News

Stars: Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden, Peter DaCunha, Samantha Weinstein, Eleanor Zichy, David Hewlett, Sarah Manninen | Written by Brian King, Matthew Brian King | Directed by Vincenzo Natali

Often it feels like there are not enough ghost stories based horror films these days, but then when you think about it we’ve had Insidious, Sinister and The Conjuring just to name a few. I’m not sure why I feel there needs to be more but this could be a sign that things need to be shaken up a bit. Saying that though I’ll be reviewing Soulmate soon which is a good old-fashioned ghost story that gets so much right, so most importantly these films just need to be good. Haunter looks to add a little something different to the mix with the question, do ghosts realise they are actually dead?

To her parents Lisa (Breslin) is...

Chicago – Director Vincenzo Natali’s name always gets my attention. You always get the sense tha the’s trying to do something new. He first came to prominence with “Cube” (1997), which is a gorily stylistic bit of cheap psychological horror masquerading as science fiction. “Nothing” (2003) put two men in a literal void reminiscent in some ways of the classic and surreal Chuck Jones Looney Tune “Duck Amuck”. “Splice” (2009) offered an updated Frankenstein myth mixed with sexual politics and a critique of profit-driven genetic engineering.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

So, it’s a little surprising to see him tackle something as careworn as the classic ghost story. “Haunter” has been called a scary version of “Groundhog’s Day”. In reality, from its opening frame, it’s clear that Natali is after far more than simple scares or genre mashup. He’s treading old ground in surprisingly novel fashion (especially compared to his mainstream peers...

*full disclosure: a Blu-ray screener of this film was provided by IFC Films. Director: Vincenzo Natali. Writer: Brian King. Cast: Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, David Hewlett and Peter Outerbridge. Haunter is a film from American director Vincenzo Natali (Splice) and writer Brian King (Night Train). Natali has created a few standout films in his career, including 1997's chilling Cube. His latest is a haunted house thriller, which offers a few surprises in its short runtime. Very mysterious, Haunter brings an intriguing protagonist into this puzzling film. This title, from IFC Films, is one of the better horror features to release so far this year. The film begins and ends with Lisa (Abigail Breslin). She comes out of the Matrix (1999) of her life, after noticing how her life keeps repeating. Events start to change when she expresses the repetition to her family. More characters, also trapped in some sort of limbo,...

Hider in the House: Natali Turns To Young Adult Thrills

Abandoning the perverse beauty of scientific mutation as last exhibited in his 2010 film, Splice, Canadian director Vincenzo Natali switches genre gears with a vantage point experiment on the haunted house thriller in Haunter. Reteaming with screenwriter Brian King, who wrote Natali’s sophomore film, Cypher, their latest collaboration feels akin to those curious live action young adult Disney films from the 1970s and 80s, with strong comparison that could be drawn between performances here as one could easily see Carroll Baker in the Michelle Nolden role and Bette Davis as Stephen McHattie, except without anything resembling thrills or intrigue.

In 1986, Lisa (Abigail Breslin) and her family are mysteriously killed, doomed to repeat the events of their last day of their lives within the house where something sinister seems to have happened. While Lisa’s parents (Michelle Nolden and Peter...

The new spooker from Vincenzo Natali, entitled Haunter (review) starring Abigail Breslin, is hitting SundanceNOW on Friday, October 18th, and we have your chance to see it on us!

To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name and birth date. We’ll take care of the rest. Note Winners must be at least 18 years of age!

The screenplay is by Brian King with Steven Hoban and Mark Smith producing. The film stars Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden, and David Hewlett.

Synopsis:

Lisa Johnson (Breslin) is one day shy of her sixteenth birthday. And she will be forever. She and her family are dead and doomed to repeat that fateful last day before they were all killed in 1985. Only Lisa has “woken up” and realizes what is going on. She starts to feel as if she is being haunted,...

The first clip from the upcoming spooker from Vincenzo Natali, entitled Haunter (review here) starring Abigail Breslin, has arrived for you cats to dig on! Check it out!

The screenplay is by Brian King with Steven Hoban and Mark Smith producing. The film stars Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden, and David Hewlett. Look for it soon from IFC Midnight/Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

Synopsis:

Lisa Johnson (Breslin) is one day shy of her sixteenth birthday. And she will be forever. She and her family are dead and doomed to repeat that fateful last day before they were all killed in 1985. Only Lisa has “woken up” and realizes what is going on. She starts to feel as if she is being haunted, but the “ghost” turns out to be Olivia, a very much alive girl who lives in the house in the present day with her own family.

Vincenzo Natali (Cube) is the director behind the supernatural thriller Haunter. This film was developed from Brian King's (Night Train) script. Also, Haunter had its World Premiere at the South-by Southwest Film Festival in March of this year (Austin, Texas). And, the film stars Stephen McHattie (Pontypool) and Abigail Breslin (Zombieland). The film's first trailer reveals a little more from the film's storyline. Haunter is developed with a reverse plotline, in which a ghost realizes that another character is not actually haunting her. But, the other character, Olivia (Eleanor Zichy), is actually alive and the protagonist, Lisa (Breslin), is dead. However, Lisa has a tale to tell Olivia. And together, they attempt to track down a serial killer, called the Pale Man (McHattie). The Pale Man, in the clip, has other, more sinister plans for Olivia, though. Distribution house IFC Films has picked up this film for distribution in North America.

Haunted house movies have become such a regular part of the movie release slate recently that you might feel exhausted by them. Maybe you think you.ve seen it all by now. Well, hold that thought, because you haven.t yet seen horror auteur Vincenzo Natali.s take on haunted house. The trailer above, tipped by The Playlist, is for Natali.s Haunter. Okay, the title is a snooze, but this creepy feature boasts ghosts, a mystery, a serial killer, and something deeply twisted. Written by Brian King, Haunter stars Abigail Breslin as Lisa, a teen girl desperately bored of her family.s mind-numbing routine. But then she realizes they are not the only ones living in their home.well, living might not be the right word. The house is haunted by a string of girls all murdered over the years by a methodical serial killer. Now Lisa must join...

This looks promising! We finally have the first (official) trailer for Vincenzo Natali‘s upcoming horror thriller (aka supernatural thriller) Haunter, which premiered at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival. In case you’re not so familiar with the story, I will first inform you that it follows a girl named Lisa who must unravel a (spooky) decades-old mystery, and then recommend you to check out the rest of this report to find the video and all important details… Natali directed the whole thing from a script written by Brian King, which revolves around the ghost of a teenager who died years ago, but now reaches...

Click to read original and full article: Check Out: First Trailer & Poster For Horror Thriller Haunter, Starring Abigail Breslin on http://www.filmofilia.com...

After venturing into thriller territory with The Call, teenage actress Abigail Breslin is now in straight-up horror territory with Haunter, the new film from Splice director Vincenzo Natali. When we heard about the story in the spring of 2012, it sounded like an original approach to familiar ghost stories we've seen before. However, this first trailer seems to be trying to hide the unique twist on this kind of thriller. We won't spoil it just in case that might ruin the movie, but you won't have to search far to find the original plot synopsis. The down side is without knowing those details, the film looks painfully generic for the genre. Here's the first trailer for Vincenzo Natali's Haunter, originally from Apple: Vincenzo Natali (Splice) directs Haunter from a script by Brian King (Cypher, Night Train). Abigail Breslin stars as a young girl who must unravel a decades-old mystery to...

Three new - but small - stills have made their way online for the upcoming spooker from Vincenzo Natali, entitled Haunter (review here), and it appears the powers-that-be have once again taken to torturing poor Abigail Breslin. Check 'em out!

The screenplay is by Brian King with Steven Hoban and Mark Smith is producing. The film stars Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden, and David Hewlett. Look for it soon from IFC Midnight/Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

Synopsis:

Lisa Johnson (Breslin) is one day shy of her sixteenth birthday. And she will be forever. She and her family are dead and doomed to repeat that fateful last day before they were all killed in 1985. Only Lisa has “woken up” and realizes what is going on. She starts to feel as if she is being haunted, but the “ghost” turns out to be Olivia, a very much alive girl...

Manchester, Tenn. -- Memories are a jumble walking out of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Days blend together, sound memories clash and surface. Hipster moustaches made from pink glow sticks haunt your dreams. And that smell. The horror.

A few things really stuck out this year, though, as we reviewed things following Tom Petty's rain-drenched, festival-closing 2 1/2-hour set. Here's a look at five:

Rock `n' roll will never die: Those who think rock `n' roll is irrelevant or even dead need to pay a visit to the farm. It may be showing its age – eternally rocking Paul McCartney and Petty and The Heartbreakers were the two most prominent headliners – and electronica and hip-hop are elbowing their way in – witness start turns by Macklemore, Kendrick Lewis and A$AP Rocky, who brought more than 20,000 fans to a tent designed to hold 5,000. But it's really still rock `n' roo.

Just ask Derek Vincent Smith,...

Genre filmmaker Vincenzo Natali takes a whipping for his taste. Up to now the director of Splice has only made original properties, no adaptations, sequels, or reboots. Natali may be adapting Neuormancer and High Rise at the moment, but even there he isn’t taking the easiest path. Both are niche properties, something Natali is well-aware of when it comes to the two books (and to his own films). At this year’s South by Southwest he premiered what he considers his most accessible movie yet, Haunter. Natali describes the subversive ghost story as a mix of Igmar Bergman and John Hughes, making for an odd but promising sounding combo. We spoke to Natali about the film before the festival, and here’s what he had to say about Haunter, the difficulty of making movies nowadays, and more: I know you tried getting Splice made for nearly five years. Was this a much quicker experience? [Laughs] Yeah...

Splice director Vincenzo Natali’s new supernatural tale Haunter was just picked up by IFC Midnight for distribution after showing at South By Southwest. Haunter is written by Brian King who also wrote Night Train and Cypher, and stars Abigail Breslin as a teenage girl who is forced to relive the day she died.

"It's not just King's deftly-layered and slyly contorted screenplay or Jon Joffin's frankly beautiful cinematography that makes Haunter such an interesting little 'throwback' thriller. Natali and editor Michael Doherty seem intent on playing games with their viewers, and only those who have a lot of experience with haunted house movies will be able to glean a few early clues," Scott Weinberg said in his review from SXSW.

Read the full FEARnet review of Haunter here.

In other SXSW news, Cheap Thrills also premiered as part of the Midnighter series to great reviews and it was...

IFC Midnight has acquired U.S. distribution rights to "Haunter," a supernatural horror thriller starring Abigail Breslin. The company made the announcement Monday at the South by Southwest Film Festival, where the film premiered last week. Breslin will next be on screen in the Halle Berry thriller "The Call," which opens Friday. "Haunter" is directed by Canada's Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay by Brian King. Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden and David Hewlett co-star. Also read: 'Replicas' Acquired by IFC Midnight It tells the story of 15-year-old Lisa Johnson (Breslin), who with her family...

IFC Midnight has picked up all U.S. rights to Vincenzo Natali’s Haunter, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in its Midnight sidebar. The film, written by Brian King, stars Abigail Breslin as a girl one day shy of her 16th birthday who’s forced to relive the day she died. It also stars Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden and David Hewlett. The film was produced by Steven Hoban and Mark Smith and executive produced by John Raymonds and Wild Bunch’s Vincent Miraval. Natali directed the 1997 sci-fi thriller Cube as well as 2009’s Splice, starring Adrien Brody

read more...

In sticking with its prominent position in the campaign of keeping Austin weird, the film side of South by Southwest has always been a lot friendlier to horror films than almost any film festival that isn.t singularly geared towards a genre. Instead of being relegated to time-filling slots, films like Adam Wingard.s You.re Next, Rob Zombie.s Lords of Salem and Fede Alvarez.s Evil Dead remake are as anticipated as any other films being shown, and E.L. Katz.s Cheap Thrills was the first sale of the festival. The second SXSW sale went to Haunter, the latest film from director Vincenzo Natali, who last gave audiences the polarizing sci-fi Splice and first broke into the business with 1997.s cult classic Cube. Deadline reports the Midnighter selection.s U.S. rights were appropriately acquired by IFC Midnight. The screenplay was written by Brian King, who wrote ...

Another horror film has scored itself some solid distribution at the SXSW film fest with IFC Midnight snapping up all Us rights to the Midnighters selection Haunter, starring Abigail Breslin. Read on for the details, and look for a review soon!

Per Deadline, Vincenzo Natali’s ghost tale marks yet another deal to go down during this year's SXSW. The screenplay is by Brian King with Steven Hoban and Mark Smith producing. The film stars Abigail Breslin, Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge, Michelle Nolden, and David Hewlett. IFC Midnight/Sundance Selects/IFC Films’ Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers.

Synopsis:

Lisa Johnson (Breslin) is one day shy of her sixteenth birthday. And she will be forever. She and her family are dead and doomed to repeat that fateful last day before they were all killed in 1985. Only Lisa has “woken up” and realizes what is going on.

I look forward to a new Vincenzo Natali movie like most movie geeks anticipate the next feature from Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese. Ever since I stumbled across his 1997 debut film Cube, which still stands up (despite its lesser sequels) as a very novel approach to cerebral horror or dark fantasy or violent sci-fi... I'm not exactly sure. From there he made Cypher (2002), Nothing (2003), and Splice (2009), all of which are A) cool, B) creepy, or C) a combination of cool and creepy.

So it was with much enthusiasm that I leapt into Mr. Natali's latest effort, the haunted house story known simply as Haunter.

Already I can hear what you're thinking: another haunted house movie? My response is a loud "yep!" because, hey, if we're going  to get endless permutations on the sub-genre (including everything Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister), we may as well shine a light on the most creative ones.

The South by Southwest Film Festival will begin March 8th. This year, there are several horror films set to be released, including Vincenzo Natali's (Splice) latest, Haunter. This ghost story will premiere Saturday, March 9th. Fans of the supernatural will be interested in this story. The film focuses on the young character Lisa (Abigail Breslin). Lisa died tragically at the age of 16. She is tied to the physical plane through another young girl, Olivia (Eleanor Zichy). And together, they unravel tales of murder at the hands of a ghostly serial killer. The first still for Haunter is here. The photo shows Lisa searching for something unseen (above). Fans of thrillers can view the premiere in Austin, Texas in just a few days. Director: Vincenzo Natali. Writers: Brian King and Matthew Brian King. Cast: Abigail Breslin, David Knoll, David Hewlett, and Stephen McHattie. *no trailer available. Haunter at the SXSW...

Appearances can be deceiving. It’s a bright, sunny Tuesday afternoon in May, 2012. The air is calm. It’s warm and peaceful outside. As the cliché goes, it feels like a good day to be alive. And yet, inside an unassuming studio building, tucked away on a downtown Toronto side road, dwells a malevolent, and rest assuredly, undead presence. This is the set for the supernatural thriller, Haunter, from Cube/Splice director Vincenzo Natali, Ginger Snaps producer Steven Hoban and Night Train scribe Brian King.

Described as “a reverse ghost story,” the movie follows Lisa Johnson (Zombieland’s Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl who died under mysterious circumstances in 1986 and whose spirit is trapped in her former family home. Now, she must somehow warn the current residents about the sinister Pale Man (Pontypool’s Stephen McHattie), before they fall prey to his evil as well. And the only way to...

Last week the Midnight slate for SXSW was revealed, showing us what horror titles we can expect from the festival. The movies range from Rob Zombie to creature feature to a dose of Vincenzo Natali and even to the realm of sequels (hello V/H/S 2). Here’s the list, showing the cast and the director(s) and screenwriter(s) behind the films.

Big Ass Spider!

Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the city is destroyed.

Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau

Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga, David Chirchirillo

Recently fired and facing eviction, the married father of a newborn has his life turned upside...

The feature film slate for Austin's South by Southwest festival (SXSW) was revealed last week, but as most genre fans know, the real cinematic treasures are lurking in the festival's midnight lineup. As SXSW Programmer Jarod Neece put it: "This year we scoured the globe and brought back a batch that we knew would truly satisfy the gore hounds of SXSW. Full of scares, sex, madness, laughs, chills and major mind f--ks, we hope there's a little something for everyone."

Browsing the titles, it's hard to tear our eyes away from a film called "Big Ass Spider" (directed by Mike Mendez of "The Gravedancers"), but the addition of Rob Zombie's "Lords of Salem," sequel "V/H/S/2," a movie from "Splice"'s Vincenzo Natali ("Haunter"), and vampire tale "Kiss of the Damned" from Xan Cassavetes certainly helps.

Earlier this week, a full trailer was released for Zombie's witchy opus,...

This year's SXSW looks to be one for the ages as the Midnighters film line-up has just been announced! There are a lot of heavy hitters making their premiere including the newly retitled V/H/S/2 (formerlyS-vhs) and Big Ass Spider! (formerly Mega Spider).

The 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival takes place March 8-16, 2013, in Austin, Texas. Visit the official South by Southwest website for more info in the meantime.

Big Ass Spider!

Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau

“When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the entire city is destroyed.”

Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga, David Chirchirillo

Cast: Pat Healy, Ethan Embry, Sara Paxton,...

Just last week the official lineup for the upcoming 2013 SXSW Film Festival was announced, and today the fest has unveiled its lineups for the midnight and shorts categories. While films like Before Midnight, Much Ado About Nothing, Evil Dead, and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone will screen in the film festival’s other sections, the midnight lineup includes films like Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem, the anthology sequel V/H/S/2 (which recently changed its title from S-v/H/S), and the much buzzed-about horror pic You’re Next. Hit the jump to take a look at the full lineup. Here’s the lineup: Midnighters Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious. Big Ass Spider! Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up...

As if the line-up for SXSW wasn’t already incredible; the fest just announced their Midnight slate, which includes Rob Zombie’s The Lords Of Salem, V/H/S/2, You’re Next and the latest from director Vincenzo Natalie.

SXSW runs from March 8-16.

Here is the main lineup. You can see a complete list, which includes short films, over at their site.

****

Midnighters

Big Ass Spider!

Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the city is destroyed. Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau (World Premiere)

Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga, David Chirchirillo

Recently fired and facing eviction, the married father of a newborn has his...

With festival favorites like V/H/S 2 (retitled from S-vhs) and Xan Cassavetes’ terrific vampire Euro throwback Kiss Of The Damned, the world premiere Dennis Iliadis' (Last House On The Left) Plus One and E.L. Katz' Cheap Thrills, SXSW’s Midnighters look to have the spectrum from gory blasts to lush dreams covered. You can find the entirety of the lineup, below. SXSW Film spans March 8-16. For more, visit the official site.

• Big Ass Spider! Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the city is destroyed. Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau (World Premiere)

• Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga, David Chirchirillo

Recently fired and facing eviction,...

With festival favorites like V/H/S 2 (retitled from S-vhs) and Xan Cassavetes’ terrific vampire Euro throwback Kiss Of The Damned, the world premiere Dennis Iliadis' (Last House On The Left) Plus One and E.L. Katz' Cheap Thrills, SXSW’s Midnighters look to have the spectrum from gory blasts to lush dreams covered. You can find the entirety of the lineup, below. SXSW Film spans March 8-16. For more, visit the official site.

• Big Ass Spider! Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the city is destroyed. Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau (World Premiere)

• Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga, David Chirchirillo

Recently fired and facing eviction,...

SXSW has announced its selection of midnight films, which include screenings of The Lords of Salem, the recently retitled V/H/S/2, and You’re Next before they open in theaters across the country. Don’t forget that Evil Dead will also have its world premiere during the event which is taking place from from March 8th – 17th in Austin, TX. We’ve included the full list of midnight features below and you can learn more at http://sxsw.com/

Big Ass Spider!

Director: Mike Mendez, Screenwriter: Gregory Gieras

When a giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages across the city of Los Angeles, it is up to one clever exterminator and his security guard sidekick to kill the creature before the city is destroyed. Cast: Greg Grunberg, Lombardo Boyar, Clare Kramer, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Patrick Bauchau (World Premiere)

Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L. Katz, Screenwriters: Trent Haaga,...

Kevin King's Zombie Hunter film is an homage to '70s action flicks as seen in the film's first trailer. In the clip, the Hunter (Martin Copping) drives a vehicle that is reminiscent of Mad Max's V8 Interceptor. The protagonist comes across much like an anti-hero, which is also similar to George Miller's original feature. As well, the trailer hosts similar imagery from a horror classic. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is given some attention as a man swings a chainsaw about. He wears a grisly mask much like Leatherface in the 1974 feature. A young woman, of course, is his target. Why do killers love blondes so much? Zombie Hunter will release in 2013 and horror fans are encouraged to check out the film's first trailer here. Release Date: 2013. Director/writer: Kevin King. Cast: Martin Copping, Danny Trejo and Clare Niederpruem. Producers: Chris Le, Rocky Mudaliar, Jason Faller, Kynan Griffin,...

The first film poster for Kevin King's Zombie Hunter was released in late 2012 and now, several production photos have been revealed. The first photo shows actress Clare Niederpruem (The Maze) as Alison. Alison appears hunted by an unseen character. The second photo shows something equally exotic. A zombie or zombie-like character, in full armour, wields a chainsaw. This villain appears ready to cut through the cast and the film's story. The story for Zombie Hunter follows a vengeful Hunter (Martin Copping). This Hunter lays waste to the zombie killing fields as he links up with other survivors of the zombie apocalypse. View the stills for this feature below, with a trailer coming soon for this exciting thriller. Release Date: 2013. Director/writer: Kevin King. Cast: Martin Copping, Danny Trejo and Clare Niederpruem. Producers: Chris Le, Rocky Mudaliar, Jason Faller, Kynan Griffin, Brian King, and Spencer Bowen. *click the...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...

On the first song of Japandroids’ sold-out show at Firebird in St. Louis, Mo., drummer David Prowse broke his kick pedal in half. This proved to be an accurate predictor of how hard they would play the rest of the show as Prowse and guitarist Brian King ripped through a set that heavily featured tracks from their recent release Celebration Rock. They also dusted off some songs from their first two EPs as an apology for having not been in St. Louis for so many years. Openers Swearin’ managed to pack 16 songs into their half-hour opening slot. Paste photographer...

AudioPlayer.setup("http://www.nerve.com/files/players/audio/player.swf", { width: 350 }); Five Albums You Should Be Listening To Right Now: Pitchfork Festival The best picks from Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival, in your very own home. by Tyler Grisham and Larry Fitzmaurice Every now and again, Nerve asks the titans of the blogsphere for their music recommendations. This week's picks come straight from the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, which is happening July 13-15. Tyler Grisham and Larry Fitzmaurice are editors at Pitchfork, and they were kind enough to grace us with their picks. You can find more information about Pitchfork Music Festival here. 1. Japandroids, Celebration Rock (2012) (Playing Friday 7/13 at 6:15 on the Blue stage) Vancouver's Brian King and David Prowse may call themselves Japandroids, but the hard-charging rock they bash out is no joke. The duo's second album, Celebration Rock, is an all-killer-no-filler [...]...

Canadians are known for being polite. But they were awfully crappy to the Vancouver-based Japandroids, who felt so alienated from the insular local music scene that they actually broke up for a spell around 2008. Since then, the hard-touring duo has earned a rep for immediately rousing crowds with gleefully noisy garage-rock gems such as “Young Hearts Spark Fire ” and are getting critical high fives worldwide for their second studio album, Celebration Rock. Likewise smitten with the release, Vulture rang up unflinchingly optimistic singer-guitarist Brian King to test his mettle by asking him about a bunch of bummers: his love-hate relationship with Vancouver, his nagging health condition, and why he didn’t like Japandroids drummer David Prowse when they first met.Your perforated ulcer has interrupted your career a few times. How severe is this condition?Um, well, it depends on your point of view. I have a medical condition that...

'It all sounds ridiculous to me,' drummer David Prowse says of the critical acclaim heaped on their second album.

By James Montgomery

Japandroids' Brian King

Photo: MTV News

The best rock record of 2012 is not some overwrought, double-disc affair, nor was it presided over by a studio pro like Rick Rubin or Butch Vig, and it doesn't contain a single instance of dubstep. Rather, it is an eight-song, 35-minute fist-pumper called Celebration Rock, the second (barely) full-length from Japandroids, a pair of unassuming everydudes from Vancouver.

And what Celebration Rock lacks in general grandiosity, it more than makes up for in sheer sonic wallop, featuring thundering drums, rousing riffs and more top-volume "Woah-oh-ohs!" than any record in recent memory. Much like the duo that made it, the record is a brazenly blue-collar, proudly scruffy thing, a revelatory, celebratory disc that seems tailor-made for beery, cheery sing-alongs and all manner of drunken debauchery.

The first official image from director Vincenzo Natali's latest spooker, Haunter, has come our way featuring a very disturbed looking Abigail Breslin. We can't wait to see what horrors the young lass is set to unlock!

From Copperheart Entertainment, the flick stars Abigail Breslin (Zombieland, Rango, Little Miss Sunshine) along with Stephen McHattie (300, Watchmen, Immortals, Pontypool), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill: Revelation, Lucky Number Slevin), Michelle Nolden (Red, Time Traveler’s Wife), and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

In this reverse ghost story “teenage Lisa (Breslin) and her family died in 1986 under sinister circumstances but remain trapped in their house, unable to move on. Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart, Olivia, avoid the same fate Lisa and her family suffered.”

Haunter, directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King (Cypher, Night Train), is produced by Steven Hoban (Splice,...

Stephen McHattie, Peter Outerbridge and Michelle Nolden have joined the cast of Vincenzo Natali’s indie "reverse ghost story" tale "Haunter" says The Hollywood Reporter.

Abigal Breslin and David Hewlett star in the film about a teenager who, along with her family, died in 1986. Yet they remain trapped in their house unable to move on. Brian King penned the script.

Shooting will run through May 19th in Toronto and Brantford, Ontario. Steven Hoban and Mark Smith are producing.

Vincenzo Natali is working on his follow up to 2009’s “Splice”, a “reverse ghost story” called “Haunter”, and has put together quite the cast. Filming has begun, and the actors along for the ride include Abigail Breslin (“Zombieland”), Stephen McHattie (“300”, “Pontypool”), Peter Outerbridge (“Nikita”), Michelle Nolden (“Red”), and David Hewlett (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”). “Haunter” takes a standard ghost story trope—where a living, breathing human has to help a restless ghost—and turns it around, telling the story from the perspective of the restless spirits. “Teenage Lisa (Breslin) and her family died in 1986 under sinister circumstances but remain trapped in their house, unable to move on. Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart, Olivia, avoid the same fate Lisa and her family suffered.” Here’s what Natali has to say about his horror thriller: “Haunter” vividly demonstrates that even...

The new spookfest from director Vincenzo Natali, Haunter, has begun principal photography in Toronto and we've got a full casting update for you fresh and chilly! Dig it!

From Copperheart Entertainment, the flick stars the previously announced Abigail Breslin (Zombieland, Rango, Little Miss Sunshine), along with Stephen McHattie (300, Watchmen, Immortals, Pontypool), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill: Revelation, Lucky Number Slevin), Michelle Nolden (Red, Time Traveler’s Wife) and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

In this reverse ghost story “teenage Lisa (Breslin) and her family died in 1986 under sinister circumstances but remain trapped in their house, unable to move on. Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart, Olivia, avoid the same fate Lisa and her family suffered.”

Haunter, directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King (Cypher, Night Train), is produced by Steven Hoban (Splice, Ryan, Ginger Snaps...

Principal photography on Vincenzo Natali's (Splice, Cube) new feature, Haunter, from Copperheart Entertainment, starring Abigail Breslin (Zombieland, Rango, Little Miss Sunshine), Stephen McHattie (300, Watchmen, Immortals), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, Lucky Number Slevin), Michelle Nolden (Red, The Time Traveler's Wife) and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has begun.

Haunter, directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King (Cypher, Night Train), is produced by Steven Hoban (Splice, The Ginger Snaps trilogy), and co-produced by Mark Smith (388 Arletta Avenue, The Spine). Principal photography will run from April 16 until May 19, 2012 in Toronto and Brantford. Release is slated for 2013.

In this reverse ghost story, teenage Lisa (Breslin) and her family died in 1986 under sinister circumstances but remain trapped in their house, unable to move on. Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart, Olivia, avoid the same fate Lisa and her family suffered.

Science fiction fans eagerly awaiting the Vincenzo Natali directed adaptation of William Gibson's Neuromancer are going to have to wait a little bit longer. Because while the acclaimed director of Cube and Splice has just launched production of a new film in Toronto it is something completely different.Principal Photography Begins On Vincenzo Natali'S New Feature, Haunter, Starring Abilgail Breslin.April 13, 2012. Toronto Principal photography on Vincenzo Natali's (Splice, Cube) new feature, Haunter, from Copperheart Entertainment, starring Abigail Breslin (Zombieland, Rango, Little Miss Sunshine), Stephen McHattie (300, Watchmen, Immortals), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill:Revelation, Lucky Number Slevin), Michelle Nolden (Red, Time Traveler's Wife)  and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has begun. Haunter, directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King ...

Principal photography has begun on director Vincenzo Natali’s (Splice) ghost movie Haunter. The film stars Abigail Breslin as a teenage girl who died with her family in 1986 under sinister circumstances. In the present, Breslin much reach out “from beyond the grave” to help her living counterpart, Olivia, avoid the same fate she suffered. In addition to Breslin, the cast also includes Stephen McHattie (Immortals), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill: Revelation), Michelle Nolden (Red), and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes). Production is underway in Toronto and Brantford and the film is slated for release sometime in 2013. Breslin recently wrapped a role in Gavin Hood’s adaptation of Ender’s Game, and is said to be eyeing the starring role in an adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s The Things We Do For Love. Hit the jump to read the full press release regarding Haunter. Here’s the press...

Shooting has begun on Vincenzo Natali's (Splice, Cube) new feature, Haunter, from Copperheart Entertainment.

Abigail Breslin (Zombieland), Stephen McHattie (300, Watchmen), Peter Outerbridge (Silent Hill:Revelation), Michelle Nolden (Time Traveler's Wife)  and David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has begun.

Haunter, directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King  (Cypher), is produced by Steven Hoban (Splice, The Ginger Snaps trilogy), and co-produced by Mark Smith (388 Arletta Avenue). 

Read more...

Principal photography on Vincenzo Natali's ( Splice , Cube ) new feature, Haunter , from Copperheart Entertainment, starring Abigail Breslin ( Zombieland , Rango , Little Miss Sunshine ), Stephen McHattie ( 300 , Watchmen , Immortals ), Peter Outerbridge ( Silent Hill: Revelation , Lucky Number Slevin ), Michelle Nolden ( Red , The Time Traveler's Wife ) and David Hewlett ( Rise of the Planet of the Apes ) has begun. Haunter , directed by Vincenzo Natali from a screenplay written by Brian King ( Cypher , Night Train ), is produced by Steven Hoban ( Splice , "The Ginger Snaps" trilogy), and co-produced by Mark Smith. Principal photography will run from April 16 until May 19, 2012 in Toronto and Brantford. The film's release is slated for 2013. In this...

Abigail Breslin has agreed to star in "Splice" and "Cube" director Vincenzo Natali's new supernatural mystery "Haunter" at Copperheart Entertainment says Variety.

Matthew Brian King penned the 'reverse ghost story' in which Breslin will play a dead teenage girl's spirit. She and her family died under sinister circumstances in 1986.

Now, trapped in their house together and unable to move, she must help her present-day living counterpart to avoid the same fate she suffered.

Steve Hoban and Mark Smith will produce and shooting kicks off mid-April in Toronto. Breslin recently signed on for "The Hive".

We already know that the teenage actress has signed on for the thriller The Hive alongside Halle Berry, but it looks like Abigail Breslin is looking for more suspense in her career. Variety reports Breslin has signed to lead Haunter, the next film from Splice director Vincenzo Natali which we just heard about towards the beginning of the year. The supernatural horror film, from a screenplay by Brian King (Cypher, Night Train), is a twist on the norm being told from the viewpoint of a ghost, a spirit named Lisa, who, along with her whole family, died in 1986 under "sinister circumstances" but remain trapped in their house. More below. Rather than having the usual story of a living person helping a ghost move on from their unfinished business, Breslin's ghost must help a girl living in the present day avoid the same fat that she suffered over two decades previously.

Part of me was a little… I don’t know, skeptical about Vincenzo Natali ever going forward with his low-budget, low-key ghost story Haunter. Blame it on a lack of credible financiers or far-too-close shooting date, but it read like something that would be lucky to end up as an eventual footnote on his Wikipedia page.

Though March has come and gone without a frame of recorded film, early April brings the big news since, according to Variety, Natali has set Abigail Breslin for his ghost tale. Said ghost tale (written by Matthew Brian King) will see the young actress play Lisa, a young girl who perished with her family “under sinister circumstances in 1986.” Now, in 2012 (or 2013, if they want to be up-to-date with the impending release), her spirit is forced to save Olivia – or, “her present-day, living counterpart” – from a death under sinister circumstances.

Now, Breslin’s mostly held...

Actress Abigail Breslin has signed on to star in Haunter, a supernatural thriller from Splice director Vincenzo Natali.

The project is described as a "reverse ghost story," and centers on Lisa (Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl who was murdered along with the rest of her family in 1986. However, their spirits have not left the house, and Lisa must reach out to the young girl now living there, to prevent her from suffering the same mysterious death.

Vincenzo Natali will direct Haunter from a screenplay by Matthew Brian King. Splice producers Steven Hoban and Mark Smith are producing for Copperheart Entertainment.

Production is scheduled to begin later this month in Toronto.

We've got two bits of casting news to update you on today.  Here they are at a glance: Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) has signed on to topline Haunter, a supernatural mystery that features Breslin as teenage ghost, Lisa, who attempts to prevent a girl living in her former home from falling victim to the same mysterious death. Tom Lipinski (Suits) will join Jason Reitman's Labor Day, in which an escaped con (Josh Brolin) hides out with a single mom (Kate Winslet) and her teenage son over Labor Day weekend. Hit the jump for more on both projects. Variety reported on Breslin's addition to Haunter, written by Brian King and directed by Vincenzo Natali (Splice).  Per Variety's report, Breslin's character, Lisa, died of unusual circumstances alongside her family in 1986, after which they all became trapped in their home.  Haunter follows Lisa's attempts to reach out to a young girl...

You know, our very existence is screwed when you find out that even passing on can be very difficult. That's just the case in visionary director Vincenzo Natali's new film Haunter.

According to Variety, Abigail Breslin (pictured right; Zombieland) has agreed to topline Copperheart Entertainment's Haunter, a supernatural mystery that Vincenzo Natali will direct from a script by Matthew Brian King.

A reverse ghost story, Haunter follows Lisa (Breslin), a teenage girl who died under sinister circumstances in 1986 along with her family. Trapped in their house together and unable to move on, Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart avoid the same fate she suffered.

Production is scheduled to start mid-April in Toronto.

More as it comes!

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Be haunted in the comments section below!