Dr. Viktor Frankenstein is the fictional keystone for generations of horror artists. Monster makers bring dreams and nightmares to life, realizing a filmmaker's vision for the impossible things we need to see and shudder at. While movie monsters existed long before Bela Lugosi put on Dracula's cape in 1931, the birth of the classic Universal Monsters franchise is hard to ignore as a watershed moment for things that go bump in the night. Since then, artists like Ray Harryhausen, Phil Tippett, Stan Winston, and countless more have grown with the technology used to evolve an idea from the drawing board to the cinema screen.
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
However, making these critters isn't always a clear-cut process. Growing an idea into something we can shudder at can take a few attempts to get terrifying right. Sometimes, even the things that go bump in the night had their awkward teenage years. Below, find out about some...
- 1/29/2024
- by Margaret David
- Slash Film
Despite the decline in theatrical horror releases during the 1990s, the direct-to-video side of the genre was still thriving. So much so that something like Jeff Burr’s Night of the Scarecrow understandably slipped through the cracks after its unnoticed home-video premiere in ‘96. Even aficionados of this regularly dismissed decade of horror might not be aware of the movie’s existence. Nevertheless, longtime fans still consider this to be one of the more notable offerings of scarecrow horror.
It’s not hard to figure out why Night of the Scarecrow got so lost in the shuffle of ‘90s Dtv horror. Jeff Burr claimed only around 12,000 units were shipped back in the bygone days of video shops. Yet, if you came across this movie’s alluring box art in the horror aisle, you couldn’t be blamed for wanting to take a closer look. The alternative artwork — the titular, sickle-wielding villain...
It’s not hard to figure out why Night of the Scarecrow got so lost in the shuffle of ‘90s Dtv horror. Jeff Burr claimed only around 12,000 units were shipped back in the bygone days of video shops. Yet, if you came across this movie’s alluring box art in the horror aisle, you couldn’t be blamed for wanting to take a closer look. The alternative artwork — the titular, sickle-wielding villain...
- 11/8/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
My Bloody Valentine 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
My Bloody Valentine will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on September 12 via Scream Factory. The uncut version has been newly restored in 4K with Dolby Vision. The three-disc set also includes the theatrical version on Blu-ray.
The 1981 Canadian slasher is directed by George Mihalka and written by John Beaird. Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck, Don Francks, Cynthia Dale, Alf Humphreys, Keith Knight, and Patricia Hamilton star.
Special features from the Blu-ray are ported over, including a commentary by Mihalka, a 35th anniversary panel with Mihalka and the cast, seven cast and crew interviews, and more.
Night of the Comet 4K Uhd from Scream Factory...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
My Bloody Valentine 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
My Bloody Valentine will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on September 12 via Scream Factory. The uncut version has been newly restored in 4K with Dolby Vision. The three-disc set also includes the theatrical version on Blu-ray.
The 1981 Canadian slasher is directed by George Mihalka and written by John Beaird. Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck, Don Francks, Cynthia Dale, Alf Humphreys, Keith Knight, and Patricia Hamilton star.
Special features from the Blu-ray are ported over, including a commentary by Mihalka, a 35th anniversary panel with Mihalka and the cast, seven cast and crew interviews, and more.
Night of the Comet 4K Uhd from Scream Factory...
- 7/7/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Maybe more than any other character in the pantheon of horror villain legends, Freddy Krueger was custom built to put the fear of god into us. Nothing about his presence was thrown together haphazardly. Instead, nearly every aspect of his design had a tremendous amount of thought put into it. From makeup effects great David B. Miller’s inspired work creating the Krueger’s crispy kisser, to the subliminal mind games played by creator Wes Craven when choosing certain aspects of his look (the razor glove was meant to resemble the clawed paws of a prehistoric predator while the colors of his sweater were chosen due to the difficult time the human eye has processing red and green together), we were meant to feel Freddy’s menace on a subatomic level.
As the franchise rolled on over the years, that visual blueprint was more or less stuck to religiously. After all,...
As the franchise rolled on over the years, that visual blueprint was more or less stuck to religiously. After all,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Patrick Brennan
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Bachelor Season 27 featured the show’s first virtual rose ceremony. After the lead, Zach Shallcross caught coronavirus (Covid-19), producers were forced to improvise to figure out how the show would go on. It wasn’t as easy as just waiting until Zach was out of quarantine. While the virtual rose ceremony helped moved the show to the next week, producers had concerns about how it would look.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Bachelor 2023 Week 5.]
Zach Shallcross and his contestants | ABC/Craig Sjodin Production couldn’t wait for Zach to recover from coronavirus
Things took a turn in London for The Bachelor Season 27. Zach was feeling under the weather, which caused him to miss both the group date and the after-party. Host Jesse Palmer then announced that Zach tested positive for coronavirus and would have to miss his 1-on-1 date with Charity as well.
Zach was facing at least 5 days in isolation, and producers couldn’t wait...
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Bachelor 2023 Week 5.]
Zach Shallcross and his contestants | ABC/Craig Sjodin Production couldn’t wait for Zach to recover from coronavirus
Things took a turn in London for The Bachelor Season 27. Zach was feeling under the weather, which caused him to miss both the group date and the after-party. Host Jesse Palmer then announced that Zach tested positive for coronavirus and would have to miss his 1-on-1 date with Charity as well.
Zach was facing at least 5 days in isolation, and producers couldn’t wait...
- 2/23/2023
- by Erica Scassellati
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Vince Vaughn enjoyed a rare family outing in Los Angeles on Jan. 16. The actor attended the Lakers vs. Rockets NBA game with his wife, Kyla Weber, and their two kids, Lochlyn and Vernon, sitting near the court to watch the Lakers come out on top. Vaughn and Weber kept things low-key in black jackets, while 12-year-old Lochlyn wore a gray sweater and 9-year-old Vernon repped the home team in a yellow Lakers hoodie. Lochlyn cozied up on her dad's lap at one point, and Vernon joined Vaughn for a chat with NBA analyst Dave Miller.
Public appearances are few and far between for Vaughn's children, who most notably stepped out for their dad's hand and footprint ceremony at the Tcl Chinese Theatre back in 2015. They haven't returned to the red carpet since then, but they've made a few appearances at Disneyland through the years. Vaughn often references his kids during interviews,...
Public appearances are few and far between for Vaughn's children, who most notably stepped out for their dad's hand and footprint ceremony at the Tcl Chinese Theatre back in 2015. They haven't returned to the red carpet since then, but they've made a few appearances at Disneyland through the years. Vaughn often references his kids during interviews,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Victoria Messina
- Popsugar.com
Stars: Auggi Alvarez, Stefan Hilt, Rod Will, Harry Rose, Dave Miller, Cathy Metz, Kathleen McSweeney | Written and Directed by Todd Sheets
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of filmmaker Todd Sheets; the last film of his I saw was Bonehill Road and that just cemented my knowledge that Sheets’ particular brand of low-budget filmmaking was not for me – even if his 2019 film Clownado had a lot of fans, even our very own Chris Cummings. So why am I reviewing his 1994 shot-on-video film Moonchild? Well because, like every fanboy-come-hipster film lover I collect boutique label releases and the more obscure the films they release the better and Moonchild is part of Wild Eye Releasing’s new Blu-ray label Visual Vengeance, so as a completist I had to add this to my collection – even if it took a month or so for the disc to show up, making this review late!
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of filmmaker Todd Sheets; the last film of his I saw was Bonehill Road and that just cemented my knowledge that Sheets’ particular brand of low-budget filmmaking was not for me – even if his 2019 film Clownado had a lot of fans, even our very own Chris Cummings. So why am I reviewing his 1994 shot-on-video film Moonchild? Well because, like every fanboy-come-hipster film lover I collect boutique label releases and the more obscure the films they release the better and Moonchild is part of Wild Eye Releasing’s new Blu-ray label Visual Vengeance, so as a completist I had to add this to my collection – even if it took a month or so for the disc to show up, making this review late!
- 11/16/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Maya Vander is in mourning after experiencing a miscarriage, six months after she delivered her stillborn son. On June 21, the Selling Sunset star took to her Instagram Stories to share the sad news. "I had a very crazy week," Maya wrote alongside a photo of her 3-year-old son, Aiden, sleeping. "Miscarriage after 10 weeks …following my stillbirth..but my kids and my husband are absolutely my blessing and I am so lucky to be their mother!" The reality TV star went on to credit her husband Dave Miller and her kids Aiden and Elle, 2, for bringing "joy and happiness" into her life. She added, "Hug and love the people you care about. Don't take...
- 6/22/2022
- E! Online
"Thrill me." If those two words send chills down your nostalgic spine, then you're likely thrilled for Scream Factory's Collector's Edition Blu-ray of Fred Dekker's Night of the Creeps, and you'll be even more thrilled once you read the full list of special features for the anticipated release, including a new "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" tour of the movie's filming locations and new interviews with the film's cast.
Read on for the full list of special features, and in case you missed it, check here to learn about the deluxe limited edition that includes a Neca figure of Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins).
Press Release: "Los Angeles, CA – The good news is your date is here. The bad news is…he’s dead. Scream Factory proudly presents Night of the Creeps in a definitive collector’s edition Blu-ray release on May 28, 2019. This release is jam-packed, with both theatrical and director...
Read on for the full list of special features, and in case you missed it, check here to learn about the deluxe limited edition that includes a Neca figure of Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins).
Press Release: "Los Angeles, CA – The good news is your date is here. The bad news is…he’s dead. Scream Factory proudly presents Night of the Creeps in a definitive collector’s edition Blu-ray release on May 28, 2019. This release is jam-packed, with both theatrical and director...
- 4/17/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
It’s very exciting to see ambition in the world of horror. Yes, pleasure can and always will be derived from one more well formed slice of the blade or swing of the axe. However, occasionally a filmmaker comes on the scene overflowing with imagination and verve, a need to spew forth fresh ideas, or at the very least, a new take on a haggard trope. And then you have Fred Dekker, who decided for his first feature to include everything he loved about exploitation, horror and sci-fi, into one glorious, hearty stew that bafflingly flew under the radar at the time of its release. And like a good stew, the more it simmers, the sweeter the taste. 30 years later, Night of the Creeps (1986) will fill you up and have you begging for more.
Released by Tri-Star Pictures in late August, Creeps pulled in under $600,000 on a $5,000,000 Us budget. The...
Released by Tri-Star Pictures in late August, Creeps pulled in under $600,000 on a $5,000,000 Us budget. The...
- 2/27/2016
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Can you imagine Freddy Krueger without his famed fedora? Now you don't have to. Here's the "Newsies" version Wes Craven and company almost went with, before settling on the iconic look we know today (courtesy Bloody-Disgusting): Doesn't quite have the same feel, does it? It's fascinating to wonder whether the paperboy cap and sleeveless (!) red-and-green sweater would have doomed the franchise before it even began. We'll never know, but it's fun to speculate as a sort of "Sliding Doors"-esque scenario. The photo, in case you were wondering, comes courtesy of Thommy Hutson, who wrote and directed the excellent four-hour documentary "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy," which covers all films in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series except the much-criticized 2010 remake. Trust: it's a must-see for any hardcore fan of the series. Navigate over to Bloody-Disgusting to see an additional image that features a number of different...
- 10/30/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Special Mention: Battle Royale
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed, leaving 15 percent unemployed and 800,000 students boycotting school. The government passes something called the Millennium Educational Reform Act, which apparently provides for a class of ninth-graders to be chosen each year and pitted against one another on a remote island for 3 days. Each student is given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water, and sent off to kill each other in a no-holds-barred fight to the death. With 48 contestants, only one will go home alive. Yes, this has been often cited as the original Hunger Games; whether or not Suzanne Collins borrowed heavily...
Written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Japan, 2000
The concept of The Hunger Games owes much to Koushun Takami’s cult novel Battle Royale, adapted for the cinema in 2000 by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is set in a dystopian alternate-universe, in Japan, with the nation utterly collapsed, leaving 15 percent unemployed and 800,000 students boycotting school. The government passes something called the Millennium Educational Reform Act, which apparently provides for a class of ninth-graders to be chosen each year and pitted against one another on a remote island for 3 days. Each student is given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water, and sent off to kill each other in a no-holds-barred fight to the death. With 48 contestants, only one will go home alive. Yes, this has been often cited as the original Hunger Games; whether or not Suzanne Collins borrowed heavily...
- 10/10/2015
- by Ricky Fernandes
- SoundOnSight
Teresa Wright and Matt Damon in 'The Rainmaker' Teresa Wright: From Marlon Brando to Matt Damon (See preceding post: "Teresa Wright vs. Samuel Goldwyn: Nasty Falling Out.") "I'd rather have luck than brains!" Teresa Wright was quoted as saying in the early 1950s. That's understandable, considering her post-Samuel Goldwyn choice of movie roles, some of which may have seemed promising on paper.[1] Wright was Marlon Brando's first Hollywood leading lady, but that didn't help her to bounce back following the very public spat with her former boss. After all, The Men was released before Elia Kazan's film version of A Streetcar Named Desire turned Brando into a major international star. Chances are that good film offers were scarce. After Wright's brief 1950 comeback, for the third time in less than a decade she would be gone from the big screen for more than a year.
- 3/11/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Stargazers crumble into dust or become zombies in Thom Eberhardt’s 1984 cult classic film, Night of the Comet. With adult supervision seemingly eradicated, surviving sisters Regina and Samantha have fun with their newfound freedom and their adventures are captured in next week’s UK Blu-ray / DVD release of Night of the Comet, complete with an abundance of special features.
Night of the Comet will be released on a dual format Blu-ray and DVD in the UK from Arrow Video on September 22nd. We have the official synopsis, list of special features, and a look at the cover art:
“It Was The Last Thing On Earth They Ever Expected.
Life can be tough when you’re a Valley girl. First, there’s making sure you’re on time for pep squad practice. Then there’s having to live under the same roof as your bitchy stepmother who, you suspect, is making...
Night of the Comet will be released on a dual format Blu-ray and DVD in the UK from Arrow Video on September 22nd. We have the official synopsis, list of special features, and a look at the cover art:
“It Was The Last Thing On Earth They Ever Expected.
Life can be tough when you’re a Valley girl. First, there’s making sure you’re on time for pep squad practice. Then there’s having to live under the same roof as your bitchy stepmother who, you suspect, is making...
- 9/15/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
This year the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) includes a lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films. The impressive program reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the future of Indian filmmaking, with cutting-edge filmmakers and emerging voices bringing their acclaimed films to Los Angeles.
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
- 4/8/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
As horror fans, we make it our business to know the most obscure details about our favorite films. We watch the bonus features on the Special Edition releases of our favorite DVDs; we read retrospectives and interviews in support of our most beloved titles. But even the most diligent fan is bound to miss something along the way. So, to help you get the lowdown, we're running a recurring segment that rounds up some lesser-known trivia from your favorite horror films.
For this installment, we're setting our sights on the slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street. There are plenty of well-known talking points regarding A Nightmare on Elm Street but we have rounded up some slightly more obscure facts that we hope will even enlighten even the super fan.
Now, we present to you: twelve things you may not have known about Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street.
For this installment, we're setting our sights on the slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street. There are plenty of well-known talking points regarding A Nightmare on Elm Street but we have rounded up some slightly more obscure facts that we hope will even enlighten even the super fan.
Now, we present to you: twelve things you may not have known about Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- 3/24/2014
- by Tyler Doupe
- FEARnet
From April 8th to the 11th, Indian films will once again be showcased in the Us at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). In its 12th year, Iffla boasts an incredible lineup of fabulous films that reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema. Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani says, “I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora.”
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
- 3/21/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy is a four-hour documentary film that chronicles the entire Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, as well as chronicling the rise of New Line Cinema.
Co-directed by Daniel Farrands and Andrew Kasch, it presents the kinds of in-depth yet light-hearted gems fans care about, not the paint-by-numbers stuff your average studio-produced Blu-ray extra disc typically regurgitates. It was made by genre fans who approach it from a place of love, but more importantly by filmmakers who understand that nothing is precious and nothing is off-limits. Heather Langenkamp, who played the ultimate final girl Nancy Thompson in three of the Nightmare films, serves as executive producer and narrator.
In exploring the Elm Street saga, the film presents photographs, storyboards, conceptual art, publicity materials, archival documents, and behind-the-scenes footage that have never been previously shared. it expands on Wes Craven's motivations in creating the first...
Co-directed by Daniel Farrands and Andrew Kasch, it presents the kinds of in-depth yet light-hearted gems fans care about, not the paint-by-numbers stuff your average studio-produced Blu-ray extra disc typically regurgitates. It was made by genre fans who approach it from a place of love, but more importantly by filmmakers who understand that nothing is precious and nothing is off-limits. Heather Langenkamp, who played the ultimate final girl Nancy Thompson in three of the Nightmare films, serves as executive producer and narrator.
In exploring the Elm Street saga, the film presents photographs, storyboards, conceptual art, publicity materials, archival documents, and behind-the-scenes footage that have never been previously shared. it expands on Wes Craven's motivations in creating the first...
- 1/14/2014
- by Staci Layne Wilson
- DreadCentral.com
1984′s Night of the Comet is getting a high-definition upgrade from Scream Factory. Due out next week, we have release details and a look at the original trailer.
“Scream Factory invites loyal fans and movie collectors to feast on sci-fi gory goodness and high-camp spills from 80s when Thom E. Eberhardt’s end-of-the-world cult classic Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition Blu-ray+DVD combo pack finally lands on home entertainment shelves everywhere on November 19, 20013. This highly entertaining fantasy classic debuts for the first time on Blu-ray™. Featuring anamorphic widescreen movie presentation, Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition boasts newly rendered retro-style artwork, exciting bonus content, and a reversible wrap with theatrical key art and more!
It’s the first comet to buzz the planet in 65 million years, and everyone seems to be celebrating its imminent arrival. Everyone, that is, except Regina Belmont (Catherine Mary Stewart, The Last Starfighter...
“Scream Factory invites loyal fans and movie collectors to feast on sci-fi gory goodness and high-camp spills from 80s when Thom E. Eberhardt’s end-of-the-world cult classic Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition Blu-ray+DVD combo pack finally lands on home entertainment shelves everywhere on November 19, 20013. This highly entertaining fantasy classic debuts for the first time on Blu-ray™. Featuring anamorphic widescreen movie presentation, Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition boasts newly rendered retro-style artwork, exciting bonus content, and a reversible wrap with theatrical key art and more!
It’s the first comet to buzz the planet in 65 million years, and everyone seems to be celebrating its imminent arrival. Everyone, that is, except Regina Belmont (Catherine Mary Stewart, The Last Starfighter...
- 11/11/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Another '80s cult classic is getting the Special Edition treatment from the fine folks at Scream Factory: the crazed apocalyptic horror/sci-fi comedy Night of the Comet makes its Blu-ray debut this Fall in a combo pack loaded with special features, and we've got the full breakdown below. Packaged with newly-commissioned '80s-style artwork (which is also available as a 18”x24” poster to early-birds who preorder the combo pack through Scream Factory's website) as well as the original theatrical key art, both discs are presented in anamorphic widescreen (Blu-ray in 1080p HD), with new Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mixes. There's also a bonanza of bonus features: Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Thom Eberhardt Audio Commentary with Stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart Audio Commentary with Production Designer John Muto Valley Girls at the End of the World – Interviews with Stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart The Last Man on Earth?...
- 9/24/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
1984′s Night of the Comet is getting a high-definition upgrade from Scream Factory. Due out this November, we have release details and the cover art for the upcoming Collector’s Edition Blu-ray / DVD release:
“Scream Factory invites loyal fans and movie collectors to feast on sci-fi gory goodness and high-camp spills from 80s when Thom E. Eberhardt’s end-of-the-world cult classic Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition Blu-ray+DVD combo pack finally lands on home entertainment shelves everywhere on November 19, 20013. This highly entertaining fantasy classic debuts for the first time on Blu-ray™. Featuring anamorphic widescreen movie presentation, Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition boasts newly rendered retro-style artwork, exciting bonus content, and a reversible wrap with theatrical key art and more!
It’s the first comet to buzz the planet in 65 million years, and everyone seems to be celebrating its imminent arrival. Everyone, that is, except Regina Belmont (Catherine Mary Stewart,...
“Scream Factory invites loyal fans and movie collectors to feast on sci-fi gory goodness and high-camp spills from 80s when Thom E. Eberhardt’s end-of-the-world cult classic Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition Blu-ray+DVD combo pack finally lands on home entertainment shelves everywhere on November 19, 20013. This highly entertaining fantasy classic debuts for the first time on Blu-ray™. Featuring anamorphic widescreen movie presentation, Night Of The Comet Collector’s Edition boasts newly rendered retro-style artwork, exciting bonus content, and a reversible wrap with theatrical key art and more!
It’s the first comet to buzz the planet in 65 million years, and everyone seems to be celebrating its imminent arrival. Everyone, that is, except Regina Belmont (Catherine Mary Stewart,...
- 9/18/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Fred Dekker’s 1986 horror-masterpiece Night of the Creeps changed my life – and it probably change yours, too. It was the horror film that brought aliens, parasites, axe-murders and zombies together in one grand, hilarious and terrifying masterpiece. It was the horror film that wed John Hughes’ teenaged life with George Romero’s on-earth death-walkers.
Back in 1959, a meteorite crashed into Earth, bringing with it a type of parasite that feeds on human brains. When the first victim of the parasite is put into deep freeze, no one expects two teenagers, Chris and J.C. (Jason Lively and Steve Marshall) to inadvertently release these slug-like aliens onto their campus when they unthaw an infected man who has been cryogenically frozen since the fifties. Now with the help of a sorority girl that Chris is crushing on and an aging, cynical detective, they must stop the slugs from infecting their friends before...
Back in 1959, a meteorite crashed into Earth, bringing with it a type of parasite that feeds on human brains. When the first victim of the parasite is put into deep freeze, no one expects two teenagers, Chris and J.C. (Jason Lively and Steve Marshall) to inadvertently release these slug-like aliens onto their campus when they unthaw an infected man who has been cryogenically frozen since the fifties. Now with the help of a sorority girl that Chris is crushing on and an aging, cynical detective, they must stop the slugs from infecting their friends before...
- 5/23/2013
- by Lianne Spiderbaby
- FEARnet
We’re back with the latest edition of the Indie Spotlight, which contains recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes a new trailer for The Secret Village, premiere details for Pain is Beautiful, an interview for Almost Human, and more:
The Secret Village Trailer: “Written by Jason B. Whittier and Kandan, The Secret Village follows Greg (Jonathan Bennett), an unsuccessful screenwriter and Rachel (Ali Faulkner), a spunky journalist, as they research an outbreak of mass hysteria and ergot poisoning in a small village. They rent a house together and start to uncover a secret that has affected this village for years. But the cult activity has been kept a secret by locals Joe (Stelio Savante) and Paul (Richard Riehle) and when Greg disappears, Rachel is left alone to unravel the mystery and save their lives. Kef Lee, Toby Gadison and Karin Duseva round out the cast.
The Secret Village Trailer: “Written by Jason B. Whittier and Kandan, The Secret Village follows Greg (Jonathan Bennett), an unsuccessful screenwriter and Rachel (Ali Faulkner), a spunky journalist, as they research an outbreak of mass hysteria and ergot poisoning in a small village. They rent a house together and start to uncover a secret that has affected this village for years. But the cult activity has been kept a secret by locals Joe (Stelio Savante) and Paul (Richard Riehle) and when Greg disappears, Rachel is left alone to unravel the mystery and save their lives. Kef Lee, Toby Gadison and Karin Duseva round out the cast.
- 2/3/2013
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
With the release of Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies, I decided to compile a list of my favourite films that take a non-traditional approach to the living-dead canon. More specifically, they all blend romance and zombies, in their own unique and twisted ways.
This is the first of what will be a two part article.
****
1: Dance of the Dead
Directed by Gregg Bishop
Written by Joe Ballarini
2008, USA
Dance of The Dead may seem like another lowbrow, low budget horror film, but in fact, it offers sharp writing, terrific characterizations, likeable performances, and a real affection for geek culture. Imagine the humour of Night of the Living Dorks but powered by the central plot behind Night of the Creeps. Sure Dance uses every rule from the official zombie handbook, but for a movie that seems equally inspired by a John Hughes coming of age flick, Dance of the Dead...
This is the first of what will be a two part article.
****
1: Dance of the Dead
Directed by Gregg Bishop
Written by Joe Ballarini
2008, USA
Dance of The Dead may seem like another lowbrow, low budget horror film, but in fact, it offers sharp writing, terrific characterizations, likeable performances, and a real affection for geek culture. Imagine the humour of Night of the Living Dorks but powered by the central plot behind Night of the Creeps. Sure Dance uses every rule from the official zombie handbook, but for a movie that seems equally inspired by a John Hughes coming of age flick, Dance of the Dead...
- 1/31/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
With the release of Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies, I decided to compile a list of my favourite films that take a non-traditional approach to the living-dead canon. More specifically, they all blend romance and zombies, in their own unique and twisted ways.
This is the first of what will be a two part article.
****
1: Dance of the Dead
Directed by Gregg Bishop
Written by Joe Ballarini
2008, USA
Dance of The Dead may seem like another lowbrow, low budget horror film, but in fact, it offers sharp writing, terrific characterizations, likeable performances, and a real affection for geek culture. Imagine the humour of Night of the Living Dorks but powered by the central plot behind Night of the Creeps. Sure Dance uses every rule from the official zombie handbook, but for a movie that seems equally inspired by a John Hughes coming of age flick, Dance of the Dead...
This is the first of what will be a two part article.
****
1: Dance of the Dead
Directed by Gregg Bishop
Written by Joe Ballarini
2008, USA
Dance of The Dead may seem like another lowbrow, low budget horror film, but in fact, it offers sharp writing, terrific characterizations, likeable performances, and a real affection for geek culture. Imagine the humour of Night of the Living Dorks but powered by the central plot behind Night of the Creeps. Sure Dance uses every rule from the official zombie handbook, but for a movie that seems equally inspired by a John Hughes coming of age flick, Dance of the Dead...
- 1/31/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Title: Burn: One Year On The Front Lines Of The Battle To Save Detroit General Motors, Goldcrest Films, Apostle, Tbve Director: Tom Putnam, Brenna Sanchez Screenwriter: Tom Putnam, Brenna Sanchez Cast: Donald Austin, Brendan “Doogie” Milewski, Dave Parnell, Craig Dougherty, Dave Miller, Jeff Urbas, Chris Palm, Dennis Hunter, Terrell Hardaway Screened at: Critics’ DVD, NYC, 11/2/12 Opens: November 2, 2012 Who needs the false excitement of the “Terminator” series when you can watch the real thing, when you can see the difference between a real, blazing fire reaching sky high versus the canned machinations of a film company’s special effects? In their movie “Burn,” directors Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez [ Read More ]
The post Burn Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Burn Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/3/2012
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
124: (Tie) Inside (À l’intérieur)
Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Written by Alexandre Bustillo
2007, France
Four months after the death of her husband, a pregnant woman is tormented by a strange woman who invades her home with the intent on killing her and taking her unborn baby. This movie is not recommended for women on the brink of motherhood. Inside is one of the most vicious and...
As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.
****
124: (Tie) Inside (À l’intérieur)
Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Written by Alexandre Bustillo
2007, France
Four months after the death of her husband, a pregnant woman is tormented by a strange woman who invades her home with the intent on killing her and taking her unborn baby. This movie is not recommended for women on the brink of motherhood. Inside is one of the most vicious and...
- 10/5/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
We love looking at old behind-the-scenes images from some of our favorite movies, but it's always a bit more special when we get an image like this one. According to a post on Reddit [via Slashfilm], this is the first makeup test for Freddy Krueger in the original 1984 version of A Nightmare on Elm Street. What that means is this is the first time Robert Englund saw himself as a character who would soon go down as one of the most iconic horror movie villains of all time. That's pretty damn cool. And you get a vibe from this image that Englund is pretty flawed by what he's seeing in the mirror; his stare is intense, as is the look on makeup artist David Miller's face. Miller was already a seasoned horror pro by the time he got to take on Freddy Krueger...
Read More...
Read More...
- 6/27/2012
- by Erik Davis
- Movies.com
Night Of The Creeps
Directed by Fred Dekker
Screenplay by Fred Dekker
1986, USA
The debut feature by writer/director Fred Dekker is notable as an earnest attempt at a B-movie and a throwback to the genre. Paying tribute to everything from plots, themes and to the filmmakers that created them, Night offers alien parasites, zombies, extra-terrestrials, a sorority house, Prom Night and a 50′s opening prologue involving an axe murder. Dekker goes so far as to pay tribute to his idols by naming every character after a famous filmmaker. There is the love interest, Cynthia Cronenberg, a police sergeant named Raimi, three other characters named Miller, Carpenter, Landis and of course, Detective Cameron, played by Tom Atkins.
Atkins steals the show, delivering the film’s most memorable lines including the classic: ‘I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is they’re dead.
Directed by Fred Dekker
Screenplay by Fred Dekker
1986, USA
The debut feature by writer/director Fred Dekker is notable as an earnest attempt at a B-movie and a throwback to the genre. Paying tribute to everything from plots, themes and to the filmmakers that created them, Night offers alien parasites, zombies, extra-terrestrials, a sorority house, Prom Night and a 50′s opening prologue involving an axe murder. Dekker goes so far as to pay tribute to his idols by naming every character after a famous filmmaker. There is the love interest, Cynthia Cronenberg, a police sergeant named Raimi, three other characters named Miller, Carpenter, Landis and of course, Detective Cameron, played by Tom Atkins.
Atkins steals the show, delivering the film’s most memorable lines including the classic: ‘I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is they’re dead.
- 4/9/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Talk about an ambitious goal--DuPont has moved up its timeline to hit $1 billion in solar sales from 2011 to this year. And by 2014, the company expects to hit $2 billion. The predicted jump in sales is a result of the "continued explosive growth in the industry," explained DuPont spokesman Dan Turner.
So what, exactly, is DuPont making its money from? DuPont sells at least 10 products used in the solar panel production process, including crystalline silicon cells and modules, thin film modules, and seals for cell manufacturing equipment. Two products--Tedlar, a moisture-protection backing for Pv cells, and Solamet, a metallization paste used to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells--have stood out as moneymakers for the chemical company.
As the largest U.S. chemical maker, DuPont also has the advantage of size; if there is a market for solar materials, the company has the resources to swallow it whole. And in fact, DuPont...
So what, exactly, is DuPont making its money from? DuPont sells at least 10 products used in the solar panel production process, including crystalline silicon cells and modules, thin film modules, and seals for cell manufacturing equipment. Two products--Tedlar, a moisture-protection backing for Pv cells, and Solamet, a metallization paste used to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells--have stood out as moneymakers for the chemical company.
As the largest U.S. chemical maker, DuPont also has the advantage of size; if there is a market for solar materials, the company has the resources to swallow it whole. And in fact, DuPont...
- 9/24/2010
- by Ariel Schwartz
- Fast Company
Night Of The Creeps Directed by Fred Dekker The debut feature by writer/director Fred Dekker, Night Of The Creeps wears its B-Movie status proudly on its sleeve. Dekker borrows elements of all his favorite horror and sci-fi movies and blends them together creating one of the most enjoyable and underrated films from the 80's. Paying homage to everything from plots, themes and to those that have created them, Night offers you creepy crawlers, alien parasites, zombies, extra-terrestrials, sorority/fraternity scenarios and a 50's opening prologue involving an axe murder. Dekker goes so far as to pay tribute to his idols by naming every character after a famous filmmaker. There is the love interest, Cynthia Cronenberg, a police sergeant named Raimi, three other characters named Miller, Carpenter, Landis and of course, Detective Cameron, played by Tom Atkins. Atkins steals the show, delivering the film's most memorable lines including the classic:...
- 11/11/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Night Of The Creeps Directed by Fred Dekker The debut feature by writer/director Fred Dekker, Night Of The Creeps wears its B-Movie status proudly on its sleeve. Dekker borrows elements of all his favorite horror and sci-fi movies and blends them together creating one of the most enjoyable and underrated films from the 80's. Paying homage to everything from plots, themes and to those that have created them, Night offers you creepy crawlers, alien parasites, zombies, extra-terrestrials, sorority/fraternity scenarios and a 50's opening prologue involving an axe murder. Dekker goes so far as to pay tribute to his idols by naming every character after a famous filmmaker. There is the love interest, Cynthia Cronenberg, a police sergeant named Raimi, three other characters named Miller, Carpenter, Landis and of course, Detective Cameron, played by Tom Atkins. Atkins steals the show, delivering the film's most memorable lines including the classic:...
- 11/8/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
So you just saw Zombieland and you're desperately looking for another fun zombie-filled end of the world movie with strong female characters? Look no further than the brilliant '80s horror comedy Night Of The Comet!
When a comet passes over the earth, rendering everyone witnessing it into red dust, the only survivors are two Valley Girl sisters, responsible Regina (Catherine Mary Stewart) and her little sister, spoiled cheerleader Samantha (Kelli Maroney).
The two girls wander Southern California, enjoying malls without crowds, driving fast through empty streets and even DeeJaying at an abandoned radio station (Samantha cheerfully announces she'll be taking requests "from all you teenage mutant comet zombies!"). In a funny commentary on boy/girl relations, when Regina and Samantha run into some teenage box boys, they plan to kill and eat the girls!
Night brings in a secret underground lab, a virus, and other apocalyptic motifs, but never...
When a comet passes over the earth, rendering everyone witnessing it into red dust, the only survivors are two Valley Girl sisters, responsible Regina (Catherine Mary Stewart) and her little sister, spoiled cheerleader Samantha (Kelli Maroney).
The two girls wander Southern California, enjoying malls without crowds, driving fast through empty streets and even DeeJaying at an abandoned radio station (Samantha cheerfully announces she'll be taking requests "from all you teenage mutant comet zombies!"). In a funny commentary on boy/girl relations, when Regina and Samantha run into some teenage box boys, they plan to kill and eat the girls!
Night brings in a secret underground lab, a virus, and other apocalyptic motifs, but never...
- 10/28/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Pat Jankiewicz)
- Fangoria
I remember seeing Night Of The Creeps when it was released in 1986. I hadn’t seen the trailer and didn’t know anything about the movie, but a friend invited me at the last minute, and, hey, being 11 at the time, any chance to see an R-rated horror movie was an opportunity I would never pass up. While first-time writer-director Fred Dekker’s Sf-horror pastiche bombed at the box office and quickly left theaters, I Loved the film. I watched it a few times afterward when it showed up on cable, but I haven’t seen Night Of The Creeps in nearly 20 years. So when I heard that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment was releasing a Director’s Cut of the film on DVD ($19.95; also Blu-ray $24.95), I couldn’t wait to revisit it, but I was trepidatious about how it has aged over the years. Well, Night Of The Creeps is...
- 10/25/2009
- by no-reply@starlog.com (Allan Dart)
- Starlog
Fans of Fred Dekker's 1986 cult favorite Night Of The Creeps have spoken, and the official cover for the October 27th DVD release has been chosen. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released the cover art for the film, which was voted on by Amazon.com users, and the Blu-ray release as well.
"The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is... they're dead."
Full details and specs below the jump!
Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man...
"The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is... they're dead."
Full details and specs below the jump!
Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man...
- 8/31/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
The masterpiece Night of the Creeps by director Fred Dekker (Monster Squad) will finally get a DVD release and fans will be able to vote for the cover of the DVD. The 1986 film, a true work of art has been one of the most demanded DVD releases. The story behind Night Of The Creeps is almost as interesting as the film itself: writer-director Fred Dekker decided to spend seven days writing a script. If he could not finish the script in that time limit, he'd toss it into the garbage. Thankfully he was able to finish this gem before the week was up. It's been over fifteen years since Dekker's last film but he has successfully found a large cult following. Guaranteed to be one of the best DVD releases of the year, the special edition will contain: Sixty minutes of behind-the-scenes futurities: Birth of the Creeps featurette featuring Dekker...
- 7/3/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
I've been waiting a long time for a DVD release of Fred Dekker's cult classic Night of the Creeps... in fact, it's one of the few movies I still actually own on VHS. When The Monster Squad was finally released back in 2007, it looked like Notc would follow soon after, but it's taken another two years for Sony to get their act together. At long last, a release date of October 10th has been set, and it's now currently up for pre-order on Amazon [1]. Ever cooler is the fact that in addition to pre-ordering, you can also vote for your favourite DVD cover [2]. Unfortunately, the three choices that they have available aren't all that fantastic. I know that they're going for an old school horror look, but these just look like bargain bin titles to me. At any rate, if you're a fan of Night of the Creeps, you...
- 7/2/2009
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Fans of Fred Dekker's 1986 cult favorite Night Of The Creeps have a chance to influence the packaging for what is undoubtedly one of the most-anticipated genre titles ever to hit DVD.
Amazon.com is giving you a chance to vote for one of three possible covers for the Director's Cut (pictured below), which hits DVD on October 20th. Click here to go directly to the voting page, and for the full list of announced specs, check 'em out below!
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" "Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production. Deleted scenes Fred Dekker...
Amazon.com is giving you a chance to vote for one of three possible covers for the Director's Cut (pictured below), which hits DVD on October 20th. Click here to go directly to the voting page, and for the full list of announced specs, check 'em out below!
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" "Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production. Deleted scenes Fred Dekker...
- 6/30/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
Great hands on special effects wizards are few and far to come by in today's entertainment world, but one thing that is evident in John Weisgerber's work is that he doesn’t shy away from this old school, hands on approach as pioneered by effects maestro Rick Baker.
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Weisgerber began the Gemini Company in 2001. After graduation from Sva in NYC he moved to Los Angeles where he worked in the film industry as a special effects technician for David Miller Creations (A Nightmare On Elm Street 1, 5-7) and for Gary Tunnecliffe (Hellraiser 4-8 and Candyman) at Image Animation International, giving Weisgerber the opportunity to work with some of the best effects technicians in the industry. There Weisgerber also worked as a moldmaker and sculptor for Valley Anatomical Preparations and Cronen Osteo, creating bone reproductions. After moving back to...
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Weisgerber began the Gemini Company in 2001. After graduation from Sva in NYC he moved to Los Angeles where he worked in the film industry as a special effects technician for David Miller Creations (A Nightmare On Elm Street 1, 5-7) and for Gary Tunnecliffe (Hellraiser 4-8 and Candyman) at Image Animation International, giving Weisgerber the opportunity to work with some of the best effects technicians in the industry. There Weisgerber also worked as a moldmaker and sculptor for Valley Anatomical Preparations and Cronen Osteo, creating bone reproductions. After moving back to...
- 6/18/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Ben Smith)
- Fangoria
Horror fans would think Hell has finally frozen over. Think about it: Lost footage from Night Breed has been found, Universal has finally decided to release Phantasm II onto DVD (in what I'm reasonably sure will be an R-rated bare-bones release, but still), and now the specs have dropped for Sony's upcoming super-stacked DVD edition of Night of the Creeps!
AICN caught up with Dekker and the gang at a recent screening of the flick where they dug up the goods on what we can expect when the DVD drops on October 20th.
Sixty minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes:
Birth of the Creeps featurette featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project Cast of the Creeps featurette featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall, and Jill Whitlow Creating the Creeps featurette featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins-centric piece called Tom Atkins...
AICN caught up with Dekker and the gang at a recent screening of the flick where they dug up the goods on what we can expect when the DVD drops on October 20th.
Sixty minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes:
Birth of the Creeps featurette featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project Cast of the Creeps featurette featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall, and Jill Whitlow Creating the Creeps featurette featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins-centric piece called Tom Atkins...
- 6/15/2009
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Horror fans can get ready to weep tears of joy when Fred Dekker's 1986 classic Night Of The Creeps slithers onto DVD.
Quint over at AICN just covered a screening of the film at the Alamo Drafthouse, where Dekker (after being prompted by a fan) bounced some sequel possibilities that would reunite the original cast off the crowd.
More importantly, the first details on the 'Creeps DVD Extras were revealed.
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" "Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production. Deleted scenes Fred Dekker solo commentary Cast commentary featuring Atkins, Whitlow, Marshall and...
Quint over at AICN just covered a screening of the film at the Alamo Drafthouse, where Dekker (after being prompted by a fan) bounced some sequel possibilities that would reunite the original cast off the crowd.
More importantly, the first details on the 'Creeps DVD Extras were revealed.
60 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes material including:
"Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" "Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production. Deleted scenes Fred Dekker solo commentary Cast commentary featuring Atkins, Whitlow, Marshall and...
- 6/15/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
Great news arrived in April when it was revealed DVD producer Michael Felsher and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment were preparing a Night of the Creeps special edition. The disc is slated to street on October 20th and AICN scored a breakdown of the 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes which will be included. - "Birth of Creeps" featuring Dekker talking about the origins of the project - "Cast of the Creeps" featuring Jason Lively, Tom Atkins, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow - "Creating The Creeps" featuring interviews with SFX creators David B. Miller and Robert Kurtzman - A special Tom Atkins centric piece called "Tom Atkins: Man of Action" - "Escape of the Creeps" a detailed look at the post-production. -...
- 6/14/2009
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has reportedly partnered with Lionsgate's largest single investor in an attempt to wrest board seats and exert greater influence on the Santa Monica-based mini-major's operations.
Icahn, whose representatives occupy board seats at Blockbuster and Time Warner, among others, is looking to grab at least two seats on Lionsgate's 12-member board, according to Reuters. To achieve this, he has cozied up to Mark Rachesky, whose Mhr Fund Management holds 19.4% of the studio's more than 115 million shares.
Analysts say Icahn's actions are typical of his operational style that both supports current management while at the same time turning the screws on them.
Doug Creutz, analyst with Cowen & Co. in New York, said Icahn is "clearly seeking a larger say" in the mini-major's direction.
"(This) is understandable given his increasing financial stake," Creutz wrote in a research note.
David Miller, analyst with Caris & Co. in Los Angeles, didn't dispute...
Icahn, whose representatives occupy board seats at Blockbuster and Time Warner, among others, is looking to grab at least two seats on Lionsgate's 12-member board, according to Reuters. To achieve this, he has cozied up to Mark Rachesky, whose Mhr Fund Management holds 19.4% of the studio's more than 115 million shares.
Analysts say Icahn's actions are typical of his operational style that both supports current management while at the same time turning the screws on them.
Doug Creutz, analyst with Cowen & Co. in New York, said Icahn is "clearly seeking a larger say" in the mini-major's direction.
"(This) is understandable given his increasing financial stake," Creutz wrote in a research note.
David Miller, analyst with Caris & Co. in Los Angeles, didn't dispute...
- 3/10/2009
- by By Erik Gruenwedel, Home Media Magazine
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IESB has got the full transcript from Marvel Entertainment's quarterly shareholders conference call that took place this morning.
{sidebar id=1}There's information on Thor, Iron Man 2, Wolverine, Spider-man and more! Details includes theatrical, DVD and licensing info! Learn about the gazillion dollars they made last quarter and what their plans are for the future. When will casting be announced for Thor and more is answered below.
It's long, yes, but very informative.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (Mvl)
Q4 2008 Earnings Call
February 24, 2009 9:00 am Et
Executives
F. Peter Cuneo - Vice-Chairman of the Board
Kenneth West - Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
David Maisel - Chairman, Marvel Studios
John Turitzin - Executive Vice President, Office of the Chief Executive
Matt Finick - Senior Vice President Marvel Studios
Analysts
Drew Crum - Stifel Nicolaus
James Marsh - Piper Jaffray
David Miller Read more...
{sidebar id=1}There's information on Thor, Iron Man 2, Wolverine, Spider-man and more! Details includes theatrical, DVD and licensing info! Learn about the gazillion dollars they made last quarter and what their plans are for the future. When will casting be announced for Thor and more is answered below.
It's long, yes, but very informative.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (Mvl)
Q4 2008 Earnings Call
February 24, 2009 9:00 am Et
Executives
F. Peter Cuneo - Vice-Chairman of the Board
Kenneth West - Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
David Maisel - Chairman, Marvel Studios
John Turitzin - Executive Vice President, Office of the Chief Executive
Matt Finick - Senior Vice President Marvel Studios
Analysts
Drew Crum - Stifel Nicolaus
James Marsh - Piper Jaffray
David Miller Read more...
- 2/24/2009
- by IESB Staff <alyson@iesb.net>
- IESB.net
Since coming together in 2004, four of the greatest voices in the world, David Miller, Carlos Mar?n, Urs Buhler and S?bastien Izambard have spearheaded an entire musical genre by bringing the sound of opera to the world of popular music and Il Divo is set to perform at the Fox Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17. With over 22 million albums sold to date, Il Divo continues to confirm performances around the world as part of their massive touring plans for 2009 in support of their fifth album The Promise, which is approaching Platinum status in the U.S. The 2009 tour, "An Evening with Il Divo" begins in Manchester and will perform in 31 European cities before heading to North America. Il Diva will cross six continents before closing the year in Australia, Japan and South East Asia. In the U.S., "An Evening with Il Divo" kicks off in Washington,...
- 1/24/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
A lot has changed in the last decade. In the late '90s, Toronto was a hopping, up-and-coming film town, with the city doubling as just about every New York landmark. Mega Mayor Mel Lastman led the charge, and was so pro-movies that you could even catch his face on the big screen before some films started rolling. (A startling inclusion, I assure you.) Then 9/11, Sars, and the strengthened Canadian dollar, and productions started staying stateside.
But now The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Toronto's current Mayor, David Miller, has been touring studios in Los Angeles, attempting to woo them back to the northern city. His pieces of woo: a promise to charge 78 cents for every Canadian dollar spent on city services, the new Filmport studios, and the fact that the Canadian dollar is back down to 80 cents. "Toronto has a good reputation in the U.S. We're safe, we're well organized.
But now The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Toronto's current Mayor, David Miller, has been touring studios in Los Angeles, attempting to woo them back to the northern city. His pieces of woo: a promise to charge 78 cents for every Canadian dollar spent on city services, the new Filmport studios, and the fact that the Canadian dollar is back down to 80 cents. "Toronto has a good reputation in the U.S. We're safe, we're well organized.
- 1/23/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
Since coming together in 2004 David Miller, Carlos Mar?n, Urs Buhler & S?bastien Izambard have spearheaded an entire musical genre by bringing the sound of opera to the world of popular music. With over 22 million albums sold to date, Il Divo continue to confirm performances around the world as part of their massive touring plans for 2009 in support of their fifth album The Promise which is approaching Platinum status in the U.S. As a prelude to the tour, next week Il Divo have been invited to perform at the Inaugural Purple Ball honoring our new President Barack Obama on January 20th in Washington D.C. and have TV appearances scheduled on the CBS Early Show, The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, the CW Morning News in New York and Telemundo's Noticiero 47 al Mediodia. The 2009 tour, An Evening with Il Divo, kicks off February 21st in Manchester and will...
- 1/20/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Some interesting reading about the future of Lionsgate after back to back dull thuds at the box office. First, Punisher: War Zone tanked and was unceremoniously pulled from theaters after only three weeks and $8 million earned. Then came The Spirit, which opened to resoundingly negative reviews and had only made $12 million through its first six days.
On Tuesday, analysts from the investment bank Caris & Co. painted a less-than-rosy picture for Lionsgate, downgraded the stock to "above average" from "buy." Said the company's David Miller in a message to his clients, "Explanation for the weakness came primarily from a smattering of negative reviews, coupled with heavy competition from Marley & Me, which opened with a stellar $37.0 million in gross receipts."
Miller said that a lot is riding on the studio's next major release, My Bloody Valentine 3-D. If it's a dud, the studio would suffer a third major shelacking in less than 60 days.
On Tuesday, analysts from the investment bank Caris & Co. painted a less-than-rosy picture for Lionsgate, downgraded the stock to "above average" from "buy." Said the company's David Miller in a message to his clients, "Explanation for the weakness came primarily from a smattering of negative reviews, coupled with heavy competition from Marley & Me, which opened with a stellar $37.0 million in gross receipts."
Miller said that a lot is riding on the studio's next major release, My Bloody Valentine 3-D. If it's a dud, the studio would suffer a third major shelacking in less than 60 days.
- 1/2/2009
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
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