News

Late to the Party: Graveyard Shift (1990)

Published

6 years ago

August 8, 2018

We’ve all been there; getting called in to work on our day off, on a holiday, getting stuck with the bad shift. At least we weren’t stuck with a schedule dictated by Stephen King, like his vision of a Graveyard Shift.

Graveyard Shift

The movie Graveyard Shift is based on King’s short story of the same name. It was directed by Ralph Singleton, and features Stephen Macht (Watchers 4, The Monster Squad), and Brad Dourif (Child’s Play,The X-Files).

The owner of Warwick’s textile mill (Stephen Macht) has a bit of a rodent infestation problem, and he has to get things cleaned up or the plant will be forced to close. So, he sets up a bit of a clean-up party for the night of the 4th of July, coercing and threatening his employees to work it.

As it happens, the mill is built next to a cemetery, and both are built over a huge cavern and all are connected by a series of mine shafts and tunnels. While cleaning the mill’s basement, the crew finds an old trapdoor, leading down into the mines. The decision is made to go exploring, which quickly finds them trapped in the tunnels and at the mercy of the rats and their king which dwells in the cavern.

This is a fun movie, especially for being based on Stephen King’s work. It’s not the most subtle, or unnerving horror movie, but it does have its moments. The scenes of the rats before the workers discover the trap door are full of creepiness, the tunnels are claustrophobic, and the final monster’s lair is beautiful in its horror.

The acting is pretty good as well. Stephen Macht’s portrayal of Warwick is strong, and he’s very believable in the beginning of the movie as the mill owner that has the run of the town through violence and intimidation. You can’t help but hate him. His turn to madness as the crew runs through the tunnels is a little heavy-handed though, and his pursuit of our hero, John Hall (David Andrews), in spite of the presence of a giant rat-bat feels almost cartoonish.

Brad Dourif’s role as an unnamed exterminator is the strongest role in the movie though; his delivery and description of the Viet Cong’s use of rats in torture methods in the Vietnam War resonates long after his character’s untimely end.

The ending reeks a bit of deus ex machina, though I was surprised that our hero’s love interest didn’t make it to the credits. The bad guy gets his due after charging the giant monster armed with only a tactical knife. John Hall gets to witness the last of his old boss being devoured before being chased back up into the mill. He hides underneath the textile machine, which the beast climbs on top of trying to get at him, its tail getting caught in the gears and setting up what is probably the most suspenseful firing of an empty soda can from a slingshot in cinema history.

Graveyard Shift

Definitely not one of the best horror movies ever made, but still a fun one that’s worth watching. The first half does a great job setting up the characters, making you love or hate them as needed, before the second half sets them loose like rats in a maze. Graveyard Shift is definitely a good movie for an older, quick, popcorn horror flick.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

Published

34 mins ago

April 24, 2024

Cameron McFarland

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.

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 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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News

‘Blink Twice’ Trailer Presents a Thrilling Mystery in Paradise

Published

1 hour ago

April 24, 2024

Timothy Rawles

A new trailer for the movie formerly known as Pussy Island just dropped and it has us intrigued. Now with the more restrained title, Blink Twice, this Zoë Kravitz-directed black comedy is set to land in theaters on August 23.

The film is packed with stars including Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, Alia Shawkat, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan, and Geena Davis.

The trailer feels like a Benoit Blanc mystery; people are invited to a secluded location and disappear one by one, leaving one guest to figure out what is going on.

In the film, a billionaire named Slater King (Channing Tatum) invites a waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) to his private island, “It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.”

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Movies

Melissa Barrera Says ‘Scary Movie VI’ Would Be “Fun To Do”

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Melissa Barrera might literally get the last laugh on Spyglass thanks to a possible Scary Movie sequel. Paramount and Miramax are seeing the right opportunity to bring the satirical franchise back into the fold and announced last week one might be in production as early as this fall.

The last chapter of the Scary Movie franchise was almost a decade ago and since the series lampoons thematic horror movies and pop culture trends, it would seem they have a lot of content to draw ideas from, including the recent reboot of slasher series Scream.

Barerra, who starred as final girl Samantha in those movies was abruptly fired from the latest chapter, Scream VII, for expressing what Spyglass interpreted as “antisemitism,” after the actress came out in support of Palestine on social media.

Even though the drama wasn’t a laughing matter, Barrera might get her chance to parody Sam in Scary Movie VI. That is if the opportunity arises. In an interview with Inverse, the 33-year-old actress was asked about Scary Movie VI, and her reply was intriguing.

“I always loved those movies,” the actress told Inverse. “When I saw it announced, I was like, ‘Oh, that would be fun. That would be so fun to do.’”

That “fun to do” part could be construed as a passive pitch to Paramount, but that’s open to interpretation.

Just like in her franchise, Scary Movie also has a legacy cast including Anna Faris and Regina Hall. There is no word yet on if either of those actors will appear in the reboot. With or without them, Barrera is still a fan of the comedies. “They have the iconic cast that did it, so we’ll see what goes on with that. I’m just excited to see a new one,” she told the publication.

Barrera is currently celebrating the box office success of her latest horror movie Abigail.