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Tony Todd and Mick Garris: Two Horror Icons, One Birthday

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December 4th might seem like just any other day, but horror fans have two reasons to celebrate the day. Tony Todd and Mick Garris, two men who have helped shape the modern face of horror, were born, three years apart, today.

Garris, born in 1951, was already making 8 mm films on his own by the time his parents divorced when he was 12 years old. He moved with his mother to the San Fernando Valley where he cultivated his taste in both films and music which would later serve him as he began to write about both.

By 1980, he was directing “making of” featurettes for films like The Howling and The Thing, further honing his skills an interviewer for which he is also deservedly well known.

By the end of the decade, this genre Renaissance man had written for “Tales from the Crypt” and “Amazing Stories” as well as Psycho IV: The Beginning, which he also directed.

Todd, meanwhile, was carving his own path. The 6’5″ actor was born December 4, 1954 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Hartford, Connecticut where he began to study theater.

After two years at the University of Connecticut, he received a scholarship to study at the Eugene O’Neill National Actors Theatre Institute, and it seemed there was nothing he could not do.

In 1986, Todd made his feature film debut in Sleepwalk, a fantasy film directed by Sara Driver.

Could either man have known what the changing of decades between would bring?

Garris found himself in the director’s chair in a growing working relationship with Stephen King directing the big screen release Sleepwalkers before taking the reins on the mini-series adaptations of King’s The Stand and The Shining. It was during this time that he also wrote the story on which Hocus Pocus was based.

Gary Sinise and Molly Ringwald in Mick Garris’ adaptation of The Stand

Todd, whose voice and stature seemed ready made for genre work, began the 90s with a began, starring as Ben in the remake of Night of the Living Dead. He then took on titular role in Candyman, the big screen adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Forbidden, co-starring Virginia Madsen.

Tony Todd was the Candyman!

As the 2000s dawned, Todd took on the recurring role of Bludworth, the menacing undertaker in the Final Destination franchise, and Garris was directing Riding the Bullet. The two men had, at this point, circled each other professionally for quite some time, but had yet to collaborate on a project.

That didn’t happen until Garris developed the Masters of Horror television series, an anthology series with genre legends like John Carpenter, John Landis, Stuart Gordon, and Garris himself each directing their own one-off episodes.

It was in this series that Garris and Todd finally combined their considerable talents to create the episode titled “Valerie on the Stairs” based on a story by Clive Barker.

Garris wrote and directed the episode and Todd made an appearance as The Beast in the terrifying tale of a novelist despairing over her anonymity who finds that there are far more serious things to fear.

Since that time, the two have continued their busy careers with Garris writing and directing as well as producing his Post Mortem Podcast in which he interviews the men and women who have helped shape the genre and Todd working almost without stopping between television, film, and theater.

It has been more than a decade since “Valerie on the Stairs”, though, and we here at iHorror wonder when the two might find themselves on the same project again!

Until then, we wish both Tony Todd and Mick Garris a happy birthday, and we encourage our readers to revisit both men’s work to celebrate this auspicious day. We certain will be!

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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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