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Hulu’s “Castle Rock” is a Stephen King Fan’s Nightmare Come True

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Sissy Spacek in Castle Rock

Castle Rock. It’s only a small imaginary town in Maine, right?

The imagination that gave birth to the little town belongs to none other than Stephen King, however, so rest assured that “ordinary” this place is not. Like other locales the author has created over the years, the quaint homes and smiling inhabitants of Castle Rock know the truth of the dangers that lie in the dark.

It has witnessed the horrors of Needful Things and survived the arrival of George Stark in The Dark Half, after all, and that’s quite a lot on its own, but Hulu’s brand new series, aptly titled Castle Rock, seeks to dig deeper into the quiet town and the ties that bind it together and to the rest of King’s universe.

As such, it’s a veritable repository of Easter Eggs for fans of King’s novels and short stories, some, not all, of which will be talked about here. (We have to leave something for you to find, right?)

It all begins at Shawshank Prison…

Yes, that Shawshank Prison. Warden Dale Lacy (Terry O’Quinn) is being forced into retirement from his post after decades of faithful service. The next day, he wakes up, spends a little time with his wife, and then goes out to the local quarry and kills himself in one of the most brutal ways I’ve ever witnessed on television.

Naturally, everyone is shocked until prison guards discover a young man (Bill Skarsgard) who has been kept by Lacy in what could reasonably be called an oubliette in an abandoned ward of the prison.

After they clean him up, he will only speak the words “Henry Deaver” which just happens to be the name of a lawyer (Andre Holland) who grew up in Castle Rock and who was at the center of his own mystery in his youth there. He now travels the country fighting for the rights of those who have been sentenced to death.

Deaver, of course, returns home to find that things are not as he left them.

His adoptive mother Ruth (Sissy Spacek), who is suffering from the onset of dementia, is living with former Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn). If Alan Pangborn sounds familiar to you, it’s because he was the sheriff of Castle Rock when the devilish Leland Gaunt opened his antique shop there and the character has previously been played on the big screen by Michael Rooker in The Dark Half and Ed Harris in the film adaptation of Needful Things.

Deaver soon finds himself in the midst of an ever-growing mystery with the unlikely and often unwanted aid of his former neighbor, Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey), who just happens to be psychically gifted.

Executive producer J.J. Abrams and a stellar writing team including Sam Shaw have painstakingly researched King’s body of work creating an atmosphere and story from the author’s building blocks that feels like it could have been created from his own hand.

Some of the aforementioned Easter Eggs are pretty blatant. The latest trailer gives us a glimpse of Juniper Hill Asylum, for instance.

Readers of King’s novels will remember the hospital from its mention in several of King’s books. Henry Bowers (IT), Nettie Cobb (Needful Things), Raymond Joubert the Space Cowboy (Gerald’s Game), and Charles Pickering (Insomnia) were all patients at Juniper Hill.

Others are pretty well hidden in character surnames, old newspaper headlines, and lines of dialogue that only the active listener will catch which is further proof of the creative team’s dedication to the material.

A measured portion of the success of the series comes in its casting. Many of the actors and actresses involved are no stranger to Stephen King adaptations, and they bring a certain level of expertise in interpretation of his work to their acting here.

Sissy Spacek, of course, is the Carrie White from de Palma’s 1978 film version of Carrie, and her Ruth is the epitome of vulnerable matriarchal strength, holding onto the life she’s known even as it fades in her memory.

Castle Rock — Ruth Deaver (Sissy Spacek), shown. (Photo by: Art Streiber/Hulu)

Bill Skarsgard, meanwhile, creates a character that is more sinister and terrifying than even his role as Pennywise the Clown in last year’s IT adaptation. There is something unnerving in his wide-eyed faux innocence as the as yet unnamed “Shawshank prisoner”. He needs no flashy makeup or razor sharp teeth here.

His stare alone will do you in and the effect he has on those around him will leave you speechless by the end of episode four.

Castle Rock — Shawshank Prisoner (Bill Skarsgard), shown. (Photo by: Art Streiber/Hulu)

And then there’s Melanie Lynskey who many will remember from her starring turn in King’s epic haunted house mini-series “Rose Red”. Lynskey plays Molly in a way that is both endearing and cringeworthy as we watch her self-medicate in an attempt to tone down her telepathic abilities and we sympathize with the fact that she is inextricably drawn to Henry Deaver, no matter how hard she tries to fight their connection.

Castle Rock — Molly Strand (Melanie Lynskey), shown. (Photo by: Art Streiber/Hulu)

Andre Holland as Henry is central to the series, of course, and while this is the actor’s first foray into the world of Stephen King, it is hardly his first appearance in the genre. Among his many credits, he appeared in “American Horror Story: Roanoke” and his performance on Castle Rock is both layered and believable.

Castle Rock — Henry Deaver (Andre Holland), shown. (Photo by: Art Streiber/Hulu)

Of course, as in any good King story, the town itself is a character all its own, and viewers are never given a moment to forget that its shadows hide secrets that are most certainly darker than your own hometown…or are they?

That’s the ultimate beauty of a Stephen King story, you see. Any little faceless town could be Castle Rock with its peculiar denizens, scary ghost stories, and enough scandal to tire out the most dedicated small-town gossip.

Much like the town of Castle Rock, itself, the series seems to hold its breath amidst the tension of its own story as if waiting for the worst to happen. Each scene builds upon the last, slowly creating a mystery that begs to be solved even as the audience fears the solution.

Castle Rock is set to debut on Hulu on July 25, 2018. Check out the new trailer below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXsKCQenpt0

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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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