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Elvira Mistress of the Dark Returns to TV this Fall!

7/27/2010 6:50:00 PM

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Returns to Weekly Television Fall 2010

with

ELVIRA'S MOVIE MACABRE (tentative title)

Production Begins Immediately on Slate of 26 Films to Air, With Premiere Set for Weekend of September 25 Throughout U.S. in National Syndication and on THIS! Television Network

As recently reported at the San Diego (Comic-Con), July 24, 2010 – She's baaaaack! The world's sexiest, most outrageous and completely original movie hostess EVER is making her long-anticipated return to weekly television this fall, when ELVIRA'S MOVIE MACABRE (tentative title) premieres on THIS! Television and in national syndication throughout the U.S. the weekend of September 25 (see local listings for station/day/time). The weekly two-hour movie block is distributed by Trifecta Entertainment & Media, and will air on television stations representing more than 80% of U.S. households.

When asked about her return to weekly television, Elvira said "All I can say is, IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!"

"Elvira will be every bit as relevant as the first day she burst onto the scene; a beautiful opinionated woman who always delivers just what her audience expects from her,"
said Hank Cohen, CEO/Partner, Trifecta Entertainment. "At Trifecta, we take pride in bringing proven and trusted brands to the syndicated marketplace; Elvira is a time-tested and wildly successful brand unto herself and her new show perfectly exemplifies our strategy."

Who would have imagined back in 1981 that the hostess of a local Hollywood horror movie show would grow to become a household name? Elvira was the first horror host ever to be syndicated nationally, and the Mistress of the Dark has remained one of the most original and outrageous characters in popular culture today. This fall, she returns to national syndication with 26 horror movies, accompanied by her one-of-a-kind commentary. B-movie actors and directors beware, because nothing escapes the keen eye and sharp tongue of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Edited:7/27/2010 6:50:51 PM (HellHound)

Ellie Cornell Added to HHW Cincinnati!

7/20/2010 11:09:00 PM

We thought it would be fun to announce something before we left for the San Diego Comic-Con this weekend. ... by popular demand - Ellie Cornell has been added to HorrorHound Weekend Cincinnati this November 12-14th as she joins George Wilbur, Danielle Harris and Kathleen Kinmont for a special Halloween 4 reunion!

Ellie portrayed Rachel Carruthers in both Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 alongside Danielle Harris. Other films Ellie has appeared in include House of the Dead, All Souls Day: Dia de los Muertos, Married to the Mob, The Thirst, Room 6, The Darkroom, The Specials, Free Enterprise and House of the Dead 2.

Tickets for this event are now available for pre-sale - CLICK HERE to order yours today!

Open House Blu-Ray Review

7/20/2010 1:03:00 PM

Open House is a new horror thriller hitting DVD and Blu-Ray courtesy of Lionsgate on August 3rd. The film is sure to garner quite a bit of attention thanks in no small part to the two most prominent faces featured on the cover art – Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer – stars of the hottest show on television, True Blood. Seeing the on and off-screen couple immediately caused hesitation on my part that this was just some sort of cash-in based on their current level of celebrity – that is, until I noticed the name of the writer and director: Andrew Paquin, i.e. Anna's older brother. Hey, we all do favors for family…

The plot concerns a man who enters the home of Josh (Moyer) and Alice (Rachel Blanchard) during the titular open house. The couple has split up and decided to put the dwelling on the market since Josh has moved out. The man who sneaks into the open house is David, played by Brian Geraghty of The Hurt Locker fame. Neither Alice nor the realtor notice that David has entered the home and he hides out until the open house has ended, taking Alice hostage shortly thereafter. David's accomplice Lila (Tricia Helfer) soon joins him and it quickly becomes apparent that she is the one wearing the pants in the relationship. The film plays out as expected from this point as the psychotic couple of David and Lila make Alice's home their own for the next several days while acting out their murderous impulses on both invited and uninvited guests. The only wrinkle in the storyline is that Alice is secretly kept alive by David even though Lila thinks he has disposed of her. Geraghty's performance is fairly impressive – he plays a blank, submissive psychopath with the best of them and at moments even goes so far as to remind the viewer of Anthony Perkins' brilliance as Norman Bates in Psycho. The major issue with his performance is that it falls smack dab in the middle of a hollow, paint-by-numbers film. I caught myself wanting to just turn it off at numerous times – not because it was bad, but rather because it was just so boring. No tension, no excitement, no heart. And for a film like this to be successful those ingredients aren't optional.

Additionally, my earlier fears upon viewing the cover art were fully realized – Anna Paquin has what is approximately one minute of screen time while Moyer times in at slightly more with around five minutes. Needless to say both are absent from the film before long and certainly aren't nearly as intricate to the picture as the artwork would lead you to believe. Fans of True Blood will certainly blind buy this one when they see it on shelves at their local retailer and will almost as certainly feel ripped off after watching it for wasting their money.

Obviously Open House is working with far more talent than your typical straight-to-video fare which is why this flick is so disappointing. The only thing worse than being subjected to bad acting is watching good actors just going through the motions. I've honestly been more entertained and creeped out by episodic dramas on network television than by this bland motion picture. The Blu-Ray disc itself looks good, but the picture quality isn't anything out of this world. Deleted scenes and a commentary with writer/director Paquin are included as supplemental content, although I can't imagine most viewers caring enough to turn them on. For those who are still curious to check this one out, don't say I didn't warn you.

Overall Rating: 1 out of 5 Paws

Guest Change for HHW Cincinnati

7/8/2010 12:19:00 AM

We have an unprecedented guest change to announce for HorrorHound Weekend: Cincinnati. Dick Warlock has been moved from our November Cincinnati HHW event guest list and will now be attending our March 2011 event in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his stead, we are excited to announce the addition of fellow-Michael Myers actor and stuntman, George P. Wilbur.

George has worked on over 100 projects as both actor and stuntman - but is most well known for his portrayal as Michael Myers in both Halloween 4 and Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers. George appeared alongside Danielle Harris and Kathleen Kinmont in Halloween 4, making for a reunion on this 22-year-old classic (as all three actors will be appearing at HorrorHound Weekend now, this November 12-14th).

Ironically, George has also worked on both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 (joining Mark Wilson and Billy Bryan for our Ghostbusters event). George worked as a stuntman in Ghostbusters, while appearing on-screen in "GB2" as a Bailiff in the opening courtroom sequence. Furthering the irony, George also worked on the 1985 flick - Re-Animator, as a stuntman (doubling Robert Sampson). As many should know - we are presenting a special Re-Animator reunion at this November's HHW, making for yet another amazing connection.

George's work ranges from cult classics to bonafide pop culture hits. Included in his resume: Halloween 5, Silence of the Lambs, Dr. Giggles, The 'burbs, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, Monster Squad, Poltergeist 2, Repossessed, Firestarter, Fletch, Escape from New York, Beastmaster, Spider-Man, Raw Deal, Planet of the Apes, Blacula, Casino, Blazing Saddles, Towering Inferno, Grizzly, Die Hard, Running Man and Total Recall.

HorrorHound Issue #24 Now Available

7/1/2010 10:37:00 PM

Issue #24 is now available and started shipping to subscribers today!
Featuing our largest retrospective to date covering the iconic masked maniac..... Bah just read the issue.

Fabiana Udenio Added to HHW Cincinnati!

6/30/2010 10:01:00 AM

In case nobody has seen this weekend's surprise announcement on the HorrorHound Weekend Facebook page - we announced the addition of Fabiana Udenio to the guest list for HorrorHound Weekend: Cincinnati, set to take place on November 12-14th, 2010. Fabiana joins fellow-Bride of Re-Animator cast members Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott and Kathleen Kinmont for this special 20th Anniversary reunion for the film!

Fabiana portrayed the character of "Francesca Danelli" (Bruce Abbott's love interest) in this 1990 splatter sequel classic. In the film, Dr. West and Dan Cain discover they can create "new" life by fusing the best parts from other bodies to form one "perfect" being. Of course, nothing works out the way it should and the film escalates into a blood-soaked climax of insanity and corpses. Just like Re-Animator, which we are celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Bride of Re-Animator turns 20 this year. This will be the first time reunions for both films are being presented at the same event!

On top of her appearance in "Bride," Fabiana is most well known for her role in 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, where she appeared as the iconic "Alotta Fagina." Many other may be excited for Fabiana's appearance due to her role in the cult classic film, Summer School, where she played "Anna-Maria Mazarelli," the foreign-speaking bombshell. Other film and TV roles featuring Fabiana include: In the Army Now, Hardbodies 2, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Amazon, The Wedding Planner, 90210 and Robocop 2.

On top of her Re-Animator brethren, Fabiana joins a great collection of cinema icons - including Malcolm McDowell, Julian Sands, Meg Foster and Dick Warlock - for HorrorHound Weekend set for this November. To get more information about this bolstering event, including hotel information and additional guest info - visit the official website by CLICKING HERE!!!

Also: Pre-sale tickets are now available. To order yours today - CLICK HERE!

Birth of Separation Film Review

6/29/2010 8:03:00 AM

The concept of a pregnant woman in peril is nothing new to cinema, yet it has always been a controversial subject matter that most filmmakers shy away from. This certainly isn't revelatory – most films are made to be enjoyed and such a focal point for a motion picture is tough for a general audience to swallow. Nonetheless, director Louis Mansfield manages to confront this notion head-on with his new feature Birth of Separation. Shot on a shoe-string budget on location in Philadelphia, PA, the film follows the daily routine of Elizabeth, a pregnant housewife who one fateful morning has an encounter that will change the lives of her and her family forever.

Wandering innocently around town with a stack of fliers depicting his missing son, Jerome knocks at Elizabeth's door and is invited in for a cup of coffee. A warm gesture from one parent to another soon escalates to unnerving proportions as the conversation shifts from Jerome's missing son to Elizabeth's personal life. With the pregnant Elizabeth taken off guard, Jerome manipulates his way into her home, taking her hostage and inflicting both physical and psychological torture on the young woman all under the guise of getting more acquainted with her – and revealing some deep, dark secrets along the way.

First and foremost, Birth of Separation isn't your standard home invasion horror flick, but rather an independent art film – or 'ugly art' as the filmmakers have coined it. This isn't necessarily a film you go to the cinema and enjoy – it is a film you experience. As a result, I didn't catch myself walking out of the theater smiling ear to ear, yet it was the first thing I thought about when I woke up the following morning. Birth of Separation is very much in the same vein as Michael Haneke's Funny Games. It may not make you feel good, but it does make you feel – and after all, isn't eliciting emotion out of the viewer the mark of a quality motion picture?

Some may look at the miniscule budget as a detractor, however I felt it was quite the opposite. Whereas a film like Funny Games is well polished, Birth of Separation (BoS) felt real. It took place in a row house that any city dweller could identify with and it didn't have A-list talent to distract or remove the viewer from the moment. What it did have were talented local actors that infused the film with a sense of reality. The film's star, Ashley-Rebekah Faulkner (Elizabeth) puts in a splendid performance, highlighted by a chilling scene where she has her own hair cut off (in a single take no less) by the picture's villain Jerome, portrayed by executive producer Steve Saturn. Faulkner excels in her believability; drawing in the audience and making them feel as if they are being held captive along side her. Ultimately the fervor with which Faulkner portrays her character is what truly allows BoS to stand out as such an effective film.

BoS refreshingly refrains from graphic violence and instead opts for psychological fear in order to unnerve the audience. This is not to say the film is free of violence, however, it certainly does not rely on it for shock value. Factors like this are what ultimately allows BoS to be viewed as art rather than exploitation and, in doing so, will likely lead to the film being seen by audiences which are less accustomed to this sort of cinematic fare.

BoS is not a perfect independent picture but is unarguably a testament of what can be done on a low budget when those involved have the passion to make the project the best it can be. After all, tension is something that you can't just buy. So if the opportunity presents itself to see Birth of Separation make sure you do not pass it up. It may not be the feel good hit of the summer, but if you can endure it then you will hopefully find the appreciation for it that I did. I love popcorn flicks as much as the next person, but sometimes I want to be challenged by a film and BoS certainly challenges. And if you have the same reaction I did, then BoS will linger in your psyche for some time to come.

Official Website: www.haveyouseenthischild.org

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Paws

Help some fellow HorrorHound fans!

6/28/2010 10:38:00 PM

Hey Hounds,

Jessica Dwyer here asking for you to click a vote.

Some fellow horror fans are trying to win a grant to help fund their horror theater group.

Forward the link to the Facebook voting page and click it yourself to help them out. It only
takes a few seconds. And think of the awesome that will be Chase Bank paying for lots of fake blood.

http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/261199553-wildclaw-theatre

Check out their official website while you are at it

http://www.wildclawtheatre.com/

Bloody Best

Jess

Universal Dead is going Full Length!

6/28/2010 5:41:00 PM

Hey Hounds,

Jessica Dwyer here with some great news for fans of the web series Universal Dead.

UNIVERSAL DEAD PRESS RELEASE

Unconventional Films – creator of UNIVERSAL DEAD – is completing discussions w/ Paramount Lot Producers, Fishman Productions, Ltd., on a Full Length Feature version of their highly successful horror web series. An official announcement is anticipated during Comic Con where UD will be the featured Project at ICON’s Saturday July 24, 2010 Event. UD Talent will be at Comic Con for signings and to meet their avid fans.

UD writer Kelly Parks indicates "I can’t wait for fans to see the whole story!" Director Vernon Mortensen said, “Fishman Productions has the highest integrity and has really earned our respect.” FPL Executive Producer, Jeff Fishman, admits being "blown away by the connection fans feel for “Universal Dead" and the Full Length Feature Script Kelly has written”. The Full Length Feature script is still under wraps and Fans are hoping for some teasers during Comic Con.

The cast including Doug Jones, DB Sweeney, and Gary Graham will be at Comic Con signing autographs for fans. If your in San Diego next month be sure to stop by and say Hi!

Kathleen Kinmont Added to HHW Cincinnati!

6/28/2010 9:23:00 AM

We are excited to announce the addition of Kathleen Kinmont to the guest list for HorrorHound Weekend: Cincinnati, set to take place on November 12-14th, 2010. Kathleen joins fellow-Bride of Re-Animator cast members Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott for this special 25th Anniversary reunion for the film!

Kathleen portrayed "The Bride" (Gloria) in this 1990 splatter sequel classic. In the film, Dr. West and Dan Cain discover they can create "new" life by fusing the best parts from other bodies to form one "perfect" being. Of course, nothing works out the way it should and the film escalates into a blood-soaked climax of insanity and corpses. Just like Re-Animator, which we are celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Bride of Re-Animator turns 20 this year. This will be the first time reunions for both films are being presented at the same event!

On top of her appearance as the title character in "Bride" Kathleen is most well known for her role in 1988's Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, where she appeared alongside Danielle Harris (who is also attending HorrorHound Weekend) as the Haddonfield slasher made his return to cinemas! Kathleen has also appeared in such films as Hardbodies, Nightforce, Stranger in the House, That Thing You Do!, Phoenix the Warrior and many more.

On top of her Re-Animator brethren, Kathleen joins a great collection of cinema icons - including Malcolm McDowell, Julian Sands, Meg Foster and Dick Warlock - for HorrorHound Weekend set for this November. To get more information about this bolstering event, including hotel information and additional guest info - visit the official website by CLICKING HERE!!!

Also: Pre-sale tickets are now available. To order yours today - CLICK HERE!