FMWL's "Support Indie Horror Fiction and Films, Win a Dead Hooker" DVD Giveaway!

When From Midnight, With Love first happened, it was supposed to be my way to ramble about the films throughout the history of genre cinema that I love.  It still is, but there's been an excellent side effect that came with writing about horror - I've become acquainted with some really cool people who do some really cool things in the horror 'verse.

But it's certainly not fair if I'm the only one here who's acquainted with these cool folks and their cool projects.  So, I want to give you a chance to get to know them too.  And, as an added incentive for you all...we're gonna give one reader who supports these projects a special prize.

Before we get to that prize (which you can probably guess from the title if you've read FMWL for a while), let's talk about three awesome things you should know about in the horror world.

Mad House Magazine

I spend a lot of time promoting independent horror films here, but it's worth noting that horror fiction is not a dead art.  And loyal Midnight Warrior Jose - formerly of From Beyond Depraved, currently of Mephisto's Castle, always of awesomeness - has a new project up his sleeve that demands your attention.  In his own words, here's what you need to know about Mad House Magazine!

AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO SINISTER SCRIBES
AND OTHER VARIOUS FIENDS

Do you crave classic horror stories? Do you love the musty smell of a paperback anthology containing vintage horror? Stories about creepy old houses, aristocratic vampires, Lovecraftian creatures, and tales of psychological spooks?

We wanted to send a shout out to all interested parties who would want to submit pieces in this vein to MAD HOUSE, new digital magazine that’s eager to hear the terrifying tales that all you storytellers have to share. In addition to fiction, we're open for nonfiction, poetry, and artwork.

If you pine after the Universal and Hammer horror films and worship authors like Poe, M.R. James, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and many others, then MAD HOUSE is the monster mag for you!

The official deadline for any and all submissions for our premiere issue is MAY 5TH, 2012. We are planning on releasing the anthology in time for the Halloween season and need to have all materials at the ready by the above timeline. Don’t miss out on your chance!

At this time we cannot offer payment to our contributors. We're putting this magazine together for the pure fun of it and out of our love for all that is classic horror. We hope to someday offer monetary compensation for the great work that we’re provided with. In the meantime it is our desire to simply put together a loving publication that we can all share with other terror-loving friends.

We prefer that your submission is in Word document format, 12 point Times New Roman, single-spaced.
Stories can reach up to a 7,000 word maximum. Maximum word count for articles is 5,000 words.
Attach it to your email and make sure you include the piece's title and your name in the subject line.

We will request short bios upon acceptance of your piece(s).
Address all submissions to madhousemag [at] yahoo [dot] com.

MAD HOUSE will require the non-exclusive right to use submissions in our free online edition and any possible PDF editions. First world electronic rights revert back to the creators three months after publication in MAD HOUSE. Reprints are more than welcome. We only ask that creators notify us of previous appearances of their work and credit MAD HOUSE for future publication of their accepted piece.

Check out our blog for more information. Be careful as you traverse through MAD HOUSE and always keep your hands at the level of your eyes! You never know who you may run into.

MAD HOUSE MAGAZINE: http://madhousemag.blogspot.com/

 I can't say enough about this young man's passion for horror in all its formats, and I strongly urge anyone with a love for horror or a talent for writing to give Mad House Magazine a chance.

Ashes

Last October I got the chance to review an intelligent little pandemic horror film - think Contagion meets The Signal - called Ashes.  And, it's with great pleasure that I report that the folks over at Osiris Entertainment released the film worldwide on DVD last Tuesday.  I wasn't head over heels in love with the film when I first saw it, but it's grown on me with time and I think you darn sure should check it out.  I'm not sure if it's on the giant web-based rental and streaming site yet, but I do know you can pick up the DVD at Amazon right about now. 

Absentia

Yeah, I've talked about Absentia a lot.  Heck it was in the top three of my best of 2011 list.  But there's more news on the Absentia front that you need to know, particularly that a) the film is now available for rent on VOD services like Amazon and ITunes, and b) the film will be out on DVD for everyone on March 13th.  I can't recommend it enough - which is part of why I'm still talking about it - so make sure you keep your eyes out for it!

Now....about that giveaway!

Why am I sitting here pimping this stuff? Is it because I'm too nice? Is it because I think I'll get attention by promoting it? NO.  It's because I get excited about good horror, and I want to see these people and their projects succeed.  One such success story is Dead Hooker in a Trunk, which recently hit DVD.  I reviewed the movie more than 18 months ago - which is like 47 years in blogger terms - and yet, it's still relevant to horror today.  And that excites the heck out of me.   And I want to feel that excitement about these projects too.

Some folks in a certain program like to say that "we keep what we have by giving it away".  So...I'm gonna give some one who reads this post and supports these three awesome horror projects a free DVD copy of Dead Hooker in A Trunk. 

If you want to win this piece of grindhouse-y goodness, here's all I ask of you. 

• Go to Facebook.  "Like" the pages for Mad House Magazine, Ashes, and Absentia. (I promise I won't cyber stalk you, but I will be watching the total number of likes on each page, and I darn sure better see the numbers going up!)
• Leave a comment below with a name and contact info, letting me know you want in the drawing for a free copy of DHIAT.
• Want to have your name in the drawing twice so you can double your chances of winning? "Like" FMWL on Facebook, and leave a comment on the wall letting us know that you support great indie and print horror! 

I'm confident you all could love these projects on your own, but that doesn't mean I won't push you in their direction.  So go forth and find out why I love them, then come back here (or meet us on Facebook!) by Midnight CST on Friday 2/17 to get yourself entered in the drawing for a free DVD copy of Dead Hooker in a Trunk!

FMWL Indie Spotlight - SUPER HAPPY DVD RELEASE DATE EDITION

I normally shy away from posting "news" stories.  There are about 1,473,984 blogs/websites that can bring you that stuff.  But I caught wind of some news - or at least news to me - about a couple of my favorite movies of the last two years today, and I could not hide my excitement from y'all.  And if the title of this post doesn't show you how happy I am, wait till you hear what I've got to say below.

First up is the most infamous title in the history of FMWL - Dead Hooker in a Trunk.  I don't have to tell you much about the film, because it's exactly what you'd expect from a film called Dead Hooker in a Trunk.  But it's more than you'd expect from a film called Dead Hooker in a Trunk at the same time.  It's gory and violent and crude, but it's also funny and even kind of sweet.  I've pimped it more than enough here at the site, so when I saw a tweet from those devilishly Twisted Twins (BTW, if you don't already know about Jen and Sylvia Soska, don't worry - there's still time to save you!) this morning that stated that IFC Midnight (who are generally awesome) would be releasing the DVD of Dead Hooker in a Trunk on January 31, 2012....I got really excited.

Seriously, does that look like a bundle of awesome or what? (Spoiler alert: IT DOES LOOK LIKE A BUNDLE OF AWESOME.) And best of all, pre-order links are already up at CD Universe and good ol' Amazon.com.  So if you've really been craving a movie about a perished prostitute in a portmanteau (OK, that's a different kind of trunk, but when you have a chance to type portmanteau you type portmanteau) that's one of the most deliriously fun movies you'll see next year - you need to check this one out ASAP (Which, again, is January 31, 2012.)

On the other side of the indie DVD release news spectrum, I was equally joyed to find the official Facebook page of Absentia - which is a strong contender for the top spot on my Best of 2011 list that should appear near the end of the year - mentioning today that Phase 4 Films would be releasing their film on March 13, 2012. 

You might be dissuaded by that DVD cover - I'm a bigger fan of the simpler poster art that accompanies my review of the film RIGHT HERE - but let me assure you that Absentia is one of the most intelligent and well-acted thrillers out there right now.  Great performances by Katie Parker and Courtney Bell are a major part of the film's success, but director Mike Flanagan also frames some of the best scares I've seen in ages.  It's a really remarkable little film, and I challenge anyone out there to check it out and see for themselves.  I'm not much for guarantees on the internet - they're generally not worth the pixels they're printed on - but I will flat out guarantee that Absentia will get you to jump out of your seat at least once. Probably more than that.  Seriously.

As a fan of all things awesome, it absolutely thrills me to see these movies getting their chance to hit video and make their mark in the horror scene.  If you're looking for something fantastic and original during the first few months of 2012, I don't think you can do much better than these two films.  As different as they may be, Dead Hooker in a Trunk and Absentia are two great horror films - and y'all need to be ready for them.

If you're like me, you might find out that they are two films that will make you proud to be a horror fan.

Links and FMWL News! - Hitchcock, Flickchart, and FMWL's March Midnight Madness BEGINS!

Aloha, Midnight Warriors!  Nothing too big to post today, but I wanted to let you in on some fantastic stuff going on right about now.  Let's get to it!

• First of all, I wanted to offer a couple of reminders.  My Movies to See Before You Die columns at Flickchart: The Blog are still rolling out on occasion, and last week I presented a sci-fi classic that could have graced the pages of FMWL - Forbidden Planet.  If you haven't been over there to check out these posts, and all the other good stuff there, you should.

• Also, don't forget to vote for the Rondo Awards!  Yes, FMWL is nominated for Best Blog, but the point is that you should vote for WHATVER YOU LIKE!  If you like classic horror, and you should, this is where you vote!  Click the link on the side, click this link right here, click something.  Just vote.  (And don't feel bad, I didn't vote for me either.)

• Speaking of great blogs, I'm honored to have had a chance to participate in the Hitch on the Hump series over at The Lightning Bug's Lair.  If the cards had shook differently, y'all might not have ever gotten a FMWL, because I may have started an all Hitchcock blog.  So, go over there to see what I have to say about my favorite director, as I discuss the legacy of Hitch's early masterpiece The 39 Steps.  And make sure to check out the rest of Mr. Bugg's stuff, because he should be talking Rondo Awards right now in my place.

And now, let's talk about what's coming to FMWL soon.  As you should know by now, the 64th Midnight Movie of the Week is now posted at FMWL, and it is March.  To many, March is synonymous with a certain collegiate basketball tournament which traditionally offered 64 teams.  If you thought The Mike wasn't gonna take advantage of that correlation...you're crazier than those who get Madness every March.

So, I present FMWL's MARCH MIDNIGHT MADNESS tournament.  Here's what's up:

• All 64 Midnight Movies of the Week, from #1 The Devil Rides Out to #64 Evil Dead II have been broken up into four brackets of 16 films.  
• To create an impartial set of seedings, the IMDB rating of each film was used to determine its seed in the tournament.  Thus, the four highest rated films earned the #1 seeds, the next four earned the #2 seeds, and so on. (Ties were broken by the number of voters giving the film its rating, with a higher vote total equaling a higher seed.)
• Once the bracket was set, I had to figure out how to get results.  Though it would be fun for me to go ahead and pick my favorites, I wanted to do something else.  So, I went out and found myself a selection committee.  About 20 of FMWL's favorite bloggers and genre fans have kindly volunteered to offer opinions on the brackets, which will allow me to simply count the votes (and use my tiebreaking hammer, as is needed) while they decide which films will move on while providing their own unique insights.

There're probably some kinks to be worked out that I haven't thought of yet, but in a week or two or three we'll have one grand champion standing tall as a grand champion.   And that excites me.

So, keep your eyes open for the MARCH MIDNIGHT MADNESS tournament, which will begin Thursday night with the first bracket and an introduction to the kind folks who'll be turning in their votes regarding the winners.

Until then, enjoy this video.  And be well.

Midnight Bites 5.11.10 - News on Fright Night, Romero, and more!

Though I don't often dip into the film news scene here at FMWL, there are a few recent developments I feel obliged to speak on. So, I'd like to offer up a few "Midnight Bites", in which I sink my teeth into some burning issues.

First and foremost, the news has broke that Colin Farrell has been cast in the heavy role opposite Anton Yelchin in Craig Gillespie's remake of the '80s favorite Fright Night. You won't find many people who are bigger fans of Fright Night than I am (in fact, I'm betting it's second to The Blob on the "Most Mentioned Films on FMWL" list), but I'm kind of digging where this remake is heading.

For starters, Gillespie is an established filmmaker whose Lars and the Real Girl is deeply loved by many, including the prestigious The Masha. Yelchin has quickly become a favorite in films like Charlie Bartlett, Alpha Dog (which was otherwise god-awful), and even Terminator Salvation. But Farrell, whom I've backed since Tigerland, is a most exciting addition that instantly adds the remake more credibility than most recent revamps.

Since the project was announced, I've stated repeatedly that the approach to Peter Vincent, as well as the casting of the character, is the pivotal factor that could sway me either way regarding this film. A gothic, Hammer Films inspired approach - like that shown perfectly by Roddy McDowell in the original - probably won't translate to modern audiences. Still, the film will need a strong actor in this role, one with the ability to play both a phony hero and a terrified everyman.

Might I humbly suggest veteran Sean Bean for the role? If the character's approached as an aging version of a Hugh Jackman version of Van Helsing, a sort of Indiana Jones of vampire killing, Bean could be a great fit. He's spent most of his career playing villainous roles in films like The Hitcher remake or National Treasure, and his scene-stealing turn in the first Lord of the Rings film, particularly in his final moments, is a great example of an actor handling moral conflict well. I trust Bean could pull off both the cocky showman and scared hero sides that made Peter Vincent one of my favorite characters of all-time. I know, it's a departure from the original, and it'd be easier to just pick someone like Gary Oldman or John Malkovich, but I think a Bean/Farrell showdown would get me most excited for this rehash.

And remember, no matter what happens with this remake, the original will always still be there for you. In fact, it'll probably be on a souped up Blu-Ray just because this remake's coming. That's a win.

Speaking of re-released films, I'm ecstatic to find that last week was the long anticipated return to DVD of Joe Dante's Matinee! A film I once loved on VHS, Matinee has been residing in the dreaded out-of-print file for several years, but has finally been re-released by Universal.
If you're unfamiliar with the film, Matinee stars John "You're out of your element, Donny!" Goodman as famed gimmick horror producer Lawrence Woolsey - a thinly veiled tribute to House on Haunted Hill/13 Ghosts/The Tingler schlockmaster William Castle. He's promoting his new movie MANT! (Half man, HALF ANT!) at a local theater, amidst the uncertainty of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though it's been a few years since my last viewing, I recall Matinee very fondly as a film about the power of genre cinema, and will most definitely be reviewing it here soonest. In the meantime, you can read about the film here, or head over to Amazon and get your own copy. If you like Castle, Dante, or Goodman; I doubt you'll regret it.

Lastly, an interview recently confirmed that George A. Romero, the unquestioned Lord of Zombiedom, still plans to make two more Dead flicks. The obvious questions that arise from this announcement are:

A) Considering the decrease in budget and backing for his last three films, where and how will these films reach viewers?

and;

B) What the heck will George call these films? He had enough trouble coming up with Survival of the Dead (see the poster to the left if you don't believe me!) I recently started up a discussion of this via my trusty site Twitter account, in which choices ranged from the excellent and likely - like Rising of the Dead (via The Divemistress of Zombots! fame) and Legend of the Dead (via Emily C. of the criminally under-read The Quest to Watch Every Movie Ever) - to the ridiculous and silly -like my suggestion Funeral of the Dead. If you have ideas, let's hear them in the comments, or join the fun at the twitter with the hashtag #NewDeadTitles.

As for the news that Romero's making two more zed flicks? He's the master, I'm not gonna question him. Bring 'em on!

Bruce vs. Frankenstein (My Name is Bruce 2) is a GO! Now What?

If you've been living outside a cave for the last hour or two, you probably don't know that Bruce Campbell has announced that production on Bruce vs. Frankenstein, a sequel to My Name is Bruce (review here) will begin this Fall! Now that that's been said, there's plenty of speculating to be done. With no delay, I present to you the 6 Biggest Questions The Mike has about Bruce vs. Frankenstein!

6. My Name is Bruce had a budget of peanuts and was shot primarily on Campbell's own property. Should we expect anything different this time?
My first guess on this one is NO. Though I'm sure the first film turned a heavy profit on DVD, I don't expect this one will get much backing from anyone. Plus, Campbell states the film will be shot in Oregon - which is where his property that the first film was shot on resides.

5. Should we expect any bigger names in the horror community to show up for the sequel?
Despite the first film featuring many folks from Campbell's work in the Evil Dead trilogy, the supporting cast didn't seem to know how to match the cheese of the star. Again, the budget will determine this answer. I'm sure we're not in for any Brad Pitts or George Clooneys joining this one, but we know Robert Englund likes work in the genre on the cheap, right? Wouldn't he be a great Dr. Frankenstein to match wits with Bruce?

4. Why doesn't George Clooney come home to the horror genre?
Come on, George. You can do better than Return of the Killer Tomatoes and Return to Horror High, even if something the quality of From Dusk Till Dawn is probably still out of reach. You've adapted from "TV doctor" to "superstar in Cary Grant suits", why not come back and ham it up with Bruce? Ah, The Mike can dream.

3. Who plays the monster, and how will he be portrayed?
My biggest concern with any adaptation of the Frankenstein story is the monster. Will we get a creature that's like the book's desperate-yet-adaptable-and-sympathetic creation? Or will it be a Karloff-esque imposing invalid? Either approach can work, but also can fail miserably. My random pick to play either kind of Franky Monster? The guy from Sherlock Holmes who used to be WWF's Kurrgan. Or, if we're going smarter, Clancy Brown who used to be Highlander's Kurrgan. Either way, Kurrgans work for this role.

2. Where will the plot go? How can a title like Bruce vs. Frankenstein meet the dreamy nightmares floating around in The Mike's head?
When it comes to the actual film, this is the biggest question in my mind. Are we saying Bruce has to face the monster or the doctor? Maybe Doc Frank wants to reanimate a corpse and give it the monster-ready mind of Ashley J. Williams himself? Maybe he's created a monster he never dreamed of, and thinks only Bruce Campbell can defeat it? Maybe Bruce meets a Doc Frankenstein who has not only a monster, but a Delorean that can transport Bruce back to Victorian times for a mere 1.21 Jigawatts? Seriously, I could ponder this one all day and not come up with a disappointing answer. Can the movie do the same?

1. Will the movie actually happen?
Seriously, how long have we been hearing about Bubba Nosferatu coming soon? Is Bruce just giving us false hope? For the sake of humanity, or at least for the sake of horror fans in all galaxies, I hope not.

That's all the questions I can get down before my brain explodes, but I'm sure I'll be pondering this one and eagerly anticipating any news as we go forward with 2010. If you've got questions, or better yet answers, hit up the comments below. If you're Bruce Campbell, you rock...and give me a call. You can make this one work, and I'm willing to help.

The Incredible Shrinking Man chosen for the U.S. National Film Registry!

Wanted to briefly post some exciting news about one of my favorite sci-fi films of all-time, The Incredible Shrinking Man. As you can tell from the title, The Incredible Shrinking Man has been chosen as a film to be placed in the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry, a great honor for any film.

For those who don't know about it, National Film Registry selects 25 films each year "that will be preserved as cultural, artistic and/or historical treasures for generations to come." In other words, it's an effort to ensure that some of cinema's greatest treasures are maintained for as long as humanly possible. 2009's selections bring the total number of film's in the Registry to 525.

I'm extremely pleased to see this little film, from The Creature of the Black Lagoon director Jack Arnold and sci-fi/horror god/writer Richard Matheson, chosen for this honor. It's been one of my favorite sci-fi films for a while now, and is a great example of how good b-movies can be even with the most ridiculous of plots. While I don't have time to fully rave about the film right now, I wanted to at least bring the honor to attention, and reiterate how excited I am to see a film like this (and especially this film!) honored as something that will live on for a long, long time. While the film's currently only available in a 5-Disc collection of sci-fi flicks that Universal released a couple of year's ago, here's hoping that this award will bring bigger and better things for Arnold and Matheson's truly Incredible Shrinking Man!

Here's a short trailer for the film. It's not the best quality, but it does feature a pimping from none less than Orson Welles!