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“3 Dead Trick or Treaters” Must be Seen to be Believed

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As a reviewer in a genre of films that is overrun with sequels and remakes, it starts to feel impossible to be surprised anymore so it’s nice when a film catches you completely off guard.  It’s even better when that film is so engaging that you leave the theater and discuss it with fellow theatergoers for hours.  That was the case when I and a fellow writer from iHorror settled in to watch 3 Dead Trick or Treaters at the Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

The anthology film revolves around a paper boy who, in the course of his job, stumbles upon three graves marked with crosses and various trinkets.  On each cross is a story, and as he picks up each piece of paper, we’re drawn into the the tale of that particular grave’s resident.  Each tale is beautifully arranged and filmed and the dialogue free nature of the film as a whole really opens you up the emotional experiences of each character and the horrors they are drawn into.

As the credits rolled at the end of this chilling horror film, I knew two things:

  1. I’d just seen something completely original.
  2. I had to talk to the man who made this film!

Within hours, I had tracked down writer/director Torin Langen and we were working to set up a time to chat about his remarkable anthology film and how it came to be.  As luck would have it, Langen was as interesting as his film and it turns out it was quite a journey to bring each segment together.

“We started filming back in 2012,” he began, “and I guess it was four years in the making, beginning with the first segment called Fondue.”

Each year, in October, he and a group of actors and crew he describes as “enthusiastic non-professionals” would gather in the same locations to film for a few days on what one couldn’t even call a shoestring budget.

“We never had a grand scheme for what the finished project would ultimately be,” he said.  “We would plan the next segment and shoot it in the autumn so that everything would have the same appearance and then the rest of the year I’d be working on post-production along with my friend and composer, Stephen Schooley, and other small projects I had going.”

Langen, who credits the DIY/punk scene of southern Ontario for some of his inspiration, also began submitting Fondue to festivals to gauge audience reactions and because he didn’t want to suddenly have a full feature that no one had ever heard of before.  It did just what he needed it to, and kept the creative juices flowing.

As I said before, this film is completely dialogue free.  Not a single word uttered in the entire film.  It’s a bold move in 2017 and though I had my own theories as to why he’d made this choice, it was still enlightening to hear his answer.

“Each segment, to me, is a ritual,” he said.  “You don’t have to speak during a ritual behavior because you know every action and movement by heart.  The audience is being let in on the ritual by the lead character or a reluctant accomplice.  I really wanted it to be mood driven and the lack of dialogue helps with that but it also forces the audience to pay more attention.”

That’s also where the film’s amazing score comes into play.  Schooley, who composed the music for every section of the film except Fondue was a composition student and playing in an ambient band when Langen met him, and because he was a student at the time, he had access to score the film with actual musicians and instruments rather than relying solely on synthesized music.  The overall effect of cellos, violins, guitars,drums and piano gives 3 Dead Trick or Treaters an aural quality one often doesn’t find in micro-budget independent films and adds even more to the intensity of each scene.

“The music did so much of the speaking for the characters,” Langen explained.  “It worked as an extension to their emotions with upswings in tone in moments of surprise and slowly building themes for their dread.”

The two together, with a set of actors that I still can’t believe aren’t trained professionals, were able to create something so unique that it is hard to classify, but I hope we’ll see more of it in the future.

For now, 3 Dead Trick or Treaters is making the rounds on the festival circuit.  Langen has also arranged viewings of the film around the world in various art galleries and underground theaters in places like Singapore, Japan, and Shanghai.  For a complete listing of where the film will be playing, visit Langen’s website!

3 Dead Trick or Treaters (2017) – Official Trailer from Torin Langen on Vimeo.

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The Original ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Had an Interesting Location

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beetlejuice in Hawaii Movie

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s sequels to hit movies weren’t as linear as they are today. It was more like “let’s re-do the situation but in a different location.” Remember Speed 2, or National Lampoon’s European Vacation? Even Aliens, as good as it is, follows a lot of the plot points of the original; people stuck on a ship, an android, a little girl in peril instead of a cat. So it makes sense that one of the most popular supernatural comedies of all time, Beetlejuice would follow the same pattern.

In 1991 Tim Burton was interested in doing a sequel to his 1988 original, it was called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian:

“The Deetz family moves to Hawaii to develop a resort. Construction begins, and it’s quickly discovered that the hotel will be sitting on top of an ancient burial ground. Beetlejuice comes in to save the day.”

Burton liked the script but wanted some re-writes so he asked then-hot screenwriter Daniel Waters who had just got done contributing to Heathers. He passed on the opportunity so producer David Geffen offered it to Troop Beverly Hills scribe Pamela Norris to no avail.

Eventually, Warner Bros. asked Kevin Smith to punch up Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, he scoffed at the idea, saying, “Didn’t we say all we needed to say in the first Beetlejuice? Must we go tropical?”

Nine years later the sequel was killed. The studio said Winona Ryder was now too old for the part and an entire re-cast needed to happen. But Burton never gave up, there were a lot of directions he wanted to take his characters, including a Disney crossover.

“We talked about lots of different things,” the director said in Entertainment Weekly. “That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted MansionBeetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up.”

Fast-forward to 2011 when another script was pitched for a sequel. This time the writer of Burton’s Dark Shadows,  Seth Grahame-Smith was hired and he wanted to make sure the story wasn’t a cash-grabbing remake or reboot. Four years later, in 2015, a script was approved with both Ryder and Keaton saying they would return to their respective roles. In 2017 that script was revamped and then eventually shelved in 2019.

During the time the sequel script was being tossed around in Hollywood, in 2016 an artist named Alex Murillo posted what looked like one-sheets for a Beetlejuice sequel. Although they were fabricated and had no affiliation with Warner Bros. people thought they were real.

Perhaps the virality of the artwork sparked interest in a Beetlejuice sequel once again, and finally, it was confirmed in 2022 Beetlejuice 2 had a green light from a script written by Wednesday writers  Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The star of that series Jenna Ortega signed on to the new movie with filming starting in 2023. It was also confirmed that Danny Elfman would return to do the score.

Burton and Keaton agreed that the new film titled Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice wouldn’t rely on CGI or other other forms of technology. They wanted the film to feel “handmade.” The film wrapped in November 2023.

It’s been over three decades to come up with a sequel to Beetlejuice. Hopefully, since they said aloha to Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian there has been enough time and creativity to ensure Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will not only honor the characters, but fans of the original.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will open theatrically on September 6.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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