The Following is one of those shows where, if you miss an episode, you miss a big chunk of the story. If you missed an episode, forgot what happened, or are thinking of jumping in, Fox has put together a handy-dandy "Six in Six" video. You get recaps of all six episodes in six brief minutes.
Need more? Check out our weekly recaps for all the details.
Everyone wants a piece of Mr. Neil Gaiman. In what sounds like a good match, director Joe Wright is in talks to direct the adaptation of Gaiman’s novel, The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.
The book, due out in June, is about magic, monsters, horror, and ancient powers. You know, a typical Gaiman book. Joe Wright is the king of dreamy, ethereal, costume-centric films and The Ocean At The End Of The Lane’s plot, via the jacket copy, sounds like it will perfectly complement Wright’s style:
" ... it’s about about memory and magic and survival, about the power of stories and the darkness inside each of us. The narrator describes a tale that begins when he was seven and a lodger stole the family’s car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and a menace unleashed — within his family, and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it. His only defense is three women, on a ramshackle farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.”
Focus Features and Playtone are closing the deal to acquire the book.
via Deadline
No doubt if you're a fan of the horror genre and in particular interested in true crime history, then you've at some point been fascinated by the "true story" surrounding 'The Amityville Horror.' Hell, that's the reason Hollywood has managed to churn out up to 7 sequels in the franchise, and that doesn't even include the Platinum Dunes remake, the Asylum knock off 'The Amityville Haunting' or the several documentaries on the subject like those excellent History Channel specials. However, you haven't heard the whole story quite yet.
Below you'll find the trailer for IFC Midnight's new documentary from filmmaker Eric Walter 'My Amityville Horror.' For the first time in 35 years, Daniel Lutz recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975. George and Kathy Lutz's story went on to inspire a best-selling novel and the subsequent films have continued to fascinate audiences today. This documentary reveals the horror behind growing up as part of a world famous haunting and while Daniel's facts may be other's fiction, the psychological scars he carries are indisputable. It opens in limited theatrical release and on VOD digital platforms on March 15th.
New comic book Wednesday has come and gone. The dust at your local comic shop has settled. An eerie silence descends as you finish reading your last superhero book of the week. Now it's time for something a little more sinister. Welcome to Bagged and Boarded: comic reviews of the sick, spooky, twisted and terrifying!
Hack/Slash No. 24
Cassie and Vlad are separated. Cultists are forcing people to go through a giant maze and kill each other or their loved ones will die. A group of soda-loving concert goers wearing mime make-up (haha) go crazy for their beloved soda. And Cassie beats the crud out of some dumb/evil cops. Follow me here?
Bag it or board it up? We're well on our way with the story at this point. And it's fun to see Vlad get some great solo scenes in this comic. This is a fun issue if you've been following along, but I'm afraid you may be lost if you don't do a little back tracking, which I highly recommend. Some comics are confusing because they make no sense (see directly below) while others (like this one) just need a little of your time and patience.
Justice League Dark No. 17
Who are the Justice League Dark, you ask? Just a few superheroes and anti-heroes you may be interested in, all working together. There's Deadman, the murdered trapeze artist who now saves the day as a ghost. There's fan-favorite Constantine. There’s also Xanadu, Zatanna, and even Frankenstein! As the barrier between a magical world and Earth crumbles, the Dark League must find a way to save the day or at least get out alive.
Bag it or board it up? This is such a cool team of heroes. Too bad I have no idea what's going on in this comic. Even going back a few issues and doing my homework, this is a convoluted plot with classic DC confusion. I love DC Comics, and I love how confounded they can be. I don't want all of my stories to be simple cookie cutter stories, but sometimes I need a little bit of guidance, like right now. What's going on here?
Courtney Crumrin No. 10
This is it for the Crumrin tale. This is the final issue! That cute little goth girl with witchy powers and an awesome attitude brings it all to a head in this final issue. Courtney's memories are confused, her surroundings seem dull, and there's something missing from her life. Through an important meeting with her uncle, all becomes clear for Courtney.
Bag it or board it up? This series was only ten issues long. This is a series worth back-tracking for (this is the theme of comics this week, I suppose). It's fun, cute, and has an awesome female protagonist. Courtney is a complicated, interesting young girl, and she may just be my favorite witch. Catch up to Courtney before enjoying this final issue.
Army of Darkness No. 11
An ancient evil is re-awakened in Mexico and guess which one-armed hero will eventually have to step it up and save the day. Did you guess Ash? Congratulations! You're right. But first we get to see the evil bubbling and brewing in an homage to Pulp Fiction that is both out of place and totally fun. Will Ash be able to stop the evil reincarnated Montezuma? Probably, but that's not the point. Darkness comics are meant to be all flash and fun.
Bag it or board it up? Now's a great time to jump into this comic. Ash, for the moment, is done with all the time-hopping and continuity chopping. If you start reading now you can get a clear idea of the story and what Ash and company are all up to. Highly recommended for those who like their horror on the lighter and more slapstick/comical side.
The Paley Center for Media launched their annual PaleyFest last night in Los Angeles, and they launched with one of the most popular shows on television: The Walking Dead. If you were not lucky enough to attend attend the event, we have the entire hour-and-a-half panel for you to enjoy. Chris Hardwick moderated the panel that included Emily Kinney, Scott Wilson, Steven Yeun, Laurie Holden, Danai Gurira, Norman Reedus, Andrew Lincoln, Greg Nicotero, David Alpert, Gale Anne Hurd, and Robert Kirkman. Enjoy!
Fresh off of officially receiving a 'R' rating from the MPAA, Sony has released 3 new clips for 'The Call'.
Directed by Brad Andersen (Vanishing on 7th Street) and starring Halle Berry (X-Men, Gothika), Michael Eklund (The Day) & Abigail Breslin (Zombieland), 'The Call' is in theaters March 15th.Check out the synopsis and clips below:
When veteran 911 operator Jordan Turner receives a call from a girl who has just been abducted, she soon realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl's life.
Lost Girl Episode 307
“There’s Bo Place Like Home”
Written By: Brendon Yorke
Directed By: Gail Harvey
Original Airdate: 4 March 2013
In This Episode...
The first step in preparing for Bo’s Dawning is to go through a magic threshold. Bo cannot make her mind and emotions one (or some hippy nonsense like that) but if she can’t she will never be able to continue her training and she will devolve. Trick brings in Stella, a fae who has helped hundreds of fae get through this ritual. She determines that Bo is filled with rage and regret, and this is what is preventing her from moving through the threshold. Stella insists that Bo go to her adoptive mother and make peace. Kenzi will go with, and Lauren packs them three injections of anti-monster serum (that is all that she has left, and they have diminishing returns anyway). Bonus: Bo’s home town is having their annual cherry festival.
So the girls head out to the tiny country farmhouse. A quick stop at the gas station yields a reunion between Bo and high school friend Doug. Bo is filled with fear and hate. Kenzi mistakes this for a monster rampage and gives her one of the injections. Oops. Bo discovers her mother - the one who called her a devil and said that she brought evil with her and kicked her out, is a sweet old lady who welcomes Bo with open arms. A lot of that has to do with dementia. Momma sends the girls to enjoy the cherry festival. Bo sees her high school friend/rival Jessica, and learns that another friend, Brad, was killed when his car crushed him as he and his fiancee were heading into town.
Kenzi and Bo go back home, and Bo attempts to confront her mom. Momma starts raging, calling Bo all the names she used to, and Bo sees a ghost in bloody tatters coming towards them. Bo scares her away with a rake, then runs away from the hateful things her mom is calling her. Kenzi calls Trick to check in on this ghost, Lady Polly. Kenzi hopes that Kyle’s death can be attributed to Polly, but Trick explains that was a fae feed, pure and simple. The people who summoned Polly are probably the same that are dying.
Kenzi finds Bo getting plastered on cherry wine at the festival. After giving her dose #2 of the monster potion and explaining Lady Polly, they split up to gather Doug and Jessica at the well. Doug, Jessica, Kyle, Brad, and Bo (back when she was Beth) were all at the well, and Doug summoned Polly when he accidentally kicked over a candle when everyone left. He has known about her the whole time, but thought that everyone would be safe because they all left town. A sacrifice is needed to get rid of Polly. Kenzi explains to Doug what is happening and he offers himself up as sacrifice. Polly gets to Jessica before Bo can, and she chokes on a cherry pit.
Bo, Kenzi, and Doug gather at the well. Polly joins them and is ready to attack. Bo stabs her with the final dose of anti-monster potion. This weakens Polly enough that Bo can easily kick her into the well and she and Kenzi seal it up. This has apparently given Bo some clarity. She goes back to her momma and says that she has forgiven her for the things she has said, and she has forgiven herself for the things she could not control. Bo leaves in a peaceful state. Back at home, Bo makes it through the threshold. Reinvigorated, she is ready for the next challenge, which Stella promises is a doozy.
Dig It or Bury It?
I was surprised at how much I liked this episode. It was sappy, and it was rife with problems. (Can the townsfolk actually see Polly? What was with momma’s outburst? Does she remember anything through her dementia fog? Did it just take kicking Polly into the well to end the curse?) But overall, it was an enjoyable episode. Polly was a delightful ghost. I always like getting character backstory, and Bo’s home town reminded me of the town in Two Thousand Maniacs.
Fae Tales
Polly’s magic name is Polundia. She can only be summoned from fire by a human, is bound to the land and cannot leave town, and strikes during the heat of midday.
Prophecies?
Trick has found out that Dyson has his love back. Bo confronts Kenzi about why she was visiting the Noorn. I think that Lauren is about to get dumped.
Author Steve Niles has been around slinging ink longer than a lot of people think. He has also seen the industry from both sides and from the corporate versus indie perspective. Since he just made another major move in his life and career in leaving Southern California behind and heading to Texas I thought it would be a good time to talk with him about his history in the publishing and film business.
When you did the Clive Barker portfolio in the late '80s / early '90s you were doing graphic novels. Were those your first graphic novels?
Those were the first ones I did, yeah. That first awful thing was "Bad Moon" followed by "Fly in my Eye". I did all of those through Arcane. Then after "Fly in my Eye" is when I got the rights to Clive's stuff. At that point I realized I was in way too deep. I had "I Am Legend," half the rights to the "Books of Blood" and about forty bucks in my bank account and was living in my sister's basement.
What do I do now?
Yeah, it was like "This company isn't doing very well." So I wound up teaming with Eclipse. I would just focus on packaging books for them. That's how "Legend" and the Clive Barker came about.
So the first non-adaptation was the "Spawn"?
No, doing "Cal McDonald." I was doing "Cal" for Dark Horse.
He was your roots.
Yeah. I had been writing the prose and the stories, little things here and there all over the place. Mostly adapting and not really writing stuff. Then McFarlane was the first time somebody just said, "Go do what you want. Go write whatever." and it was "Medieval Spawn." Then "Hell-Spawn" and regular "Spawn." I was up to my eyeballs in "Spawn" for a few years there.
Between that time and now you've seen the industry change in many ways.
Boy, have I.
Good and bad. Bad in terms of corporate control? Good in the rise of some of the independent stuff? What are your feelings about the changes in the industry?
That's the thing. How many layers of problems from distribution to digital.
There are so many new problems we are dealing with right now. The one thing that has happened that I'm happy with is sort of everything getting so corporate. DC and Marvel have become sort of...we all know the bottom line and that's it. It is all about the bottom line. Fans come dead last.
But what that's kind of done is force guys like me to have to figure out how to do it ourselves. I feel that there are actually more interesting comic books coming out as a result. We're just all struggling a lot more. We have the same problem we share with you as an author which is this piracy problem. Every single thing we put out is pirated the day it comes out. So we're selling 10,000 of things that are being pirated at 80,000.
But how many of those 80,000 would actually buy it if was wasn't available for free via pirating? Certainly not all of them.
I don't think 80,000.
I had dinner with Max Brooks last night. The bad news is that everybody is stealing our work. The good news is we have an amazing readership. A lot more people are reading comics.
People like Cory Doctorow believe in putting their work out there for free along with the paid version just to build that audience.
Absolutely. That's how I....Here's how I think. If it's going to be free let me be the one to give it away. Some dude in Poland masturbating and scanning my books doesn't deserve to get the credit for our hard work.
So what about the other problem of comic book stores trying to pick and choose their way through it and who can't afford to carry every independent comic? Whereas if it comes out with a Marvel label or DC label it is automatically vetted to a degree.
Exactly. I feel like Marvel and DC are flooding the market with their special editions which, honestly, is just their latest trick to try and corner the market. I think people forget. They think it is a healthy competition. No, it's not. They would like us to all be dead and not exist.
Kind of that Amazon feel?
It's exactly the same as Amazon. One of the big things that I've been really pushing for is fans need to know what they want and they need to know in advance. One of the things I push really heavily on is pre-ordering. Tell the retailer that you want it. It's not going to do any good when the book is out and whine that your bookstore didn't order it if you could have been there three months ago and told them to order it.
You've seen the Diamond Catalogue. By the time you get past Dark Horse, IDW, Marvel, and DC almost everybody's budget is gone. They have to carry those. I don't blame them for that. I do "Super Monster versus the X-Men" and they know they can sell that. That's a good title by the way. But "Super Monster" hasn't a track record yet.
You can relate to this. I think we all thought our jobs were going to get easier as we got older. We'll just turn in our scripts and get paid but no. You know what? We've got to be out there selling again, gotta hand-sell our books. Almost to the point of where we’re calling retailers.
For me personally I want to break outside the comic market. I want to do art fairs and book festivals. I want to try to find new readers. I don’t think people realize, because they see movies like The Avengers making a billion dollars, that the top comic last year, which I think was "The Walking Dead" #100, sold 300,000 copies. That was blockbuster. I’d say 100,000 of those were double buy with people buying multiple issues. So we’re looking at a market right now where the top number, for "Avengers" and "Batman" and "Spider-man" all included is 200,000. That’s a very small amount to be wrestling over.
At this point in time what is the top number for an indy?
10,000 probably. 10,000 is a success now. Remember when I did "M" back in the ‘80s? Dean Molany called me saying, “I don’t know how we’re going to do this as we’ve only received orders for 70,000.” Because 100,000 used to be...that’s what we were shooting for. I don’t think people realized it.
When you and I did the "Dark Delicacies" anthology comic the first issue was under 5,000 and it was cancelled because that wasn’t enough. Nowadays we would have kept rolling.
There are comics out there that only have 2,000 print runs. It’s crazy to me.
But those wouldn’t be released by a corporate brand publisher, right?
Vertigo. Vertigo Comics was notorious for putting things out with really low print runs. Because they have the balls to actually put out something a little different I think that’s great.
But being Vertigo/DC they have the backing if they have a failure.
Right.
- - -
Steve Niles can be found on Facebook and so can Del Howison.
The Knights of Badassdom has basically disappeared since its Comic Con panel a few years back. The Joe Lynch (FEARnet's Holliston)–directed movie features a great cast including Ryan Kwanten, Peter Dinklage and Summer Glau and follows live-action role players that raise a demon spawn from the netherworld. Definitely a promising plot line, so, where did it go?
According to the website badassdom.com, the movie hasn’t seen the light of day thanks to executives at IndieVest. It also claims that the film screening for potential buyers this week is not Joe Lynch’s final edit. Read the details here.
If this confuses you, here’s a breakdown of the hold up via VideoETA, which sheds a bit more light on the process.
“The anonymous complaint in question claimed to be from a financial backer of a company called IndieVest. You can read the whole thing for yourself, but basically it claimed that the powers in charge of IndieVest were creating a shell company called Media Society so that they could release Knights of Badassdom under that label and stiff the original financial backers of the film with IndieVest.
For the record, no one from IndieVest has responded to that claim, but it's not the only claim on RipoffReport.com against IndieVest.
I should probably take a moment to explain exactly what IndieVest is and how it plays into the story. IndieVest is a company that allows individuals to invest in select independent films that they curate. As Founder and CEO Wade Bradley said 'our motto is connecting film and capital.'"
The original Maniac caused some controversy when it came out in 1980. Featuring Frank Zito, a serial killer who specializes in scalping his female victims, Maniac raised the ire of many a feminist group.
Watch the news story below, covering the opening night of Maniac in L.A. I especially like that the dude they interviewed who said it wasn’t as scary as Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What’s even more terrifying than Zito’s handiwork on the lovely ladies in the film? The hairstyles in this news report. Many of these talking heads could use a Zito-style trim job.
While times have changed and there are plenty of female horror fans who would be glad to argue the virtues of this film, there’s no doubt the remake will horrify as many women today as it did over thirty years ago. Read all of our Maniac remake coverage here.
It’s purrrrrrr evil.
Anyone who has a cat knows that this t-shirt is not far off the mark. As lovable as they are, cats are also Satan’s furry minions. Cuddly and cute, they are always waiting for the right time to pounce.
The creator of the shirt has other evil kitty-related designs including a death metal, pentagram Cat Magic shirt.
Rod Serling put it best, “Sometimes the least likely objects can be filled with the most likely horror.”
Night Gallery’s episode The Doll, boasts what are, arguably, the creepiest dolls in horror history. I think it may be the fact that they have biting teeth that puts them over the top. But, even without the teeth, you should never trust a doll with the eyes of Tammy Faye.
In this vaguely racist story of a mysterious Indian doll sent to a young British girl, Monica, from an unknown gift giver, the doll in question gets its revenge against imperial Britain. From the beginning no one trusts the toy and Monica’s governess notices the growing obsession Monica feels for the gift. But the most disturbing moment is when the dolly smiles.
In truth, this doll was meant for Monica’s uncle Colonel Masters, an officer in Queen Victoria’s Colonial forces. It was as assassin with order to avenge a death and will not stop until its mission is carried out.
Show:Rod Serling’s The Night Gallery: The Doll
Year: 1971
Lies They Tell: She’s been speaking to sweet innocent Monica at nights, telling her all kinds of things, secret things, things about Monica’s uncle. And old doll doesn’t like any other dolls to take Monica’s attention away from her. She punishes them most severely.
Devilish Dolly Moment: “Best remain awake colonel, the doll has teeth and there is no medicine on earth to save you.” She waits in the dark on the stairs, you can’t escape her deadly, chomping dolly mouth.
What is it about clowns that makes them so darned terrifying? I mean, they're supposed to be mild, fun entertainment for children and yet we almost always think of them as malevolent. Well, if you're ready for another killer clown movie, one with a touch of stark black humor then prepare yourselves for 'Stitches' from director Conor McMahon!
Years after a cruel kids' prank during a birthday party for 8-year-old Tommy (Tommy Knight, Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures) left hired clown Richard "Stitches" Grindle (Ross Noble) dead on the kitchen floor, the childhood friends gather to plan a birthday bash to end all bashes. But they haven’t counted on the degenerate jester rising from the grave to seek vengeance on the children who mocked him and caused his grisly, untimely end. Now Tommy and his teenage friends are on the run from an undead jokester who’s ready to use every trick in the book (and many that aren’t) to exact his revenge. Dead Meat writer-director Conor McMahon delivers a delirious slasher epic, a hilariously twisted and blood-soaked tale of one very bad clown with a talent for making balloon animals – but with one very hideous difference.
The highly anticipated film hits select U.S. theaters on April 1st with a VOD, Digital Download and Blu-ray/DVD release set for April 2nd. Check out the trailer below and cover art above!
