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Justin Simien’s ‘Bad Hair’ is a Terrifying Romp that Will Leave You In Stitches

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Bad Hair

Bad Hair is set to premiere on Hulu on October 23, 2020. The new horror-comedy from Justin Simien takes viewers on an Easter-egg filled ride through the late 80s that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

When Anna Bludso (Elle Lorraine) was just a girl, she had a bad experience with a home relaxer that left her scalp badly burned and since that time she’s worn her hair natural. All grown up, Anna works at a budding music television station and she wants nothing more than to be an on-air VJ. Her new boss (Vanessa Williams) tells her that will never happen unless she changes her look, including taming her hair to appeal to a wider audience.

Though she’s terrified, she goes to a posh salon where a stylist (Laverne Cox) gives her a new look. Unfortunately for her, that new weave is deadly with a mind of its own and her nightmare is only just beginning.

This is Simien’s first foray into the realm of horror. His previous work includes the award-winning film Dear White People as well as the follow-up series by the same title, and his talents and voice as both a writer and director are on full display here.

So let’s break this down.

Bad Hair works on multiple levels.

First, you’ve got a great body horror film where a woman’s weave actually comes to life and starts killing people in inventive and fascinating ways. Simien manages to craft a believable mythology around this special, diabolical hair and manages to pay homage to his influences while doing something all his own.

Furthermore, he and his crew support what we see on the screen with a sound design that will make your skin crawl.

This is not an overstatement. I’m telling you when Anna sits down in that chair and Virgie goes to work on her, my head actually began to hurt and I felt myself sinking down into my chair. The film uses these same types of soundscapes throughout to underwrite the horror, reminding the audience that sound can sometimes be even more important than visuals in creating discomfort and fear.

Then there’s the level of pure late 80s nostalgia. So many things were changing in 1989. New music, new fashion, and new trends seemed to be happening every single day. Keeping up with them was nearly impossible but everyone tried.

Simien brings it all to life in the lighting, the clothing, and the music, throwing in little nostalgic Easter Eggs–listen closely for all the song lyrics as dialogue throughout the film. If you lived through the 80s, you’ll recognize it all. If you didn’t you might just emerge a fan.

Then there’s the third, and possibly the most potent level. The underlying horror of Bad Hair comes from the real life experience of the African-American community and the beauty standards that have been forced upon them for centuries.

Why is it necessary to “tame” or cover natural hair? Why is it that natural hair isn’t seen for its own unique beauty? Why is it important for your hair to look a certain way–and let’s be real here, for it to adhere to white, European standards–in order to be taken seriously?

All of this is important and its imperative to Simien’s storytelling, especially as the final frames of the film roll before the credits.

There are no weak links in Justin Simien’s cast for Bad Hair.

Through all of this, Simien’s seriously impressive cast never misses a beat. Lorraine’s Anna is like an open wound as she navigates the new landscape in which she finds herself. She is as much a victim as anyone else around her, and you can feel her desperation as things get out of hand.

Then there’s Vanessa Williams at her cold-hearted, all-business, take-it-or-leave-it best. No one does this better than Williams. She has a way of looking into another person while sharing a scene that just works for this character. She is constantly sizing up everyone around her to make sure she’s still in charge, and believe me when I say she almost always is.

The remainder of the supporting cast is just as strong. Lena Waithe delivers the best one-liners in the film with cool alacrity while Kelly Rowland’s Janet Jackson-styled character practically leaps off the screen and demands that you dance. Laverne Cox, meanwhile, is beautifully ethereal as Virgie, the stylist, and James Van Der Beek oozes smarmy television exec.

Honestly, there are a thousand reasons to watch Bad Hair, and you’ll have your chance on October 23, 2020 on Hulu.

 

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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