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‘Fake Blood’ Is One of the Most Disturbing Horror Docs in Recent Memory

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Two Canadian filmmakers set out to do a documentary about the effects of movie violence, but they uncover something more diabolical in Fake Blood, a festival favorite that has already created quite a buzz in the industry.

Rob Grant and Mike Kovac are not only good friends, they are also cohorts in front of, and behind the camera.

“Fake Blood”

The duo is especially good at making B-grade horror movies which feature buckets of blood and gore. Although they use violence in their films, neither of them has really experienced it first-hand.

But when they get a creepy video email from a fan who says he’s seen one of their films which features a dismemberment then gives them his own tutorial on body disposal, they grow curious enough to immerse themselves in the methods they write about on screen.

This was the initial inspiration for this documentary. But it’s about to turn into a darker more terrifying lesson.

They decide to seek outside council about the subject which brings them to a mysterious man named “John,” a production assistant who initially seems willing to talk, but when the subject gets deeper he wants nothing to do with their documentary. That is until he agrees to meet with them for $300.

“Fake Blood”

The rendezvous goes south when Rob and Mike show up with a cameraman, something they said they wouldn’t do, but “John” calms down when it’s agreed his face and voice will be altered.

The three sit in a car while “John” becomes increasingly intense, saying death in film really doesn’t compare to real-life. He knows this because of a past violent crime he’s committed which left someone dead.

This Catfish-type meeting takes the documentary in a whole new direction, derailing it from its original thesis. As “John” tells his story, we get to see a re-enactment of his brutal tale.

Shocked by the conversation, both Mike and Rob aren’t sure what to do next. They agree to ditch the original concept of the doc and turn their attention to “John.” But that only opens up more surprises they wish they’d left buried.

“Fake Blood” 2018

Real documentaries in the horror industry suffer from the “found footage” disease.  Blair Witch Project created this problem with their ingenious ad campaign – they even eliminated the credits to add to the mystery.

Fake Blood is a straight-forward documentary as any you would see on HBO or Vice. Mike and Rob and their production crew follow them around as they dig deeper and deeper into the subject until it reaches a point that puts them both in real danger.

So terrifying are their revelations it forces them into hiding putting their friendship at risk.

One of my favorite parts of Fake Blood had to do with me, and it will probably happen to you too. It suddenly hit me to ask the question, “Is this real?” because their journey is so extraordinary. I had no other reason to believe it’s staged; the director says it’s real and everyone seems off-script, and not in that plastic improv way.

But still the question lingers.

“Fake Blood” 2018

Logically it comes down to the re-enactments and where they fall in the continuity of the production. Did they film them immediately after they interviewed their subjects, or did they do it after the raw footage was in the can? I guess time will tell.

Unsettling, disturbing and drenched in paranoia, Fake Blood will challenge your suspension of disbelief. It’s bold, it’s unsettling and it will slowly creep under your skin.

These two guys have gone from making low-budget zombie films to investigative journalists who put themselves in harm’s way just to reach a conclusion. But that end never comes and a fresh fracture in their relationship continues to grow.

Fake Blood is what happens when talented filmmakers go the extra step to touch the material so deeply they become the topic, but there is a rule of journalism which says real journalists report the news – they don’t make the news. In this case Mike and Rob do both in a terrifying way.

Fake Blood is now available to watch On Demand: check your streaming service.

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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