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Horror Pride Month: Actor, writer, and artist Nicholas Vince

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Nicholas Vince

One of the best parts of my job is getting to meet the people whose work I’ve admired over the years. That pleasure doubles when it turns out the person is an incredibly charming gentleman like Nicholas Vince.

You may not recognize his face, but the actor, writer, and artist has had an incredible career over the last few decades working with Clive Barker on Hellraiser where he appeared as the Chatterer Cenobite and then as Kinski in Nightbreed.

Vince’s love of horror goes back much farther, however. In fact, as I found out when we sat down for a Skype call to chat for Horror Pride Month, it all started with his first library card.

“When I got my junior library reading card when I was about seven or eight years old I started reading tales of Greek myths and legends,” he said. “After that, I got an adult reading card at around 16, I started reading collections of ghost stories. Then I got into the Universal Monsters and the Hammer Horror films. You couldn’t go see a horror movie in the cinema until you were 21 when I was growing up so it was mostly through those classic things that I got into horror.”

Who knew that reading those scary stories so long ago would lead to working with a genre legend?

Vince was only a couple of years out of acting school when he met Clive Barker at a party. To say that meeting changed his life would be selling both men short. Barker asked if he would mind doing some modeling and Vince eventually graced the covers of the original UK edition and some of the American editions of The Books of Blood.

A couple of years later, Barker reached out to Vince again, this time asking if he’d like to be in a feature film called Hellraiser. He was told there would be “some makeup involved” which is perhaps the biggest understatement of all time when you consider how the actor was transformed to become the Chatterer.

“It was my first offer for a feature film,” he said with a laugh. “I wasn’t going to say no! Clive’s imagination fascinates me. He makes me think. He challenges me, but he’s also enormous fun to be around. He’s just a very funny man. We worked very long hours on those movies because he was always having new ideas. I always got overtime on those shoots because he would just follow his imagination.”

Nicholas Vince played both the Chatterer Cenobite and Kinski

Vince adds that it was interesting to watch Barker’s evolution as the films progressed, as well. The first Hellraiser was shot in a tiny studio with that had been transformed into a disco and then back to a studio, but by the time they worked on Nightbreed together, the scale had become enormous.

Midian itself was a three-story set featuring Baphomet’s chamber and Midian proper.

By the time, Nightbreed was finished shooting, Vince had made the decision to focus more on writing. He wanted to see if he could be successful creating stories of his own. He had heard from Neil Gaiman that a Hellraiser comic was in the early stages of development at Marvel and so he took his earnings from the Nightbreed film and flew to the U.S. for the first time where he gathered up his courage and walked into the Marvel offices to apply for the job.

He soon found himself not only writing Hellraiser and Nightbreed comics for the company but he had his own titles as well including Warheads.

This form of writing helped Vince hone his craft which he continues to use to this day writing collections of short stories as well as plays including his one-man show I Am Monsters which chronicles his life experience from discovering the monsters of his childhood through life-threatening surgery and bullying to becoming the out-gay creative that he is today.

In speaking to his journey of self-discovery, Vince had this to say:

“I always identified more with the monster. I identified with Frankenstein’s creature, Dracula, and the Wolfman–a cursed man who is a werewolf and can only be killed by someone who loves him. It’s not only the silver bullet in the Universal picture. It has to be someone who loves him who kills him. How does that relate? I think it’s that thing of being oppressed, being other, being different, being out of step with everyone around you. The threat to young gay men when I was a teenager was you’re going to be alone. You’re going to be lonely. It wasn’t you’re going to die. I went through the whole AIDS crisis. I was very fortunate. I think, yes, it’s very different. There is always a threat to our community of some sort. I wonder sometimes what the threat to this newest generation will be.”

When they were making movies in the 80s, Vince was still being told by his agent that he must remain closeted if he wanted to keep working, and as he points out, though there was only one story in The Books of Blood with explicitly gay characters, Barker had to fight for the story’s inclusion.

Those experiences only underscored some of the internalized homophobia that the actor had already dealt with in his life and he says breaking that protective shell that we create around ourselves to survive is never easy. Exposing ourselves to other’s preconceived notions is terrifying.

“I think we’ve moved forward enormously since then,” he pointed out, “but there are still prejudices to be faced. I think public figures coming out and being open are incredibly important. There are huge fights still to be done. How do we do it? Though compassion, through understanding. Courage, wisdom, and compassion are the only real ways we get through this together.”

Nicholas Vince continues to write and to do some acting from time to time. Anyone who saw Book of Monsters from a couple of years ago will recognize him as the father from the film. He has a new collection of short stories that he is working on at the moment, and he says, when the restrictions lift from Covid-19, he’s looking forward to performing his show again in the U.S.

As our interview came to a close, I could not help but reflect on how lucky I am to have these conversations with creatives in the genre from every generation, and Vince’s was no exception.

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‘Strange Darling’ Featuring Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald Lands Nationwide Release [Watch Clip]

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Strange Darling Kyle Gallner

‘Strange Darling,’ a standout film featuring Kyle Gallner, who is nominated for an iHorror award for his performance in ‘The Passenger,’ and Willa Fitzgerald, has been acquired for a wide theatrical release in the United States by Magenta Light Studios, a new enterprise from veteran producer Bob Yari. This announcement, brought to us by Variety, follows the film’s successful premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023, where it was universally praised for its creative storytelling and compelling performances, achieving a perfect score of 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 14 reviews.

Strange Darling – Movie Clip

Directed by JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling‘ is a thrilling narrative of a spontaneous hookup that takes an unexpected and terrifying turn. The film is notable for its innovative narrative structure and the exceptional acting of its leads. Mollner, known for his 2016 Sundance entry “Outlaws and Angels,” has once again employed 35mm for this project, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker with a distinct visual and narrative style. He is currently involved in adapting Stephen King’s novel “The Long Walk” in collaboration with director Francis Lawrence.

Bob Yari expressed his enthusiasm for the film’s upcoming release, scheduled for August 23rd, highlighting the unique qualities that make ‘Strange Darling’ a significant addition to the horror genre. “We are thrilled to be bringing nationwide theatrical audiences this unique and exceptional film with terrific performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. This second feature from talented writer-director JT Mollner is destined to become a cult classic that defies conventional storytelling,” Yari told Variety.

Variety’s review of the film from Fantastic Fest lauds Mollner’s approach, saying, “Mollner shows himself to be more forward-thinking than most of his genre peers. He’s clearly a student of the game, one who studied his forebears’ lessons with adroitness to better prepare himself to put his own mark on them.” This praise underlines Mollner’s deliberate and thoughtful engagement with the genre, promising audiences a film that is both reflective and innovative.

Strange Darling

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Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Barbarella’ Revival Forges Ahead

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Sydney Sweeney Barbarella

Sydney Sweeney has confirmed the ongoing progress of the much-anticipated reboot of Barbarella. The project, which sees Sweeney not only starring but also executive producing, aims to breathe new life into the iconic character that first captured audiences’ imaginations in the 1960s. However, amid speculation, Sweeney remains tight-lipped about the possible involvement of celebrated director Edgar Wright in the project.

During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Sweeney shared her enthusiasm for the project and the character of Barbarella, stating, “It is. I mean, Barbarella is just such a fun character to explore. She really just embraces her femininity and her sexuality, and I love that. She uses sex as a weapon and I think it’s such an interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So we’ll see what happens.“

Sydney Sweeney confirms her Barbarella reboot is still in the works

Barbarella, originally a creation of Jean-Claude Forest for V Magazine in 1962, was transformed into a cinematic icon by Jane Fonda under the direction of Roger Vardim in 1968. Despite a sequel, Barbarella Goes Down, never seeing the light of day, the character has remained a symbol of sci-fi allure and adventurous spirit.

Over the decades, several high-profile names including Rose McGowan, Halle Berry, and Kate Beckinsale were floated as potential leads for a reboot, with directors Robert Rodriguez and Robert Luketic, and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade previously attached to revive the franchise. Unfortunately, none of these iterations made it past the conceptual stage.

Barbarella

The film’s progress took a promising turn approximately eighteen months ago when Sony Pictures announced its decision to cast Sydney Sweeney in the titular role, a move that Sweeney herself has suggested was facilitated by her involvement in Madame Web, also under Sony’s banner. This strategic decision was aimed at fostering a beneficial relationship with the studio, specifically with the Barbarella reboot in mind.

When probed about Edgar Wright’s potential directorial role, Sweeney adeptly sidestepped, merely noting that Wright has become an acquaintance. This has left fans and industry watchers speculating about the extent of his involvement, if any, in the project.

Barbarella is known for its adventurous tales of a young woman traversing the galaxy, engaging in escapades that often incorporate elements of sexuality—a theme Sweeney seems eager to explore. Her commitment to reimagining Barbarella for a new generation, while staying true to the character’s original essence, sounds like the making of a great reboot.

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‘The First Omen’ Almost Received an NC-17 Rating

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the first omen trailer

Set for an April 5 theater release, ‘The First Omen’ carries an R-rating, a classification that was almost not achieved. Arkasha Stevenson, in her inaugural feature film directorial role, faced a formidable challenge in securing this rating for the prequel to the esteemed franchise. It seems the filmmakers had to contend with the ratings board to prevent the film from being saddled with an NC-17 rating. In a revealing conversation with Fangoria, Stevenson described the ordeal as ‘a long battle’, one not waged over traditional concerns such as gore. Instead, the crux of the controversy centered around the depiction of the female anatomy.

Stevenson’s vision for “The First Omen” delves deep into the theme of dehumanization, particularly through the lens of forced birthing. “The horror in that situation is how dehumanized that woman is”, Stevenson explains, emphasizing the significance of presenting the female body in a non-sexualized light to address themes of forced reproduction authentically. This commitment to realism nearly landed the film an NC-17 rating, sparking a prolonged negotiation with the MPA. “This has been my life for a year and a half, fighting for the shot. It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards”, she states, highlighting the importance of the scene to the film’s core message.

The First Omen Movie Poster – by Creepy Duck Design

Producers David Goyer and Keith Levine supported Stevenson’s battle, encountering what they perceived as a double standard in the ratings process. Levine reveals, “We had to go back and forth with the ratings board five times. Weirdly, avoiding the NC-17 made it more intense”, pointing out how the struggle with the ratings board inadvertently intensified the final product. Goyer adds, “There is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror”, suggesting a gender bias in how body horror is evaluated.

The film’s bold approach to challenging viewers’ perceptions extends beyond the ratings controversy. Co-writer Tim Smith notes the intention to subvert expectations traditionally associated with The Omen franchise, aiming to surprise audiences with a fresh narrative focus. “One of the big things we were excited to do was to kind of pull the rug out from under people’s expectations”, Smith says, underscoring the creative team’s desire to explore new thematic ground.

Nell Tiger Free, known for her role in “Servant”, leads the cast of “The First Omen”, set for release by 20th Century Studios on April 5. The movie follows a young American woman dispatched to Rome for church service, where she stumbles upon a sinister force that shakes her faith to its core and reveals a chilling plot aimed at summoning evil incarnate.

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