undead brainspasm

Update on POISONED

2012-01-16T12:10:00.000+11:00

A Backbrain Exclusive

Undead Backbrain revealed info on the Israeli zombie comedy Poisoned (Israel-2011; dir. David Lubetzky [ דידי לובצקי]) back in March when it was in post-production (read the article here). We just received an update from director David Lubetzky, which includes an English poster and some teasers. In essence, after a successful premiere in its home country, the zomcom is now setting its sights on the West.

Lubetzky says:

Poisoned's international premiere was on the Icon TLV science fiction and fantasy film festival in Tel Aviv. It was later shown in the fringe section of Israel's Haifa film festival "fringidir". Since then the film has had late-hours cult screenings in cinemateques throughout the country.

Until now the film has not left Israeli borders. We applied to several film festivals and keep our fingers crossed. In the meantime it's a hell of a ride, with good reviews, a big local buzz, with audience members coming back for second and third screenings.

The picture below shows lead actors David Shaul and Orna Shifris in action on set.

Meanwhile, check out these new teasers:

Source: David Lubetzky via Avery. Article by Robert Hood.

El Monstro Del Mar Comes to US DVD

2012-01-12T17:03:00.000+11:00

This should be the cause of much excitement in the US! Australian giant monster/exploitation flick, El Monstro Del Mar (Aust-2010; dir. Stuart Simpson), though already available from Monster Pictures Australia, at last comes to DVD in Region 1, released on February 28 from Breaking Glass Pictures.

Haunted by the ghost of Russ Meyer and full of murderous vixens Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! style -- though with added giant tentacles -- El Monstro Del Mar is an outrageous exercise in bloody mayhem, sexy chick action, old fart wisdom from Oz film veteran Norman Yemm ("Don't go in the water!") and huge mutant sea-beast rampage.

Synopsis:

Three gorgeous but deadly hired killers, Beretta, Blondie and Snowball, hole up in a small beachside community to keep a low profile. But this town has a dark secret. The old sea baron Joseph desperately tries to warn them to never go in the water. But these crazy vixens listen to no one. So the kraken awakes! Now along with Joseph and his beautiful granddaughter, Hannah, they must fight for their lives against this furious creature of the deep as the sea rises in a tidal wave of blood.

Note that the DVD includes Stuart Simpson's short horror film, Acid Spiders. (See Backbrain article on the Spiders.)

You can read a terrific interview with the director, Stuart Simpson, on Undead Backbrain, while you look at the pictures. Also, check out the official website.

Source: Fangoria via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Don Sullivan and the Gila Monster: An Exclusive Update

2011-12-22T14:44:00.002+11:00

Further to the Backbrain's previous articles on Gila, the remake of The Giant Gila Monster (US-1959; dir. Ray Kellogg), the Backbrain has learnt that original star Don Sullivan, who is coming back for the remake, will have a major role in it, playing a character named Dawes. Dawes is the iconic Knowledgeable Old Scientist, who relays the crucial information that they are dealing with a giant gila monster. Previous experience, perhaps!

Here are a couple of pictures of Sullivan on set, in his role as Dawes:

The Backbrain has also learnt that Dawes has provided the producers with songs originally written for the Everly Brothers -- with new lead actor, Brian Gross, who will be reprising Sullivan's original Chase Winstead character, singing a new recording of the "Mushroom Song".

via Avery Guerra
Previous Backbrain articles

A New Vampire in Town: Exclusive

2011-12-18T12:22:00.002+11:00

Sick of the same old bloodsuckers? The sophisticated Draculas, the glittery and romantic Twilights, the schizophrenic Angels, the leather-clad denizons of the Underworld? Well, director Jordan Harland is preparing something new, in a feature based not on the usual European and post-European vampire lore, but on a lesser-known tradition that has haunted Africa for generations: the Tokoloshe (or Tikoloshe).

According to Vampires.com, the Tokoloshe, which haunts the Xhosa people of Lisotho and the southernmost African plains, is more of a psychic than blood-based vampire, feeding off the life-force of its victims -- though the whole hematic/sanguinary tradition is itself an analog for the spiritual draining of the life-energies of a person, blood being traditionally seen as the carrier of life (hence the use of such designations for blood as "life-blood" and "vital fluid" -- and of course the centrality of blood in the Christian sacrament of the Eucharist.)

Like the vampires of Joss Whedon's Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, the Tokoloshe is part demon, harking back to the origins of the vampire, when it was less the victim of a sort of semi-romantic, immortalising genetic infection and more a possessed corpse.

In fact, the Tokoloshe has little of post-Stoker romance to it. Vampires.com describes it as looking like a baboon:

It’s described as short, bulky, and has a high forehead and balding head. It walks around during night or day swinging its long arms like a monkey. But it has many powers and can shapeshift if it chooses to. It can take human form, which will make it look almost normal [though] some of its monkey-like traits will still show. It may also take the form of a big black bird-like creature with a skull head so that it can fly over villages in search of victims.

They also tend to be controlled by a sorcerer.

Meanwhile, like the European vampire (especially as recreated by Hollywood and popular fiction), the Tokoloshe has a voracious sexual appetite... though as depicted in the form of the traditional puppet pictured below, I don't like their chances of actually attracting even the most desperate member of the opposite sex, Bella included:

(Source)

How much of this will enter into Harland's film, I don't know, as the traditions vary and cinema is notorious in freely adapting legendary tales according to the creators' own agendas. But from the trailers, Blood Tokoloshe: Dawn of the Beast (South Africa-2012; dir. Jordan Harland) certainly isn't sticking to the currently popular vision of vampires as perpetrated by the Paranormal Romance literary subgenre and such cinematic blockbusters as the Twilight franchise -- except, perhaps, in terms of the titular creature's sexual proclivities.

Tag-line: Under Your Bed, Waiting to be fed.

Synopsis:

Strange attacks plague the township’s women, leaving the town leaders at a loss to defend them. At the same time Mthnuzi, a shrewd businessman,is becoming wealthier and more popular with the ladies – something is amiss. The local reverend, Simon Nkosi, learns that Mthunzi is controlling a Tokoloshe to fulfil his greedy desires. In his greed he breaks a golden rule of maintaining control over the beast and it goes on a rampage. Now its thirst for blood is strong and comes after Mthunzi’s women, saving the one he loves for last. Together with Reverend Simon they must take on a mythical beast that has never been defeated, to try and save.

Trailer:

I particularly liked this visual allusion to the "original" vampire movie, F.W. Murnau's silent classic, Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922), based on Bram Stoker's Dracula.

compared to this iconic moment from Nosferatu:

Blood Tokoloshe: Dawn of the Beast is currently in development, with the above trailer filmed as a showcase. The full script is now complete and plans are that shooting will begin in early January. Below is a clay mock-up of the monster itself. From this basis, a latex mask will be made.

Check out this mini-doco Harland made from his script development research into Tokoloshe lore, which took place in Orange Farm, a small village 50 kms south of Johannesburg.

When completed, this film could provide a very welcome re-vitalisation of the vampire in cinema. I look forward to seeing the result.

Gallery of Stills:

Sources: Jordan Harland via Avery Guerra; Facebook page; Vampires.com.

Update: Images from The Night of the Chupacabras

2011-12-04T06:31:00.001+11:00

An initial Brainspasm back in January revealed the existence of a new cryptozoological horror film hailing from Brazil: A Noite do Chupacabras [trans. Night of the Chupacabras] (Brazil-2011; dir. Rodrigo Aragão) -- with a subsequent update in March that revealed the true extent of the film's gorily outrageous nature. Since then our readers have obviously been keen to see more, as these pages have been getting decent visitor numbers.

Well, Backbrain cryptid hunter Avery Guerra has tracked down the official DVD cover, lots of pictures from the film and its production, as well as a Making-Of video, the latter of which isn't in English unfortunately, but is nevertheless worth a look:

The Official DVD cover:

Normally in the world of cryptozoological study we rarely get an effective in-your-face view of the titular monster, as cryptids have a tendency to be elusive -- blurring camera shots, mimicking elements of the natural landscape, evading capture and generally causing great frustration in the ranks of monster hunters. But in this case you get to look the Chupacabras right in the eye -- or at least the teeth!

Images from the Production (click to enlarge):

Sources: via Avery Guerra. Text and arrangement by Robert Hood

Update: New Trailers for Astro Zombies: M4

2011-11-20T07:42:00.001+11:00

A second teaser and the official extended trailer for the latest incarnation of Ted V. Mikels' ultra-low-budget exploitation franchise, Astro-Zombies, Astro-Zombies M4: Invaders from Cyberspace, have emerged from cyberspace to haunt our nightmares. Check 'em out! For something that began its cultish career rather inauspiciously in 1968, the series is showing remarkable resilience and getting increasingly apocalyptic -- in a low-budget sort of way.

Second Teaser:

Full Extended Trailer:

Earlier article on Undead Brainspasm here.

Production images can be viewed on the website.

Source: via Avery.

World Premiere of Giant Monsters Attack Hawaii!

2011-11-03T09:32:00.002+11:00

Take a look at this trailer for Giant Monsters Attack Hawaii! (US-2011; short [10 min.] dir. Dane Neves) -- and at the end you'll find out about the world premiere and how you can attend.

For more on the film, see these Undead Backbrain articles: Inspiring Giant Monsters To Attack Hawaii!, Update On The Giant Monsters Attacking Hawaii and this Brainspasm update: More on the Giant Monster Trip to Hawaii.

The Backbrain received a nice, shiny new DVD of the film recently and will be reviewing it soon. Stay tuned!

Update: Jurassic Shark Trailer Debuts

2011-11-02T07:10:00.000+11:00

The trailer for Jurassic Shark, Brett Kelly's contribution to the killer shark sub-genre of creature features -- currently undergoing some sort of upsurge -- has been released, filming having wrapped just a while back.

Looks like classic Kelly.

Check out more details on Kelly's website and the film's Facebook page.

Meanwhile, here are some pics from the film and the production. Click on them to enlarge.

The Chum (s)

Ian Quick, with friend, on the last day of the shoot

Angelstar L. Parent and Phil Dukarsky: "Why's it called a shoot?"

Emanuelle Carriere in classic shark movie mode

Brett Kelly and Kala Erin Gray consider the options: "Maybe I'll let the shark win this one?"

Christine Emes: "I'm not afraid to throw this!"

Sources: Brett Kelly via Avery Guerra.

News Update: Underground Lizard People at AFM and Cannes

2011-10-30T16:39:00.002+11:00

Back in January, the Backbrain featured a new film chronicling the discovery of a race of lizard folk living under downtown LA, "based on actual eye-witness accounts". It's called Underground Lizard People and was directed by Jared Cohn.

The Backbrain has been sent an update on the film's current status, so listen up!

"Underground Lizard People now has distribution with [independent distribution company] R Squared Films," said director Jared Cohn, "and is coming to the American Film Market in November. Buyers should go to Suite 212 to check it out and chat to us about it!"

Buzz Remde of R Squared added:"We're very excited to feature Underground Lizard People this year at both AFM and Cannes in May 2012. We feel that Jared has done a great job on this and we are looking forward to presenting the film to buyers at both events."

Source: via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

Exclusive Update: The Killer Shrews are Back with a Vengeance

2011-10-29T08:32:00.000+11:00

Word is that principal photography has wrapped on Steve Latshaw's long-awaited sequel/re-boot to the 1959 cult classic B-flick, The Killer Shrews -- the appropriately named Return of the Killer Shrews, which returns to the screen the character of Captain Thorne Shermanas played by original star James Best. The film is now in the important post-production stage, with the FX currently the main focus. Here Best visits SILO, the folk in charge of creating the titular beasties:

As you can see from the poster above, the film stars, apart from Best, such notables as John Schneider (best known for his role in Dukes of Hazzard and for his defining performance as Jonathan Kent in Smallville), seen here on set with Best:

Here Schneider talks about the experience: John Schneider on the set of Killer Shrews.

Also on board is Bruce Davison (Willard, X-Men, Kingdom Hospital and much else besides):

Here Davison has his say: Bruce Davison speaks about the Killer Shrews.

It was recently announced that Dean Torrance (of Jan and Dean fame) and Bruce Davison have recorded the song “Shrewd Awakening” together (written by composer for the film, Gary Griffin, and David Beard), a song that is to be featured on the soundtrack Return Of The Killer Shrews. (Source: Examiner)

Behind The Scenes:

Producer Dorothy Best here discusses the genesis of the Shrew sequel:

Check out these similar behind-the-scenes videos from the other members of the cast:

Jennifer Lyons

Katherine Randolph

Patrick Moran (writer, producer and actor)

James Best told Undead Backbrain that they should have a trailer available very soon and will send it to us as soon as it's finished. As for the film's release, they have a broker going to AFM, the film market, on November 1-6. "Hopefully we'll get some good reactions,"he added.

More pictures from the production can be seen on the film's Facebook page.

Sources: James and Dorothy Best via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood
Previous Backbrain articles: First Details; Update 1; Casting Details; Update 2.

New Shark Strangeness: Exclusive Update

2011-10-22T17:49:00.000+11:00

We seem to have been fielding a lot of weird, eccentric shark movies lately, what with the appearance of Mega Shark, Sharktopus, Ghost Shark, Jurassic Shark, Psycho Shark, the bionic, super-enhanced sharks of Dark Waters and Deep Blue Sea, and a plethora of just plain old killer sharks, alone or in packs (Shark Swarm). Now filmmaker Donald Farmer -- who has previously given us Chainsaw Cheerleaders (2008), the zombies of Dorm of the Dead (2006), An Erotic Vampire in Paris (2002), Vampire Cop (1990) and the just-released-to-DVD Demon Queen (1986), to name but a few -- is about to offer up Shark Exorcist.

This Jaws meets The Exorcist hybrid begs a lot of questions, of course, and so far Farmer is keeping the details to himself -- questions such as: is it about a priest who exorcises the demons from possessed sharks, or a shark who exorcises the demons from possessed swimmers? I guess we'll have to wait for 2012 to find out.

Farmer told Undead Backbrain that "Part of it is shot and edited. . . all the scenes we did in New Orleans. Scenes are being shot in other places now." Several of those New Orleans scenes you can see below:

The film is written and directed by Donald Farmer, and produced by Jamie Nichols, for Suicidal Productions with Stratosphere Entertainment.

Farmer added: "Also I'm starting an online comicbook called CLOWNS VS. ZOMBIES, the first installment of which will be online within a month or so. And my documentary about obsessive TWILIGHT fans called "TWI-HARDS" is finished..."

Source: Donald Farmer via Avery Guerra. Website; Facebook; MySpace, IMDb.

Exclusive: Sequel to a Classic Creature Feature Announced

2011-10-18T13:43:00.001+11:00

Ever heard of Zaat (aka The Blood Waters of Dr Z, Attack of the Swamp Creatures and Hydra)? Well, it's a creature feature from 1971, directed by Don Barton (with uncredited assistance from Arnold Stevens, according to IMDb)* that is a delicious mix of classic mad scientist and mutant catfish hybrid imbued with a passion to pollute the entire "universe" (Don't blame me, that's what it says!).

The Backbrain has just received news that not only will you be able to buy a 40th Anniversary special edition of the film in mid-December, just in time for Christmas, but also director/producer Barton now feels ready to make the sequel that fans have, he says, been asking him about for years. Barton will make the formal announcement and unveil preliminary plans at the ZAAT 40th Anniversary celebration at the Five Points Theatre in Florida this Sunday, October 23, at 7:30pm. It will follow the showing of the original Zaat movie which was filmed entirely in and around Jacksonville, Florida. Barton is not divulging any details except for the title, Darn Monster. According to Barton, a "short video will show where we're headed with the fun story".

Based in Jacksonville, Barton was recently recognised by the Jacksonville Film Commission for his lifetime contributions to the industry.

Tickets are available on-line all this week on the Five Points Theater website. Seating is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis.

As for the 40th Anniversary DVD of Zaat, it is being released by Synergy under their Cultra label. It will be a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack and among other things will contain a feature-length commentary with several of the cast and crew.

Zaat Theatrical Trailer:

Behind the Scenes:

You can also catch three TV Spots on the film's YouTube Channel.

Source: Don Barton via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Addendum: we have received the following information straight from Don Barton, commenting on the supposed role of "Arnold Stevens" in the making of the original Zaat as well as the alternate titles associated with the film:

Here is some somewhat exclusive information for you since I see that this article perpetuates some misinformation that has surrounded ZAAT for years. First of all, Arnold Stevens does not now and to the best of my knowledge has never existed -- at least not in connection with this film which was directed entirely be Don Barton. In the 1980s, Barton approached Vestron Video about releasing the film on home video and gave them a screener tape made from a worn print of Blood Waters which had seen better days. He was turned down but a short time later the film appeared on one of Vestron's subsidiary labels, Lightening Video, in the Elvira movie series with falsified credits and the new title of Attack of the Swamp Creature. All original cast and crew information had been replaced. Hydra is another bootleg home video title that replaced the opening title card on a print of Blood Waters but kept the rest of the credits. By the time these two misappropriations had been discovered, both video companies were long out of business and there was no one left to sue but these unauthorized products are still used to this day to unfairly represent the film ZAAT. The Attack title is particularly annoying because the print is very dark and damaged and the credits are incorrect but often quoted as factual in reviews and articles. I hope you can make use of this information.

Exclusive: Mothman Flies Again

2011-10-16T11:36:00.000+11:00

No, not a Watchmen superhero or the brand name of a pest extermination company, but the notorious cryptozoological critter that has already been given cinematic treatment in The Mothman Prophecies (US-2002; dir. Mark Pellington) and Mothman (US-2010; dir. Sheldon Wilson), and has been explored further in assorted documentaries, such as the feature-length Eyes of the Mothman (US-2011; dir. Matthew J. Pellowski).

Here, based on "actual" sightings, is what it's supposed to look like:

The phantom's appearance is said to presage disasters... well, one in particular -- the collapse of the Silver Bridge that crossed the Ohio River, between Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio on the evening of December 15, 1967, killing 46 people. In the year leading up to the collapse, Point Pleasant had been haunted by this spectre. In the aftermath of the collapse, bizarre stories of premonitions and warnings came to light, and connections were drawn between reports of similar sightings and tragedies worldwide.

Of course, apart from the wings and prophecies, it was the glowing red eyes that caught the imagination of UFOlogists, who speculated that the creature was some sort of time-saavy, interdimensional alien.

Fascinating, no doubt, and now that fascination has given rise to another version of the story -- Two Red Eyes, an independent production starring, and being written and directed by, Austin Cochran (pictured above in a scene from the film).

Take a look at the trailer:

Cochrain (pictured below) commented to Undead Backbrain:

Two Red Eyes is a personal project. There is a real film to go along with the trailer and the final product should be released eventually -- hopefully soon. As far as the cast/crew, everything was done by me. I began the project to show a few friends and then it became so much more ambitious.

Early Teaser:

Not too much by way of plot information yet, but check back if the Mothman holds a place in your heart. It looks like it could be a good film in the independent, low-budget spectrum.

For more, check out Cochran's YouTube channel and Vimeo page.

More Images: Click on them to enlarge.

Source: Austin Cochran via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

New Trailer for PRIMITIVE

2011-10-15T09:26:00.000+11:00

The trailer for Benjamin Cooper's VFX-Monster-from-the-Id film Primitive, has just been released:

Primitive, which is headlined by cult Phantasm star Reggie Bannister, recently premiered on day two of the inaugural Black October Art & Film Invasion taking place at The Sci-Fi Center in Vegas.

In this horror tale, Martin Blaine, a Hollywood effects artist who makes monsters for a living, must confront his own inner demon made flesh before it destroys everyone he comes in contact with.

Horror legend Reggie Bannister plays Dr. William Stein, the hypnotist whose unorthodox therapy inadvertently conjures Martin’s Id, and effects wizard Tom Devlin (SyFy Channel's Face-Off) created the creature effects.

"To premiere a picture in the entertainment capital of the world for a like-minded crowd is a genuine privilege," said director Cooper. "I worked five years to make Primitive a scary, fun good time, and that's what you can look forward to once distribution rights are finalised."

Following this comes a limited theatrical run in San Luis Obispo, CA where it was shot. Cooper commented:

"Working on the fringe of the business I figured theatrical had become pie-in-the-sky. Those low-budget success stories you hear about like Paranormal Activity are exceptions to the rule. Most of my stuff is direct-to-DVD and that's fine, except the whole industry is changing. The brick and mortar stores are vanishing, digital VOD is growing, but too slow to fill the void. Meanwhile I've made my biggest picture ever and for the first time I'm obligated to investors, not to mention the cash and sweat I put in. I'm not putting Primitive into theaters out of vanity. I just can't afford to leave any stone unturned for revenue."

According to the press release, the home town red carpet premiere on 10/20 will be followed by four theatrical dates with an option by the theatre to hold it over if it's a big success. After that, Cooper plans to take the picture on tour to various cities for single night engagements.

"A one-off show with a packed house can be more profitable than a week of mediocre turnouts. I'm trying to be smart about it. I have horror legend Reggie Bannister in the picture and he did a great job. Tom Devlin did the creature effects. You know I'm going to be exploiting their names for all they're worth. I'm targeting cities where I may have an edge. Fresno, for example, is where co-star Jeff Ryan lives and grew up. That's got to be good for some 'local boy makes good' free press. Same with Pittsburgh, leading man Matt O'Neill's old stomping grounds, though that's probably the farthest we'll go. I don't want to blow my profits on travel costs."

Cooper is also keen to receive invitations to screen Primitive at festivals, both US and international, that want to support indie creature-feature/B-films.

Produced by Thunderhead Entertainment LLC, Primitive is currently shopping for distribution. It also stars: Matt O'Neill, Kristin Lorenz (Evil Eyes), Jeff Ryan (Death Factory) and Gregory Paul Smith (Dino Wolf).Read all about it in this earlier report on Undead Backbrain.

More Images:

Source: Benjamin Cooper via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood. Official website.

Exclusive: The Late Night Gorilla Lives!

2011-10-09T10:41:00.000+11:00

Writer/director Dave Shaw is currently busy preparing for the final days' shoot in a new monster/comedy retro parody Late Night Classics presents GORILLA!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes notwithstanding, guys in slightly tawdry gorilla suits remain an ever-popular feature of ... well, those late-night horror shows we all grew up with and remember fondly.

"I've always had a love for 50s and 60s B-movies," Shaw (pictured below) told Undead Backbrain.

"The kind where the monster was a radioactive mutant of some sort or horrific beast (such as a gorilla) who would jump out of the shadows at delicate sweet young things while a stoic, square-jawed man of action attempted to defeat the beast.

"These were the black-and-white epics from such filmmakers as Samuel Z. Arkoff and Roger Corman and, shudder, Ed Wood, that kept teenage drive-in goers riveted way back when. I also have a love for the comedies I grew up on in the 80s -- from directors like John Landis (as a tribute, there is a bumbling cop named Officer Landis in my film), who made National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Three Amigos! amongst others, as well as The Zucker Brothers of Airplane! and Naked Gun fame.

"With Late Night Classics presents GORILLA!, I've set out to marry the two genres. It's a black-and-white comedy about a young lady who must turn to some Rat Pack-obsessed elders to help stop a gorilla who is attacking all her friends. Yes, there are some horror elements, but we're more interested in giggles than gore with this one."

Late Night Classics presents GORILLA! stars Sara Duplancic, Francis Fisk, Paul Washer, Sherry Thurig, Mike Kelly, Dave Shaw and Penu Chalykoff as the Gorilla.

Sara Duplancic as Sara and Paul Washer as Officer Landis

Sara Duplancic getting into her Ripley mode

Paul Washer as Officer Landis with camera operator Julianne Cameron

Mimsy (Sherry Thurig) and Anna (Sara Duplancic)

Paul Washer as Officer Landis, confused

Sara confers with director Dave Shaw: "That love scene with the Gorilla has got to go!"

Sherry Thurig: "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr Shaw"

Asked about his own background, Shaw explained:

"As for myself, in the early part of the century, I hosted a television program called "Condensed Classics with Dave Shaw" playing a sleazy lounge-lizard type who hosts old black-and-white monster movies with a different cocktail dress-clad starlet each week. The show ran and reran (and reran and reran) for a period of close to eight years on Movieola The Short Film Channel and its partner station Silver Screen Classics.

"Currently, I work at Ottawa Little Theatre managing Front of House and Customer Service. I love it there and being around such a creative environment revived my creative instinct. Could I write and direct a play? Hell, no. I would have no idea what I was doing. But could I write and direct a movie where one of the supporting characters was a sleazy lounge lizard former TV show host? That I could do! With the help of Julian Adderley, my trusty co-producer and editor (he also served as editor for "Condensed Classics") a GORILLA! was born!"

One thing the production still needs is money. Said Shaw:

"We are always looking for more investors. An investment of $20 or more gets an on-screen Executive Producer credit. We have raised a good chunk of our budget this way and will continue to do so as we head into post-production."

Learn more about the film on its official website/blog.

Source: Dave Shaw via Avery Guerra. IMDb. Written by Robert Hood.

Addendum: A New Featurette

Update: The Angry Sea

2011-09-19T17:51:00.001+10:00

Keith Wong, director of the micro-budgeted nautical epic The Angry Sea (US-2010; dir. Keith Wong) has sent two clips from his giant monster flick to the Backbrain. He says of them:

The first one is a behind-the-scenes clip and the second is an establishing scene from the movie. Sorry, I don't have a monster clip to show right now; although I could put one up I would like to show a shorter teaser before revealing the unusual beasts in detail.

Although the movie is at times very gory in nature, I tried to set the pace and tone of the non-scary parts with a traditional style of storytelling so that when the actual dramatic stings occur, they will be utterly brutal. Well, that's my hope anyway.

He promises to send more revealing updates soon.

Shot entirely in a living room, the full-length film's budget is US$3,000. It is still in post production.

I actually rather like the sense of dramatic artifice created by the low-budget effects. Wong has embraced that approach, of necessity perhaps, but without trying to hide it. As theatrical aesthetics constantly illustrate, naturalistic realism isn't necessary in order to create an involving and effective dramatic experience. Hopefully this will be a case in point.

Source: Keith Wong via Avery. Written by Robert Hood.

Getting a Head in the Swamp

2011-09-17T16:36:00.005+10:00

A swamp, dumb teenagers displaying the usual rabid hormonal symptoms, murder ... and a zombie head. Oh, yes, and lots of punning jokes around the word "Head".

Swamphead (US-2011; dir. Justin Propp and Dustin Drover)

Synopsis:

An ancient relic is found at the bottom of a local lake which resurrects the severed head of Robert Gross, aka Swamphead. A group of hapless teens come across the relic and their weekend camping trip becomes a nightmare of blood, feces, and more head than a night in Tijuana. Can they destroy the zombie head or will they die trying?

Trailer:

Writers/Directors: Justin Propp and Dustin Drover
Producers: Justin Propp, Dustin Drover, Derrick Carey, Jon Hanusa
Starring: Josh Harmon, Andrea Smith, Damien Drover, Theodore Koepke, Shana Friedman

Upcoming showings:

Oshkosh Horror Fest 22nd Oct.
Internet Simulcast same night through Infini-tropolis.

Source: Jonathan Hanusa via Avery Guerra. Facebook page. Posted by Robert Hood

Creature From the Emerald Lagoon?

2011-09-17T12:24:00.002+10:00

Another new film by Bobby Bragg, last featured on Undead Backbrain in regards to his film Maggots, is a creature-feature with an obvious lineage that harkens back to the classic Creature from the Black Lagoon (US-1954; dir. Jack Arnold). Instead of a bunch of scientists traveling down the Amazon in search of a prehistoric survival in an isolated tributary, this one has a scientist and his assistant gone missing in the vicinity of a backwater everglades community and adds assorted family concerns playing out around the shores of an idyllic lagoon, a lagoon which is decidedly emerald and well-lit instead of black and gloomily monochrome, and is home to a monster that may or may not look like its cinematic ancestor. Director Bragg isn't revealing much in regards to his creature's appearance just yet, beyond that obscure humanoid silhouette on the poster and the following two muck-shots.

Emerald Lagoon's original working title was, in fact, "The Creature in the Black Lagoon" -- but that was obviously felt to be a little derivative... Emerald Lagoon is described as "A Family Adventure Film", so I'm guessing there's little that's overly horrific in it.

Synopsis:

When micro scientist, Dr Connors and his assistant Libby Myers are discovered missing from the small everglades community of Emerald Lagoon, Libby's father becomes concerned and tries to find Roland, a local fishing guide to search for her... But the errant guide is currently in the doghouse with his wife, Alyssa, who has discovered that he has been anything but faithful. Local law enforcement, Sheriff Blackburn, is not taking the disappearance of the two seriously, and Roland is more concerned about getting his family back than looking for Libby. When Myers, frustrated on both fronts, decides to undertake a search on his own, he quickly discovers that the swamp is a scary and dangerous place. He retreats to approach Roland with another offer. Luckily Alyssa feels sympathy for Myers and urges Roland to help the desperate father. Roland and Alyssa's young daughter Sophie, upset with her parents over the breakup, wanders into the swamp. A suspicious creature from the muck lurks in the waters of Emerald Lagoon, and patiently waits as Sophie treks deeper into the jungle...

Trailer:

More Images: (Click on the images to enlarge)

Details:

AMERICAN INTERGLOBAL MEDIA LLC and SOROTV present a Bobby Bragg film.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS - Bobby Bragg, Grant Austin Waldman
PRODUCED, DIRECTED and EDITED by Bobby Bragg
WRITTEN BY Bobby Bragg, Kameron Devine, John Stanford Anderson
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - John Stanford Anderson

Cast:
Chris Romero "Male Comedian", Debbie Rallo, Keely Allen, Erica Lea Shelton, Jerry Wisner, Grant Austin Waldman, Jessie LaBorn, Nathena Lewis, Randy Allen

Sources: Bobby Bragg via Avery. Official website. Written by Robert Hood

More on the Giant Monster Trip to Hawaii

2011-09-11T08:22:00.001+10:00

More background videos for the upcoming puppet/live-action giant monster film, Giant Monsters Attack Hawaii (dir. Dane Neves) have become available. If you want some earlier info on the project, check out the Undead Backbrain article Update on the Giant Monster Attacking Hawaii and follow the links.

Or watch this new promotional video:

Meanwhile, here are some postcards from the monsters concerned. They're very considerate that way.

New Character Profiles:

On Green-Screen Filming:

And, yes, there's a giant robot involved! Here he is with his controller, Tom Hackett.

Doing Voice-overs:

Some More Pictures:

Above: Diane Ako, Dane Neves and friend

Above: Brent Watanabe

Above: Jordan Harrison

Above: Michael B. Hardy

Above: Abercrumble and puppetmaker Sonny Vegas

Sources: via Avery Guerra; Facebook. Written by Robert Hood.

This Bug's Got Bite!

2011-09-06T21:26:00.002+10:00

Remember the much-anticipated hillbilly horror/giant monster flick The Millennium Bug, directed by Kenneth Cran. Well, in case you've been living under a rock (and who doesn't sometimes) here's some comprehensive Undead Backbrain articles to remind you.

While they're off reading those, the rest of you can take a gander at the latest picture of the monster and his very special grin. Click on the image to get the full effect!

The film is completed and a limited early release DVD is now on sale (well before it's introduced to the world through a mainstream distributor). Right now, you can pick it up for $15 from http://mbugmovie.com/store.html. Buyers of this limited release DVD get exclusive access to the latest behind-the-scenes video, which shows (we're told) how they "filmed the scene in which actress Ginger Pullman gets slimed by the monster". The first thousand people who order the DVD will also be entered into a raffle for a signed piece of original artwork by director Kenneth Cran.

I haven't seen the film yet, but a few lucky reviewers have and the reception is enthusiastic. For example, Ain't It Cool News describes it as "...a dash of GODZILLA, a sprinkle of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and hell, even a bit of JURASSIC PARK mixed in" and io9.com adds: "... a seriously gory flick that answers the age-old question of what would happen if Godzilla rampaged through a Rob Zombie movie."

So far, The Millennium Bug is entered in eight festivals, in California, New York, Georgia, Indiana, Canada, France, and England. Tickets and information for each festival are on the website. Of special interest will be its presence on the program for the B Movie Celebration in Franklin, Indiana, which runs from 23rd to 25th of September (details can be found in this Brainspasm article).

Finally, I'll leave you with the really good news that the film's creators are giving away a free copy of the limited edition DVD each month to new email list members. So join the M-Bug team, and tell your friends to do likewise, for a chance at winning a copy of the movie: http://mbugmovie.com/join.html

Addendum: Four Behind-the-Scenes/Making of videos are now available, just like this one about making the monster's head:

Source: Press release (via Avery Guerra). Written by Robert Hood

New: Killer Eye Halloween Haunt

2011-08-21T16:26:00.001+10:00

Back in 1999, Full Moon Entertainment and director David DeCoteau produced a weird horror flick about an extra-dimensional entity that enters our world by infesting the eye of a voyeuristic scientist. Naturally the infested eye grows to enormous size, detaches itself from the body of its victim and goes on a rampage. The film was called The Killer Eye. Now the Eyeball's back in Killer Eye: Halloween Haunt, directed by the irrepressible Charles Band.

What's more, this time it wants to procreate with the bevy of Hollywood-type beauties who are foolish enough to watch The Killer Eye video during a girls-only Halloween sleepover.

DVD Back Cover:

We'll be keeping a jaundiced eye out for that one!

Source: via Avery Guerra. Website; IMDb

Addendum:

Annual Celebration of All Things B Is Coming

2011-08-04T19:37:00.000+10:00

September is the month when all you lucky folk over there in the States (and anyone elsewhere with enough money and annual leave) can truck along to Franklin, Indiana, where the annual celebration of B-Movies -- genre exploitation at its best -- offers up a massive program of monsters, mayhem and madness on a low budget. This year's roll-call includes everything from giant ticks, homicidal hillybillys and killer clowns to Cthulhan sea-monsters, kung fu vampires, triffids and beach blankets. As well as all the US stuff, there are flicks from Japan (Varan the Unbelievable), UK (Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires), Australia (Dead-End Drive-In), India (The Robot) and other parts of the world that have been long been forgotten by civilised man. There's vampires (Fright Night), zombies (Night of the Comet), superheroes (Captain America and Batman), evil children (Village of the Damned), and rabid lumps of red jelly (Son of Blob). In short, there's something for everyone (except that strange guy that lives in your basement and only watches French comedies).

There are also the world premieres of Fred Olen Ray's Dino Wolf [aka "Dire-Wolf"], David A. Prior's Night Claws, Jim Wynorski's Camel Spiders, and screenings of other hotly anticipated titles such as The Millennium Bug, El Monstro Del Mar, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, The Robot [Endhiran], Tales of an Ancient Empire, Asylum's Dragon Crusaders, the late great Paul Naschy's Empusa, Henry Barrial's Pig, Vincent Lannoo's Vampires, Beverly Lane and many, many, more!

Host Bill Dever says:

We are very pleased to present this year's B Movie Celebration line-up. Unlike other years we have purposefully sought out new works and world premieres. As well we have discovered numerous sources of 35mm prints. Where possible we will present the film in its original method, ideally 35mm.

As well, many of the films will be presented by the filmmaker themselves. Each main title will be accompanied by selections from our shorts program.

Without further delay, here are the films for this year's B-Movie Celebration:

Angry Red Planet
Atomic Submarine
Baberellas
Batman (1966)
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beverly Lane
Bio Hazard 2
Bloody Ruby
Boss
Camel Spiders
Captain America (1990)
Daughters of Darkness
Day of Anger
Day of the Triffids
Dead End Drive-In
Desperate Living
Dino Wolf
Dragon Crusaders
El Monstro Del Mar
Empusa
Francis The Talking Mule
Fright Night
Ganja and Hess
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires
Man Made Men
Naked Obsession
Night Claws
Night of the Comet
Night of the Demon
Pig
Rare Exports
Shape of Things To Come
Son of Blob
Tales of an Ancient Empire
The Day Time Ended
The Farmer
The Forbidden Zone
The Joys of Jezebel
The Millenium Bug
The Mountie
The Robot
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The World Sinks Except Japan
Ticks
Twins of Evil Documentary
Underground Entertainment
Vampires
Varan the Unbelievable
Village of the Damned
Virgin High

For more info and description of the goodies, check out the website here.

And you can read about the special guests as well, such as B-film directorial superstar Jim Wynorski, FX gurus The Chiodo Brothers (Killer Klowns from Outer Space), Bryan Wilson of Psycho Beach Party fame, scream queen Brinke Stevens, Kevin Tenney (Witchboard, Night of the Demons) and many more.

Source: Bill Dever via Avery Guerra; official website.

New Zombie Flick: Wataha

2011-06-22T16:55:00.000+10:00

Those damn zombies are everywhere. Here's a new one from Poland. It's only short, but from the images and the trailer it looks like it might have potential.

Wataha [trans. pack] (Poland-2011; short [35 min.]; dir. Victor Kiełczykowskiego)

Synopsis:

Near future. The world as we know it is on the decline, dominated by the so-called "transformed". Four survivors of an army squadron under the leadership of the "Colonel" (Jacek Dewódzki) cross Europe from West to East in search of a place safe from the plague. In the middle of a big forest that stretches for miles, their transport breaks down. To wait out the night, they take refuge in an old abandoned hotel where a family is hiding. Unbeknown to the Colonel, his men have a plan, which they intend to implement that very night.

Cast:

Jacek Dewódzki as the Colonel
Robert Wrzosek as Waltz
Peter Mocarski as Roch
Anna Jażdżyk as Marina
Robert Oleszczuk as Henry
Martha Lacko as Basia
Agata Nizińska as Alice

Teaser Trailer:

Gallery:

Three Alternate Posters:

Sources: Via Avery Guerra. Facebook; Wikipedia entry.

Comedy on the Set of Return of the Killer Shrews

2011-06-19T09:58:00.001+10:00

Anyone who reads either of the Undead Backbrain sites should know by now that a sequel/remake of the 1959 el cheapo horror film The Killer Shrews is currently in production. If not, you can catch up at the links at the end of the article.

It's being directed by Steve Latshaw and stars James Best (reprising his role from the 1959 film):

Also starring is John Schneider (ex-Duke of Hazzard and Clark Kent's father in Smallville), Sean Flynn (grandson of Errol), Jennifer Lyons (Desperate Housewives) and Bruce Davison (X-Men and a million other things), among others. Below James Best talks about the film:

Filming has been going on and though we have no clips for you yet, we do have some on-set comedy and song from Best:

Gallery of production shots:

Links to previous articles:

Sources: Website; Facebook page; via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Us vs Them! The Ants Are Coming Back!

2011-06-10T18:08:00.001+10:00

Independent filmmaker Joe Gatto is bringing back the giant ants!

The classic giant bug film Them! (US-1954; dir. Gordon Douglas), despite or (in part) perhaps because of its non-CGI, full-size puppetry, remains one of the truly great monster flicks of the 1950s and one of the best giant monster films of all time. The lonely desert landscapes, the rising wind as it carries the clicking shrill of the ants to us long before we see them, the young traumatised girl suddenly sitting up and screaming, "Them! Them!" -- who could not be deeply affected by the atmosphere created by these things. And the final confrontation deep with the city sewers that the ants have made their nest is a beautifully choreographed sequence, rich with tense and excitement.

The poster itself has become iconic!

Gatto's ambitious film, which follows Them! in being about giant ants but not in terms of characters or plot, is currently in script stage. He described it for the Backbrain:

I'm a huge fan of the classic big bug film. Us vs Them is actually a homage to the original Them! [rather than a remake or official sequel] so no rights acquisition was needed. This one will have lots of big bugs, flying ants vs. an Apache helicopter, and massive hybrid insects that have evolved from genetic mutations. It's a feature script about 100 minutes long.

Below are several posters featuring the various stars of the film.

Plus a conceptual drawing of the Queen:

We'll keep you informed as this enticing project progresses.

Sources: Joe Gatto via Avery; Gatto's YouTube Channel.

Update: New Chompers Website

2011-06-05T14:23:00.002+10:00

Chompers 3D, Jesse Blanchard's 3D "critter" horror comedy, currently in development, now has a official poster and a brand-new website. The latter is in 3D, so whip out those glasses!

Check out this previous Brainspasm article for a teaser trailer and links to more information.

Poster:

The new website can be found here: www.chompers3d.com.

Source: Jesse Blanchard via Avery Guerra.

Update: More on the Bug

2011-06-03T09:11:00.005+10:00

The Backbrain has been busy with other things lately... you know, life. Or at least an approximation thereof. So some news items have slipped into the dark. One series I want to drag back into the light is the ongoing Behind the Scenes information being released by producer James Cran in relation to the giant monster / hillbilly horror epic The Millennium Bug (US-2011; dir. Ken Cran) -- especially in advance of the film's world premiere screening at the 14th annual Dances With Films festival on Friday, June 3 at 11:45 PM at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Los Angeles. Tickets are available by visiting http://danceswithfilms.com/2011_listings_15.html.

Part 1: The Script looked at the development of the story and original screenplay, Part 2: The Monster revealed how the titular monster was created, and Part 3: The Storyboards showed how director Ken Cran went about creating ultra-detailed storyboards.

Since then the Crans have spilled the beans on a number of other significant aspects of the production:

Part 4: The Warehouse. Says director Cran: "Preproduction continued, and ramped up considerably when a suitable warehouse was found in North Hollywood. Why a warehouse? Simple: cost. We considered actual soundstages for a day, but once we realized that soundstage space was way outside our budget, we committed to a warehouse."

Part 5: The Aesthetic: "How would the effects look? The production design? The lighting and cinematography?"

Part 6: The Miniatures Part 1. "How can you tell a man in a monster suit is supposed to be a giant unless you have something to compare it to? Simple. You build miniatures."

Part 7: The Miniatures Part 2. "The most challenging of the models to build were the various structures comprising the ghost town of Mason's Grove. I love ghost towns, so I was really looking forward to building Mason's Grove. I had done some research while visiting the ghost town of Rhyolite in Nevada, taking lots of photos and really absorbing the atmosphere."

All fascinating stuff. So head along to the official website to get all the gory details.

Source: James Cran. Research by Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood. For more information on the film check out these Undead Backbrain links.

Night Claws Trailer is on the Loose!

2011-05-28T07:35:00.002+10:00

There are killers on the loose and one of them isn't human. The trailer for Bigfoot horror flick Night Claws (US-2011; dir. David A. Prior) has been released into the wild.

Read more about the new creature feature on Undead Brainspasm here.

You can check out the film's website here.

Behind the Scenes of Night Claws:

Source: via Avery Guerra

Exclusive: Millennium Bug at Work Behind the Scenes

2011-04-29T10:54:00.000+10:00

With the much-anticipated hillbilly horror / giant monster film, The Millennium Bug, about to chomp down on us, producer James Cran has sent the Backbrain news of updates to an ongoing Behind-the-Scenes video seriesthat is appearing on The Millennium Blog -- as well as some intriguing images.

Already up is Part 1: The Script, detailing the development of the script, as is Part 2: The Monster, which offers insight into the monster itself and How It Was Done.

Also recently added is Part 3: The Storyboards, in which director Ken Cran talks about his Hitchcockian approach to creating ultra-detailed storyboards that were critical in ensuring that every shot was captured correctly for compositing later. Here are some pictures relating to the process, some of them exclusive to this site:

Just up is Part 4: The Warehouse. In this installment Cran recollects finding the 700 sq. ft. warehouse that would barely provide the space needed to shoot the movie. It provides fascinating insight into this intriguing project.

Source: Producer James Cran.

The One Warrior Hits the Trailer

2011-04-10T08:46:00.002+10:00

Dragons, giants, wizards, heroic quests, bad guys and flying swords! This film has them all. And they're all in the newly released trailer.

The One Warrior (US-2011; dir. Tom Stout)

The film stars Jason David Frank (Power Rangers), James Russo (CSI: Miami, Public Enemies) and Dominic Keating (Star Trek: Enterprise, Sherlock Holmes).

According to the IMDb outline, The One Warrior is a classic fantasy tale in which a fighter known as The One Warrior finds himself in a mythical world where he must destroy the Evil Lord Shoukata. To do so he must fight his way through many challenges. These include dragons, the cursed swords of Damacleus, the Samurai Six, the Amazon Warriors, a giant and much more. With each challenge met, the more powerful he becomes. Sounds like a video game? Maybe that's exactly what it is.... Or maybe not?

Lord of the Rings meets Tron?

Producer Fabio Soldani tells us that the film is almost ready for distribution. "We think it will be distributed this summer on DVD worldwide and probably will be shown on US TV."

Sources: Fabio Soldani; Facebook; IMDb. Via Avery Guerra.

Exclusive: Night Claws

2011-04-10T07:59:00.010+10:00

Whoever said Bigfoot likes to stay hidden?

There's another Sasquatch-style monster flick on the way, this one set and made in Alabama, thanks to State financial incentives -- and the inspiration of Polish producer Fabio Soldani. Soldani conceived the film and encouraged local filmmaker David Prior to write the screenplay and direct. Among Prior's 30 previous films lurk a wealth of genre B-flicks such as Deadly Prey, Zombie Wars and Mutant Species.

"Night Claws is a homage for a monster movies from the 80s," producer Fabio Soldani told the Backbrain. He noted that it was to be produced without the aid of CGI.

Night Claws (US-2011; dir. David A. Prior)

Synopsis:

A small town is being terrorized by a killer Bigfoot. One that is blood thirsty, vicious and kills without warning and without discrimination. A scientist by the name of Sarah Evans (Leilani Sarelle) shows up to help the town’s sheriff (Reb Brown) and his deputy girlfriend Roberta (Sherrie Rose) hunt this thing down and put an end to the killings. At the same time, Hunter Crawford (David Campbell) is a thug-like character who along with his two henchmen, is hunting the creature himself, for his own personal gain and he does not care who he has to go through to accomplish this. Enter Charlie Parker (Ted Prior) a tough east coast type who is on a survivalist camping trip, led by the seasoned survivalist Sharon Farmer (Tara Sanford Kleinpeter) at the behest of his young trophy wife (Alissa Koenig) and whom, by no fault of his own, winds up being used as bait for the creature, by Hunter. But there is more at work here than meets the eye. A sinister plot is afoot and at its centre is the vengeful Mister Testi (Frank Stallone). And in the end this plot takes a twist that no one will expect.

"I'm very excited about this project," Soldani told us. "Developing the storyline for it was a blast. I tried to put as much 80s in it as I could and hire some favorite actors of mine. All known from 80s."

The cast includes genre stalwarts Reb Brown (Howling II, Ssssnake), Leilani Sarelle (Neon Maniacs, Basic Instinct), Ted Prior (Deadly Prey, Bio Force), Sherrie Rose (Killer Crocodile), David Campbell (Scarecrows), Frank Stallone Jr. (Rocky Balboa, Rambo: First Blood II, Masque of the Red Death), Alissa Koenig (Zombie Wars) and Tara Kleinpeter (The Dead Will Tell). Bill "Splat" Johnson (The Walking Dead, Zombieland, Halloween II) and Bruce Larsen (The Patriot, Dead Birds) form the SFX team.

Night Claws was set to film at the end of March and from there will be set for a TV premiere. There are lots of production pictures on the film's Facebook page. A news piece on the film and its Alabama production appears on the WKRG News 5 website.

Sources: Producer Fabio Soldani; IMDb; Facebook page; WKRG News 5 website. Via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

New: The Bear

2011-04-03T07:54:00.002+10:00

When you look into the woods, do you ever wonder
what's looking back?

Nice tagline.

Heading toward a premiere in New York City on April 30th, 2011 is the independent film The Bear (US-2011; dir. R. Jameson Smith) from Park Bench Pictures. Written by Pedro Francisco Marnoto and produced by Eamon Downey and Laurence Jacobs, The Bear is described as "a suspenseful story about the lengths a boy will go to become a man".

Synopsis:

The Bear is the story of 12-year-old Nathaniel Ford and his struggle to connect with a father who has become obsessed with a monster that has tormented him for years.

A monster that has left him crippled and alone. A monster that lives just beyond the treeline in the backyard of the Ford Farm.

With that Moby-Dick-in-the-backwoods ambiance and the effective outdoors photography of the trailer (see below), it looks like The Bear could be an excitingly dramatic coming-of-age horror drama.

Trailer:

The Bear - OFFICIAL TRAILER from Park Bench Pictures on Vimeo.

Below are some nicely evocative pictures from the film and its production:

R. Jameson Smith during the location shoot

Check out this teaser pseudo info-film on camping safety:

The Bear Official Teaser from The Bear on Vimeo.

Poster Gallery: (click to enlarge)

Sources: Official Facebook page; Jameson Smith's site. Via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Exclusive: New Season Tomatoes?

2011-03-25T19:10:00.000+11:00

I've always thought that if you're going to remake some old genre film, it's best to remake one that exists down the bottom rungs of the ladder, even (or maybe especially) if it's got a cult following. With remakes or sequels of B-flicks such as Attack of the Giant Leeches, The Horror of Party Beach, Fiend Without A Face, The Killer Screws [see the just announced Return of the Killer Shrews], The Swarm and Kingdom of the Spiders either recently made or announced as in production, surely the time is right for a remake of one of the most ludicrous franchises ever:

Yes, it's Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (US-1978; dir. John DeBello), which was followed ten years later by Return of the Killer Tomatoes (US-1988; dir. John DeBello):

... and then, as if those weren't enough, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! (1990) and Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1991), both still directed by Mr DeBello. On top of that there was an animated TV series, assorted video games, comic books, toys, merchandise and endless tomato-sauce splattered hilarity.

Pursuing previous information that suggested that John DeBello and 'Ask A Ninja' were intent on doing a remake, Kaiju Search-Robot Avery hunted the parties down and got confirmation that DeBello and 'Ask A Ninja' were no longer collaborating on this project and that the Ninjas were no longer attached to it. Undeterred, Avery asked DeBello if plans for a remake of his most famous classic were still on the cards.

Here is DeBello's reply:

No updates that I can share at the moment, Avery, but stay tuned ... I guess if they can remake The Horror of Party Beach, then Killer Tomatoes should be a lock, eh? Alas, even vicious veggies fall victim to the vagaries of Hollywood deal making. (Are the Coen Brothers busy?) Anything is possible with Killer Tomatoes ... while a remake remains a tantalizing possibility, to paraphrase William Goldman: "Ya Never Know".

What would be his preferred options for the film if it happened?

My personal preference is a $300 million 3D version helmed by James Cameron, with me receiving a $20 million consulting fee and a brief cameo, but I always wake up from that dream just as I'm cashing the check.

Seriously, the Hollywood route is probably most appealing, if for no other reason than that it'd be fun to see a big-budget remake of a no-budget indie ... sort of fits the Killer Tomato dynamic of infinite absurdity. But again...

Ya Never Know.

I'll be sure to keep you posted if/when the Vicious Veggies roll again.

So, you heard it here first. There might be a big budget remake -- and if you'd like to mis-read what we wrote and spread the word that James Cameron will be helming it, feel free to do so. Might make it happen.

Source: John DeBello via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Update: The Night Of The Chupacabras

2011-03-25T17:48:00.001+11:00

We thought The Night of the Chupacabras [A Noite do Chupacabras] (Brazil-2011; dir. Rodrigo Aragão) looked like a lot of fun when we came across it back in January (see earlier Brainspasm article), what with all those gorily extreme images and the generally weird ambiance. But that was nothing. Check out the newly released official trailer below. Things start out looking normal enough, but before too long normal goes right out the window, as a famous cryptid is reborn in order to encapsulate the evil energy unleashed by family rivalry. ...

The Night of the Chupacabras was produced by Fábulas Negras Produções for a July 2011 release date.

Check out the official website here.

via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood. For a full listing of cast and crew, and lots of pictures, go to the above mentioned Brainspasm article.

Exclusive: First Teaser for Chompers 3D

2011-03-16T08:28:00.003+11:00

Director Jesse Blanchard has sent Undead Backbrain the first teaser trailer for his "ass-kicking, fun-to-watch" monster flick Chompers 3D, which we featured on Undead Brainspasm in February. The trailer is in 3D, so you'll need some two-colour anaglyph 3D glasses. If you need guidance in this regard, visit the Chompers 3D website, where you can learn how to get some.

Teaser Trailer:

The central concept -- of a creature that "starts out very small, hiding as a ring or a thimble, always something round, waiting for a victim to place her hand inside his mouth, but each time he feeds, getting a little bigger and a little better at camouflage" -- is a great one with terrific potential for a cult-fannish future, along the lines of films such as Gremlins.

Stay tuned.

Source: Jesse Blanchard via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Exclusive: In the Devil's Courthouse

2011-03-12T17:40:00.000+11:00

The title In the Devil's Courthouse conjures up lots of things, but that the film might be a classic cryptozoological creature feature wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts on the matter.

Synopsis:

It lives on this mountain. On The Devil’s Courthouse. The Cherokee people knew of the evil that lurks there. They carved the story of the beast into stone for all to see and to serve as a warning throughout the ages. A warning that too many have ignored for too long. Now, the beast has emerged from the darkness... and it’s hungry. Unfortunately for Leah and her newest boyfriend, Josh, they’re about to find out the terrifying truth behind the legend. Soon after their camp site is attacked, Leah makes a desperate phone call to her brother, Steve, while running for her life. Steve rushes to the rescue with his girlfriend, Lauren, and Max, a fellow police officer. After tracking his sister for hours, the group is thrown into a terrifying struggle for survival as the “Devil” judges their souls and decides which of them will live and which of them will die. Can any of them survive the nightmare in the woods at the Devil’s Courthouse?

On the other hand, that it might involve a lot of blood was always on the cards. The devil's just like that, you know. Judgemental in the extreme. And not prone to being just.

Latest Trailer:

Second Poster:

Made for Brain Juice Productions by writer/director/producer Ken Comito, In the Devil's Courthouse is in the final stages of post-production, with Comito shooting some add-on footage and tweaking some technical hitches. He expects the film to be released later in the year.

Although it was conceived and written using the “cabin in the woods” or “come to me” formula for simplicity and with budget in mind, the screenplay and subsequent production of In the Devil’s Courthouse quickly evolved beyond either of these two structural definitions. This was in part due t necessity. The simple, budget-friendly, one location aspect of the “cabin in the woods” formula became more complex as the interior of the primary “cabin” location was too small to accommodate cast and crew. We had to plan for a second “cabin” for all interior shots and some exterior shots. The number of exterior shooting locations also quickly multiplied. We found so many beautiful locations, from the Pisgah Covered Bridge in Asheboro to numerous locations at Hanging Rock State Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains, that we had to incorporate them into the movie. (Press release)

The main cast is:

Ashley Marie Nelson .................................... Leah
Dustin Webb ................................................. Steve
Kristen Snider ............................................... Lauren
Patrick Ferrara .............................................. Max
Duane Trunnell ............................................. Danny

Below is a prop from the film, a map showing "the Courthouse":

More information (and lots of production stills) can be found on the film's official website. An interview with the director appears on The Times News.

Source: Brain Juice Productions via Avery Guerra; Press release; Official website; Facebook page. See also Horror-Movies.ca.
Written by Robert Hood

Addendum: Old Teaser Trailer:

What's on the Other Side?

2011-03-04T18:26:00.002+11:00

Actor Joe Flanigan clearly has a penchant for going through portals of one kind or another. He did it a lot in Stargate: Atlantis and now it's happening again in a creature feature flick from SyFy Channel supplier RHI Entertainment.

The Other Side [aka Ferocious Planet] (US-2011; dir. Douglas G. Davis)

This time Flanigan has John Rhys-Davies (doing his best to look senatorial rather than dwarvish) and Dagmar Doring along for the ride.

But Lord of the Rings or not, the while thing naturally involves nasty creatures. Big, nasty creatures. That is, of course, just what we want.

Synopsis:

It was a groundbreaking device designed to glimpse alternate universes and government commissioned by a brilliant physicist. But the machine malfunctioned on its first presentation, transporting a group of observers into a nightmarish new dimension. The team quickly must use ingenuity and courage to outwit, outplay and outlast the native man-eating creatures of this bizarre new world while doing their best to repair the damaged machine. Even if they stay alive, without a working transport, they may never make it back home.

Trailer:

Source: RHI website via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

Blarghaaahrgarg Winners Announced

2011-03-04T08:26:00.002+11:00

Well, two weeks is up, Pazuzu has made his selection and I'm pleased to announce that the winners of the Blarghaaahrgarg DVD Giveaway are:

Alex DiVincenzo from Massachusetts, US
Susan Pearson from London, UK
Joshua Reynolds from Pennsylvania, US
Hayes A. Jones from Louisiana, US (not Los Angeles)
Luís Cláudio Lopes da Silva from Tondela in Portugal

Congratulations, people! I will be sending your addresses on to Fernando Alle and the folk at Clones Productions in Lisbon and a brand-new copy of the Blarghaaahrgarg DVD will be squirming its way to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for taking part in the give-away -- and many thanks to Fernando and Clones for their generosity.

Exclusive: Retro-SF Horror in Invasion of the Reptoids

2011-02-26T09:55:00.007+11:00

We all know there's humanoids reptiles everywhere, right? Some live underground (see this Brainspasm article on the Underground Lizard People). Others come from outer space. Of the latter, there's those with a big budget (such as the V TV series remake), and there's those that do it on a shoestring.

Invasion of the Reptoids (US-2011; dir. Ted Moehring) features humanoid reptiles from outer space that are doing it tough. The film is, according to its director, "chiefly a homage to the classic Sci Fi/Monster movies from the 1950s and filled with references to many of them and is inspired by some of the Reptoid conspiracy theories". These aliens don't have the giant CGI spaceships and advanced technology of the Vs, but they have rayguns and are much uglier!

You know about the Reptoid conspiracy theories,yes? Well, briefly, it seems that invading reptoids have been infiltrating significant positions in governments worldwide for decades and may even live right next door to you. So next time you notice your neighbour cooking bugs on the barbie of an evening be very suspicious.

Trailer:

Synopsis:

Aliens invade and terrorize a small town. Why do some of the townspeople seem to know more then they should about the aliens? And what secrets are the military hiding?

Images:

Conrad Brooks looking for Plan 10

Cast:

Conrad Brooks (Plan 9 From Outer Space)
George Stover (The Galaxy Invader)
John Link (Spiderbabe)
Kurt Strouse
Leeann Fassbender
Edward X Young
Cedric Crouch
Dave Getzoff
Lisa Lovecraft
Joseph Michael

Crew:

Special FX/Makeup by Marnie Beitz and MLA Creations
Additional FX and Makeup by Edward X Young
Associate Producers: Cedric Crouch, Dave Getzoff
Music: Cedric Crouch
Written, Directed, Produced, Photographed and Edited by Ted Moehring

Source: Ted Moehring via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

In Production: RV + Giant Bird = Roadkill

2011-02-26T09:19:00.000+11:00

There have been a few films with the title "Roadkill" over the years, but I'll bet that none of them features a monstrous predatory bird called a Simuroc.... before now, that is.

Currently in production from RHI Entertainment, Roadkill, directed by Johannes Roberts, features the inevitable bunch of young people on a road trip in a RV. When they accidentally run down an old Gypsy woman, the resulting curse laid upon them manifests as a giant bird that proceeds to pick them off, one by one. Set in Ireland, there should be some nice scenery along the way.

Official Synopsis:

Kate and her brother Joel have gathered their five best friends for a scenic RV road trip to their high-school reunion. But their cross-country adventure is about to take an unexpected turn for the worst when an ancient curse takes wing by way of a massive creature. It’s called the Simuroc, and this gigantic bird of prey has found the perfect, helpless quarry in Kate and company. Stranded in the backwoods of the predator’s territory, there’s little chance for escape. (RHI website)

Trailer:

Images:

Source: RHI website via Avery Guerra

Exclusive: Casting for The Return of the Killer Shrews

2011-02-26T08:38:00.002+11:00

Undead Backbrain's report on the production of a sequel to Ray Kellogg's 1959 B-horror cult classic, The Killer Shrews, was greeted rather warmly, so we're happy to report that we have some exclusive news on the casting of Return of the Killer Screws, co-written by Pat Moran and original cast member James Best, and directed by Steve Latshaw. To save time, we offer you the unexpurgated press release, which is mainly concerned to announce the casting of "a new generation of Hollywood royalty", namely Errol Flynn's grandson, Sean Flynn:

Press Release:

Coal Train Productions and Generic Filmgroup announced today that former Teen Idol SEAN FLYNN, fresh from his long-running role as Chase on Nickelodeon's Zoey 101, will be co-starring in his first adult role in Return of the Killer Shrews. Flynn's role as Derek will utilize his comedic skills first honed on the popular Teen TV series and provide added thrills to his large TV fan base. Return of the Killer Shrews, set on a mysterious island in the gulf of Mexico, places Flynn in a modern-day horror setting, but with a touch of blood-drenched comic mayhem ala Shaun of the Dead and the slightest flavor of retro Tiki exotica ala the great Drive-in horror flicks of the 1950s and 1960s. And Flynn even gets a chance to use his considerable charm, like his famous Grandfather, Errol Flynn.

Co-Producer Dorothy Collier-Best is very happy with this new bit of casting. "I am so pleased to have Sean Flynn on board. His family history and youthful exuberance is a perfect match for this retro project."

In his stellar career, co-star James Best literally walked in Errol Flynn's shoes. "Sean's Grandfather was a hero of mine. I was honored to have worn many of his clothes in movies; every time I turned around there was the name 'Flynn' emblazoned on the collar. Now I am honored to be working with his grandson."

Other cast members joining Sean Flynn include John Schneider, fresh from "Desperate Housewives," "Hot In Cleveland" and "Smallville," Jennifer Lyons ("Valley Peaks," "Desperate Housewives," "Transylmania") and country legend Mel Tillis ("Beer For My Horses," "Cannonball Run" movies).

Director Steve Latshaw, who recently collaborated as screenwriter with Dolph Lundgren on the hit action thriller, Command Performance, is equally excited about working with the young Flynn. "I'm certainly thrilled about working with a new generation of actor from this extraordinary family. But I'm even more excited about taking full advantage of Sean's strong sense of comic timing and considerable on-screen charisma, honed from years of film and television work."

Return of the Killer Shrews goes before the cameras in May, with release scheduled for next year.

Source: Dorothy and James Best via Avery Guerra

Exclusive: Chompers 3D

2011-02-20T09:19:00.006+11:00

A new terror strikes the Pacific NW. Is it deforestation? Is it a tsunami? Is it a rash of politeness that borders on insanity? No ... It's CHOMPERS 3D!

Space Bugs director Jesse Blanchard is set to launch himself and his crew into the world of 3D feature films with Chompers 3D. And he wants to share the filmmaking process with anyone who's interested.

He told Undead Backbrain:

Chompers 3D is a live-action, feature-length monster movie I hope to shoot this summer and release in the fall. The script is written and I've built the 3D rig (and have been shooting in 3D). But everything else is still in production.

It's an ass-kicking, fun-to-watch monster movie. But there is also a heavy dose of suspense because our monster changes shape. He starts out very small, hiding as a ring or a thimble, always something round, waiting for a victim to place her hand inside his mouth. But each time he feeds, he gets a little bigger and a little better at camouflage.

I want to post as much of the process as possible as I go along and do that posting in 3D. So, I'm giving out free anaglyph (red/blue) 3D glasses to anyone that would like to check in on the movie and see the assets in 3D. The actual movie will be in full color 3D. The red/blue glasses are just a way for people to see the 3D effect on their computers without having to buy expensive TVs.

That is the very basic overview of the movie's status and plan going forward. We've got a small site up at www.chompers3d.com and have a blog going at www.chompers3d.wordpress.com.

As Chompers 3D's main antagonist takes on various disguises, such as jars, shoes, garbage bins, mailboxes, etc., even everyday objects become something to fear. Check out the following samples of concept art by Beau Berkley -- innocuous except for those eyes....

As Blanchard commented:

It’s gonna be a hell of a ride for any horror fan tired of seeing the same monsters up on the screen. It’s time for fresh blood and Chompers will bring it to you.

So get your 3D glasses (they're free) and go check out the Chompers 3D website. You'll be able to view pictures like the following as they were meant to be seen:

Sources: Jesse Blanchard via Avery Guerra; Official website; Chompers blog; Facebook page

Exclusive Update: Super Shark vs the Land-Walker

2011-02-20T08:20:00.000+11:00

The poster and a new trailer for Fred Olen Ray's Super Shark (US-2011) have been released. Seems our titular antagonist monster now has a land-walker style mecha-tank to fight with. Excellent!

It likes eating girls in bikinis (and is obviously drawn to this bit of the coast by the bikini contest), is prehistoric and is a fan of Jaws. Moreover bullets bounce off it, it can walk around on land and it flies. "It's Super Shark!"

Trailer:

Further information is available on Undead Backbrain.

Source: Fred Olen Ray via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

Free Blarghaaahrgarg DVD Giveaway!

2011-02-16T19:15:00.003+11:00

Okay, repeat after me: "Blarghaaahrgarg!" Say it again without trying to drink from that beer can this time: "Blarghaaahrgarg"!"

Now you can win a copy! Free!

Blarghaaahrgarg is a new independent horror-comedy film written and directed by Nuria Leon Bernardo and produced by Clones Productions in Lisbon -- creators of Papá Wrestling. The film premiered at Motelx last October and has been an official selection at assorted festivals throughout Portugal, the UK and the US, including the Leeds International Film Festival and Tohorror Film Fest.

Blarghaaahrgarg is about "an exterminator, a man in a dressing gown, a cat and a monster." Actually there's other stuff, too, including buckets of blood. It's very nicely made and funny, and features a completely old-school monster -- you know, an animatronic puppet made of paper-maché or something. Classic stuff.

Blarghaaahrgarg (Portugal-2010; short [15:18 min.]; dir. Nuria Leon Bernardo)

Synopsis:

Zeca is a loser. He lives with his grandmother and works as an exterminator. One day, while working, Zeca has an accident which will spawn the meanest, ugliest, most horrible monster ever.

Crew:

Director and writer - Nuria Leon Bernardo
Special effects and animatronics - Fernando Alle
Producers - Luís Henriques & Pedro Florêncio
Cinematography - Tiago Augusto

Thanks to SFX guy Fernando Alle and the wonderful people at Clones, we're giving away 5 copies of the DVD. Just send your name and address (including country, folks) to Undead Brainspasm at "Blarghaaahrgarg Giveaway" in the header. Every entry we receive over the next two weeks (provided the film's name is spelt correctly) will go into the draw and five winners picked at random by my cat Pazuzu -- who's intrigued by this rat, but a bit disturbed by certain feline-related aspects of the film itself.

Okay, you don't have to spell the name correctly.

If you need added enticement, here's the trailer:

... and the theme music, which is heard over the credits:

Thanks to Fernando and the Clones.

Sources: Official website (check it out for info on how to order the DVD and to learn more about the Clones); via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

Back to Rat Scratchings

2011-02-13T15:51:00.001+11:00

Remember advance notices for Jeff Leroy's giant alien rat extravaganza, Rat Scratch Fever? No? Well, go check out this Undead Backbrain article right now!

Meanwhile the rest of you can view the latest trailer, while contemplating the great news that Rat Scratch Fever will be playing at Hollywood's Silent Movie Theater on February the 26th at 10:30 pm. If you live in the area, or are keen enough to travel there, go to Cinefamily for more information.

Hey, daikaiju-sized rats trashing LA! The SFX may be old-school and low-budget stylised, but it looks like fun.

Source: Jeff Leroy via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

New: Infectus

2011-02-13T15:23:00.004+11:00

Only a zombie film if you're willing to loosen the definition of "zombies" from "dead people walking" to include those who have been infected and driven mad and homicidal by it, Infectus under whatever guise looks and sounds both ominous and creepy.

And I should perhaps mention that an unknown sea-creature -- a cryptid -- gets the whole show on the road.

Infectus (US-2011; dir. Shane Cole)

Synopsis:

Paul and Jennifer come to Rockport, Maine to shoot a movie about a cryptid convention where enthusiasts trade stories of their encounters. Their project turns nightmarish when a real cryptid infects a local and sends him spiraling into a rabies-like rampage.

The film is currently in pre-production. It will be shot along the central Maine coast near Camden, Rockland, and the lobster-fishing community of Port Clyde, an area made famous in paintings by N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth.

Director Shane Cole, who has a reputation for "economical filmmaking", commented that for Infectus his Masked Films production company will team up with various partners so that he can spend more on visual and makeup effects and on a larger cast, as well as being able to shoot on location outside LA.

Previous Cole collaborators will be back, including cinematographer AJ Rickert-Eptstein (Across the Line: Exodus of Charlie Wright, The Lost Skeleton Returns, Everyday Joe) , composer Anton Riehl (Crank 2 High Voltage, Hell Ride and Everyday Joe), and make-up artist Emma Julia Jacobs, who has recently been on the make-up teams for Black Swan, The Collector and Jennifer's Body.

Cole, whose previous films include M, Visions of Horror, and Everyday Joe, is seen below on location during the teaser shoot:

Maine Dock at night:

More pictures here.

Sources: Shane Cole; MaskedFilms website; via Avery Guerra.

More Piranha Horror?

2011-02-05T16:45:00.002+11:00

Haven't had enough of piranhas, even after Mega Piranha and the Piranha remake? Well, check this out:

Made by German indie filmmakers for Guardian Pictures, this faux trailer may offer a great opportunity. If you think it has promise, go to the YouTube link and leave a comment urging them to make the full thing!

Need convincing? Check out this CG test footage:

Or check out the group's popular Beerbank Show, and this teaser for their latest project, Barren Land.

Do it!

Source: via Avery Guerra.

Update: Return of the Killer Shrews

2011-02-05T16:25:00.002+11:00

Following on from the Undead Backbrain article about Steve Latshaw's re-boot/sequel to a dodgy movie from 1959 whose title you can guess, we give you a shorter synopsis and links to the newly launched website. It stars the original film's lead, James Best.

Synopsis:

A TV Reality Show hires CAPTAIN THORNE SHERMAN (James Best) and his boat to cargo supplies to the deserted offshore island they're using as a filming location. Thorne would have normally refused the job because he's been to that island before and stills sees it in his nightmares. Unfortunately, he needs the money and he's not getting much business these days. Together with his first mate ROOK (Rick Hurst), they sail -- to a place Thorne Sherman never wanted to see again as long as he lived: the island of the KILLER SHREWS.

As the TV crew and two-fisted animal expert JOHNNY RENO (John Schneider) shoot their reality show, some of the cast and crew go missing, attacked and eaten in a bloody feeding frenzy by strange creatures. But tough as nails Producer STELLA, sleazy Director WILLARD and manipulative Writer LENORA couldn't care less about the human cost. They are ruthlessly focused on getting their show in the can, regardless of the body count. Only cute young camera operator MICKEY (Jennifer Lyons) and her on-again off-again boyfriend SAM grow concerned about their vanished friends. And Captain Thorne grows uneasy. Only he knows that the island holds hidden danger. Only he knows why people are dying. Once again, the place is crawling with giant Killer Shrews, the result of a 50-year-old experiment gone terribly wrong. And time is running out to get off the island before they all turn into bloody Shrew bait.

Website: http://www.killershrewsmovie.com/
Facebook

Source: Steve Latshaw via Avery Guerra.

New: Germ

2011-01-30T12:14:00.005+11:00

In the tradition of 28 Days Later... comes a new zombie apocalypse flick where the undead epidemic is basically a viral infection, as the title suggests. It's called Germ (US-2011; dir. John Craddock) and is in the final stages of post-production.

Synopsis:

The military's attempt to shoot down an orbiting satellite unleashes an alien virus on a small town in upstate New York, an epidemic that frees humanity's most primal urges -- such as cannibalism -- and turns its victims into "zombies". A deputy named Max and his girlfriend Brooke must battle their way through an army of infected townsfolk and soldiers as they struggle to save themselves and their loved ones from a horrible death.

Trailer:

Germ stars Marguerite Mitchell, Michael Flores, and Mark Chiappone.

Some commentators argue that the term "zombie" refers to those who aren't actually dead but have lost their self-control and hence identity to madness. I'm not one of these commentators. The not-really-dead type I refer to as "Near Dead" and consider the films that use such cannibalistic maniacs to be related to the zombie apocalypse sub-genre, in that they utilise many of the same tropes, but not actually zombie films. Pedantic, I know, but sorry, folks, zombies are dead by definition.

We're yet to discover if we're dealing with the not-quite-dead-but-crazily-cannibalistic or the dead-but-cannibalistically-re-animated in Germ, but finding out looks like it might be fun. The orbiting satellite idea is reminiscent of a scenario suggested in Romero's seminal Night of the Living Dead (1968), which of course started the whole zombie apocalypse thing and changed zombies from Haitian slaves or vengeful ghosts into cannibalistic -- and virulent -- corpses.

The "zombies" of Germ are clearly of the non-shambling kind, at any rate.

Short Production Film:

Sources: John Craddock via Avery Guerra; News item; IMDb. Written by Robert Hood.

New: The Niles Monster

2011-01-23T09:34:00.006+11:00

OK, folks, this is definitely a tease -- we don't even have a plot summary for this one. But you know, there's definitely something effectively creepy going on here:

What do we know? Not much. The film's called The Niles Monster, produced and directed by Steven LaFontaine. It's coming soon. From all appearances it has a cryptozoological bent, featuring a monstrous beastie that's haunting the city of Niles, California (which happens to be most famous for being "the original Hollywood").

La Fontaine sees The Niles Monster as sitting in the tradition of the 1950s B-horror genre. He has more to say about it in this clip from a local creepshow horror program, Creepy Kofy. Notably he says that as Milpitas has a monster (see Undead Backbrain), he thinks it isn't right that Niles, "the original Hollywood", doesn't have one, too -- and he plans to right that wrong:

For your information, the following gives you some idea of Niles' claim to being "the original Hollywood":

But it was the arrival of Essanay Studios in 1912 that truly put Niles on the map and in the history books as being the "first" Hollywood. Broncho Billy, owner of Essanay Studios, started making films in and around Niles. He shot over 300 films during the studios four-year run in Niles. Broncho Billy shot many train robbery and chase scenes in Niles Canyon and around the town of Niles. Actors Ben and Carrie Turpin, Wallace Berry and Chester Conklin were seen around and about Niles as they worked on Broncho Billy's films, but the most famous actor to grace its streets and history was Charlie Chaplin. The highly acclaimed "The Tramp" was filmed right in downtown Niles on Niles Boulevard. (from Travel Destinations tourism website)

Anyway, The Niles Monster is still in production, with some interesting developments occurring on a daily basis. LaFontaine revealed this bit of gossip:

We're close to getting a free special effect shot courtesy of a gentleman who let us film on the property where you see the armed search party. Can't give away too much info on that. However, I can say that it involves the demolition of two large brick towers. Should be fun to film. We may have to sacrifice a camera for the impact shot.

And he said this about the titular monster:

I've been advised that I should never actually show the monster. But I want the beast in the film. All of my favorite B horror films show the monster and the more jacked-up the better, although of course I believe in building suspense. I'm leaning towards puppetry and some CGI, depending on the scene. What it's like? Well, it's a quadruped (think An American Werewolf in London), and as to size I haven't figured that one out yet. But as you can see from the poster, it's a giant angry mutant opossum!

The website can be found here. And, yes, there's t-shirts for sale.

Source: Steven LaFontaine via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Exclusive: Journey to the Centre of the Tay

2011-01-22T15:48:00.004+11:00

The Scottish giant monster spoof, Terror ‘Neath the Tay! (UK-2009; dir. Kyle Titterton) — which Undead Backbrain revealed in depth here -- was reportedly the first in a trilogy. Well, true to his word Kyle Titterton, the director, has sent us news of the first sequel, Journey to the Centre of the Tay, which he expects to be released in about three months' time.

Titterton commented:

As you can see from the poster the monster, this time is a plesiosaur -- like 'Nessie' from Loch Ness -- though seeing as it inhabits the Tay estuary it gets dubbed 'Tessie'. Because of this we managed to get media rights to The Drop Kick Murphy's song "Tessie" -- which is actually the official theme song for the Boston Red Sox! Daft but there you go... However, there is a brief cameo featuring the monster octopus from the first film...

New Trailer:

Titterton told us that Tessie, when she arrives, will be created via CGI. He added:

I have some shots but I'll hold off till we're finished -- but she's looking pretty good. Overall the scale and scope is bigger though it'll still clock in around 45-50 mins, certainly under the hour mark. It does indeed form part of the Tay Thrill-ogy, the final part being: The Land That Tay Forgot! which I'll make if this one is at all successful.

It is taking a lot longer than I had planned though I think it's been worth taking our time as unusual opportunities have presented themselves -- such as getting hold of a tank, more ambitious SFX, as well as getting a few British celebrity cameos. We managed to get Lorraine Kelly to do a cameo.

Kelly, though "completely unknown across the pond" is "the Queen of morning talk shows" in Scotland.

Titterton is currently pursuing screening possibilities, including a North American premiere, and a DVD release. Undead Brainspasm will keep you informed.

Source: Kyle Titterton via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

First Lake Van Teaser Trailer

2011-01-22T12:06:00.001+11:00

A teaser trailer for the Turkish lake monster flick Van Gölü Canavarı [aka Lake Van Monster] (Turkey-2009; dir. Bünyamin Yaşar) has just surfaced. If you can't recall anything about the film, there are two Undead Backbrain articles here and here, and some production footage on the Brainspasm.

Even after seeing the trailer (which is not subtitled), I don't feel any the wiser about how the monster fits into the story, though we're assured it does.

Meanwhile, here are some more stills:

Source: Avery Guerra

Underground Lizard People?

2011-01-08T09:37:00.002+11:00

Urban legends concerning reptilian humans living on the outskirts of society abound. Some are aliens. In fact, there's a rather large cult of "believers" who see alien reptilians hiding beneath the skin of world leaders -- all part of an invasion plan that has been pottering along for some time, apparently. Metaphorically astute, yes, even if you're skeptical about the theory's literal reality.

Others speculate on the possibility of reptilian humans as an evolutionary offshoot from the dinosaurs. Leaving aside issues of genetic incompatibility, this idea does rather ignore the well-accepted fact that dinosaurs weren't reptiles. Still, reptiles or not, dinosaurian-hominid hybrids make for a neat exercise in imaginative paranoia.

Here are two other accounts of reptilian humans, supplied by Jared Cohn, who is directing an upcoming documentary-style film on the subject.

Hopi Indian Legends
The Hopi Indians of northern Arizona have traditions that recall a time when their "Snake Brothers" built and occupied underground cities in Arizona, California, Mexico and Central America. Once such underworld city is believed to have been built on the west coast, near the Pacific ocean, under Los Angeles, California.

The Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp
South Carolina is home to one of the most perplexing creature sightings reported in modern times. The animal, known as the “Lizard Man”, was seen several times around Scape Ore Swamp, outside of Bishopville in Lee County. Could this lizard man be an animal from prehistoric times, who has escaped detection by inhabiting the rural swamplands? And if not, then just what is it?

Cohn's film centers around a bunch of young filmmakers who encounter a race of reptilian humans in the sewers of Los Angeles. Here's one of the first interviews they recorded on the subject.

Commented the filmmakers:

Jacob Cohen worked in the Banning tunnels [a series of catacombs under downtown LA]. We met up with him to hear his side of what really happened. His testimonial may help us uncover the truth about the Underground Lizard People.

The upcoming film is Underground Lizard People, currently in post-production, and is described as "the true story of five documentary filmmakers who are attacked by a cannibalistic civilization of half human, half lizards!" Director Jared Cohn also wrote the screenplay with Ed Erdalac. It stars Caitlin Gold, Clint Byrne, Colin Walker, Lauren Klemp, Hugo Dillon and Courtney Hammond. (See full credits at the end of this article.)

Synopsis:

The story of a group of passionate filmmakers who venture deep into the mysterious underground Banning Tunnels to unearth the truth regarding a series of disappearances. The group soon finds the answer to the mystery, a forgotten civilization of half human, half lizards!

Extended Synopsis:

This is a unique horror/thriller, based on real urban legends, that incorporates both narrative storytelling and documentary style interviews to show the viewer that these creatures really do exist among us.

A group of passionate filmmakers, led by director Jason Watts, venture deep into the mysterious underground Banning Tunnels to unearth the truth regarding a series of disappearances.

After a series of run-ins with some of the tunnel’s inhabitants including the childlike Roy and the mysterious Chip, the group soon finds the answer to the mystery, a forgotten civilization of half human, half lizards.

The young film crew soon become victims of vicious attacks from the creatures and learn that they are lost in the maze of tunnels. They must run and fight for their lives to avoid making the Banning Tunnels their graves. (Press Release)

It is claimed that Underground Lizard People is "based on actual eye-witness accounts" and certainly the film's approach is the faux-documentary style that has become so popular since The Blair Witch Project made its huge paranormal splash back in 1999 -- though from the following official trailer this one is not nearly as chaotically jerky as Blair Witch and others that have followed, making it watchable for those whose stomachs don't handle all that irritating movement too well.

So, is this fictionalised fact or just another film that has embraced the faux-doco approach? Look for it later this year and decide for yourself....

Just keep in mind that there is a back-history to all this. In the early 1934, for example, a geophysicist mining engineer named G. Warren Shufel, working on assorted urban legends, put his own scheme for unearthing the secrets of the Underground Lizard People into effect. A report in the Los Angeles Times for January 29, 1934 says:

Busy Los Angeles, although little realizing it in the hustle and bustle of modern existence, stands above a lost city of catacombs filled with incalculable treasure and imperishable records of a race of humans further advanced intellectually than the highest type of present day peoples, in the belief of G. Warren Shufelt, geophysicist mining engineer now engaged in an attempt to wrest from the lost city deep in the earth below Fort Moore Hill the secrets of the Lizard People of legendary fame in the medicine lodges of the American Indian.

So firmly does Shufelt and a little staff of assistants believe that a maze of catacombs and priceless golden tablets are to be found beneath downtown Los Angeles that the engineer and his aids have already driven a shaft 250 feet into the ground, the mouth of the shaft being on the old Banning property on North Hill street, overlooking Sunset Boulevard, Spring street and North Broadway.

And so convinced is the engineer of the infallibility of a radio x-ray perfected by him for detecting the presence of minerals and tunnels below the surface of the ground, an apparatus with which he says he has traced a pattern of catacombs and vaults forming the lost city, that he plans to continue sending his shaft downward until he has reached a depth of 1000 feet before discontinuing operations.

Read the whole article here.

In case you live in the LA area and want to check out the tunnels for yourself, here's Shufelt's secret map (click to enlarge):

Underground Lizard People Credits

Crew

Directed by: Jared Cohn
Written by: Jared Cohn & Ed Erdelac
Produced by: Joe Accardi
Executive Producer: Ron Dubey
Director of Photography: Mike Bauman
Edited by: Mike Bauman & Jared Cohn
Gaffer: Albert Phaneuf
Associate Producer: Pete Raab
Makeup Artist: Ingrid Dubberke*
Makeup Assistant: Ashley Stewart*
Wardrobe: Patrice Zapiti, Nathaly Proano
Grips: Matt Prager, Zack Fox, Pierre Bonny, Tyrone Rhabb
Production Assistant: Dina Agusta
Sound Design: Chris Pinkston*
Music:
Underground Lizard People: written and performed by Mother F’Nature*
Prettier Than The Picture: written and performed by Mother F’Nature

Special Thanks: Eddie Reyes, Don Fizzinoglia, Jim Fauvell, Robert Sherwin, Jennifer Contino

Cast

Rachael: Caitlin Gold
Jason: Clint Byrne
Jack: Colin Walker
Lynda: Lauren Klemp
Cheryl: Courtney Hammond
Chip: Jared Cohn
Lizard 1: Hugo Dillon
Roy: Mike Baez
Tunnel Worker: Ray Soltani
Lizard 2: Pierre Bonny
Lizard Queen 1: Dandi Richard*
Lizard Queen 2: Ren Valentine*
Lizard Child 1: Christian Musto
Lizard Child 2: Brittany Falcone
Lizard Child 3: Chloe Falcone
Lizard 3: Joe Accardi
Lizard 4: Mike Baez
College Kids: Pete Raab, Nathatly Proano, Samantha Schwartz
Hooker: Ren Valentine*
Homeless People: Keith Abrami, Dost Khalique, Dean Glenn, Karyn Cohn
College Extras: Patrice Zapiti, Melissa Coreas, Frank Papik, Amy Choi, Jessica Mandel, Megan Conley, Stanley Hiresh, Suzy Chang, Gio Pietrobuono, Debra Milles, Vernon Skinner, Joseph F. Bate

* indicates that it is subject to change

Interviews

Eye Witness 1: Mike Pirozzi
Eye Witness 2: Michael Golden
Eye Witness 3: Angela Perri
Eye Witness 4: Bob Socci
Roy: Antonio Banx (Real Name: Rafael Guillen)
Professor: Jim Fauvell
Government Agent: Robert Yongren
General: Edward Lansdale

Source: Jared Cohn via Crypid Hunter Avery Guerra; Official website; Facebook page; the movie on Twitter; Traplight Media;

Exclusive: The Night of the Chupacabras

2011-01-07T11:45:00.002+11:00

The chupacabra is a cryptid with a territory that centers on Latin American countries, particularly Puerto Rica and Mexico, though it has been sighted in the US as well. The name is Spanish and derives from two words meaning "goat sucker". Yes, it has a habit of drinking the blood of livestock, especially goats.

The chupacabra featured in the X-Files episode, "El Mundo Gira" and came up against the Scooby Gang in the film Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico. There have been several independent films featuring the legendary critter -- such as El Chupacabra (UK/US-2003; dir. Brennon Jones, Paul Wynne); Chupacabra Terror (US-2005; dir. John Shepphird); the Troma flick Legend of the Chupacabra (US-2000; dir. Joe Castro); Guns of El Chupacabra (US-1997; dir. Donald G. Jackson); Night of the Chupacabra (US-2005; dir. Ted Rivera), a sci-fi parody that interprets the chupacabra as an alien; and assorted other low-budget efforts. Coming up in 2011 is, apparently, a studio-based US horror thriller titled Chupacabra, starring Billy Zane, Daniel Stern and Daryl Hannah.

Cryptid Hunter Avery has located an interesting-looking Brazilian film featuring the Chupacabra, titled A Noite do Chupacabras (trans. Night of the Chupacabras). Directed by Rodrigo Aragão, it tells the story of a family feud sparked by something monstrous lurking in the jungle.

Synopsis (roughly translated):

A young couple returns to their land of origin in the interior of Espírito Santo in Brazil, a journey through forests and mountains full of mysteries, legends and natural beauty. Douglas Silva (Joel Caetano) finds his family upset over the mysterious death of their farm animals and old conflicts that have long plagued the area's rival families resurface. The Silva brothers are increasingly certain that the deaths were orchestrated by the neighbouring Carvalho family. However, Douglas' father knows that something more sinister lurks in the woods. With the families at war, they are faced with an evil greater than they can imagine. Between fights, chases, hunts and lots of shooting, the mythical creature, the Chupacabra, reveals itself for the first time. (Source)

Here is the teaser trailer:

Aragão's previous film was Mangue Negro, or Mud Zombies (2008), in which pollution of the local mangrove swamp causes zombie-like creatures to rise from the waters and do that thing that zombies do. (Source)

The Night of the Chupacabras, produced by Fábulas Negras Produções, is currently filming, and aims for a release date of July 2011. It is expected that it will have Spanish and English subtitles like the previous film.

Crew:

Executive Producer: Hermann Pidner
Director: Rodrigo Aragão
Production: Kika Oliveira, Mayra Alarcón
Production set: Ana Carolina Braga, Kika Oliveira and Mayra Alarcón
Director of Photography: Secundo Rezende
Camera: Secundo Rezende and Dani Marchesi
Special Effects and Visual Effects: Rodrigo Aragão, Douglas Belasco, Murillo Ribeiro, Reginaldo Dallmaschio, and Alexandre Mello.
Set Designer: Giovanni Coio, Ulisses Debian and Walderrama dos Santos
Costumes: Mayra Alarcón
Continuity: Giovanni Coio
Editing Musical, Sound Design and Mixing: Hermano Pidner
Pyrotechnics and Electronics: Rodrigo Aragão, Alzir Vaillant and Jorgemar de Oliveira.

Cast:

Chupacabras: Walderrama dos Santos
Kika Silva: Kika Oliveira
Maria Alicia: Mayra Alarcón
Mr. Pedro Silva: Markus Konka
Mrs. Clara Silva: Margot Benatti
Alzir Silva: Alzir Vaillant
Douglas Silva: Joel Caetano
Ricardo Silva: Ricardo Araújo
Jorge Silva: Jorgemar de Oliveira
Antonio Carvalho: Fonzo Squizzo
Ivan Carvalho: Petter Baiestorf
Agnaldo Carvalho: Foca Magalhães
Reginaldo Carvalho: Reginaldo Secundo
Raul Carvalho: Raul Lorza
Raul Child: Hector
Old Chico: Cristian Verardi
Mrs. Italia Carvalho: Margaret Galvão
Matilde Carvalho: Milena Zacchè
Mr. Tadeu Carvalho: Secundo Rezende
Mr. Otto: Afonso Abreu
Alvaro: Eduardo Moraes
Drunk: Hermann Pidner
Movie Extras: Giovanni Coio, Ulisses Debian.

Below is a gallery of images from The Night of the Chupacabras, showing the location, the cast and some nudity and gore, but not the monster. Producer Mayra Alarcón told the Backbrain that "the appearance of the Chupacabras is being kept a secret until the debut of the film. It will be our surprise for the public." Director Aragão, who wrote the film, also designed the creature.

Note that, according to Alarcón, "the image that looks like a zombie is our Man with a Sack [that is, O Homem do Saco -- a version of the Bogeyman], a Latin myth about an old man who kidnaps children".

Gallery:

Sources: Producer Mayra Alarcón; Cine-Monstro; Recursozero. Research: Avery Guerra. Written (with additional research) by Robert Hood.

Exclusive: Get on Ya Camel (Spider) and Ride!

2011-01-05T11:29:00.009+11:00

Camel spiders -- you know, those nasty-looking spiders that have been one of the lasting B-grade legacies of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq -- get big in Jim Wynorski's latest non-T&A epic, Camel Spiders (US-2011; dir. Jim Wynorski).

Camel spiders are real, but have become the subject of a huge number of myths, especially after the following picture did the rounds of the blogsphere:

Big, eh? In fact, if you check the size of the barely visible hand holding the dead spider, it's not so big -- its apparent size being the result of forced perspective. Here is a neat list of current myths about camel spiders (collected on camelspiders.net):

Camel spiders can move at speeds over 30 mph, screaming while they run.
Camel spiders can be as large as a frisbee.
Camel spiders venom is an anesthetic that numbs their prey.
Camel spiders can jump three feet high.
Camel spiders get their name because they eat the stomachs of camels.
They eat or gnaw on people while they sleep. Due to the numbing effect of their venom, the victim is unaware until they awake.

In reality, camel spiders, which are not actually spiders as such but Solifugae and thus part of the Arachnida family along with spiders, scorpions and the like -- have a max. leg span of about 12 cm (4.7 in), with a body length reaching 7 cm (2.8 in) (which is bad enough, I reckon), and they run at speeds of up to 16 km/h (10 mph) (which is still rather impressive). They are mostly found in deserts -- and not just in the Middle East and are also known as wind scorpions or sun spiders. Apparently they don't scream, disembowel camels, anesthetize humans in their sleep and eat them, or any of that fun stuff. (Source)

Wynorski's camel spiders will, of course, veer toward the fun variety rather than the real ones (only bigger), as shown in this early teaser for the film [note: at the request of the producers, we've been asked to remove this teaser trailer from YouTube. Sorry, folks!]:

Ah, they're always fun, are giant spiders, even if they don't get to daikaiju size. Something to look forward to on SyFy.

Synopsis:

Based on actual creatures that for years have tormented our armed forces in the Middle East, these creatures have invaded the southwestern deserts of the United States. The Camel Spiders now freely hunt for prey, unafraid of any predator - including man. No place is safe no one is beyond their paralyzing sting. In the end, a small band of hearty fighters are forced to make one last stand against the creatures. (IMDb)

A Roger Corman produced film for CineTel Films, Camel Spiders stars C. Thomas Howell (from ET, The Outsiders, Red Dawn, The Hitcher and in recent times assorted Asylum exploitation flicks), Brian Krause (Charmed, Beyond Loch Ness and the upcoming Area 52), GiGi Erneta (El Chupacabra, Risen, Fire From Below) and Rocky DeMarco.

Some Production Stills:

Source: Jim Wynsorki via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood
Take a look at another upcoming "war against mutant camel spiders" movie called Extraction, featured a while back on Undead Backbrain.

Now Where Did That Astro-Zombie Come From?

2010-12-15T13:22:00.002+11:00

As it happens, the fourth entry in Ted V. Mikels' Astro-Zombies series features skull headed Astro-Zombies that come -- somehow -- from cyberspace.

Astro-Zombies M4: Invaders from Cyberspace has just been confirmed as "in-production." Commented independent grindhouse veteran Mikels:

[It] is now officially in development ... I have identified a few key production staff members and we have begun story development. (Source)

Mikels told Undead Backbrain that this continuation of "the Astro-Zombie saga" is scheduled for a February 2011 start date.

Nevertheless, something has begun, as evidenced by the screenshots on this page and the teaser trailer below.

Produced by TVM Global Entertainment, in association with Blue Heron International Pictures, the film looks like it takes the franchise another rung up the ladder with some nifty possibilities in the SFX area.

"The world loves the Astro-Zombies," Mikels added.

Veteran screenwriter Cory Udler and Florida filmmaker Gary Lester is on-board as Mikels' creative story consultants, along with veteran TVM Studios actress, Shanti. Gary Lester will also serve as assistant director, with Blue Heron's Richard Lester as associate producer.

Source: Ted Mikels; Blue Heron website; Thanks Avery. Written by Robert Hood.

Ted Mikels News: AZ3 and Demon Haunt on DVD

2010-12-15T08:54:00.000+11:00

Irrepressible exploitation director (and Salvador Dali look-alike) Ted V. Mikels may not have produced Oscar-winning films, but he has certainly been responsible for contributing a significant body of low-budget genre classics to the post-60s grindhouse tradition (see this Undead Backbrain article for details). Dodgy acting, cheap FX, simplistic stories, blood and gore, gratuitous violence ... say what you will, his films tend to remain in the memory of those who sat through them at the drive-in or watched them on scratchy VHS tapes rented from the local trash cinema repository. The fact that he is still making films with glee and passion has to represent the triumph of determination over reason, and as such is rather inspiring to independent filmmakers everywhere.

One of his fan favourites has always been The Astro-Zombies (US-1968), the tale of a machete-wielding, artificial, undead assassin that in a way defined the genre.

This was followed much later, in 2002, by a sequel -- Mark of the Astro-Zombies. In this one, the undead assassins have become the mutated servants of alien invaders. In 2009, Undead Backbrain looked at the coming of a second sequel, officially making the Astro-Zombies into a franchise -- Astro-Zombies M3: Cloned (see Astro-Zombies Back for More!)

These Astro-Zombies are the product of a secret cloning project by the US Government.

Now the film is available on DVD for your delectation, through Oldies.com:

Official Trailer:

Extended Trailer:

Alternative/Early Cover Art:

Images (Promotional, production, screenshots):

A Collection of Clips and Production Videos:

More from Ted:

Also now available on DVD is Mikels' demonic horror film, Demon Haunt (see previous Undead Backbrain article):

See Trailer here.

Coming Soon! News of a fourth instalment in the Astro-Zombies saga. Watch this space!

Sources: Ted V. Mikels; Oldies (for AZM3); Oldies (for Demon Haunt); Blue Heron Pictures; Ted V. Mikels website. Thanks to Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

More Images from The Man Who Summons Kaiju

2010-12-14T18:58:00.000+11:00

Here is a bunch more images relating to The Man Who Summons Kaiju [aka Kaijû wo yobu otoko] (Japan-2010; dir. Daisuke Andô). Some are production shots, some gag shots ... and one is an image from that key monster moment in the film, when the kaiju makes its presence felt:

This one, however, isn't from the film!

The rest:

Source: NHK; NHK2. via Avery Guerra.
Original Undead Backbrain article
Previous Undead Brainspasm image gallery

Update: Imagining the Monster

2010-12-08T17:05:00.001+11:00

As a quick update on The Man Who Summons Kaiju [aka Kaijû wo yobu otoko] (Japan-2010; dir. Daisuke Andô) -- the 25-minute kaiju short film made for NHK television in Japan and soon to be broadcast there -- we have some conceptual drawings of the monster itself... and this, the first released shot of the actual monster from the film, as he drags his tail through the sand on his way back out to sea:

One of the interesting things about these conceptual drawings is that they not only give us a view of the kaiju as it will appear in the film, but are actual props from the film -- drawings made by the young filmmaker whose obsession with making a giant monster film manages to awaken a long-dormant "sacred monster" from the Yayoi period of Japanese history (c. 300 BC–300 AD).

This following image looks like it may be part of the film's actual storyboard. At any rate, it's a scene I want to see in all its glorious live-action spectacle!

In related news, apparently the SFX for The Man Who Summons Kaiju are being handled by Kiyotaka Taguchi, who did assistant digital FX work on Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidora: Daikaiju soukougeki [aka Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack] (Japan-2001; dir. Shusuke Kaneko), and built miniatures and set-dressed for Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tôkyô S.O.S. [aka Godzilla, Mothra, Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS] (Japan-2003, dir. Masaaki Tezuka) and Gojira: Fainaru uozu [aka Godzilla: Final Wars] (2004; dir. Ryuhei Kitamura). He also directed the short kaijiu films G (2008) and Chohatsu Daikaiju Gehara [Long-haired Giant Monster Gehara; Geharha, The Dark and Long-Haired Monster] (2009), as well as episodes of the kaiju TV series MM9. His 2D digital FX work appears in films as diverse as The Grudge 2, The iDol, Battle Royale II, the Sinking of Japan remake, Monkey Magic, the American remake of the Thai ghost film Shutter and the 20th Century Boys trilogy. Such an impressive resumé bodes well for The Man Who Summons Kaiju's monster!

Below Taguchi is at work on some very miniature miniatures for The Man Who Summons Kaiju -- with the monster artfully blocked from view:

Other new images from the film:

Director Andô (I think) and his two leads, Gen Hoshino and Nao Nagasawa

Sources: NHK drama; NHK film blog; Norman England -- all via Avery Guerra; SciFi Japan on Kiyotaka Taguchi.
Original Undead Backbrain article; Trailer and more images

Bio•Slime Gets Contagious

2010-11-23T08:37:00.000+11:00

The slimy horror film once known as Bio • Slime has undergone a name change.

Fangoria reports writer/director John Lechago as saying:

“Since [Cannes], Contagion was offered as the alternative title for the international market, and every buyer seemed to prefer that one ... We are making a point to include ‘John Lechago’s’ in the title—not because of my raging ego, but because there are actually a few movies out there called Contagion, including one coming up from Steven Soderbergh."

Doesn't seem like a great idea to me -- and it's much more conventional and uninteresting as a title. Oh, well. The film itself still looks excellent.

Meanwhile, here's the latest trailer:

Source: Fangoria via Avery. Written by Robert Hood.
Previous Undead Backbrain articles: Bio•Slime Drips from the Walls; More Tentacles, More Bio•Slime; New Bio•Slime Trailer Oozes the Good Stuff. And one from Undead Brainspasm: Getting into the Bio-Slime.

No Budget Horror: One Dark Night

2010-11-06T15:50:00.003+11:00

One Dark Night is a short [10 minute] sci-fi/horror film that came about when three UK school friends dreamed of making it big in Hollywood -- and then decided that a step in the right direction was simply to make some enjoyable films and have a good time while doing so.

The plot is simple. When fragments from a small meteorite come crashing down all across the UK, all hell breaks loose -- in the form of alien bugs that hatch from the fragments and subsequently have a rather deleterious effect on human victims: the bugs bite and paralyze them, then crawl inside and take over the body. Victims' eyes go black and the skin turns pale. The creatures' main plan is, of course, to enslave mankind. And there's a lot of the little buggers.

Oblivious to what's happening around the country three guys are having a lad's night in watching their local football team playing on TV and drinking a crap load of beer. Their game suddenly gets disrupted when the picture on their TV dies.

Trailer:

Original Test Trailer:

We asked producer/director Paul Dowers about the project.

The script for this film and the film itself was originally written and shot in 1998 in hi8 format. As it was one of our very first attempts at making a horror/scifi film, we were never really satisfied with the outcome and our abilities at the time. Twelve years later I stumbled across the original script and decided that the time was right for a remake. Everyone else seems to be remaking old films, so why not us.

This time around we are slightly more experienced, with many short films under our belts.
Technology has also moved on so much in the last twelve years, which makes it easier for a bunch of amateur film makers like us to add our own special effects, such as the motion-tracked CGI zombie makeup, the meteor and bugs in this film.

The original "One Dark Night" was 9 minutes long.

Note: you can see the trailer for the first 1998 version of the film on Vimeo here.

How did Barking Mad Films come about?

At the time there weren't any video clubs in our area so we decided to start one ourselves. Our first film was called "Life's a Bitch", a comedy about an under-the-thumb husband who hires a hitman to kill his wife but forgets to insure her. Our second film was the original version of "One Dark Night". On and off we have made many films since these, each better than the last -- learning as we go and meeting some great people along the way.

The Future?

We plan to continue what we enjoy doing, that is, making movies and one day in the not-too-distant future we will be releasing a feature film. The script is being working on as we speak.

Meanwhile, the "remake" version of "One Dark Night" was completed about two months ago and Dowers is waiting to hear if it gains entry into the Newport international film festival. "If accepted," he commented, "it will be premiered in the first week of December at this festival. But it's early days yet and I plan to enter the film into other festivals, too."

Several early films from Barking Mad Films are currently featured on Undead Backbrain's Weekend Fright Flick: Paul Dowers Festival.

Source: Paul Dowers; Barking Mad Films website; IMDb. Researcher: Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood

More Monster Cruise News

2010-11-06T12:29:00.001+11:00

We've had word that Jim Wynorski's monster comedy, Monster Cruise, has been picked up by "All Channel" for North American TV distribution. Avery has also confirmed that there is a DVD, but no details are available at this time.

Below the poster we have the first teaser trailer for the film, which reveals a few interesting facets of the film we didn't know about -- namely that the monster isn't the only cryptozoological curiosity that inhabits the lake! We also have an exclusive clip from the film.

Meanwhile here is the first teaser trailer and an exclusive SFX clip showing the monster:

Clip:

Previous Undead Backbrain article
Monster Cruise on Undead Brainspasm
Source: Bill Dever via Avery Guerra

Bleak Sea Isn't Looking Quite So Bleak

2010-11-01T18:50:00.003+11:00

Once a conceptual trailer in search of completion, the giant sea-monster flick Bleak Sea (under the direction of Giacomo Cimini) now appears to have a home -- none other than production company Working Title, who have on their resumé films such as Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, the Matt Damon vehicle Green Zone, the Coen Brothers' A Serious Man and Burn After Reading, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Bridget Jones' Diary, Mr Bean's Holiday and Rohan Atkinson's spy epic Johnny English, as well as the Simon Pegg/Mark Frost films Hot Fuzz and much-anticipated close-encounter comedy, Paul.

This information comes via the website of literary agency Curtis Brown, who happen to represent Stavros Pamballis. Pamballis is currently working on the script of Bleak Sea. This has also been personally confirmed by director Giacomo Cimini, though he was unable to give us any further details at this time.

As we reported in May on Undead Backbrain, Bleak Sea concerns a British submarine, which at the height of the Cold War, is searching for an elusive Soviet weapon in the depths of the North Sea, but instead finds a far more terrifying enemy lurking in the deep. Below is the poster (which will no doubt change as the in-development project continues). Note that the "far more terrifying enemy" appears to have tentacles. This will be important later.

The trailer won the Trailermade 2010 competition and was rather spectacular. You can check out details of the production as it was back then, and view stills (though unfortunately the conceptual trailer has been withdrawn from circulation), here. Obviously the actors appearing in the trailer may not necessarily be the ones in the final product.

In an interview on the Opium website director Giacomo Cimini evasively expands of the influence of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (whose famous quote is referred to on the poster) and the horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, the Cthulhan work of whom has clearly influenced the nature of the undersea beast in the film. Other reveals are the fact that Bleak Sea is set in the 1960s (yes, I know... the Cold War era), its "primordial idea" was initially triggered by David Twohy's under-rated submarine ghost flick Below, and the trailer was shot in a real HMS class Oberon -- inside the HMS "Ocelot”, docked at the Royal Navy Museum in Chatham (UK). Check out the interview here.

Another giant monster flick to look forward to!

Source: Curtis Brown website, Opium website via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.

Kong: King of Skull Island News

2010-10-30T17:26:00.001+11:00

Not real news, just a hint. The long-anticipated live action film of Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland’s illustrated novel, Kong: King of Skull Island appears to be still in play, with Andy Briggs writing the script. A report on a seminar on writing for Hollywood at this year's London Book Fair (in April) confirms that Briggs was working on the King Kong "prequel" at that time (Source).

Briggs, who commented that even European companies without Hollywood-level budgets were looking for "high-concept" projects, defined the term as "whorishly commercial". Briggs pointed out that screenwriters are converting unsold screenplays such as 30 Days of Night into graphic novels. "You must do anything you can to help executives see the finished movie," he stressed. Hence the appeal of a Kong prequel, one can assume, the great monster ape being one of the World's most iconic figures -- and let's face it -- the graphic novel already exists and has a strong fanbase.

Elsewhere, the completion date for Kong: King of Skull Island has been given as both 2011 (IMDb) and 2012 (interview with Harry Marcos). I guess we wait and see.

Briggs has written several genre films, including the in-production Jericho (2010; dir. James Isaac), but we'll mention the TV movie Rise of the Gargoyles (2009) in particular, as it has monsters in it and gives us an excuse to include the following posters:

Research: Avery Guerra. Writing: Robert Hood

No Budget Horror: Werecoon

2010-10-30T16:51:00.001+11:00

If Australia can have a were-marsupial in Howling III (Aust-1987; dir. Philippe Mora), why can't North America have were-raccoons?

Werecoon (release date to be advised) is a small severely under-budgeted horror film made by Christina Thiele and her brother Ben Rio Thiele. Going on production shots available on the film's website, it was shot largely in a lounge-room, with occasional excursions into the great outdoors (the backyard). At any rate, it appears to have been made out of a great sense of fun and will no doubt be a hoot.

Trailer:

Original Trailer:

Synopsis:

Daniel has been dumped by his girlfriend, scratched by an unknown creature and he is starting to -- change.

Werecoon stars David Wilson as Daniel/the Werecoon, here seen with co-star Ben Rio Thiele, who plays Keith:

Director Christina Thiele said of Wilson:

David Wilson was born to play this role. His research and dedication to the role is definitely seen in the film, and will be enjoyed by all. I hope you all enjoy his audition [in the video below].

Cassie Owsley plays Maggie (the girlfriend):

JoAnn Garrett plays the "young werecoon", here pictured with her co-stars and the director:

For more information on the stars, check out the Werecoon website.

Director and co-writer Christina Thiele commented that she "took this project on in my hometown with very few resources and only a few people to help out." In translating her lifetime love of monster movies, "with their absurdity, inventiveness and creativity" to film, she set out to give Werecoon a "B" movie feel and look.

Currently Werecoon is in its final stages of editing, during which time it will be given an original score.

Sources: Official website; Facebook page. Research by Avery Guerra.