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Movies are a love language. When you stop to think about it, it’s a grand gesture for hundreds of people to put years of effort, time, and sacrifice into making something for you. On a tangential level, to crib from Roger Ebert’s wise words, movies are an “empathy machine.” We’re allowed to feel some sense of, if not love, then at least compassionate understanding. I’d argue this ability to feel empathy is not limited by genre or subgenre. This is not to say that every movie invites empathy, but rather that it can be found regardless of the aspects that make up the genre.

And yes, that even includes what Ebert called “Dead Teenager Movies,” more commonly known as the slasher film. As recent entries in the subgenre have proven, there’s plenty of compassion to be squeezed from the slasher genre as well. You may...

"Fantasy Island," Gene Levitt's ABC series that ran from 1977 to 1984, had a simple enough premise for it to be contained entirely within the show's title. An island where people come to live out their fantasies was enough of an idea to spawn two made-for-tv movies and seven seasons of fantasy drama, anchored by the great Ricardo Montalbán, who played the mysterious and distinguished Mr. Roarke. Roarke hosted the island's many guests and oversaw their fantasies coming to life, accompanied initially by his assistant Tattoo (Hervé Villechaize).

"Fantasy Island" became popular during its seven years on the air, and Tattoo's catchphrase "The plane, the plane," which he delivered at the top of every episode, was absorbed into the cultural lexicon. The show's popularity hasn't endured quite as well as some other series from the era, though, which is probably partly why Blumhouse's terrible horror getaway version of "Fantasy Island" failed...

One cool feature that’s relatively unique to Amazon Prime Video is the streamer’s X-Ray feature, which pops up the name of an actor or the music you’re currently hearing or seeing on screen when you pause the show. No need to go to IMDb to figure out where you recognize that guy from or to Shazam that song — so long as you’re actually watching a show or movie on Amazon.

Now Amazon Prime Video is extending that X-Ray feature a step further by summarizing full episodes or even entire seasons of TV through the push of a button. The company is calling it “X-Ray Recaps,” and it’s available now in Beta version on Amazon MGM Originals and for Fire TV users specifically.

X-Ray Recaps is powered through generative AI models trained on various video segments of shows, subtitles, and other dialogue, and it manages to generate a brief,...

Amazon has turned to AI to create recaps for TV shows on Prime Video — starting with its own original series — in a way the company says won’t risk revealing spoilers.

On Monday, Amazon announced X-Ray Recaps on Prime Video, touting the generative-ai-based feature as “delivering a new way to get up to speed without wasting time or risking spoilers.” The system creates text of “brief, easy-to-digest summaries” of full seasons of TV shows, single episodes or specific segments of episodes “down to the exact minute of where you are watching,” the company said.

At launch, Prime Video viewers can use X-Ray Recaps for all Amazon MGM Studios original series including “The Boys” (pictured above), “Upload,” “Daisy Jones & the Six,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and “The Wheel of Time.” X-Ray Recaps, currently in beta, is available now to users of Amazon’s Fire TV connected devices in the U.

In an era where many game developers prioritize monetization over player experience, Gunfire Games is making waves with its thoughtful approach to Remnant 2. The studio is ready to launch the game’s third and final Dlc, The Dark Horizon, on September 24.

Even though players are not showing much interest in the upcoming Dlc, the studio is trying its best to meet and exceed its promises.

This extra effort can be seen in the introduction of a free content update that will launch alongside the Dlc. Players who don’t want to purchase the Dlc will still benefit from significant quality-of-life improvements. By doing this, the studio wants to ensure that the game remains enjoyable and rewarding for everyone, regardless of whether players buy the Dlc or not.

Gunfire Games Is Prioritizing Player Experience in Remnant 2 The new Dlc has content for everyone, whether you opt to buy it or not.

Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Fanny Leander Bornedal, Ulf Pilgaard, Casper Kjær Jensen, Vibeke Hastrup, Kim Bodnia | Written and Directed by Ole Bornedal

Thirty years after the original Nightwatch and twenty-seven years after the American remake, writer/director Ole Bornedal returns, rather literally, to the scene of the crime with Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever, a standalone sequel to the original Danish film.

Martin survived the events of the first film and the suicide of his wife Kalinka. It’s taken its toll though, he’s dependent on prescription drugs to get through the day, and he’s even less likeable than he was back then. He also has a daughter, Emma, played by the director’s daughter Fanny Leander Bornedal who is in med school.

Early in the film, needing money, she takes her father’s old job, night watchman, or ward clerk as it’s called now, at the morgue. As...

Top 10? Hell, the only 10! Well not quite, but damn close! We’ve actually tallied a solid list of ten horror/thrillers that happened to be set on Valentine’s Day itself. Now, some spend the entire day reveling in lovelorn lethality, some merely glance past the February 14th date, but in just about every case, old cupid’s shooting an arrow in the head, if not the heart. Ah hell, you’ve heard enough. Here’s the Top 10 Valentine’s Day Set Horror/Thrillers!

#10. Lovers Lane (1999)

Before Anna Faris was spoofing Scary MOVIEs and wooing the world as The House Bunny, she happened to stroll down Lovers Lane, a listless paint-by-numbers slasher flick about a man who went on an indiscriminate murder spree on Valentine’s Day 13 year prior, only to return to town to stalk and slash the victims’ children, foully disemboweling them with his hook-handed murder weapon. Lovers Lane...

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about roses and chocolates. For those who love a good scare, it’s the perfect opportunity to blend romance with the macabre. Here’s a list of 10 Valentine’s Day horror movies that will make your date night thrillingly unforgettable. From classic slashers to psychological thrillers, these films are sure to add an unconventional twist to your celebrations.

10. Pontypool (2008)

Starting our list is a hidden gem in the horror genre, Pontypool. Directed by Bruce McDonald, this Canadian film turns a radio station into a claustrophobic nightmare. Stephen McHattie’s performance as a shock jock witnessing a bizarre viral outbreak through phone calls is both chilling and thought-provoking. It’s a cerebral horror that plays with language and fear in a way that’s both unique and unsettling.

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9. Raising Cain (1992)

Brian De Palma’s Raising Cain is a psychological...

Like many award-winning celebrities, Lizzy Caplan made a few brief appearances on Smallville as she played one of its most memorable villains. Beginning in 2001, Smallville was a hit American superhero show that chronicled the life of Clark Kent/Superman, beginning with his teenage years. While the later seasons of Smallville did feature several of Superman's biggest villains, such as Doomsday and General Zod, the writers did try to put their own stamp on the genre by including their own memorable foes in season 1 and 2 (otherwise known as "Freak of the Week").

Often, these villains inadvertently went down a dark path after they had been infected to green Kryptonite (which compromised their moral judgment). While no one knew it at the time, the majority of these characters ended up being played by hugely successful and award-winning actors, such as Amy Adams and Lizzy Caplan. Caplan's tenure on the show has certainly stood out,...

Valentine's Day means different things to different people. For some, it's a joyous celebration of the people in their lives. For others, it's a painful reminder of loves lost and broken hearts. Then, for the rest of us, it's a springboard for silly slashers about lovesick killers. Second only to Christmas, Valentine's Day might well be the most popular holiday in slasher flicks. The innate tension between treacly intimacy and gonzo gore is too good an opportunity to pass up, and for time immemorial, creatives have merged both love and fear in increasingly twisted ways.

Some recent editions to the horror canon, like "Bones and All" and "Spring," while not strictly speaking Valentine's Day-themed, are deeply romantic, reminding audiences of how perfectly the two disparate emotions can coalesce into something amazing. Here, we'll be looking at horror movies specifically about the most romantic day of the year. From old school slashers to creepy,...

Amazon’s Prime Video — as the new home of Thursday Night Football — is the first streaming service to have a season-long, exclusive national broadcast package with the NFL, as part of a historic 11-year deal. How can you get in on the action for free?

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 15, Prime Video will exclusively stream 15 regular-season Thursday Night Football match-ups (detailed below). If you are an Amazon Prime member (think: free shipping!), you already have access to all of Prime Video’s offerings. If not, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial in time for Thursday Night Football‘s kickoff.

Amazon has set broadcast crews and other programming on Prime Video and Twitch for what it is billing as a week-long “NFL Holiday Blitz.”

The spree of football starts today and runs through Saturday’s exclusive stream of the San Francisco 49ers-Arizona Cardinals game, which will mark a milestone for Amazon. The company has steadily ramped up its sports offerings in recent years, part of an effort by several major tech firms to leverage the tune-in potency of live game coverage.

On Christmas Day, Prime Video and Twitch (the gaming-centric streaming platform Amazon acquired in 2014) will offer streams of the Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints game. That complementary stream will follow the season’s Thursday night pattern, with Fox and the NFL Network airing the game on linear TV.

Hannah Storm, Andrea Kremer, Bucky Brooks, Daniel Jeremiah, and Joy Taylor will call both matchups on Prime Video. Andrew Hawkins,...

Mumbai, Dec 8 (Ians) Actor Gajraj Rao is excited about working with Manoj Bajpayee after decades in an upcoming anthology series titled X-Ray. The segment featuring Bajpayee and Rao will be directed by Abhishek Chaubey, maker of the Ishqiya films.

"I was really excited to work with Manoj (Bajpayee), because 20 to 30 years ago I have worked a lot with him during our theatre days. I had a lot of fun working with him," Rao recalled, while speaking to Ians.

About his role of the story, he said: "I can't talk much about the project as I have signed a contract."

Apart from Chaubey's segment, the anthology series also has segments directed by Vasan Bala and Srijit Mukherji. While Vasan Bala's segment features Radhika Madan and Harshvardhan Kapoor, cast details of Srijit Mukherji's portion have not been revealed yet.

"I think we have shot for an interesting project, and right now it is in the editing stage.

The horror master himself John Carpenter is back with new music. Carpenter is best known as the iconic director behind such horror classics as Halloween, The Thing and They Live. He's also an accomplished and celebrated musician. Carpenter has been more focused on his music in recent years, and these two tracks represent his first offerings since collaborating on the Halloween reboot score in 2018.

Skeleton and Unclean Spirit represent John Carpenter's first non-soundtrack releases since 2016's Lost Themes II. The tracks will be released as a vinyl single next month via Sacred Bones. Carpenter had this to say about his latest tunes.

"It was refreshing to be able to write music that didn't have to fit to any sort of locked image. We also had a specific focus and direction we wanted to follow whenworking on Halloween, both in terms of mindset and instruments, and being able to return to...

“You fool! You can not stop me! I am the ninja! No one, nothing can stop me!.”

BearManor Media has published The Cannon Film Guide, a Trilogy of Books About the Movies Released By the Legendary 1980s B-Movie Studio, Cannon Films. Order The Cannon Film Guide Here

Volume One Available Now: Over 500 Pages Covering the Company’s First Five Years under the Leadership of B-Movie Icons Golan and Globus

From 1980 until 1994, The Cannon Group was responsible for the production of more than 200 films. Quantity, rather than quality, was the key to Cannon’s game: their output included many of the 1980s’ most beloved (and notorious) b-movies. Along the way they dipped their toes into every imaginable genre of movies, made stars out of Chuck Norris and Michael Dudikoff, kicked off the ninja and breakdancing crazes, and kept Charles Bronson working into the twilight of his career. While it’s rare...

Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar has suffered a hairline fracture while shooting for his upcoming film "Toofan", directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Farhan on Sunday shared a photograph of his X-Ray report Instagram.

Also Read:?Farhan Akhtar starrer movie gets an auspicious beginning

"When nature plays Tetris and yup, that's my first legit boxing injury... A hairline fracture on the hamate (courtesy @kongkoul ????) found among the carpal bones of the hand #nopainnogain #ToofanInTheMaking #trophycollector #weareallthesameinside," he captioned the image.

Farhan has joined hands with Mehra after six years for "Toofan" in which he will be seen playing a boxer.

The two last collaborated for "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", a biopic on legendary athlete Milkha Singh.

(Some very light spoilers for early episodes of Amazon’s “Carnival Row.” But don’t worry, there are no any major plot twists here)

I love “Carnival Row” on Amazon Prime Video, but I’ll admit it took me, a professional nerd, a couple episodes to actually absorb the basics of this fantasy world. The show just kinda drops you in and expects you to catch up, and it can be a bit of a struggle to do that when the only primer you’re given is these title cards at the beginning of the first episode:

“For ages, the homeland of the Fae was a place of myth and legend. Until the many empires of man arrived and warred for control of its riches. Seven years ago, this great war ended when The Republic of the Burgue withdrew, abandoning the Fae to the iron fist of their rivals, The Pact.

Starting at a time where audiences wouldn't have a new Marvel or DC show every night of the week, the Tom Welling-led series Smallville ultimately lasted for 218 episodes, all of which are now available for streaming. With so many episodes to choose from, it's difficult to narrow down to just ten being the "best;" episodes like "X-Ray," "Crush," "Heat," "Red," "Lineage," "Exile," "Memoria," "Covenant," "Run," "Commencement," "Arrival," and "Bride" were all at the very least considered and are definitely worth watching. If you want the cream of the crop, though, these 10 are a great …...

There’s nothing like the term ‘Transcendental Style’ to intimidate a filmgoer, but have no fear: Yasujiro Ozu’s tale of a domestic trial is as accessible as I Love Lucy… only more substantial. The transcendental effect is being drawn into Ozu’s minimalist, precisely simplified and mysteriously profound directing style. Ten minutes in you wonder what the big deal is, but not much later one is hanging onto every cut, absorbed by tiny gestures and facial expressions. And yet it all seems natural. The Ozu ‘stasis’ some people mention is not at all static, but an X-Ray into everyday dramatic realities. With an entire second feature by Ozu, What Did the Lady Forget?

The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 989

1952 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 116 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 27, 2019 / 39.95

Starring: Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Koji Tsuruta, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima,...

When Superman Returns flew into cinemas back in 2006, it was the Man of Steel’s first big screen outing in nearly 20 years. A quasi-sequel to the earlier film franchise headlined by Christopher Reeve, Bryan Singer’s movie – which starred Brandon Routh in the lead role, alongside Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor – received broadly positive reviews, but underperformed at the box office.

Many attributed this to the blockbuster’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime, coupled with its relatively small number of action sequences – none of which involved a superpowered brawl. Detractors have also suggested that Singer’s decision to set Superman Returns in a “vague continuity” with the Reeve-era movies was a crucial mistake as well, confusing newcomers and series devotees alike.

Nevertheless, Superman Returns’ reputation has improved over the past 13 years. Fans have expressed particular admiration for its faithful characterization of Superman, the strong performances by the cast,...

As a pretty big fan of the series, I was obviously excited about the announcement of Mortal Kombat 11 back in December of last year. Surprisingly, time has felt like it has flown by, as we are now less than a month out from the title’s arrival. With the game set to arrive in just a few weeks, developer NetherRealm Studios is working hard to iron out any last-minute kinks. One of the ways the studio is doing so is through the use of this pre-order bonus beta. While it’s far from the full picture, what little the beta featured has me more excited than ever for the return of the franchise.

Like the online stress test that occurred previously, the full beta for Mortal Kombat 11 is mostly focused on testing the online servers. What time I had to spend online was actually surprisingly competent, which I wasn’t expecting.

Yi Okseop’s debut film, Maggie, opens with the discovery of a salacious X-ray photograph at the Love of Maria hospital depicting an unknown couple having sex. This opening gag sets the stage for a series of randomly occurring bizarre events in this wacky and idiosyncratic flick, buoyed by absurdist elements and quirky editing. Nurse Yoo-young (Lee Joo-young) thinks she and her boyfriend are the ones captured on the X-ray; mortified, she decides to quit her job. When she goes in to work the next day, however, she finds the entire hospital empty except for head doctor Dr Lee (Moon So-ri). Apparently, everyone has called in sick. Dr Lee is convinced that all of them are lying, but Yoo-young implores her to trust in her...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

It’s not exactly “The Lost Weekend”, but Oscar-winner Ray Milland does pretty well for himself by this low-budget but intriguingly Promethean 1963 sci-fi outing from Roger Corman, which anticipates the alternate reality concepts of his later “The Trip”. Of course the trailer is more interested in the “X-ray specs” aspects of the idea, like seeing through women’s clothes!

The post X – The Man with X-ray Eyes appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

Last week we got our first look at Zachary Levi's costume in DC Entertainment's Shazam! It gave us a look at the back of the costume, but today a new set photo has surfaced showing us the front of the costume. It pretty much looks like exactly what I imagined it would look like! It's the Shazam! costume! I think the costume design is great and I can't wait to see it in action!

I'm sure that that the costume will look even better once it goes through the whole post-production process. I'm surprised that after the first leak, Warner Bros. didn't just release an official photo of the title character because it doesn't look like these set photos are going to stop. They should release an official image and just get it out of the way. It'd be better than these set photos!

Take a look at...

After director David S. Sandberg teased the inspiration for the costume Zachary Levi will be wearing in Shazam! We may actually have our first look at the actor in costume and he looks like... Shazam! When previously talking about the suit, the director said:

"The suit has some similarities to his look in Justice League: War. Once pics have been released I can tell you more about where the inspirations came from and why certain choices were made."

The photo below, which comes from Batman-News, gives us a look at the actor from behind, but it still offers us a decent look at the full costume. It has a very cartoon-style feel to it, which is honestly exactly what I was hoping for! I was afraid the costume would have that same style that we've seen in the other DC films, but I felt that style wouldn't work for Shazam.

Shazam! is currently filming in Toronto and new photos from the set reveal that the movie will be taking place in Philadelphia. Although it's taking place in Philly, New Line says that the movie is firmly in the DC universe and an eagle-eyed social media user spotted a small connection to the Dceu in one of the posters on the set. There's an ad for a boxing match and it has a sponsor of Ace Chemicals, which most DC fans know as the place where the Joker came to be.

Ace Chemicals is located in Gotham City and was first owned by Martha Wayne's parents, then called Apex Chemicals. It was later changed to Ace and is famously known as the place where, depending on the story, the Joker was born after either falling into a vat of acid or purposely diving in like he did in Suicide Squad.

When is a bad marriage something more than a bad marriage? The answer: When Andrey Zvyagintsev (The Return, Elena) writes and directs a movie about it and turns the result into a mesmerizing meditation on the state of Russia today. Loveless is not an overtly political film, but it resonates with unease about the failure of government to serve the neediest (a fault not limited to Russia) and citizens too selfish to see past their own selfies (also not limited to Russia).

The time is 2012, and Putin is determined to annex Crimea.

Even though it appears that the DC Extended Universe will not be as dark going forward, it certainly doesn’t hurt to develop a few kid friendlier movies here and there. Yes, superheroes appeal to folks of all ages these days, but odds are that you embraced the genre at a very young age just as I did.

Having said that, I can’t help but feel there are few characters better suited to the task than Shazam. After all, he’s based upon that fantasy of a young boy saying a magic word to become a superhero. Heck, it’s no wonder that comics featuring the Big Red Cheese outsold those featuring Superman for a time back in the Golden Age. Of course, that was when the character was still known as “Captain Marvel,” but that name has since been shed as to avoid confusion with the Marvel Comics...

Author: Zehra Phelan

With filming well underway on the DC comic adaptation of Shazam, New Line Cinema has revealed an official synopsis and a few cast names for the feature.

Directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam already had a few names bandied around which have now been confirmed. The first with Mark Strong as the film’s villain Dr Thaddeus Sivana. However, a name that had been rumoured to appear for a cameo spot, Henry Cavill, doesn’t make an appearance. Dwayne Johnson is also only listed as an executive producer.

Related: Shazam News

The cast members that have been revealed are those that make up the Foster family of Billy Batson. Jack Dylan Grazer will play Freddy, Grace Fulton will play Mary, Faithe Herman will play Darla, Ian Chen will play Eugene, and Jovan Armand will play Pedro. Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans will feature as Billy’s foster parents,...

So you’re wading through piles of slasher films from the ‘80s, keen on discovering a lost gem far removed from the normal gang in the woods or high school sis-boom-bah stab and gab. You’re thinking maybe a different setting will yield a fresh take, already tired tropes blurring your vision and making the distinction between a hockey mask and a fencing one harder by the day. Well…have you tried the hospital yet? Most folks are terrified of the antiseptic halls and robotic empathy doled out by uncaring staff. (Yes, yes, they also save lives, I know. I’m trying to set a mood, dammit.) And if you do decide to enter the medical field, I strongly suggest you pay a visit to Hospital Massacre (1981), Israeli King of Schlock Boaz Davidson’s wild attempt at a horror comedy, where some of the humor is even intentional.

First released...

Blame The Bad Seed (1956) for every murderous moppet that has skipped across the screen in subsequent years. Village of the Damned, The Omen, The Good Son, The Children, and many more have explored the taboo of killer kiddies. One of the oddest of the bunch is Ed Hunt’s Bloody Birthday (1981), a ridiculously fun turn with not just one, but three mini-Mansons on hand to clean up the schoolyard.

Well, that’s a bit of a misnomer, as our rascally trio tends to focus on grown ups, what with their stupid rules against homicide and premature burial. (Don’t worry – one of the protagonists is a classmate who is put in mortal danger. All’s fair.) Bloody Birthday was rolled out twice; first in limited release in April of ’81, and then in ’86 (also limited release). The film made its money back but didn’t earn any good grace from critics...

Over the next two months, Scream Factory’s releases include five Blu-rays limited to 1,000 units apiece. Each release will highlight an obscure and underseen sci-fi, horror, or fantasy film from the ’70s and ’80s, and the cover artwork and details on each Blu-ray have been revealed.

Deathstalker Double Feature (August 30th): “Deathstalker (1983)

Deathstalker (Richard Hill) is a mighty warrior chosen to battle the evil forces of a medieval kingdom who sets off on a journey to the most challenging tournament in the land. To the winner will go the throne of the evil wizard, the ultimate mystical power and the love of the beautiful Princess Codille (Barbi Benton). But first Deathstalker must prove himself worthy of his legacy . . . and treachery lurks at every turn.

Deathstalker II (1987)

Deathstalker II (John Terlesky) has a mission: to save the kingdom from the wicked grip of the immoral wizard Jerak and his queen Sultana,...

[Guest authors Christopher Lombardo and Jeff Kirschner of Really Awful Movies share their diagnosis of healthcare horror movies with Daily Dead readers.] When the Us was overhauling its healthcare system, much to-do was made about so-called “death panels,” government committees who would decide who lives and dies based on asset allocation. As far as healthcare horrors are concerned, it turns out that playing God is very real, but luckily only in film and Sarah Palin’s fright-filled imagination. Nefarious nurses, murderous docs, and psychopathic hallway stalkers in horror movies have effectively put end-of-life issues at the forefront, but not in a way that can be reasonably debated: your life, their ending of it.

We’ve decided to weigh in on the healthcare hullabaloo by looking at fictional settings that make One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest look like the height of patient-centered thinking. So sit back and self-medicate with whatever’s in the fridge (or better still, the medicine cabinet) and take these seven healthcare horrors—but don’t call us in the morning.

Who needs good taste when you have plenty of enthusiasm? Fantastic new documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films charts the rise and fall of two movie-obsessed Israeli cousins - Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - after buying a financially troubled American film studio in 1979.

The duo subsequently churned out some of the most iconic movies of the 1980s... but not necessarily on the strength of their artistic merit. Buy 'em cheap and pile them high was the initial ethos that led to titles like Hospital Massacre, Enter the Ninja and a plethora of increasingly exploitational Death Wish films. Yet occasional gems and cult classics like Runaway Train and Lifeforce emerged too, plus there's the title of a breakdancing movie sequel that entered popular culture - Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.

So many fascinating revelations emerge in the documentary surrounding the genesis, production and release of the films...

Who needs good taste when you have plenty of enthusiasm? Fantastic new documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films charts the rise and fall of two movie-obsessed Israeli cousins - Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - after buying a financially troubled American film studio in 1979.

The duo subsequently churned out some of the most iconic movies of the 1980s... but not necessarily on the strength of their artistic merit. Buy 'em cheap and pile them high was the initial ethos that led to titles like Hospital Massacre, Enter the Ninja and a plethora of increasingly exploitational Death Wish films. Yet occasional gems and cult classics like Runaway Train and Lifeforce emerged too, plus there's the title of a breakdancing movie sequel that entered popular culture - Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.

So many fascinating revelations emerge in the documentary surrounding the genesis, production and release of the films...

Director and producer Menahem Golan has passed away at the age of 85. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he died this evening in Israel in the city of Jaffa after losing consciousness.

Although this Israeli filmmaker mostly dabbled in the world of action, his impact on the world of horror was palpable, especially in the '80s. He formed Cannon and, with cousin Yoram Globus produced films like New Year's Evil, X-Ray (aka Hospital Massacre) and the Tobe Hooper films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Part 2, Invaders from Mars and Lifeforce.

The post Rip Menahem Golan 1929 – 2014 appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Ah, Michael Myers. One of cinema's most notorious serial killers; pure evil on two legs. And whereas 'Psycho' is often considered the granddaddy of the "slasher" film, that'd make John Carpenter's original 1978 classic the "daddy" of this particular horror sub-genre. As is often noted, the original 'Halloween' has very little in terms of on screen violence and gore, yet it boasts some of horror's most memorable "kills." The sequels naturally upped the ante. It's no surprise that by the time they got to 'Halloween 6,' the original & now infamous producer's cut had portions re-shot with gore inserted to match what was going in the 'Friday The 13th' series at the time. Some of these outrageous kills feel tonally right for a 'Halloween' movie, others don't. But for better or for worse, Michael's always held his own against the competition! And since it's Halloween, we thought we'd...

Reviewed by Chris Wright, MoreHorror.com

“Hospital Massacre” (1982)

Directed By: Boaz Davidson

Written By: Marc Behm & Boaz Davidson

Starring: Barbi Benton (Susan Jeremy), Charles Lucia (Harry), Jon Van Ness (Jack), John Warner Williams (Dr. Saxon), Den Surles (Dr. Beam), Gloria Jean Morrison (Nurse Dora), Karen Smith (Nurse Kitty), Michael Frost (Ned), Jimmy Stathis (Tom), Lanny Duncan (Hal), Marian Beeler (Mrs. Edelman), Elly Wolf (Mrs. Fedrow), Jonathon Moore (Mrs. Parry), Gay Austin (Dr. Jacobs)

In the early 1980s, slashers were coming and going as fast as they were made. When I saw this was going to be a slasher that is based in a hospital setting, my initial reaction was, “Is this going to be a rip off of Halloween II?” Thankfully this movie, despite some faults, was much better than I gave it credit for. Boaz Davison put together a fairly atmospheric hospital slasher that was fairly well paced. In...

 

Scream Factory is just unstoppable this year, with another batch of summer Blu-ray/DVD titles in the pipe. This August, they're rolling out four more cult & horror titles: a double-feature set of obscure slasher X-Ray with the twisty giallo Schizoid; Larry Cohen's comic monster flick Q: The Winged Serpent; and alien action-thriller Dark Angel. Here's the full breakdown on each:     X-Ray (aka Hospital Massacre), starring former Playboy Playmate Barbi Benton, was featured in our Be Kind, Rewind feature series, as it's previously been available only on VHS. It makes its Blu debut as half of a double-feature combo pack with Schizoid, a sleazy giallo-style thriller with legendary movie madman Klaus Kinski (as a therapist, no less!). The DVD presents both features in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and Dolby Digital Stereo, and the Blu-ray in 1080p high-definition widescreen and DTS-hd master audio stereo. Bonus features on this set include an interview with Schizoid actress Donna Wilkes,...

Scream Factory has given us official release details for their August titles: X-Ray, Schizoid, Q The Winged Serpent, and Dark Angel:

“This August, loyal fans are invited to combat the summer heat with a quadruple dose of 80s high-camp horror classics when a double feature presentation of Boaz Davidson’s X-ray (aka Hospital Massacre), starring former Playboy Playmate Barbi Benton, and David Paulsen’s Schizoid, starring cult film favorite Klaus Kinski (Crawlspace), debut on home entertainment shelves together in a double-feature Blu-ray™ + DVD combo pack on August 20, 2013; Larry Cohen’s creature terror classic Q The Winged Serpent, starring Michael Moriarty Law & Order), Candy Clark (American Graffiti), David Carradine (Kung Fu, Kill Bill) and Richard Roundtree (Shaft); and Craig Baxley’s Dark Angel starring Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables) arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time on August 27, 2013. Available for the first time on Blu-ray, each movie collection boasts original theatrical key art,...

Okay, kids! Time for the goods on Scream Factory's Schizoid / X-Ray double feature Blu-ray as well as Q The Winged Serpent and Dark Angel, which was better known here Stateside as I Come in Peace.

From the Press Release

This August, loyal fans are invited to combat the summer heat with a quadruple dose of 80s high-camp horror classics when a double feature presentation of Boaz Davidson’s X-ray (aka Hospital Massacre), starring former Playboy Playmate Barbi Benton, and David Paulsen’s Schizoid, starring cult film favorite Klaus Kinski (Crawlspace), debut on home entertainment shelves together in a double-feature Blu-ray™ + DVD combo pack on August 20, 2013; Larry Cohen’s creature terror classic Q The Winged Serpent, starring Michael Moriarty Law & Order), Candy Clark (American Graffiti), David Carradine (Kung Fu, Kill Bill) and Richard Roundtree (Shaft); and Craig Baxley’s Dark Angel starring Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables) arrive on Blu-ray™ for the...

Scream Factory's lineup of Summer 2013 titles just keeps getting more awesome as the weeks go by. This morning on their Facebook page, they unveiled the supreme cover art for their forthcoming Collector's Edition Blu-ray release of George A. Romero's 1985 classic Day of the Dead: Conceived by artist Nathan Thomas Milliner, the cover is one of the wildest interpretations of the zombie classic, naturally with the gun-wielding "Bub" leading the pack. More details on the disc's release date and features will be revealed this summer. In related news: last week we announced the pending arrival of Scream Factory's double-disc debut of rare slashers X-Ray and Schizoid, but for a more in-depth look at X-Ray (released on VHS in the Us as Hospital Massacre), be sure to check out Tyler Doupe's “Be Kind, Rewind” feature here.

Scream Factory has just revealed the artwork for their upcoming double-feature release of X-Ray and Schizoid.

The set is due in August, and as we get closer I am sure we will get all the deets on the special features. Scream Factory always rocks the special features.

From the Scream Factory Facebook Page: "1980's Schizoid (starring Klaus Kinski, Donna Wilkes, Christopher Lloyd and lots of scissor stabbings) is paired with 1982's X-ray (also known as Hospital Massacre and stars Barbi Benton). If you're a fan of the mad killer sub-genre from this time period, you will definitely need this double bill for sure. 

"X-ray Fans Take Note: Our presentation of X-ray is the full 89 min version - which is what Hospital Massacre was released on VHS in the 80s - and not the cut version that has, apparently, existed on overseas VHS copies or some cable airings. We did our homework on this one.

VHS collectors seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately. What many thought was a dead format seems to be making a major resurgence, similar to the way vinyl did. We wouldn’t dream of telling you that the quality of a VHS cassette provides superior picture, sound, or anything. But it is certainly a lot of nostalgic fun to revisit some of the more obscure titles by way of your Vcr.

Be Kind, Rewind is your one stop destination for all the information you could ever want about horror films exclusively available on VHS. We will give you the low-down on the title we are re-visiting, including where to find it, the going rate, a review of the film, and we will even provide an expert recommendation as to whether the title is worth the money. If this segment is successful, we will be examining more titles in the upcoming weeks,...

Scream Factory hit the ground running late last year with the Blu-ray/DVD release of Halloween II and III, and hasn’t stopped since. We’ve been seeing a steady supply of classic horror titles released to Blu-ray and DVD, but they have many more on the way. Here’s a status update from Scream Factory on what titles are planned for release this year and when we can expect them.

There are no official street dates yet, but they have announced the following target release windows for their upcoming titles: The Fog (Summer), The Incredible Melting Man (Summer), Hospital Massacre (Late Summer), Day of the Dead (Fall), Scanners II & III (Fall), Night of the Comet (Late Fall), The Horror Show (Late Fall), The Vagrant (Late Fall), Schizoid (Late Fall), The Godsend (Late Fall).

Of course, all of this is subject to change, and there’s also the possibility that...

Shout! Factory has been announcing new movies for their Scream Factory line every week and just revealed the titles of three more cult horror movies that they will release next year:

“Cannon films X-ray (1981 – aka: Hospital Massacre with Barbi Benton), Schizoid (1980 – starring Klaus Kinski) and The Godsend (1980 – starring Donald Pleasence’s daughter, Angela) are on tap for a release late in 2013! All three have never been out on DVD before.

As mentioned yesterday, these films will not show up on our schedule until later in 2013 so we cannot confirm they will be on Blu-ray as we have not seen the masters yet. We say this only to manage expectations. More details on these fun flicks will be presented next year.”

For those who want to keep track, here’s the current list of Scream Factory titles that have been released and/or announced: Halloween II, Halloween III: Season of the Witch,...

Horror fanatics are still buzzing like chainsaws over the Academy Awards’ genre montage. Anywhere there could be a conversation about it online, there was one. Many were upset over the Twilight ‘tweens’ participation, as if their mere presence sent a message about the state of scary in Hollyweird, USA.

A few seemed happy, though, to just get a glimpse of their beloved Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 if only for a few seconds. But many called the selections generic and thoughtless, demanding the likes of Demons and TerrorVision instead (well, maybe not TerrorVision; that was just me).

How about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer? Re-Animator? It’s Alive? Tombs of the Blind Dead? Coffin Joe? No list is perfect, but with a bit more care and a phone call to any one of us, the Oscars could have elevated that section into a real scream. Or maybe they...

As soon as I saw the Cannon Group logo at the beginning of New Year’s Evil, I got excited. In the 80s, nobody produced trash better than Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and, if their later slasher effort, Hospital Massacre, was any indication, this holiday horror flick would be worth celebrating.

The problem, though, is that while these guys got really good at producing sleazy action films where innocent people were fair game, some poor woman was always raped for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and a hero always exacted outrageous (and satisfying revenge), they never quite found the same success in the horror genre. It’s odd considering exploitation is an intrinsic characteristic of horror, but New Year’s Evil is a fairly tame effort.

It’s also equipped with a baffling premise: a deranged madman places a phone call to a popular radio DJ,...

It’s hard to surprise people when putting together a list of the best slasher movies and, in the interest of doing so, I thought I’d exclude all the genre mainstays from the list. This list doesn’t necessarily represent the “ten best”, but rather some of the slasher subgenre’s more ‘overlooked’ offerings.

10. The Mutilator (1985)

It can be argued that this film’s greatest asset is its amazing tag line (By Pick, By Sword, By Axe, Bye Bye!), but that’s doing a bit of disservice to director Buddy Cooper’s only attempt to run with the slasher big dogs.

First we’ve got one of the most preposterous killer motivations in the subgenre: a child, cleaning his father’s gun in an attempt to gleam his daddy’s affections, accidentally shoots his mother dead. Dad comes home, flips his lid and viola! Instant slasher!

If you track down the uncut version,...