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Blu-ray Review: ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’

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What do you get when you combine elements of a spaghetti western, an Iranian vampire film and a love story? You get a new kind of film that is a different chemical composition all together, in the form of “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.”

Visionary writer/director (and all around cool person) Ana Lily Amirpour digs deep for the black and white Iranian vampire movie that is one of those films that you know instantly while watching is going to be timeless.

The story follows both Arash, (Arash Marandi) a good hearted guy who is helping his father pay off his debts that were born from drug use and “The Girl,” (Sheila Vand) a vampire who watches the streets of Bad City and feeds on those unlucky enough to get on her bad side. Through a series of events their paths are crossed and fates become entwined.

Vand, plays the vampire with ferocity with a splash of vulnerability. The black and white film adds to her pale skin and predatory big eyes. She makes vampires entrancing and scary again in the same way that Bela Lugosi made the iconic role of “Dracula” in 1931.

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“A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night” gets everything right and transports you into a black and white dreamscape that is filled with characters cut from a caring creators mind.

This is one of those films you could literally pause at any time and have a still of art for your art collection or at the very least your computer desktop.

Small items and moments make this movie what it is. “The Girl” skateboarding around Bad City looking for prey is one of those cool things in films that are instantly burned into your memory forever.

Amirpour is a film fanatic first. In one of the special features on the Blu-ray, she talks about her inspiration for the look and feel of this film and high on that list is none other than David Lynch and his film “Wild At Heart.” Her passion for film not only comes out in conversation but also in vision. She manages to create the same droning dreadful feelings that accompany many of Lynch’s films.

Much like the vampire in the film, “A Girl Walks Home At Night” is simultaneously beautiful and menacing and haunting. Amirpour and the cast create a world that is supposed to be based in Iran but also feels alien. It feels like a world that is not of this earth, which adds to the spell that the film casts from opening frame to closing frame.

My favorite thing about purchasing a Blu-ray is the physical product first and a special features second. I like my Blu-ray purchases to have weight to them that way when you are pulling away the shrink wrap when opening it for the first time, you are not only greeted by the intoxicating new Blu-ray smell but also a handful of content to discover.

“A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night” on Blu-ray does not disappoint in that direction. Distributor Kino Lorber did a fantastic job with this release, which includes beautiful artwork from top to bottom and then some.

The Blu-ray comes inside of slipcover with a foldable inner sleeve and a graphic novel of more dark adventures of the vampire from the film.

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The graphic novel features beautiful artwork done by Michael DeWeese and is written by Ana Lily Amirpour. The stories give some background on the character and explain how she arrived in Bad City.

The special features on the disk are plentiful and lengthy as well. The range from behind the scenes footage of Shelia Vand as she is fitted for her fangs and Dominic Rains getting molded for prosthetics. Vice also does a featurette on Ana Lily and features some behind the scenes stuff as well as conversations with executive producer Elijah Wood.

The crowning special feature has Ana Lily doing a Q&A session with none other than the legendary Roger Corman about “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.” During the Q&A Ana Lily discusses her influences, while Corman confirms that “Little Shop of Horrors” was indeed shot in two days and one night.

The special features are good and give a great look at what went into “Girl “while giving an up close look at the director. For me the packaging (and of course the brilliant vampire story) really makes this release worth adding to your collection.

Ana Lily Amirpour is a director that we will all be seeing a ton of in the future. Her next project “The Bad Batch” stars Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves and takes places in a Texan wasteland where cannibalism has taken over certain group’s appetites. Get in on the ground floor with the seductive and dangerous “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night” now on Blu-ray and DVD.

 

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“Mickey Vs. Winnie”: A Horrific Clash of Icons from Director Glenn Douglas Packard and iHorror

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iHorror is diving deep into film production with a chilling new project that’s sure to redefine your childhood memories. We’re thrilled to introduce ‘Mickey vs. Winnie,’ a groundbreaking horror slasher directed by Glenn Douglas Packard. This isn’t just any horror slasher; it’s a visceral showdown between twisted versions of childhood favorites Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh. ‘Mickey vs. Winnie’ brings together the now-public-domain characters from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ books and Mickey Mouse from the 1920s ‘Steamboat Willie’ cartoon in a VS battle like never before seen.

Mickey VS Winnie
Mickey VS Winnie Poster

Set in the 1920s, the plot kicks off with a disturbing narrative about two convicts who escape into a cursed forest, only to be swallowed by its dark essence. Fast forward a hundred years, and the story picks up with a group of thrill-seeking friends whose nature getaway goes horribly wrong. They accidentally venture into the same cursed woods, finding themselves face-to-face with the now monstrous versions of Mickey and Winnie. What follows is a night filled with terror, as these beloved characters mutate into horrifying adversaries, unleashing a frenzy of violence and bloodshed.

Glenn Douglas Packard, an Emmy-nominated choreographer turned filmmaker known for his work on “Pitchfork,” brings a unique creative vision to this film. Packard describes “Mickey vs. Winnie” as a tribute to horror fans’ love for iconic crossovers, which often remain just a fantasy due to licensing restrictions. “Our film celebrates the thrill of combining legendary characters in unexpected ways, serving up a nightmarish yet exhilarating cinematic experience,” says Packard.

Produced by Packard and his creative partner Rachel Carter under the Untouchables Entertainment banner, and our very own Anthony Pernicka, founder of iHorror, “Mickey vs. Winnie” promises to deliver an entirely new take on these iconic figures. “Forget what you know about Mickey and Winnie,” Pernicka enthuses. “Our film portrays these characters not as mere masked figures but as transformed, live-action horrors that merge innocence with malevolence. The intense scenes crafted for this movie will change how you see these characters forever.”

Currently underway in Michigan, the production of “Mickey vs. Winnie” is a testament to pushing the boundaries of the horror genre. As iHorror ventures into producing our own films, we’re excited to share this thrilling, terrifying journey with you, our loyal audience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to transform the familiar into the frightful in ways you’ve never imagined.

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Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’

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shelby oaks

If you have been following Chris Stuckmann on YouTube you are aware of the struggles he has had getting his horror movie Shelby Oaks finished. But there’s good news about the project today. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin Of Evil, Doctor Sleep and The Haunting) is backing the film as a co-executive producer which might bring it much closer to being released. Flanagan is a part of the collective Intrepid Pictures which also includes Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka.

Shelby Oaks
Shelby Oaks

Stuckmann is a YouTube movie critic who’s been on the platform for over a decade. He came under some scrutiny for announcing on his channel two years ago that he would no longer be reviewing films negatively. However contrary to that statement, he did a non-review essay of the panned Madame Web recently saying, that studios strong-arm directors to make films just for the sake of keeping failing franchises alive. It seemed like a critique disguised as a discussion video.

But Stuckmann has his own movie to worry about. In one of Kickstarter’s most successful campaigns, he managed to raise over $1 million for his debut feature film Shelby Oaks which now sits in post-production. 

Hopefully, with Flanagan and Intrepid’s help, the road to Shelby Oak’s completion is reaching its end. 

“It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing Shelby Oaks to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path, and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

Stuckmann says Intrepid Pictures has inspired him for years and, “it’s a dream come true to work with Mike and Trevor on my first feature.”

Producer Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures has been working with Stuckmann since the beginning is also excited about the collaboration.

“For a film that had such a hard time getting going, it’s remarkable the doors that then opened to us,” said Koontz. “The success of our Kickstarter followed by the on-going leadership and guidance from Mike, Trevor, and Melinda is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”

Deadline describes the plot of Shelby Oaks as follows:

“A combination of documentary, found footage, and traditional film footage styles, Shelby Oaks centers on Mia’s (Camille Sullivan) frantic search for her sister, Riley, (Sarah Durn) who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her “Paranormal Paranoids” investigative series. As Mia’s obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley’s childhood may have been real.”

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New ‘MaXXXine’ Image is Pure 80s Costume Core

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A24 has unveiled a captivating new image of Mia Goth in her role as the titular character in “MaXXXine”. This release comes approximately a year and a half after the previous installment in Ti West’s expansive horror saga, which covers more than seven decades.

MaXXXine Official Trailer

His latest continues the story arc of freckle-faced aspiring starlet Maxine Minx from the first film X which took place in Texas in 1979. With stars in her eyes and blood on her hands, Maxine moves into a new decade and a new city, Hollywood, in pursuit of an acting career, “But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.”

The photo below is the latest snapshot released from the film and shows Maxine in full Thunderdome drag amid a crowd of teased hair and rebellious 80s fashion.

MaXXXine is set to open in theaters on July 5.

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