Film - June 07

30th June

Danish horror Kollegiet aka The Dorm

We have just found what appears to be quite a promising new Ghost/slasher from Denmark entitled 'The Dorm.' Directed by Martin Barnewitz and produced through Nordisk Film, ‘Kollegiet’ Stars: Mira Wanting, Neel Rønholt, Julie Ølgaard, Jon Lange and Mikkel Arndt.

Synopsis: ”Katrine has just moved to the city. By accident, she releases a ghost in her dorm, and it starts to take revenge on the dorm’s inhabitants. Together with her new friend Rolf, Katrine tries to stop the ghost, before it kills everybody at the dorm. However, while she and Rolf try to find a solution, people die around them. Soon only Katrine and her closest friends remain.”

‘Kollegiet’ goes on domestic release in Denmark, August 10th, 2007.

‘Kollegiet’ (Official Site)

30th June

First teaser trailer for Apocalypse

The official website for the Russian big budget action flick ‘Apocalypse’ has been updated with several teaser trailers. From the looks of them, it would appear they have spent a pretty hefty wedge of cash on the production. Teaser trailer 2 is the better for action shots in our opinion.

Directed by Vadim Shmelyov, the films stars Anastasia Zavorotnyuk, Vincent Perez, Vladimir Menshov and Alexei Serebryakov. For more detail on the plotline etc , check out our original story on the film. Posted way back on May 31st here.

‘Apocalypse’ (Official Site)

29th June

London FrightFest announces programme

The UK's premiere fantasy and horror film festival has revealed its 2007 line-up. Featuring 7 world, 6 European and 6 UK premiers. 26 films will unspool over five days. Tickets go on sale at 11 am on 30th June. For full details of the excellent array of films to see, click here.

29th June

New poster for “Invisible Target”

A new poster is up for Benny Chan’s (‘Rob-B-Hood’) great looking Cop action flick ‘Invisible Target.’ The movie stars Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue, Andy On & best of all kick ass bad boy, Wu Jing. For more info on the film, check out our earlier post, dated June 11th.

‘Invisible Target’ (Official Site)

29th June

Website fully live for "Naraka 19: The 19th Gate of Hell"

The website for the horror ‘Naraka 19’ is now fully live. All the usual sights and sounds can be found within. The film based on the best selling Chinese horror novel written by Choi Shun, is slated to open in July.

Synopsis: “The nightmare begins for university student Rain when she receives a text message on here mobile phone – “Do you know what the 19th gate of Hell is?” The same cryptic message goes out to all the other students on campus, involving them in a deadly phone game – in this game, if you loose, you die.”

‘Naraka 19' (Official Site)

28th June

Dali and Disney?!

An unfinished short Salvador Dali hoped to make with Walt Disney will form part of a Tate Modern exhibition about the Spanish artist's fascination with film. Dali worked on Destino for more than nine months between 1945 and 1946, but money ran out before it was completed. The six-minute film was eventually made in 2003 by Disney's nephew Roy and was nominated for an Academy Award.

The short will feature in Dali & Film, running at the Tate Modern gallery in London from 1 June to 9 September. Destino - which features several of Dali's famous surrealist images - has screened in the US, France and Australia but has yet to be seen in the UK. Dali's love of cinema led him to make two short films, Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'Or. Both will be screened at the exhibition, alongside the surreal dream sequence Dali created for Alfred Hitchcock's 1945 thriller Spellbound.

The show - organised in conjunction with the Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation in the painter's home town in Figueres - will also include more than 100 manuscripts, photographs and drawings. Besides his handlebar moustache, Dali is best known for his "hand-painted dream photographs" whose images of melting clocks, elephants on stilts and human chests of drawers have become world-famous. According to the Hollywood Reporter, actor Al Pacino is to play the flamboyant artist in a film biopic focusing on his later life. [Source]

27th June

Russia gets their very own Tombraider 'Skalolazka: The seventh cradle'

Russia is about to launch their very own Lara Croft into the world. 'Skalolazka: The seventh cradle' is the first live action film of the adventures of Alyona Ovchinnikova (Anastasia Panina). Alyona is an expert in ancient languages and archeology, and by fate’s will the savior of human civilization. Based on the Novels of Oleg Sinitsin, the movie is directed by Alexei Timm and produced by Yuri Bobrov. 'Seventh cradle' blasts onto the big screen in Russia, in September.

'Skalolazka' Test trailer (Raw footage)

'Skalolazka: The seventh cradle' (Official site)

26th June

One sheet for Clive Barker's horror Born

We have turned up the first poster for the upcoming horror ‘Born.’ The film is directed by Dan Simpson, and co-written/produced by Clive Barker. ‘Born’ Stars Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, in a story of a clay animator whose creations begin to take on a nightmarish life of their own. Here is the synopsis taken from the production companies site:

“A young couple. A quaint English village. A deadly secret. This is the world of Born. Combining elements of The Sixth Sense, The Wicker Man, Rosemary's Baby, and Straw Dogs, Born tells the story of a couple who thought they had found the perfect place to start a family and pursue their professional dreams, only to find themselves caught in a terrifying supernatural plot.

Joe and Vanessa thought they had everything. They've settled in an idyllic English town that will be perfect for both raising their unborn child and for Joe to build his dream claymation workshop. From the local hospitality to the rich red molding clay found in the town quarry, it would seem they've settled in paradise. But something isn't quite right. The locals are almost too friendly, and while using the clay Joe begins to have eerie visions of a young girl's murder. Gradually, the story being told in his animation foreshadows the fate of Joe and Vanessa, leading to a terrifying conclusion.“

Based on the great premise alone, we want to see more about this movie. Production is set to begin this August, in the UK.

25th June

New poster for Martial arts actioner Muay Thai Chaiya

A cool new teaser poster is out for the action pic ‘Muay Thai Chaiya.’ Directed by Kongkiat Khonsiri (The Unseeable) the movies plot involves three friends from childhood who become arch-rivals when each of them are trained at different boxing schools.

The main protagonist is a prize-fighter who inherits the renowned Chaiya fighting style from his master. Currently in post production the movie opens in Thailand August 30th.

‘Muay Thai Chaiya’ (Poster)

24th June

Thai Horror Buppha Rahtree rises again

The Thai horror comedy ‘Buppha Rahtree’ is to get a new lease of life theatrically, with a release in Taiwan of all places. Quite why it’s happening now, nearly 4 years after the films original release is anyone's guess. But it does give us an excuse to open the lid, and look once again at this hugely popular, strange and entertaining film.

Synopsis: “Ake, is infatuated by the class beauty, Rahtree - a gorgeous but reserved young girl. Eventually his attempts to woo her pay off and the couple spends a heated three-day vacation together. However, no sooner do they return, when Ake reveals that his seduction of Rahtree was nothing more than a bet between himself and a couple of his wealthy friends. He avoids the girl until his parents pack him off to boarding school in England.

Before he leaves, Rahtree reveals that she is pregnant and Ake forces her to get an abortion. But he has already left by the time she returns home, where she later starts to bleed and shockingly dies. Here the film shifts dramatically, as Rahtree's body refuses to behave like a normal dead body and haunts her apartment, forcing the landlady to hire all manner of experts and exorcists to try and rid the apartment of the troublesome spook before all her tenants move out."

So popular was the first movie it spawned a sequel 'Rahtree Returns' in 2005. A bizarre combination of genres, 'Rahtree' is certainly a unique entry in the canon of new horror films from Thailand. The pic opens in Taiwan on June 29th. ‘Buppha Rahtree’ (Official Taiwanese site)

23rd June

Variety reviews Frank Oz's Death at a Funeral

Variety’s John Anderson gives the low down on Franz Oz’s quirky British comedy of errors….'Death at a Funeral'

"With a circus parade of mourning Brits and enough appalling circumstances to set proper Englishness back to the Dark Ages, "Death at a Funeral" pits decorum against sex, drugs and dysfunction. The winners? Auds who know you laugh hardest when you're not supposed to, and who appreciate the humorous qualities of embarrassment, blackmail and the twitting of the upper classes. Box office will likely be modest, but reaction will be strongly positive....."

We have posted the full review to check out, over at the 2fps forum here

'Death at a Funeral' (Official site)

23rd June

French theatrical poster for Thai Ghost story Dorm

The French theatrical poster for director Songyos Sugmakanan’s Ghost story ‘Dorm’ (renamed for the French market as 'Le Pensionnat' aka 'The Boarding School') has arrived.

The story revolves around a Thai boy Chatree who is sent to boarding school by his parents, against his wishes. Despite being the social outcast, and a recluse, Chatree befriends another pupil, Wichien (Sirarath Jianthaworn). They become fast friends, but Wichien has a deep dark secret and at 6pm everyday, he mysteriously disappears.

The link below is the the films official French site, but currently its just a holding page. 'Le Pensionnat' opens in France August 22nd.

'Le Pensionnat' (Official French site)

23rd June

Herman Yau's hard core horror Gong Tau now on DVD

We haven’t seen an Asian horror movie quite this full on, in your face, since the supremely gory Thai shocker ‘Art of the Devil 2’ was released back in 2005.

‘Gong Tau‘ takes the audience back to an earlier time, when Hong Kong movies were gory, twisted, and enormously entertaining guilty pleasures. Mark Cheng (Election 2) stars in this Category III (the most severe rating a film can get in Hong Kong) shocker as Rockman, a chiseled cop whose latest case may be the death of him.

When a series of brutal cop killings occur, all signs point to Lam Chiu (Kenny Wong), a nasty perp who once took a bullet to the head from Rockman, and can no longer feel any pain. However, the deaths all carry signs of dark eastern mysticism, and when Rockman's wife (Maggie Siu) becomes afflicted with unexplainable pain AND his infant son suddenly - and shockingly - dies in his home, Rockman knows something is up. His veteran partner Fat (Lam Suet) has the answer: "It's Gong Tau.” Black Magic.

‘Gong Tau‘ (Official site)

‘Gong Tau‘ Order the DVD here

22nd June

UK Cinema release for Goro Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea

“Tales from Earthsea” Goro Miyazaki’s animated interpretation of the novels of best selling author Ursula Le Guin, is to get UK theatrical release throught Optimum releasing. The film from Studio Ghibli is the first anime film adaptation of any part of the Earthsea series.

Synopsis: ”Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's stranger still is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause.

During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy's "fears" against the very one who would help him, Ged.”

It's not clear as yet if the film will get a UK based website, but in the mean time there is plenty to see on the original Japanese site, here. 'Tales from Earthsea' opens in the UK on August 3rd.

21st June

New movie from the director of Ghost in the Shell: The Sky Crawlers

Mamoru Oshii, the world-famous Japanese (genius) filmmaker, whose works include Ghost in the Shell (1995) and Innocence (2004), will direct a new feature animation film, ‘The Sky Crawlers.’ The film is based on a popular five-part novel by a best-seller writer, Hiroshi Mori, who enjoys enthusiastic support from younger generations and has sold over 8 million copies of his works in total.

The story unfolds in another 'possible' modern age. The main characters are youngsters called "Kildren", who are destined to live eternally in their adolescence. The Kildren are conscious that every day could be the last, because they fight a "war as entertainment" organized and operated by adults. But as they embrace the reality they are faced with, they live their day-to-day lives to the full. Mamoru Oshii is best known worldwide for the epoch-making Ghost in the Shell, that topped the Billboard video chart in the US, and its sequel Innocence, was the the first Japanese animation film to compete for the Palm d'Or at the Cannes International Film Festival.

As well as the news of the upcoming project, the official site for the film has gone live. ‘Sky Crawlers’ is due to be released in Japan in 2008. ‘The Sky Crawlers’ (Official site)

21st June

24Frames picks up U.S. rights to Alone

No we aren't branching out into film distribution, though if we were this would be a good choice to make. New Independent distributor '24 frames' announced it has acquired all North American rights and remake rights to the Thai Horror Film “ALONE” for their 24 frames extreme label.

Regular readers of 24Fps will know this is the 2nd horror film from the directing duo Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom who made the smash hit chiller “Shutter,” which is undergoing a Hollywood remake by Twentieth Century Fox and Vertigo Entertainment.

“ALONE” tells the story of Pim who moved from Thailand to Korea to escape the guilt of being the surviving half of a conjoined twin. Flashbacks to Pim’s childhood show how the bittersweet relationship with her sister, and their commitment to stay together forever, transforms into a repressive bond that ultimately leads to a separation. After she returns to visit her dying mother, the spirit of her dead sister angrily thrusts herself into Pim’s life.

No mention in the press release we received as to when the film will be out stateside. But we have just had confirmation it will be getting a theatrical release. We'll keep you posted. Alone' (U.S. Official site)

20th June

Teaser poster for Hong Kong chiller The Deserted Inn

Directed by Zhang Jing, upcoming chiller 'The Deserted Inn' stars Xue Shan, Kenny Kwan and He Meitian. Kwan stars as a music composer whose career is on the rocks and retreats to a deserted town looking for inspiration to write his next hit song. After checking into a local inn, he begins to have nightmares that push him to the brink of insanity until he unveils the dark secret of the innkeeper…

'Deserted Inn' (Poster)

19th June

Website arrives for "Anatomy Class"

Another poster, and official site are up for the Korean horror 'Anatomy Class.' For more background on the film, check out our original story posted back on May 30th.

'Anatomy Class' (Official Site)

19th June

UK Cinema release for Johnnie To's P.T.U

Opening on June 22nd, Johnnie To's hard core crime thriller 'PTU' is to get UK Cinema release through third Window Films.

Set against a Hong Kong that never sleeps, a stolen police gun triggers a suspensful chain of events. Trying to track down his missing gun before dawn, Sergeant Lo first has his car vandalised and is then beaten up. Suddenly he finds himself stuck between two gangs on the brink of a bloodbath, while at the same time staving off investigations by both Vice Squad and Homicide units embroiled in their own turf war.His only lifeline is a maverick Police Tactical Unit squad who have one night to help him find his gun.

To check out a full rundown of the showtimes head here.

'PTU' trailer (Youtube)

18th June

New "Blood Brothers" & "Assembly" posters unveiled

Film producers the Huayi Bros unveiled two new promo posters for their big budget Chinese movies ,"Assembly" and "Blood Brothers," at a grand ceremony at the ongoing Shanghai Film Festival Sunday night. The movies star-studded casts attended the ceremony in Shanghai to promote the movies. As well as the posters, two new sub sites have just gone live showing great quality trailers for each movie.

Blood Brothers (Poster) (Trailer)

Assembly (Poster) (Trailer)

17th June

New horror from the director of R-Point: G.P 506

Some early news in that Su-chang Kong the director of Korean horror R-Point is to return with another military based horror entitled ‘G.P (Guard Point) 506.’ The film stars CHUN Ho-jin & CHO Hyun-jae.

Synopsis: "A strange multiple murder case was just occurred. A squad of soldiers from guard point 506 has been brutally killed, all except one. Every body was either crushed, or had their heads cut from their neck. The only survivor is in coma and the case is a complete mystery. Military investigator (Chun Ho Jin) is dispatched. When he arrives it soon becomes apparent this is no ordinary investigation, he is confronted by the discovery that a strange virus is turning soldiers into Zombie like killers…!”

OK, Zombie soldiers, now that caught our attention! A little surprising that Kong should return to the big screen with a film so similar in setting to his previous work, but we'll go with it. ‘G.P 506’ opens in Korea in August.

‘G.P 506’ (Stills) 1 2 3 4

17th June

Gong Li to star in Tim Burton's new film

Renowned Chinese actress, Gong Li (Curse of the Golden Flower, Memoirs of a Geisha) is reported to be the female lead in visionary filmmaker Tim Burton's new biopic, "Ripley, Believe It or Not" about American artist and author Robert L. Ripley. The director is still negotiating with comedy actor, Jim Carrey, to be the male lead, Robert L. Ripley, the Nanjing Morning Post reported. If they reached agreement, Gong Li will for the first time cooperate with Carrey, playing his Chinese girlfriend with her real name "Gong Li".

The bio-pic will recount Ripley's a legendary life experiences, who was dubbed as modern Marco Polo, and is perhaps best known for his comic strip, "Ripley's Believe it or Not!"It also reports the production company Paramount Pictures will budget up to 150 million US dollars for the movie, shooting scenes in the United States, northern Europe and China's Shanghai. The movie is expected to begin shooting this winter and open in American cinemas in 2009. [Source: CRI]

16th June

Teaser poster for The Brøken

First poster is out for the upcoming pic from Oscar nominated director Sean Ellis. ‘The Brøken,' a horror/ thriller Starring Lena Headey is being backed by French major Gaumont films.

Synopsis:" On a busy street in London, Gina (Lena Headey) thinks she sees herself drive past in her own car. Stunned by this strange event, Gina follows the mystery woman up to her apartment. From here, events take an eerie turn for the worse until Gina's awareness slides from solid reality into a world that will haunt more than just her nightmares."

15th June

More detailed synopsis for "Black House"

We were pleased to find this far more detailed plotline for the very promising Korean horror “Black House.” It looked good. Now it sounds even better.

Synopsis: “Jun-oh, formerly a bank employee, gets a call on his first day at work from a woman seeking advice. She asks if insurance is paid out on suicides, and only after hanging up does he see the warning on the insurance agreement. A few days later Jun-oh receives a request for a meeting with an unknown policy holder. From the living room of a decrepit house Jun-oh opens the door to the bedroom to see a seven-year-old hanging from the ceiling.

Police start an investigation, but the autopsy and all the evidence points to suicide. But Jun-oh can’t shake his suspicions that the incident was actually a murder. Believing that insurance, which should protect lives, cannot be seen to promote murder, he withholds payment. There is evidence of other serial murders, and a secret lying inside company records in storage. Where is the truth? And what is the true nature of the Black House?"

'Black House' (Official Site)

14th June

Website and teaser trailer for "Three Kingdoms"

It’s 2 for 1 today for Daniel Lee’s upcoming mega - budget historical actioner ‘Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.’ Not only have we got the first great looking teaser trail, we have also turned up the movies official site. Andy Lau takes the lead in the pic, which also stars Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible 3) and Leon Lai (The Matrimony), whilst Sammo Hung (Martial Law) is on board as action choreographer.

With a budget approaching $25 million, the picture is set up by Hong Kong's Visualizer Film and Korea's Taewon Entertainment, and will shoot in China from March 2007. The film is based on "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" a vast 600-year-old novel by Luo Guangzhong that ranks as one of China's four most important pieces of literature, and also provided source material for John Woo's upcoming "Battle of Red Cliff."

The website is not fully active yet, but it does have a great animated intro to take a look at. Still well into production, ‘Three Kingdoms’ hits the big screen in the new year.

'Three Kingdoms’ (Teaser trail)

‘Three Kingdoms’ (Official site)

13th June

Teaser poster for "The Coffin"

A teaser poster has surfaced the upcoming Thai Horror 'The Coffin,' a supernatural thriller about a man who is confronted by a series of terrifying incidents after lying in a coffin for one night. Directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham (Beautiful Boxer), the film stars Ananda Everingham the male lead of the Thai horror smash hit ‘Shutter.’

This pic has been in pre-production forever, but the delay may well be due to the fact that Everingham has been tied up for many months filming the mega budget Thai fantasy epic ‘The Queen of Lung-Guska.’

Synopsis: “Chris, is an average Thai-Chinese guy living in Sydney. Following the Thai custom to cheat death and rid oneself of bad luck he agrees to a bizarre dare at a party, to lay in a coffin for a whole night. As the lid is nailed shut and claustrophobia strikes he soon feels short of breathe, But as the Coffin suddenly shakes violently he soon realizes that claustrophobia is the least of the terrors awaiting him.”

Sold so far! No word yet as to when production will begin, but we'll keep you posted. [Source]

12th June

Taiwanese horror "Silk" gets R1 DVD release

Taiwanese hit horror of last year ‘Silk’ is about to get a region 1 DVD release through Tartan video. Helmed by writer/director Chao-Bin Su (Extremes 2, Double Vision) the film stars Chang Chen, Yosuke Eguchi, Karena Lam & Chen Po-Lin.

The plot: “When a Canadian research photographer is killed, leaving behind a photo of a boy in an otherwise empty room, paranormal investigative scientist, Hashimoto, investigates the scene. Armed with a newly invented material they capture the ghost: an unidentified 13-year old boy. Who is this ghost? Why does it kill people? Sealing off the room, they soon learn that even though it’s energy can be seen, humans are unable to hear it.

In an effort to learn the ghost’s past, Hashimoto’s team enlists the help of special agent Ye, gifted with extraordinary eyesight and ability to lip-read. As Ye gets closer to solving the riddle of the boy’s past, he learns the horrifying truth of the boy’s death. Fearing that the ghost child is dangerous, the team decides to isolate the ghost but in doing so they unknowingly unleash a mysterious force, a much more powerful and ferocious energy to which the boy somehow seems connected.”

‘Silk’ (Official site) Order the DVD here

11th June

“Invisible Target” website now live!

The website has just gone live for Benny Chan’s (‘Rob-B-Hood’) fantastic looking Cop action flick ‘Invisible Target.’ The movie stars Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue, Andy On & Wu Jing. All the usual goodies can be found within, including a far higher res version of the mayhem filled trailer. Enjoy!

Synopsis: “An armoured truck is secretly transporting $100 million for a U.S bank when it is hijacked by a band of robbers calling themselves the "Ronin Gang." The gang blows up the truck and makes off with all the cash. Three young detectives, led by Chen Jin (Nicholas Tse), are soon assigned to prevent another massive bank robbery organized by the Ronin Gang.”

The movie is due for release in Hong Kong, July 19th.

‘Invisible Target’ (Official Site)

11th June

UK Theatrical release for Johnnie To's "Exiled"

UK fans of great Asian crime movies look out. Johnnie To’s excellent thriller ‘Exiled’ is to get a UK Cinema (albeit limited) release on June 15th! Anthony Wong (Infernal Affairs) and Francis Ng (Infernal Affairs 2) once again team up with Johnnie To and his regulars Roy Cheung (Infernal Affairs 2), and Simon Yam (Election) in another action-packed ensemble piece. Joining the cast are Richie Jen and Nick Cheung, both of whom worked previously with Johnnie To in Breaking News, as well as new collaborator Josie Ho (Butterfly).

Synopsis: “The time is 1998. The setting is Macau. Every living soul jumps at every chance to make quick money before the Portuguese colony ushers in a new era under the Chinese rule. For the jaded hit men, they wonder where this journey will end. Against this background of fin-de-siècle malaise come two hit men from Hong Kong sent to take out a renegade member trying to turn over a new leaf with his wife and newborn baby. They soon find themselves in the throes of a dilemma when two of their former associates also show up, intent on thwarting them at every cost.”

To catch the trailer for the film, and see a rundown of the Cinemas screening the movie, check out the link here.

10th June

Website live for “Death Note” spin off movie “L”

The site is up for the “Death Note” spin off movie “L.” Directed by the Hideo Nakata ("The Ring 2," "Kaidan," "The Ring 3). “L” will focus on the detective's (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) story before the events of the two hugely successful "Death Note" pics. Warner Japan will release the film in the first half of 2008.

'L Movie' (Official Site)

9th June

English subtitled trailer for HK crime thriller “Eye in the Sky”

We have turned up an English subbed trailer for Yau Nai-Hoi's crime thriller “Eye in the Sky.” Yau, has up until now been best known as a frequent collaborator and scriptwriter (Election, Election 2) for director Johnny To.

Eye in the Sky tells the story of a new recruit, nicknamed Piggy (Kate Tsui) by her mentor Dog-Head (Simon Yam), as she undergoes an on-job training of sorts in their case to track down some armed robbers, led by "Hollow Man" (Tony Leung Kar Fai). It becomes a cat and mouse game as identities are attempted to be established, and the team comes up against a villain who's truly aware of his environment, turning the tables as the hunter might become the prey.

Update: Official site now live

'Eye in the Sky' Trailer (Windows Media)

8th June

UK theatrical release for "Taxidermia"

Director György Pálfi's 'Taxidermia' is to get a limited UK theatrical release. A 180-degree shift in tone and theme from his previous work 'Hukkle,' his newest pic is full of freakish imagery; bizarre plot twists and a disturbing look at the human condition.

The story of three generations of men, it begins with a down trodden orderly in the Second World War, whose coupling with his bossy lieutenant's wife produces a son Kalman, born complete with piggy tail. Fittingly, Kalman seeks success as an Olympic speed eater, falling in love along the way with the equally corpulent Gizella.They in turn produce a child, the diminutive Lajos, who grows up to become a quiet taxidermist who harbours a dark desire to produce the ultimate art work by stuffing his own body.

Watching the trailer its almost remiscent of a Terry Gilliam (Monty Python) animation made flesh. A true parade of the grotesque and bizarre that covers a range of surreal oddities, 'Taxidermia' looks stunning, original, and isn’t for the squeamish. The film opens in UK Cinemas on July 13th.

'Taxidermia' (Official UK Site)

7th June

Website has arrived for "Sick Nurses"

The official site has surfaced (in many shades of Pink) for Thai horror “Sick Nurses.” Much like the posters, what lies within is a lot darker. Director duo Thosapol Siriwiwat and Peerapan Laoyont's film is about a group of nurses who get the fright of their lives when they discover that one of their number is actually a ghost. Release date is now set for June 14th

'Sick Nurses' (Official Site)

6th June

New poster for Korean horror "Epitaph"

And ever so slightly surreal it is too. As well as the new poster, the website for the movie is live, but as yet its just a holding page. See the poster larger from the link below.

'Epitaph' poster

6th June

Those who dis the Italian film industry beware

According to the ‘Hollywood reporter' the Italian cinema industry is up in arms after recent comments from Quentin Tarantino, who called the current state of the film industry "depressing." And then things really kicked off! Italian newspapers on Monday and over the weekend were full of reaction to the director's comments, which came less than a month after it was revealed that he would co-present a series of Spaghetti Westerns in a special sidebar at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Tarantino is known to be a fan of old Italian films, but according to his recent comments published in Sorrisi & Canzioni -- the country's leading television magazine -- his love for the country's film productions does not extend to more contemporary cuts. "New Italian cinema is just depressing," Tarantino said. "Recent films I've seen are all the same. They talk about boys growing up, or girls growing up, or couples having a crisis, or vacations of the mentally impaired."

Those defending modern Italian cinema included some of the best-known names in the game.
"How dare he talk about Italian cinema when he doesn't know anything about American cinema?" asked Naples-born Sophia Loren, according to media reports."Tarantino is a brute," said Marco Bellocchio, a five-time Palme d'Or nominee in Cannes and a member of this year's Cannes jury. Even editorial writers got in on the counterattack, with the left-wing daily L'Unita saying Tarantino was himself "mentally impaired." The center-left daily La Repubblica, Italy's second-largest newspaper, said that if Italian film isn't what it used to be, neither was Tarantino. "Tarantino is no longer the Tarantino that made 'Pulp Fiction,' " the newspaper opined.

5th June

"Ghost Train": Available to pre order on R1 DVD

The hugely successful J-Horror “Ghost Train” has just become available to pre order on R1 DVD through ADV films. Directed by Takeshi Furusawa, the film stars Aya Sugimoto & Chinatsu Wakatsuki. Disc is due out July 17th.

Plotline:"Whoever picks up this railway pass will die." High school girl Nana is searching for her missing sister and discovers that people who found the same railway pass disappeared one after another. The station's security camera recorded a mysterious woman appearing on the platform. Ex-train driver Shunichi, working in the lost & found office, is wondering why the same missing pass has been found over and over again by different people. Together they decide to find out the truth but new terrors await them as the hand of death comes ever closer!"

'Ghost Train' Trailer

Pre order the DVD here

4th June

More pics for Brit horror "Human Residue"

New stills have appeared for the good looking indy horror ‘Human Residue.’ They can be found on the films website, which we have also just discovered has undergone a very snazzy, complete revamp.

‘Human Residue’ is a non-profit independent feature film currently being made in York, England by 'Rickety Shack Films'. Inspired by supernatural horror movies like The Ring, Alien, 28 Days Later and The Village; this is a cinematic survival story set in a post-apocalyptic world.

Synopsis: "Seven volunteers without much in common all sign up for the same temporal isolation program. Whilst not particularly interested in the medical research purposes of the experiment, for a £7000 payment, they could live with being sealed inside an underground bunker for a period of three and a half weeks. While they were under something went terribly wrong."

‘Human Residue’ (Official Site)

3rd June

New teaser poster for Thai horror "Body"

We first covered news on the Thai horror 'Body,' (to be directed by first timer 'Paween Purijitpanya) back on May 21st of last year. Since then the trail went cold, and we’ve been wondering what’s going on with the production. Now though, out of the blue a new suitably gory teaser poster has turned up over with the guys at 'Thaicinema.org.' So fingers crossed it's still on track to be finished!

Synopsis: A human being contains 5 liters of blood, 6 pounds of skin, 206 bones, 600 muscles, and 35 million glands. It takes a human body more than 25 years of life to grow such things. But one man actually believes he can rid himself of every single piece of human flesh by just using scissors and a small surgical blade. And he is going to prove it. Chon, a 4th year medical student, starts seeing a psychotherapist after he starts dreaming about a woman who he had only met once in a restaurant.

In his dreams, a mysterious man murders her, slices her body into pieces, and flushes them down a toilet one by one. The murderous dreams haunt him into his waking memory, and eventually he feels as if his own body is being dissected and carved up by the surgical knife. Slowly, the terrifying images take control of him. He comes to believe that the dead woman is sending him messages through these nightmares. But these are not messages for him, they are meant for her murderer. They speak of revenge: "I am still here."

2nd June

Update: Hi-Def trailer for indy Zombie horror "Edges of Darkness"

The official site for the promising independent Zombie horror “Edges of Darkness” has been updated with a crisp new Hi Def Quicktime version of the trailer. The film is helmed by first time director Blaine Cade. The principle cast includes Anne marie Pazmino, Shamika Ann Franklin, Alonzo F. Jones and Michelle Rose.

Synopsis:” Three interconnected tales of terror set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. A young vampire couple struggle to survive as the zombies eat up all their food. An obsessed writer powers his computer with a chip that runs off the life force of others. A survival nut takes in a woman and her child, who are on the run from a group of renegade priest’s hell bent on destroying the child.”

'Edges of Darkness' (Official Site)

2nd June

Teaser poster for "The Countess"

"The Countess" is a period drama/horror set against the violent and macabre world of 17th Century Eastern European aristocracy.

Synopsis: "The Countess" tells the tale of Erzebet Bathory (Julie Delpy) an aging noblewoman whose years of solitude and loneliness transforms her into a cold and distant figure among Hungarian nobility. When her violent and brutal husband, Ferenc Nadasky (Ethan Hawke), dies on the field of battle, Erzebet is forced to defend her estate against the political maneuverings of her fellow nobles. After having her heart broken by the handsome, young Count Thurzo (Daniel Bruhl), Erzebet seeks the aide of a seductive witch named Anna Darvulia (Radha Mitchell) to help win back his love.

However, Erzebet's fairy tale dream soon transforms into a nightmare when Darvulia's corruption leads Erzebet's already cold and selfish heart to commit an infamous series of ritualistic murders aimed at stealing the youth and beauty from innocent maidens. As rumors of her actions begin to spread, a mysterious nobleman (Vincent Gallo) further exploits Erzebet's vanity and misguided passion to curry favor with his fellow nobles, which leads to the dispossession and damnation of a woman blinded by love and vanity."

The movie is based on a true story, widely credited by many as a primary influence of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" myth. Currently in pre production the film is due out in 2008.

1st June

Yudai Yamaguchi & Junichi Yamamoto's "Meatball Machine" hits R1 DVD

From the writer/director duo of 'Battlefield Baseball' and 'Versus' comes 'Meatball Machine,' arriving on Region 1 DVD this month. A wild, splatterific, experimental sci-fi/horror rollercoaster that will have your entire brain and body shaken and stirred.

Capable of making biomechanical weapons out of human flesh, alien parasites invade the Earth, turning their hosts into maniacal killers who seek and destroy each other to the bloody death! And yes, it's also a human love story, even though the budding romantics are infested with slimy, tumor-like globules.

Codirectors Junichi Yamamoto and Yudai Yamaguchi (Battlefield Baseball) pull out all the stops and don t let up until the final epic battle. It's a touching testament to young love, Blood, and alien ooze that leaves you screaming for more. 'Meatball Machine' Trailer

Order the DVD here