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For Todd Tucker, “The Terror of Hallow’s Eve” is More Than Just a Movie

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A few years ago, Todd Tucker wasn’t sure how he felt about Hollywood and the way that film distribution, among other things, was being handled.

The head of a major make-up effects company, Tucker had also directed a couple of films at the time and even had a pretty cool list of acting credits.  Still, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to helm another film.

Time passed, and Tucker decided the time was right to try again, but he knew that if he did, it would have to really mean something.  He set to work and before long The Terror of Hallow’s Eve was born.  The premise came from his own experiences with bullying as a teenager.  Add a dark twist, and he soon had a horror film that is simultaneously nostalgic and new.

The next step, naturally, was bringing together the right ingredients.

“I really wanted it to feel like you were just watching what was going on in this kid’s life rather than like someone is acting out a story,” Tucker explained.  “So it was really important that the real world stuff felt grounded but when we got to the fantasy stuff, I just went balls out!”

Balls out might just be the best description for the story that unfolds in The Terror of Hallow’s Eve.

Tim, the fifteen year old protagonist, who has a talent for designing monsters, has not had the easiest life.  His father is gone; his mother is at her wits’ end, and to top it all off, three bullies decided to kick the crap out of him today.  Little does he realize when he finds an odd book in the attic it is the key to payback.  He also didn’t realize that the payback would cost him everything.

JT Neal, Niko Papastefanou, Caleb Thomas, and Mcabe Gregg (Photo by Michael Garcia at Think Jam)

After reading from the mysterious tome, a character from its pages enters his own reality.  His name is the Trickster and he tells Tim, in no uncertain terms, that he’s there to grant his wish:  to scare his bullies to death.

“I love the Trickster!  He is so cool,” Tucker laughed.  “I truly believe if the Trickster hadn’t worked, this film wouldn’t be what it is.”

Fortunately for Tucker, the Trickster did work, but it took a lot of patience and one talented character actor to finally bring it together.

“It started out as a fully animatronic puppet,” the director explained.  “It looked cool and it had a really cool effect, but it just wasn’t giving us what we needed.”

As luck would have it, Doug Jones was already working on the film as an ominous, okay terrifying, character named Scarecrow.  Tucker called Doug in and asked if he would take a pass at the Trickster after filming was already completed.  With some make-up, a little CGI magic, and a shoot in front of a green screen, the Trickster finally, and brilliantly, came to life.  They even gave Jones the opportunity to use his own voice in the film, which is a rarity for the prolific actor.

For the real characters, Tucker searched high and low for actors who could not only play bullies, but who honestly looked like the bullies from his past.  He asserts that the three actors (JT Neal, Mcabe Gregg, and Niko Papastefanou) look almost exactly like the boys he remembers from his youth.

Then came Sarah Lancaster and Christian Kane who play Tim’s mother and absent father in the film.

Christian Kane, Todd Tucker, and Sarah Lancaster (Photo by Michael Garcia at Think Jam)

“Sarah really embodied my mother well,” Tucker says.  “There was a scene where things get aggressive between Tim and Mom, and I actually had to step away for a few minutes and chill out.  It was so real and so true to what had actually happened in real life.  But that’s what I wanted.  I knew that if it felt that real to me, it would feel the same to other people.  That’s not only what I wanted, but also what I needed for the film to work.”

Caleb Thomas, who plays the 15 year old version of the director, was really the final piece of the puzzle for Tucker who hired the actor without a formal audition.

“I had to find someone who could be the introverted, nerdy kid with a slightly dark side that I was back then.  I had a short conversation with Caleb via Skype,” he explained.  “He was working in Italy on a film for Nickelodeon and by the time we were done speaking, I was ready to hire him.  I knew he was the guy.”

On a final but oh so fun casting note, Juliet Landau, who you might remember as the dreamy and deadly vampire Drusilla from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, also makes an appearance, adding to that nostalgic feel of the film.  Todd, once again, had a little surprise for me when we were discussing her role, however.  It turns out she also stepped in to play one of the shadowy creatures who haunts his bullies in the film.

“She used to be a dancer, and she has this cool control over her body movement,” the director said.  “So, we had her do this cool, really weird walk stepping out of the shadows and it was horrifying!  In fact, it almost made my actors cry.”

As the elements fell into place, with beautifully colored textures for the nightmarish sequences and terrifyingly real looking monsters, Todd Tucker knew he’d found just the right recipe for his film.

“That was the trick of the whole thing, trying to make it feel like a brand new movie that you saw 20 years ago.”

Mission accomplished, Mr. Tucker!  The Terror of Hallow’s Eve is ultimately a horror film with heart and an anti-bullying message that is subtly but effectively played, and that’s something you just don’t get to say very often in this business.

The Terror of Hallow’s Eve will premiere at FrightFest in London  the weekend of August 28th!  Check out the trailer below, and when you see the film look for Mr. Tucker himself, playing Tim all grown up at the end of the film in one of the coolest meta twists I’ve ever seen!

(Featured image by Michael Garcia at Think Jam)

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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