5 Serial Killer Movies You May Have Not Yet Seen (and Should) #3 I Saw The Devil (2010)

There's no secret that some of our favorite horror movies deal with those creepy bastards that stalk us and want to do unspeakably horrible things to us. From 'Psycho' to 'Hannibal' they have endeared us with their quirkiness, style, and finesse. With glorious one liners and clever kills, they are a fascination both in fiction and reality. Hell, how do think the Creepercast got its name? Speaking of how we got our name, two of the films on this list helped make Creepercast great and connected us with amazing film makers and actors we now call friends. So, without further pontificating, here are 5 serial killer films we believe deserve your attention a little more than the rest...

I Saw The Devil (2010)

On a dark road, a taxi driver comes across a scared female motorist stranded in a broken-down vehicle. He pulls over -- but not to help her. When the woman's head is discovered in a local river, her devastated fiancé, a trained secret agent, becomes obsessed with hunting down her killer. Once he finds him, things get twisted. After brutally beating the murderer, Kim lets him go free, and a demented game of cat and mouse begins.

A tale of murder and revenge from Korean genre master KIM Jee-woon. Oldboy's CHOI Min-sik as our serial killer and Lee Byung-hun who has continued to have martial arts fame. There are several aspects of this film that place it above all others. The most important being the blurred line between revenge and torture for the fun of it making the hero appear a lot like the killer. The other important element is the behind the scenes life of a serial killer and the fringe culture they may have if they did co-habitate, swap stories, and give each other tips and tricks to better their killing experiences. I dare you to not switch sides often while watching!

A Terror Time Out: The Monster Squad (1987)

One of our favorite aspects of horror films is the way they make us feel with a single still frame. Here is your weekly Terror Time Out with a still and one line review to tickle your scary bones.

Classic monsters invade the 80's and bring us a Halloween celebration staple!

my thoughts on.... 'Jack Goes Home'

As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....

I literally have no idea where to begin with this review. When 'Jack Goes Home' ended, I turned off the TV and asked myself, “What in the heck did I just watch?” It was difficult to discern the different bits that were tangled up in the larger masses of confusion and questions. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but not a typical movie going experience. There were so many things going in during the run time of the film, but at the same time, it was a fairly simple and straight forward tale. What sets it apart from similar themed outings like this, was the way that it was told. Not unlike the morality tales of old or the twisted fables of the Brother's Grimm, 'Jack Goes Home' took something very literal and made it into something absurd. The next thing I thought to myself after I'd turned off the television was, “What can I write about this film, without giving away the major beats of the plot or ruining what it set out to do?” I still don't know if I have an answer just yet, for that. It's been two days since I finished this and I'm still waiting on all of my thoughts and opinions to settle down, so I can formulate an actual review. This is THAT kind of film and they don't come along too often.

Written and directed by Thomas Dekker, this is his second feature film. I'm primarily familiar with Mr. Dekkar for his roles as in actor in such films as, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (2010) or the 'Laid to Rest' franchise. He's a very recognizable face and not one I would normally associate with working behind the lens. He proves, with 'Jack Goes Home', that he has skills as a writer and director and has some interesting things to come, I'm sure. The film itself, is very well paced, put together and unique. Starring Britt Robertson ('Tomorrowland') as Cleo, Natasha Lyonne ('American Pie') as Nancy, Nikki Reed (the 'Twilight' films) as Crystal, Daveigh Chase ('The Ring') as Shanda, Lin Shaye (the 'Insidious' franchise) as Teresa and Rory Culkin ('Mean Creek') as Jack. A really solid cast, that all put in 110% of themselves into telling this story as realistically as possible.

'Jack Goes Home' tells the story of a man who finally seems to have his life together. A good job, his own place, a fiancee that is soon to give birth to his first child and a best friend that's like the sister he never had. That is, until it all comes crashing down with a phone call. Jack's mother and father are driving home one evening, when they get into an auto accident. This event decapitates his father, but his mother survives the horrific scene. Upon hearing the news, Jack promptly heads home to be there for the funeral and to be a support system for his mother, Teresa. Along the way, we learn that Jack has issues with sleepwalking. Something that he hasn't had to deal with since he was a child, but this results in him talking about the attic in his childhood home. How HE was in the attic. At first he doesn't fully understand the meaning of this, but things continue to point him towards the inevitable. The decision to find out what's lurking above the bedroom he used to sleep in. Once at home, he finds his mother is in shambles. While working to get her through her grief, he finds a tape that has his name on it. Contained on the tape is the voice of his father talking to him as a child. At the end of the tape is a cryptic message to him about the attic. His mother seems determined to keep him form investigating what's up there, but all the things in his life keep pushing him closer to finding out the secrets contained upstairs. At this point, things start to go a bit off the rails and as in other reviews of new releases, I will stay away from any further spoilers. 'Jack Goes Home' is the kind of film you need to experience, rather than be told what my experience was with it. It's very much something that lends itself to different interpretations.

Thomas Dekkar has created something here that lends itself to very intense scrutiny. I have my own theories on what he was going for with 'Jack Goes Home', but only the film maker knows for sure what the intentions were, behind making it. This is not an easy film to watch and not one that's for the casual viewer to just put on in the background and not pay attention. To me, it feels like the viewer is being put through the various stages of grief. Almost as though, they're being laid out in front of us in literal terms, but it could also be seen as a slow descent into madness. Seen from the perspective of a man who's life is radically altered by the death of his father, he slowly unravels as his past is flashing before his eyes. Not that Jack is destined to die in the end, not at all, but more in the sense of the death of his innocence. Everything he believed to be reality, may in the end, merely be what his mind had created to distort the true reality. Even as the credits began to roll, I couldn't tell you what actually happened in the film. There is so much to digest with 'Jack Goes Home', that it really requires repeat viewings. At the same time though, it's not an easy film to watch. It presents a lot of difficult themes that anyone who's grown up in a household like his, could relate too. Not a casual Saturday afternoon kind of movie going experience.

Rory Culkin turns in a stellar performance, as does the rest of the cast. They took a story that was not an easy one to tell and made it accessible to the viewer. I'd love to say that I enjoyed this film, but it's not that kind of movie. It's more of an experience. I think that Thomas Dekkar set out to make something all his own. On that level, I believe it succeeds. However, it's not without some glaring flaws. Primarily in the ambiguous ending and some of the more 'first year film student' plot points. At times, it feels like he's still trying to find his voice as a director, instead of as an actor. It doesn't detract from the movie as a whole, but it can be a bit distracting for the jaded film goer, such as myself. I was impressed with 'Jack Goes Home' and I expect to see some more interesting things yet to come from Mr. Dekkar. All in all, it's a solid 3 out of 5 star film that stakes a flag in his right to be a writer and director. There's no doubt that he's taken all of his time in front of the camera and absorbed all of the lessons he has learned. It's always interesting to see an actor transitioning to being a writer/director. They end up seeing the film making process from all sides and crate a more complete and cohesive final product. Perhaps the only piece of the entire film that had me scratching my head, more than anything, was that it was produced by Uwe Boll. Touche, Mr. Dekkar, touche.



If you like genre bending oddities, check out: anything in the David Lynch catalog.

 

 Momentum Pictures is proud to present JACK GOES HOME, the acclaimed new film from Thomas Dekker, in select theaters and On-Demand/Digital October 14th!

NEWS: The Countdown to Christmas Begins! The WIZARDS OF WINTER Announce Additional Holiday Performance Dates

Featuring Former Members of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA

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Welcoming New Members Greg Smith (Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper), Peter Shaw (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Shawna Mehall & Jenn Hamilton

*A Theatrical Holiday Rock Event for the Entire Family*

Hear Original Tunes and TSO Favorites!

 

Holiday rock opera ensemble the WIZARDS OF WINTER truly thrived during the yuletide season of 2015, putting smiles on the faces of tens of thousands of performance attendees and amassing the attention of mainstream media - such as Entertainment Weekly and Yahoo Music - with their infectious festive sound.

 

Aiming to top the success of their 2015 tour, the WIZARDS OF WINTER are announcing even more 2016 holiday tour dates! The ensemble, which features former members of theTrans-Siberian Orchestra, will perform at venues this upcoming November and December in several eastern and central U.S. markets. All confirmed dates are listed further below.

 

This year's event promises to bring even bigger production and some new musical surprises. In addition to expanded production, the WIZARDS OF WINTER have expanded their line-up! Joining the Wizards full-time are Ted Nugent bassist/vocalist Greg Smith, former Trans-Siberian Orchestra vocalist Peter Shaw, seasoned vocalist Shawna Mehall and accomplished violinist Jenn Hamilton.

 

In addition to his time as an official member of Ted Nugent's touring band, Greg Smith has also played bass and performed backing vocals for artists such as Billy Joel, Alice Cooper,Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Alan Parsons Project, Blue Oyster Cult, Dokken, Vinnie Moore, Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics and many more. Smith was also the principal bassist and provided backing vocals for the Tony Award-winning Billy Joel and Twyla Tharpmusical "Movin' Out" for its entire three-year run on Broadway, in addition to one year on the road.

 

Smith adds, "I'm very happy to announce that I'll back with the WIZARDS OF WINTER this time as a member of the band. I look very much forward to playing this challenging and fun music again with these great musicians and singers. I'm also looking forward to once again meeting the wonderful fans of the band new and old. Last year was an amazing musical adventure and I can't wait to get out on the road and do it all over again! Hope to see you all at the shows!"

 

Vocalist Peter Shaw is recognized primarily as a touring member of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, of which he was a part of for four years. Shaw recently released his first solo album entitled More Alive, which can be purchased at www.petershawmusic.com or streamed worldwide via Pandora or Spotify. Peter Shaw is pleased to now lend his vocal talents to the WIZARDS OF WINTER as an official member.

 

Shaw states, "What a thrill it is to be touring with the WIZARDS OF WINTER.  It was during my first audition that I felt I'd fit right in with this wonderful group of talented performers. And as the old saying goes, "gotta love what you do", well I do. Enjoy the show! Merry Christmas!"

 

Jenn Hamilton began studying classical piano at a young age, soon picking up the violin with the intention of exploring the rock genre. Met with resistance by her instructors and peers at first, Hamilton began thinking outside the box on her own, eventually becoming a violin instructor and exploring unorthodox options and styles with her students. Hamilton joined a local band soon after, furthering the personal and musical challenge that in turn honed her skills. Hamilton is pleased to join the WIZARDS OF WINTER as violinist and is eager to prove her versatility on tour.

 

Hamilton states, "Bringing the violin into the rock genre has been a lifelong wish of mine, and I'm both thrilled and humbled that the WIZARDS OF WINTER have let me bring that passion on tour with them this year. The decision to audition for them could be called a bold move for a teacher-by-day, violinist-by-night musician such as myself, but I'm so glad I took that step! I'm incredibly excited and honored to be standing under the lights with such a fun and talented group as we welcome yet another Christmas."

 

As the youngest member of the WIZARDS OF WINTER,29-year-old Shawna Mehall is not only a talented vocalist, but a trained dancer and instrumentalist who began performing at just seven-years-old. Mehall further honed her craft by competing nationally in choral and band competitions, and after supporting the band behind-the-scenes for years, was recently invited to join the WIZARDS OF WINTER as an official member by her parents, Wizards bandleaders Scott and Sharon Kelly.

 

Mehall states, "The WIZARDS OF WINTER have been a huge part of my life since the band's creation by my parents, Scott and Sharon Kelly and their close friend Steve Ratchen. I consider the band and crew my extended family.  I've worked behind the scenes since the beginning and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join them on stage this year as a vocalist. It is an honor to share the stage with such talented musicians, as well as my parents, and I am really looking forward to this year's tour!"

 

See below for a full listing of dates and please visit each venue's website for ticketing information.

 

The WIZARDS OF WINTER Tour Dates:

11/23 - Syracuse, NY @ Crouse Hinds Theater

11/25 - Staten Island, NY @ St. George Theatre

11/26 - Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre

11/27 - Beverly, MA @ Cabot Theatre

12/1 - York, PA @ Strand-Capitol Perf. Arts Center

12/2 - Binghamton, NY @ The Forum Performing Arts Theatre

12/4 - Plymouth, NH @ Flying Monkey Performance Center

12/8 - Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Music Hall

12/9 - Pittsburgh, PA (Munhall) @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead

12/10 - Collingswood, NJ @ Scottish Rite Auditorium

12/11 - Easton, PA @ State Theater Performing Arts Center

12/15 - Kalamazoo, MI @ State Theatre

12/16 - Waukegan, IL @ Genesee Theater

12/17 - Milwaukee, WI @ Northern Lights Theater (Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

12/18 - Turtle Lake, WI @ St. Croix Casino

 

Music director/keyboardist Scott Kelly states, "The WIZARDS OF WINTER are excited to celebrate the holiday season, and we are once again ready to bring joy, peace and holiday cheer to all. We have many new surprises for our fans on our upcoming tour and look forward to seeing you out there!"

 

Check back for more performance confirmations and ticket links coming soon viawww.wizardsofwinter.com/tour-dates/.

 

 

About The WIZARDS OF WINTER:

The WIZARDS OF WINTER are an eclectic group of musicians from the NY/NJ/PA tri-state region who perform classical and progressive-influenced rock music woven throughout a theatrical holiday-themed event. While the group's style is undoubtedly inspired by the genius of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), the WIZARDS OF WINTER are far from a TSOtribute band. The Wizards' diverse array of original material is very unique and has a broad audience appeal, applied in a more intimate setting.

Tony Gaynor, a former member of TSO, is currently performing with the WIZARDS OF WINTER on their musical journey. Tommy Farese and Michael Lanning, also former members of TSO, have performed with the band on occasion as well.

 

The WIZARDS OF WINTER released their latest original holiday music album, The Magic of Winter, in late 2015. The Magic of Winter is produced by Eric Rachel at Traxeast (Symphony X, Skid Row, Styx) and can be ordered in physical format here or purchased digitally via iTunes. The album features the infectious single "The Spirit of Christmas", which you can watch the enchanting music video for here.

NEWS: MONSTER FEST ANNOUNCES OPENING FILM ‘RAW’ AND ‘FREQUENCIES’ SIDEBAR CELEBRATING GENRE ON THE SMALL SCREEN

Returning this year from November 24-27, Australia’s premier genre film festival Monster Fest is thrilled to announce the Australian premiere of controversial new French horror film RAW as its Official 2016 Opening Night Film.

RAW made its World Premiere in Critics Week at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year where it was awarded the coveted FIPRESCI Award, and was lauded by critics and fans alike as the genre sensation of the festival.

RAW is the debut feature of French director Julia Ducournau, and tells the story of a young vegetarian who discovers her dark side when she is forced to participate in a carnivorous hazing ritual on her first day at Veterinary school. It’s a coming-of-age tale with a cannibal theme that’ll appeal to genre buffs and cinephiles alike, provided they have strong stomachs!

Earlier this week RAW held its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and created headlines around the globe when paramedics were called to the cinema to treat three audience members who fainted during its ‘Midnight Madness’ screening.

Monster Pictures is the Australian license holder of RAW and has its release set for March 2017.

Neil Foley, Monster Pictures’ Head of Acquisitions and Executive Producer of Monster Fest, says of RAW “This is absolutely one of the greatest genre films I’ve seen in my time at Monster, it references many of the masters, from Argento to Carpenter to Cronenberg, but remains a completely unique and fresh take on the genre. It’s simultaneously harrowing and beautiful, and is probably our most exciting acquisition to date.”

The critical response to the film thus far has been full of praise, and includes the following:

“…the assured storytelling and direction, including some of the goriest makeup effects this side of Rob Zombie, turn Raw into the kind of crossover film that takes the horror genre into another domain” - Hollywood Reporter

““Raw” is a deliciously fevered stew of nightmare fuel that hangs together with a breezily confident sense of superior craft.” - Variety

“Genre buffs and fests will gobble it up, and this prime cut should be the plat du jour on cult theatrical menus worldwide... All in all, a classily savorous fright tartare.” - Screen Daily

RAW will Open Monster Fest on November 24 and will be followed by the Opening Night Gala. Tickets will go on sale over the coming weeks and will be announced via the Monster Fest website and associated social media.

Monster Fest is also pleased to announce its second themed sidebar, ‘Frequencies’, which is focused on genre narratives made for or about the small screen. The Frequencies section will be headlined by the World Premiere launch of the new Headpress book, ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE? A TV MOVIE COMPENDIUM 1964-1999, edited by American television scholar Amanda Reyes who will appear at the festival on a clip-and-tell panel about the history of television movies, with the book’s contributors Lee Gambin, John Harrison and stuntwoman Marneen Fields, followed by a screening of Buzz Kulik’s 1974 telefright, BAD RONALD and co-presented by Melbourne film society Cinemaniacs.

The section will also include the Australian Premiere of Jackson Stewart’s BEYOND THE GATES starring Graham Skipper (THE MIND’S EYE) and Chase Williamson (JOHN DIES AT THE END) as two brothers who find that their father’s disappearance may be connected to a sinister VHS board game. The premiere is presented by Umbrella Entertainment and will be accompanied by a NIGHTMARE VHS Board Game Party in association with Toronto’s Black Museum.

This year’s Monster Symposium series of multimedia lectures also expands on this broadcasting theme with presentations including Jodi McAlister’s DIERDRE HALL IS THE DEVIL about occultism on daytime soaps, Andrew Nette on the long-unavailable Australian horror anthology show THE EVIL TOUCH, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas on Stephen Volk’s influential and hysteria-inducing pseudo-doc GHOSTWATCH, Kier-La Janisse on Nigel Kneale’s prescient 1968 teleplay THE YEAR OF THE SEX OLYMPICS and Andrew Nette and Dean Brandum on the beloved Crawford crime show HOMICIDE, preceding a special screening of the 1964 episode “Witch Hunt”.

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All-access Passes to Monster Fest 2016 are on sale now here: https://www.lidocinemas.com.au/Promotion/Monster-Fest-2016-At-Lido

Tickets for the recently announced Ted Kotcheff masterclass at the Swinburne University Media and Communication Monster Academy are available here: http://www.monsterfest.com.au/events/ted-kotcheff-masterclass/

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Founded in 2011, Monster Fest is a mix of Premieres, international festival favourites, challenging new discoveries and curated repertory sidebars alongside industry-focused events such as panels and masterclasses with renowned international guests, and a special emphasis on supporting emerging Australian genre film talent through the festival and beyond. Monster Fest is mounted with the support of Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

NEWS: ADAPTING LOVECRAFT FOR THE SCREEN: A MASTERCLASS WITH DENIS PAOLI

Thursday Oct 20, 2016
7:00pm – 10:00pm
$12

Instructor: Dennis Paoli

Dennis Paoli, screenwriter for director Stuart Gordon’s film adaptations of the works of H. P. Lovecraft (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Dagon, and for the cable television series “Masters of Horror,” Dreams in the Witch House), will lead a two-hour master class on adapting Lovecraft for the screen—the challenges, techniques, and insights into the works gained in the process. The class will also explore the collaborative nature of adaptation—the writer, in as real a sense as possible, collaborates with the original creator of the literary work—and of film-making, by nature a cooperative, if sometimes contentious, undertaking.

The enduring popularity of Gordon and Paoli’s film versions of Lovecraft’s fiction speaks to the enduring popularity of the original tales, but also to their capacity for updating, re-casting, and expanding. These specific adaptations will be examined in scenes from each of the films. Paoli will also discuss his long-time collaboration with Stuart Gordon, their methods of working together and roles in the process, based on their strengths.

Paoli, who runs writing programs and teaches Gothic Fiction at Hunter College, will also consider Lovecraft’s work in the larger context of the literary genres of horror and science fiction, the major themes and working principles of Gothic literature, and their long history of cinematic adaptation.

About the Instructor:

Dennis Paoli has written for film, TV, the stage, and the internet. His feature films include Bodysnatchers (with Stuart Gordon, for Warner Brothers), adaptations of H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator (with Stuart Gordon and William Norris), From Beyond (for Empire), and Dagon (for Filmax). For the stage, he wrote the one-man show Nevermore: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, which has been performed internationally; co-wrote the script for Re-Animator: The Musical, for which he won several LA theater awards; and co-wrote with the Organic Theater Company, the baseball comedy Bleacher Bums, which ran Off-Broadway, through three revivals in Chicago, and over seven years in Los Angeles. The television version for PBS won an Emmy, and the film version (which he co-wrote with Mitch Paradise) aired on Showtime. The HBO film The Dentist (with Stuart Gordon) and his work for Showtime’s Masters of Horror series—adaptations with Stuart Gordon of H. P. Lovecraft’s Dreams in the Witch House and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat—brought the horror genre to cable television. His adaptation of Lovecraft’s The Hound was streamed on Halloween 2015 by the genre website Tales from Beyond the Pale (talesfrombeyondthepale.com). Dennis is also an academic, a teacher and administrator at Hunter College of the City University of New York. He has taught Gothic and Irish literature and 20th century drama. He has written criticism and articles for the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Dictionary of Literary Biography, the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century, and various volumes, periodicals, and online blogs. The most important work he does is as Donor-Advisor of The Heidi Paoli Fund, a philanthropic organization that supports cancer patients and their caregivers.

For further information, images or interview requests, please contact Miskatonic.london@gmail.com
www.miskatonic-nyc.com
www.morbidanatomymuseum.org

my top 13 "Final Girls".... #8

What's a 'Final Girl' you might ask? She's the last woman standing at the end of a horror film. Usually the one who defeats the killer. In this list, I'll give you my top 13 'Final Girls' in horror of all time. Without furtur ado....

#8: Sally Hardesty from 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' played by Marilyn Burns
It all started out as a road trip, that quickly descended into a living hell on earth. Before Strech took on Leatherface, there was Sally Hardesty. One of the original incarnations of the "Final Girl".