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Interview: ‘Scary Stories’ Documentary Director Cody Meirick

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Scary Stories Cody Meirick

One of the first things that Cody Meirick would like you to know is that he, in fact, did not direct the big screen adaptation of Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

That film is produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by André Øvredal.

Meirick, on the other hand, spent the last five years of his life creating a documentary called Scary Stories about the the trilogy of books that opened doors for an entire generation to the world of things that go bump in the night.

When he first decided to begin work on Scary Stories, his first full-length documentary, he admits he wasn’t entirely sure how to get from point A to point B. He only knew that it was going to be a lot of work and he was ready to commit.

“I had a background in producing web content that had to do with children’s literature,” he said. “I could see that this [Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark] was a title that had a huge following. People talk a lot about the books, but I could see they didn’t know a lot about how they were created. They also didn’t know how much the books were challenged in the 90s. When you juxtapose those things, that’s a great story!”

How to go about telling that story was the real task, and he admits one of the challenges was to not over-simplify it. He also freely admits that it’s not a totally balanced film.

“A percentage of the documentary is a celebration of the books,” Meirick pointed out. “I also wanted to point out that books, in general, are still being challenged. It’s something that’s still going on and we should be talking about that.”

To spotlight the challenges that this particular set of books faced, Meirick went back to the 90s and one particular case that made national news.

As a final element, he also began to reach out to artists, musicians, and other creatives whose work had been inspired by the books and who continue to create based on Scwartz’s storytelling and Stephen Gammell’s illustrations, and he says that this was one way that stretching the project out over five years actually aided him.

“I really started building an audience on social media from the beginning,” he said. “People have followed the project. They’ve reached out to me about it. They’ve shown me their work. I really got to know my audience, and I was able to naturally frame the story of the documentary with three things: the illustrations, the stories, and the controversy.”

It was also during this process that he contacted Shane Hunt to create animations for the documentary, though he wasn’t sure at first what to animate. There was no way for him to fully animate the stories, and he wasn’t sure that shorter animations would benefit the film ultimately.

The spark of inspiration finally came when he heard a story from a particular librarian whose school had asked her to remove the books from the library’s shelves, a decision which she disagreed with wholeheartedly.

“Telling that story was pertinent to telling the story of the documentary,” Meirick explained. “And I suddenly thought we could animate her story! So, we segmented it out and it turned out to be a great way to give our audience a story that they probably didn’t know that was still important to the project.”

Hunt’s animation perfectly evokes Gammell’s illustrations with creepy overtones to what might otherwise be straightforward storytelling making those animated sequences compelling and tonally perfect for the documentary.

With all the pieces in place, Meirick was able to create a documentary that is more balanced, I think, than even he realized.

Scary Stories is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, and is also available finally on DVD. CLICK HERE to order a copy and get ready for the journey into Cody Meirick’s brilliant documentary.

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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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