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New Release Review: The Possession of Michael King

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The Possession of Michael King

This week, Gold Circle Films released The Possession of Michael King on DVD and Blu-ray.  I’ve always been a fan of possession films and have become a true devotee of the found footage horror phenomenon as it has developed, so I knew I had to check this one out as soon as I could.  I was not disappointed in the least.

Michael King is a documentary film maker and an atheist.  After his wife is killed in an accident, he decides to make a film proving one way or the other whether the supernatural exists, and thus, whether his wife might still exist in some way or not.  He is bitter and angry, understandably, and so his route is not one of belief and looking for positive results, but instead one of mocking and negativity.

First, he tries to summon a demon himself.  When that doesn’t work, he contacts a demonologist and a necromancer to perform rituals on him to bring about possession by a demon and a recently deceased young man, respectively.  They ply him with drugs and perform their rituals.  And thus, we begin to watch Michael’s slow descent into madness and possession.  It all starts with the constant sound of static in his ears, then hallucinations.  His reflection is no longer his own, and the static becomes voices that tell him to sacrifice his daughter.

I’m not a guy who likes spoilers, so I won’t give them here, but I will say this movie, for me, was genuinely frightening, and Shane Johnson, who plays Michael, did a fine job of portraying a character who goes from being a non-believing jerk to a frightened father to a pitiable mess in the end.  The film boasts an impressive cast of talented character actors.  Patricia Healy (Ultraviolet), Cullen Douglas (Deadland), Julie McNiven (“Supernatural”), and Tobias Jelinek (Hocus Pocus) all give stellar performances in supporting roles.

The second star of this movie, however, was the sound department.  They managed this film beautifully.  Quiet whispers and demonic screams all took on a life of their own and resonated throughout the film.

If I had one complaint, it would be that the character of the wife wasn’t a little more fleshed out.  There is a beautiful scene toward the end where Michael watches a video about a near death experience she had and I kept thinking if they’d taken more time to just give a little more information about her, it might have made his character a little more understandable, if not necessarily more likable.

All in all, if you’re a fan of the genre, this is a film that deserves to be in your collection.  It’s very reasonably priced ($17.96 on Blu Ray at Walmart) and I would imagine it will be showing up on most streaming services in the next few weeks.  Do yourself a favor and watch it today!

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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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