The story surrounds Michael Frank who has been living alone in a post apocalyptic world for some time. He tries to cope with his new existence by searching for a cure that will end the zombie outbreak. One day, he comes across a newly mutated specimen that he uses to experiment a new drug on–Chemical 12-D. Will this lead him to the answers he has been searching for?

This 7 minute short captures the absolute despair felt by its characters with a strong performance from Bill Stoneking in the lead of Michael Frank. The score by Rob Davis is perfectly understated with all the right emotional triggers. There are some interesting details throughout the film such as Frank’s ‘lab coat’ that has an embroidered name tag reading ‘Frank’–insinuating he was formerly a butcher or something other than what the zombie outbreak has forced him to become, a fly by night scientist desperate for answers. There’s enough gore to keep the gorehounds entertained, but the story is far more interesting. Eldridge’s focus on the face, hands and gestures of the film’s characters is poetic and sorrowful; a perfect compliment to what has become an almost mundane but still highly emotional journey at the story’s focus.

Chemical 12-D is available for only 8 bucks (including shipping and taxes) online and I highly recommend picking up a copy today. Zombie, horror or indie film fans will find this gem a great addition to their collection. Let me know what you think and spread the word.

Images © Mac Eldridge and used with permission

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Geretta Geretta started her career as an off-Broadway actress in New York City but eventually moved to Italy where she had a full-time acting career. It was there she met Bava and Argento who worked with her on Demons, but she was no newbie to the horror scene.

“I have always loved horror it was my Mom’s favorite type of film and back in the day there were still ‘Fright Night’ channels  so I grew up watching all kinds of things go bump in the night,” Geretta recently told me.

Her experiences with the Italian directors were inspiring and led to a lifelong friendship.

“They were gracious guys and [treated] everyone so well,” she said. “I still hang with Lamberto Bava at the odd Fangoria convention I’ll attend or we do Q & A like at the New Beverly Cinema in L.A. and Grindhouse fests. Dario and I are Facebook friends.”

After working in Italy, Geretta moved to Los Angeles where she graduated from The American Film Institute’s MFA screenwriting program and took a turn behind the camera as a director for a number of shorts. Ireland was her next spot on the globe where she lived for two years, interning with the award-winning film collective Northern Visions and taught a number of writing seminars. She received a number of grants to further her work and was the first American to receive the Northern Ireland Film Council Study Grant. She completed her film Sweetiecakes in 2001 while attending the University College Dublin’s program and was a producer for Ulster Television–appearing in a series called Geretta Geretta looks at…

I asked her what some of the biggest differences were in working with American vs. European directors and cast members.

“On the indie level in Europe most of the actors are sort of doing it as a ‘lark’ which effects professionalism where as most American actors pretty much show up ready to go and do what they are told. On the other hand, Americans hound you forever about the ‘premiere,’ ‘their shots’ and more of the ‘business side,’ yet don’t really have a clue about how almost impossible it is to make any film outside of the studio system. And, hey, fair enough; I’m the Producer. That’s my worry. Not the talent’s.”

Geretta’s experience as a globetrotter was vital to writing, directing and producing 100 Voices Against Apartheid, a collection of 150 anti-segregation testimonials from Odessa, Billy Bragg, Miriam Makeba, Roberto Benigni, Run DMC, Public Enemy and more. Since then, her work has been featured in film festivals all over the world, including the Melbourne Underground Festival where she won Best Female Director for Sweetiecakes.

Though her film projects have run the gamut, Geretta still has a fondness for horror audiences. ”[They're] all the same, the best in the freaking universe and loyal as hell! (or heaven),” she jokes.

Some of her favorite horror movies include The Hunger, 30 Days of Night, The Sentinel, Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein, Love at First Bite, The Others, The Fog with Jamie Lee Curtis and the original Nosferatu. She’s currently working on a film called Seamens, a modern version of Demons. I look forward to seeing what this horror maven has to offer next so stay tuned!

Say hi to Geretta Geretta on her website or follow her on Twitter.

Images © Geretta Geretta and used with permission

Post from: Screamstress

There’s a new web series on the horizon and director Michael Flores of Cazador Productions is at the helm. His production company offers a range of services for the independent film community and now he will contribute his own project–”…[a] supernatural western that combines realism with surrealism.” Western X is a 13-part web series that will be released March 2010. In the meantime, check out a trailer for the series posted below.

On the plains of a desert wasteland, a man known only as X is on the verge of death. Among a pile of dead bodies he awakens, with no memories of his past and hunted by an unknown enemy, he struggles to uncover the truth behind his identity; this is the beginning of his journey. Each episode uncovers some truth about who he is and sheds light on the strange world he finds himself in.

I had the opportunity to speak with Michael to find out more about the series, talk about horror and ‘cat litter.’

How did you get started as a filmmaker?

I’ve always loved movies; it has always been a thing for me. When I was very young I use to put my family through hell when watching movies because I would rewind certain scenes over and over just to see how they did something or I would notice something going on that others didn’t…it was an obsession. I wish I could say I’ve grown out of it but I still rewind scenes no matter who’s watching the movie with me.

I’ve written short stories since I was twelve or so but never really pursued it until much later in life. I began writing my first script when I was managing a fitness facility; there was a lot of down time so I filled the boredom with honing my craft. Eventually I made the hard decision to leave my comfortable career where I was making very good money and pursue something that made more sense to me. The decision was tough because I was afraid of failing and afraid of the uncertainties, oddly enough the timing couldn’t have been better, my ex-wife and I just got divorced and I had nothing to lose. So I decided this was it.

I love the Western/supernatural theme of the show. Can you talk a little bit about the origins of the show’s mythology?

The mythology of the show is based heavily on pagan and biblical beliefs. I took pieces of  biblical myth and ancient pagan teachings to create the basis of what makes this world “tick”, for example the three Bounty Hunters in the series are actually named after the fallen angels talked about in the Book of Enoch (a book of the bible not commonly accepted to be part of the bible canon). This specific book is actually very interesting and supernaturally. So I plan on tying similarities of different beliefs back to biblical beliefs and creating a unique and original feel.

Because of the nature of the web series, it will take time to really delve into the mysticism right away but it will always be there within the subtext. At its core Western X is a western but the world itself is very different from any other western ever scene.

Why a Western?

Westerns have always been one of my favorite genres and they have a wide appeal. It was important for me to find a genre that would be able to break any domestic appeal garnered and hopefully allure international viewers as well, after all the world wide web makes it easy to get the show in front of international audiences too. The western genre as been tried and true, a genre proven to appeal to world wide audiences, so it made sense not only because I loved the genre but because the world did as well.

Was it important for you to stay true to history in terms of the costumes, sets, props, etc. or did you take liberties with those things?

No. I wanted to be true to the Western “look” but being time accurate wasn’t important because the story takes place in a time not really stated—don’t want to give away too much. So I was able to take some liberties but not anything crazy that would piss off the casual first-time viewer of the series. Once the world has been established I won’t mind taking a few more liberties. One obvious liberty taken is the introduction of the militant army known as the Black Coats, an army that will closely resemble the confederacy mixed with a little Third Reich. I wanted to tell a story without restrictions.

Are you a horror fan? What are some of your favorite movies?

When asked if I’m a horror fan my answer is always, “I’m not a horror fan—but I am a horror fan,” It’s a love hate relationship when it comes to the horror genre. I absolutely love it, I just wish the genre would create a little more quality projects. I’m a huge fan of Rob Zombie, despite the hate he has gotten recently for the Halloween remakes, I think he’s getting it right for sure; he has a great handle on the genre. To me the dude is a film geek stuck in a badass rock star’s body.

My favorite movie? That’s such a tough question because I have so many favorites, but here is a brief condensed list: Twilight….no just joking. A Clockwork Orange, Brick, The Star Wars Films, The Devils Rejects, Once Upon a Time in The West, The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Hostel, Kill Bill, Blade Runner, Taxi Driver, Vertigo, Sin City, Dark City, Army of Darkness, The Evil Dead, The God Father, No Country For Old Men, Oldboy, Escape from New York, The Thing and The Great Silence. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The production value is great and you really achieve a strong mood and atmosphere. Did you use any major special effects and how involved was the shooting? Any fun stories?

Thank you. The biggest undertaking in terms of special effects was the miniature we created, I really wanted to create a world that was unique and a landscape that hasn’t been seen before and the best option was to actually build a miniature model set. The set being 8’x8’ ended up taking close to eight months to build, but it all ended up paying off, the shots we got ended up coming out fantastic. Also, because of the uniqueness of the story, some of the scenes called for sets that were tough to come by, so much of what you see in trailer were shot in front of a green screen.

The only funny thing that happened was when my cat jumped onto model and used it has a cat box….that wasn’t fun to clean up.

What drew you to the web series format?

It’s the future; maybe not in the form that it is in now, but something very similar. Everything is moving towards the Internet and sites like Blip.tv, Hulu, and Youtube are the networks of the future.

What advice would you offer other web series creators?

Take your time, don’t rush your project, and focus on original content. Make sure when you release your first bit of footage that it is truly displaying all your hours of hard work. Also stay involved with the social networking sites, there is so much to gain from building a strong community of friends.

Are there any other projects in the works?

I’m actually writing another web series and I’m currently shopping around a spec script that happens to be a horror/action film. [sweet!]

You can keep up to date with Michael on Twitter and while you’re at it follow the show too. Please check out the Western X website for further details and a look at the cast and crew. I’m digging the Black Coat uniform. Yeah I’m Captain Obvious. Don’t judge me. Some nice things happening in this trailer–what do you think so far?

Post from: Screamstress

Steven Holiday started Gothic Beauty as an Internet group and since then it has expanded into an all-knowing dark enterprise. Steven’s lovely henchwoman Ruby helps run the magazine in Portland, Oregon and despite having only two staff people, Gothic Beauty is distributed to readers world-wide. Respect.

Issue #29 just became available and features Jessica Louise Clothing, Folks Clothing, Gloomth, Dollmaker Christy Kane, Artist Adam Wallacavage, Gothic Gardening (Part 2), Jillian Venters’ Gothic Charm School, Crude Things, PopTart’s Picks and interviews with the designers from Black Peace Now and Baby The Stars Shine Bright. There are also music interviews with Lacuna Coil, Collide and Black Tape for a Blue Girl –plus music, book and product reviews.

I’ve been a long time fan of the magazine and want to spread the love. I am offering three lucky readers a chance to win a 4 issue subscription to Gothic Beauty Magazine (starting with issue #29).

CONTEST DETAILS

I will pick a winner on Monday, November 30 at 7 PM/ET via www.random.org

US and Canada residents only

To win a FREE 4 issue subscription to Gothic Beauty Magazine you must:

1. Leave a comment for 1 entry (use a valid email addy so I can contact the winner).

2. Tweet the following for 2 entries:

Visit @thescreamstress to win a 4 issue subscription to @GothicBeautyMag go to http://bit.ly/7GUDqo every day to enter #gothic #contest

One comment per person, per day. Visit every day to leave a comment/Tweet to increase your chances of winning. Good luck!

Image © Gothic Beauty Magazine and used with permission

Post from: Screamstress

The series was created by Matthew Mercer (There Will be Brawl) and Jack Conway (who also happens to tweet pic previews of the show). The Last Girl is played by Ginger Marie Rogers who you will also recognize from There Will be Brawl. Both Mercer and Conway have written the screenplay for the feature film LAN Party Massacre which is currently in pre-production.

Episode 1 of Fear News is posted below so check it out and let me know what you think. Episdoe 2 sports some creepy toys that have a mind of their own. Watch it here.

Image: FEARnet

Post from: Screamstress

From ye olde Wikipedia: Giallo is an Italian 20th century genre of literature and film, which in Italian indicates crime fiction and mystery. In the English language, however, it is used in a broader meaning that is closer to the French fantastique genre, including elements of horror and eroticism.
The word giallo is Italian for “yellow” and stems from the origin of the genre as a series of cheap paperback novels with trademark yellow covers.

The new generation of giallo filmmakers continue to expand upon its unique presence in cinematic history. Giallo is ever growing and evolving but has always been a hybrid of genres, most notably, horror, thriller and detective story. Stylish and seductive, giallo is an elaborate and symbolic exploration into a world of dreams and nightmares.

Italian screenwriter and director, Davide Melini, has made an admirable contribution to giallo film in a new short film, only 5 minutes long. That’s almost no surprise considering he worked as an Assistant Director on Dario Argento’s The Mother of Tears. He also comes from a family of acting and filmmaking professionals, steeped in Italian cinema. His new short, The Puzzle, made the festival rounds and was included in 14 final spots, including a 3rd place win at the Rome International Film Festival. He is currently working on a new short, The Sweet Hand of the White Rose. If that title isn’t giallo I don’t know what is.

In The Puzzle, A woman refuses to give money to her son and afterwards decides to relax with her favorite pastime–making puzzles. However, this simple table game hides strange features that turn her peaceful night into a nightmare.

Melini achieves all the intensity and the trademarks of giallo with dramatic lighting, a creepy score, and floating camerawork which lends a dreamy quality. We even see a gloved hand! There is some nice symbolic imagery, like a shot of a stove top range–which at first almost resembles a red rope. Melini opts for fast cuts and a more frantic pace to illustrate this dark tale which could be a result of the film’s length (it only took one night to shoot), but feels appropriate and intentional.

Since the film is short, I don’t want to divulge all the details, but there are some striking moments and Melini does an excellent job building tension. In only 5 minutes, Melini has created something far more interesting than most of what Hollywood has to offer. I’m hopeful he can achieve the same in a full length feature. Check out the short below and let me know what you think. Please visit Melini’s website for more information.

Post from: Screamstress

Director Richard Ledes is playing it smart. He’s only giving audiences a small taste of his latest film, Foreclosure. So far we know that the story surrounds a broken family trying to stay together while a curse and the ghosts of a haunted house try to tear them apart. “If [people] feel I leave them too much in the dark, please realize that is ultimately my intent,” says Ledes about the film. “My goal is for them to feel the experience was worth it by the time final credits roll,” he explains.

Ledes has been intriguing audiences since his first feature, A Hole in One, premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival in 2003. The New York City based filmmaker and writer has worked with some of the most interesting names in Hollywood, including Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams, Frank Langella, Elliot Gould, Laura Harring and Meat Loaf. His film, The Caller, won the ‘Made in New York’ award at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Ledes to find out a little bit more about his upcoming feature, Foreclosure. You can watch a teaser trailer for the film below, which was recently released by Rot and Decay Films. Visit the film’s website for more information.

The marketplace is flooded with stories about the paranormal, hauntings and possessions. How does Foreclosure stand out in the crowd?

At its best, Horror puts us in touch with what is beyond our control and the sense that the repetition of our everyday experience is a thin sheet of ice through which we can fall at anytime. We are ambivalent about this possible loss of control and loss of our regular routines, at  the same time craving it and dreading it. This is both a universal condition of our modernity and a unique one that inflicts each of us in a way just as particular as our worse nightmares. The trick is to capture both the universal and the particular in a well-told story brought to life by exceptional performances, a great score and sound design and great cinematography. This is what we are striving for. As the title “Foreclosure” suggests, we think our story is timely.

Is the film focused on the psychological/human response to the paranormal or is this just an out right ghost story?

For me personally the psychological response of the living to ghosts is what is fascinating. As the poet John Milton wrote:

The mind is its own place, and in itself

Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.

Was the real estate market crisis an inspiration for the story?

Absolutely. Isolation is intrinsic to the sense of horror in the film. The isolation felt by the characters in our story is created through the effect of foreclosures on the neighborhood in which they live.

You show Caravaggio’s The Sacrifice of Isaac in the teaser trailer. Is there a biblical element to the storyline?

The story of the father driven to kill his son, which has inspired such films as Kubrick’s The Shining and Nicholas Ray’s Bigger Than Life is key to my own film. It is fully appropriate that Kierkegaard named the book he wrote about the story Fear and Trembling.  If we include the character of Huckleberry Finn barely escaping with his life from his father’s drunken rage in Mark Twain’s book by the same name, then we can start to see the way in which it is a story fundamental to American culture.

Who is the chilling voice in the teaser?

That is the voice of Bill Raymond, the actor who played the lobotomy doctor in my first film, A Hole In One. We are still working out scheduling buy my hope and expectation is that Bill will be part of the cast of Foreclosure.

What location are you shooting at? Will you be exploring any actual abandoned properties?

We’re still looking at locations in various parts of the United States. Many of them are abandoned properties–often reclaimed under the radar of the banks or police.

You used a composition from Robert Miller for the teaser score. I really liked his score for Teeth–it was somewhat unexpected. Will he continue on for the film as well?

Robert Miller and I collaborated on my last film, The Caller. We had a great time and were both pleased by the results. We’re looking forward to working together again.

Stay tuned for more details from Richard Ledes about Foreclosure, which is slated to begin shooting March 2010.

Post from: Screamstress

“At its core, BITCH SLAP follows three bad girls (a down-and-out stripper, a drug-running killer and a corporate powerbroker) as they arrive at a remote desert hideaway to extort and steal $200 Million in diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin.  Things quickly spin out of control as allegiances change, truths are revealed, other criminals arrive for the score, the fate of the world hangs in the balance and they are forced to confront a villain much worse than they ever expected… themselves.  It’s the ultimate morality tale as, one by one, they realize the whole she-bang was a set-up and one of them may not even be human…

What also makes BITCH SLAP different is a complicated “B” story device that runs throughout the film to illuminate character, backstory and relationship histories not previously revealed.  Like the film Memento, these scene flashbacks take place in reverse, so by the end of the film, you have a wholly different take on who these women are and why they are behaving so badly.  Bet you never saw THAT in Jailbait Babysitter!”

Check out this interview with the girls from Bitch Slap by fellow b5 blogger Jane Boursaw at Film Gecko. You can watch the new trailer here. Ridiculous fun or just plain old ridiculous?

Image: IM Global and Epic Slap

Post from: Screamstress

Written by David Hine (Civil War: X-Men, Spider-Man Noir, Arkham Asylum) and featuring the art of Roy Allan Martinez and Wayne Nichols, FVZA is being put out by Radical Publishing and is being packaged as their new “Bigger Books! Bigger Value!” format. Each issue of FVZA contains more than 60 pages for only $4.99. That’s more than two issues worth of story and art. DEAL.

Based on the popular FVZA.org website, created by Richard S. Dargan, FVZA: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency chronicles a world where a deadly disease brings on global terrorism and transforms innocent victims into zombies. A long dormant government task force is called into action: the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency. Throughout history, from the Civil War to World War II, the FVZA protected humanity from the blood-sucking, flesh-eating hordes–until a cure was discovered that sent the undead to their graves. When a new incurable strain of the virus ravages a small town in America, Agent Landra Pecos must call upon her lethal skills to eradicate the threat. But as Landra delves deeper into her investigation of the undead menace, she uncovers shocking secrets that will change her life forever.

Post from: Screamstress

Virologists at the Jean Mérieux/INSERM facility are trying to determine if the two viruses might reassort to create a disease with the worst properties of both. They hope by doing this that researchers will be able to predict the behavior of future pandemics. As one would expect, the lab is high-security and before researchers can even begin working, they must pass a three-week training course. They are never allowed inside the lab alone and are limited to working a maximum of one four-hour shift a day to avoid making fatigue errors. You can read more about the project here.

Let the countdown to zombies begin…

Image Source: Newscom

Post from: Screamstress