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Short Film Review: Jennifer Trudrung’s ‘Here There be Tygers’

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Here There Be Tygers

Jennifer Trudrung is an emerging talent in the world of indie screenwriters and her most recent work, a Stephen King Dollar Baby based on King’s short story Here There by Tygers, is hitting the festival circuit this year.

For those unaware, back in 1977 when King was beginning to really become a success, he decided to give back to his fellow creatives by creating the Dollar Baby or Dollar Deal program. Basically, aspiring filmmakers, theater producers, and student filmmakers can secure the rights to produce one of his short stories for a total of $1.

Trudrung chose wisely with Here There Be Tygers. It’s one of those short stories by King that never got the kind of recognition it deserved, despite being published in one of his more popular collections, Skeleton Crew. It had previously been published in 1968 in Ubris magazine.

In the original story, a young boy named Charlie is tormented by his teacher, Miss Bird. She mocks him, teases him, and in a pivotal moment, loudly corrects him in class for not asking to go to the restroom when he needs to go.

Young Charles goes to the bathroom, only to discover a tiger hiding in the shadows. To give more away would spoil the story and the short film, but its ending is chilling!

Trudrung, who has previously penned UnbearingThe Ebbing, and The Share, teams up with director Polly Schattel (Quiet River) to bring the short film to the screen while making some interesting changes.

Penny Munroe in Here There Be Tygers

Penny Munroe in Here There Be Tygers (Photo via Melissa Presti Photography)

First up, comes a gender flip. Changing Charles to Charlie creates adds an interesting dynamic to this tale that actually improves upon King’s original story. Not only does Charlie, played beautifully by Trudrung’s daughter Penny Munroe, need to go to the restroom but she has also started her period and there is blood on her skirt and leg as she stands up.

Miss Bird (Trudrung) uses the opportunity to call Charlie out further and she also, to an extent, allows another student, Susie (Selah Atwood) to mock Charlie calling her “dirty” and “nasty.”

This kind of shaming is nothing new in a world where the basic biological functions of a woman’s body are mocked and ridiculed, and while Schattel and Trudrung certainly use their platform to spotlight this behavior, they do so in a way that is both subtle and powerful by putting the words in the mouths of other women.

They also found an interesting device with which to portray the tiger, pointing to a more innately primal aspect of our own psyches in the use of an animal mask.

For her part, Munroe does an excellent job of portraying Charlie. Her fear and melancholy are both palpable as she emerges from her desk and makes her way to the bathroom as is her transformation after her experiences there.

Not only does she view her own circumstances differently, but she also sees her classmates in a brand new light.

Schattel and production designer Shane Meador filled the short film with little visual nods to Stephen King and William Blake which add an exciting layer for fans of either or both.

As a whole, Here There Be Tygers is an exciting adaptation of one of King’s less well-known stories, and one that, I think, will do quite well on the festival circuit. It is an atmospheric short film of which the entire cast and crew can and should be proud.

Look for it at horror and film festivals near you!

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The Original ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Had an Interesting Location

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beetlejuice in Hawaii Movie

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s sequels to hit movies weren’t as linear as they are today. It was more like “let’s re-do the situation but in a different location.” Remember Speed 2, or National Lampoon’s European Vacation? Even Aliens, as good as it is, follows a lot of the plot points of the original; people stuck on a ship, an android, a little girl in peril instead of a cat. So it makes sense that one of the most popular supernatural comedies of all time, Beetlejuice would follow the same pattern.

In 1991 Tim Burton was interested in doing a sequel to his 1988 original, it was called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian:

“The Deetz family moves to Hawaii to develop a resort. Construction begins, and it’s quickly discovered that the hotel will be sitting on top of an ancient burial ground. Beetlejuice comes in to save the day.”

Burton liked the script but wanted some re-writes so he asked then-hot screenwriter Daniel Waters who had just got done contributing to Heathers. He passed on the opportunity so producer David Geffen offered it to Troop Beverly Hills scribe Pamela Norris to no avail.

Eventually, Warner Bros. asked Kevin Smith to punch up Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, he scoffed at the idea, saying, “Didn’t we say all we needed to say in the first Beetlejuice? Must we go tropical?”

Nine years later the sequel was killed. The studio said Winona Ryder was now too old for the part and an entire re-cast needed to happen. But Burton never gave up, there were a lot of directions he wanted to take his characters, including a Disney crossover.

“We talked about lots of different things,” the director said in Entertainment Weekly. “That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted MansionBeetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up.”

Fast-forward to 2011 when another script was pitched for a sequel. This time the writer of Burton’s Dark Shadows,  Seth Grahame-Smith was hired and he wanted to make sure the story wasn’t a cash-grabbing remake or reboot. Four years later, in 2015, a script was approved with both Ryder and Keaton saying they would return to their respective roles. In 2017 that script was revamped and then eventually shelved in 2019.

During the time the sequel script was being tossed around in Hollywood, in 2016 an artist named Alex Murillo posted what looked like one-sheets for a Beetlejuice sequel. Although they were fabricated and had no affiliation with Warner Bros. people thought they were real.

Perhaps the virality of the artwork sparked interest in a Beetlejuice sequel once again, and finally, it was confirmed in 2022 Beetlejuice 2 had a green light from a script written by Wednesday writers  Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The star of that series Jenna Ortega signed on to the new movie with filming starting in 2023. It was also confirmed that Danny Elfman would return to do the score.

Burton and Keaton agreed that the new film titled Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice wouldn’t rely on CGI or other other forms of technology. They wanted the film to feel “handmade.” The film wrapped in November 2023.

It’s been over three decades to come up with a sequel to Beetlejuice. Hopefully, since they said aloha to Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian there has been enough time and creativity to ensure Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will not only honor the characters, but fans of the original.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will open theatrically on September 6.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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