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‘Home Alone’ as a Horror Film: Unearthing ‘Deadly Games’

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The killer Santa in "Deadly Games"

I try to watch “Home Alone” around this time every year, and one of the thoughts that often pops into my head is that this plot would make a great horror movie. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered Rene’ Manzor’s “Deadly Games” on Shudder, and even more surprised when I discovered it came out a year before “Home Alone!”

Manzor’s 1989 film has been known by many names, including “Dial Code Santa Claus,” “Game Over,” “Hide and Freak,” and “Deadly Games.” It stars Thomas (Alain Musy), a 10-year-old genius who programs computers, builds gadgets, dresses like Rambo, sports an awesome mullet and believes in Santa Claus. Thomas’ mother owns a chain of toy stores, so he has all the toys a kid could ever want, and he lives in a mansion full of high-tech gadgets.

"Deadly Games" is like "Home Alone," but horror

Deal / Garance / L.M. Productions

Using Minitel, an internet precursor, Thomas thinks he’s telling Santa what he wants for Christmas. However, a psycho (Patrick Floersheim) uses a public terminal to pose as Santa and find out more about Thomas. He steals a Santa costume, paints his beard white, and stows away in a delivery truck bound for Tommy’s home. The intruder leaves bodies in his wake before breaking into Thomas’ house — coming in through the chimney, of course.

His mother is working on Christmas Eve, and Thomas is home taking care of his elderly grandfather. He’s determined to prove that Santa is real, so he’s rigged his mansion with surveillance cameras and staked out a spot. When the deranged Santa shows up, a thrilling cat and mouse chase ensues. However, Thomas is hardly helpless. He uses his security cameras and an array of booby traps to keep the madman at bay.

Tommy in "Deadly Games," dressed like Rambo

Deal / Garance / L.M. Productions

Whereas the “Home Alone” films lean heavier on the humor and feature cartoonish violence, “Deadly Games” is grisly in a grindhouse vein. It also has a lot of heart, and I really enjoyed seeing Tommy protect his diabetic, partially blind grandfather.

There are some truly beautiful shots here. My favorite is of Floersheim in his Santa suit standing in the snow with an eerie light behind him. It’s magical, even with the bloody knife in his hand.

“Deadly Games” is destined to be a Christmas classic. I’m just so glad this previously forgotten gem is now available to a wider audience. It was only available by bootleg VHS until 2018, when the American Genre Film Archive restored it. The film made it’s North American premier at last year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin. It’s now available on Blu-Ray and it’s currently streaming on Shudder.

If you’re looking for a new movie to add to your Christmas season watch list, I can’t recommend this one enough. Check out the restored trailer below:

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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