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Wings Hauser, the versatile character actor known for his intense turns in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, Vice Squad and Tough Guys Don’t Dance, has died. He was 77.

Hauser died Saturday at his home in Santa Monica after a long battle with Copd, his daughter, Bright Hauser, told The Hollywood Reporter. She noted that he was using an oxygen tank most recently.

Survivors also include his son, actor Cole Hauser, now playing the fixer Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone.

Hauser had his breakthrough when he starred as a psychopath pimp known as Ramrod in Avco Embassy Pictures’ lurid Vice Squad (1982), directed by horror veteran Gary Sherman. He also sang the theme song for the movie, “Neon Slime.”

Later, he played a racist U.S. Army officer in A Soldier’s Story (1984), directed by Norman Jewison; a cocaine dealer in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986), starring Richard Pryor; and a...

Romanian documentary filmmaker Corneliu Porumboiu will deliver a masterclass and present a retrospective of his feature work at the 56th edition of the documentary festival Visions du Reel in Nyon, Switzerland (April 4-13).

Porumboiu is best known for his 2006 political satire 12:08 East Of Bucharestwhich wonthe Cannes Caméra d’Or. The film, which surrounds a debate on a local talk show, also received nominations at the Independent Spirit awards and the European Film Awards.

His other films include 2009’s Police, Adjective, winner of the Cannes Un Certain Regard jury prize; 2015’s The Treasure; and 2019’s The Whistler, which screened in competition at Cannes.

Many genre fans today know the name William Castle, but not so many are aware of his full and lasting impact on it. Back in the late Fifties and on through the Sixties, his was a name that was synonymous with horror films. Further, his name was – and remains – one that defines the term “spectacle” in modern film history. Castle was a man who never forgot that “show” is the first word in “show business.” He knew, instinctively, that if you gave the movie-going audience a decent show, the business part would take care of itself. Give the audience their money’s worth and they would love you forever.

And so, in 1955, after an already successful career in film, he noticed lines that wound around the block for a small French film called Diabolique and he leapt into horror filmmaking with both feet. Since he knew he couldn’t compete...

If someone were to ask us to name our top ten directors of all time, the name William Castle would sit firmly somewhere within the top five. The man was not only a true showman but also an absolute genius. If we have one regret in our tenure here at Dread Central, it is that we weren't around during Castle's heyday of insane gimmicks. The man was without question the godfather of viral marketing, and it's taken the rest of the industry decades to catch up. If you live somewhere within the Tri-State Region, we have the info on an event that you do Not want to miss!

From the Press Release

The Return Of William Castle, a 15-film festival of horror and exploitation classics by the director and master showman, complete with their original gimmicks (Emergo!, Percepto!, Illusion-o!, and others – including one created exclusively for Film Forum), will run...

For this edition Shadows of Film Noir, we take a look at William Castle's The Mark of the Whistler (1944), produced by the "B" unit at Columbia Pictures in 1944. It's a terrific, compact, intense little knuckle-biter about greed and its terrible consequences. It has never been available on video or DVD, though it recently screened at San Francisco's Roxie Cinema as part of an extraordinary new film noir series, "I Still Wake Up Dreaming." Here's hoping that someday Sony will be able to release a "Whistler" box set.

Behind the Scenes

"The Whistler" series comprised eight films, released between 1944 and 1948. They were more or less like "The Twilight Zone," with different stories and different characters each time, although actor Richard Dix played the lead character in seven of them. (Each movie ran about 60 minutes.) The "Whistler" character (played, without credit, by Otto Forrest) is more or less a narrator, a...

It looks like a week of just a few hits and mostly misses when it comes to DVD and Blu-ray releases, but as always, it's our job to keep you guys in the loop on what's coming, so head on in and see what you might want to add to your collection.

First on the list is The William Castle Film Collection, a must-have for all ages. And it includes the stellar Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story (review here) documentary, so it's definitely a win-win. Finally, the long-awaited 100 Feet hits the home market, and while I must admit I was a bit disappointed in the ending, it was a fun ride while it lasted, and Famke Janssen gives her all. Another fun ride (again, up until the predicable ending) is Blood: The Last Vampire; if you're planning on picking it up and have the tech, be sure to grab the Blu-ray.

Curious to know what frightful films and devilish discs will be available to view in the privacy of your own digital dungeon this week? Fango's got you covered.

Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, October 20, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List.

Among the highlights this week are the William Castle Film Collection (pictured left), Wrong Turn 3: Left For Dead, and Palisades Tartan's re-issue of P.

Note: Product Descriptions and Clickable links lead to Amazon.com

Blood: The Last Vampire

The deadliest assassin to stand the test of time. From a Producer of Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes Blood: The Last Vampire, based on the cult hit anime series. Demons have infested Earth. And only one warrior stands between the dark and the light: Saya, a half-human, half-vampire samurai who preys on those who feast on human blood.

More good news for my favorite film genre! Back in May, I attended and wrote about the great “I Wake Up Dreaming” noir film festival at San Francisco’s Roxie Theater, hosted by Elliot Lavine. Showcasing old and rare B-movies from the 30s to the 50s, the festival was so successful that it was extended for another week.

Consider this a further extension two changing seasons later, as starting this Thursday Mr. Lavine will once again bring 22 rare noir gems to the Roxie for two weeks of betrayals, knife-sharp suspense and treacherous women.

This time around, the films are newly restored 35mm archive prints from Columbia Pictures—directed by acclaimed directors like Nicholas Ray, Fritz Lang, Samuel Fuller, Don Siegel, and king of gimmicks William Castle. As with “I Wake Up Dreaming,” the films are shown as double features: two films for $11.

This collection offers a couple of noir-horror hybrid,...