The Further
Happy 80th Birthday, Large Marge!
Not only is today Krampusnacht, but it’s also Large Marge‘s 80th birthday.
Or would’ve been, rather.
Tim Burton made his debut as a feature filmmaker with Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in 1985, which contains one of the scariest moments in any non-horror movie ever made.
I’m of course referring to the infamous Large Marge scene, wherein Pee-wee hitches a ride with the ghost of a dead trucker on his quest to find his beloved bicycle. The woman, Marge, relays to Pee-wee the scary story of her own death, which crescendos with Marge transforming into, well, a big-eyed creature straight out of your nightmares.
If you saw the film as a kid, there’s a good chance you’ve never been able to scrub that particular jump scare from your mind. Like a handful of our favorite things from the ’80s, it was the Chiodo Brothers (Killer Klowns from Outer Space) who fabricated and animated Marge’s nightmarish visage – above, Stephen Chiodo animates Large Marge.
Late actress Alice Nunn, who passed away in 1988, played Large Marge in the film, a character who was born on December 5, 1937 and died on January 11, 1974.
Pee-wee met up with her 10 years later, and we’ve never forgotten their encounter.
Tell ’em Large Marge sent ya!
The Further
Killer Shorts Horror Writing Competition Open NOW With New Category for Feature Screenplays!
The annual genre competition dedicated to finding and launching the next generation of horror writing talent, this year’s Killer Shorts is now officially open for entries!
Founded in 2019, Killer Shorts has established itself as a premier industry launchpad. The competition connects screenwriters and prose authors directly with the executives, managers, and producers who actively greenlight and option dark genre cinema.
But this year’s competition isn’t only about killer horror shorts…
For this brand new season, Killer Shorts is expanding its categories to include feature-length screenplays alongside its traditional short script, one-page script, and short story divisions.
The Top 10 finalists across all categories are evaluated by an elite industry jury composed of over a dozen horror legends, literary managers, and producers. The panel includes:
- Barbara Crampton (Horror Icon, Actress & Producer — Jakob’s Wife, Suitable Flesh)
- John Zaozirny (Literary Manager & Producer, Bellevue Productions)
- Tananarive Due (Author, Producer & Horror Historian)
- Lucas Ford (Producer, Ford Films — The Backrooms)
- John Squires (Editor-in-Chief, Bloody Disgusting)
- Sophie Carroll (Creative Director, ALTER & DUST at Gunpowder & Sky)
- Gigi Saul Guerrero (Director & Co-Founder, Luchagore Productions)
- Aaron B. Koontz (Producer & CEO, Paper Street Pictures)
Yes, yours truly is joining the Killer Shorts judging panel for the first time ever!
Killer Shorts has a proven track record of transitioning undiscovered writers into working professionals. Alumni success stories include Season 2 finalist Vanessa Võ, who signed with Bellevue Productions, and Season 3 finalist Kelly Nugent, who secured representation at Wonder Street.
Additionally, screenplays submitted for coverage that receive a “Recommend” rating qualify for inclusion on The Scream List. This real-time tracking board is monitored by top-tier genre companies, including Screambox, Raven Banner Entertainment, Zero Gravity Management, and Grey Matter Productions.
Submissions will be accepted across all major platforms, including the official Killer Shorts website, Scrybe, Stage 32, FilmFreeway, and Network ISA.
For full guidelines, prize breakdowns, and submission details, visit the official website!
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