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Watch Siskel And Ebert Act Like In The Mouth Of Madness Isn’t Awesome

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I should preface this by disclosing that I’m a huge fan of John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness. It may not receive the acclaim of Halloween or The Thing, but it remains one of my favorites. Nearly 20 years later, I still look for scary old people on bicycles when I’m driving in the darkness in the middle of nowhere, and will forever quote various lines from this film  as delivered by Sam Neill (my favorite being the one about not throwing chips at drivers)

I don’t think Carpenter set out to win an Oscar with this movie, but goddamn it’s entertaining, and Sam Neill is a big part of that.

The late Siskel and Ebert weren’t impressed though. I was digging around YouTube and found their dismissal of the film buried in the depths with less than 40 views.

In the Mouth of Madness has an intriguing premise, but the movie blows a lot of possibilities, and just goes straight for the gruesome special effects,” complains Ebert. “I like the idea that a book could drive you mad, and I like the way the publisher didn’t want to admit that because he was selling so many copies. This idea could have been turned into a wicked social satire, but instead, the movie goes for ghouls and hallucinations, and lots and lots and lots of shots of things that jump out at you from the edge of the screen, which is another tired cliche. It’s too bad.”

Right. Who wants to watch horror movies with ghouls and things that jump out at you?

Siskel didn’t even like it as much as Ebert.

“I’m glad you weren’t sucked in by this one either, because I don’t even know if the premise can work, Roger,” he says. “I’ve seen so many pictures…not so many, but a few pictures where you’re inside the movie…and books that turn the readers crazy, and I haven’t seen any of them work frankly because you’re always aware that the gimmick is sitting there. It’s constantly reading ‘gimmick gimmick gimmick.’”

Ebert thinks it would have been better if Stephen King wrote it, which admittedly could have been interesting.

“Maybe the problem is that Stephen King didn’t write this book, because if you look at Misery, for example, which is about a horror author who gets involved with one of his fans. That really did work on the page and on the screen, and here, the possibilities…it’s kind of like a second-rate Stephen King story that King might have been able to do something more with.”

Interesting maybe, but I wouldn’t change a thing (unless there’s a way to cram in more Sam Neill one-liners).

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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