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Located in Des Moines, Iowa, and opened in 2011, Zombie Burger + Drink Lab provides one of the more unique eating experiences in the country, and once you get a look at their menu, we're willing to bet that a thought bubble with the words 'road trip' will soon pop up over your head... if it hasn't already!
As we spotted over on Roadtrippers, not only is this zombie-themed burger joint decorated on the inside and outside with fitting imagery, but their drink and food menus are absolutely jam packed with treats inspired by some of the most beloved pieces of zombie entertainment of all time. Their burger of the week, for example, is a 'Chicken Fried Beth,' a reference to the Walking Dead character's possible fate as cannibal food, while their drink of the day is 'Carl's Chocolate Pudding Shake,' another homage to the show.
Other items on the menu include burgers with names like 'They're Coming to Get You Barbara,' 'George Romero's Pittsburgher,' 'The Boomstick' and 'Plan 12 from Outer Space,' with their drink menu consisting of cocktails such as the 'Crystal Eyes Martini,' garnished with a bloody eyeball, and 'The Corpse Reviver.'
Head over to the Zombie Burger website for the complete menu, and to learn more about the world's most horror fan-friendly burger joint.
Did you know that there's a Suspiria-themed bar over in Japan? Click the link to take a virtual tour!
Of course, the Simpsons are no strangers to creepiness... their "Treehouse of Horror" specials recently made our list of great horror references from '90s cartoons!
The Following Episode 211
“Freedom”
Written By: Dewayne Jones
Directed By: Liz Friedlander
Original Airdate: 31 March 2014
In This Episode…
Joe is working with a group of his followers, to prepare them for killing. A woman, Angela, is brought up in front of the “class” and Joe instructs her to remember the serenity and freedom of the time she went snorkeling, and give that freedom to Carla, a woman tied and gagged on the table before her. She takes some encouraging, but Angela plunges the knife deep into Carla’s abdomen. Joe hugs her. Later, while alone, Emma brings up Mandy to Joe, fearing that she is a lost cause. Joe agrees, she has turned out to be a disappointment. Mandy overhears all this and rushes from the room before they know she is there. Robert comes in to speak to Joe. While he promises that he is with Joe, he says that some of the others are questioning him. They know Joe’s past and doubt his sincerity. Plus, Carla had been a good friend to Robert, so her death (or being sent “home”) hit him especially hard. Joe reminds him that Micah is still in their hearts, and their salvation comes from the redemption of others. He promises to take this message back to the others, and apologizes for his doubt. Joe still has his concerns - he is not used to followers questioning him. He sends Emma to smooth over the situation. Emma sits with Robert on his bunk and admits she doubted Joe in the past; he has made mistakes. “He needs people like us to guide him.” She encourages him to have faith. They kiss, and end up having sex. Later, she returns to Joe and finds him watching a televangelist, Kingston Tanner, speaking about Joe to his flock. “Last year, I thought way too small,” Joe admits to Emma. Poe wasn’t the answer; religion is. Joe is bringing about a holy war.
Another killing, this time two masked men storm a bakery and knife everyone they can as they move front to back. Mike and Ryan’s research on potential cults that Joe could have commandeered (they have a short list of 73 potential cults) is interrupted by the call from the bakery. They arrive on the scene to discover five dead, 12 injured, and no message. A highly unusually trait for Joe. Not far away, a woman named Serena kills a nurse named Terry - a simple but brutal stabbing as she is getting into her car. Serena stuffs Terry into the backseat, takes her hospital ID, and drives off. She uses the ID to sneak into the hospital, which is overwhelmed with the recent rash of stabbing victims. No one notices her slip in. She goes to one of the break rooms, shoves a bag into a locker, and sends a text with the combination. This text goes to two men in the hospital, posing as bakery victims. As soon as the text comes in, they each slip from their hospital beds and retrieve the bag, which is filled with guns.
It is around this time that Ryan, still at the bakery, realizes that there were five employees brought to the hospital - but only three working that day. The victims were all taken to the same hospital that still holds Luke. This wasn’t Joe’s people; it was Lily’s.
Serena uses her stolen ID and a nicked chart to get into Luke’s super-secure ward. She goes to him and hands him a phone. Lily is on the other end, promising they are getting him out of there, just “listen to Serena, and soon you will be home.” Her two cohorts, dressed as orderly and patient, come to ward next. Security won’t let them in, then they get a call, presumably to let them know what is about to unfold. All hell breaks loose, with the men shooting everyone in sight. They don gas masks and throw smoke bombs before smuggling Serena and Luke out. Their plan was to escape in an ambulance, but before they can, the cops have surrounded the area. They have to go to plan B. It is not exactly clear what plan B is - something to do with moving through the basement and escaping into the marketplace across the street - but the group gets separated. Luke is trailing blood through the basement, and hides in a storage closet. Ryan finds him, but then one Luke’s “bodyguards” finds Ryan. He offers to help the goon walk right out of there; they are only interested in Luke. The goon is interested; the two of them fight; the goon ends up dead and Luke escapes into the marketplace and disappears. He finds his way back to the hotel where he reunites tearfully with Lily and Mark.
Mandy is quickly realizing that Corbin is not a good place for her. When Joe is out, she sneaks into his room, hooks up his computer, and gets a phone number from Joe’s classified secret code. She packs up and leaves the compound. A woman picks her up, hitchhiking on an icy road, and Mandy uses her phone. The phone number she calls is one of Lily’s cell phones. Mark answers; she recognizes his voice. Mark is shocked, and won’t confirm if it is him or not. Mandy is scared, but clearly she is looking to join Lily’s crew.
Joe sees Carrie’s news report on the bakery stabbings, that Lily is mimicking Joe’s crew. “That clever little viper,” Joe drawls. “We’ll show her.”
Finally, Ryan and Mike are at Ryan’s apartment. They assume the knock on the door is from Max, and Mike goes to open it. It’s not Max, but he recognizes Matt Daniels, head of witness protection, in an instant. Mike immediately begs Ryan to let him explain, but there is no need. Claire is there, and Ryan is positively in shock.
Dig It or Bury It?
I’m glad we finally brought Lily back into the picture. I foresee the battle turning into one between Joe and Lily more than Joe and the world. But honestly, this episode was a little lackluster. Even the killing spree in the bakery just seemed underwhelming. I don’t know if it was the way it was shot, the way it was scored, the way it was cut, but that scene just didn’t have the intensity of, say, the bookstore stabbing.
Prophecies?
Ryan is elated to be reunited with Claire. She doesn’t want anything to get in the way of them killing Joe. Joe, meanwhile, is waging war on religion, while Mandy has rejoined Lily’s group.
I don't think that anyone reading this right now will disagree with me when I say that there simply aren't enough board games based on horror movies in existence, with very few films over the years making the transition to the board. Thankfully, horror fans are always eager to step in and take matters into their own hands, which is precisely what Hellraiser super fan Brian Sharp recently did, fusing together his love for the film with perhaps the most popular board game of all time.
As we spotted over on Horror Homework, Sharp hand-crafted this incredible Hellraiser-inspired version of Monopoly, which allows you to bargain with souls rather than money, and even includes game pieces sculpted in the likeness' of Pinhead and his Cenobite friends. The board itself is of course modeled after the iconic Lament Configuration Box, and destinations include the various levels of the fiery depths. In other words, there's no going to prison in this version of Monopoly, but don't be surprised if Pinhead demands you pay a visit to Hell... do not pass go, do not collect souls!
Oh and yes, of course the dice are little miniature versions of the Puzzle Box... would you expect any less?!
Sharp actually made nine versions of the game, and he sells them from time to time over on eBay, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled, if you're dying to get your hands on one.
For more board game fun, check out a list of our favorite vintage TV board games, based on shows like The Addams Family and Tales from the Cryptkeeper!
If Bill Cosby has taught us anything in his long and illustrious career it's that kids indeed do say the darndest things, and the YouTube channel Bored Shorts TV is all about that idea. The channel has risen to popularity with their 'Kid Snippets' series, where they give a group of young kids a general topic, and film them talking about it for a couple minutes. They then create skits based on those conversations, laying the audio over top of them acting out the conversations that the kids had.
Earlier this month they took inspiration from The Walking Dead and used zombies as the topic of discussion, which not suprisingly resulted in a hilarious conversation that serves as an adorable insight into the way that children view the undead monsters that us adults have become so familiar with over the years. Zombies have never been so cute and cuddly, that's for damn sure.
Check out the hilarious video below, which plays out like a scene from The Walking Dead... as written by 5 year olds!
April Fools' Day is always an interesting day on the internet, as nearly every site on the web channels its inner Onion and comes up with fake news stories, in an attempt to fool readers. It's hard to trust anything you read on the internet on a day like April Fools', and quite frankly it would be wise to follow the immortal words of former WWE superstar “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and just plain not trust anybody.
Though you were likely tricked at least once today, and disappointed when you realized that some exciting piece of news simply wasn't true, there's no denying that April Fools' Day spices up the internet, and makes for a fun day of web surfing. We here on FEARNET were victims of a handful of pranks ourselves throughout the course of the day, and we wanted to share some of our favorites with you, now that the fun is coming to an end.
So here's a look at the very best April Fools' pranks of 2014, within this awesome horror community of ours!
Though one Walking Dead-themed prank suggested that Norman Reedus had been fired from the show, the more creative bit of April foolery came courtesy of the official Walking Dead website, which unveiled this first look at the cover for the 129th issue of the comic series. The character of Daryl Dixon was created specifically for the television series and this cover teased that Dixon would be making the leap from the small screen to the world of comics. As one fan pointed out in the comments section of the post, the image of “Daryl” was actually a modified image of comic book character Dwight, which spilled the beans on the clever prank.
Over on his official website, Stephen King got in on the April Fools' fun by teasing that he was writing a sequel to Christine, titled Christine Lives. 'Christine Lives picks up where Christine left off,' wrote King, 'and follows the trials and tribulations of Dennis' descent from school teacher to carnival barker as he attempts to evade the smoking tires of fate.' The announcement included a link to a video of King's announcement, which was actually a video of Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' in disguise. Rick-rolled by the King... a true honor!
Spoofing last year's Sharknado phenomenon, UK firm Fetch Publicity sent out this piece of promotional art for a faux film called Catfurnado, which promised to deliver “pussy at 100 miles an hour.” The plot synopsis described a tornado sweeping through London and creating 'a vortex of furry vengeance,' and oddly enough the concept for the prank was based on a real story that came out of England earlier this year, where a tornado indeed did sweep cats up into the air. Wouldn't be surprised if Syfy took this idea and ran with it, and I'm honestly not sure I'd be able to avoid tuning in!
You just knew that the pranksters over at Full Moon would partake in the festivities today and they indeed did, sending out a press release first thing in the morning that revealed the star of an upcoming Puppet Master remake; Justin Bieber. The remake has begun pre-production, company founder Charles Band wrote in the press release, with Justin Bieber attached to play the role of a young Andre Toulon. “With all Justin has endured as of late in the press and elsewhere,” continued Band, “we knew he would bring an authentic gravitas to the role that many other performers could not.” Of course, a Puppet Master remake isn't really in the works, though it sure is humorous to imagine Bieber in a Full Moon film, is it not?! Well played, Charlie. Well played.
Mere minutes after I vowed to myself that I wouldn't fall for any pranks today, the folks over at Fangoria managed to pull one over on me, writing up a news story that indicated Quentin Tarantino is working on a new horror film. Brilliantly playing on the fact that Tarantino's script for The Hateful Eight was recently leaked onto the internet, Fango wrote that Tarantino shelved the movie in favor of a home invasion thriller titled The Gawkers, based on his real-life troubles surrounding the script leak. “Sources claim Tarantino’s script follows a Hollywood director who finds himself facing off against a group of vicious home invaders who aim to steal his latest script at all costs,” read the article, which was capped off by the reveal that it was an April Fools' prank. The fact that I actually fell for this one, for a split second, just goes to show how much of a trusted news source Fangoria is!
Hulu had a whole lot of fun over on their website today, teasing fictional spin-offs of popular network shows, which they billed as airing exclusively through their service. One of those shows was In the Kitchen with Hannibal, a spin-off of NBC's brilliant show Hannibal, wherein Hannibal Lecter teaches you how to cook some of his signature dishes. They even went through the trouble of whipping up a teaser video for the show, which you can watch above. Not saying I'd recreate any of the recipes, but this is one cooking show that I'd most definitely watch!
Much like Stephen King, Wes Craven also played a prank on his fans today, over on his Instagram account. He claimed that he had made a horror film in the 70s that was never released and that he finally decided to self-distribute it, including a video that he advertised as being that film's teaser trailer. Seconds into the trailer, Craven popped up on screen and revealed it was an April Fools' joke, proving that the master of horror has still got some tricks up his sleeve. Head over to Craven's Instagram to watch the video for yourself!
And finally, film production/distribution company Lionsgate used the various Facebook pages of their most popular films to spread the word about a fictional movie called Fright Club, a 2015 release that brings together some of their most popular horror icons. As you can see, characters like Leatherface, Patrick Bateman, Cabin in the Woods' ballerina and Otis Driftwood are all advertised as being a part of the faux movie, and the poster successfully did its job of fooling many fans on Facebook. The first rule of Fright Club... is don't believe that it's real, because it unfortunately is not!
Did you spot any April Fools' pranks that we missed? Comment below and let us know about them!
Face Off Episode 612
“Industrial Revolution”
Original Airdate: 1 April 2014
In This Episode…
The contestants each select a profession. They must create the robot that has taken their place in the industry. In addition, each creation must display a functional moving part. The contestants have four days for this challenge to allow for the extra time fabrication requires.
The Creations
Niko selected construction worker. He sculpts cables for the face, but fabricates everything else. It was cohesive, but big and somehow unremarkable. Glenn was impressed with the amount of work that went into, but found it to be clunky and could have been better proportioned. Ve also found it clunky - but fun. Neville thought the proportions were “wacky.” He is not a big fan, but appreciates the fact that it is cohesive.
George selected hairdresser. He was originally going to have each breast be hair dryers, but instead combined them into a large one in the center of the chest. Each of his robot’s fingers is a different hair and makeup tool. Ve would go to a salon run by this robot “in a minute.” Neville thought it was beautiful, with elegant line work. Glenn, though the chest shape was strange, found the form near-perfection.
Rashaad selected firefighter. He was excited about this challenge - fabrication is his thing. I think this was my favorite creation this week, especially with the carefully battle-worn paint job. Neville was impressed with the astonishing amount of work he put in. Glenn thought this was the best Rashaad has shown this season. Ve was blown away.
Tyler selected doctor, with little arms that came out of the chest to operate with, and a human face hovering over the “robotic” face to add a familiar feel to the robot. Unfortunately, I found it just looked rather scary. In general, this creation looked like a collection of PVC tubes and felt amateurish. The judges loved it though. Glenn was particularly taken with the harness that holds the face out front. Ve liked the fact that it didn’t look too futuristic; it made it feel more familiar. Neville thought he hit all the right notes.
Daran selected photographer, with a face like a camera. The body was stupid; it looked like a homemade costume for a three-year-old. But I liked the face. Daran was uncomfortable with the challenge - robots and fabrication aren’t his “thing.” Ve can tell he is out of his element. There was no “va-voom” and it missed the mark. Glenn thought that, even if robots weren’t his “thing,” focus on the basics would have gone a long way. Neville thought the codpiece and the silhouette turned it from a potentially sophisticated look to something cartoonish.
The Verdict?
Rashaad won. Daran - no surprise - went home.
Dig It or Bury It?
I liked the idea of replacement robots, but the professions were a little bland. Luckily, the contestants really brought it with cool creations.
Prophecies?
Next week is a vampire challenge. I hope there is some cool twist so we don’t just have a bunch of Bela Lugosi-looking Draculas.
If there's anything I have as much of a passion for as horror movies it's professional wrestling, which has been a lifelong obsession of mine since well before the days my parents allowed me to make friends with guys like Jason and Freddy. Not surprisingly, it's been the horror-inspired characters that I've always found myself gravitating towards - guys who looked and acted like they belonged inside the confines of horror films, more than they did the squared circle.
With WWE's Wrestlemania 30 on the horizon, taking place this Sunday night, now's the perfect time to shine the spotlight on some of the scariest grapplers in the history of the business, which is precisely what I'm here to do today. So here are 10 professional wrestlers who have channeled the spirit of horror cinema over the years, and have brought together my two biggest passions in life!
KAMALA
I'll never forget my first introduction to Kamala, which came courtesy of a VHS tape at a friend's house, in the formative years of my childhood. On the tape was a segment from a 1980s WWE broadcast, which saw the 'Ugandan Giant' consuming a live chicken, with the feathers of the ill-fated bird dangling from his mouth and stuck in his beard. Unbeknownst to me, the segment was of course faked, but it nevertheless forever made me terrified of the character, who truly felt like a cannibalistic madman that had been plucked from the wilds of Uganda. Kamala was oftentimes escorted to the ring by a handler named Kim Chee and always wrestled barefoot, further driving home the idea that he was essentially an untamed animal. Though the character was toned down in later years, Kamala remains one of the scariest wrestlers to ever step foot inside the ring, and one of the few to actually strike fear in my childhood heart.
THE UNDERTAKER
When it comes to horror-inspired pro wrestlers, they don't get any more iconic or well-known than The Undertaker, who is one of the greatest entertainers in the history of the sport. Undertaker made his WWE debut in November of 1990 and was essentially portrayed as a dead guy who was totally impervious to pain, with an urn serving as his source of undying power. It wasn't long after his debut that Undertaker acquired a manager in the form of the late Paul Bearer, nor was it long before the character become one of the most beloved in the company. Coming to the ring in a black trench coat and stetson hat, and escorted by both Bearer and an eerie, funereal theme song, the Undertaker made a name for himself by zipping his opponents inside body bags and stuffing them into caskets, usually after delivering his deadly finishing move; the Tombstone Piledriver. Undertaker is still a member of the active roster to this day and he puts his undefeated 21-0 Wrestlemania streak on the line this coming Sunday, against formidable opponent Brock Lesnar. May you Rest In Peace like so many before you, Brock!
PAPA SHANGO
Charles Wright has cycled through countless different gimmicks throughout his career as a professional wrestler, and though he didn't quite achieve the height of his success as the Papa Shango character, it's nevertheless Shango that remains the most memorable to me. You need only look at the above picture to get the gist of the character; a voodoo practitioner who wasn't above using his devious dark magic on his opponents. Decked out in creepy skull face paint, wearing a necklace made of bones and carrying around a smoking human skull, Shango became known for casting all kinds of spells on his opponents, most memorably placing a curse on the Ultimate Warrior, which forced him to uncontrollably vomit in one particularly nauseating segment. The character lasted only about a year in the company, which was plenty long enough to leave a lasting impression.
MANKIND
One of the most successful wrestlers in the history of the sport is no doubt Mick Foley, who has become a New York Times bestselling author, several times over, in the wake of his celebrated career inside the ring. Though he made his wrestling debut in the 1980s, under the name Cactus Jack Manson, Foley became a bonafide superstar when he came to the WWE in 1996, repackaged as a deranged, mask-wearing character named Mankind. The idea behind the character is that he was basically a total nut job, and he would often self-mutilate, ripping out chunks of his own hair and stabbing himself in the leg with a fork. He was said to live in boiler rooms with his pet rat and he'd often scream out for his 'Mommy.' Mankind's main mission upon entering the WWE was to destroy the Undertaker, and Paul Bearer ended up jumping ship during their brutal feud, and becoming Mankind's manager. Mankind eventually become a beloved character, like Foley himself, and in the later years of his run was a whole lot less terrifying than his original incarnation.
KANE
No stranger to horror-inspired gimmicks, Glen Jacobs made his WWE debut in 1995 as Dr. Issac Yankem, the deranged dentist of Jerry “The King” Lawler. It was in 1997, however, that Jacobs brought to life a truly iconic in-ring monster, in the form of Kane, son to Paul Bearer and half-brother of The Undertaker. Story went that Undertaker had burnt down his family's funeral home as a youth, and though he believed that his whole family was wiped out in the blaze, Bearer revealed that Kane was very much alive, and was coming for revenge. It wasn't long before Kane indeed did arrive in the WWF, wearing a mask and full body suit, to cover his horribly scarred appearance. Kane was known for setting people on fire and it was the character that led to the creation of the first ever Inferno Match, where the ring is literally surrounded by flames. Like most of WWE's evil characters, Kane too has been toned down in recent years, and he now wrestles without the mask on, serving as a corporate lackey for Chief Operating Officer Triple H. And no, he's not actually burnt.
GANGREL
One of the coolest characters of the WWE's 'Attitude Era,' in the late 90s, was Gangrel, who was billed as a real-life vampire. Gangrel had the most memorable entrance in WWF at the time, which saw him rising up to the stage and surrounded by a ring of fire, carrying a goblet full of 'blood.' Prior to entering the ring, he would take a sip from his goblet and spew the blood into the air, which would often drip down his fangs and cover his white shirt. Gangrel rose to the epitome of his coolness when he formed a faction known as 'The Brood,' a trio of vampiric characters who would terrorize other wrestlers with 'blood baths,' which saw buckets of blood raining down from the heavens and covering their adversaries. At one point he joined Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness faction, which was comprised of a motley crew of fellow monsters and madmen.
THE BOOGEYMAN
WWE is known for recycling gimmicks, and The Boogeyman can in many ways be seen as a modern day upgrade on the Papa Shango character. Boogeyman debuted in 2005 and was introduced to audiences through a series of horror-inspired vignettes, which saw him reciting nursery rhymes, smashing clocks over his head and telling other superstars that he was the Boogeyman, and that he was coming to get them. More memorable than his in-ring matches were the Boogeyman's backstage and post-match antics, which generally saw him scooping up handfuls of live worms, and stuffing them into his mouth. He was also known for making worms rain from the sky and spitting them into the mouths of defeated opponents, solidifying his status as one of the most downright disgusting superstars in WWE history.
THE ZOMBIE
Okay, so I know I used the word 'memorable' in the headline for the post, and though this next wrestler is far from memorable, I simply wouldn't feel right not giving at least a brief shout-out to pro wrestling's very first – and to my knowledge only – zombie character. After acquiring fan-favorite independent promotion ECW, WWE made a brief attempt to revive the company, and it was in 2006 that the revival began, with the new ECW show airing on the Syfy network. On the show's very first broadcast, a character simply named 'The Zombie' was introduced, and after making zombie sounds into a microphone, he was demolished by ECW superstar Sandman. The Zombie was presumably created for the sole purpose of attempting to appeal to the Syfy crowd, and since it didn't quite work, he never appeared on the program again.
LEATHERFACE
Though horror-inspired wrestlers here in the states don't typically make direct reference to actual big screen genre icons, things are a little bit different over in Japan, where a character by the name of Leatherface had an extended run in the W*ING promotion. Just like in the movies, Leatherface was clad in a human skin mask, wore a butcher's apron and carried around a chainsaw, and was fittingly known for competing in particularly brutal and bloody 'death matches.' Other characters in the promotion included knockoff versions of Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers, and if you're ever in the mood for a good laugh, we encourage you to look up some of their matches on YouTube!
THE WYATT FAMILY
The WWE's most recent horror-inspired gimmick is that of The Wyatt Family, led by mouthpiece Bray Wyatt, who is always flanked by fellow family members Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. The Wyatt Family debuted just last year and was introduced through a series of particularly creepy segments, which depicted them as a backwoods clan ripped straight out of a horror movie. Bray Wyatt is a Charles Manson-like character, speaking in riddles, while Harper and Rowan are silent but brutish characters, with the latter often sporting a plastic lamb mask – looking very much like one of the killers from You're Next. The Wyatt Family comes to the ring in total darkness, lit up only by a lantern that Bray carries, and they've made a name for themselves by getting inside the heads of some of the top WWE superstars. Bray Wyatt goes toe-to-toe with John Cena, at this Sunday night's event.
There are of course many others where these came from, and we encourage you to drop us a comment below and make your own additions to the list!
And if you're hungry for more wrestling fun, be sure to check out our list of nine professional wrestlers who became horror movie stars!
It takes a lot of skill, creativity, and good humor to combine geek culture, broad humor, low-budget action scenes, and a big splash of horror mayhem -- and have your movie turn out to be a success. Doubly so when your movie has been sitting on a shelf for a year after suffering through some ugly and well-documented post-production trauma. But given the tone, the trouble, and the multi-genre-style weirdness behind the clunky but energetic Knights of Badassdom, it's pretty amazing that the final product is actually halfway entertaining.
As horror fans, we make it our business to know the most obscure details about our favorite films. We watch the bonus features on the special edition releases of our favorite DVDs and we read retrospective interviews recalling the details of our most beloved titles. But even the most diligent fan is bound to miss something along the way. So, to help you get the lowdown, we're running a recurring segment that rounds up some lesser-known trivia from your favorite horror films. For this installment, we're setting our sights on Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror film The Evil Dead.
Feast your eyes on: Ten things you may not have known about The Evil Dead.
The film is based on a Sam Raimi short called "Within the Woods"
The 30-minute short film was made in 1978 for $1600. The purpose of the short was to attract potential investors for an eventual feature. Like The Evil Dead, "Within the Woods" focuses on demonic forces that originate in the woods and possess the film’s characters.
Ellyn Sandweiss is a high school friend of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell
She starred in several of Sam Raimi’s short films, including Within the Woods, before going on to star in The Evil Dead.
The Evil Dead was originally called Book of the Dead
When the film was first screening in the early ‘80s, it showed under the title Book of the Dead. It wasn’t until the film was in negotiation for distribution that the title was changed to The Evil Dead.
Stephen King was instrumental in helping the film to get noticed and secure distribution
King saw the film at Cannes, loved it, and provided quotes for marketing and distribution purposes. His approval helped pave the way for the film’s success.
The opening scene was shot at least four different times
The opening scene that made it in to the film was the last scene that Sam Raimi shot. He felt that all of the previous versions were not dramatic enough.
There was no cellar in the cabin where The Evil Dead was filmed
The production crew cut a hole in the floor, installed a trap door, and then dug a six-foot deep hole beneath the newly installed door. In that hole, the crew added several steps to make it look as if the door went to a basement. Most of the shots that take place in the cellar were done at Rob Tapert’s parents’ farm in Michigan.
Night of the Living Dead was a huge influence on The Evil Dead
George Romero’s use of a single cabin location, a 16MM camera, and a micro budget all influenced Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert in their creation of The Evil Dead.
Safety was not a primary concern on the set
The production didn’t use tempered glass, blanks, or many other safety precautions. If script called for a broken window or the use of a shotgun, the crew would break real glass or fire off live rounds.
The ‘rape vines’ sequence was shot in multiple cuts, at several locations, and over such a long period of time that it lessened the impact of the segment for Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert
After the scene was edited together, the duo realized that it was more disturbing than they had initially expected it to be but found that it was effective, nonetheless. Tapert says that the scene was loosely inspired by the sequence in “Macbeth” where the woods come to life.
Betsy Baker had to stick her head in a bowl of onions to produce tears
On the film’s commentary track, Tapert and Raimi explain that onions were cheaper to purchase than a bottle of Visine, so they opted for onions.
For more in our "Things You Might Not Know" series, check out:
12 Things You Might Not Know About Scream
10 Things You Might Not Know About Trick 'r Treat
10 Things You Might Not Know About Rosemary's Baby
12 Things You Might Not Know About A Nightmare on Elm Street
12 Things You Might Not Know About Black Christmas
10 Things You Might Not Know About Halloween
Last week we brought you exclusive stills from writer and director Brandon Slagle’s feature film House of Manson, and today we've got a first look at the flick's trailer.
Produced by Britt Griffith (co-star of Syfy's Ghosthunters), the crime thriller/biopic stars Devanny Pinn (Dead Sea) as Susan Atkins, Ryan Kiser (Truth or Dare) as Charles Manson, Reid Warner (Oren Peli's Area 51) as Tex Watson, Chriss Anglin (Call of Duty: Black Ops) as Ronald Hughes, Serena Lorien as Patricia Krenwinkel, Erin Marie Hogan (Paranormal Entity) as Linda Kasabian, and Suzi Lorraine (Music and Lyrics) as Sharon Tate.
House of Manson chronicles Charles Manson's life from his childhood, up until his arrest following the raid on Barker Ranch months after the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders that sent a shockwave not just through Los Angeles, but through the entire world.
Currently in post-production, release is slated for later this year (details forthcoming).
For more on House of Manson, check out the official Facebook page.
If you haven't read any of the novels, this is a great way to get a taste and see if it's your kind of thing. These stories (seven reprints and two brand-new tales) weave in and out of the series, and there are spoilers for several of the books along the way, but there are notes at the top of each story that warn you when you're entering spoiler territory. There's also a handy guide at the back that lays out the entire series of novels and short stories in chronological order. That being said, all of these stories work just fine on their own.Blu Gilliand is a freelance writer of fiction and nonfiction. He covers horror fiction at his blog, October Country, and contributes interviews to the Horror World website. Follow him on Twitter at @BluGilliand.
In this exclusive clip from the Nurse blu-ray, star Katrina Bowden and costume designer Zaldy discuss the process of coming up with the sexy-but-not-too-sexy costumes.
Official synopsis: By day, nurse Abby Russell lovingly attends to the patients at All Saints Memorial Hospital; by night, Abby prowls nightclubs, luring unfaithful men into dangerous liaisons. After Danni, a young, sensitive nurse, joins the hospital staff, Abby pursues her friendship. But when the friendship turns to obsession, Danni spurns Abby, unleashing Abby’s fury and a rampage of terror.
Nurse releases on blu-ray and DVD April 8th.
