This article contains spoilers
Alfred Hitchcock almost blew it. For most of Psycho’s runtime, the master of suspense lived up to his name, turning Robert Bloch’s pulpy novel into a thrilling mystery with shocking twists. But then, after the revelation of Norman Bates emulating his mother, now a rotting corpse, the movie stops for a psychiatrist to lecture the audience on Freudian theory. Were it not for the chilling closing voiceover by Virginia Gregg as Norma Bates, and Anthony Perkins’ proto-Kubrickian stare at the camera, Psycho may have gone out with a whisper.
As ill-advised as the lecture scene surely is, it did help establish a key element of the slasher genre that followed. Slashers aren’t just about serial killers who pick off victims one by one. They also need to have deeply weird storylines, dealing not only with the killer’s personal hang ups, but also...
Alfred Hitchcock almost blew it. For most of Psycho’s runtime, the master of suspense lived up to his name, turning Robert Bloch’s pulpy novel into a thrilling mystery with shocking twists. But then, after the revelation of Norman Bates emulating his mother, now a rotting corpse, the movie stops for a psychiatrist to lecture the audience on Freudian theory. Were it not for the chilling closing voiceover by Virginia Gregg as Norma Bates, and Anthony Perkins’ proto-Kubrickian stare at the camera, Psycho may have gone out with a whisper.
As ill-advised as the lecture scene surely is, it did help establish a key element of the slasher genre that followed. Slashers aren’t just about serial killers who pick off victims one by one. They also need to have deeply weird storylines, dealing not only with the killer’s personal hang ups, but also...
- 6/16/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Scream Factory sure loves director Kevin Connor’s 1980 oddball horror classic Motel Hell (which you can watch Here). They gave the film a special edition Blu-ray release from back in 2014, then a steelbook release with a 4K transfer back in 2020. Now they have announced that they’ll be giving Motel Hell a 4K Uhd release on June 27th – and copies are available for pre-order at This Link! While supplies last, fans who order the 4K Uhd release through the Scream Factory site will also receive an exclusive 18″ X 24″ rolled poster featuring the original theatrical artwork.
Written by Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe, Motel Hell stars Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons, Nina Axelrod, Wolfman Jack, Elaine Joyce, and John Ratzenberger. The synopsis: It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters! You really are what you eat with Farmer Vincent’s smoked meat in this creepy horror...
Written by Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe, Motel Hell stars Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons, Nina Axelrod, Wolfman Jack, Elaine Joyce, and John Ratzenberger. The synopsis: It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters! You really are what you eat with Farmer Vincent’s smoked meat in this creepy horror...
- 4/11/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Scream Factory continues upgrading their Blu-ray titles to 4K Ultra HD, and up next is the 1980 horror movie Motel Hell. Announced today, the film comes to 4K on June 27, 2023.
In director Kevin Connor’s 1980 movie, “A seemingly friendly farmer and his sister kidnap travelers and bury them alive, using them to create the “special meat” they are famous for.”
Special Features include:
Audio Commentary With Director Kevin Connor, Moderated By Dave Parker Interviews With Kevin Connor, Producers/Writers Robert Jaffe And Steven Charles Jaffe, Actor Marc Silver And Stunt Co-ordinator Gene Hartline Interviews With Actors Paul Linke And Rosanne Katon Ida, Be Thy Name: A Look Back At Motel Hell’s Frightful Female Protagonist, Ida Smith Theatrical Trailer
Pre-order the release now and get an exclusive poster, while supplies last.
The post ‘Motel Hell’ Opens Up on 4K Ultra HD This Summer from Scream Factory appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!
In director Kevin Connor’s 1980 movie, “A seemingly friendly farmer and his sister kidnap travelers and bury them alive, using them to create the “special meat” they are famous for.”
Special Features include:
Audio Commentary With Director Kevin Connor, Moderated By Dave Parker Interviews With Kevin Connor, Producers/Writers Robert Jaffe And Steven Charles Jaffe, Actor Marc Silver And Stunt Co-ordinator Gene Hartline Interviews With Actors Paul Linke And Rosanne Katon Ida, Be Thy Name: A Look Back At Motel Hell’s Frightful Female Protagonist, Ida Smith Theatrical Trailer
Pre-order the release now and get an exclusive poster, while supplies last.
The post ‘Motel Hell’ Opens Up on 4K Ultra HD This Summer from Scream Factory appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!
- 4/3/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Nicholas Meyer has deep ties to the “Star Trek” franchise as the director of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” and “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” the former of which is often regarded as the best “Star Trek” feature film ever made. More recently, Meyer served as a producer on the first season of the CBS All Access series “Star Trek: Discovery.” It turns out Meyer attempted to return to the “Star Trek” film world by pitching a detailed treatment for a new movie storyline to Paramount, although he tells Trek Movie that he has yet to hear back from the studio.
“My partner Steven-Charles Jaffe and I wrote a whole treatment and plan for a ‘Star Trek’ feature film,” Meyer said. “We didn’t write a whole script. We wrote a very detailed treatment and a whole pitch doc with illustrations. It’s a very comprehensive thing.
“My partner Steven-Charles Jaffe and I wrote a whole treatment and plan for a ‘Star Trek’ feature film,” Meyer said. “We didn’t write a whole script. We wrote a very detailed treatment and a whole pitch doc with illustrations. It’s a very comprehensive thing.
- 3/11/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The list of candidates for the 2020 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors election is now out, with the winner in each branch being chosen directly from these entries rather than whittling it down to four finalists in each, as has been done previously. The list of candidates is made up of qualified AMPAS members who actually submit themselves.
Also new this year in the streamlined timetable, as Deadline exclusively reported May 16. The winners for the 17 open slots on the 54-member board will be chosen by preferential balloting, just like Best Picture race at the Oscars. Voting begins Monday and ballots are due back June 5.
The actors branch is the largest in the Academy and it also has drawn the biggest field of contenders for the one spot that is up. Incumbent governor Whoopi Goldberg is running for re-election against past governor Ed Begley Jr. vying to return to the board.
Also new this year in the streamlined timetable, as Deadline exclusively reported May 16. The winners for the 17 open slots on the 54-member board will be chosen by preferential balloting, just like Best Picture race at the Oscars. Voting begins Monday and ballots are due back June 5.
The actors branch is the largest in the Academy and it also has drawn the biggest field of contenders for the one spot that is up. Incumbent governor Whoopi Goldberg is running for re-election against past governor Ed Begley Jr. vying to return to the board.
- 5/29/2020
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The list of candidates for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2020-2021 Board of Governors has been unveiled to members.
Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5.
Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those seats is open each year because terms are staggered.
The candidates were posted on the Academy members’ portal on Friday afternoon. Below is the complete list (divided by branch) of those running for spots on the board.
Actors
Michael Lee Aday
Ed Begley, Jr.
Robert Carradine
Nicolas Coster
Colman Domingo
Richard Dreyfuss
Spencer Garrett
Bruce Glover
Whoopi Goldberg (incumbent)
James Keach
Stacy Keach
Peter Wong
Jodi Long
Tim Matheson
Joe Pantoliano
Lou Diamond Phillips
Andrea Riseborough
Andrew Stevens
Rita Wilson
Casting Directors
Kerry Barden
Richard Hicks
Margery Simkin
Debra Zane
Cinematographers
Andrzej Bartkowiak
Richard P. Crudo
Svetlana Cvetko...
Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5.
Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those seats is open each year because terms are staggered.
The candidates were posted on the Academy members’ portal on Friday afternoon. Below is the complete list (divided by branch) of those running for spots on the board.
Actors
Michael Lee Aday
Ed Begley, Jr.
Robert Carradine
Nicolas Coster
Colman Domingo
Richard Dreyfuss
Spencer Garrett
Bruce Glover
Whoopi Goldberg (incumbent)
James Keach
Stacy Keach
Peter Wong
Jodi Long
Tim Matheson
Joe Pantoliano
Lou Diamond Phillips
Andrea Riseborough
Andrew Stevens
Rita Wilson
Casting Directors
Kerry Barden
Richard Hicks
Margery Simkin
Debra Zane
Cinematographers
Andrzej Bartkowiak
Richard P. Crudo
Svetlana Cvetko...
- 5/29/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Sokol Nov 26, 2019
Legendary cartoonist Gahan Wilson found an antidote for whimsical comic strips in a career that spanned half a century.
Influential cartoonist Gahan Wilson, who's worked darkened Colliers, Playboy, National Lampoon and The New Yorker, died of complications of dementia on Nov. 21 in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to the Associated Press. He was 89.
“The world has lost a legend," his stepson Paul Wilson posted on the artist's Facebook page. "One of the very best cartoonists to ever pick up a pen and paper has passed on. He went peacefully – surrounded by those who loved him. Gahan Wilson leaves behind a large body of work that is finely drawn, elegant, and provocative. He was preceded in death by his wife, author Nancy Winters Wilson, and his parents, Allen and Marion Wilson."
If any cartoonist carried the torch Charles Addams lit, it was Gahan Wilson. Weird was his specialty. He saw...
Legendary cartoonist Gahan Wilson found an antidote for whimsical comic strips in a career that spanned half a century.
Influential cartoonist Gahan Wilson, who's worked darkened Colliers, Playboy, National Lampoon and The New Yorker, died of complications of dementia on Nov. 21 in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to the Associated Press. He was 89.
“The world has lost a legend," his stepson Paul Wilson posted on the artist's Facebook page. "One of the very best cartoonists to ever pick up a pen and paper has passed on. He went peacefully – surrounded by those who loved him. Gahan Wilson leaves behind a large body of work that is finely drawn, elegant, and provocative. He was preceded in death by his wife, author Nancy Winters Wilson, and his parents, Allen and Marion Wilson."
If any cartoonist carried the torch Charles Addams lit, it was Gahan Wilson. Weird was his specialty. He saw...
- 11/26/2019
- Den of Geek
Adding to their tradition of releasing box sets of beloved horror franchises, Scream Factory's five-disc The Fly Collection comes out on December 10th, and ahead of its holiday season release, we've been provided with the massive list of full special features.
Press Release: Los Angeles, CA -- Get ready for hours of skin-crawling terror as you witness a transformation like no other – from man to fly. On December 10, 2019, Scream Factory proudly presents the insect-morphing horror set The Fly Collection in a definitive Blu-ray™ release. This massive 5-disc set consists of the chilling original trilogy, the eye-popping 80s remake and its terrifying sequel, and is packed with hours of fascinating special features.
The complete list of bonus features includes a bevy of new interviews and audio commentaries with cast and crew, including with producers Mel Brooks and Stuart Cornfeld, screenwriter Mick Garris and composer Howard Shore. The Curse of the Fly...
Press Release: Los Angeles, CA -- Get ready for hours of skin-crawling terror as you witness a transformation like no other – from man to fly. On December 10, 2019, Scream Factory proudly presents the insect-morphing horror set The Fly Collection in a definitive Blu-ray™ release. This massive 5-disc set consists of the chilling original trilogy, the eye-popping 80s remake and its terrifying sequel, and is packed with hours of fascinating special features.
The complete list of bonus features includes a bevy of new interviews and audio commentaries with cast and crew, including with producers Mel Brooks and Stuart Cornfeld, screenwriter Mick Garris and composer Howard Shore. The Curse of the Fly...
- 11/7/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
I’m always on the lookout for the next flash of wtfuckery from the dusty video shelves of yesteryear; films bypassed perhaps due to a lack of publicity, or a flood of imitations, or sometimes even just a good old dose of common sense. And then there’s Scarab (1983), a nonsensical wonder that combines political intrigue, Egyptian warrior resurrections, a psychotic Rip Torn, and perpetual ‘80s whipping boy Robert Ginty. If I had discovered this on VHS, I never would have gotten rid of my Vcr.
Bypassing theatrical distribution stateside, Scarab made nary a sound with horror fans on home video; I’d never even heard of it despite being a Torn and Ginty fan since the dawn of the Panasonic top loader. Oh well. As the saying goes, it’s never too late to unearth an incoherent yet delightful cult conspiracy flick. Or something like that.
I swear there...
Bypassing theatrical distribution stateside, Scarab made nary a sound with horror fans on home video; I’d never even heard of it despite being a Torn and Ginty fan since the dawn of the Panasonic top loader. Oh well. As the saying goes, it’s never too late to unearth an incoherent yet delightful cult conspiracy flick. Or something like that.
I swear there...
- 1/5/2019
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
“Meat’s meat and a man’s gotta eat!” Heed the battle cry of Farmer Vincent Smith, maker of the finest smoked meats around. People would come from far and wide to purchase his delectable fritters, unaware that his special ‘ingredient’ was plain folk, like you and me. 35 years ago, Vincent and his Motel Hell cut off a slice of Americana and served it up in theaters, with a heaping help of humor for good measure. Cannibalism was never this down home friendly.
My initial memories of Motel Hell formulated around two images: The front cover of Issue #9 (November 1980) of Fangoria magazine, the new horror monthly that specialized in the kind of gruesome images that it’s gentler forefather, Famous Monsters of Filmland, wasn’t comfortable delving in to. Upon the cover was a picture of a man in bib overalls, wearing a pig’s head and brandishing a blood...
My initial memories of Motel Hell formulated around two images: The front cover of Issue #9 (November 1980) of Fangoria magazine, the new horror monthly that specialized in the kind of gruesome images that it’s gentler forefather, Famous Monsters of Filmland, wasn’t comfortable delving in to. Upon the cover was a picture of a man in bib overalls, wearing a pig’s head and brandishing a blood...
- 10/19/2015
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Welcome back my ghoulish fiends! This week we are going to be addin’ a few special treats to our crazy cornucopia of dastardly delights; namely, I will be turning my evil eye upon a short film, a CD, and of course our usual nightmare nonsense of full-length films and interviews!
Silent Horror – Self Titled (Audio CD)
As you can probably surmise, your ol’ pal Daniel Xiii is a rather large aficionado of that wicked sub-genre of maniacal music known as horror-punk! Graveyard ghouls crooning pestulant platitudes to all manner of monsters and madmen has been infinitely entertaining to yours cruelly since the days when Glenn Danzig and his Misfits crawled from the pizza scented streets of loverly Lodi New Jersey.
Now, there’s been a ton of bands influenced by Glenny D’s Evil Elvis swagger, and as you can guess, some are much better than others; but every once...
Silent Horror – Self Titled (Audio CD)
As you can probably surmise, your ol’ pal Daniel Xiii is a rather large aficionado of that wicked sub-genre of maniacal music known as horror-punk! Graveyard ghouls crooning pestulant platitudes to all manner of monsters and madmen has been infinitely entertaining to yours cruelly since the days when Glenn Danzig and his Misfits crawled from the pizza scented streets of loverly Lodi New Jersey.
Now, there’s been a ton of bands influenced by Glenny D’s Evil Elvis swagger, and as you can guess, some are much better than others; but every once...
- 9/5/2014
- by DanielXIII
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
It’s finally happening. This is one of the bad boys right here. This is one of Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition releases that I have been dying for, and one that will finally make its way onto the space on my shelf(5 foot stack), designated for Scream and Shout Factory Blu-rays. If you haven’t seen Motel Hell yet, your first time is going to be great, as Scream Factory have stacked the disc with extras and awesome new cover art. The disc drops on August 12th, and if you’d like to pre-order your copy now, do so by clicking right here, and you will receive an exclusive 18×24 poster featuring the commissioned cover-art. Check out the official press release below for a listing of the newly-revealed special features, hot off the press.
Scream Factory™ Presents
A Twisted Horror Comedy from Celebrated British Filmmaker Kevin Connor
Finally Arrives...
Scream Factory™ Presents
A Twisted Horror Comedy from Celebrated British Filmmaker Kevin Connor
Finally Arrives...
- 6/18/2014
- by Shawn Savage
- The Liberal Dead
When I was young, my first ambition was to be a magazine cartoonist. I wrote to some of my heroes and received wonderful, encouraging letters in return; I even have rejection slips from The New Yorker and Saturday Evening Post. But I didn’t take art lessons to improve my skills, and even I could see that my work wasn’t really up to snuff. Not so for Gahan Wilson, who has been creating unique and wonderful drawings for decades and still contributes to the two remaining havens for panel cartoons, Playboy and The New Yorker. Six years ago I was lucky enough to see a heartfelt documentary about Wilson, made as a labor of love by Steven-Charles Jaffe, whose producing credits include such...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 6/10/2014
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
“Gahan Wilson’s work was my introduction to dark humor.” – Stephen Colbert
“For those of you who don’t get Gahan Wilson…That’s impossible! If you look at his cartoons and they don’t make you laugh, you’ve got to go back to the very beginning as a person and start with “knock-Knock” jokes and then work your way back.” – Lewis Black
“Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird” is comic anarchy on a splendid level. Great imagery. Let’s face it, Gahan Wilson is a genius. I loved it!” — Mel Brooks
Those are some of comedy’s heaviest hitters showering their praise on a new documentary about the merrily macabre cartoonist, Gahan Wilson, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird. The film’s director, Steven-Charles Jaffe, invited us to share the trailer to this hilariously horrifying film (we are Trailers From Hell after all) and we couldn...
“For those of you who don’t get Gahan Wilson…That’s impossible! If you look at his cartoons and they don’t make you laugh, you’ve got to go back to the very beginning as a person and start with “knock-Knock” jokes and then work your way back.” – Lewis Black
“Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird” is comic anarchy on a splendid level. Great imagery. Let’s face it, Gahan Wilson is a genius. I loved it!” — Mel Brooks
Those are some of comedy’s heaviest hitters showering their praise on a new documentary about the merrily macabre cartoonist, Gahan Wilson, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird. The film’s director, Steven-Charles Jaffe, invited us to share the trailer to this hilariously horrifying film (we are Trailers From Hell after all) and we couldn...
- 5/9/2014
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
In this entertaining documentary, the coolest kids in town sing the praises of cartoonist Gahan Wilson, whose work is a brilliant fusion of the personal and the political.
Stan Lee, Neil Gaiman, Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and a moving, personally revealing Stephen Colbert track Wilson's influence on their own work. Many first encountered Wilson's work in the pages of Playboy magazine, where he's been a regular for 50 years, or in National Lampoon, which published the artist's devastating Vietnam-era cartoons.
Director Steven-Charles Jaffe, making his feature debut, fills the screen with a steady succession of Wilson drawings, the origins of which the artist connects to his own life, particularly his emotionally treacherous ch...
Stan Lee, Neil Gaiman, Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and a moving, personally revealing Stephen Colbert track Wilson's influence on their own work. Many first encountered Wilson's work in the pages of Playboy magazine, where he's been a regular for 50 years, or in National Lampoon, which published the artist's devastating Vietnam-era cartoons.
Director Steven-Charles Jaffe, making his feature debut, fills the screen with a steady succession of Wilson drawings, the origins of which the artist connects to his own life, particularly his emotionally treacherous ch...
- 11/19/2013
- Village Voice
You’ve heard of directors using crowdsourced funding to help make a film. Here’s one trying to Kickstart his movie into the Oscar race.
Steven Charles Jaffe, the director of Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, is hoping to raise about $50,000 on Kickstarter.com to qualify for the Academy Awards by renting screens in New York and Los Angeles for the requisite one-week theatrical run, plus local advertising buys.
The movie explores the life of the macabre cartoonist whose ghoulishly funny panels have appeared regularly in The New Yorker and Playboy, with interviews from admirers such as Stephen Colbert,...
Steven Charles Jaffe, the director of Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, is hoping to raise about $50,000 on Kickstarter.com to qualify for the Academy Awards by renting screens in New York and Los Angeles for the requisite one-week theatrical run, plus local advertising buys.
The movie explores the life of the macabre cartoonist whose ghoulishly funny panels have appeared regularly in The New Yorker and Playboy, with interviews from admirers such as Stephen Colbert,...
- 8/7/2013
- by Anthony Breznican
- EW - Inside Movies
Like many filmmakers who once worked within the studio system, producer Steven-Charles Jaffe has turned to crowdsourcing to raise money for his new film, a documentary on macabre cartoonist Gahan Wilson. But the producer of "Ghost" and four Kathryn Bigelow movies, including "Strange Days," isn't using the website to help shoot "Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird," or to finish its post-production. Instead, he's appealing to the Kickstarter community to help him launch an Academy Awards qualifying run and an Oscar campaign. "There's an undeclared revolution going on in Hollywood with crowdsourcing and...
- 8/7/2013
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, directed by Steven-Charles Jaffe, is a profile of the legendary cartoonist, who is renown for his ghoulish, twisted visions that combine horrific elements with comedy.
The documentary features interviews with famous Wilson fans, such as Stan Lee, Stephen Colbert, Guillermo Del Toro, Neil Gaiman, Lewis Black and more — many of whom are featured in the above trailer. Also included in the trailer are several examples of Wilson’s incredible artwork.
Most recently, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird won the Best Documentary award at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival.
Learn more about the film at its official website.
Read More:Movie Trailer: Come And Get MeMovie Trailer: Shut Up Little Man! An Audio MisadventureMovie Trailer: Radio Free AlbemuthMovie Trailer: Of Dolls And Murder...
The documentary features interviews with famous Wilson fans, such as Stan Lee, Stephen Colbert, Guillermo Del Toro, Neil Gaiman, Lewis Black and more — many of whom are featured in the above trailer. Also included in the trailer are several examples of Wilson’s incredible artwork.
Most recently, Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird won the Best Documentary award at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival.
Learn more about the film at its official website.
Read More:Movie Trailer: Come And Get MeMovie Trailer: Shut Up Little Man! An Audio MisadventureMovie Trailer: Radio Free AlbemuthMovie Trailer: Of Dolls And Murder...
- 7/25/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Swirled within the cacophony of major media news items coming out of the just wrapped-up annual San Diego Comic-Con, there is also the news of the winners of the convention’s Independent Film Festival. Nearly 50 films were screened over four days in an enormous screening room at the Marriott Marquis Hotel next door to San Diego’s convention center.
Awards were given out based upon the genre screening blocks that the film festival is organized into. Winner of the Best Action Adventure Film award was the first film screened at the festival, The Debt Collector, directed by Alan David Morgan, which was a Morgan’s thesis film produced at the American Film Institute.
In addition to the genre-based awards, there was one Judges Award, which was given to the Polish animated film Paths of Hate, directed by Damian Nenow. The film, which depicts a stunning aerial dogfight, also won the Best Animated Film award.
Awards were given out based upon the genre screening blocks that the film festival is organized into. Winner of the Best Action Adventure Film award was the first film screened at the festival, The Debt Collector, directed by Alan David Morgan, which was a Morgan’s thesis film produced at the American Film Institute.
In addition to the genre-based awards, there was one Judges Award, which was given to the Polish animated film Paths of Hate, directed by Damian Nenow. The film, which depicts a stunning aerial dogfight, also won the Best Animated Film award.
- 7/25/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
San Diego’s annual Comic-Con is mostly known for its major media spectacles, displays and panel discussions by major mainstream Hollywood studios and distributors. Lesser known is the Independent Film Festival that is hosted by and runs concurrently with the larger convention on July 21-24.
The film festival runs in a large meeting room at the Marriott Marquis Hotel and Marina, located right next door to the convention center. Each day kicks off with a “Film School” panel discussion at 10:00 a.m., then packs the late morning, all afternoon and night with independent films from all over the world.
Screenings are blocked by genre, such as Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi, Horror, Animation and Documentary. There’s also an awards presentation on the 24th, with repeat screenings of the winning films.
One of the highlights of this year’s Cci-iff is the screening of Waylon Bacon‘s fantastic and disturbing short film Help Wanted,...
The film festival runs in a large meeting room at the Marriott Marquis Hotel and Marina, located right next door to the convention center. Each day kicks off with a “Film School” panel discussion at 10:00 a.m., then packs the late morning, all afternoon and night with independent films from all over the world.
Screenings are blocked by genre, such as Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi, Horror, Animation and Documentary. There’s also an awards presentation on the 24th, with repeat screenings of the winning films.
One of the highlights of this year’s Cci-iff is the screening of Waylon Bacon‘s fantastic and disturbing short film Help Wanted,...
- 6/28/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Directed by: Kevin Connor
Written by: Robert Jaffe, Steven-Charles Jaffe
Cast: Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, Nina Axelrod, Paul Linke
I just finished watching the wonderful 1980 horror flick Motel Hell and it made me think. Now, I doubt this is the reaction the filmmakers were looking for when they made this witty little treat, and it’s definitely not the reaction I had when I saw it originally as a teenager. But as one ages and the body begins to break down, the mind begins to assert itself. So bear with me. Watching Motel Hell as a kid, I delighted in seeing former western star Rory Calhoun playing a murderous, cannibalistic farmer. But as an adult, I realized that this flick holds an interesting place in the history of horror movies: Motel Hell might well be the true last gasp of '70s horror.
In the 1970s, horror flicks were more...
Written by: Robert Jaffe, Steven-Charles Jaffe
Cast: Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, Nina Axelrod, Paul Linke
I just finished watching the wonderful 1980 horror flick Motel Hell and it made me think. Now, I doubt this is the reaction the filmmakers were looking for when they made this witty little treat, and it’s definitely not the reaction I had when I saw it originally as a teenager. But as one ages and the body begins to break down, the mind begins to assert itself. So bear with me. Watching Motel Hell as a kid, I delighted in seeing former western star Rory Calhoun playing a murderous, cannibalistic farmer. But as an adult, I realized that this flick holds an interesting place in the history of horror movies: Motel Hell might well be the true last gasp of '70s horror.
In the 1970s, horror flicks were more...
- 12/23/2010
- by Theron
- Planet Fury
Indie production company Helix Films has formed an exclusive partnership with the Meccano Toy Co. to develop an original 3D feature film based upon the Erector Set line of construction toys.
Invented in England by Frank Hornby in 1901, Meccano was conceived as a model toy construction system comprising reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. The toy has sold under the Erector Set brand in the U.S. since 1913, and Meccano/Erector set toy products are currently sold in more than 90 companies.
Santa Monica-based Helix is developing a script for a family fantasy/adventure franchise built around the nuts-and-bolts brand that could also be extended to other platforms like TV and video games.
The deal, for undisclosed terms, represents the first time Meccano has licensed film rights to its toys.
Helix was founded in 2008 by film producers and business execs Steven-Charles Jaffe,...
Invented in England by Frank Hornby in 1901, Meccano was conceived as a model toy construction system comprising reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. The toy has sold under the Erector Set brand in the U.S. since 1913, and Meccano/Erector set toy products are currently sold in more than 90 companies.
Santa Monica-based Helix is developing a script for a family fantasy/adventure franchise built around the nuts-and-bolts brand that could also be extended to other platforms like TV and video games.
The deal, for undisclosed terms, represents the first time Meccano has licensed film rights to its toys.
Helix was founded in 2008 by film producers and business execs Steven-Charles Jaffe,...
- 2/17/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With Hasbro and Mattel making big deals to turn their toy properties into films – not to mention the big money earned by the likes of Transformers, the flood of companies trying to do the same continues. The latest? Meccano, which has licensed its toy sets to indie production company Helix Films.So what can we expect from a Meccano movie? There’s no writer attached yet, but Helix is aiming for a family adventure to be shot in… wait… for it… 3D. But of course!Known as Erector Set these days in the States (and if the movie keeps the name, the jokes will just write themselves), Meccano was originally invented in 1901 by Liverpool native Frank Hornby as a model toy construction system, aiming to get kids interested in mechanics at a young age."The three partners of Helix Films all grew up playing with Erector Set toys but in...
- 2/16/2010
- EmpireOnline
Perhaps it was just a matter of time, but the independent production company Helix Films announced today that they have formed an exclusive partnership with Meccano Toy Company to develop an original 3-D feature film based upon the iconic Erector Set brand of children's construction toys. The deal represents the first time Meccano has licensed film rights to their toys.
We've joked in the past about movies based upon toys/games/merchandise, being, as they are, one third of the current Hollywood filmmaking trifecta—the other two of which constitute remakes and 3-D everything. So we're skeptical when another movie project based upon a toy line is announced.
Below is the official press release, courtesy of Helix:
Helix is currently developing an original script with an eye towards creating a film franchise based on the Erector brand that could also expand to other entertainment platforms including television and video games.
We've joked in the past about movies based upon toys/games/merchandise, being, as they are, one third of the current Hollywood filmmaking trifecta—the other two of which constitute remakes and 3-D everything. So we're skeptical when another movie project based upon a toy line is announced.
Below is the official press release, courtesy of Helix:
Helix is currently developing an original script with an eye towards creating a film franchise based on the Erector brand that could also expand to other entertainment platforms including television and video games.
- 2/16/2010
- CinemaSpy
ShockTillYouDrop.com and the New Beverly Cinema (7165 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles) want you to find out what kind of critters make Farmer Vincent Fritters! On June 12th, we're holding our second "Midnight Shock" screening in conjunction with the Beverly's Phil Blankenship. Beginning at 11:59pm, we're screening a print of Kevin Connor's Motel Hell . Even better, I've called in screenwriters Steven-Charles Jaffe and Robert Jaffe to talk about the film during a pre-show Q&A! They'll also fill us in on their new documentary Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird (see art below). So come early. Come caffeinated. And come hungry. There just might be some jerky treats for you!
- 6/4/2009
- shocktillyoudrop.com
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