Great news, you guys! Genre favorite Drew Daywalt has just inked a deal to direct The Hurting Man, a horror feature film following the story of a police officer who tragically finds his family murdered after a failed 911 call and now must work to save their souls from a demonic boogeyman haunting his childhood home.

“I wrote this script and kept it close to my chest,” says Daywalt, “because this one was written from my own worst terrors, both as a parent of small children, and also tapping into my own childhood fears of a hideously costumed boogieman. This one’s going to scare the hell out of everyone. I promise. I can say that because it really scares me, and I’m letting my fear guide me on this one.”

This won’t be the first time that he’s scared the hell out of us.  Drew is the mastermind behind the web series Camera Obscura, and digital channel The Daywalt Fear Factory, home to a whole slew of amazing short horror films including my personal favorite Bedfellows.

For The Hurting Man, Drew will be teaming up with producer Eric B. Fleischman of EBF Productions (Ritual, Two-Bit Waltz), and indie horror luminary and Executive Producer Larry Fessenden (Habit, The Last Winter).

“There’s a certain kind of genuinely terrifying old-school-campfire scare that Daywalt gets right in his Fear Factory gems,” says Fessenden. “I can’t wait to see him nail those chills in a long form film.”

The Hurting Man goes into production this fall and details about the cast are still being kept secret, but the rumor is that horror fans will not be disappointed. And on that note, close sources to the film are saying that there’s a terrifying boogeyman that will inspire iconic Halloween costumes for years to come.

Being quite familiar with Daywalt’s brilliant monster work myself, I can only image the size of the goosebumps this one will give me. I can’t wait.

You can find out more information on the film’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/THEHURTINGMAN.

Holland discussed beginning his career as an actor, transitioning into writing for television, and how he moved on to write and direct feature films like The Beast Within and Psycho 2. He also shared some hilarious stories about working with Anthony Perkins and the Chucky doll, as well as some interesting perspectives on making a vampire movie during a time when vampires were death in the marketplace.

With a career spanning many years, he may be one of the most interesting men in the industry. And you absolutely must watch this week’s show to find out what horror movie scared him the most as a child, as well as what film he’d love to get his hands on for a remake – you’ll be surprised!

Tom also rocked my boat when he introduced one of the most innovative, one-of-a-kind lifetime experiences I have ever heard about, The Ship of Fear. This is a horror-themed cruise, hosted by Holland, with activities spanning from film screenings, panels and parties with some of the genres finest including: Joe Dante, Mary Lambert, Don Coscarelli, Mick Garris, Alice Cooper, Dee Snider and Corey Feldman. I immediately booked my reservation and I hope you join me,  it’s definitely something you won’t want to miss.

To wrap up the season in style, the Inside Horror crew also discussed their favorite 2012 offerings. Elric enjoyed Joss Whedon’s clever The Cabin in the Woods, the classic 80’s horror feel of Ciaran Foy’s Citadel, and the playful nod to the found footage subgenre that V/H/S brought us. Staci praised the Scandinavian crime thriller Headhunters, the story behind the psychology of greed in Killer Joe, and Brandon Cronenberg’s (David Cronenberg’s son) futuristic body horror exploration in Antiviral, his feature film debut. And FANGORIA’s Rebekah McKendry loved the slow and moody theme of The Woman in Black, the incredibly smart Australian torture film The Loved Ones, and Barry Levinson’s found footage adventure The Bay, one that’s getting a limited theatrical release this Friday.

I’m going to pick from each of their choices when putting together my favorites. I adored the playfulness of The Cabin in the Woods and the smirk it left on my face for days after leaving the theater. I was also a fan of the The Loved Ones and the new perspective it gave me on the torture film subgenre. And I’d also like to add Prometheus to the mix, one that Rebekah mentioned as another favorite as well, for its revival of one of the best horror franchises of all time, Aliens.

And in this week’s horror news, Rebekah showed us the latest Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D poster, one that Elric so eloquently replied to by saying ‘… his mask looks like a sack’ (I agree). She also shared news on director Eduardo Rodriguez’s pending direct-to-video Fright Night sequel and Eli Roth’s screening of Cannibal Holocaust to a village in the Amazon helping him film his new movie Green Inferno.

And a big CONGRATS goes out to Drew Daywalt on some exciting news! The Daywalt Factory has started production on its first feature film, The Passengers, about a group transporting antiques across the country that find out some the items in tow are haunted. Being a big fan of the Daywalt Factory’s work, I’m super excited to see what the crew puts together.

Be sure to watch the season finale at  http://www.youtube.com/thestreamtv to get the full news update, details on how to win a signed mint condition VHS copy of Tom Holland’s Fright Night (an absolute collectors dream), and to catch this week’s video blogger, Shock Till You Drop’s managing editor, Ryan Turek, sharing the horror film that has made the most significant impact on his life. He’s got a great pick with a great story to boot.

Thanks everyone, and we’ll see you soon for season 4 of Inside Horror!

Inside Horror airs Tuesdays at 7pm PT, 10pm ET. Visit thestream.tv/inside-horror for more information, and for additional perspectives follow the team on Twitter at @InsideHorror and Facebook at facebook.com/InsideHorror.

Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, winners of the 2005 Project Greenlight project, kicked off the show with a fascinating chat about their latest horror adventure, The Collection, the follow-up to their 2009 film, The Collector. Turns out these guys are evil geniuses with an absolutely flawless process behind creating the franchise’s killer — one that involves spider webs, complacency and a fascinating story about a near-death german shepherd attack. Seriously, some of the most interesting people I have ever encountered, these two.

The duo have been working together in some form or another since college, and are also the writers behind Saw IV,  Saw V, Saw VI, Saw 3D.

Next, Elric and Staci welcomed Michael J. Bassett, the director behind one of this year’s most anticipated horror releases, Silent Hill: Revelation 3D. Bassett discussed the fantasy horror sequel compared to its older brother, Silent Hill, as well as  the blatant differences involved with shooting 2D and 3D  – a conversation that really got me thinking differently about how I watch movies at home (I will likely be investing in a 3D TV soon).

Silent Hill: Revelation 3D releases nationwide on Friday, October 26th, and I am really looking forward to this one. And CONGRATS to the winners of our Silent Hill: Revelation 3D photo captioning contest last week! The winners will also be announced on Facebook today.

Inside Horror also shared their favorite serial killer films. FANGORIA’s Rebekah McKendry chose Man Bites Dog, an obscure Belgium mockumentary about a film crew that gets involved with the goings-on of a serial killer. Staci likes Kaliforina, an adventure that focuses on the mental drive of a serial killer, with early performances by Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis. And Elric’s favorite is The Hitcher, a well-written film starring Rutger Hauer  that gives new meaning to the phrase ‘finger foods’.

Fans gushed over MANIAC, which has a promising remake being released in 2013 and stars Elijah Wood. I personally love American Psycho, a film that I watch and quote regularly for good measure.

Rebekah congratulated Screamfest winners The Soska Twins for their highly anticipated American Mary, and recommended some new films during this week’s horror news update. One that caught my attention was Wake in Fright, a Australian horror film that was made in 1971 and is just now getting a U.S. release thanks to the fine folks at the Alamo Drafthouse. She also offered reported on  a special screening of Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary and Dark Chronicles happening at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 24th, with actors Denise Crosby and Miko Hughes in attendance. Fans can get their advanced tickets here.

You can watch this week’s episde at: http://www.youtube.com/thestreamtv to get the full update, and be sure to tune in next week when Inside Horror welcomes one of my all-time favorite directors, Tom Holland, the mastermind behind classics like Child’s Play and Fright Night. Us die-hards also know and love him for his performance as Uncle Bob in Adam Green’s Hatchet II.

Inside Horror airs Tuesdays at 7pm PT, 10pm ET. Visit thestream.tv/inside-horror for more information, and for additional perspectives follow the team on Twitter at @InsideHorror and Facebook at  facebook.com/InsideHorror.

“I remember rummaging in the basement and liked the scary stuff on the covers.  At first, I stuck to the stories in Night Shift, but soon picked up The Bachman Books.  It was comforting for me to know that there were other people out there with weird ideas in their heads. And of course, then I read it and became a fan for life.”

WGBH Arts: Turn Your Obsession into a Party Game with The Illustrated Stephen King Movie Trivia Book  >>

Excision is dark comedy/art horror exploration into the lengths that a teenager will go to receive approval, and originated as a short that Bates Jr. made while attending NYU. He chatted about where the idea came from, how he’d wanted to turn it into a feature film from the very beginning, and why this labor of love took over 4 years, and lots of financial favors from friends, to make.

He also discussed the importance of casting against types, shared fun stories about promoting the film at Sundance, working with AnnaLynne McCord and Traci Lords, and why John Waters got involved with the film and how his film crew lost him at the airport – absolutely hilarious!

And in honor of last night’s theme, Inside Horror shared their favorite art horror films. Elric loves Eyes Without a Face, a gory and stunning masterpiece that beared a huge influence on Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. Staci likes Dracula: Page from a Virgin’s Diary, a black and white ballet rendition of the classic Bram Stoker novel, DRACULA. And Rebekah adores Hausu, an absolutely gorgeous and colorful film about a house that eats people. This one turned out to be the audience favorite last night, too.

As for me, can we classify David Lynch’s Lost Highway as horror? Because it’s definitely a visually stunning and eerie piece of art combined with a creepy soundtrack, and I can’t get enough of it.

‘Like’ Inside Horror on Facebook and tell us what your favorite horror art film is and why, and you could score yourself a blu-ray copy of Excision.

FANGORIA’s Rebekah McKendry began the latest horror news celebrating Sinister’s amazing opening weekend. The film grossed $18 million, taking 3rd place behind Taken 2 and Argo. Considering that Sinister’s production budget was pocket change compared to the others, I’d say that’s wicked good success!  And not to be outdone, Season 3 of AMC’s The Walking Dead premiered on Sunday and broke all basic cable records with 25 million people tuning in, making it the highest watched telecast in history.

Rebekah also showed us a preview of FANGORIA’s new show on The Nerdist, Blood and Guts. In the show, metal legend Scott Ian from Anthrax takes us behind the scenes to see how some of our favorite visual effects are made — this looks like a lot of fun! She also discussed the rabid and raving fan approval for the recently leaked trailer of the Evil Dead remake, which debuted at the New York Comic Con this weekend. I was lucky enough to catch this before it was removed, and it looks amazing.

Watch this week’s episde at: http://www.youtube.com/thestreamtv, to see the full interview with Richard Bates Jr., get a complete rundown on the latest horror news, and catch my video blog segment about the horror film that made the most significant impact on my life.

And be sure to tune in next week when Inside Horror welcomes Project Greenlight winners Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton to discuss their upcoming horror feature The Collector.

Inside Horror airs Tuesdays at 7pm PT, 10pm ET. Visit thestream.tv/inside-horror for more information, and for additional perspectives follow the team on Twitter at @InsideHorror and Facebook at facebook.com/InsideHorror.

[Original post on horrormovies.ca]

Anthologies are my absolute favorite sub-genre within the world of horror films. And as a community, we’re so lucky to have so many good ones to choose from! Whether you’re looking for multiple scares within one viewing, or a good mix of comedy and horror, here are 10 horror anthologies you absolutely must watch this Halloween:

1. TRICK R’ TREAT

Rule #1: It’s not about the rules of horror movies — it’s about the rules of Halloween! Trick r’ Treat is a brilliant anthology of four intertwined stories, all happening on Halloween night, and designed to give the rules of the evening a new dimension.

2. CREEPSHOW

This is a comic book-inspired anthology was my gateway into horror — it includes stories directed by George Romero and written by Stephen King – already an instant classic! Not to mention, the ensemble cast is something to openly drool over.

3. CREEPSHOW 2

This is the follow-up to the above, Creepshow, and brings us some of the most memorable horror stories of all-time straight from the ink and mind of King again — Thanks for the ride, lady!

4. TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: THE MOVIE

Oh my gosh, in this anthology, a child tells stories of horror to postpone a witch, played by Deborah Harry, that plans to serve him as the main course for a dinner party. Christian Slater, Steve Buscemi and Julianne Moore — yet another ensemble cast to get uber excited about!

5. V/H/S

Ahh… this one starts out with a group of misfits hired to burglarize a rundown house and retrieve a VHS collection, that end up discovering more found footage than they bargained for — of course this list is going to include 2012’s little darling of a film, it’s an absolute must watch.

6. CAMPFIRE TALES

This is one of those films that nobody likes, but me, but it’s also a really fun and modern anthology about classic urban legends — campy at times, goosebumps for the other ones. Also, Ron Livingston is in this, you guys!

7. TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE

This is a timeless classic that includes four horror/sci-fi segments, taken from the original TV show, Twilight Zone. and directed by four famous directors: John Landis, Joe Dante, Steven Spielberg and George Miller. Extra points for all of the urban legends surround the making of this film — it was haunted from the very beginning.

8. THREE… EXTREMES

Some of today’s hottest indie horror Asian directors; Takaski Miike, Fruit Chan and Park Chan-wook, came together for this trilogy of terror — the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, balancing out the absolutely horrifying stories. This is not one for those with a weak stomach.

9. TRILOGY OF TERROR

In this anthology, originally written by Richard Matheson, horror darling Karen Black stars in three bizarre stories about three different tormented women. This originally a movie made for TV, but then that creepy little doll took its cult status and ran with it.

10. STEPHEN KING’S CAT’S EYE

A stray cat links together three different stories in this suspenseful anthology. And although we’re dealing with another top-notch ensemble cast; Drew Barrymore and James Woods to name a few,  I guarantee you’ll appreciate the movie more if you read the short stories first in Stephen King’s ‘Night Shift’.

Hey guys! Stacy Buchanan here with the latest Inside Horror update. This week’s episode was all about found footage  and voyeurism in film as Elric and Staci welcomed directors from two of this years most creepy and anticipated found footage films: Sinister and V/H/S.

Director Scott Derrickson kicked things off by discussing the popularity of the found footage sub genre in horror, and where his new film, Sinister, fits in. Turns out this isn’t a found footage movie, but instead a movie about a guy that finds footage. And I love the plot, the idea, the new take on the sub genre — I  love it all.

He also shared fun behind the scenes bits and pieces about the making of the film, how its original title went from Super 8 – to – Sinister, as well as a whole slew of insider camera tips for doing the majority of your shooting in a single location. This interview is a must watch for anyone aspiring to become a horror director.

Sinister gets its nationwide release on Friday, October 12th, and overwhelming early reviews on the film are getting me so excited!

Elric and Staci also sat down with David Bruckner, the director behind the infamous opening V/H/S segment “Amateur Night,” to talk about where the idea for the film originated and why the short form stories work so well within the genre. Fascinating fact: the directors were intentionally left in the dark about each others’ segments. And that’s just one of the techniques that helped mold this V/H/S into the hit that it is today – check out the interview to learn more.

Bruckner also talked about why the found footage sub genre isn’t easier to film and how it’s actually one of the harder sub genres to tackle cinematically. Like any other film, every scene is planned out, especially the ones where it’s supposed to feel like it’s not, and directors must balance keeping the audience in a state of suspense and committed till the end, and not uncomfortable. It’s really a strong case and rebuttal for the argument that found footage is over-used and instead, with the right treatment and eye,  actually has a long shelf life and is here to stay.

V/H/S is now available on video on demand and gets its theatrical release this Friday.

And to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Video Nasties Legacy, Elric and Staci passed along details on Cinefamily Theatre’s Video Nasties Celebration and shared their favorite films banned and persecuted in England during the mortal panic and censorship of the Thatcher government.

Elric  chose Don’t Go in the House, a Psycho-esque film that earned its censorship with its flashbacks about parental abuse, and not its violent scenes involving a man abducting women and burning them alive. Staci voted for The Toolbox Murders, one she found to be nasty, brutal and entertaining for its violence and extreme nudity. My personal favorite is the psychological and gore-filled Maniac, which didn’t necessarily make the official Video Nasties list, but was still prosecuted and banned by the government during the censorship period.

And Fangoria’s Rebekah McKendry, who was out sick for last night’s show, chose the 1979 psycho-torture film Driller Killer, about an insane artist that finds killing strangers with a power drill to be a great stress reliever.

Sending wishes for a quick recovery, Rebekah!

Never fear if you missed the show last night, your voyeuristic tendencies can be fulfilled viewing the on demand version at thestream.tv/inside-horror.

And be sure to tune in next week when we’ll get the file extension kinks worked out of my video blog about the horror movie that has made the most significant impact on my life, welcome back Rebekah and so much more!

Inside Horror airs Tuesdays at 7pm PT, 10pm ET. Visit thestream.tv/inside-horror for more information, and for additional perspectives follow the team on Twitter at @InsideHorror and Facebook at facebook.com/InsideHorror.

Hello, friends! Stacy Buchanan here, and oh man, did I pick a great week to join the Inside Horror crew.

In this week’s episode, Elric and Staci sat down with screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, the very charismatic mastermind behind JAWS I, II and III. His presence brought out a whole slew of great ‘I don’t go in the water anymore’ stories from the Inside Horror crew as well as the audience. Of course that’s also the first thing that Gottlieb hears when meeting fans — their stories of a new found fear of the water. He knew that while writing the movie, his work wouldn’t be done until viewers were afraid to take a shower. Brilliant!

And I learned an interesting fact in last night: after the release of JAWS, the shark population dwindled as the species became over-fished. Considering I live less than an hour from Martha’s Vineyard, where the film was shot, I did some research and was pleasantly surprised to find out that local JAWS enthusiasts fully support shark conservation as a part of their annual Jaws Fest, an official festival dedicated to the film.

Gottlieb also discussed his book Jaws Log, his involvement in the sequels: JAWS II and III, and shared some absolutely fantastic stories about the infamous difficult production rumors behind the films — really just a fascinating and informative interview.

In honor of last night’s theme: Terror at Sea, the Inside Horror crew shared their favorite deep sea scares. Turns out Elric’s got a soft spot for Leviathan, and Peter Weller’s unforgettable movie ending line. For Staci, it’s The Abyss, and James Cameron doing what he does best: telling an epic story through characters. Rebekah favors the very Lovecraft-ian feel of Dark Waters as well as Dagon, also Lovecraft-inspired, which she applauded for its amazing effects — weird fish people alert!

My personal favorite happens to be the one most mentioned by the audience last night: ‘The Raft’ in Creepshow 2. I’m so scarred by it that not only do I mention it at least once a day (thanks for helping me fill my quota today, by the way), I haven’t been in a lake in over 20 years.

That’s right lakes, take note — we are never, ever, ever getting back together. I also have to give a nod to Ghost Ship. I mean, that opening scene, am I right?

Last night’s theme wrapped up with a group review of the latest edition to the killer shark sub-genre: Bait 3D, and it sounds like we can add this one to the viewing queue.

In other horror movie news, Staci reported back positively from two advanced screenings: Hotel Transylvania and Looper, Elric sported his favorite Spider Baby shirt in honor of an upcoming viewing of the restored film, and the expectant Rebekah shared her ‘mother-to-be’ horror picks for the week.

She also gave an early two-thumbs up for one that I can’t wait to watch, Sinister, and talked about a must-see vampire flick for Viggo Mortensen fans, Reflecting Skin.

Miss the live show? Fear not – the on demand version is available now at youtube.com/thestreamtv.

Check it out to find out what Elric, Staci and Rebekah thought of the highly anticipated Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D trailer and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights mazes, what Fearnet Vlogger Drew Daywalt’s most significant horror film pick is, how to get an autographed picture from Dread Central’s  2012 batch of Horror Starlets Bowling for Boobies event, and what people are saying about Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie.

And be sure to tune in next week when the Inside Horror welcomes Sinister director Scott Derrickson and  David Bruckner, one of the directors behind 2012’s little darling, V/H/S.

Inside Horror airs Tuesdays at 7pm PT, 10pm ET. Visit thestream.tv/inside-horror for more information, and for additional perspectives follow the team on Twitter at @InsideHorror and Facebook at facebook.com/InsideHorror.

Prometheus is finally getting its U.S. release this Friday. Although in the beginning the filmmakers were deliberately vague about its connection to the Alien franchise in order to build additional audience participation, there’s no doubt that we’re about to engage with the fifth film of the beloved series.

WGBH Arts: Prometheus Sets Out to Save the Human Race; But Can it Save a Franchise?.

Even better? You plant the idea and let it happen. Yup, just like Inception. Take one single component of your entire campaign, and let it mature into the ultimate goal. Sounds hard, but it’s not.

An example: Broadcast Viewership – to – Website
Goal: Get broadcast viewers to attend online live event with Director of the film.

March, 2011, the PBS WORLD channel aired Land Of Destiny, a hard look into a small town in Canada, that has been effected by industry abandonment. Knowing that our target audience would be those already watching the broadcast, they were asked an engaging question, related to what they were watching .

What U.S. city has been most affected by industry abandonment?

After the initial thought was planted, viewers were then led to the website landing page and offered the chance to participate in a live poll containing the correct answer. Take a wild guess yourself —  think it’s Detroit? You’re wrong. The answer is Centralia, PA, a town abandoned by the anthracite coal industry, and left on fire. Literally.

Intrigued? Want to learn more? Now the idea begins to grow.

Upon finding this out, viewers were then led to a blog post about Centralia, PA, as well as various external resources for further investigating. Additionally, viewers were then given the opportunity to register for the live event.

Results?

• Website page views were up by 50%
• Live poll results and blog were shared over 150 times on Facebook and Twitter
• Live event attendance registration was double the anticipated number

This all happened during the 2-hour broadcast.

Registration doubled again during the two-day period between the broadcast, and live event date, and attendance was higher than expected.

The live event was never promoted, but instead was offered as an engagement opportunity as a part of an entire theme. The biggest takeaway was: let viewers/customers make the action (your goal) their own idea.

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