8th of April 1999:
Well long time no update.. Sorry.. This editorial will be a little longer as it will cover 3 weeks.. Back in Late March the following happened.. The announcement of a remake of "The Stepford Wives", set to be in the mood of "Witches of Eastwick". Those not familiar with the Stepford wives, here's a brief fill in... The women make their husbands tidy up after themselves.. This is what Hollywood calls "High Concept" :)..
TCM has been released in by the BBFC and given a certificate.. Let us get all those films off the "Video Nasties" list and into the cinema April 9 will see the general release of Tobe Hooper's masterpiece.. And no it's not based on a true story, it's more or less based on a bunch of stuff Ed Gein in a round about sort of way..
"Cherry Falls" added a couple more cast members.. But it is still sounding like a roll call for "Straight to Video Slasher film". See the diary of mine for old news on Cherry Falls.
"Seed of Chucky" is now the name of the next Childs Play film, instead of Son of Chucky as previously announced and reportedly it will spoof the terrifying film "Rosemary's Baby".. It may spark and RB revival but for the love of god Hollywood don't remake that film as well.. Just leave it at "The Haunting".. Make something "NEW".
Alice Krige from "Sleepwalkers" will be in a childrens horror film aptly titled "The Little Vampire" written by Angela Sommer-Bodenberg.. It looks to be a big old holiday release as the budget would make and indie filmmaker jump for joy. Oh, its about a boy who befriends a bunch of vamps.. sounds like Casper to me.. :)
Dr Casey's Cabinet released some results on a study that will be released in the journal "Media Psychology"..
"In a study that is being released in the journal Media Psychology, the effects of horror films are explored both in short-term and long-term. According to the study, 26 percent of 150 college students in Michigan and Wisconsin said they suffered emotional or behavioral problems as result of watching a horror movie or television program. The effects ranged from long-term insomnia to a continuing avoidance of the situations portrayed in the material viewed. Of the 26 percent, a third said they had recovered within a week, but another third said they were still suffering more than a year later. The study states that the younger the students were when exposed to the film, the longer the effects lasted. In one example, a participant was said to have bloody nightmares for about two months after viewing the film Jaws and is still frightened by blood. " -Dr Casey
Well you guessed it I have to cow about this.. It's in Yellow.
Still yet again proving the effects of the horror
media, are still in the realm of may and might effect.. The majority will
surely suffer for the minorities weak heads.. If they can't wrap their minds
around the concept.."It's only a movie".. Well perhaps they had
better go back to their caves, I say lock up the people who are disturbed
by horror films.. They are the real psychos..
Oh I'd also like to add.. The chances are that those 26% that the films effected were most likely brought up with TV.. IE.. lack of real parenting.. Kids that were taught everything by television and Sesame Street.. Shows that teach should be banned.. Informing and entertaining is the only purpose of the BOX.. leave education to parents and teachers.. Well that is my0.02c.. Of course wishful thinking there is Millions in flashing colors in front of kids with people wearing them and singing "I'm a little teapot.."..
And I'm sure in a time BEFORE JAWS.. People were frightened by blood.. Even cave dwelling ancestors would have been scared to see blood pouring out of themselves.. Is this study flawed or what..
The thing that disturbs me most is "College students in Michigan and Wisconsin said......"... Am I to gather from this that the study was a series of interviews or discussion groups.. Because as a Uni student in Australia. If a discussion starts about horror with guys and gals present, if a gal says the horror film effects her.. The guy who likes her in the group will often try to side with her, just to get in her pants (okay so this is blatant but natural law really says discussion groups an interviews aren't worht the time spent on them, but seeing I'm in a deomocracy a JURY is okay).. Also interviews are bad because people will often lie.. The only way to get a actual study on media effects is unethical and illegal.. The study is flawed.. I'll beat the data was bodged for the funding any fucking how.. It's that Paradox.. The researcher brings with him a changed circumstance.. The researcher is a factor in the experiment, that changes the outcome.. I've never been totally honest on a survey in my life.. It's like if Rupert Murdoch said to me.. "GORE, can you prove to me that people remember advertising on my networks.. I'll give you $$$,$$$,$$$.$$..." Well I'd go out and do some research into audiences look at ratings.. Interview subjects ask them if they remembered any adverts and than file a report saying yeah they did.. But of course they didn't really they were just trying to impress me.. They were really on the toilet or getting a drink while the ad's were on.. Shiver I've ended up in ACTIVE AUDIENCE theory..
I won't pass any further judgement till I read the actual study for myself.
VERY LATE MARCH
Adam Rifkin was announced as the director of Munchies.. Originally this was to be Aussie director Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend).. Now this is a big game of pass the parcel, love to see the script to find out why it's been passed on..??
Rob Zombie is not going to only be the musician and soundtrack to horror, he is finaly going ot direct his own film "The Legend of 13 graves". The film is meant to be in the vain of TCM and Phantasm (The Never Dead).. New Line is backing the film. Rob is not totally new to directing if you have seen film clips for both White Zombie and his recent solo career they are directed by Rob.
More New Line News.. They have signed up some teen actors for a new horror flick set in the air.. Well you would think it would be seeing the film is called "FLIGHT 180".. But no it's about a student who has a terrible preminition about a flight that is going to crash, so he and his classmates avoid the plane.. Lucky for them too, because the plane crashes.. But hey thats not horror I hear you SCREAM.. Well here is the catch they all starting dying of mysterious circumstances.. (gotta look out for those circumstances).. It could be good James Wong (X-files) will direct and write, with Glen Morgan another X Files writer.. Devon Sawa (he played that kid in Wild America and will be in Idle Hands I think) will be in it. Along with Ali Larter who appeared recently in a film I avoided like the plague about gridiron.
Garth Franklin from Darkhorizons got back from the United States and went to the trouble of trying to get a scoop on Freddy Vs. Jason. However all he found was that NewLine are willing to do the film only if they get the right story.. I'd like to see how much it has cost NewLine to get folks to write scripts.. This is where I plug my homage found in the CIW section of this page.. :) The real question is will I ever finish my script of A Nightmare on Friday the 13th.??
EARLY APRIL
Willem Defoe will be playing the part of Max Schreck in the mocudrama of
the filming of Nosferatu entitled Shadow of the
Vampire, John Malkovich is the playing the roll of the great
director F.W. Murnau.. This will be a film that'll get award nominations..
I can smell them now..
Hannibal, what a catchy title for the sequel to that catchy film about the man with the same name.. Well Hopkins is out of retirement for the sequel to Silence of the Lambs. But here is where everything goes MUDDY.. MGM is the owner of the original. De Laurentis is the owner of the prequel, after buying it from Warner Brothers to make the film.. There was a prequel to Silence of the Lambs called Red Dragon is the prequel owned by DeLaurentis (made into the film Manhunter), which has the Hannibal character in it.. But not the Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) character.. So the Bidding war for the WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE THE FILM is on(WB v DeLaurentis v MGM [who bought out Orion for thie film]).. Jonathan Demme the director of SotL is interested in the sequel, as is Hopkins and Foster.. The book in the Trilogy by Thomas Harris will be a continuation of the quirky relationship between Hannibal Lecter an Clarice.. The Book will be released JUNE 8 with a minimum first run of half a million.. Sure to be a BESTSELLER.. Also a doorstop 600+ pages in this one.. Sorry I'm unable to give an official date for film production but Hollywood is drooling.. I'm guessing the film will be released about the same time as the paperback version of the Book. Meanwhile remake the prequel while Anthony is just hanging around doing nothing.
The Wachowski Bros. (The Matrix) the fabulous director writer team of Andy and Larrry are in talks with George "notld" Romero.. For an early work of theirs entitled Carnivore. Which has been written up as "a surreal, gothic fairy tale set in a boarding house where rich people dissapear under mysterious circumstances" (dam circumstances look out for them!!).. The Wachowski Bros. will Exec Produce this film. Director might be Romero, depending on his schedule at the moment he is directing "Resident Evil" based on the pop computer game. Well I just saw The Matrix it was killer so this film will surely exploed if the timer is set.
Molly Ringwald... no don't press the BACK button!!.. She's going to be in a horror film made in Australia.. The token American actor has been anounced for this 5 million dollar feature film, titled "CUT". This is the one set on a movie set in the 70s.. The first real slasher rival to Scream 3 in Concept for this year. Kylie Minogue will be in a cameo so expect (yay) her to be slaugetered in some fashion.. The guy who played Dale in "The Castle" will be in the film also Tiriel Mouira, from TVs frontline and also "The Castle".. I'm sure the Aussie taking on this film if cinema released will be at least 5million.. I'm guessing that'll be its Aussie first week gross..
The OFFICIAL BLAIR WITCH SITE is open..
You'll understand this picture once you've been to the site.. Also might want to check out the HAXAN Blair witch Site.. much more info and a link to .mov's and the official trailer.. This film has me spooked and I haven't seen it yet.. HAXAN SITE
News gathering is the main purpose of the editorial.. info gathered Aussie Newspapers, various internet sources mainly from DR. CASEY and DARKHORIZONS.
-GB
Ps.. Sorry changed servers.. Soon new page format.. Again.. But hopefully the next one will be lasting to much on the front page again.. oh and I'm slack for not doing up the new TV guide.. d'oh!.. But I was looking at another web page that was doing it so I slacked off to see if they were just copying.. Well they haven't updated since nameless site. I'll be back on the TV guides this weekend.
18th March 1999:
Well this week the news is only sparse.. Lost Boys 2 has been unofficially anoounced and will concentrate on the character of Sam (Corey Haim) and gramps.. Haim has signed on got a reprisal of the roll ...
"The Blair Witch Project".. These four words are the four that will take horror into the new millenium.. It seems that I have become addicted to this film without it even being released.. Exposure to the web page.. The .mov's and timeline is enough to hook you.. To read Heather's Journal (hidden link in the page) will certainly result in lack of sleep... To see the film.. Well hopefully it will not be a let down.. Because at this rate to see the film the fear will be something you take with you everywhere.. It will be a fear in the back of every student docko makers head.. It will be the CULT classic that defines 1999.. It will be listed in the Hottest 100 films of the millenium..
Expose Yourself.. The Blair Witch Project.
You'll understand this picture once you've been to the site..
HSX is now listing BWP at 3.50.. In comparison.. The Big budget Horror film would be Scream 3.. Listing at 31.00 or more.. Now this brings me to the LOCAL front.. In Australia, "CUT" began filming. Kylie Minogue is the lead actress.. It is a slasher film set in the 70s based on a movie Set with a murderer lurking around.. Now this sounds like the synopsis for Scream 3.. except Scream 3 is set in the 90s.. Well here is the catch.. A "CUT" release date is yet to be confirmed.. But Scream 3 is due for a December 10 release in the US.. If "CUT" is released pre-Scream3 in Australia.. It will certainly ensure a critical slaughter.. As the story will have already have been seen.. Now Horror movies set on Movie Sets are nothing new.. Recently we had "Mute Witness" and the moste memorable one would be "The Last Horror Film" set in Canne (during the festival) and around Film Sets.
News gathering is the main purpose of the editorial.. info gathered from DR. CASEY and DARKHORIZONS.
-GB
Ps.. Unfortunately I have not put up free to air and Optus guides yet.. SPOTlights are on hold also because I'm in the process of final week polishing of DIRECTING.. SIN 99.. But that will be over soon.. And the page will be back to normal..
11th March 1999:
Well I send out an RIP message to Kubrick.. And hope that whereever he is now the screen ratio is just the way he wants it.
The Geoffry Wright directed Horror film "Cherry Falls" is being cast, so far Jay Mohr and Michael Biehn. To me it sounds like PROM NIGHT.. A murderer is killing virgins at Cherry Falls High.. (Cherry now I could make a joke about this and virgins). The movie does not sound like it will be slasher in the normal sense as the killer is revealed early and the audience will get to dwell on the why??
Kym Basinger, there's a name that's been outta work a while.. Well she's coming back in a biblical horror about a family that fullfills prophecy contained with in the book that is the muuse for so much horror (The Bible).. The film is titled "Bless the Child".
Seems a comedy is coming.. But it may turn to be a chilling comedy. "Drake Diamond: Excorcist for Hire.".. The premise sounds a little like Firghteners it will be interesting to compare the two I am sure.
Carrie 2 opens in the STATES this week in Australia we get the original on TV.. Who wins this.. Guess we'll find out when the reviews roll in..
A decent trailer for "The 13th Warrior" has appeared on the NET. It is 8 meg in size.. and completely dispells and chance of being a blatant ARMY OF DARKNESS rip off.. Now it looks like a Galahad type hero (trying to steal the kings girl) is thrown in to a W.I.L.L.O.W. type world where the enemy seems to be DEAD. I'll get some caps and put them up sooner or later..
Karloff and Lugosi: A Haunting Collaboration... Welll Horror Bio-pics are the rage at the moment.. And the latest will try and play up the studio manufactured rivalry between two horror greats.. Dracula and Frankenstein.
4th March 1999: new URL = come.to/horrorfansanon
come.to/horrorfansanon okay.. so it may sound corny.. But that is now the site address.. Easier to tell people that one than the one I had before.. I am currently now switching page servers.. You will find that I am now on fortunecity.. They provide a great service of a 20meg sized page. May I excuse the fact that they may throw in a pop-up now and then.. It is only a minor hassel I hope..
News this week.. I emailed the makers of "The Blair Witch Project" to find out an Aussie release date they emailed me back with this reply. "Thanks for your interest in The Blair Witch Project! Summit Entertainment is in the process of selling world rights (I believe they will show the film at the market in Cannes), so hopefully an Australian distributor will see the value in releasing it there. The film is set to be released by Artisan Entertainment this summer in the States." CONGRATULATIONS for making it to Canne.. You will be judged this year under the watchfull eye of Cronenberg who has a seat on the Jury.. by the way Cronenberg's eXistenZ offiicial site is now online.. Go to the 1999 section to find out more.
Scream 3 has had three major signings in the past week.. Arquette is back on Cox is signed and so is Neve.. So December 10 full steam ahead Wes will be directing again.. It will be interesting to see if his style has changed after making the dramatic "50 Violins"..
Paramount picks up the right to make "The Mothman Prophecies".. An urban legend based film.. The interesting thing about this is that MOTHMAN is already a nearly completed film by the makers of the game "Earthworm Jim".. It is just begging for a distributor.. Who will snap up MOTHMAN the indie horror film to go head to head with the STUDIO film.. Anyones guess..
F.W. Murrau.. Now that name rings a bell.. NOSFERATU.. okay now the clock tower is chiming.. John Malcovich is set to play this director in a fictional on the set film based on the making of NOSFERATU.. The film will be called SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE.. Will it be as big a success as "Gods and Monsters" The James Whale story.. or not..
Other stuffJean Reno is set to star in "Deal of the Millenium", a horror film title has been announce "The Others" I don't know what the hell its about.. email me if you do.. And Australia Director Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper/ Metal Skins) is set to direct "Cherry Falls".. more info on that as it comes to hand..
This weeks update is about as top heavy as my UNI schedule.. So the third installment of O'Week.. is of course.. WRITERS based..
-Gb
24th February 1999:
Surprise, surprise.. The Freddy Versus Jason filming rumors were
just that.. A New Line rep has nulled the latest that the film will begin
its shoot this month.. Wow.. at this rate I'll have finished my homage to
the films in my CIW section before they start filming..
Well the biggest news this week would have to be also a call out of congratulations to DAVID CRONENBERG, for his film eXisteZ.. It won a Silver bear at the Berlin Film festival..
Well on the Sci-fi angle.. lets just say hello to DePalma and Gary Senise with their "Mission To Mars." that may turn into a horror surprise.
Supernova has been passed over by another director.. And Reese Witherspoon (Freeway) and Samantha Mathis have joined the ensemble cast of "American Psycho".
On the local front. "Kimono" I think is the name of the film.. Has wrapped up main shooting at Warner Brothers and the east Brisbane suburb of Wynumm.. Based on a dinosaur that still exists today.. One from the Jurassic period.. The Kimono Dragon (I gotta look up that word do a check I'm spelling it how it sounds.).. Anyhow this big lizard 2 meters or so.. Bites you, injects a poison.. You run away.. loose feeling in the legs and are rendered paralyzed.. The Kimono then comes along and eats you.. It's double jointed snake like jaw opens up and swallows you whole.. How scary is this.. Well after research.. not to probable.. The things can reach a very fast speed (four legs) they are bigger than Goannas.. But the feeding habits are fairly timid in real life.. In the summer.. one goat = 1 month.. In the winter 1 goat = 1 week... So realistically.. The Kimono will only need to feed once.. But the filmmakers have that covered.. They set this on an island with stacks of the bastards.. All I hope for is that they devour that bloke from Party of 5 first..
Speaking of Goannas.. That is my Universities mascot and a great segway to the next section.. Back to school.. I hope the music has pumped in-- PINK FLOYD.. well.. This week is the first week back at University.. It's the week I like to call "NO week".. basically because.. No nothing happens.. you learn what you have to bring next week so that you can learn.. Last week was O'week and well most of us still have our hangovers.. Well there will be a transformation of the Faculty and Students at GU this week but no not aliens.. It's the annual GENDER BENDER.. When we alienate ourselves from our usual identity... well enough of the Segway.. no frills SPOTlight time.
-Gb
1. Horror By the Year.
2. Independent Horror (for thosse horror films and makers still looking
for a Distribution DEAL, this is a section where you can plug your site
free.. no obligations.. call it a horror community service.. The property
of the film etc will still belong to you..)
3. Studios (A section slowly developing where I will Casefile
each studio's obligation to horror..)
4. THE SPOILER ROOM (A section where you can send me endings
an PLOT spoilers about any horror film you see and I will post it on that
page.. A FUN section indeed.)
These Changes will Occur during the WEEK..
As fo horror this week has been fairly slow.. Zemeckis announced interest in a new Tales From the Crypt film.. With maybe Romero at the wheel.. On the Aussie front Director Jamie Blanks passed up the opportunity to direct Munchies to instead direct another film for MGM and that film is titled Blood Relative.. Critically acclaimed Australian actor (QUEENSLANDER) Geoffrey Rush has been signed onto "The House on Haunted Hill".. Glam Rock wannabe Marilyn Manson was signed on.. But maybe due to the response of Aussie crowds at his recent VERY PLASTIC almost mime like tour at Australia's Big Day Out, and the pelting of assorted objects at him on stage which caused him to chicken out of a set in PERTH half way through... Well lets just say Marilyn must be afraid of Australians.. He was all set to be in the film until Rush was signed on.. Also appearing in the film will be singer, actress and Ms. Teen USA Bridgette Wilson.. The film is about some folks who are offered a million bucks to stay in a haunted house..
Another Freddy Vs. Jason rumor circulating currently is that it will now be titled "Millenium Massacre" and Robert Englund will be assissting Bottin in the writing of the screenplay.. It's meant to begin shooting this month..
Corman has called off doing his spoof and is currently just leaving the SPOOFing of the latest horror films solely in the hands of the brothers Weinstein and Keenen Ivory Wayans as director.. But I'm sure we will see a SONY retaliation.. The competition will be fierce I am sure.. SONY is now paying their writers 1-2million dollars plus a commision of up to 3% this makes SONY the flag ship in the hope to raise standards in narrative film making.. After flops like Godzilla, SONY hopes the commision will encourage more thorough script writing and research.. Because of this in 2 weeks I willl be looking at a few of the latest Horror screen writers who could stand to make a mint from this new change in the industry.. David Goyer, Rosenberg and Kevin Williamson.
Are new horror stories incoming.. Is the indie scene horror's last hope.. Will The Blair Witch Project, be all-that? Time will tell.. Maybe it will be just another fleeting concept.
Well this weeks SPOTlight came to me as walking through University last night.. The 70s built campus was a light yellow glow from the dim lit path way lights.. Nathan Campus of Griffith Uni.. I was walking towards the thumping and rattles coming from the 3 storey meg-block party.. This time I kept on walking.. Wondering.. What is happening at the Mount Gravatt Campus tonight.. There is a pathway to it through the bush, under the freeway and then through yet again more bush.. It's called the scenic route.. A sign marks the start of the Path way.. "Dimly Lit Path- Do Not Use At Night.".. It was just begging for me to play blonde haired jock from some slasher film and walk out toward the next CAMPUS at Mount Gravatt.. What was there to fear.. There is talk of a "FLASHER" that haunts the pathway.. I'd get a laugh from that (taking a step).. Then there is the newspaper reports of a serial Rapist.. Although his MO is Older Women.. (another step).. Then there is the story of the Mountain and Toohey forest.. That have been there since I was a kid.. Stories of Devil Worship and human sacrifice.. But surely they were made up to stop people going up the mountain to make out.. But what if they were True?.. Surely not.. (a step back) Then again FUR is playing at the block party.. They are not quite L7 but they ROCK none the less.. "Stuff it... The URBAN LEGEND wins this round.". (flees to the pulsating lights of the party.) -Gb
This page is in the true spirit
of horror.. And truly a key reference for anyone studying horror on the
NET.