (Alex Vincent) is gifted Chucky on his birthday, he quickly makes note that the doll is communicating to him, to which his dear Aunt Maggie (Dinah Manoff) brushes off.  But after tucking Andy (and Chucky) into bed, Maggie starts to hear strange noises lurking around the apartment: tiny footsteps and pitter-patter that she assumes is Andy avoiding his bedtime.  When she makes her way into the kitchen, Maggie gets temporarily distracted by a phone call from Andy’s mother and a mess all over the floor— to which the film cuts to someone picking up a hammer.  Before she can even calm herself down from the “alone-at-night willies” Maggie turns around and catches a flying hammer to the eye and falls out the window to her harrowing demise.  What a way to kick off a killing spree as a 3-ft doll.  And the fact that we know right off the bat that it was Chucky but never even get a glimpse of him is genius— instead, Tom Holland opts for chilling POV shots from Chucky’s perspective and tiny footprints in the mess in the kitchen that give us the right amount of suspense for what’s yet to come.  Plus, who isn’t disturbed to see Marty from Grease die so brutally!

The post 10 of the Most Unsettling Moments in Doll Horror History! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

As two gay men, we have opted to use the moniker “Horror Queers” for this series of articles. It is a word that has a complicated history due to its derogatory use by bullies and hateful people, but has increasingly been adopted as a term of empowerment and a unifying term that recognizes the many complex identities that make up the LGBTIQQ community. Queer has become commonplace in academia, politics and pop culture over the past three decades. We understand and recognize that the term is still very hurtful for some people, but we believe that the more people that proudly reclaim it, the more the wounds and stigma surrounding the term are reduced. Using the word “queer” is intensely personal, but it is a decision that we are committed to. Please don’t be an asshole when using it and we’ll get along fine.

***SPOILERS for Dead Silence to follow.***

Synopsis for Dead Silence: Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten), a young widower, returns to his hometown to search for answers to his wife’s murder, which may be linked to the ghost of murdered ventriloquist Mary Shaw (Judith Roberts).

Queer Aspect: Dolls…and Ryan Kwanten’s residual Jason Stackhouse sex appeal?

Trace

Joe, I think readers are going to be a bit perplexed by our (re: your) decision to cover James Wan’s second feature film, Dead Silence, for this article (congrats to James Wan for being the first director we’ve covered twice for this series, though!). We are usually able to connect our off-cycle films with some element of queerness (see: Rebecca Gayheart’s performance in Urban Legend), but Dead Silence doesn’t have any noticeably queer elements. Ok admittedly, it does have some of the camp elements we seek out in the films we cover (this thing just gets sillier and sillier as it goes along, doesn’t it?).

What is most fascinating about Dead Silence is not the film itself, but rather its placement in Wan’s career. It’s kind of miraculous that he became the directorial juggernaut that he is today, especially considering the terrible year he had in 2007. After bursting onto the horror scene in 2004 with Saw, expectations were high for his sophomore feature. Released two and a half years after Saw, Dead Silence was a critical and commercial failure. It earned a 20% on Rotten Tomatoes (with an average rating of 3.9/10) and only grossed $16.8 million here in the States. The film fared poorly overseas as well, grossing a mere $5.4 million, making for a worldwide gross of $22.2 million. Yikes.

Made for a sizable budget of $20 million (most of which had to have gone to the production design, which is spectacular), the film was a disappointment to say the least. This is somewhat surprising, considering the trailer had everybody talking back then (at least from what I can remember….I was 18 at the time). Maybe its similarities to the trailer for Darkness Falls turned some people off? Both featured a creepy nursery rhyme and an old lady who became a vengeful ghost after being murdered by townsfolk. I don’t know. I’m just spitballing, here. Screenwriter Leigh Whannell has made it clear that he felt Universal Pictures treated the film like “toxic waste,” so that probably had something to do with it.

All the more shocking is that Dead Silence wasn’t James Wan’s only flop in 2007. He also released the Kevin Bacon-starring Death Sentence, which grossed a paltry $16.9 million worldwide against a $20 million budget, just six months after Dead Silence. Critics were also unkind to that film, which also had s 20% on Rotten Tomatoes (albeit with a slightly higher average score of 4.1/10). How was he not blacklisted from Hollywood after 2007? I’m not saying he should have been (he’s a wonderful director), but it seems like Hollywood’s cynicism would have ostracized him after two failures in the same year. Thank God for Jason Blum, who allowed him to make Insidious four years later (“allowed” may be the wrong choice of word, but you get what I mean). It’s an understatement to say that his career has been flourishing both creatively and financially since then.

Upon rewatching Dead Silence, it’s shocking at how well-made the film is. As mentioned above, the production design is fantastic. The town of Raven’s Fair has a very Silent Hill-y vibe mixed with a little Springwood from the Freddy’s Dead era. James Wan evokes a particular style throughout the film, as well. From the old-timey/modified Universal logo that starts the film (I’m a sucker for this gag, be it in Drag Me to Hell, Ouija: Origin of Evil or Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World) through the rapid Saw-like editing during the twist reveal (shockingly, Saw franchise editor-turned-director Kevin Greutert did not edit Dead Silence), this is undoubtedly a James Wan film. And how can you not enjoy Saw-composer Charlie Clouser’s score?

The film is also lit with a lot of blues, so much so that at one point the characters on screen look like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (see below). Nevertheless, you have to appreciate Dead Silence’s style; it’s chock-full of it. Well, that and jump scares. Lots of jump scares (I’m not opposed to jump scares at all, but Dead Silence is filled to the brim with cheap ones).

This was also my first time watching the unrated version of the film, which has some additions that actually should have made it into the final cut! The most egregious cut comes in the form of Shaw’s tongue, which is a long, Venom-like tongue made up of the tongues of all of her victims. Why was this removed?! It’s one of the more inspired ideas in Whannell’s screenplay (the CGI is less than stellar, so perhaps that was a studio decision?)

The alternate ending of the film gives more backstory to Amber Valletta’s Ella, explaining how she came to be possessed by Shaw. The theatrical/unrated cut ends rather abruptly, making it unclear as to whether Ella is possessed by Shaw or simply one of her acolytes. The only explanation given is a drawing of her face in a book noting that she is the “perfect doll.” In the alternate ending, Ella was human and married to Edward, but he was abusive and pushed her down the stairs one day, killing their unborn child. She then went to the cemetery and dug up Billy the puppet and was possessed by Mary Shaw. Okay, so that still doesn’t make a lot of sense (what was she planning on doing with that puppet?), but it at least adds some sort of explanation to an admittedly clever twist. I don’t need everything spelled out for me, but the ending that wound up in the final cut feels like a victim of poor editing.

Joe, I haven’t really begun to analyze the film yet, opting instead to dive into fun bits of trivia. Apologies for that, but what did you make of Dead Silence on a rewatch? Did you detect any queer themes? Was it fairly maligned back in 2007? Or have the 11 years since its release been kind to it? Does watching Ryan Kwanten walk around doing nothing make for an entertaining viewing experience? And I mentioned, but didn’t really dig into, Leigh Whannell’s thoughts on the film, which were revealed on his personal blog back in 2011 (seek it out because it’s pretty fascinating). Over to you, Joe!

Joe

Alright, so this is very much the definition of an “off-cycle” pick to me: it has a touch of camp (ventriloquism as a major plot point), a bizarre premise (so.many.dolls) and a hot Final Boy in Kwanten’s Jamie.

Or at least that’s what I thought when I added it to the brainstorming list way back in the day. In my memory, this film was the definition of a guilty-pleasure: an unfairly maligned supernatural film directed with flair that slipped through the cracks back in the day.

Unfortunately that’s not the film that I watched in anticipation of this column. Dead Silence has a lot of good qualities (the production design, the menagerie of creepy dolls, great makeup effects when folks lose their tongues/jaws), but overall this film has a huge debilitating weakness: it is DULL AS F*CK. Holy snoozefest, Trace; I really struggled to stay invested in this, especially any time that Donnie Wahlberg’s horribly miscast Detective Lipton appears on screen (shaving, always shaving. WHY?!) I’m flabbergasted that Wan thinks his performance is actually “funny”.

What’s really intriguing to me is how, at this very moment, the late 90s teen horror cycle is having a cultural renaissance: we just celebrated the 20th anniversary of fare like Urban Legend and The Faculty, which were critical flops (albeit decent moneymakers) back in their initial release. I’ll be keen to see if in five to eight years mid-2000s horror films like Darkness Falls and Dead Silence get special edition Scream Factory releases and think-pieces celebrating them.

I don’t think the horror community is going to be as kind.

But turning back specifically to Wan’s sophomore effort: I think you rightfully touched on the most interesting aspects of Dead Silence, which is how it reflects the lessons that Wan and Leigh Whannell learned making Saw, while simultaneously anticipating the Insidious and The Conjuring universes to come. The DNA of those (much improved) supernatural films are clearly established here, particularly in the mythology of Mary Shaw, her movements and her costuming/make-up. I mentioned on Twitter while I was watching that it would take no effort to incorporate this character into one of Wan’s two universes.

To be honest, I would be 100% in favour of such a development because I think there’s a ton of promise in this premise (say that five times fast). As an antagonist, Shaw is creepy, memorable and she gives great head, especially when those heads are attached to 100 ventriloquist dummies contained in glass cases behind a theatrical red curtain. Dolls are inherently creepy and this cacophony of them, particularly the section in the Theatre Guignol, is easily the film’s most successful set piece (it doesn’t hurt that this is where Wahlberg is brutally murdered).

Circling back to your questions, I did want to address the queer aspect in more detail. While there’s nothing inherently queer about Jamie (aside from a unisex name), the Final Boy element helps make the film a bit of an oddity. Dead Silence isn’t quite a slasher, but the way that Mary Shaw targets her victims hews closely to slasher villain formula, and Jamie’s entire character arc plays out like a slasher heroine to me. He must return to his hometown, he conducts research, he alone has the ingenuity to discover the villain’s plan, etc. Obviously his dead wife (another standout sequence) impacts his romantic prospects, but that doesn’t discount the fact that Jamie is startlingly asexual throughout the film (another Film Girl trait).

I dunno. Maybe I’m way off base, but having a male protagonist in a film like this strikes me as a touch queer. Sidebar: I’ll never forgive Wan for the lack of shirtless scenes in this film (does Jamie never shower?).

Back to you Trace: do you see queer themes in Jamie or the dolls? Or perhaps in the campy twist at the film’s end? Are you open to see more Mary Shaw somewhere down the line? And how long would your liver last if you did played the Dead Silence drinking game where you take a shot every time her name is mentioned?

Trace

Wait a minute, Joe. You don’t find Wahlberg’s performance humorous? It is arguably the campiest thing about this movie. He’s overacting so much and every time he busted out that damn electric razor, I couldn’t help but guffaw (guffaw, Joe). His performance is almost as bad as Chad Donella’s in Saw 3D (and if you don’t remember who that is, give it a rewatch. It’s one of the most egregious examples of bad acting I can think of off the top of my head.).

As for the film’s queerness: I don’t really see it. It’s fitting that we are discussing Dead Silence right after A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 since both of them have male protagonists, but the Final Girl trope fits with NOES2 because it is a slasher film. Dead Silence isn’t a slasher film, so the Final Girl doesn’t apply here (yes, I’m aware the Final Girl trope can apply to other sub-genres of horror, but in my opinion the argument doesn’t hold much weight here). Also, Jamie is the only boy, let alone the Final One. He’s not exactly surrounded by a jury of his peers, you know? In the words of some of our detractors in the comments section: I think you may be reaching a bit with this one.

I somewhat (but not completely) disagree with you about the film being dull. On one level, I was utterly fascinated by what was transpiring on screen because it was so silly (and pretty), but you are correct that the narrative isn’t the most compelling aspect of the film. I wasn’t kidding when I asked if watching Ryan Kwanten walk around doing nothing made for an entertaining viewing experience. It doesn’t.

That brings me to the film’s main problem: there aren’t enough characters. Other than Jamie, you’ve got Edward and Ella, who exist solely for the third act twist (and disappear for most of the second act). Then you’ve got the useless Detective Dodo. And finally you’ve got the mortician and his wife, the former of whom solely exists to provide clunky exposition (with one of the longest flashbacks ever) and to add to the film’s surprisingly low body count.

It doesn’t help that Jamie is (understandably) a sad sap for the majority of the film. The character’s mopey storyline prevents Kwanten from displaying his natural charisma and thus destroys any interest we may have in watching him. We also don’t get any shots of his butt, which is just ridiculous (I suppose that if we’re following your Final Boy theory then it makes sense that Jamie would be fully clothed for the entirety of the film. He has to remain pure!) Admittedly, the film would be much more interesting if he was walking around doing nothing butt naked, but I guess there’s not much justification for that.

Because of the lack of characters, Raven’s Fair is missing the personality that usually comes from a small town’s residents. Where is everybody in this town? Raven’s Fair has a Silent Hill quality to it, but whereas it made sense for Silent Hill to be somewhat abandoned since it is literally a ghost town, Raven’s Fair doesn’t have that “luxury.” You would think that there would be more people living in the town or, since all of its residents had either fled or been killed by Mary Shaw, that the town would have more of a notorious reputation.

While we’re discussing lapses in logic, why is it taking Mary Shaw so long (like, decades) to kill all of these people? Doesn’t she just need to apparate to her victim’s location and make him/her scream? Can she only kill them if they’re in Raven’s Fair (clearly not since she tracked down Jamie’s wife)? What is she doing between murders? Does she have hobbies during her down time? I have to know.

Despite all of those flaws, I still like Dead Silence. I like it more than its writer and director do. That Theatre Guignol set piece is, as you said, the film’s strongest sequence. I am also partial to the opening sequence, though I hope Laura Regan got a better agent (They and Hollow Man 2: Even Hollower were some of her other screen credits from that time), but I digress. There are some fantastically creepy moments in the film, and Wan seems to be having fun (even if he wasn’t) with the multitude of doll set pieces. Mary Shaw being a primer for Insidious’s Bride in Black makes her even more of an interesting villain (especially if she’s allowed to keep her CGI tongue). Lastly, that twist with Edward is just great. If nothing else, you cannot deny that the film has some striking visuals, and Edward’s hollowed-out back is one of them.

Joe, how can you hate a movie that has the balls to A) kill a pregnant woman in its opening scene and B) repeatedly show the decomposing corpse of a child? Little Michael’s marionette tableau is creepy as all get out. Is Dead Silence low man on the totem pole for you when it comes to James Wan’s filmography? What would make the film less boring for you?

Joe

A) I am always down for child murder, so I applaud the death of not one, but two of them in this film.

B) I don’t hate the film! I just think that it’s reflective of a certain kind of horror film from the 2000s: movies that have a solid hook courtesy of their high concept idea that doesn’t come together to form a compelling finished film.

It’s clear that Whannell and Wan had a great idea when they began collaborating on this film, but the resulting film is all concept and great aesthetics with no real story or characterization. It’s not just that Mary Shaw’s plan doesn’t make any sense; it’s that it’s surprisingly basic (she’s got all of those powers, but she’s just floating around trying to make people scream? Bitch, aim higher!) Compared to their other output, it’s pretty clear to me that Dead Silence is the odd duck out in their filmography.

So what could have been done to make Dead Silence more enjoyable? Well I’m glad you asked (Sidebar: I love that we’re full-on jumping into speculative territory because the film doesn’t offer enough interesting details to fill out a column!)

1) Make Lisa Jamie’s sister instead of his wife: This way you not only get another red shirt in the form of her husband or boyfriend, and Jamie isn’t saddled with a sad sack storyline. Her death can still be used to prompt Jamie’s return home, however (obviously keep her pregnancy).

2) Get Jamie and Ella together: Hear me out because this may seem like an unusual idea, but whenever Jamie and Ella interact, there’s some weird sexual chemistry (particularly in their first encounter). Capitalize on this and get her more involved in his investigation! It’s established that Jamie’s relationship with his dad is shit, so if Jamie and Ella spend more time together (and obviously bump uglies – which gives us the butt shot that we deserve) it would dramatically increase the conflict between Jamie and his dad. Plus: it gives Ella more screen time, which would make the final twist even more gut-wrenching.

3) Establish an anniversary: It worked in The Fog and countless other horror films, so why not here? Rather than have Mary Shaw pointlessly wait for decades to exact her revenge, make it the anniversary of her death or some other date of significance (the town’s centennial?). This would clearly explain why she waited until now to massacre all of the descendants and it would also allow for a higher body count because she’d just be starting her killing spree.

4) Don’t send Jamie to the island twice: Why does Jamie go out, then come back to town and then sneak back out? It’s basically so that he and Detective Donnie can have more ridiculous encounters. Screw that! Once Jamie’s out there, just leave him out there until it’s time to bring him back to town for the twist.

5) Get rid of Detective Razor: Or at least make him useful. If the whole plot line about Jamie’s wife is eliminated, this character can become an ally instead of a waste of screen time. Leaning into your Silent Hill comparison, this character could be the equivalent of Laurie Holden’s Cybil: someone operating on the margins of the investigation (perhaps from a different, but complementary angle). I just really hate characters who are inserted into the plot solely to doubt or foil our protagonist’s progress, so Detective Dipshit really irks me.

OR

6) Scrap the entire contemporary story: I get the impression that you didn’t like it quite as much as me, Trace, but outside of A) the opening scene, B) the twist and C) the Theatre Guignol, the best sequence of the film to me is the extended flashback of Mary Shaw’s origin. If you consider their quotes about the genesis of this film, it seems obvious that this portion is the film that Whannell and Wan really wanted to make, so why not just make Dead Silence an historical horror film? (I wonder if the studio rejected the concept out of fear that it wouldn’t sell… which would be ironic considering their lack of confidence in the finished product and doubly so since this is essentially what the writer/duo do with the Warrens in The Conjuring).

I don’t know that any of these suggestions would fix the film in its entirety, but it would be better than watching Kwanten wander around town for 90 minutes while Detective Wahlburger trails behind him, voraciously attacking his stubble.

Watching this a second time definitely confirmed to me that there’s promise in “doll horror”, but Dead Silence isn’t it. Perhaps we’ll discover a better candidate somewhere down the line; I’m not giving up until this column has covered a successful example, so brace yourself Thurman!

Trace

I have to chime in really quick before we end this piece, but if you’re wanting more doll horror then I can’t wait for you to finally watch Seed of Chucky. That film is…..well, it’s a film that exists.

Until next time, Horror Queers!

Next time on Horror Queers: We’re delving back into obscure camp territory as we dig into the miraculous oddity that is Killer Condom

Dead Silence is available to stream on Amazon Prime for $3.99. Make sure you watch the unrated version!

And don’t forget to catch up on our previous Horror Queers articles here!

The post [Horror Queers] Discussing the Dangerous Dolls of ‘Dead Silence’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The use of a creepy doll in visual tales of mystery and terror have been told time and again since the early days of black and white films. Hey, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it, am I right? Utilizing a doll as a device for scares is a safe bet to make your audience uncomfortable, much like the use of creepy kids in a horror film. Such as the innocence associated with childhood, dolls and playthings hold the hand of that kind of purity. They remind us of a time when we, as kids, didn’t have to worry about the stresses of being an adult (could this be the reason we get so damn nostalgic over plastic relics from our younger years?). The thought of something that gives us the nostalgic fuzzies becoming a weapon of murder and mayhem is psychologically terrifying.

Oh, how all this pleases the Oopsie Daisy.

Digressing, studios and filmmakers are no dummies and know full well demonic dollies mean dollar signs – not to mention that us horror fanatics can’t get enough of it. For nearly ninety years, the cinematic deadly doll genre has revolutionized the way we look at children’s playthings, instilling or waking the pediophobia in audiences everywhere; and that visual toy train of terror has no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In which case, I’m completely cool with another ten Chucky movies, folks.

Beginning as early as 1929, let’s stroll down porcelain nightmare lane and highlight some of the toys that terrorized film and TV.

The Great Gabbo (1929)

While most certainly not considered a standard horror film, The Great Gabbo if anything is a melodramatic piece of suspense paired with countless musical numbers- that’s the roaring twenties for you. However, because this film directed by “Silent Era” giant James Cruze paved the way for the endearing scenario that we’ve seen time and again of the split-personality ventriloquist, I felt we needed to start here.

In short, while the dummy above Otto is sufficiently creepy all on its own, it’s his puppeteer Gabbo who is the true monster of this story. Gabbo who has sustained some success with his ventriloquist act is an abusive and hateful person who can only convey any human decency through his dummy Otto. Because of this, Gabbo drives away everyone and slowly slips into a state of insanity.

If you can get past all the tedious musical breaks in this film, there’s a really messed up story in between it all. Or at the very least for creepy doll aficionados, it’s worth a look just to see the cinematic birth of the ventriloquist and dummy that many horror films have descended from.

Dead of Night (1945)

Unlike his predecessor Otto, Hugo the dummy featured in the 1945 horror anthology Dead of Night is about as sinister as they come. At the time, it scared the living crap out of everyone who viewed it. Including iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese who lists this little guy as one of the scariest things he’s ever seen on film. Dead of Night to me, feels like a forgotten horror gem that still manages to deliver some great moments in the creepy as fuck department. So I’m pretty excited to give it a shout-out here.

Another ventriloquist with some serious mental issues and his foul-mouthed dummy Hugo, belongs to probably the most infamous (and IMO strongest) segment from this anthology film. The Ventriloquist’s Dummy touches again on the split personality issue with the puppeteer driving himself insane believing his own dummy is out to get him. I’d love to say more but for those who haven’t viewed this treasure yet, I have to stop there to avoid any potential spoilers. It’s a psychological mind fuck is something you won’t soon forget. Along with fellow paired tales, Dead of Night is as influentially important to the deadly doll genre as John Carpenter is to Michael Myers inspiring imitations for years to come.

“The Twilight Zone” – Living Doll (1963)

Upon my own research, it seems that good ole’ Talky Tina is the first visual example of a possessed doll (not a mannequin) seen in cinema. Leave it to the glorious The Twilight Zone to kick off killer doll madness for the next sixty years!

The fifth season of The Twilight Zone boasted some of horror’s most parodied scenarios such as Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, The Masks, and of course episode 6, Living Doll. The segment centers around an infertile step-father and his extreme hostility towards his young step-daughter, who has recently acquired the hippest toy on the market Talky Tina. Alone with the doll, father of the year over there winds up the voice track only to hear Tina utter some fantastically blunt sentences towards the cruel man. After realizing this isn’t some prank from his terrorized step-daughter, Erich (step-father) tries to destroy the doll, only to have Miss Tina taunt and threaten him every step of the way. And the jerk deserves every bit of it.

Rod Serling said it best: ”To a child caught in the middle of turmoil and conflict, a doll can become many things: friend, defender, guardian.”

Devil Doll (1964)

1964 brings us back to the diabolical duo of the ventriloquist and dummy with Devil Doll. Sadly (well, not really), my first viewing of this little gem came courtesy of Mystery Science Theater 3000 back in the nineties. So I can’t even take this one seriously thanks to the majestic commentary from Crow and Tom Servo stewing in the back of my head.

Along with two more Twilight Zone episodes (The Dummy and Caesar and Me) focusing on the dummy plot, Devil Doll brings us back to a familiar scenario we had seen in the The Great Gabbo. The Great Vorelli is a greedy jerk and more so the villain as he has murdered his once assistant and transferred his soul into his dummy, Hugo. So yes, the doll is alive with a very disgruntled person living inside it- can you blame him though?

Devil Doll certainly isn’t the greatest film throughout the deadly doll genre years, but it did a fine job reminding audiences from the sixties that dummies are still perfectly creepy.

Trilogy of Terror (1975)

This right here was my first introduction to killer doll movies. What a first impression, eh?! The initially made-for-television release of Dan Curtis’ Trilogy of Terror gave horror and creepy doll aficionados everywhere something wildly different with the terrifying as shit Zuni fetish doll. Although I’ll admit to you readers, the noises this little sucker makes during his hyperactive kill mode tears me into laughter every single time. It’s like a homicidal Tazmanian Devil overdosing on Adderall.

Tell me I’m wrong…

In any regard, the anthology that the late, great Karen Black carries reaches new heights and sets a high bar for creepy, killer doll movies to follow suit with “Amelia”. A young woman buys her new beau a Zuni fetish doll for his birthday that bears warnings of a spirit that lives inside it. However, the doll has a golden chain wrapped around it suppressing the angry spirit within. Keep the chain on, and all is chill. Well, the chain falls off, by itself no less, the chill is all gone for the rest of the short story.

Fun Fact: This wasn’t the only Karen Black creepy doll film featuring a crazy tiny terror. 2013 brought the fun and off the wall Full Moon horror Ooga Booga that featured the actress as well.

Magic (1978)

With an already long, established history of eerie dummies plaguing films, 1978’s Magic elevated the idea of a creepy as hell wooden instrument of evil with dummy Fats. Rumors have it, that the trailer for Magic deemed too scary per complaints from parents and was pulled from TV spots. As creepy as the 30-second teaser actually is, there’s really no evidence that proves the horror urban legend to be true. As a matter of fact, my father, 18 at the time of release, distinctly remembers seeing the ad more than a few times. Still, it’s a fun story.

With Magic, the ventriloquist and dummy split-personality plot is amplified with a wonderful psychological portrait of a truly deranged mind. Anthony Hopkins shows a bit of a precursor to Hannibal Lecter with his performance as a shy, failing magician named Corky. In the need of a gimmick, Corky obtains a dummy he names Fats and gains fame with his new foul-mouthed wooden comrade. However, like predecessors, the film begins to play out with Corky and Fats having odd, intimate conversations with Corky using Fats to convey convos with other people. Oh, and a few murders as well. Unlike previous films though, Magic really ups the creep factor and keeps us guessing as to who is really in charge here.

Poltergeist (1982)

The addition of this painted nightmare in Poltergeist gave the Steven Spielberg/Tobe Hooper movie a serious edge with this guy being the scariest thing in the whole damn film. Dolls can be unnerving enough, and they went and made this one a clown. The other thing besides questionably creepy playthings that scare the literal crap out of people. Well played good sires’.

Robbie’s clown doll doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time, but when it does, oh man. It makes for one of, if not the most memorable moment in the whole movie. The unholy matrimony of pairing the fear of both clowns and dolls into one terrifying object is one of the smartest things I’ve ever seen done on film. The 2015 remake attempted to replicate it, however it was poorly executed. And if we ever see another killer clown doll in the future, it’s going to take a team of cinephile geniuses to top the magic made here by this smiley fuck.

Dolls (1987)

Fast forward five years later, and we have what I consider, a groundbreaking and seriously underrated film for the deadly doll genre with Dolls. The collaboration of Full Moon’s Charles Band and Re-Animator’s Stuart Gordon began a trend of knife-wielding pissed-off playthings that seriously made you rethink about casually throwing around your children’s toys. Innovative with a new spin on what channels life into these tiny walking terrors, Dolls has both heart and fear lurking within the nearly hour and twenty-minute movie. Which makes this entry one of my all-time favorites.

A family on vacation stranded in a thunderstorm, happen upon an old mansion in what seems like the middle of nowhere and seek shelter. Inside the large home, live a very peculiar yet somehow endearing elderly couple and literally hundreds of beautifully crafted dolls that the couple claims they’ve made throughout the years. However, the dolls are not really what they seem (obviously) and if you’re a terrible, jerk person, you’re going to soon find that out in the most horrifying way imaginable. With a violent murder and your soul stuck inside a doll for eternity. Or at least until Mr. and Mrs. Hartwicke (the elderly couple) deem suitable.

With the release of 1987’s Dolls came a steady flow of killer doll movies to follow throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. With the exception of Child’s Play and Puppet Master, none of them really hit the satisfactory note quite like Dolls did. Still waiting for that sequel Mr. Gordon!

Child’s Play (1988)

1988 took the deadly doll genre theatrically mainstream with the birth of a horror icon, Chucky. Child’s Play, like Dolls, used a child’s plaything for another human soul’s sanctuary. According to interviews with writer Don Mancini, Chucky takes homage from the Cabbage Patch consumer boom from the ‘80s, thus turning something wholesome into a walking, talking piece of nightmare plastic with the soul of a serial killer entrapped inside.

As stated earlier in these ramblings, we harbor feelings of nostalgia and a time of innocence with our favorite childhood relics. The Good Guy line represented the toy that every kid had to have as a child that came with mass marketing and a friendly, huggable persona. Imagine your Teddy Ruxpin, Cabbage Patch, or My Buddy springing to life, manipulating you, and eventually attempt to murder your ass. Pretty terrifying scenario, right?

Many films after the arrival of Chucky, tried to replicate that special type of Good Guy magic but never even came close. In 1991, Trimark Pictures’ answer to Chucky was a demonic little squirt, Dolly Dearest. While it’s a fun little killer doll flick for rainy Sundays, it doesn’t hold much of a candle to the Chuckster in comparison.

With the recent release of Chucky’s seventh film this year, it’s safe to say the highest-ranking leader of the deadly doll genre Chucky, is still as powerful as he was in his first appearance nearly thirty years ago.

Puppet Master (1989)

After Full Moon’s word of mouth cult success with Dolls, the company that has built most of its reputation on the deadly doll genre broke out with Puppet Master in 1989. Displaying for the first time ever, actual evil puppets with minds of their own. The Puppet Master franchise grew into a cult sensation, turning the pack of colorful stringless marionettes into favorites within horror fan circles. Although the puppets never spoke, each little terror displayed a unique personality that set them apart from their fellow tiny, murderous associates. Blade distinctly came across as somewhat the most level-headed (as much as a homicidal puppet can be anyway) and the most intelligent, identifying him as the leader of the group. Jester, Pinhead, Leech Woman, and Tunneler all had their own charming distinction to them also, as fans clearly have their own favorites from the series. Which brings a point where we must tip our hats to Charles Band for concocting a group of puppets with distinctly different mannerisms with the absence of all dialogue.

I’d say that’s a pretty amazing accomplishment.

With a backstory of a Puppet Master creating life within his traveling marionette show during the Nazi reign in Europe, the despicable regime attempts to steal the creator’s secrets. However, the puppet master, Andre Toulon, wasn’t having any of that shit and killed himself before the Nazis could get to him. Leaving the puppets in limbo for about 40-50 years until their discovery in an old hotel by a group of psychics. That’s when things begin to get a tad hairy.

After the release of Puppet Master, an avalanche of deadly doll films came soon after like a plague of rubber doll parts falling from the sky. Films like Demonic Toys, and several sequels for Blade and friends, both of which from Full Moon Ent., kept the glorious B Movie side of the genre flowing strong. However, it wasn’t until 2002 when we as fans got pulled back into that psychological mind-fuck of the creepy doll kingdom…

May (2002)

May is a film that isn’t given nearly enough credit and goddammit, it’s getting its due today!

The doll (Suzie) is sufficiently creepy just sitting there staring with those blue glass eyes from the seventh layer of Hell. But, the tale of May is much deeper than just another creepy doll flick. The movie tilts the emotional scales with real issues of a lonely, anxiety-ridden girl who just can’t seem to connect with people no matter how hard she tries.

The story of my life….

The main character, May, is a socially awkward young woman who has suffered through insane battles of loneliness with her only source of comfort being a doll named Suzie; a gift from her mother that sits in a glass case. Of course, throughout the film, May attempts to make social connections with several people in the movie, including a band of blind children. Sadly, it just all ends up in a massive shit show with May’s heartbroken and sending her further into a deadly isolation with her only true friend, Suzie. The end result is something you or anyone won’t soon forget.

May found a voice outside of the creepy doll genre and added something different with deep psychological thrills and some really messed up images. Fifteen years later, the movie still holds up and it doesn’t seem to matter if you’re on your second, third, or hundredth viewing; the movie will just downright make you feel uncomfortable in all the right places.

Saw (2004)

While by no means a film designated to the genre of creepy playthings, 2004’s introduction to the twisted world of Jigsaw and his handy puppet Billy, reignited the notion that ventriloquist dummies are definitely just Satan in a wooden disguise.

Billy is used as Jigsaw’s extended hand in delivering messages of death to his victims by taunting the preyed upon with insanely brilliant scenarios that will usually either disfigure them and/or fellow trappees, or just kill them. Unlike his predecessors, Billy is creepified through means of moderation, which is explained in more detail in further sequels. Personally, I think these things are menacing without any added effect, but the painted face sets Billy apart from every other eerie dummy in a horror film, solidifying a spot in horror icon history.

Directed and created by James Wan, Billy was the first of several freaky dolls to haunt their way into the genre from the filmmaker, with each becoming more frightening than the previous.

Dead Silence (2007)

Don’t scream, whatever you do…

I’m not sure who was more terrifying, Mary Shaw or her minions of puppets. I’m going to go neutral with Mary Shaw’s twisted mug exiting from the dummy’s face. It’s the stuff of pure unholy nightmares.

It was as if R.L. Stein’s literary terror Slappy sprang to life inside the mind of Wan and amplified the fear factor a hundredfold with another little brute by the name of Billy. Mary Shaw, once human and now just an evil entity, had a truckload of seriously disturbing puppets at her disposal. However, Billy was her favorite and used most throughout the movie as an angel of death to those who came in contact with it.

Dead Silence rivals 1987’s Dolls with some kind of record for the most creepy little terrors in one single film. Hell, even the humans are dolls at one point. While there is no official number for the amount of playthings featured in Stuart Gordon’s cult classic, Dead Silence stands at a count of 101- not accounting for the murdered and moderated humans.  Even though I tend to believe Dolls outweighs Dead Silence in the quantity department, without an official number, I can’t say for certain. So for now, Wan holds that title.

The Conjuring (2013)

Finally, we have the newest addition to the world of porcelain nightmares with 2013’s introduction to Annabelle courtesy of Mr. Wan. The fact that Little Miss Annabelle – who wins first prize for most menacing glare – is based on the real-life Warren investigations, just makes the doll that more unnerving.

Whether you buy into the stories surrounding the Warrens and Annabelle or not, the thought of this doll being very real is seriously unsettling. The Conjuring portrays the doll like it’s something you’d see in the playroom of the Antichrist. There’s no doubt about it; this thing is pure evil. Of course, the real famed Annabelle as most of you know is a Raggedy Ann doll, but I suppose for theatrical and/or rights reasons they had to give the allegedly “most evil doll in the world” a more horrifying makeover. I’m pretty sure if I ever saw that thing sitting in a corner, I’d burn the whole block down.

The Conjuring kicked off a universe of spin-offs and sequels, and whether you like it or not, you have to attribute a bit of that success to Annabelle’s presence. Even though the doll wasn’t the main focus in the first film in the Conjuring-verse, the fans begged for more screentime with the little demon. Thus bringing not one, but two movies featuring the malignant, piggy-tailed devil.

And given the continued success of creepy dolls in film, I highly doubt we’ve seen the last of her either.

Rehashing the long history of highlights from dolls in cinema just goes to show that just like the slasher, giant movie monsters, and supernatural horror, the deadly doll sub-genre is a formula that continues to work time and again. It fascinates the hell out of us. That being said, if Annabelle can get a prequel, I think that damn Zuni doll deserves a backstory too.

My body is ready.

The post The Evolution of Creepy Dolls in Horror Cinema appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Trilogy of Terror – Zuni Fetish Doll

Appearing in the final segment, “Amelia,” of the made-for-TV anthology Trilogy of Terror, Karen Black was terrorized by this pint-sized nightmare. Based on Richard Matheson’s short story Prey, the segment sees Karen Black as Amelia, the unwitting recipient of “He Who Kills.” The oddly proportioned aboriginal doll with one gnarly mouth of razor sharp teeth contained a vicious spirit within, only contained by a loose gold chain with a penchant for falling off the doll. The cat and mouse game between the Zuni doll and Amelia was not only frightening for the doll’s ghastly appearance and determination in catching his prey, but also how easy it was to for him to hide. That the Zuni doll is tough to kill only makes the tension draw out further. The little killer terrorized another victim in the sequel, Trilogy of Terror II.

Tourist Trap – Mannequins

Mannequins are already unnerving, with their life-like appearance and vacant eyes. But what if they unhinged their jaws and made eerie sounds as they closed in on their victim for the kill? Yeah. Pure nightmare fuel. A group of friends discover this the hard way as they find themselves stranded at a roadside attraction owned by the plucky Mr. Slausen. Of course, things are more than they appear to be as the friends begin disappearing one by one. Released during the golden era of slashers, it’s the creepy mannequins that have made Tourist Trap so memorable.

Dolls – All of them

From the perspective of little Judy, a sweet little girl with a love of toys, the Gothic mansion belonging to Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke is a dream come true. Not only are they far kinder than her own father and stepmother, but the mansion is filled to the brim with dolls, puppets, and toys. If you’re a jerk adult, however, the mansion is a death trap. While this Stuart Gordon directed film draws clear lines between the innocent and the morally corrupt deserving of their fate, it’s still really creepy to see them meet their doom at the hands of the dolls. Even creepier? What happens to them after the dolls attack.

Asylum – Mannikins of Horror

Before Charles Lee Ray transferred his soul into a Good Guy Doll, Dr. Byron was already experimenting with soul transference in the final segment of the horror anthology Asylum. In “Mannikins of Horror,” the doll was a weird robot automaton with a lifelike head and stuffed with organic tissue and viscera. Like Charles Lee Ray, Dr. Byron also had a proclivity for revenge and homicide. The enduring influence of this segment on horror is clear. While the Child’s Play franchise is much more iconic (and frankly better), there’s no denying the little mannikin in this segment is eerie.

Pin – “Pin”

When Leon’s dad, a doctor, uses a life-sized anatomical medical dummy named Pin to explain the birds and the bees to his children, Leon believes the doll to be real. Leon’s already a bit unbalanced and lonely, so the doll becomes his closest friend.  Throw in traumatic events from childhood to further unhinge Leon’s mental stability, and Leon grows up to be best homicidal buddies with Pin. While the horror induced by Pin is psychological, that doesn’t make the featured doll any less creepy. Especially when Leon decides to give him latex skin.

Love Object – Nikki

Desmond Harrington’s Kenneth Winslow is a socially awkward, shy type who orders a realistic sex doll, named Nikki, to curb his loneliness. Kenneth and Nikki’s relationship develops well enough (ok, it’s weird) until he meets a cute temp at work. That’s when Nikki gets jealous. The jealousy grows into unnerving stalker behavior. Should I remind you that this is a sex doll? It’s creepy. Of course, there’s much more to their story, so if you haven’t watched this underrated film you should. Not only is Nikki worthy of her spot on this list, but Love Object also makes you wonder why Desmond Harrington doesn’t appear in more films.

Dead Silence – Billy

While Mary Shaw had many dolls, ventriloquist dummy Billy was by far her favorite. Which meant that it was Billy cut out the tongue of Jamie’s wife in the opening sequence, and it was Billy that haunted him more frequently than any other puppets. Before Annabelle’s first appearance in The Conjuring, James Wan practiced scaring audiences with Billy.  Though Billy may not have been puppeteered by a demon, the vengeful ghost of Mary Shaw is just as spooky.

Puppet Master – Leech Woman

Of all the many dangerous dolls in the Puppet Master franchise, why is Leech Woman the creepiest? Because this unassuming female doll, clad in a pretty pink dress, turns monstrous when going in for the kill. Her jaw unhinges like a snake and she regurgitates poisonous leeches onto her victims. According to series creator Charles Band, Paramount wanted Leech Woman killed off because they found her to be repulsive. Of all the dolls spanning across multiple films, that’s the one they couldn’t handle. She didn’t stay gone for long, though. After sitting out Puppet Master 4: The Demon and Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter, she returned to her unladylike ways once more.

Poltergeist – Clown Doll

This formative classic captured horror loving hearts for many reasons, but one particular scene stood tall above the rest for inducing many, many nightmares. While Diane Freeling is swimming with corpses in her backyard would-be swimming pool, poor Robbie is being stalked by his own gangly clown doll upstairs in his bed. And it’s terrifying. The combination of a clown and a doll into one phobia sucker punch is enough for many, but save for one small hint early in the film giving away Robbie’s trepidation towards his toy, this scene comes out of nowhere. The unexpected attack from an unexpected source, one creepy doll, solidified Poltergeist in collective horror memory.

Magic – Fats

The ventriloquist dummy at the center of this horror film, Fats, was so creepy that the TV spots had to be taken off the air during the promotion of Magic. Just the 30 second ad featuring Fats was enough to cause nightmares in children, scarring some for life. Who can blame them? Ventriloquist dummies are a special brand of horror on their own, but one as menacing as Fats? That he resembles his human counterpart, Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins, who also voices Fats), probably doesn’t help either. Ventriloquists and their dummies have nightmarish co-dependency issues, and Corky and Fats take the cake. If you think Hannibal Lecter was scary, well, you haven’t met Fats yet.

Which doll terrifies you the most?

The post The 10 Creepiest Dolls in Horror! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Shut up Christmas, Halloween is the most wonderful time of the year!

Watching horror movies is supposed to be fun. Yeah, I know that it’s meant to be a scary experience but why watch anything unless you get some sort of thrill out of it, right? Maybe you enjoy watching people get butchered by some crazed villain. Maybe you like seeing people fight for their lives, their will to live overriding nearly every other instinct in their body. Whatever the reason, you watch it because you enjoy it!

By now, you’ve probably watched a ton of horror movies to celebrate it being October and, therefore, Halloween season. But for those of you who are running out of ideas on what to watch, we thought we’d jump in and put together a list for you that features some horror films that are so entertaining, you’re bound to have a blast!

Now, we know that sifting through the vast ocean of released horror films can be rather daunting, so Brad and I have curated a list of films that we think are incredibly entertaining for this season, all of which can be rented on FandangoNOW!

In no particular order, here we go!

Renowned demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.

When Becca and Tyler are sent to their grandparents’ secluded Pennsylvania farm for a week-long stay, they quickly discover something is not right with the elderly couple. Faced with strange rules and increasingly frightening behavior, the children soon realize it will take all their wits to make it home alive.

When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers. All hell breaks loose as beloved holiday icons take on a monstrous life of their own, laying siege to the fractured family’s home and forcing them to fight for each other if they hope to survive.

After a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, 19-year-old Jay becomes trapped by a vicious curse – “it” is following her, and the only way to save herself is to put others in harm’s way.

Looking for work, Aaron (Patrick Brice) comes across a cryptic online ad: “$1,000 for the day. Filming service. Discretion is appreciated.” Low on cash and full of naivete, he decides to go for it. He drives to a cabin in a remote mountain town where he meets Josef (Mark Duplass), his cinematic subject for the day. Josef is sincere and the project seems heartfelt, so Aaron begins to film. But as the day goes on, it becomes clear that Josef is not who he says, and his intentions are not at all pure.

Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane – like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.

Miles of twisting catacombs lie beneath the streets of Paris, the eternal home to countless souls. When a team of explorers ventures into the uncharted maze of bones, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead. A journey into madness and terror, As Above, So Below reaches deep into the human psyche to reveal the personal demons that come back to haunt us all.

Aubrey and Paul Davison decide to celebrate their wedding anniversary by inviting their four children and their significant others to a family reunion at their remote and slightly rundown weekend estate. But the family reunion goes awry when their home comes under siege by a mask-wearing team of crossbow-bearing assailants. The family has no idea who’s attacking them, why they’re under attack, or if the attackers are inside or outside the cavernous, creaking house. All they know for certain is that nobody is safe.

A secluded cabin. An ancient curse. An unrelenting evil. The original producers reunite to present a genuinely terrifying re-imagining of their original horror masterpiece. Five young friends have found the mysterious and fiercely powerful Book of the Dead. Unable to resist its temptation, they release a violent demon on a bloodthirsty quest to possess them all. Who will be left to fight for their survival and defeat this unearthly force of murderous carnage?

Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is called upon to help stop the chaotic pandemic that has gripped populations around the world. Lane fights to keep his family safe, while searching for an answer to the outbreak before it destroys all of civilization.

A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Enter a new level of Hell in this chilling Unrated version with footage too extreme for theaters… Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is on her way to having it all: a devoted boyfriend (Justin Long), a hard-earned job promotion, and a bright future. But when she’s forced to make a tough decision that evicts an elderly woman from her house, Christine becomes the victim of an evil curse. Now she has only three days to dissuade a dark spirit from stealing her soul before she is dragged to hell for an eternity of unthinkable torment. Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man and The Evil Dead trilogy) returns to the horror genre with a vengeance in this crazy and terrifying film.

In a terrifying tale of the American Dream gone horribly wrong, residents of a picture-perfect Midwestern town begin to succumb to an uncontrollable urge for violence when a mysterious toxin in the water supply turns everyone exposed to it into mindless killers. Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant), his pregnant wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell), Becca (Danielle Panabaker), an assistant at the medical center, and Russell (Joe Anderson), Dutton’s deputy and right-hand man, find themselves trapped in a once idyllic town they can no longer recognize. Unable to trust former neighbors and friends, deserted by the authorities and terrified of contracting the illness themselves, they are forced to band together in a nightmarish struggle for survival in this reinvention of the George Romero classic.

Nerdy college student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring zombies because he’s scared of just about everything. Gun-toting, Twinkie-loving Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) has no fears. Together, they are about to stare down their most horrifying challenge yet: each other’s company.

It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil mischief, and one small town is about to be taught a terrifying lesson that some traditions are best not forgotten. Nothing is what it seems when a suburban couple learns the dangers of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight; four women cross paths with a costumed stalker at a local festival; a group of pranksters goes too far and discovers the horrifying truth buried in a local legend; and a cantankerous old hermit is visited by a strange trick-or-treater with a few bones to pick. Costumes and candy, ghouls and goblins, monsters and mayhem…the tricks and treats of Halloween turn deadly as strange creatures of every varietyhuman and otherwisetry to survive the scariest night of the year.

Explore your worst fears imaginable with this shocking suspense thriller inspired by disturbing true events. After a 4 a.m. knock at the door and a haunting voice, Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt’s (Scott Speedman) remote getaway becomes a psychological night of terror as three masked strangers invade. Now they must go far beyond what they thought themselves capable of if they hope to survive.

You Scream. You Die. Dare to unlock the deadly curse of Mary Shaw. From the writers and director of Saw comes a new thriller of relentless terror! Ever since Mary Shaw was hunted down and killed, the small town of Ravens Fair has been haunted by horrific deaths. When a local’s wife is brutally murdered, he returns home to unravel the terrifying legend of Mary Shaw and the reason why when you see her, you should never, ever scream.

Based on Wes Craven’s 1977 suspenseful cult classic, The Hills Have Eyes is the story of a family road trip that goes terrifyingly awry when the travelers become stranded in a government atomic zone. Miles from nowhere, the Carter family soon realizes the seemingly uninhabited wasteland is actually the breeding ground of a blood-thirsty mutant family…and they are the prey.

Obsessed with teaching his victims the value of life, a sadistic serial killer abducts the morally wayward and forces them to play a horrific game in order to survive. The victims must fight or die trying…

Heart-pounding action and bone-chilling thrills power this edgy, electrifying fright-fest where a handful of human survivors wage a desperate, last-stand battle against flesh-eating zombies.

In director Danny Boyle’s zombie-horror update, a powerful virus has escaped from a British research facility and it locks those infected into a permanent state of zombie rage. Jim wakes up alone in a hospital 28 days after the virus has spread throughout the world. Walking through the empty streets, he is attacked by a group of zombies, but he is quickly saved by two human survivors. Jim soon joins with the rest of the survivors, including a band of soldiers, and together they begin their attempts to salvage a future. But will the plague that has infected mankind claim the last human beings?

The two biggest icons of the slasher genre finally meet in Freddy Vs. Jason in a frightening showdown in hell! Banished there for eternity, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) devises a plan to manipulate Jason into continuing his work, hacking up the teenagers of Elm Street. All goes well at first until Jason realizes he’s been duped by the dream master, and is none too pleased. Coaxed by surviving teenagers Will (Jason Ritter), Lori (Monica Keena), and Kia (Kelly Rowland), Jason and Freddy descend up Crystal Lake for a battle royale!

Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2) is Ichabod Crane, an eccentric investigator determined to stop the murderous Headless Horseman. Christina Ricci ( Monster) is Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful and mysterious girl with secret ties to the supernatural terror.

After a series of mysterious deaths befalls their small town, an offbeat group of friends led by Sidney Prescott (Campbell) become the target of a masked killer in this smash-hit that launched the Scream franchise.

The devil will find work for idle hands to do… but what happens when he chooses the laziest teen slacker in the world to do his dirty work? Anton Tobias (Devon Sawa, Wild America) is a channel-surfing, junk-food munching, couch potato burn-out who can’t control the murderous impulses of his recently possessed hand. With the help of his zombiefied buddies, Mick (Seth Green, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) and Pnub (Elden Henson, The Mighty), Anton’s got to stop the rampaging devil appendage before it takes total control of his life and ruins any chance he has with class hottie Molly (Jessica Alba, Never Been Kissed). Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day) and Jack Noseworthy (The Brady Bunch Movie) co-star in this wickedly funny horror comedy.

In the sleepy little town of Fairwater, a monstrous evil has awakened…an evil so powerful, its reach extends beyond the grave. Director Peter Jackson and Executive Producer Robert Zemeckis unleash a riveting thriller with the most spectacular special effects this side of the hereafter. For Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), death is a great way to make a living: ridding haunted houses of their “unwelcome” guests. But he’s in cahoots with the very ghosts he promises to evict! It’s the perfect scam…until Frank finds himself at the center of a dark mystery. A diabolical spirit is on a murderous rampage, and the whole town believes Frank is behind it. Boasting music by Danny Elfman and co-starring Trini Alvarado, Jeffrey Combs and John Astin, this supernatural chiller is so fiendishly entertaining, it’s scary!

From Academy Award®-winning director Francis Ford Coppola comes the remake of the classic and chilling tale about the devastatingly seductive Transylvanian prince (Gary Oldman) who travels from Eastern Europe to 19th century London in search of human love. After centuries alone in his crumbling castle, Dracula’s taste for humanity has grown bold with desire, drawing him out of seclusion. When the charismatic Dracula meets Mina (Winona Ryder), a young woman who appears as the reincarnation of his lost love, the two embark on a journey of romantic passion and horror. Using “illusionary” special effects and the considerable talents of his cast, Coppola has orchestrated a fresh and provocative presentation of the story, while remaining uncommonly true to the source material.

Can your nightmares be fatal? In this classic of the horror film genre that launched a movie franchise, a hideously scarred pedophile who was murdered by a lynch mob returns years later in the terrifying nightmares of his killers’ teenage children — and the dreaming teenagers are starting to die in their sleep. Starring Academy Award-nominee and Golden Globe-winner Johnny Depp (“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, “Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy”), Golden Globe-winner John Saxon (“Enter the Dragon”, “The Appaloosa”), Heather Langenkamp (TV’s “Just the Ten of Us”) and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger (“Urban Legend”, “The Mangler”).

John Carpenter delivers the ultimate in alien terror in this chilling story about an Antarctic research team that discovers a form-changing alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years.

When Max (Taissa Farmiga) and her friends reluctantly attend an anniversary screening of “Camp Bloodbath”, the infamous ‘80s horror film that starred Max’s late mother (Malin Akerman), they are mysteriously sucked into the silver screen. They soon realize they are trapped inside the cult classic movie and must team up with the fictional and ill-fated camp counselors, including Max’s mom as the scream queen, to battle the film’s machete-wielding killer. With the body count rising in scene after iconic scene, who will be the final girls left standing and live to escape this film?

Ten years ago, a horrifying family incident left two young children orphans. Although authorities charged the brother with murder, his sister believed that the true culprit was a haunted antique mirror. Now completely rehabilitated and in his 20s, the brother is ready to move on but his sister is determined to prove that the haunted mirror was responsible for destroying their family.

The post 31 Incredibly Entertaining Horror Movies appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

First, let’s look at the criteria. Bibbiani posits that in order to be considered a Master of Horror, the director must meet all of the following criteria:

A) They must have directed at least one truly brilliant horror movie.
B) They must have directed multiple films in the horror genre (or at least genres closely related to it, like psychological thrillers).
C) They must have only risen to prominence within the genre over the last 20 years.
D) They must have consistently directed good, great or at the very least interesting horror films.

Let’s start at the top, shall we? Wan has directed eight feature length films, six of which have been horror films.  His directorial debut was for the low budget horror film Stygian, about a couple who get trapped in another world known as Exile. First, I have tried to find a copy of this, be it hard copy or digital copy, and it just doesn’t seem to exist. It was from his early days in Melbourne, Australia and has apparently fallen off the face of the earth (James if you’re reading this, I would love a copy).

His feature length directorial debut would be 2004’s Saw. Of course, the Saw franchise is now synonymous with torture porn, but Wan’t first installment (the only one he directed) could certainly be considered brilliant. The fact that it started the trend of torture porn is puzzling when you consider that the first film really isn’t that gory, but it is what it is. The massive success of the film ($55 million domestic gross on a $1 million budget) shot Wan (and his screenwriting partner Leigh Whannell) to immediate stardom.

After the success of Saw, Wan opted not to direct the sequel (or any of them, for that matter) and instead turned his attention to Dead Silence in 2007, also co-written by Whannell. While far from a terrible film, it was the result of forced creativity due to a deal brokered by Wan and Whannel with their agents in case Saw was a flop. Basically, they promised a second film but had no ideas in mind for a script, so Whannell locked himself in his apartment and churned out a script. Their hearts clearly aren’t in the film and it shows. They got as much mileage out of those creepy ventriloquist dolls as they could though. 2007 also saw the release of Death Sentence, the Kevin Bacon revenge thriller that would be Wan’s first foray into a genre outside of horror. Based on the novel by Brian Garfield (which was his sequel to Death Wish), the film was a critical and commercial flop. This prompted Wan to take a break for a few years before returning to his horror roots with Insidious in 2010.

Insidious was when the world knew that Wan wasn’t just a one-trick pony. Wan knew that Saw is what people knew him for, and he didn’t want his name to be synonymous with blood and gore. Thus, Insidious was born. Once again working off a script by Whannell, Wan wanted to make a horror movie that used actual scares to terrify the audience, as opposed to viscera. He succeeded, as Insidious remains one of the best and most terrifying films to be released in the last decade (and that third act is amazing, screw the haters).

In 2013 Wan served us his one-two punch of The Conjuring (released in July) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (released in September). As many people already know, The Conjuring is a near-perfect film that doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel of modern horror, but spins the wheel remarkably well. It is Wan’s best-reviewed film and finally got mainstream audiences and the majority of critics to finally see Wan’s talent.

Insidious: Chapter 2, on the other hand, was a slight misstep for the director. While by no means as atrocious as the reviews would have you believe, it is goofier than the first film, giving a lackluster backstory to the first film’s secondary villain The Bride in Black. The film tied in with the first film well, but at the end of the day it’s just an inferior sequel. If you haven’t tried it yet, I would highly recommend watching it back-to-back with Insidious, as it works far better viewing those two movies as one (which is what Wan intended anyway).

He left the genre again to film Furious 7, the latest installment in the Fast and the Furious franchise. It was here that he had to deal with the tragic death of Paul Walker mid-production while also focusing on making a good movie. Audiences seemed to think he did a great job, as that sequel went on to gross $353 million domestically, the most of any movie in the franchise. It’s sad to say that Walker’s death no doubt had a large impact on the box office returns, but it at least proved that Wan was capable of delivering a solid film that wasn’t a horror movie, even amidst a tragedy.

This brings us to 2016, when Wan returned to the horror genre again with The Conjuring 2 (read my review). It would be understandable to assume that Wan would pull out another Insidious: Chapter 2 on us, but if you’ve seen the film you know very well that that is not the case. The Conjuring 2 is a great film, let along a great sequel. He brought back characters the audience loves while still managing to scare the pants off of them.

Apologies for the lengthy history lesson, but it is important to fully grasp all that Wan has achieved during his 12 years in the film industry in order to understand his significance to the horror genre. . This isn’t even taking into account the horror films that Wan has served as producer on (all of the Saw sequels, Annabelle, Demonic, the upcoming Lights Out).

What makes Wan so important is that he is putting horror in the public’s eye without compromising his vision. More often than not, you see studios toying with horror films until the original vision is unrecognizable (just look at 2011’s The Thing or Fincher’s Alien 3). Wan has proved that he knows what he is doing, and studios are just letting him roll with it. With the exception of Dead Silence, Wan is in complete control of the film he is working on. So specific is his directing stile that you would be able to tell that you are watching a Wan-directed film even if you didn’t know it going in.

While a lot of this is due to the scripts that Wan has had to work with (some of which he has co-written), it is a testament to his skills as a director that he is able to deliver characters that the audience actually cares about. Whether it’s Ed and Lorraine Warren or the Lambert family, Wan has created characters that the audience empathizes with, a trait in horror films that too often gets forgotten.

While box office success isn’t necessarily a factor that should determine a Master of Horror, it is still important to note that Wan’s films are delivered to the mainstream and watched by them. Independent horror is a wonderful contribution to the genre, but more often than not those films aren’t as easily accessible to audiences. It is important for a Master of Horror to have his or her films seen by a wide audience in order to keep horror in the public eye (and have them see that it can be good).

The key to Wan’s success is consistency and frequency. Wan doesn’t stop churning out movies and the fact that most of them are as good as they are is a testament to Wan’s talen as a director. All of the Masters of Horror that Bibbiani mentioned have had some issues with consistency. Del Toro has hit a bit of a slump recently with Pacific Rim and FX’s The Strain. With the exception of The Woman, McKee hasn’t made a decent movie since May in 2002.

Wingard has made some strong films (the best being 2011’s You’re Next), but they aren’t in the public eye nearly as much as Wan’s are. Of course, this may all change if early reactions to The Woods are to be believed. Bear in mind, I’m not saying that Wingard’s tendency towards indie projects is a negative (as I mentioned above), but that does mean that less people are exposed to his work.

I brought up Flanagan because he has yet to make a bad film (Oculus and Hush haters gonna hate). His debut feature, Absentia, is particularly impressive. It’s too early to call him a Master of Horror though. We’ll have to see where his career takes him in a few years (though if he’s able to make a good Ouija film he may seal the deal right there).

To top it all off: Wan is nice. Seriously, have you ever seen this guy in an interview? It’s clear that he has an insane amount of passion for his work. He gets so excited when talking about his films that you can’t help but be excited for everything he gets his hands on. This isn’t to say that the other directors that Bibbiani mentioned aren’t nice as well, but they lack the charisma that Wan exudes.

James Wan will be leaving the horror genre for a while to turn his attention to Aquaman (which is the main reason to believe that it won’t be terrible), but one hopes that he returns to the genre that he is best at directing after that. The genre (and fans of the genre) need him.

What are your thoughts on Wan. Do you agree that he is the most important horror director working in the industry today? Or do you think someone else deserves the title? Let us know in the comments below!

The post James Wan is the Most Important Horror Director of the Last 20 Years appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Amy (May) ***Spoilers***

You’d be forgiven for thinking that May’s actual doll Suzie would be on this list, but the honor must go to her life-size human doll made of body parts: Amy. Lucky McKee’s directorial debut is still his strongest effort to date, and the final moments of the film are one of the more unsetlling moments in horror in the 2000s. It’s nice to see that May got her happy ending though.

The post 10 Creepiest Dolls in Horror Movies! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

While I love horror movies of all different subgenres, I find that the ones I pull out this time of the year are the ones that ooze with atmosphere, the ones that make me feel uncomfortable just because of the setting it takes place in. And one such movie that fits that need plus more is James Wan’s 2007 supernatural horror film Dead Silence.

This film seems to be quite polarizing. There are some who absolutely love it and there are those who cannot stand it. I’m not sure why the latter has that opinion because I think this movie is incredibly well done and very entertaining with its fair share of scares.

Okay, let me try to convince the naysayers, shall I?

First, let’s admire that this is the movie that James Wan directed after 2004’s Saw. He stuck to the horror genre but went a completely different route. While Saw falls under that terrible “torture porn” title, Dead Silence couldn’t be more different, having more in common with the Hammer films of old than with anything modern. For me, this really showed that Wan was a true horror fan, someone that understood the many ways in which he could scare an audience. Saw was something that horrified me because, although almost certainly unlikely, there was this strange idea that it could happen. That thought alone is terrifying. But Dead Silence can’t happen and we know that while watching it. But that doesn’t mean I was any less spooked.

The story itself is wickedly entertaining. It’s essentially taking a campfire ghost story and expanding it into a feature length movie, which is something many horror films don’t do. It kept the story simple and easy to follow while adding fun elements every so often, keeping us locked on the trail like Hansel and Gretyl’s breadcrumbs.

And to get us hooked into the story? How about that fantastic intro scene? In less than 13 minutes, the story throws us enough to make us want answers just as much as Jamie, who begins his investigation into the murder of his wife Lisa. We all know the importance of a good intro to a horror movie (just look at Scream) and, in my opinion, Dead Silence ranks as one of best.

I always wondered if this film was born out of the love of Billy, the puppet from Saw. After all, it was such a popular icon after the release of the film that I find myself being curious if Mary Shaw’s doll collection didn’t spring up from that fascination. Whether it did or didn’t, it’s a great way to add some terror to the screen because it seems many audiences absolutely hate the idea of dolls coming to life.

Remember how I said that this movie oozed atmosphere? I wasn’t lying. Edward Ashen’s mansion. Mary Shaw’s theater. Dr. Walker’s funeral parlor. Each of these locations felt so delightfully eldritch, so perversely sinister that I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen. And Charlie Clouser’s score only helped lock in that sensation, his aural presence weaving its way throughout the miasma.

I’m not going to say this movie is flawless. Some of the acting leaves a bit to be desired and the end twist is kinda unnecessary. Additionally, this is one of those rare situations where the director’s cut, in my opinion, does more harm than good. Some of the added elements could really stand to have been kept out.

That being said, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to Dead Silence. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it or you haven’t seen it at all, definitely give this movie a shot. It’s one that I’ll happily pop on at any opportunity and I think it deserves all the love it can get. Just don’t scream…

The post In Defense of ‘Dead Silence’ (2007) appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

We got the opportunity to ask Charlie several questions about his works throughout the years as well as his more recent works, such as “Wayward Pines” and the upcoming “Childhood’s End”. We also wondered about the instruments he considers to be vital in his compositions as well as which theoretical remake he would love to score.

You can purchase the “Wayward Pines” OST iTunes. Also, make sure to follow Charlie on Twitter.

You’re confirmed to compose the music for ‘Childhood’s End’. What can you tell us about that project and how you envision the music feeling?

Childhood’s End is a pretty epic story, dealing heavily with religion and morality, so I knew the score wouldn’t be just some light ambient stuff.  I tried to give the score an underpinning of dread, because as the story progresses mankind as a whole does experience a “cosmic redemption”, but there’s a lot of heartbreak along the way for the individual characters too.  There’s three main melodic themes that relate to each other and towards the end of the story start to converge, revealing that they have more in common than you’d think at the beginning.  There’s a lot of upward motion in the melodies and chord progressions, to mimic mankind’s “ascent to the cosmos”, which is what the story centers on.  A lot of the sounds are dark and girthy, with a lot of low brass, bowed pianos, and a couple of pretty terrifying atonal choir pieces that I’ve managed to work in there as well.  The score doesn’t have a lot of synthesizer in there, most of the sounds are derived from bowed metals, brass sections, and choirs, but often they’re so processed that they might sound more electronic than organic.  I wanted to keep things sounding warm, wide, and open, as opposed to something like a SAW film, where everything sounds cold and claustrophobic, and where the melodies and chord progressions are always headed downwards, evoking a feeling of being pulled down into dark places.  This kind of thinking always affects how I structure the melodies and chord voicings, so for this project I’ve used wider intervals and more expansive, rising melodic structures that will hopefully mirror the scope of the story, whereas on something like a SAW film I’d keep the voicings and intervals tight and close to mimic the claustrophobic feel of being trapped in some horrific dungeon.

I listened to the soundtrack for ‘Wayward Pines’ and it’s incredibly moody and almost distant, as though each instrument has to travel a distance before reaching the listener. Am I just hearing things or is there something to what I’m describing?

I’m glad you could hear that distant quality in the Wayward Pines score, because that’s definitely a feeling I wanted the music to have.  It’s not just a matter of soaking everything in reverb, which might wind up making it sound like it’s happening in an underground parking garage.  It comes down to making sounds that have that distant quality built in, but it’s also about picking chord voicings and intervals that help with that haunting, distant feel.  I used a lot of minor seconds and thirds, and lots of downward modulations to try to give that feeling of being pulled down into an uncomfortable place.  I’m always more attracted to sounds that have a distant, murky character, like the broken-up and wobbly sound of a jet plane flying far overhead.  I do have a few sound processing techniques that can help get me there, things like vocoders and old busted phase shifters, but they’re not the whole story, they’re kind of the icing on top.  Throughout much of that series, Matt Dillon’s character is trying to pry his way inside what’s really going on in the town, so I wanted the score to be somewhere off in the distance, like its back is turned to him and the audience.  I also used a few sounds that weren’t quite in tune with each other, or had a slightly unsteady pitch, so that things sounded a little uneasy and unsettling, but as the story progresses and Matt’s character takes charge, some of those elements go away and both the sounds and chord structures get more confident and firm.

Your compositions have resulted in two of the most iconic themes of the current horror generation: “Hello Zepp” and the ‘American Horror Story’ theme song. How do you look back on those pieces and what do you think of them currently?

It’s funny, because both of those themes were done very quickly, so I guess in those cases, a pressing deadline was actually a good thing.  I’m glad that “Hello Zepp” has taken on a life of its own, especially because it was from the very first film I ever scored.  It seems that those kind of memorable themes are more prevalent in the horror genre, like John Carpenter’s “Halloween” theme, or the Mike Oldfield piece in “The Exorcist”, so I’m grateful to James Wan for making the kind of films in which that kind of theme can work, and for giving me the opportunity to sink my teeth into such meaty subject matter.  It was great that “Hello Zepp” became sort of a trademark element of the “SAW” films, because I got to do seven different versions of it over the years, each one longer and more epic than the last, and I had a blast changing it up and adding new sections every year.
 
The theme for “American Horror Story” owes a lot to my co-writer on that one, Cesar Davila-Irizarry, who long ago had done a track that was used as temp music as they were cutting the title sequence to AHS, and because it was such a good track I wound up incorporating a lot of what he had done many years ago into my version.  Even though I wrote three or four demo themes of my own at the beginning of that project, we all kept coming back to Cesar’s version and loving the unsteady, gritty feel that it had.  So in the end it became a collaboration between us, even though there was a gap of ten or fifteen years between his original track and my version, and that’s why I was happy to share the writing credit for the theme.  I look back on both of those themes as pretty strong moments, and it’s gratifying to see that they’ve resonated with people.

What are some instruments or tools that you consider indispensable in creating your unique sound?

I rely pretty heavily on some unusual guitars, like the Paul Vo Moog guitars that are now discontinued, and the Adrian Belew signature model Parker guitar.  All of those have various methods of electronically self-vibrating the strings, similar to the sounds you can get from an e-bow, which I also use quite a bit.  These instruments let you create sustained, droning textures that are somewhere between a guitar and a synthesizer, and by processing them through pitch shifters and delay units I can get some really scary tones that don’t sound too electronic.  For instance, all of the evil drone textures on the SAW movies came from guitars, although I do still have a good collection of synths from back in the day and some of the more modern ones like Dave Smith’s Pro-2, which is a nasty and aggressive little beast.  I’m also into cheap circuit-bent instruments, like modified Casio samplers and hacked Alesis drum machines.  In fact, the weird little digital percussion sounds in “Hello Zepp” came from one of those circuit-bent Alesis drum machines.  I’ve also gotten into the world of EuroRack modular synths pretty heavily over the last few years, and it seems like every month there’s more wild modules coming out, so going down that road has been hazardous to my bank account.  These modular systems are a great way to build a setup that is targeted to exactly what you want to do, although it can take time and experimentation to get what you’re after.  With this type of instrument many happy accidents are likely to happen, so whenever I sit down behind them I make sure I’m always recording.  I still have my original Moog modular system that I bought cheaply in the 1980s, when nobody wanted them, and even though it’s more than 45 years old it still has its own chunky sound that I love.

I also am a big fan of bowed metal instruments, and I have one of Richard Waters’ original Waterphones, as well as a few homemade gadgets that are similar.  I’ve made a few crude instruments like some stainless and aluminum sheets with bolts attached at the nodal points which can be bowed to create sustained tones, and these always have a scary and haunting feel.  I’m down for any hunk of metal that can be scraped or bowed to make a sound that resembles a pitched note, and if the sound is unsteady or wobbles or breaks up then that’s even better. 

You’ve composed music for movies, TV shows, and with artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, and Marilyn Manson, among others. Are there other mediums that you’d like to create music for?

These days I go back and forth between movies and TV, and I can’t really walk away from either medium, since they both have good and bad aspects.  Working in TV can be nice because you’ve got to work fast, so you don’t have half-finished tracks lying around for months, but there’s not always a lot of time for sonic experimentation.  But lately I think I’m becoming more attracted to the schedule of scoring for movies, where I can take a little more time to develop the themes and spend some long nights in the studio finding new sounds.  I’ve also done a bit of music for video games here and there, and I may jump back on that horse at some point since that world is really open to experimentation and they seem really receptive to unconventional approaches to music.

When you compose music, what sorts of emotions and messages do you try to convey?

I do love a good opportunity to inject a sense of dread and foreboding, that feeling that something bad is about to happen, which seems to occur a lot in the kind of projects I wind up doing.  On the other hand, when I’m dealing with a scene that’s got some genuine, tender emotion, if I can get it right that’s also very satisfying.  Sometimes it’s those gentle, emotional cues with the fewest elements that can be the most difficult and challenging to get right.
In general I’m always looking for opportunities to add weight to the character’s history, to sort of look outside the timeline of the scene and take into account what happened to the characters that put them in these situations, and give the viewer the impression that there’s more to the story than meets the eye.  I guess I try to look for the emotion that lies underneath or behind what’s written on the character’s faces.  Obviously, a lot of the time you’ve got to be “on the nose” and reinforce what the characters are feeling, but to me, the most interesting and challenging music often comes from those scenes where I can score the backstory, or have the music give a premonition of what’s to come.  This kind of approach only works in a few situations, but when it’s appropriate it can be really satisfying if I get it right.  I always hope that this will help to create a more complete and complex experience that has more depth and layers than just always playing directly to what we’re seeing.

You’ve worked very frequently with horror titles. How do you feel those differ from other genres and what kind of mindset do you have to put yourself in so as to create a horror score?

It seems that music in the horror genre has a couple of aspects that other genres don’t focus on quite so much, like the use of strong, memorable themes or hooks that become trademarks of the story, like the classic horror themes I was talking about before, and also the use of some pretty extreme orchestral and sound design stuff.  I love atonal, dissonant, and chaotic sounds, whether they come from an orchestra, a choir, or some piece of software, and it seems that in the horror genre there’s more of an “anything goes” attitude when it comes to that kind of extreme music and sound design.  I love the work of composers like Gyorgy Ligeti and Krzysztof Penderecki, and that atonal mayhem seems to be more appropriate in the horror genre than in less extreme films.  I also think that the type of industrial and electronic music I did during my years in the record industry suits the horror genre as well, so I’m able to call on that experience and bring some of those techniques to the table, where that approach might not work as well in some other types of films. 

There are tons of remakes and reboots happening these days. What are some films that, were they to receive the reboot/remake treatment, you’d hope to be chosen as the composer for?

That’s a tough one, because so many of my favorite movies are what I consider sacred ground that should never be touched, like Kubrick’s version of “The Shining” – a remake of that could never live up to the original, and I’d hate to be the composer who has to try and improve upon that amazing score.  But if I had to choose, I’d love to take a stab at the more thoughtful science fiction classics and political thrillers from back in the day.  I know they’ve rebooted Michael Crichton’s “The Andromeda Strain” at least once, but that’s still one of my favorites, and has a fantastic score that was one of the first all-electronic scores I’d ever heard, so that would have to be on my list.  Lately I’ve been rewatching lots of my favorites from the seventies, like “Three Days of the Condor”, “The French Connection”, and “Marathon Man”.  Those movies that the reviews refer to as “a taut thriller” are really satisfying to me as a viewer, and would be challenging and rewarding to score, because I wouldn’t automatically know exactly the right way to solve the musical problems.  Searching for a musical solution is where the fun part is, for me at least, and unfamiliar territory is usually more satisfying to explore.

How do you challenge yourself to keep creating new and fresh music?
 

I try to keep finding new instruments that I’ve never played before, and hopefully coax something useful out of them.  For example, I recently got a guzheng, which is a Chinese stringed instrument similar to a koto.  It takes a lifetime to master in the context of traditional Chinese music, and even though I can only play it in a basic and pretty clumsy manner, I love the tone of the thing and I was able to use it quite a bit on Wayward Pines.  I played it with a guitar pick and a violin bow, and although it certainly didn’t wind up sounding like it does in the traditional context, it worked really well for adding some rhythmic tension without sounding synthetic.  That’s a good example of finding an instrument that I can’t play all that well and finding something in it that resonates with what I’m doing.  I guess unfamiliar territory is more fun for me.  Picture a Sherpa who’s leading an expedition up Everest; he knows every route to the top, where all the footholds and safe paths are, so for him it’s just another day at the office.  But the first-time climber on the expedition is thrilled with every step he takes that doesn’t result in a fall to the death.  I think I’d rather feel more like the first-time climber than the Sherpa, so I try to look for unfamiliar paths or mountains I haven’t climbed yet.

The post Charlie Clouser (‘Saw’, ‘American Horror Story’) on His Music [Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

331Erock comments:

So everyone for the most part knows I’m a HUGE movie fan. I also have a soft spot for those with a little twisty twist. 2 things that are my opinion 1. James Wan is the man. 2. Charlie Clouser is the man haha. So put the two together and I’m a very happy person.

I’ve always really enjoyed Dead Silence as it has an absolutely wonderful atmosphere, some stunning visuals, and a genuinely creepy story that still sends shivers through my body.

The post “Beware the Head Banging of Mary Shaw…”: ‘Dead Silence’ Theme Rocks Hard appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

What makes the show’s ending hurt all the more is the knowledge that we would’ve been given a chance to see the Silence of the Lambs storyline with Clarice Starling in the next couple of seasons had it continued. To see that plot fleshed out in NBC’s universe would’ve been nothing but stunning, a totally different take on the classic 1991 film. Alas, it was not meant to be.

However, the end of “Hannibal” makes me wonder about other horror properties and the possibilities that we missed out on by there not being a sequel/prequel. Some stories had such potential and they’ve gone unrealized.

That’s the topic of this week’s discussion post. I’ve got a few titles ahead of films that I think would allow for incredible continuations and then I want you to leave a comment with stories that you think would’ve had an interesting continuation.

The post Which Horror Storylines Do You Want Continued? appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Little is known about the movie and its plot but the basic story of Aquaman is that he is the ruler of Atlantis and possesses super strength, speed, and the ability to command sea-life.

The film is set for a 2018 release.

Wan is coming off the success of Fast And Furious 7, which has currently drawn in over $1.5 billion dollars, which puts it among the Top 5 grossing films worldwide. He is also the producer on this week’s Insidious: Chapter 3.

The post James Wan To Direct ‘Aquaman’! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The atmospheric ghost story starred Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Bob Gunton, Judith Roberts and Michael Fairman.

According to Blu-Ray.com, the following specs will be included:

The Blu-ray release of Dead Silence is presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround. In addition to the film’s unrated cut, special features include:
Alternate Opening
Alternate Ending
Deleted Scenes
The Making of Dead Silence
Mary Shaw’s Secrets
Evolution of a Visual FX
Aiden’s “We Sleep Forever” Music Video

Personally, I’m really excited for this. I’ve always loved this movie and was genuinely creeped out by it upon release. I still pop it in occasionally and enjoy every second.

Head below for the trailer.

There is an old ghost story in the sleepy town of Ravens Fair about Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist who went mad. Accused of the murder of a young boy, she was hunted down by vengeful townspeople who cut out her tongue and killed her. They buried her along with her children, a hand-made collection of vaudeville dolls. Since that time, Ravens Fair has been plagued by death. The ghastly dolls from Mary Shaws collection have gone missing from the grave and reappeared over the decades. In the dead of night-wherever they are glimpsed-families are found gruesomely murdered with their tongues torn out.

The post James Wan’s ‘Dead Silence’ Finally Coming To Blu-Ray appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, Nathalie Emmanuel and Kurt Russell.

I’ll be honest and say that I used to hate these movies. However, I’ve grown to realize exactly what they offer and that is pure, unadulterated fun. Watch the trailer below!

The post ‘Furious 7’ Trailer Released: This Looks Insane appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

You know why I do this? It’s because I’ve seen enough dolls absolutely wreck people in horror films. I’ve seen Dead Silence, Child’s Play, Magic, and more and I’ve learned my lesson: Don’t piss off a doll.

But how well do you know your creepy doll movies, huh? You think you have what it takes to answer these 15 questions and get them all? Because I’ll fully admit that I didn’t 100% this. Let’s see how you do!

The post How Well Do You Know Your Creepy Dolls? appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

With James Wan taking the helm of Universal’s gigantic Fast and Furious franchise (he’s currently filming Fast 7), I figured it would be fun to take a look back at the films that got him there. Even with the great Conjuring and Insidious franchise making huge returns on their initial investments (not to mention ) it hasn’t always been a straight line to the top. It almost never is in Hollywood.

Head below to check it out!

1: SAW (2004)

It’s easy for a lot of people to forget that Saw was never really a “torture porn” film. Sure, it’s a clever thriller that sees its characters in some harrowingly gory moments, but it’s really about decisions. Tough decisions people have to make in order to determine their own survival.

Made for a reported budget of $1.2 Million, this innovative (and occasionally iffy) film wound up with a $55 million domestic take and an overall worldwide box office haul that topped $100M. While Wan and writer Leigh Whannell were involved as executive producers on all of the film’s sequels (with Whannell also writing the 2nd and 3rd installments), they immediately set about expanding their brand instead of hiding within it.

2: DEAD SILENCE (2007)

It was here that we found out Wan’s interest in dolls didn’t begin and end with the Billy puppet from the Saw franchise. This ventriloquist haunter was Wan’s first studio film (for Universal). Produced on a reported $20M budget the film grossed $16M domestic and $22M worldwide at the box office. Not exactly a slam dunk, financially. This was back before the DVD and Blu market had really eroded so it’s possible that it made its money back at some point, but it was almost certainly a longer trip into the black than Saw.

3: DEATH SENTENCE (2007)

This isn’t the first year to see two James Wan films hit theaters. 5 months after Dead Silence Fox released Wan’s second studio picture, Death Sentence. This underrated Death Wish inspired revenge thriller (starring Kevin Bacon) is actually pretty good and has a league of staunch defenders. However, this may be the first time Wan hit the ropes (in terms of an upwardly mobile career trajectory). Also produced for a reported $20M, the film made $9M at the domestic box office and topped out at $16M worldwide.

Even though the Saw franchise was still going strong it would be three and a half years before Wan’s next directorial effort.

4: INSIDIOUS (2011)

But still, what a comeback. Produced on a reported budget of $1.5 million, this slow burn haunted house film (which evolves into a bizarre jaunt into the astral plane of “The Further”) grossed $54 million domestic and $97 million worldwide, a fantastic return on investment even before the ancillary revenue kicked in. In all likelihood, this helped Wan get his next job – which would turn out to be the most pivotal moment of his career.

5: THE CONJURING (2013)

Wan returned to studio filmmaking with WB’s The Conjuring. Here’s something a lot of people will forget in the coming years – it actually got him the Fast 7 gig before it became a global megahit. Early cuts of the film were testing so high and Universal was so impressed with the footage they saw that the deal was announced several months before the film hit theaters. This is where the meritocracy of the whole thing really balances out – The Conjuring is far and away Wan’s best movie. It’s a downright GREAT supernatural horror film, and its quality fed incredible word of mouth and repeat business.

So with the big $100M (plus) budgeted Fast 7 already booked, The Conjuring‘s $135M domestic take (so far) and $259M worldwide total (so far) cemented the perception that Wan had creatively grown into a filmmaker capable of engaging wide audiences on a repeat basis.

6: INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 (2013)

While I don’t like Insidious: Chapter 2 as much as The Conjuring, I think it’s a positive illustration of how much risk success can afford a filmmaker. Success isn’t just about piling money into your account, it’s about being able to do what you want. With a built-in audience for the film and a small budget (reported $5M – 1/4th of the cost of The Conjuring), Leigh Whannell and Wan were allowed to do just about anything they wanted. And they did. Chapter 2 is an incredibly “out there” film and it doesn’t play safe by any stretch of the imagination. Which is why it’s commendable even if though didn’t entirely work for me – it shows us a filmmaker who wants to challenge himself and isn’t content going for the easy reward.

Which is to say, even if you’re not a Fast And Furious fan, that you can expect interesting things from Wan in the future. And if he does return to horror, it will be because he’s found an idea that interests him – the guy doesn’t exactly need a fall back plan at this point.

The post James Wan’s 6 Steps to the A-List!! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!

The post Billy Talent Streams New Album ‘Dead Silence’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Whannell is best known as the star and co-creator of the Saw franchise, as well as writer of Dead Silence and Insidious (which he also starred in).

Head inside for the new poster (alongside a long synopsis).

“The radio blares a 24-hour Halloween Weekend Fright Fest as Tom Moses drives deeper and deeper into the desert. He arrives at a sleazy motel, where his wife, Lovely, informs him through the locked door that something terrible has happened. He persuades her to let him inside and discovers a man slumped against the wall on the other side of the room, stabbed to death.

The situation becomes clear and Tom and Lovely realize that they need to get out while they still can. But the night has only just begun and the strangers in skull masks soon arrive with a plan of their own…”

The post New, Folded, One Sheet For ‘Ritual’! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The post REMINDER: ‘Dead Silence’ Plays Los Angeles TOMORROW, Wan and Whannell Attending! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.