Greetings, and a look at Devil (2010)

Hello, fellow horror fans and WildClaw Blood Radio readers! My name is Anna, and I'll be contributing to this here blog with a hodgepodge of horror-related links, news, and musings, all with a touch of demented humor. So here goes:

The brothers Dowdle (of Quarantine and The Poughkeepsie Tapes fame) are bringing us a new horror film, based on a story by M. Night Shyamalan. Check out the trailer for Devil below:



Honest opinion: Based on the trailer alone, this movie looks mediocre at best. I do realize that it isn't fair to judge a film on its previews, but man, there is nothing here that looks tantalizing. And could it be that trailers these days do little to hide a film's secrets? I bet any of you twenty bones that I can guess who the devil is from watching the trailer again.

Also, and it pains me to say it, but M. Night Shyamalan hasn't been bringing the heat for a while now. His last film, ironically titled The Happening, in which nothing happened, did little to arouse filmgoers in any regard. So, we shall see if the Devil's in the details on this one, or if M. Night should be exorcised from Hollywood for good.

EDIT: My good friend Renee Knipe rightfully pointed out to me that M. Night's last film was not The Happening, but The Last Airbender, based on the popular animated series of similar name. This can only serve as proof that M. Night really isn't bringing the heat when I can't even remember the actual last film he did.

What to wear to Monster Bowl?

Summer time and Monsters...and Bowling?  It's a powerful mix yall.  I bet you have no idea what monster suit to put on for the shindig tomorrow.  Here are some ideas from your friendly neighborhood costumer.

Sparkle-pire (just add glitter)
American Werewolf in London (fur, teeth, I Love America t-shirt and London travel guide)
Swamp Thing (swim in the lake before coming...)
Clown (always scary)
Zombie Elvis (please...for me?)

and that's all I've got at the moment...

Kitley's Krypt MYSTERY PHOTO #53

Another week, another MYSTERY PHOTO!

Jon Kitley, pillar of the Chicago Horror Community and head honcho over at KITLEY'S KRYPT, wants to challenge your horror knowledge. Week in, week out, he posts a Mystery Photo - sometimes from an obscure horror title, sometimes just an unusual shot from a well-known classic. We figured our faithful Claw readers would enjoy the challenge!

Our last photo was from Italian gore maestro Lucio Fulci's skeevy little 1982thriller, THE NEW YORK RIPPER. Set in the Big Apple, women of low moral character are falling victim to a killer armed with razor blades, butcher knives, broken bottles and...a Donald Duck voice. Fulci delights in exploring the seamier side of NYC with shots of Times Square and strip clubs so grimy you’ll be itching in your seat after fifteen minutes. Our fowl-mouthed killer isn’t shy about spreading the red stuff around (a stripper’s backstage vodka-bottle surprise is particularly nasty), and Fulci makes sure we see every stomach-wrenching drop. Excellent, lunch-buckling makeup effects, with an ingenious phone call-tracing sequence that delivers both suspense and surprise. Perhaps a little heavy on the red and the herrings, but rarely a dull moment throughout. If you’re sick of the heavy-breathing, hulking slasher and the wise-cracking chatterbox psycho, check this one out.




Let's see how you fare with this week's selection:


Send your guesses to: jon@kitleyskrypt.com

If you provide the correct answer, your name will be announced next week on the Kitley's Krypt website (http://www.kitleyskrypt.com), along with a new photo. Even if you don't know the answer, we welcome any sorta-kinda educated guess! So, send in your emails today and good luck!

BigTop Phantasmagoria and LOL Catz

Because even we horror heads need a little cute every now and then.







And speaking of cute (and campy. and psychotic. and that's just Jonny Stax...) BigTop Phantasmagoria!

Win an IPAD from After Dark Originals

While at the San Diego Comicon, our pals at After Dark Original Films notified us that you can enter to win an iPad from them.

Kitley's Krypt MYSTERY PHOTO #52

Another week, another MYSTERY PHOTO!

Jon Kitley, pillar of the Chicago Horror Community and head honcho over at KITLEY'S KRYPT, wants to challenge your horror knowledge. Week in, week out, he posts a Mystery Photo - sometimes from an obscure horror title, sometimes just an unusual shot from a well-known classic. We figured our faithful Claw readers would enjoy the challenge!

Our last photo was from Larry Cohen's deliciously delirious commentary on advertising and junk food, THE STUFF (1985) . After a creamy white yogurt/ice cream-like substance becomes the latest foodstuff rage, the tables are turned when the gooey gunk starts turning people into puddles of amorphous goo. Soon, the question is, "Who's eating who?" with an awesome cast that includes Cohen's go-to guy Michael Moriarty, Paul Sorvino and Saturday Night Live's Garrett Morris. Good times.



Let's see how you fare with this week's selection:



Send your guesses to: jon@kitleyskrypt.com

If you provide the correct answer, your name will be announced next week on the Kitley's Krypt website (http://www.kitleyskrypt.com), along with a new photo. Even if you don't know the answer, we welcome any sorta-kinda educated guess! So, send in your emails today and good luck!

Monster Bowl in Two Weeks!

Makes you smile to think about it, yes?



Look how excited this little fellow is. He's got carved into his little tree bark day-minder: Saturday, July 31st. 9pm at Timber Lanes.

And a quick note of congratulations to FOWC and Dreams in the Witchhouse alum Chris Hainsworth for his successful run as The Marquis de Carabas in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and his new company membership in Lifeline Theatre.

Go Team! Chicago Theaters Dominate the Chase Community Giving Awards

Chicago Theaters Dominate the Chase Community Giving Awards

Thanks to all of your dedication, my dear family and friends, I will be able to make lots of awesome art this year in return without having to stress out as much about how the heck I am going to pay for it. This money will be huge for a project that is very personal and special to me...more exciting news about that later. Thanks again!

Kitley's Krypt MYSTERY PHOTO #51

Another week, another MYSTERY PHOTO!

Jon Kitley, pillar of the Chicago Horror Community and head honcho over at KITLEY'S KRYPT, wants to challenge your horror knowledge. Week in, week out, he posts a Mystery Photo - sometimes from an obscure horror title, sometimes just an unusual shot from a well-known classic. We figured our faithful Claw readers would enjoy the challenge!

Our last photo was from THE FINAL TERROR (1983) . Chalk it up to low expectations, but this slasher/survival flick from future Fugitive director Andrew Davis is pretty… damn… good. Equal parts Friday the 13th, Just Before Dawn, Deliverance and Southern Comfort, what could have been just another maniac-in-the-woods programmer turns out to be loaded with suspense and boasts a raft of soon-to-be-stars in early, strong performances. Check out this cast list: Adrian Zmed, Darryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano... For slasher fans looking for something a notch above the schlock, Netflix this suckah now.


Let's see how you fare with this week's selection:



Send your guesses to: jon@kitleyskrypt.com

If you provide the correct answer, your name will be announced next week on the Kitley's Krypt website (http://www.kitleyskrypt.com), along with a new photo. Even if you don't know the answer, we welcome any sorta-kinda educated guess! So, send in your emails today and good luck!

[REC] 2

A little lazy of Mr. Morlock, just posting a link to someone else's review, but it's a fine one. Mr. Morlock regularly reads Salon and finds Andrew O'Hehir to be a rather enjoyable writer. "I am your friend, horror fans! I know what you need, and this is it." May or may not agree with you, pal (although I am quite digging the [REC] series), but if you're that enthusiastic, I'll happily give you consideration.

And Salon tends to gather fan-boy comments from the more literate and grown-up side of the table.

http://www.salon.com/books/horror_fiction/index.html?story=/ent/movies/film_salon/2010/07/12/rec_2

Let Me In International Trailer

Coming from Hammer Films and starring "Hit Girl" Chloe Moretz of "Kickass" fame, is the U.S. remake of the Swedish vampire hit, Let The Right One In. Here is the international trailer.

Kitley's Krypt MYSTERY PHOTO #50

Another week, another MYSTERY PHOTO!

Jon Kitley, pillar of the Chicago Horror Community and head honcho over at KITLEY'S KRYPT, wants to challenge your horror knowledge. Week in, week out, he posts a Mystery Photo - sometimes from an obscure horror title, sometimes just an unusual shot from a well-known classic. We figured our faithful Claw readers would enjoy the challenge!

Our last photo was from, well, let's let Mr. Kitley tell it: "I got just about every title out there that featured somebody melting, from Street Trash to The Incredible Melting Man to Slime City, and many more. But there was only one person this time that sent in the correct answer. The film? It was John Hough's entry in the werewolf series, THE HOWLING 4: THE ORIGINAL NIGHTMARE (1988). I know the whole melting sequence threw everyone, but the character is really transforming by melting into a big pile of goo, then emerging as a werewolf from the puddle. And while that effects sequence is done pretty damn well, unfortunately the rest of the movie? Not so much." So, there you have it.


Let's see how you fare with this week's selection:



Send your guesses to: jon@kitleyskrypt.com

If you provide the correct answer, your name will be announced next week on the Kitley's Krypt website (http://www.kitleyskrypt.com), along with a new photo. Even if you don't know the answer, we welcome any sorta-kinda educated guess! So, send in your emails today and good luck!

Dr. AC's Rec of the Week (F)

Hello, you panting purveyors of freakish, fantasmagoric and flesh-eating film fare! Welcome back to the Dr.'s office. Time again to deepen our palate's and test our nerves against the fiercely unique and hauntingly different - are you up for the challenge?

This week's double feature is another combo of nutty and nihilistic, cornball and clinically caustic. Because such is the varied menu of the genre, and what we love about it. Something for everyone. This F's for you...


Frogs (1972)
From American International’s executive-producing team of Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson comes this highly entertaining low-budget schlockfest, raiding the entire reptile house (in addition to the titular croakers) to provide the creepy crawly chills. Riding on the earth-friendly movement of the early 70’s, screenwriters Robert Blees and Robert Hutchison whip up a tongue-in-cheek cautionary tale of embittered critters living around grouchy millionaire Ray Milland’s pesticide-ridden swampy island estate. When a rugged environmentalist photographer (Sam Elliot, in a rare bare-upper-lipped film appearance) shows up during Milland’s annual Fourth of July family celebration, the stage is set for a muggy, buggy good time. While watching the various obnoxious guests besieged by frogs, snakes, geckos, gators, spiders, turtles, leeches, (and in one side-splitting sequence, killer moss) is certainly the film’s raison d’etre, there is equal joy to be gained from the sultry soap opera scenarios and robust scenery chewing. Former Oscar-winner Milland’s obvious bitterness at having sunk to this cheese suits his cantankerous character brilliantly (1972 was big for Ray and AIP, with The Thing with Two Heads released the same year.) And imagining director George McCowan’s expression when handed the impossible task of making docile amphibians appear menacing is as hilarious as the end result. Resorting to frequent close-ups of flicking tongues and frogs hopping across lawns, the word “horror” doesn’t exactly leap to mind. Grand, goofy fun.



Funny Games (1997)
Austrian writer/director Michael Haneke (Benny’s Video, The Piano Teacher, Cache) is not interested in pandering to audiences, especially not those glutted on bloodshed and slavering for more. Yet, in his astonishing self-reflexive meditation on onscreen violence and the fans of such fare (i.e, us), he walks the tightrope between catering to our baser desires while simultaneously implicating us in the crimes carried out in the film. As we observe two young men (Arno Frisch, Frank Giering) insinuate themselves into a vacationing family’s lives, growing increasingly violent and demeaning, Haneke challenges us either to walk out or to admit to ourselves that we want to see these “innocent” people hurt, to see them tortured and humiliated; otherwise, why do we stay to watch? There are numerous bravura cinematic techniques executed to keep the viewer as off balance as the onscreen characters (that I will not divulge in order to preserve their power) and as the final credits rolled, I was breathless with admiration for Haneke’s audacious filmmaking skills combined with a feeling of having been beaten soundly around the mind and soul. Haneke's scene-for-scene 2008 English language remake featuring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Michael Pitt is fine for those who don't like subtitles, but for my money, this is the one to see. Highly Recommended.

WildClaw Needs Your Vote!!!

As I am sure that many of you know, Chase is giving away a bunch of cash to whichever Not For Profit group can get the most votes on Facebook, through a program they are calling Chase Community Giving. They are giving away a minimum of 20 thousand dollars to the top 200. We are currently on the lower rungs of that spectrum, and fighting to stay there. What would we do with 20 grand? We would buy blood, latex, pay actors, designers, technicians, and perhaps, buy a guillotine.

This contest goes on for another 11 days and we desperately need your help to stay in the top 200.

If you are so inclined, we would be greatly appreciative if you could go on over to Facebook and vote for WildClaw. It doesn't cost you anything, and you get 20 votes, so you can spread the good vibes around.

Thank you in advance.

Vote for WildClaw on Facebook.