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‘Black Christmas’ Screenwriter, April Wolfe, Defends PG-13 Rating

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Black Christmas

Yesterday, news came that the new version of Black Christmas would be rated PG-13, and predictably, the internet got mad largely in part to a pervasive and ever-growing argument that anything less than an R-rating on a horror film makes it bad or “not real horror.”

You gotta love those gatekeepers, right?

After a while, April Wolfe, the new film’s screenwriter took to Twitter herself to explain the process for the film.

Unfortunately, the use of the phrase “test screenings” sent the people already upset about the film’s rating over the edge.

Irish YouTuber Dino Reacts popped in with the following:

Here’s the thing. EVERYTHING released by a studio undergoes test-screenings nowadays. That’s just part of the process. Yes, it can be a pain, but it can also be a refining process for a filmmaker and studio to help them create the best possible version of their film.

It’s also healthy to remember in a situation like this that almost all films, and especially the horror genre, have been made for target audiences. In the case of horror, that has generally meant young men in their teens to early 20s which is why, as Wolfe pointed out later in the Twitter thread, T&A has almost seemed mandatory in genre filmmaking.

“The new Black Christmas movie coming out is rated PG-13??? Did NOT see that coming,” Twitter user @TeaWithJT posted, “I wish these movie studios would stop pandering to the teen generation. Like c’mon. Give me blood and gore! I thought they were going to go all out with this! Disappointed..”

For the generation that grew up on horror films in the 80s, and that would include myself, the toughest pill to swallow often seems to be that we are no longer that target audience. When we were teens they made horror movies for us, but now there are new teens with new ideas about the world and so the films are written, made, and edited with them in mind.

Wolfe spent quite a lot of time defending her film on Twitter yesterday. Fortunately she was not the only one. Phil Nobile, Jr., Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria, got in the game.

Twitter use Chris Bumbray offered this point of view.

And this is something else to remember.

The original and previous remake of Black Christmas were both R-rated.

This Twitter battle will probably go on for days, but Black Christmas 2019 will hit theaters December 13, 2019. Will you be watching?

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Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

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In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.

The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.

The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.

Here is the fresh trailer:

According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.

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Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

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Warning: This is a disturbing story.

You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.

This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400. 

If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing. 

Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction. 

“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”

She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.” 

At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.

 “She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”

If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.

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Spirit Halloween Unleashes Life-Size ‘Ghostbusters’ Terror Dog

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Halfway to Halloween and the licensed merch is already being released for the holiday. For instance, the seasonal retailer giant Spirit Halloween unveiled their giant Ghostbusters Terror Dog for the first time this year.

The one-of-a-kind demonic dog has eyes that light up in a glowing, terrifying red. It’s going to set you back a whopping $599.99.

Since this year we saw the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it’s probably going to be a popular theme come October. Spirit Halloween is embracing their inner Venkman with other releases tied to the franchise such as the LED Ghostbuster Ghost Trap, Ghostbusters Walkie Talkie, Life-Size Replica Proton Pack.

We saw the release of other horror props today. Home Depot unveiled a few pieces from their line which includes the signature giant skeleton and separate dog companion.

For the latest Halloween merch and updates get on over to Spirit Halloween and see what else they have to offer to make your neighbors jealous this season. But for now, enjoy a small video that features scenes from this classic cinematic canine.

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