News
[EXCLUSIVE] ‘The Muffin Man’ is a Gory Throwback to Grindhouse Horror
Tarantino and Rodriguez may have popularized the whole meta experience by putting fake coming attractions inside actual movies when they released Grindhouse, but Ethan Blum has whipped up something just as sweet with his latest short-disguised-as-a-trailer for The Muffin Man.
You can watch the entire short right here on iHorror.
The Muffin Man is made from a dozen or more real Easter eggs referencing other iconic films and the oh-so-bad dialogue of B-horror movies from three decades ago. Ethan has made a love letter to those who are passionate about practical gore, bad puns and creepy cartoonish villains.
Partially inspired by a past cinematic trend in which horror films incorporated a sing-song nursery rhyme to go with their sadistic monsters, The Muffin Man borrows from a melodic Victorian guessing game.
“I actually came up with the concept of The Muffin Man about ten years ago just thinking about how many horror trailers have some version of ‘creepy kids singing,'” says Ethan who notes Nightmare on Elm St.’s: One. Two. Freddy’s coming for you song as an inspiration. “So I tried to think of a kids song that would be funny, and with The Muffin Man song you get this ready-made character that just works perfectly.”
You also get muffinized versions of monster classics like Hellraiser and Phantasm. Yes, you read that right.
Inspiration also came from Ethan’s childhood where he was fascinated with the frivolous saturation of the genre, a time when even Emmy winning TV actors fought for the chance to be hyperbolic horror movie villains.
“I grew up watching horror from the late 80s-early 90s,” he says, “which I feel like was the beginning of the era where seemingly anything could be made into a horror villain like Ice Cream Man, The Dentist, Uncle Sam, and one of the biggest Muffin Man inspirations – Dr. Giggles.”
Needless to say with all this talent and inspiration, The Muffin Man gets it right even down to hair and makeup. And during its award-winning festival tour there is one bloody scene that kept festival audiences talking for hours afterward.
iHorror has your exclusive first-look at The Muffin Man, so get ready to take one horrific trip down Drury Lane.
The Muffin Man is directed by Ethan Blum, with SFX Supervisor, Mr. Dead. Hair and makeup by Alan Rowe Kelly and VFX by Joe Fennimore.
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Movies
Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed
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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News
Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween
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.
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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Movies
’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power
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.
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.
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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