Lost and Cursed Movies- 95 Days to Halloween

Videodrome (1983)

A UHF television producer looking for more extreme programing to show learns of a pirate television station that broadcasts scenes of torture and murder. His desire to seek out the source of these mysterious videos will lead him into a surreal living nightmare.    

Thesis (1996)

A Spanish college student researching violence in movies discovers a VHS snuff film in her university film archives. A series of deaths soon occur tied to the VHS tape and a student who disappeared two years prior.  

8 MM (1999)

The widow of a wealthy man hires a private investigator after a movie is found with a young girl murdered in what appears to be a snuff film. His quest to discover the truth will take him into the dark world of underground fetish movies and the dangerous people who produce them.  

Ring (2002)

A reporter learns of an urban legend involving a videotape that, when played, will lead to your death sevens days laters. Curiosity leads her to watch the video and then find a way to break the curse to avoid death for her and her child as she searches for clues about the mysterious girl in the video.  

Cigarette Burns (2005)

A rare film dealer hoping to save his small theater is offered a handsome sum of money to find a lost film that caused a riot and was destroyed during its one screening. The film dealer's search will have him encounter some mysterious figures as he learns the secret of the film.  

V/H/S (2012), V/H/S 2 (2013), & V/H/S: Viral (2014)  

A found footage trilogy about a series of mysterious VHS tapes that are found by different people who as they watch each tape meet a terrible fate. This anthology collection has some genuinely nightmarish segments that will leave viewers disturbed. 

Fury of the Demon (2016)

This mockumentary tells of a short film directed by George Melies that drove its viewers into a rage-filled frenzy. The reports of the film's wake of destruction and being lost are discussed by film critics, historians, and Melies' granddaughter. 

Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)

A pseudo-documentary film that describes a mysterious cursed movie that, when screened, led to tragedy and death of those who watched it. The cursed movie that is shown has subliminal messages and bizarre symbols thrown in to create a surreal and strangely haunting story.

Warning Do Not Play (2019)

A Korean film student decides to search for a student film that was played once and led to tragedy. After getting a warning from the enigmatic director, she will find that the film is far more dangerous than anticipated.  

Shudders August 2020 Highlights

AUGUST 2020 U.S. HIGHLIGHTS 

titles also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK as noted

SHUDDER ORIGINAL/EXCLUSIVE MOVIES

 

HOST (premieres Thursday, July 30)

Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance over Zoom during lockdown but get far more than they bargain for as things quickly go wrong. Host was shot remotely during quarantine and features practical scares, stunts, and surprises, all filmed by the actors in their own homes. Director Rob Savage (Dawn of the Deaf) never set foot in the same room as his actors at any point during production and instead directed them remotely. Starring: Haley Bishop (Deep State), Radina Drandova (Dawn of the Deaf), Edward Linard (The Rebels), Jemma Moore (Doom: Annihilation), Caroline Ward (Stalling It) and Emma Louise Webb (The Crown). A SHUDDER ORIGINAL (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) 

 

LA LLORONA (premieres Thursday, August 6)

Winner: Venice Days. Official Selection: TIFF, Sundance Film Festival

Indignant retired general Enrique finally faces trial for the genocidal massacre of thousands of Mayans decades ago. As a horde of angry protestors threatens to invade their opulent home, the women of the house—his haughty wife, conflicted daughter, and precocious granddaughter—weigh their responsibility to shield the erratic, senile Enrique against the devastating truths being publicly revealed and the increasing sense that a wrathful supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes. Meanwhile, much of the family’s domestic staff flees, leaving only loyal housekeeper Valeriana until a mysterious young Indigenous maid arrives. Starring María Mercedes Coroy, Margarita Kénefic, Sabrina de la Hoz and Julio Díaz. Directed by Jaryo Bustamante. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK) Trailer: https://youtu.be/SVf8in0dj9s 

 

RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE (premieres Thursday, August 20)

Official Selection: Fantastic Fest

Comic book creator Todd, his wife, assistant and best friend all embark upon a road trip from Toronto to New York Comic Con, and bad things start to happen: people start getting killed. Is a crazed fan using Todd’s “SLASHERMAN” comic as inspiration for his stylized slaughter? Starring: Jesse Williams (‘Grey’s Anatomy’), Jordana Brewster (Furious 7), Niamh Wilson (Saw series) and Jay Baruchel (This Is the End). Directed by Jay Baruchel. (Also available on Shudder UK) Trailer: https://youtu.be/qvFk5-tvXrY 

 

THE SHED (premieres Thursday, August 27)

Official Selection: Sitges International Film Festival, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

Stan and his best friend Dommer have put up with bullies their entire lives. All of that changes when Stan discovers he has a ravenous vampire living in his shed. Seeing the bloodshed and destruction the monster is capable of, Stan knows he has to find a way to destroy it. But Dommer has a much more sinister plan in mind. Starring Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen, Frank Whaley and Timothy Bottoms. Directed by Frank Sabatella. (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

 

NEW SPECIALS FOR AUGUST

 

THE LAST DRIVE-IN: SUMMER SLEEPOVER SPECIAL (Friday, August 14 at 9pm ET/6pm PT)

Fire up the popcorn and slip into your PJs: Joe Bob Briggs, America’s foremost drive-in movie critic, is back for a special summer sleepover double-feature. Joining Joe Bob and Darcy in the trailer park will be director Adam Green (Frozen, Hatchet series) along with other surprise guests. 

 

NEW MOVIES FOR AUGUST

 

August 1

SQUIRM (Director: Jeff Lieberman)

Beware the crawling terror! A surge from a downed powerline mutates a seemingly endless population of worms into a bloodsucking, man-eating onslaught. Starring Don Scardino, Patricia Pearcy, R.A. Dow  (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

URBAN LEGENDS: FINAL CUT (Director: John Ottman)

A film student's thesis project runs into production problems when her cast and crew members start turning up dead. Starring Jennifer Morrison, Eva Mendes, Anthony Anderson, Joseph Lawrence

 

August 3

AMITYVILLE 1992: IT’S ABOUT TIME (Director: Tony Randel)

An antique clock brought back from New York brings supernatural terror to a California neighborhood. Starring Stephen Macht, Shawn Weatherly, Megan Ward, Damon Martin

 

August 6

LA LLORONA (see above for details)

 

August 10

RING (Director: Hideo Nakata)

RING 2 (Director: Hideo Nakata)

RING 0 (Director: Norio Tsuruta)

In the film that kicked off the franchise as well as a Western surge in interest in so-called J-horror, a group of teenage friends are found dead, their faces twisted in terror, supposed victims of an urban legend about a cursed videotape. One year after the success of his horror classic, director Hideo Nakata returned to the world of viral video to deliver his own follow-up. And in the prequel Ring 0, a journalist tracks a young woman who uses her supernatural powers to kill members of an acting troupe. (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

August 14

THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS: SUMMER SLEEPOVER SPECIAL (see above for details)

 

August 17

JAWBREAKER (Director: Darren Stein)

Teen girls must cover up the accidental murder of a friend in this twisted ‘90s classic. Starring Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, Judy Greer, Chad Christ, Carol Kane, Pam Greer

 

HELLMASTER (Director: Douglas Schulze)

A mad professor at a rural campus injects students with a drug to make them superhuman mutants. Starring John Saxon, David Emge, Amy Raasch (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

UNCAGED (Director: Dick Maas)

A zoo veterinarian is caught up in a grisly adventure as she leads the hunt for a monstrous lion terrorizing Amsterdam. Starring Sophie van Winden, Abbey Hoes,  Mark Frost, Julian Looman  (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

August 20

RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE (see above for details)

 

August 24

THE EVIL (Director: Gus Trikonis)

A psychologist and his wife turn a house of the devil into a drug-rehabilitation center. Starring Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Andrew Prine (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

MORTUARY (Director: Howard Avedis)

Christie has been having terrifying nightmares ever since her father drowned, causing her to re-evaluate the circumstances surrounding his death. Starring Mary Beth McDonough, David Wysocki, Bill Paxton, Lynda Day George, Christopher George (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

ONE DARK NIGHT (Director: Tom McLoughlin)

As part of an initiation into a club called The Sisters, a young girl must spend the night in a mausoleum. Starring Meg Tilly, Melissa Newman, Robin Evans, Leslie Speights, Donald Hotton  (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

30 MILES FROM NOWHERE (Director: Caitlin Koller)

When five college pals return home for their estranged friend's funeral, what begins as an uneasy reunion becomes a terrifying fight for survival. Starring Carrie Preston, Rob Benedict, Birgundi Baker (Also available on Shudder Canada)

 

August 27

THE SHED (see above for details)

 

It Was Almost Called What?- 96 Days to Halloween

These movies all started out with a script that had a different title, here are the movies with a few fan-made fake posters featuring the original name. 

Alien (Star Beast)

When working on the original script for the movie Alien, Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett had the title Star Beast as part of a story that would have set the events in WW2 and outer space. O'Bannon rejected the title for the much better sounding Alien.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Head Cheese)

The original script for the movie that would become The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, written by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel, went through a couple of names, including Leatherface and Head Cheese.

Halloween (The Babysitter Murders)

Producer Irwin Yablans thought up the concept for Halloween on an airplane ride. Since he wanted to keep it low budget, the idea of a babysitter being stalked by a madman seemed like a great idea. When he pitched the concept to John Carpenter, he used the very 1970s sounding title The Babysitter Murders. 

Scream (Scary Movie)

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson came up with the idea for Scream after being inspired by the Gainesville Ripper murders. The 18-page script was titled Scary Movie and included the infamous murder used in the opening movie moments.

Childs Play (Batteries Not Included)

When writing the screenplay for Childs Play, Don Mancini used the name Batteries Not Included; this was changed because Steven Spielberg had released a sci-fi movie with the same name in 1987. Mancini also considered Bloody Buddy before settling on Childs Play for the 1988 slasher movie.

Final Destination (Flight 180)

Jeffrey Reddick wrote a spec script titled Flight 180, hoping to get an agent to pitch it as an episode of The X-Files. The script was expanded as a feature film idea was accepted by X-Files writing partners James Wong and Glen Morgan, who rewrote the script with Wong directing. The film would be released as Final Destination.

Snakes on a Plane (Pacific Air Flight 121)

The script for Snakes on a plane by David Dalessandro was at one point called Vemon. After it was given the working title Snakes on a Plane, it began to get the attention of trade papers with Samuel L Jackson signing on. The film's name was changed to Pacific Air Flight Flight 121 to avoid the B movie sound of its working title, but Jackson insisted the film be released as Snakes on a Plane.

Predator (Hunter)

Screenwriters Jim and John Thomas came up with the idea for Predator after a joke was made that Rocky would have to fight an alien if another Rocky film was made. The script for Hunter centered on an alien looking for the most dangerous creature to match up with and going to South America to fight human soldiers.

Friday the 13th (A Long Night at Camp Blood)

Screenwriter Victor Miller came up with the title A Long Night at Camp Blood for a slasher movie set at a summer camp. The name Camp Blood was also considered for the film until director Sean Cunningham suggested Friday the 13th to give their film an iconic name. 

Cloverfield (Slusho/Greyshot)

JJ Abrams-produced monster movie benefitted from one of the best uses of social media to generate interest in the film. The name Cloverfield was used early on but changed to Slusho and Cheese to hide his project from fans. The movie also considered the title Greyshot before going back to Cloverfield.

Dead Ringer (Twins)

Based on the lives of real-life gynecologists Stewart and Cyril Marcus. David Cronenberg based his screenplay on the novel Twins, which was a highly fictionalized account of the tragic death of the two brothers. The movie's title was changed to Dead Ringers to avoid confusion with a comedy that was released the same year with the name Twins.   

Notable Films of John Saxon- 97 Days to Halloween

John Saxon (1935-2020) was an actor and martial artist who appeared in over 200 television and movie projects over his career that spanned 60 years. His body of work included roles in the first Italian Giallo movie, westerns, and a number of horror movies often playing police officers. John Saxon was also a black belt in Judo and Shotokan Karate.

Planet Earth (1974)

Created by Gene Roddenberry, Planet Earth was a TV pilot that featured John Saxon as Dylan Hunt, who worked with a scientifically minded society trying to restore a devastated Earth in the 22nd century. 

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

A peaceful planet seeks mercenaries to defend against a warlord and his army of mutants. A sci-fi version of The Magnificent Seven featured John Saxon as the Malmori leader Sador. 

Cannibal Apocalypse (1980)

John Saxon is a Vietnam Vet who was bitten by a POW who was infected by a virus that causes people to crave flesh. Years later, an outbreak occurs when another war buddy develops a taste for human flesh as well. 

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

John Saxon has a brief role as an FBI agent who does a TV interview discussing the prison escape of the Gecko brothers, the cops they murdered and how they kidnapped a woman. 

Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

In this meta-horror movie, a demon takes on Freddy Krueger's persona and begins to haunt the actors involved with the film. John Saxon appears as himself and as Donald Thompson, Nancy's father.  

Joe Kidd (1972)

In this western starring Clint Eastwood, John Saxon plays a bandit named Luis Charma, who Eastwood is hired to capture. Yet he soon learns that the man who hired him has other motives. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

After the events of the first movie, Nancy's father, Donald Thompson, is shown to be an alcoholic and a broken man. He reluctantly agrees to help his daughter by taking her to Freddy's burial spot but is killed by Krueger. 

Tenebrae (1982)

Dario Argento's Giallo thriller featured John Saxon as a literary agent who must contend with the problem of a serial killer who uses his client's latest novel as inspiration for a series of murders.  

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

Director Mario Bava cast John Saxon and Leticia Roman in a murder mystery that would become one of the first Italian Giallo films. Saxon plays Dr. Marcello Bassi, a physician caring for a relative of a woman who witnesses a murder but is surprised when no one believes her. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

John Saxon plays Donald Thompson, a police officer who investigates a series of murders that involve the friends of his daughter Nancy. He and his ex-wife hide the truth about Freddy Krueger from Nancy despite her insistence that the murders are Krueger's work.    

Black Christmas (1974)

John Saxon was cast as police officer Lt Kenneth Fuller, who investigates a sorority house that receives threatening phone calls during Christmas break. Saxon was given the part after the original actor cast had to quit for health reasons. 

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Bruce Lee's martial arts masterpiece featured John Saxon in the role of a gambling addict named Roper, who becomes an ally of Lee as he infiltrates a criminal warlords martial arts competition to expose his illegal activities. John Saxon was cast due to his black belt in Judo and Shotokan Karate along with fellow martial artist Jim Kelly.   

Evil Pets in Horror Movies- 98 Days to Halloween

Damien's Hellhound (The Omen 1976)

Zoltan (Draculas Dog 1977)

Lucky (Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell 1978)

Cujo (Cujo 1983)

Stripe (Gremlins 1984)

Ella (Monkeyshines 1988)

Church (Pet Sematary 1989)

Brandy (Servants of Twilight 1991)

Zowie (Pet Sematary II 1992)

Max (Man's Best Friend 1993)

Black Phillip (The VVitch 2015)

Best Mario Bava Movies- 99 Days to Halloween

Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970)

A standard Giallo Who Done It movie that Bava took the helm of when the director left. The excellent cast and beach house allowed Bava to make the necessary changes to salvage what would have been a disastrous production.  

Baron Blood (1972)

A medieval castle in the modern-day offers a great setting for this supernatural thriller with an evil spirit being summoned by a young man and woman who mistakenly revive it after reading incantations from ancient documents. 

Shock (1977)

The last film, directed by Mario Bava, Shock, is a supernatural thriller with a widowed woman returning to her deceased husband's family home and being tormented by an evil presence. 

Hatchet for a Honeymoon (1970)

The murderous deeds of a troubled man are the subject of this movie that has Stephen Forsyth portraying a madman targeting young brides. The film is one of Bava's more obscure movies that does precede psychological horror films such as American Psycho.

The Whip and the Body (1963)

A gothic thriller that echoes the style of the British horror movies of that era, Bava uses an excellent cast and great visual style to create a suspenseful film that did face problems with censors in Italy, the UK, and the US. 

 

Danger: Diabolik (1968)

A comic book style crime caper that plays out like a James Bond movie with the dashing costumed criminal Diabolik being pursued by corrupt authorities and criminal rivals. The movie best captures the style of the 1960s spy films with its brilliant visuals, exotic locations, and John Phillip Law's portrayal of Diabolik. 

Planet of the Vampires (1965)

Mario Bava directed this film with the crew of a spaceship attempting to rescue its sister ship only to find the remains of an alien vessel. This early Sci-Fi thriller inspired Alien and makes effective use of creepy sets and cool costumes. 

Kill, Baby Kill! (1966)

A small village lives in fear from the ghost of a young girl. "Kill, Baby Kill!"  would influence horror films that would use the image of a young girl as a sign of evil. This trope would especially be seen in Japanese horror movies of the early 2000s.   

Black Sabbath (1963)

Boris Karloff presents three tales of atmospheric filled terror that take place in different periods. This anthology directed by Mario Bava was a commercial failure yet would inspire the name of the English Heavy Metal band and Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. 

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

A woman travels to Rome & is stalked by a killer after witnessing a murder. This movie is considered one of the first Giallo movies, mixing a crime thriller with elements of sex appeal and horror. These movies were often set in exotic locations in Italy. 

A Bay of Blood (1971)

Directed by Mario Bava, this Giallo film would also serve as the template that all slasher movies would follow. A required watch for true fans of slasher movies and Giallo thrillers.

Blood and Black Lace (1964)

A masked killer stalks models who are in a fashion salon in Rome, Italy. This early Giallo would become a template for future Giallo movies and later slasher films of the late 70s and early 80s. 

Black Sunday (1960)

This film was the first and best of Italian maestro Mario Bava and starred Barbara Steele. With his excellent cinematography, hauntingly shot in black and white, Black Sunday was both a cult and critical hit.