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Spotlight on Horror Director Nick Canning

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Horror director Nick Canning premiered his short film The Shade at iHorror’s 2019 iHorror Film Fest to a rave reception and reviews.

Side note: The 2020 iHorror Film Festival will be opening for submissions in February. Look for more information in the “Festival” tab at iHorror.com.

The young filmmaker began in New Jersey with interests that included comic books, pro wrestling, and monster movies.  However, after making the move to Florida in 2012 he transitioned from fan to creator.

Growing a career in the film industry Canning showed skills both in front of as well as behind the camera, learning and collecting knowledge along the way.
Finally in 2018 Canning began his own production company, Unfold Entertainment.

iHorror’s Piper Minear: I first wanted to congratulate you on creating a successful short horror film without a single word of dialogue. In those four minutes of film time, I got the chills multiple times!
Director Nick Canning: Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

iHorror: What has inspired you to make horror movies?
Canning: To be honest, I was scared of horror movies as a kid. But as I grew older and started pursuing my goals of film making, I began to learn about the “art behind the fear” and how much creativity and resourcefulness goes into properly scaring an audience.

iHorror: Which films did you draw upon as influences for The Shade?
Canning: Two short films, in particular, stood out for me. David F. Sandberg’s Lights Out and Andy Muschietti’s Mamá are both great examples of how to quickly drop the viewers into the nightmare.
It’s no surprise to me that they were turned into successful feature films. The initial concept for The Shade came, oddly, from Peter Pan and the part where the title character chases his shadow and tries to reattach it.

In addition, I’m a fan of the monsters you can’t run away from. In A Nightmare On Elm Street, people eventually need to sleep. In the Dr. Who episodes featuring The Weeping Angels, people eventually need to blink. Everyone has a shadow, so anyone could be preyed upon.

iHorror: Is there a larger story behind what we have seen in this mini horror film?Canning: In regards to developing a larger story, I’m constantly throwing ideas around. If I can find an interesting and fresh angle to build upon, I’d love to turn The Shade into a feature. In the meantime, I’m proud of what the short film has accomplished and how I can’t wait to reunite with my cast and crew for a future project.

iHorror: You have a great sense of building tension. Will you expand on this in your future work?
Canning: Absolutely. I enjoy taking the audience on a psychological roller coaster.

iHorror: What is your view on psychological scares vs gore used as a technique to scare audiences?
Canning: I’m a fan of both techniques and each can be effective in the right hands. Psychological terror allows you to toy with expectations and stretch the tension until it’s unbearable.
When it comes to gore, there is a fine line between disturbing violence and absurd
violence. For me at least, it’s the smaller gore (nails and teeth, for example) that makes
the viewers the most squeamish.

iHorror: What scares you?
Canning: I would say Isolation and Anxiety.

iHorror: What can we expect from you next? Do you think you’ll be finding a home in the horror industry?
Canning: My main priority at the moment is pitching around a few horror screenplays I have written. But expect another short film from Unfold Entertainment before the end of 2020.
The horror industry has been kind to me so far and I’ll happily keep telling stories within
a genre I love.

iHorror: Lastly, where can fans follow your upcoming news and work?
Canning: Those that are interested can subscribe to the Unfold Entertainment YouTube channel, like the company’s page on Facebook, as well as follow me on Instagram.

Facebook: @UnfoldEntertainment
Instagram: @nick_unfold

Read more about Nick Canning and “The Shade” on page 10 in the link below:

Lurking in the Shadows Pays Off for Gulfport Filmmaker By Jeff Donnelly

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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