After Dark Horrorfest

[Dukefrukem]

Well, I'm a huge horror freak and it's that time of year for the 8 new horror movies to show their faces. The first 8 were mediocre at best, and the 2nd 8 were all pretty bad.... but these trailers make some of these movies look amazing. I will still probably end up buying the box set again like i did for the previous two years... but here (http://www.horrorfestonline.com/)are the links to the new trailers.

I'm actually pretty disappointed I only have tomorrow to watch these. I wish I did my research sooner.

[megladon8]

This whole series is very hit and miss - mostly the "miss" part.

A lot of great ideas, but terrible execution.

The Abandoned is the only one I've seen which I'd say is a totally solid movie.

[lovejuice]

so yeah, i always wonder what's the concept behind these things. are they all funded by the same purse?

[Rowland]

The Abandoned is the only one I've seen which I'd say is a totally solid movie.I thought The Abandoned was a damn good exercise in minimalist horror. The use of zombified doppelgangers as harbingers of fate was a really creepy touch, and it had loads of atmosphere to spare.

[megladon8]

I thought The Abandoned was a damn good exercise in minimalist horror. The use of zombified doppelgangers as harbingers of fate was a really creepy touch, and it had loads of atmosphere to spare.


Indeed.

Plus, Karl Roden is awesome.

[megladon8]

so yeah, i always wonder what's the concept behind these things. are they all funded by the same purse?


I don't think the funding is all the same.

I think it's more like a Sundance Film Festival, but strictly for horror.

The films have already been made, now they're getting distribution through this program.

[The Mike]

I still need to watch The Abandoned. I did really like The Hamiltons, though. And Dark Ride was fun. Other than that, the ones I've seen were icky.

[lovejuice]

if anything they all have badass posters.

[The Mike]

The Broken has Lena Headey and Richard Jenkins. Can't be too bad.

[Dukefrukem]

My rankings for the previous 15 films (not including the snoop dog one)

The Hamiltons (8/10 even vampires need a place to live)
Mulberry St. (7/10 some rats spread a virus that turns people into zombies)
Lake Dead (6.5/10 slasher in the woods, in a cabin)
Unrest (6/10 med students are fucked with in a hospital by some spirits)
Reincarnation (5.5 Japanese get attacked )
Dark Ride (5.5 slasher in an amusement park, with Jamie-Lynn Sigler!)
Tooth and Nail (5/10 - a pretty cool apocalypse movie where a hardcore gang attacks a group of survivors)
The Gravedancers (5/10 - people dance on a grave and awake some dead guys)
Wicked Little Things (5/10 - a mining accident trapped kids underground... and they're still alive)
Borderland - (5/10 Human sacrifice cult movie)
Penny Dreadful (3/10 - a girl who has a fear of cars is forced to stay in one as the car breaks down)
Unearthed (3/10 - creature terrorizes an archeological dig in New Mexico)
Crazy Eights (2.5/10 old friend find a time capsule which awakens a bunch of ghosts)
Nightmare Man (2.5/10 a woman gets a fertility mask as a gift and then claims shes been attacked in her dreams ... awful awful acting)
The Deaths of Ian Stone ( 2/10 psudo matrix style/a guy who is murdered each day then wakes up in a slightly different live to experience being murdered again, the plus is pretty cool special effects)

[Spun Lepton]

My rankings for the previous 15 films (not including the snoop dog one)

The Hamiltons (8/10 even vampires need a place to live)

AN EIGHT?! OUT OF TEN? Seriously, dude? God, I couldn't even finish it. I wanted to kick that whiney emo kid in the head.

[Spun Lepton]

The only one I've fully seen was The Gravedancers, and I thought it was a decent enough idea, but lacked something in the execution. I also think they were trying to do too much on a smaller budget -- the CG near the end started to get ridiculous.

[Dukefrukem]

Just blind bought the pack today. watching The Broken now.

[Dukefrukem]

Just blind bought the pack today. watching The Broken now.

The Broken is definitely one of the best 8 Films to Die For in all three collections. It has it's own style, while staying consistent, it has moderately good acting from it's leads, it's spooky while also staying awkwardly eerie and it doesn't over saturate the film with blood and gore. And most importantly, I'd watch it again!

Anyone else catch it?

[Rowland]

it's spooky while also staying awkwardly eerie:confused:

Yeah, I saw this, here are the thoughts I posted a few months ago:

The Broken (Sean Ellis, 2009) 50

This sophomore feature by British director Sean Ellis, whose first effort was the much-derided (besides by Spinal IIRC) Cashback, has been positioned as the headliner for the third After Dark Horrorfest festival, and while it isn't anywhere near as sophisticated or elegant as the grossly undervalued The Abandoned, it remains a reasonably competent chiller more concerned with exuding menace through form than its undercooked, nigh-incompetently devised narrative. It plays distinctly like a movie-movie, clearly made by a young, impressionable filmmaker more concerned with applying his own spin to the movies that inspired him than elaborating any unique vision, which in this case results in a pastiche of cribbed horror signifiers and often-dialogue-free set pieces resembling a more self-contained take on The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with a faintly clever but wholly predictable Shyamalan-ian twist tacked onto the ending which, for all it's worth, isn't a cheat, nor however does it appear to have any thematic relevance. Indeed, Ellis seems unconcerned with any thematic pretenses, unless an opening Poe quote and a photograph of Richard Jenkins (!!) posing with Bill Clinton are meant to signify some sort of existential concerns or political commentary, neither which the picture ultimately appears to pursue. Approach this instead as a (sometimes excessive-bordering-on-hackishly) slick patchwork of horrors past, with a few semi-interesting spins on the material, a bevy of creepy imagery, and a clever touch or two, my favorite being a subtle wraparound twist involving cat-scans that proves much more satisfying and creepy than the main twist. I'd like to give Ellis the benefit of the doubt in regards to his hole-infested narrative, but I'm not convinced this was an intentional or at least successful opacity, especially given that a much more resonant picture is only a few rewrites away, so the particulars are best left politely ignored. If I'm being overly kind to this (which feels overlong and redundant even at 82 minutes), it may be because I sense potential in Ellis, who clearly has an eye for the macabre (unsettling slow-motion flashbacks to a brutal car-crash recall no less than the climax to Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet) and some degree of taste in his cinematic inspirations, so I only hope he directs someone else's material for his next project, and sheds some of the formal bombast that reflects the picture's weaker moments. A faint recommendation to those looking for potential up-and-comers, those searching the detritus of the horror genre for signs of talent, and Jenkins fans who'd like to see him stalked by his own doppelganger.

[Raiders]

I caught Unrest on The Horror Channel a few weeks ago (never even bothered to rate it). Very stupid movie that was supposedly one of the best received of the original 2006 festival. If that is among the highlights, I'm glad I never bothered with the rest. Corri English was rather easy on the eyes, though.

EDIT: Wait, think I also saw The Gravedancers on the same channel. That was actually much more entertaining if still really lame. Tcheky Karyo!

[Dukefrukem]

:confused:

Yeah, I saw this, here are the thoughts I posted a few months ago:

The Broken (Sean Ellis, 2009) 50

This sophomore feature by British director Sean Ellis, whose first effort was the much-derided (besides by Spinal IIRC) Cashback, has been positioned as the headliner for the third After Dark Horrorfest festival, and while it isn't anywhere near as sophisticated or elegant as the grossly undervalued The Abandoned, it remains a reasonably competent chiller more concerned with exuding menace through form than its undercooked, nigh-incompetently devised narrative. It plays distinctly like a movie-movie, clearly made by a young, impressionable filmmaker more concerned with applying his own spin to the movies that inspired him than elaborating any unique vision, which in this case results in a pastiche of cribbed horror signifiers and often-dialogue-free set pieces resembling a more self-contained take on The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with a faintly clever but wholly predictable Shyamalan-ian twist tacked onto the ending which, for all it's worth, isn't a cheat, nor however does it appear to have any thematic relevance. Indeed, Ellis seems unconcerned with any thematic pretenses, unless an opening Poe quote and a photograph of Richard Jenkins (!!) posing with Bill Clinton are meant to signify some sort of existential concerns or political commentary, neither which the picture ultimately appears to pursue. Approach this instead as a (sometimes excessive-bordering-on-hackishly) slick patchwork of horrors past, with a few semi-interesting spins on the material, a bevy of creepy imagery, and a clever touch or two, my favorite being a subtle wraparound twist involving cat-scans that proves much more satisfying and creepy than the main twist. I'd like to give Ellis the benefit of the doubt in regards to his hole-infested narrative, but I'm not convinced this was an intentional or at least successful opacity, especially given that a much more resonant picture is only a few rewrites away, so the particulars are best left politely ignored. If I'm being overly kind to this (which feels overlong and redundant even at 82 minutes), it may be because I sense potential in Ellis, who clearly has an eye for the macabre (unsettling slow-motion flashbacks to a brutal car-crash recall no less than the climax to Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet) and some degree of taste in his cinematic inspirations, so I only hope he directs someone else's material for his next project, and sheds some of the formal bombast that reflects the picture's weaker moments. A faint recommendation to those looking for potential up-and-comers, those searching the detritus of the horror genre for signs of talent, and Jenkins fans who'd like to see him stalked by his own doppelganger.



I suppose I may be overly optimistic about it. But I really was engaged in the story and the mystery behind this movie. I don't disagree with anything you wrote, but I feel I give more credit for movies I believe deserve some kind of recognition due to potential, a twist, that one scene that raised the hairs on the back of my neck... even if the movie doesn't fully develop... Would you consider this movie to be the best Afterdark horror film you've seen? If not, which would you put above it?

[Rowland]

Would you consider this movie to be the best Afterdark horror film you've seen? If not, which would you put above it?Well, as I wrote, I believe The Abandoned is far superior. Otherwise, the only other Afterdark release I've seen is Shimizu's Reincarnation, which I also found a creepier effort. My vague thoughts for the latter:

Ju-On/The Grudge-director Takashi Shimizu's Reincarnation performs a disconcertingly effective leap from a laughably inept pre-credits sequence and an unpromising first-act comprised of unimaginative recycled elements to a third-act that proves deliriously ingenious and thus unexpectedly compelling. I haven't seen a movie recover so well from sheer mediocrity in some time, so kudos to Shimizu for saving face in the home stretch and putting on a good show. I could see this guy maturing into a formidable genre talent, so I hope he keeps it up and leaves behind those Ju-On movies.

[Dukefrukem]

Haven't seen The Abandoned yet. I will watch it next.

[Dukefrukem]

After Dark Originals coming January 28th.

Of course I am naturally attracted to RE-KILL and will prob see that first.


RE-KILL: It's been five years since the Outbreak and the zombie menace is supposed to be waning. But the brave men and women of R-Division, who find and destroy the undead, are seeing signs of a second Outbreak which humanity may not survive. The footage about the men and women of R-Division and their grim, dangerous but essential job of exterminating re-animated humans, was shot the week previous by an embedded journalist during a long, deadly day. Only the film survived.

51: The film chronicles what happens after political pressure from the American public forces the Air Force to decide to allow a select few well-known reporters limited access to the most secretive base on the planet: Area 51. But when one of the base's hidden "long term visitors" exploits this unprecedented visit as a chance to liberate himself and his fellow alien captives, Area 51 turns from a secure government base to a horrifying destination of terror.

PROWL: Amber dreams of escaping her small town and persuades her friends to accompany her apartment-hunting in the big city. When their transportation breaks down, Amber and friends gratefully accept a ride in the back of a semi. But when the driver refuses to stop and they discover the cargo is cartons of blood, they panic. Soon, panic turns to terror when the truck disgorges into a dark, abandoned warehouse where blood-thirsty creatures learn to hunt human prey, which the friends realize is what they have now become...

FERTILE GROUND: Emily and Nate Weaver leave the city for the rural comfort of Nate's ancestral home in New Hampshire. There, isolated and haunted by inexplicable noises and horrifying visions, Emily discovers she's pregnant while Nate is possessed by the homicidal spirit of his forbearers. In a house haunted by past victims, Emily learns that she's the latest target in a murderous tradition.

SCREAM OF THE BANSHEE: When a college Professor opens up a strange, ornate box discovered in the basement of a University, she and her students hear a horrifying scream belonging to a bloodthirsty banshee. They're relieved when it stops, but that scream insidiously begins to haunt all that heard it in strange and surreal ways. At first dismissing the Irish folklore that if you hear a Banshee scream, you will die, they discover soon find the folklore is truer than they could have imagined, as the starts taking their lives.

THE TASK: Something diabolical is taking place on the set of THE TASK, a new reality show in which players complete terrifying missions within the confines of an abandoned prison, hoping to win a hefty cash prize. As six young students explore their new environment, malicious spirits make their presence known in the most gruesome ways imaginable. The contestants become unwitting pawns caught at the centre of a blood-soaked night of terror. Only one girl survives to tell the tale…

SECONDS APART: Judging by their privileged lifestyles, one would never guess that Seth and Jonah are murderous twins who share an evil kinship. Damned from the moment of their births, the brothers possess a gruesome talent for telekinesis - a power they use in the most horrific ways imaginable. As fellow students meet gory fates, the local law enforcement begins to suspect the twins' connection to the depraved murders. What started as a jealous rage escalates into a supernatural showdown - pitting brother against brother, evil against evil.

HUSK: The story sees five friends on a weekend trip who become stranded in isolated farmland when crows attack their SUV. They soon realize that the cornfields are inhabited by reanimated human scarecrows who reproduce by killing and force their undead victims to join their ranks. Graye plays the brainiac of the group, Thomason is the blue-collar guy, and Chatham is the jock.

[Dukefrukem]

some cool One-sheets this year

http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/jan11/aod51b.jpg

[megladon8]

Yeah, I like that a lot.

[Dukefrukem]

mods, would you mind changing the title of this thread to After Dark Discussions or something like that?... we can make it a year to year discussion thread.

[Dukefrukem]

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s36/Dukefrukem/Movie%20%20Misc/husk.jpg

I like this.

uuLRPY9ikcg

[Dukefrukem]

The Task Trailer released

http://www.morehorror.com/images/the_task_poster.jpg

WDuBaosXKV8

[Dukefrukem]

Airbrushed nipple!

http://www.joblo.com/images_arrownews/fgq11.jpg

http://anythinghorror.files.wordpress .com/2010/04/ado-rekill.jpg

http://anythinghorror.files.wordpress .com/2010/04/ado-prowl.jpg

http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/gallery/13041/Scream_of_the_Banshee_1.jpg

http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/gallery/14597/Seconds_Apart_1.jpg

http://www.reviewstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Husk-Poster.bmp

[Dukefrukem]

For some reason they're splitting up the movies this year. Scream of the Banshee and Jason Connery's 51 are being released on separate dates.

[Dukefrukem]

Was able to catch Seconds Apart last night and it was surprisingly good! It was the best 8 Films To Die For out of the entire 4 seasons. Two twins have an odd Telekinesis gift, that only works when they are near each other. THey are able to walk through crowds of people without anyone remembering they were there and force people to do things by making their environment appear a certain way. Why do they do this? They are trying to finish a "project".

The movie is quite spooky, as are any twins that look and act the exact same way. Orlando Jones is the lead detective, trying to quite smoking, which is a tiny metaphor in his backstory since his wife was killed in a fire and Orlando has burn marks across his body. His character is believable, but the way he pieced together the story is a bit questionable. Jumping to conclusions that are not necessarily far-fetched, but feel like a bit of a stretch.

I'd recommended this!

[Dukefrukem]

Coincidently, The most recent news on BD is about this movie too.


"An impressive sophomore effort from Negret, Seconds Apart successfully explores the power of perception while maintaining an eerie ambiance created by some unsettling imagery and a string-rich score by Lior Rosner. While Richards’ premise certainly isn’t anything new, the snappy dialogue between the twins and story progression works alongside the stellar performances to make Seconds Apart the most interesting and well-made twin film since Adaptation."

[Dukefrukem]

I was most excited for this 51 movie, since it got it's own release date... but it looks like shit after seeing this clip

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/23568

[MadMan]

RE-KILL, 51, Fertile Ground, The Task, and Seconds Apart all sound appealing to me. The rest, not so much.

[Dukefrukem]

I can totally recommend Seconds Apart. MM did you watch the clip of 51? Looks like a made for TV horror movie. :(

[Rowland]

The Abandoned is still the best release I've seen from the After Dark Horrorfest. Reincarnation, Frontier(s), and The Broken were all pretty good, and Perkins' 14 was kinda okay. That's all I've seen. I should look into this latest batch.

[MadMan]

I can totally recommend Seconds Apart. MM did you watch the clip of 51? Looks like a made for TV horror movie. :(Nah, I didn't view the clip. The synopsis almost makes it sound like a movie adaption of my favorite arcade game, "Area 51."

[Dukefrukem]

Second's Apart, Fertile Ground, Prowl and Husk are available on Demand until June 3rd. I think I'm gonna watch Husk tonight, it got decent reviews in this month's Rue Morgue.

[Dukefrukem]

So I was bummed out they skipped the "After Dark Horrorfest " this past year. No real announcement or anything. I'm on the freakin newsletter! But I guess this was replaced with something called "After Dark Originals (http://www.afterdarkoriginals.com/)" They're already working on Season 2 of the originals but I can't even acquire all of the movies from Season 1.

Marketing is poor here.