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TRY THIS: Watch JASON LIVES in Black & White!

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Written by Dr. Jose

One of the extras included in the 2004 DVD boxset From Crystal Lake to Manhattan was an interview with Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives director, Tom McLoughlin, wherein he suggests a unique way to watch the film:

“My main objective was to give the audience a sense of the old gothic horror movies, because I was trying to set a tone right from the beginning that this was going to be like what the Universal horror movies used to be: the stormy night, going to the cemetery, digging up the grave, a monster that is actually dead coming back and is unstoppable. If you turn the color off, this movie would look great in black and white.”

I’d long been aware that McLoughlin used Jason Lives to pay major homage to Frankenstein (a gas station named “Karloff’s”, anyone?), but I’d never considered actually watching it in black and white. So with this great suggestion in mind, I decided to give it a shot. Last night I popped my Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives DVD in the ol’ player, grabbed the remote and dialed the TV’s color down to zero, and strapped in for a watch. And you know what? It totally kind of works!

The moment the old Paramount logo popped up onscreen, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. The entire opening sequence of the film is just a barrage of classic horror imagery, made that much cooler by the fact that it was all in black and white: a shot of the full moon encompassed by ominous clouds; craggy trees and bolts of lightning; a spooky cemetery, shrouded in fog. By the time the opening credits actually start rolling, you’d swear you’d been watching some sort of alternate reality version of Frankenstein or The Wolf Man.

Now, what with being filmed in 1986, not everything works in black and white. A lot of the contemporary elements – the hairstyles, the fashion, and the music – clearly don’t transition all that well. (The scene involving Cort and Nikki in the RV stands out especially.) Still, one of the funny side effects of watching an ’80s movie in black and white is how the lack of color manages to lend an air of class to the proceedings. Martin the Gravedigger saying “farthead” is a far cry from the moving court proceedings in To Kill a Mockingbird, but they’re visually striking just the same.

Another cool result of desaturating the film is how all the jailhouse scenes play out like an old noir film. Now, I don’t know if that was McLoughlin’s intended effect, but with the police officers spouting off dialogue like, “Hit the noise and the cherries!”, “That’s what we call ‘screwin’ the pooch'”, and “Alright, into the can, Flash!”, I’d be surprised if the pulpy, old-timey vibe wasn’t completely intentional.

If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend giving Jason Lives a watch in black and white. If nothing else, it’s simply a new way to watch an old favorite. Below I’ve attached some screen shots I took that showcase the more stunning shots.

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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