Many have been possessed by one; only one has been possessed by many.

Supposedly more accurate than many other exorcism fantasies, The Devil Inside was produced by (among others) Steven Schneider of Paranormal Activity fame. Though we can take claims of authenticity with a grain or two of over-dramatized salt, this proclamation smears it with a veneer of artistic verisimilitude that’s totally in keeping with the roving, first-person cinematographic techniques used. Rev. Bob Larson, Exorcism Consultant, even gave an interview on the subject of its depiction of demon eviction and I’ve included it below.

Above: Suzan Crowley is not herself

Meanwhile check out both the trailer and a special clip of a nicely creepy scene from the film.

Synopsis:

In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi confessing that she had brutally killed three people. 20 years later, her daughter Isabella seeks to understand the truth about what happened that night. She travels to the Centrino Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Italy where her mother has been locked away to determine if her mother is mentally ill or demonically possessed. When she recruits two young exorcists to cure her mom using unconventional methods combining both science and religion, they come face-to-face with pure evil in the form of four powerful demons possessing Maria.

Trailer:

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Extended Clip:

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Being something of a fan of demonic possession films — made such not by belief but by, I suspect, the dramatic, emotional and thematic potency of that grandfather of exorcism films (and novels), William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist (US-1973; dir. William Friedkin) — I’m looking forward to this, as it seems to carry a bit more weight than some other Exorcist cash-ins of recent times.

Above: Bonnie Morgan gets twisted up by the whole experience

It’s rather interesting that though it has garnered negative reviews on IMDb, it has so far taken US$52,690,136 at the box-office in the US alone, which, based on an estimated budget of $1,000,000, represents quite a profit. The bad reviews don’t daunt me, of course. This looks like exactly the sort of film that tends to attract naysayers if it deviates from the expected path in any way at all — which I trust it does. We’ll see in March.

Above: The Exorcist, Simon Quarterman

Above: Look into my eyes: Simon Quarterman and Isabella Rossi

Meanwhile, here’s that interview with Exorcism Consultant Bob Larson that I mentioned:

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Source: Paramount Pictures; IMDb.

A while back, the Backbrain interviewed writer, director and all-round auteur Loup’Rah Garomore about his in-production film The Demon’s Rook. Frankly the teaser released then, and all the pictures — not to mention Garomore’s discussion of the film’s genesis — looked unusually exciting for those with a love of ’80s exploitation horror movies. If you don’t believe me, check it out here.

Now the Backbrain has been given permission to release the official trailer, and honestly, it does nothing whatsoever to diminish the excitement and a lot to raise the ante.  You get first look at it below:

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With the film still in development, this very impressive trailer was made on a mere $15,000 budget. Writer/director Garomore hopes to raise further funding soon in order to push the project forward. “We’re trying to get a total budget of $190,000, preferably by February so we can re-enter a state of pre-production and begin principle photography again by Spring,” he told the Backbrain.

Let’s hope the money will be forthcoming in time to meet the company’s timetable. With work of this quality produced on a budget of just $190,000, I can’t see investors regretting their involvement. Check out the investment-to-profit ratio of a range of cult horror films that appears later in this article.

It’s obvious from the trailer that The Demon’s Rook is being put together with love by its creators, whose devotion to the film’s inspirations is abundantly clear in everything they say. Less commonly, work produced so far shows their strong technical expertise and a definite handle on the aesthetics of the genre. As they have said themselves: “[we] know what [we] love and know what it takes to create something that will be instantly embraced by the ever-growing horror film community”.

Nostalgic yet progressive, The Demon’s Rook embodies the spirit of the cult horror classics that precede it: Suspiria, Zombi, Evil Dead 2, Pan’s Labyrinth; yet still holds its own ground as a truly original vision. With this project, the filmmakers are creating something that horror fans have been yearning for — an ambitious, uniquely identifiable film with classically powerful practical special effects, deep roots in the historical spirit of the genres it encompasses, and a bold, forward-thinking vision. (Press release)

Synopsis:

A young boy named Roscoe finds a portal to another world where he is taught magic by an elder demon known as Dimwos. Dimwos raises the boy into manhood, revealing to him many secrets. Though, there is one dark secret that Dimwos keeps from Roscoe. When Roscoe discovers what his master has been keeping from him all these years, he revolts against him, inadvertently unleashing three malevolent demons. Through desperation, Roscoe is forced to escape the demons’ wrath by way of the portal leading back to our world. Unbeknownst to Roscoe, he leads the demons to discover the portal for themselves. Once the demons pass through, a nightmarish foray of summoned monsters are unleashed. One demon possesses the minds and will of all whom she crosses, another transforms a man into a murderous beast, and the other summons an army of the dead to do his bidding.

Predicting success in the film industry isn’t easy. Predicting how independent horror films will fair once released into the cultural zeitgeist is even less certain. Generally speaking, perfectly good movies disappear under the weight of their own obscurity. But occasionally the opposite happens. Sometimes they become a cult classic. When this happens, it usually means there is something unique and very special about the film concerned.

Consider these rough figures:

• Night of the Living Dead (US-1968; dir. George A. Romero): made for $114,000. Lifetime gross $30,000,000. (Source: Black Rider Production press release)
• The Evil Dead (US-1983; dir. Sam Raimi): made for $375,000. Lifetime gross $29,400,000. (Source: Black Rider Production press release)
• The Blair Witch Project (US-1999; dir. Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez): made for $60,000. Lifetime gross $248,639,099. (Source: Box Office Mojo)
• Paranormal Activity (US-2009; dir. Oren Pelli): made for $15,000/ Lifetime gross $193,355,800. (Source: Box Office Mojo)

And these figures (admittedly open to argument in the case of Night of the Living Dead and The Evil Dead in particular) probably don’t include ongoing video/DVD/BD sales.

From the new trailer for The Demon’s Rook, I think it’s safe to say that the film offers something unique and is looking like a definite candidate for admittance to these exulted ranks. At the very least, it may be worthy to be mentioned in the same chapter of the next generation’s horror film Best Of as The Evil Dead and Fulci’s Zombi. I look forward to finding out.

• Source: Loup’Rah Garomore and Tim Reis via Avery Guerra. Black Rider Productions press release. Official website. Backbrain interview with the author (includes pictures). Written by Robert Hood.

An Exclusive Interview with writer/director/monster-maker Loup’Rah Garomore

In the lively [irony intended] history of zombie movies, the 1980s was a gala decade for the demonic brand of undead. This was the time of classics such as Sam Raimi’s pre-Hollywood The Evil Dead (US-1982), Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead (It-1980) and The Beyond (It-1981), and Lamberto Bava’s Demons (It-1986) — in fact, pretty well the entire Italian school of gruesome zombie carnage. Characterised by extreme make-up FX, gore-drenched mayhem and unapologetically gaudy, and grotesque, visuals, these movies combined the standard shambling ghouls of Romero with a more exuberantly malevolent type of demonically possessed undead — often to startling effect.

Filmmaker Loup’Rah Garomore [aka James Sizemore] is currently working to re-create that in-your-face effect with a new, contemporary feel, in a movie titled The Demon’s Rook. He and his collaborators at Black Rider Productions have been working hard at the independent project for some time and are still in the midst of production. With about 35% of principal photography done, they have reached at stage where the film is starting to take shape. Check out this newly released and very impressive “first look” teaser:

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Enthused by the authentic and high-quality look of this low-budget production, Undead Backbrain (in the person of Robert Hood) approached Loup’Rah Garomore (pictured below with undead fan) and soon found himself knee-deep in gore and demon muck.

The Interview

Undead Backbrain: Thanks for talking to us, Loup’Rah. Perhaps I can start by asking how you’d characterise The Demon’s Rook for the uninitiated?

Loup’Rah: Hmm, it’s like the witches from Suspiria and the mouth of Sauron gave birth to a wizard mystic inside the Evil Dead cabin at spring time. It might be hard to wrap your head around at first, but that’s probably the most concise way of summing it up for everyone.

UB: So Argento, Tolkien’s Mordor sequences and early Raimi are influences. From the trailer, I’d add Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead, Lamberto Bava’s Demons and even some fairly inevitable Romero for the zombies — perhaps more Day of the Dead than anything else. Heavy emphasis on late 1970s/1980s horror, especially of the Italianate kind? Is this the general landscape that most causes your heart to bleed?

Loup’Rah: Yeah, you hit a few nails on the head. Keep in mind that the teaser we have is only representative of a fourth of our total shooting (which is mostly the zombie sequences). We’ve just begun shooting the demons, and hope to have more of them in our next teaser, and we haven’t even started filming our werewolf-inspired manbeast. Demons is a classic inspiration, especially when referring to their style of practical fx. I’ve always preferred the Fulci “flower pot” zombies over any others — although Day of the Dead does have a pretty excellent selection. Believe it or not, I kept the image of Grandpa from Texas Chainsaw Massacre in my head to give me inspiration while making the silicone masks for my zombies. And to confirm your time period inquiry: yes, the 1970s and ’80s are where it’s at for my kinda horror.

UB: I was particularly reminded of Day of the Dead by that scene of frenzied zombie gut-mangling in the trailer! I take it The Demon’s Rook will feature practical and make-up FX rather than CGI (the results of which are always less visceral in this sort of context). I’m sure there will be many horror fans that will applaud that approach. What is your take on the use of CGI and digital effects in horror films?

Loup’Rah: Visceral… yes, visceral is such a fantastic word, Rob. And you can bet your bottom dollar that we’re going practical with this. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, unless you have the WETA Team doing your CGI, why bother. And when you’ve got the budget of roughly $15,000 to work with, you’d be a fool not to go practical (unless you want your film to be filled with dog-ass cgi). Although, I will say our practical special fx have used up the majority of what little budget we have. Creating the silicone prosthetics we use on the featured zombies, lead demons, and the manbeast has been especially expensive, since I’ve decided to follow the Neill Gorton method of mold making. It’s a very rewarding process, but an expensive one for us.

UB: Neill Gorton? The Doctor Who guy, right? What are the characteristics of his “method” that attracted you to it?

Loup’Rah: Among the special fx community, Neill Gorton is regarded as one of the most meticulously detailed kings of prosthetic work. Specifically, Neill Gorton works in fiberglass molding to create life-like silicone appliances. From concept to sculpting to molding to casting to painting and finally applying, Neill does it all himself. And in being a wonderful teacher, he has no hang ups about passing on his wizardry to other artists. His method rings well with me in that I’m working from concept to application myself, with only a couple of assistants occasionally to help me through the time-sensitive moments. Just to give you an idea of the work involved, it takes me about three solid weeks of work and roughly $1,000 in materials to create a demon. But it’s well worth it. The detail from the original sculpt is captured spot-on through the intensive mold-making process, and the finished appliance moves with the actor’s facial muscles perfectly. I’m actually currently in the works of putting together a detailed “Making-Of” for our lead demon, Dimwos. I’ll hopefully have it up by November.

UB: Ha! I love your mad-scientist statement “it takes me about three solid weeks of work and roughly $1,000 in materials to create a demon”. Only takes a romantic evening, good wine and some over-excited hormones to create a human… Um, sorry. I have to say that your results so far look fantastic. The quality of the make-up fx far outshines a lot of the zombies and demons we tried to be convinced by during the ‘80s (not those mentioned above, obviously). Generally the production quality of what we’ve seen of your film so far (including cinematography) seems stellar for such a low budget. How on earth have you managed it? In fact, how did the project itself come about?

Loup’Rah: It’s still hard for me to believe how wonderfully all of the elements of this project fell into place from the beginning. I wrote the screenplay in the Fall of 2010. Once I put it out there for my friends and peers to read, people just started appearing to me out of the woodwork, showing interest in wanting to collaborate with me to make it come to life. Tim Reis (my cinematographer, co-producer and assistant director) is largely responsible for making this thing happen. He bought the camera and crane we’re using out of pocket, not to mention all of the manpower he has brought along with him. Josh Gould (lighting director) has also played a huge part since the beginning. He bought all of the professional film lights we’re using out of his own pocket as well. And I could go on about the many others that have come forth and brought a great deal to the table. Basically, in answering your question on how I’ve managed it: complete volunteer basis, very little sleep, and a good number of talented connections.

UB: Okay, we’d best get to the obvious question: what’s The Demon’s Rook about, story-wise and thematically?

Loup’Rah: Well here’s a quick run-down of the story… A young boy named Roscoe finds a portal to another world where he is taught magic by an elder demon known as Dimwos. Dimwos raises the boy into manhood, revealing to him many secrets. Though, there is one dark secret that Dimwos keeps from Roscoe. When Roscoe discovers what his master has been keeping from him all these years, he revolts against him, inadvertently unleashing three malevolent demons. Through desperation, Roscoe is forced to escape the demons’ wrath by way of the portal leading back to our world. Unbeknownst to Roscoe, he leads the demons to discover the portal for themselves. Once the demons pass through, a nightmarish foray of summoned monsters are unleashed. One demon possesses the minds and will of all whom she crosses, another transforms a man into a murderous beast, and the other summons an army of the dead to do his bidding. And there you have it in a rather large nutshell.

UB: It certainly sounds as though it has epic-scale potential. What about the title of the film? The word “Rook” has several meanings, any or all of which may be relevant. There’s the bird from the Corvidae family — a type of crow. Crows are often seen as having a significant role in escorting the dead into the afterlife — as in The Crow comic/film. They are also carrion scavengers. Then there’s the rook or “castle” from chess, with its unique movement and role in the game. It’s also a card game. “Rook” is used in ear-piercing, too, and to “rook” someone is to swindle them. So which are relevant to your film and how do they relate to the story you’ve outlined?

Loup’Rah: Good question. It refers to the chess piece. Dimwos and the other demons in this film are very powerful characters. I would equate them to queens in chess, in that they have a huge range of abilities and are able to command others to do their bidding for them. I see Roscoe’s character as a rook. The rook holds more power than most of the other chess pieces. But he is still under the queen, unless he is accompanied by another rook. Two rooks are worth more than a queen. This plays in with Eva’s character, the female lead that accompanies Roscoe on his aim to destroy the demons. Plus, I also just love the way it sounds.

UB: Does all this represent a mythology that’s been part of your work previous to this or was it one you developed exclusively for the film? Do you have plans for this to be something ongoing?

Loup’Rah: This particular mythology was written exclusively for the film — although I have been working with my Black Rider brothers over the years in creating our own personal mythology of the universe, how it all began, how it will all end, so on and so forth. But the story for The Demon’s Rook I’d like to see end with this film. I definitely have no plans for any sequels.

UB: Black Riders? I know your Loup’Rah pseudonym relates to that group. Could you explain to us what it is and what role it plays in your creative efforts?

Loup’Rah: I’m tickled that you’ve even heard of our little group. Looks like you’ve done your research! I co-founded a secret art society known as the Black Riders wherein all of the members have an ascribed moniker that we go by, specifically when creating art. Loup’Rah Garomore was given to me by my elder brother Lycanthropus Galleytrot. My friends still call me “James”, of course, but like I said, I do go by my Loup’Rah moniker whenever art is involved (or whenever I travel to other dimensions to fight evil and spread the good word of Gaorok). I can only tell you so much about the society itself, being that it’s secret. But we do obviously celebrate the creation of righteous artwork through many mediums. We also believe strongly that our animal brethren do not deserve to be killed by man for any reason. We can live happily and healthily without killing and devouring them, so why should we? As you might have guessed, we’re all vegan, and therefore it’s a requirement upon entering the group that you vow to remain one ’til death. Our sacred emblem is tattooed on every member as a reminder of this. We also do a great deal of cryptozoological research within the society, and all of us have a huge soft spot for Sasquatch in particular.

UB: So what’s your view of horror as a cinema genre, Loup’Rah? What should it aim for? Apart from those already mentioned, what are some horror films that are, in your view, the most successful in the field?

Loup’Rah: The horror genre is so unlimited for me. Everything from the tongue-in-cheek Return of the Living Dead to the respected and classy Rosemary’s Baby, I love it all. There’s no way I could ever concisely tell Horror what to aim for. Our moods are so variable, that there’s no predicting what we will be in the mood for tomorrow night. Will we need a nonsensical arthouse movie full of nudity and ridiculous dialogue to get us off, or should we remind ourselves of the horrors that truly exist by watching a sadistic family of serial killers cut through us. No way of knowing, but I can tell you some of my personal favorites: American Werewolf in London — Nosferatu the Vampyre — Cemetery Man — Scanners — The Thing. Those are just a few examples of what I consider solid gold.

UB: Ah, all great choices — and at least one of my personal top 10 there. What’s your background in film production in particular?

Loup’Rah: Well, this is actually my first feature-length film. Over the past twelve years or so I’ve directed and produced a good number of short films and music videos, most of which I used as an excuse to have a good time with friends. This is definitely the most “serious” production I’ve ever sunk my teeth into, and I’m learning new things every day.

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UB: What did you/do you hope to achieve with The Demon’s Rook, both in terms of the film itself and your own career in making more of them?

Loup’Rah: Most of all, I just want to make an original movie that really grabs the audience. So often in low-budget horror movies, I see moments of badassery scattered about here and there, but mostly it’s just filler material that you can either talk over or completely ignore all together. My goal with this film is to take all of those golden moments and set them back to back, so that you have a feature-length, non-stop bonanza of righteous imagery that will ultimately suck the eyeballs right out of your head.
As for what I’m going for with a future career, I hope this film can act as a golden ticket for me and my crew regarding future film endeavors. We can take this thing around and say “Look what we were able to accomplish with this small amount of money. Now give us a proper sum and we’ll give you gold!”

UB: When can we expect to see the film in its final bloody form?

Loup’Rah: That’s a tricky question to answer. Hopefully within the next two years. And here’s where I confess that we need more funding: we’ve been maintaining a strong attention to detail throughout the production thus far. But an attention to detail has a price to pay, especially when it comes to special fx production. As I said earlier, our total budget so far has been roughly $15,000. We were hoping to pull it off with that, but we’ve only got about a grand left. With this grand, I will finish the lead demon I’ve started and showcase him. I’m hoping to get the following reaction from various wealthy supporters of the arts: “Wow, look at that life-like demon! Isn’t that just swell. I think I’ll become an executive producer for this project and help them to create four more demons of equal or greater quality!” Having said that, if there’s anyone out there who’s interested in jumping on board this project as an Executive Producer (ie. donating $1,000 or more to the film) they can check us out at www.DemonsRook.com or just contact me at louprah@gmail.com. And for those who can’t part with that much, but would still like to show their support, we will graciously accept any donation.

UB: The project sounds awesome, Loup’Rah — and I’m sure the Backbrain’s readers will be keen to catch this one. Hopefully those out there with spare finances for investment and an aspiration to get into the industry at a senior production level — or anyone who just wants to see the film made — will seriously consider contributing to the cause. What you’ve achieved so far is jam-packed with horror goodness (and badness!) and the potential is obvious. Finally, thanks for talking to us — and is there anything you like to add about the film and what audiences can anticipate?

Loup’Rah: What can audiences anticipate? An original story that will keep your toes twitching with super righteous prosthetic work, special effects, gore, monsters and mayhem. And we’ll even have a little full-frontal to rear nudity for ya. It’s going to be an artistically developed, over-the-top low-budget sensation! I guarantee it, or my name ain’t born out of a werewolf’s bawdy shindig in the bayou.

We’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one — metaphorically, of course!

• Source: Thanks to Loup’Rah Garomore (James Sizemore) for giving his time so freely. Also to Avery Guerra for the initial contact. Written by Robert Hood.
• Check out the official Demon’s Rook website for more information and behind-the-scenes pics.

Despite a certain affection for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s earlier version of Robert E. Howard’s iconic warrior barbarian — a product of the magazine Weird Tales at its height, mingling swordplay, dark magic and monstrosity to create a compelling imaginative world of its own — I’ve always been disappointed by cinematic versions of the Barbarian King’s adventures.

Well, for me this new trailer looks like it’s got all the right moves — and Jason Momoa as Conan has the right sort of muscle and an appropriately rough appearance, indicative of strength gained not through a gym regime but through a brutal life of conflict and near-death experience. Along with giant tentacles, sorcery and other magical adversaries, he gives me hope that this Conan will reflect well on Conan’s literary origins.

Bring it on!

With a simple twitch of facial expression, even “funny”, “friendly” clowns can veer into the creepily sinister for those who don’t actually exhibit clinical coulrophobia, let alone for coulrophobics themselves. No wonder evil clowns have become such an interesting subgenre of horror film and fiction. They’re everywhere. Batman’s key nemesis, the Joker, is, of course, one of the best known and most obsessive of comicbook villains, given new, super-sinister potency in Heath Ledger’s powerful rendition of the character in The Dark Knight. In novel form, Australian Will Elliott’s award-winning comic-horror tale The Pilo Family Circus (2006) gave new life (and death) to the circus environment in which clowns thrive. Then there are also such famous examples as Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, Stephen King’s Pennywise in his novel It and the film of the same name (in which Tim Curry gave an iconic performance as the clown), and who can forget the alien clowns of Killer Klowns from Outer Space?

I’m sure there’s a long article crying out to be written on this subject. But let the above serve as an introduction to John Lechago’s latest film — number three in a low-budget, so far rather uninspiring series of evil clown flicks — Killjoy 3.

Where the previous Killjoy films have been, frankly, rather lame both script-wise and visually, Lechago’s entry looks to offer a lush VFX landscape, with loads of bizarre imagery and buckets of blood, whatever the script might prove to be like. The director’s experience with slime, nasty make-up FX and gross bodily dismemberment has come to our attention through his upcoming Bio-Slime, now renamed Contagion for general release, and he appears to carry this extreme but classy grossness over into the low-budget environment of Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment franchise.

Synopsis:

The demon clown Killjoy is resurrected once again, but this time he is not given the name of his victim and is trapped in his realm. Using a magic mirror, he lures four unsuspecting college students into his domain where he can have his macabre way with them! And this time he is joined by the behemoth clown Punchy, the conjoined twins mime Freakshow and the seductive succubus Batty Boop.

Trailer:

Killjoy 3 is due for release on DVD on 14 December 2010, but before then, in fact today (in the US), there is a special open screening taking place. So if you happen to be in the vicinity of LA on December 3rd, grasp hold of your coulrophobic tendencies, don your polka-dot pants and head to the Capital City Sports Grill for some gross-out clowning around.

Friday December 3rd
Time: 8pm
Location: Capitol City Sports Grill
Address: 1615 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90028 (between Selma Ave. & Hollywood Blvd.)

Admission is free, but Lechago says to “come thirsty”.

Below in the Gallery there are lots of pictures from the film and behind-the-scenes.

• Sources: John Lechago; IMDb entry. Thanks to Avery as always. Written by Robert Hood

Addendum: Behind the Scenes videos

Gallery:

Eyes in the Dark (US-2009) is a new independent film that is banking on the ongoing attraction of the first-person POV hand-held style popularised in recent times by the extraordinary success of The Blair Witch Project, [Rec] and Paranormal Activity. Judging on the footage so far released, the film may be giving it a good shot.

Synopsis:

A group of college co-eds take a trip to a mountain lodge looking for relaxation, beer, and maybe a dip in the hot tub. But when they stumble on clues about an ancient legend, they quickly find themselves fighting for their lives. Will they be able to escape this unspeakable evil? And are they the only ones who have ever crossed its path?

Made by Emerald City Pictures and director Bjorn Anderson, Eyes in the Dark is an independent film that chronicles the end-game moments of a group of college co-eds on a weekend cabin getaway in the Washington State Cascade foothills.

Eyes in the Dark combines the characters’ compulsive self-documentation and laid-back humor with the raw terror they uncover after crossing paths with an ancient evil. The filmmakers blended the improvisational talents of the actors with beautiful but brooding locations to create a vision that plays on the fear of the unknown. Set in a fictionalized area of the Cascade Range with a long history of legends and mysterious disappearances, the film quickly transports the audience to a place of excitement and terror. (Press release)

Trailer:

View the trailer in HD on Vimeo.

The film runs the conceit that the spliced-together footage was found in secret FBI archives (X files, no doubt), having been hidden away by a government fearful that the truth behind unexplained disappearances in the Pacific Northwest wilderness would be a national security risk. They know, as the characters and we the audience find out, that a dangerous, presumably supernatural presence inhabits the area. Not an unfamiliar scenario, but one that’s a pretty good starting point. It’s what comes next that will determine the film’s success.

Below: Lacy (Melissa Goad) feels like she’s being watched

Like many classic horror stories before it (such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, for example), Eyes in the Dark had its origin in a dream, according to Anderson:

I woke up in a terrified sweat one early morning in September of 2007. This was like numerous other mornings following my nightmares. Particularly one dream I had been having for several years. The settings changed occasionally but never the overall fear that accompanied it. I was always in the woods, in my house, or in some remote area being hunted by something, something just out of the vision of my eyes in the dark. Occasionally I would get a fleeting glance of a large tuft of fur and red eyes before I would turn and begin to run. The dreams would always end with me trapped, surrounded in the middle of nowhere by dark shadows of monsters and red eyes. It was these red eyes that would be the last things I saw before I woke up. I decided to take a cathartic approach to dealing with my dreams so I began to write the outline of what would later become the script to Eyes in the Dark.

But it was J.J. Abrams’ effective take on the giant monster genre that governed the style of the film:

Originally the film was going to be shot in the traditional horror style, with multiple cameras, lighting, etc. But when I saw Cloverfield in early 2008 I was struck with the amount of energy the first person point-of-view camera style brought with it. I immediately knew that the POV style of camera movement would be the way to go for creating the right amount of energy and audience involvement.

Indie Problems:

The Production had the inauspicious beginning that all independent films on a shoestring budget have. About a week before production began, a lead actress dropped out, the production had to overcome logistical nightmares in transportation and booking the Ski-lodge, and all of the footage had to be shot in four weekends to accommodate everyone’s schedules, and to top it all off we began shooting on Friday the 13th. Somehow it was all pulled off no doubt due to everyone pitching in together and figuring out a thousand different problems at once. (Press release)

But there’s a nice addendum to the strain imposed by filming under difficulties. “Having such a great cast and crew allowed me to bring my nightmares to life,” commented Anderson, “and in turn, my cathartic approach seems to have worked because for the last year and a half I have yet to have the nightmare of being chased by those Eyes in the Dark.”

Film Details:

• Shooting format: Sony HDV 1440 x 1080i
• Exhibit format: HDCAM, DVD
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Color
• running time:  78 minutes
• Sound mix: Stereo
• Production Company:  Emerald City Pictures, LLC.
• Production Team:  Directed by Bjorn Anderson; Produced by Mike Ash; Associate Producers Marco Scaringi, Robyn Scaringi and Joseph Cole; Executive Producer Bjorn Anderson; Cinematography by Joseph Cole; Written by Bjorn Anderson; Edited by Robyn Scaringi.
• Starring Wayne Bastrup, Melissa Goad, John Symonds, Maureen Francisco, Telisa Steen, Melinda Ausserer, Jason Robison, Paul Eenhoorn, Ernie Joseph, Mike Ash, Christine Umayam, and Charlie Sims, among others. “The Beast” is played by Marco Scaringi.

Source: Official website; Press release; Facebook page. Thanks, Avery.

Note: A colour-corrected version of the trailer is available on the IMDb.

Now it looks as though the French are up for some of the same sort of action. Luc Besson of The Fifth Element, The Professional and La Femme Nikita fame is currently in post-production of the first film in a planned trilogy, based on the adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, a female journalist in the 1920s (and beyond). The lovely and vivacious Adèle is the creation of comic artist Jacques Tardi and in the course of her extraordinary adventures she isn’t averse to dealing with reanimated mummies, rampant dinosaurs, demons from hell and other super-normal conspiracies.

Les Aventures Extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec [aka The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Dry-White] (France-2010; dir. Luc Besson)

Courtesy of Twitch, here is the promotional description of the project that appeared on the American Film Market listing:

The year is 1912. Adèle Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter, will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes.

Meanwhile, in Paris, it’s panic stations! A 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on a shelf in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the bird subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies. But nothing fazes Adèle Blanc-Sec, whose adventures reveal many more extraordinary surprises…

Set in the carefree world before World War I, Adèle Blanc-Sec’s adventures see the brave young woman fearlessly battling crooks, corrupt politicians, demon worshippers and mad scientists. Legendary cartoonist Jacques Tardi’s original stories perfectly recreate the intrigue, romance and excitement of one of the most tumultuous periods in history.

Jacques Tardi’s comic series began 1976 with Adèle et la bête (Adèle and the Beast), the latest being 2007′s Le labyrinthe infernal. There have been nine Adèle adventures so far:

1. Adèle et la bête (Adèle and the Beast) (1976)
2. Le démon de la tour Eiffel (The Demon of the Eiffel Tower) (1976)
3. Le savant fou (The Mad Scientist) (1977)\Momies en folie (Mummies on Parade) (1978)
4. Le secret de la salamandre (The Secret of the Salamander) (1981)
5. Le noyé à deux têtes (The Drowned Man with Two Heads) (1985)
6. Tous des monstres! (Monsters All!) (1994)
7. Le mystère des profondeurs (The Mystery of the Abyss) (1998)
8. Le labyrinthe infernal (2007)

The Franco-Belgian humour and sensibilities that run through Adèle Blanc-Sec’s work seem reminiscent of Hergé’s Tintin adventures, though with a more “adult” perspective that focuses on “themes of the occult, corruption, official incompetence, and the dangers of patriotism” (Wikipedia entry). It’s more than likely that actress Louise Borguin will bring a feisty sexiness to the role that can only augur well for Besson’s trilogy of films — which must inevitably involve tentacles!

At any rate, Besson’s The Fifth Element is one of the most visually rich and inventive films in cinematic history — and as displayed by The Professional and La Femme Nikita, he knows how to do action with a strong human basis to it. I find myself feeling really excited by the prospects for this one.

• Source: Twitch; Wikipedia

Gallery:

His return to his original sword-and-sorcery genre success is called Tales of an Ancient Empire, and it’s due for release in 2010.

Director Pyun has just sent Undead Backbrain a rough-cut clip from the film, which stars Kevin Sorbo (of Hercules fame), Christopher Lambert (of Highlander fame), relative newcomer Melissa Ordway, and Lee Horsley (star of The Sword and the Sorcerer).

Tales Of An Ancient Empire – Scene Clip ROUGH CUT OCT 12
from Albert Pyun on Vimeo.

Synopsis:

The sword and sorcery epic, written by Cynthia Curnan, tells the story of a princess forced on a quest to recruit the greatest warriors of the ancient world to save her kingdom from a demonic sorceress. But the odyssey to find them reveals a secret past for all.

It’s looking nicely dark, chthonian and vampiric.

• Source: Albert Pyun
• Official website

In recent times, not surprisingly, there have been a number of feature-length horror films set in contemporary war hot-spots, especially Iraq and Afghanistan, such as Red Sands (US-2009; dir. Alex Turner). But what they do in 90-odd minutes, Road to Moloch does in 16 minutes or so, and with considerable force. Whatever you do, if you like horror films (and if you don’t why are you here?), take the time to check it out.

Road to Moloch (US-2009; short [16.35 min.]; dir. Robert Glickert)

Synopsis:

While on a mission to locate three missing soldiers, a team of reconnaissance marines encounter a blood-spattered Iraqi stumbling through the desert. After following the distraught man into the depths of an insurgent cave, the marines make a horrifying discovery bringing them face-to-face with an ancient evil.

High Resolution Version: Watch it fullscreen if you have the computer grunt….

Road to Moloch (Higher Res) from Robert Glickert on Vimeo.

Lower Bandwidth version:

Road to Moloch from Robert Glickert on Vimeo.

• Official website
• Source: Chris Mirjahangir via Avery. Avery would like to thank both Chris and director Robert Glickert, not just for the film but for bringing it to his attention.

Zombies after an optometrist:

Bobby reading bedtime stories to his demon:

The director with some fans:

Demons in Hawaiian shirts:

More Zombies, this time looking for a dentist:

Gallery:

• Source: Ted A. Bohus via Avery