Tuesday 15 December 2020
Horror Channel ushers in New Year with monstrous Saturday night premieres
Tuesday 17 November 2020
Horror Channel unwraps its slate of seasonal shockers
Also unwrapped are John Carpenter’s classic car-rage chiller CHRISTINE, vampire action thriller PRIEST, starring Paul Bettany, the high velocity sci-fi drama SKYLINE and the supernatural twister SINISTER, starring Ethan Hawke, Plus, there Daniel Radcliffe battling with a vengeful ghost in James Watkins’ spine-chilling remake THE WOMAN IN BLACK, and a cunningly murderous David Tennant in BAD SAMARITAN.
Full film details in transmission order:
Saturday 5 December @ 21:00 – SKYLINE (2010)
The residents of Los Angeles are awakened in the dead of night by an eerie light which is hypnotically drawing people outside before they suddenly vanish into thin air. As the world unravels, a band of survivors soon discover they must fight against the onslaught of a mysterious alien horde. Who or what are these extra-terrestrials and how long before mankind succumbs to their overwhelming power?
Saturday 13 December @ 21:00 – SINISTER (2012)
Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family. Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating and the terrifying realisation that his investigation may be putting his family in mortal danger.
Friday 18 December @ 21:00 – BAD SAMARITAN (2018)
A small-time crook, who runs a valet parking scam, robbing rich client’s houses while they dine at a fancy Italian restaurant, inadvertently stumbles upon a far more dangerous criminal - a sadistic serial killer played by ‘Doctor Who’ star David Tennant - earning a chance to redeem himself. An audacious throwback to such 90s thrillers as AMERICAN PSYCHO, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, CAPE FEAR and THE VANISHING, this crazy and outrageous jump-scare exploiter piles on the suspense and rips along at a nonstop pace to mind-chilling contemporary paranoia.
Sunday 20 December @ 21:00 – THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012)
Based on the classic ghost story, The Woman in Black tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House. Working alone, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.
Monday 21 December @ 21:00 – CHRISTINE (1983)
High school geek Arnie Cunningham falls in love with "Christine", a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury which has seen much better days. Setting himself the task of restoring the car to its original condition, Arnie has become consumed with passion for the sleek, rounded, chrome-laden car. His friends are horrified but it’s too late - anyone seeking to come between them becomes the victim of Christine's horrifying wrath.
Thursday 24 December @ 21:00 – PRIEST (2011)
Based on a popular comic book series, Paul Bettany stars as a warrior priest who disobeys church law by teaming with a young sheriff (Cam Gigandet) and a priestess (Maggie Q) to track down a band of renegade vampires who have kidnapped his niece.
Friday 25 December @ 21:00 – P2 (2007)
It's Christmas Eve. Angela Bridges (Rachel Nichols), an ambitious executive, is supposed to be at a family gathering working late. When she gets down to the parking garage, she discovers that her car won't start. Thomas (Wes Bentley), a friendly security guard, offers to help, but when he also invites her to share a small Christmas dinner he's preparing, she doesn’t realise the invitation is not optional. If Angela wants to live to see Christmas morning, she must find a way to escape from level P2 of the parking garage.
Saturday 26 December @ 21:00 – WIND CHILL (2007)
It’s Christmas Eve. Two college students share a ride home for the holidays. When they break down on a deserted stretch of road, they're preyed upon by the ghosts of people who have died there. Emily Blunt stars in her first horror movie from George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh’s joint production company, Section 8 Productions.
Monday 26 October 2020
Interview with Michael McCarty by David Kempf
I’ve been writing for a very long, long time.
I started writing for the school newspaper The Jaguar News in sixth grade. My first pro sale was in 1983 for a regional music magazine, The Prairie Sun I did a record review of Pink Floyd’s “The Final Cut.” My first national sale was in 1993 to Starlog magazine. And my first book was in 2003. I’ve written hundreds of articles and interviews in newspapers and have over 45 published books.
How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?
When I was a kid, I use to watch a local horror show called Acri Creature Feature that showed all the classic horror movies and I really loved them. I started reading the books, which the movies were based on sometime in Junior High School, Dracula by Bram Stoker and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. After that I was hooked.
Tell us about your first publisher.
I spent close to a decade writing and trying to get my first book, the vampire novel LIQUID DIET published. I tried everywhere. At that the time the suits said, “Vampire books are dead. Everyone loves a serial killer story. Can you change your vampire into a serial killer instead?”Vampire books have been popular since Bram Stoker wrote DRACULA over a century ago.” This was long before TWILIGHT or TRUE BLOOD.
One day I was talking to Bentley Little and he gave me some excellent advice. He said it was time to put my vampire novel in the trunk and begin another. A lot of writers never get their first books published, including Mr. Little. I started working on another horror novel, called MONSTER BEHIND THE WHEEL, but figured that might take a lot of time to get published. In the meantime, I needed a new game plan. I was talking with my friend Mark McLaughlin about this and he suggested I do a “best of your genre interviews” type book.
I sent a query to a small publisher who specializes in collectible books. The editor wanted to publish the book, but in the end, I decided my book wasn’t right for this house. Next, I sent it to a publisher in Spain. The editor also wanted to publish the book, but ultimately, it didn’t work out there either. During the World Horror Convention in Chicago, I talked to William F. Nolan about the book project; he was enthusiastic, saying if two publishers liked it, a third was probably around the corner very soon. And he was kind of correct about that. About ten minutes after meeting with Nolan, I talked with Neil Gaiman about the book. He suggested that publisher John Betancourt at Wildside Press might like it. So I sent a query and three chapters about my new book idea called GIANTS OF THE GENRE to Mr. Betancourt. He read the three chapters and outline and politely rejected it.
A couple of weeks later, on the fourth of July weekend, 2002, I was thinking about Betancourt’s rejection. He said a lot of nice things in the rejection. So that Monday, I wrote back to the publisher saying something like, “Hey John, you’ve been in the publishing business for awhile, who would you recommended I send my book to.”
John wrote “You know, funny thing is — I’ve been bugged by GIANTS since I turned it down. This usually means I’m convinced on some level that I’ve made a mistake. If you are still interested in having me publish it, I’ll do it next year.” And that is how I got my first book published. Mark McLaughlin wrote the introduction.
Since that time, I have had other books published with Wildside Press including MORE GIANTS OF THE GENRE, A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FIENDS and DRACULA TRANSFORMED & OTHER BLOODTHIRSTY TALES (co-written with Mark McLaughlin).
How would you classify the genre you write?
I call myself a Gumbo Genre Writer, because I write in so many genres and styles. I do nonfiction, horror fiction, science fiction, vampire fiction, vampire comedy fiction, short stories, novels, novella, YA books, kid’s books.
Maybe that is the reason I have had over 45 books published. Here is a link to a listing to all my books:
https://monstermikeyaauthor.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/michael-mccartys-book-publications-1-40/
What is your favorite kind of monster in dark fiction?
I’m going to cheat and name two: vampires and Frankenstein’s monster. Big fan of both of and wrote two books about them as well. FRANKENSTEIN’S MISTRESS: TALES OF LOVE & MONSTERS published by Grinning Skull Press and DRACULA TRANSFORMED & OTHER BLOODTHIRSTY TALES by Mark McLaughlin & Michael McCarty published by Wildside Press.
Other vampire novels I’ve written or co-written: LIQUID DIET & MIDNIGHT SNACK published by Simon & Schuster, the BLOODLESS series co-written with Jody LaGreca: BLOODLESS, BLOODLUST and BLOODLINE also on Simon & Schuster. And another short story collections as well.
The reason I think people like vampires over other monsters is they seduce their prey. And Frankenstein’s monster is so popular because he is an outcast of society and only wants to be loved and how can’t relate to that?
Tell us about your collaborations.
A collaboration is like a marriage; if it is good - it is a good marriage; if it is bad - it is a bad marriage. Writing wise, I’ve had good and bad marriages.
I wrote a great article about this very topic in ESOTERIA-LAND and the ebook is only .99 cents. Check it out.
Tell us about your Stoker experiences especially the poetry book.
Scott Edelman once gave me a big pin that says, “5-Time Stoker Award Loser.” That pretty much sums it up.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?
Getting 45 books published is a major accomplishment. Actually starting and finish a book is major accomplishment these days.
The writing business is a rough roller coaster ride of highs and lows. You have to hold on for dear life and pray for the best sometimes.
Other accomplishments, having Jimmy Fallon hold a copy of my book CONVERSATIONS WITH KRESKIN on his show.
And of course, having the fans, they are the bright rays of sunshine in this dark fiction profession.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
My advice is this: writing what I call a “blindside” book. Which means, you hit the reader and they don’t see it coming. They spin around and say, “Where did that come from? I wasn’t prepared for that.”
My best advice and I hate to do self-promotion here – is to read MODERN MYTHMAKERS: 35 INTERVIEWS WITH HORROR & SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS AND FILMMAKERS by Michael McCarty, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at your favorite bookstore or library (if they don’t have it, have them order it).
The reason I wrote MODERN MYTHMAKERS in the first place was to talk with the likes of Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson, John Saul, Whitley Strieber, Neil Gaiman and other 29 others – about the craft and art of writing.
I can give all kinds of advice. But wouldn’t you like to hear advice from Bradbury or Koontz instead?
Plus the ebook is only .99 cents.
What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?
The majority of my books, 40 or so have been by book publishers. Half a dozen or so, I’ve done myself. I am a writer. I like to write. I don’t like to do layout and design. I really don’t like to edit, especially edit my own work (it is a necessary evil, like voting).
I like just to write and let others worry the other crazy stuff in the publishing business. That’s show business.
What are your current projects?
I just finished up FRANKENSTEIN’S MISTRESS: TALES OF LOVE & MONSTERS which was recently published by Grinning Skull Press (the same publisher who put out LOST GIRL OF THE LAKE by Joe McKinney & Michael McCarty, a few years ago).
I am currently writing a sequel to GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & Mark McLaughlin and published by Haunted America (Arcadia Publishing / The History Press). Which was an Amazon bestseller. Here is a little about the first book:
Divided by state lines and the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities share a common haunted heritage. If anything, the seam that runs through the region is especially rife with spirits, from the Black Angel of Moline's Riverside Cemetery to the spectral Confederate POWs of Arsenal Island. Of course, the city centers have their own illustrious supernatural residents – the Hanging Ghost occupies Davenport's City Hall, while the Phantom Washwoman wanders Bettendorf's Central Avenue. At Igor's Bistro in Rock Island, every day is Halloween. Michael McCarty and Mark McLaughlin hunt down the haunted lore of this vibrant Midwestern community.
For the sequel, I am collaborating with John Brassard Jr. this time (whom I interviewed a lot in the first book). It is going to be a little different than the first book, but also a lot bigger and more photos and it should be out Fall of 2021. For the most updated news, please check: Facebook website:
https://www.facebook.com/Ghosts-of-the-Quad-Cities-103021898053505
Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
I have been a professional writer since 1983 and the author of over forty-five books of fiction and nonfiction, including FRANKENSTEIN’S MISTRESS: TALES OF LOVE & MONSTERS, ESOTERIA-LAND, DARK CITIES: DARK TALES, A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FIENDS, DRACULA TRANSFORMED AND OTHER BLOODTHIRSTY TALES (with Mark McLaughlin), LOST GIRL OF THE LAKE (with Joe McKinney) and GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES (also with Mark McLaughlin).
My mega book of interviews MODERN MYTHMAKERS: 35 INTERVIEWS WITH HORROR AND SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS AND FILMMAKERS which features interviews with Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, John Carpenter, Richard Matheson, Elvria, Linnea Quigley, John Saul, Joe McKinney, the cast and crew of “Night of the Living Dead” and many more.
I live in Rock Island, Illinois with his wife Cindy and pet rabbit Latte.
I’m on Twitter as michaelmccarty6
My blog site is at: http://monstermikeyaauthor.wordpress.com
Facebook! Like me on official page: http://www.facebook.com/michaelmccarty.horror
Or snail mail me at:
Michael McCarty
Fan Mail
P.O. Box 4441
Rock Island, IL 61204-4441
Tuesday 20 October 2020
Interview with Najarra Townsend, star of FrightFest's THE STYLIST
In THE STYLIST, you play Claire, a murderous hairstylist who doesn’t just cut hair! It’s a very restrained yet chillingly emotive performance. What research did you do in order to understand the mind of someone who is, essentially, a serial killer?
The majority of my research for Claire was actually building her backstory. I started with our Writer/Director Jill Gervargizian’s backstory notes on the character and then filled in all the blanks. I always approach a role by creating a life history for them. Memories are vital for me to have for every character. Jill also suggested I read “House of Psychotic Women” by Kier-La Janisse, which is about the exploration of female neurosis in horror and exploitation films.
I actually did only a small bit of research on real female serial killers. I looked a few up, read about them and their lives, including the psychology behind why people think they did what they did, but in the end I felt the most valuable research for me was creating a full life for Claire and understanding why she does what she does.
The film is based on director Jill Gevaragizian’s short feature, which played at FrightFest in 2016. How different was your approach to playing Claire then?
Originally I had given Claire a few select memories from her life as well as fleshing out her closest relationships (like with her mom). When it came to making the feature I was able to look back on my notes and take things I thought still applied whilst elaborating on the rest of her life, which really made her a much fuller character. It’s a dream come true as an actor to be able to take this person that I found so fascinating from the short and be able to really sink my teeth into her for the feature.
You became first known to horror fans, and the FrightFest audience, for playing Samantha in the compelling zombie body horror CONTRACTED. The film garnered some notoriety for its sexual slant on the victimology of rape. What was it like playing such a demanding role?
Contracted was an extremely fun experience. It was my first time working with such intense practical effects. I would be in the makeup chair for hours before our shoot day started, having veins painted on my whole body, prosthetics applied and contacts lenses put in. It was demanding emotionally but also physically and really helped me grow as an actor. I trusted myself and my choices a lot more after that role.
Another challenging character you took on was the title role in the dark road movie WOLF MOTHER (2016), which has been described as the ‘bloodied non-horror film ever made’. Would you say you’re drawn to playing complex and dark characters?
Absolutely, I’ve always been attracted to characters that have a lot of emotional baggage and have gone through life events unlike my own. It’s always enjoyable researching things about a character’s life that makes you view things in new ways. The main goal with any character I play is to not judge their actions but try to understand and justify them - which can be tricky when playing a character that has done things that you would never do and think are wrong.
You first came to public attention playing sassy teenager Rebecca in the award-winning ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW. The LA Weekly named your portrayal of Rebecca as one of the ‘Top 10 Great Small Performances’. Looking back, how do you think that film shaped your career?
I will always be so grateful I got to be a part of that film as I really loved the movie. It opened up the indie world to me. I was really too young to understand the success the film had and what that could have meant for my career - I was just happy to be working! - but it definitely did open some doors for me. I also think it may have put me down more of an indie film road. “Me and You…” gave me my first taste of film festivals because I went to Sundance with the film. The electricity in the air and all the movie lovers in one place discussing films was fantastic to me. I was hooked.
You made your first appearance in a horror movie at 10 years old, co-starring in Amir Mann’s MENACE. Did this spark an interest in the genre?
It definitely did. Seeing special effects brought to life really changed how I viewed horror movies. I was a bit scared of them before that but after seeing behind the curtain and experiencing the intensity that comes with shooting a horror film, I had a new appreciation and fascination for them.
Can we look forward to seeing you in any genre movies in the future?
Definitely! I have three feature films currently in post-production, all of which are in the horror genre. It’s usually the characters I’m drawn to which makes me choose the films I want to do. I find that good genre films so often have the most intense complicated characters that are the most fun to take on. Plus the horror community is so much fun to be a part of. I will always try to find roles in the genre.
You were born and raised in California but now reside in the UK. What drew you away from your roots?
Yes, I’ve lived in Los Angeles most of my life but have always loved traveling. I shot a TV show in Qatar for five months in 2017 and met my now husband on the show! He’s British and after I fell in love with him I visited England and fell in love with the country as well. So it was an easy decision for me when we decided to get married and move to the UK. I now live in the English countryside and it feels like a fairytale all the time. I adore it here.
How have you been dealing with life under COVID?
I have to say for me personally the first few months of lockdown I found very enjoyable and I know that makes me extremely lucky. I adore where I live and getting the chance to just enjoy my home every day and spend extra time with my husband was a dream. It also felt like a very creative time because I used a lot of my time to read and create music and relax. Of course, the longer it’s gone on the more antsy I am about getting back to work but overall I’ve been very thankful for my experience this year.
Finally, what’s next?
Times are still so uncertain. I’m attached to various projects but am not sure when or if they’ll still be happening. Plus due to the current travel restrictions I’ve been focusing more on things I can do from home, mainly dedicating my time to my band, ARCHWAY, and developing a few projects to produce. I’m enjoying this slower paced year but really looking forward to what next year brings.
THE STYLIST is showing online on Sunday 25 October, 11.45am in the Horror Channel screen, as part of the Arrow Video FrightFest October Digital event.
Thursday 15 October 2020
Demons, devils and the occult…Horror Channel gets possessed in November
Tuesday 13 October 2020
Interview with Marc Price
Thursday 8 October 2020
Interview with Dacre Stoker By David Kempf
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Interview with Neil Marshall - Director of The Reckoning
THE RECKONING sees you returning to the horror genre. Was this an important factor in choosing to make the film?
Monday 5 October 2020
WIN A DVD OF THE NEWLY RESTORED CLASSIC CIRCUS OF HORRORS
A gem of classic 60s horror, CIRCUS OF HORRORS stars Anton Diffring as a manipulative plastic surgeon who, following a botched operation, flees the country with his assistants. Landing in France he meets the owner of a rundown circus (Donald Pleasence). The circus becomes the ideal front for him to continue his work, but his surgical exploits become increasingly deranged and experimental. Erika Remberg and Yvonne Monlaur star as two of the young women, disfigured in accidents, and lured in by ‘Dr Schuler’s’ promises to make them beautiful again.
Restored from the original camera negative CIRCUS OF HORRORS depicts all the scares and thrills of the circus in sensational and horrifying style. This new release from STUDIOCANAL’s Vintage Classics Collection includes brand new interviews with Kim Newman and Stuart Maconie.
CIRCUS OF HORRORS will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on 12th October 2020 and is available to buy HERE
To be in with a chance to win a copy on DVD simply answer the following question
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