More from MONSTERS

Monsters  (UK-2010; dir. Gareth Edwards) -- the much-touted giant monsters indie film -- is due for theatrical release in the US in October. Check out previous information on it on Undead Brainspasm and Undead Backbrain. Its realistic approach of an alien infestation looks positively infectious.

Some new clips that expand on elements within the official trailer have come to light.

Official Trailer:

Getting Out:

"The Aliens Are In The Trees":

New Images:

Sources: io9.com; Fangoria; Joblo; via Avery

New Trailer: Troll

Here's lots of troll action in the English-subbed version of the latest trailer for the doco-horror drama Trolljegeren [aka The Troll Hunter] (Norway-2010; dir. André Ovredal):

Source: Bloody-Disgusting via Avery

Tentacles at High Altitude

As a follow-up to the trailer for Altitude (Canada/US-2010; dir. Kaare Andrews) posted on Undead Brainspasm a few weeks ago, we've found a gallery of images from the film -- and it includes this excellent view of the main monster (click to enlarge):

You can see more images and read the press release regarding Altitude's imminent DVD/Blu-ray release on Dread Central.

• via Avery

Triffids In Your Face

Looks like Triffid stingers are going to be whipping out of the screen at us in 3D very soon. Transformers producer Don Murphy has announced that he is teaming with Michael Preger (Village of the Damned) on a big-budget 3D version of John Wyndham's classic apocalyptic novel, The Day of the Triffids (1951).

Wyndham's brilliant tale of ambulatory and deadly plants whose "day" comes when most of humanity is rendered blind thanks to a cosmic accident has been filmed before memorably but inaccurately (UK-1962; dir. Steve Sekely and Freddie Francis), effectively and accurately by the BBC (UK-1981; TV mini-series [6 episodes]; dir. Ken Hannam), and recently in an okay but remarkably generic version whose updated manner manages to miss the point almost completely, again by the BBC (UK-2009; TV mini-series [2 episodes]; dir. Nick Copus). Without a doubt a new cinematic version might be welcomed -- though frankly I can do without the gimmicky annoyance of 3D.

Murphy commented:

This original classic has still to be successfully envisioned on the screen. It is a story that strikes at the heart of what it means to be human -- and does so in an intensely cinematic way. (Variety)

Preger in particular talks up the "advances" in cinematic technology that has come with 3D, but that's just the usual spin. I'm sure the tentacles coming out of the screen at us will be as effective, and as distracting, as such things always are. Hopefully, though, the fact that one of Preger's credits is the 2009 mini-series won't go against the new production too much.

• Source: Variety via Avery. Written by Robert Hood
• Image above by Mark Salwowski for the 2007 Penguin edition of the novel.

Corman vs Sharktopus: Shocking News!

News from behind the scenes of Sharktopus (directed by Declan O'Brien) -- the SyFy Channel mutant shark flick that's sweeping the internet -- reveals that all has not been sweetness and light. The following YouTube statement from producer Roger Corman tells it all:

As the film premieres on the SyFy Channel this Saturday (in North America), paparazzi shots of Sharktopus throwing tantrums and beating up on his co-stars have come to light. Here are some of them:

It's sad to see how easily success can strangle the cognitive ganglia of a new star on the cusp of their big break-through -- well before we've even seen if they have the chops to make a go of acting beyond the confines of an ocean-FX tank and a trailer or two.

See the extended trailer on Undead Backbrain and three new clips can been seen on io9.

To be fair, however, there may be two sides to the story. Here's what Sharktopus had to say for himself:

You'll have to watch the film to make up your own mind.

Meanwhile, have a listen to the theme song from the Cheetah Whores:

An article about the band appears on Monster Island News.

• Sources: Sharktopus Facebook page; New Horizon Pictures website; details of the premiere.
• Writing: Rob Hood  |  News Hound:  Avery Guerra

Sacrifice News

Making independent giant monster films can be a lengthy process. The indie giant monster film Sacrifice (US; dir. Bob Nelson) premiered on the big screen in August, with more showings in September. A DVD release is forthcoming. Pre-orders are being taken via the website.

The progress of Sacrifice can be measured in terms of "Making of" and "Production" clips, such as those that follow. We still don't know anything about the nature of the giant monster (apart from the fact that it's giant and monstrous), but hey, we giant monster fans are patient, right? (See links below for earlier information, posters etc.)

Synopsis:

Sacrifice is the story of choices. Woven into the story are the impact of the choices we make, be they 500 years ago or today. the story follows the discovery of a potential weapon of mass destruction in southern Arizona, and the pursuit of answers by a young couple and the military. What they find is a threat that is (literally and figuratively) larger than all of them as they set loose a giant monster, which subsequently seeks to destroy civilization as we know it.

Art Director Mike Robinson is also working on a comicbook adaptation of the film (see page rough, without text, below). An article in The East Valley Tribune has brief but informative comments from Robinson, director Bob Nelson, and Director of photography Kent Markwart on both the film and the graphic novel.

Previous Articles:

• Undead Brainspasm
• Undead Backbrain: First Live-Action Trailer

Wynorski's Monster Sighted

The paparazzi have been on the job around Lake Monroe in Franklin, Indiana, hoping to get shots of the monstrous star of Jim Wynorski's new cryptozoological comedy, Monster Cruise, which is premiering at this year's "B Movie Celebration" in Franklin, Indiana, on September 24-26.

Pre-empting that gala event, they've captured some great shots of the digital monster cavorting in Lake Monroe -- and, as the above poster suggests, "cute" seems to capture what the opening night audience is in for.

This river "cruiser" is certainly rather shiny...

... though it does seem to have a bright future.

For more information on the B-Movie Celebration, see this previous Brainspasm article.

• Source: Bill Dever via Avery
• Undead Brainspasm article for more information on Monster Cruise

More Shark Bait

If it's not snakes, it's giant mutated sharks! After Mega-Shark vs Giant Octopus (US-2009; dir. Ace Hannah), Sharktopus (US-2010; dir. Declan O’Brien), and news of Swamp Shark (US-2011; dir. Griff Furst), Ghost Shark 2: Urban Jaws (NZ-[in development]; dir. Andrew Todd and Johnny Hall) and Fred Olen Ray's Super Shark, now we're told that the less-than-awesomely-titled Psycho Shark -- a Japanese addition to the meme -- is about to be released to DVD.

The question is, does this poster give a true indication of the shark's size? If so, I'm there!

Addendum: Apparently the size as indicated here is accurate. Here are a few indicative screenshoots, courtesy of Agressions Animales:

Called "Jaws in Japan" in its home country, the film has been given the title Psycho Shark to avoid unnecessary litigation problems that might arise from copyright infringement relating to Mr Spielberg's 1975 mega-hit. Meanwhile, Japanese publicity for Psycho Shark (Japan-2009; dir. John Hijiri) is emphasising the non-acting attractions of its two female leads more than it is the actual title monster -- both of them (Nonami Takizawa and Airi Nakajima, that is) being "bikini models" (see SciFi Japan for visual details, plus the image above).

They may very well provide some compensation in the event that the film is otherwise as bad as Japanese reviews have suggested it is.

• Source: SciFi Japan

New Trailer for Jennifer Lynch's Snake Film

The international trailer for Hisss (India/US-2010; dir. Jennifer Chambers Lynch) has slithered into view -- though no one's sure how long you've got before it gets chopped. Here it is, courtesy of Twitchfilm:

More information can be found on Undead Backbrain. Previous Brainspasm articles here -- just scroll down past the "Snakes on a Plain?" article.

Here's some new shots from the film for the ophidiophobic among you -- plus a less traumatic one of the film's main non-reptilian attraction, Indian actress Mallika Sherawat.

• Source: Twitchfilm via Avery

Three Heads Are Better Than One

This interesting bit of footage has cropped up via Twitchfilm: found-footage from the fake doco-horror drama Trolljegeren [aka The Troll Hunter] (Norway-2010; dir. André Ovredal). [See Undead Backbrain article.]

Cute!

• via Avery

Monster in the Sky with Tentacles

This full trailer to the Lovecraftian aviation horror flick Altitude (Canada/US-2010; dir. Kaare Andrews) was released a while back and I was too busy with the World SF Convention to post it. Here it is though, for those who have missed it so far.

See this Undead Backbrain article for more details. It comes to DVD on 26 October through Anchor Bay.

Source: via io9 and Avery