News

Dear Hollywood, “Pop” Demon Movies Are Dead

Published

5 years ago

December 1, 2018

Let’s face it William Friedkin put a creative cap on all devil possession movies when he created The Exorcist back in 1973. That film has become canonized and any writer or director who attempts to freshen the pot must look to that film for inspiration lest they plagiarize it.

A pop demon to me is a rock star of sorts; a diva. It confines its victims to a space, usually a bed, or chair and from there toys with caregivers who seek to defeat it. All the while, popping bones, spewing punchlines through purulence and speaking in obscenities.

Friedkin’s Pazuzu meets all the criteria, he’s truly a demonic celebrity.

There is a reason no serious possession film has had the lead’s head spin around or take a crucifix to the uterus; Friedkin (Maybe Craven with Krueger) set the bar for his pop star–end of story, although intrepid filmmakers continually try but fail to update The Exorcist’s formula no matter how hard they work, they only pale in comparison.

Take for instance “The Possession of Hannah Grace” which opened to bad reviews and okay revenues, garnering $2.56 million on Friday. That’s probably the best it will do for a one-day total.

This seems to be the pattern–and hopefully the end of movies–that fall into this ilk, and horror fans are exhausted as their eyes roll back into their head when another film with the word “possession” or “exorcism” is released.

With such a surplus, only a few filmmakers successfully inject some originality into the trope. James Wan made Insidious (2008) and The Conjuring (2013), the former took us inside the big box retailer of pop demons, while the latter brought the horror into a nuclear family.

Wan’s stylized camerawork and atmosphere were enough to win audiences over to make a few sequels and even an entire universe. But the formula has since evolved. Take note of The Nun’s box-office success, but subsequent dismal word-of-mouth.

Game changer Adam Robitel took a risk in 2014. The Taking of Deborah Logan was a film that put the nuance on the possession not on the monster. This time the lead suffered from Alzheimer’s disease as the entity slowly consumed her. Robitel created a final image so indelible it catapulted him from indie to mainstream almost overnight.

In one of this year’s best films, Ari Aster’s Hereditary, showed us a stunning example of how modern audiences react to possession films. Social media horror “critics” hated it, dismissing it, while others are still reeling from that final scene.

What Robitel and Aster did was remove the Freidkin pop demon altogether, their monsters did not manifest with pustules, blue skin or eerie contact lenses, instead, they slowly took over the host who appeared outwardly normal, even functioning in public.

That’s not to say some mechanisms are removed altogether. Jump scares are still in play, they just aren’t the primary source of fright. After all, demons need their moments too.

But with movies such as The Devil Inside, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Last Exorcism, The Possession, and now The Possession of Hannah Grace, we get the Ikea brand of assembly instructions. Take an innocent person, add a celebrity demon with a cool name, mix in some bone-cracking special effects framed in indigo and serve with a trailer that highlights all of the above.

If you’re a filmmaker and reading this, it’s not that I don’t want another pop star demon in the genre, by all means create the next Fred Krueger, — we need one ASAP!

Just bring it out into the real world already, or bound them to the body but find a different way to expose their powers other than hiring a contortionist or CGI master to do all the heavy lifting.

Or if you want to take a really big risk, retcon that bitch The Exorcist rather than try to copy it. Don’t bury it under another “situation” for safety reasons.

For now 2019 seems to be void of any movies with the word “possession” or “exorcism” in the title. There is The Grudge but at least that has the balls to be a remake only 14 years after the original.

And Kayako is definitely a pop demon; an ethereal diva. But she isn’t afraid to come out of her victims to see the world she left behind. Friedkin will be amused.

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

17 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

18 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

20 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.