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‘The Wretched’: The #1 Horror Film That Beat COVID-19 at The Box Office

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THE WRETCHED

The Wretched is not the right way to describe this horror film when talking about its box office numbers. First, it synchronized with the popularity of social distancing at drive-ins and took root there, then it squeezed into Phase 2 of “America’s grand re-opening” where it has taken success indoors.

The ticket numbers as of last Thursday were nothing a Hollywood exec would cancel all calls for. But with a gross that exceeded $350,000 at the box office, mostly from drive-ins, they certainly paused.

Then this past weekend 59 brick and mortar cineplexes around the country tallied $186,000 collectively from Friday through Sunday. That’s quite a chunk of change considering the country is still technically closed. Furthermore, its dark subject matter seems desirable in a time when it’s assumed people want more uplifting fare.

In other words, horror fans showed up, and perhaps new ones were born.

The film follows a young boy as he squares off against a witch disguised as the woman next door. It made a good impression when it debuted at Fantasia International Film Festival in 2019 and is certified fresh over at the online critic collective Rotten Tomatoes.

Written and directed by Brett Pierce and Drew T. Pierce, The Wretched may have been kismet for success. Specifically, it was released at the right places at the right times. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst with Comscore seems to think so.

“A horror movie, a big screen, the communal experience; these are three things that go perfectly together and movie fans have found a friend in IFC, a company that has been committed to the theatrical exhibition model in the age of COVID-19 by delivering The Wretched to patrons hungry for outside of the home entertainment despite having a scary number of options at home for filmed content,” said  Dergarabedian.

Currently, there are 179 indoor theaters open, hoping movie lovers will journey to their popcorn meccas. There are two big summer releases coming in June to test those waters: Tenet (July 17) and Mulan (July 24).

"The Wretched"

“The Wretched” 2019

It’s also interesting to note that horror movies seem to be the entertainment guinea pigs during this pandemic. First, The Invisible Man a critical and box office success was victim to mass closures and emerged victorious on PVOD just four weeks after it hit theaters. Then another horror movie, The Hunt followed suit and again proved resourceful.

Another indie film, Skyman, from the director of The Blair Witch Project, Dan Myrick, is hoping the drive-in is the perfect place for his sci-fi film. The docu-style extraterrestrial mystery is landing at outdoor theaters sometime this summer. For more information on that movie click HERE.

The Wretched is also available to rent On Demand on most paid streaming services.

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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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