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Author Spotlight: Interview with Nick Cutter, Author of The Troop

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troop

Nick Cutter is a hot name in the horror literature world right now (rumor has it…that might not even be his real name.Shhh…). Why you may ask? Becasue of this freaking freaky novel called, The Troop.

The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn’t put it down. This is old-school horror at its best.” —Stephen KingOnce every year, Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a weekend camping trip—a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story around a roaring bonfire. The boys are a tight-knit crew. There’s Kent, one of the most popular kids in school; Ephraim and Max, also well liked and easygoing; then there’s Newt the nerd and Shelley the odd duck. For the most part, they all get along and are happy to be there—which makes Scoutmaster Tim’s job a little easier. But for some reason, he can’t shake the feeling that something strange is in the air this year. Something waiting in the darkness. Something wicked…It comes to them in the night. An unexpected intruder, stumbling upon their campsite like a wild animal. He is shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry—a man in unspeakable torment who exposes Tim and the boys to something far more frightening than any ghost story. Within his body is a bioengineered nightmare, a horror that spreads faster than fear. One by one, the boys will do things no person could ever imagine.And so it begins. An agonizing weekend in the wilderness. A harrowing struggle for survival. No possible escape from the elements, the infected…or one another.

Part Lord of the Flies, part 28 Days Later—and all-consuming—this tightly written, edge-of-your-seat thriller takes you deep into the heart of darkness, where fear feeds on sanity…and terror hungers for more.
Yeah, did you notice that nice little blurb from Stephen Freaking King???   Yeah, this Nock Cutter guy is pretty good.
So I decided to hike up from my home in Maine to find this Canadian-born man with a twisted mind. I grabbed my leather jacket and boots and realized how cold it was outside. I took my coat off and fired up the old interweb. Much easier, and much, much warmer.
Nick-Cutter-main
We got to chit-chat about his big smash, his new release (The Deep), and a few other things….

 

Glenn Rolfe: One of my #1 fears growing up was the idea of having a tapeworm. Was this a paranoia of yours?

Nick Cutter: Hmmm, not really. Not precisely anyway. I was more afraid of external threats. Sharks, cockroaches. But the idea of having an enemy inside you, under your skin, seemed pretty icky so I decided to run with it.

GR: How much research did you have to do into this nasty parasite and did that research give you nightmares?

NC: A fair bit. The standard amount so that I felt good about moving forward with the story with a sense I probably knew a little bit more than my readers would, which is often how far ahead you NEED to be: just a few steps, so that what you write seems like it could happen even if, in fact, it’s pretty much an implausibility.

GR: I read somewhere that you were in fact a Scout leader…Were you also a Scout yourself growing up? And what was the most horrific or interesting thing you ever witnessed as a scout or scout leader?

NC: I was only a Scout, actually. I didn’t have an acoustic guitar or the habit of carrying a pocketknife on my belt or a desire to stay in the woods with boys for weekends, so I decided that just being a Scout was good enough. My life as a Scout was pretty easygoing, really. We met in a gymnasium most nights, so maybe the worst I ever saw was the janitor drunkenly cleaning the floor with his doodlebug or something. I got off easy I guess.

GR: The story has that “The Body” feel in regards to the group of kids. Were any of these guys people you grew up with?

NC: All those characters are, like the characters in all my books, a synthesis of me—myself, my own memories—and people I know. Of course for the really off-the-beaten-track elements of some of those characters, the psychoses and cruelties—those are just elements I made up entirely. But yeah, at this point in my career I rarely write fiction, in that I’m rarely cobbling together a narrative that doesn’t draw on my own life and the people in it in some way . . . as absurd as the concept may be, there are nuggets of real-life experience studded throughout.

GR: Have you been approached about doing The Troop as a film?

NC: It’s been optioned. For quite awhile actually. I can’t mention the studio or producers because they’re a little picky about that kind of thing. But most people would know the names involved, especially if they are horror buffs.

GR: Awesome! Congrats. You also have a brand new horror book out– The Deep. What can we expect in this one? Any cool things you want to mention or promote about it?

NC: Well, it takes place at the deepest point of the ocean. The title kinda implies that, I guess. I’ve always found that part of our world deeply terrifying, what with the darkness and pressure and whatever might be sweeping the bottom of the sea.

deep

GR: The King influence is obvious in The Troop. Was Horror your first love?

NC: Yeah, for sure. I grew up reading King, Koontz, Barker, McCammon, Lansdale, you name it.

GR: Can you give me three of your favorite King pieces…any of his short stories/novels/movies…not necessarily your top three, but three that made an impact on you as a writer.

1. The Body

2. It

3. The Boogeyman

GR: Nice! Outside of King, who are some of your other Horror go-to’s?

NC: Clive Barker’s always a solid bet. Really stoked to read his new one this year. Josh Malerman is great. Joe Hill. Benjamin Percy’s doing great work. There are tons of really solid horror writers out there right now.

bp

GR: Are you planning on attending any Cons down here in the States in 2015?

NC: It’s unlikely, I’d say. I’ve got a full slate of writing obligations, a degree to finish, and a young tot at home. Tough to get out much. But if so you can check out my website www.craigdavidson.net and see if I’m going to be touring anywhere in the States coming up.

GR: What can we expect next from the screwy mind of Nick Cutter?

NC: After The Deep is The Acolyte, from Chizine Press. That’s only a couple of months off. Then, around this time next year if all things go according to plan it’ll be Little Heaven, from Gallery/S&S. After that I take a nap for five years, maybe.

TheAcolyte-NickCutter

GR: Last question: What would Nick Cutter do if he were trapped on an island and infected with the Troop tapeworm?

NC: Jeez, who knows? He would probably make his last few hours count. Throw a party for the seagulls and tortoises and try not to eat them (he’d probably eat them).

 

 

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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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