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‘Dead By Midnight’ is a Love Letter to the Retro Horror Anthology – Review

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Dead By Midnight

I love horror anthologies, so when I had the opportunity to watch Dead By Midnight (11pm Central), I was thrilled. And I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed. It’s a wildly entertaining collection of cautionary tales that brilliantly executes the creative potential of the anthology format.

Dead By Midnight (11pm Central) is a collection of 6 stories – five separate short segments with one comprehensive plot tying them together. The description is as follows:

It’s Halloween at WKIZ when the malicious Mistress of Midnight arrives to host her annual horror movie marathon ‘Dead by Midnight’. When the WKIZ staff begins disappearing only to turn up in the increasingly darker films, it’s up to line producer Candice Spelling to stop the Mistress of Midnight before her final and most diabolical film goes to air.

And check out this awesome poster design!

via You42

Each of the anthology chapters have a great premise and a solid execution. There’s honestly not a weak entry among them.

The anthology’s main storyline (known as Dead Air, directed by Torey Haas) shows the characters gradually shifting over as “actors” in the movie marathon entries, allowing the film’s cast to showcase their talent with double duty roles. This is a great creative choice that ties everything together very well, giving Dead By Midnight an overarching plot that clearly builds a full story.

It’s also just a very clever way to present an anthology that ties back to the roots of the sub-genre; shows and films like Tales From the Crypt, Thriller, Trilogy of Terror, Waxworks, Hammer House of Horror and The Vampira Show.

I was so happy to see Hannah Fierman (SiREN, V/H/S) as line producer Candice Spelling – she’s such a great talent and she can communicate so much with her physicality and facial expressions (take into consideration that her role in SiREN is mainly non-speaking, and you’ll know what I mean).

Each segment is introduced by the Mistress of Midnight (Erin Brown, Masters of Horror: Sick Girl), the saucy hostess of the Dead By Midnight TV special. She’s basically a hybrid of Elvira and Evelyn (Barbara Crampton’s VHS game guide character from Beyond the Gates) and her coy quips mask her dark intentions.

The first “official” short entry, titled Jersey Devil (directed by Tony Reames), features a punchy script that I greatly enjoyed (written by the segment’s lead actress, Davi Crimmins). The comedic timing of this entry is fantastic and I definitely appreciated the Evil Dead homage of the camera-rushing-at-the-cabin visual gag. Delightful!

The next segment, Creepy Dolls (directed by Eric Davis) stood out for me because of Emma Green’s character, Toni. She’s wise to the ways of a spooky story and shows that it really is easy to incorporate diversity of sexual orientation into the genre.

Director Jay Holloway’s segment, Lost Laundry, uses a combination of stop-motion animation and practical gore effects to turn his story into a fun creature feature. Anyone who has ever had an uncomfortable roommate situation will definitely identify with this short.

Day Three – written and directed by Anissa Matlock – is beautifully subdued in comparison to the previous segments. It’s full of emotion and communicates a deep trauma with characters that are struggling to cope. The climax is stunning with phenomenal practical effects and design. It really won me over.

Dead By Midnight

The last segment, Blind Side (directed by Torey Haas and written by Melissa Oulton) is the nightmare of anyone who relies on prescription glasses. The short’s main character, Rebecca (Jenni McCarthy), finds herself blurrily struggling through a horrific situation and still follows all the logical steps – for once – which deserves applause.

Overall, the film had such a strong group of stories that it would be difficult to pick a favorite. Dead By Midnight (11pm Central) is a killer indie anthology that fully embraces the format and does a damn good job.

Dead By Midnight (11pm Central) will screen as part of the Atlanta Film Festival on April 14th (9:30pm at the Plaza Theatre). You can check out the trailer below.

Craving more horror anthologies? Check out the teaser trailer for Lilith!

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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

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Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
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1994’s ‘The Crow’ Coming Back to Theaters for A New Special Engagement

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The Crow

Cinemark recently announced that they will be bringing The Crow back from the dead once again. This announcement comes just in time for the film’s 30th anniversary. Cinemark will be playing The Crow in select theaters on May 29th and 30th.

For those unaware, The Crow is a fantastic film based on the gritty graphic novel by James O’Barr. Widely considered one of the best films of the 90s, The Crow’s lifespan was cut short when Brandon Lee died of an accidental on set shooting.

The official synapsis of the film is as follows. “The modern-gothic original that entranced audiences and critics alike, The Crow tells the tale of a young musician brutally murdered alongside his beloved fiancée, only to be risen from the grave by a mysterious crow. Seeking revenge, he battles a criminal underground that must answer for its crimes. Adapted from the comic book saga of the same name, this action-packed thriller from director Alex Proyas (Dark City) features hypnotic style, dazzling visuals, and a soulful performance by the late Brandon Lee.”

The Crow

The timing of this release couldn’t be better. As a new generation of fans eagerly awaits the release of The Crow remake, they can now see the classic film in all of its glory. As much as we love Bill Skarsgard (IT), there is something timeless in Brandon Lee’s performance in the film.

This theatrical release is part of the Scream Greats series. This is a collaboration between Paramount Scares and Fangoria to bring audiences some of the best classic horror films. So far, they are doing a fantastic job.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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