Indie Spotlight

We return with the latest edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today's feature includes a trailer for The Banshee Chapter, a new episode of Chronicles of the Dead, details on The Crying Dead, and much more:

Heir First Details: "From Richard Powell and Zach Green’s Fatal Pictures, the company that brought you the critically acclaimed, award winning horror shorts Worm and Familiar, comes their new and final short film “HEIR”, a touching tale of father and son. Starring the Emmy award winning Bill Oberst Jr. (Abraham Lincoln Vs. Zombies) and Robert Nolan (Sick, Worm, Familiar).

After connecting with a stranger of similar interests online, family man Gordon and his son Paul, embark on an ill-fated road trip in which Gordon aims to indulge in a secret passion. Before the day ends a horrible truth will be uncovered and a harsh lesson will be learned.

HEIR is set to be a disturbing, practical FX driven horror short which examines one of societies darkest taboos in a way only Fatal Pictures can. HEIR stands to be our darkest, sharpest and most successful film to date!"

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First Trailer for The Banshee Chapter: "The Banshee Chapter centers on a female journalist (Winter) who follows the mysterious trail of a missing friend (McMillian) who had been experimenting with mind-altering chemicals developed in secret government drug tests. A fast-paced blend of fact and fiction, the story is based on real documents, actual test subject testimony, and uncovered secrets about covert programs run by the CIA.

[It will be] available on VOD December 2013 and in theaters January 2014."

The Banshee Chapter stars Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), Katia Winter (“Dexter”) and Michael McMillian (“True Blood”).

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The Spaces Between: "The Spaces Between gathers together all the longer stories and novelettes from award-winning and best-selling genre favorite Paul Kane (Lunar, The Butterfly Man and Other Stories, The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy), including one from his post-apocalyptic Arrowhead trilogy – a reworking of the Robin Hood mythology – and the whole of Kane’s “Dead” trilogy, the first story of which was filmed as New Year’s Day by Lions Gate/NBC for the primetime anthologies series Fear Itself. With an introduction by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong and cover and internal art from The Walking Dead’s Charlie Adlard, this is one book you really can’t afford to miss."

To learn more about this book, visit: www.shadow-writer.co.uk

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Dead Sea Release Details: ""Dead Sea" follows a Marine Biologist who reluctantly returns to the town she grew up in only to encounter the violent paranoia that has overtaken its locals as they prepare for the return of a serpentine creature said to appear every thirty years to feed.

The science fiction thriller stars Alexis Iacono (The Penny Dreadful Picture Show, Blue Caprice), Britt Griffith (SyFy's Ghost Hunters), Devanny Pinn, James Duval (Independence Day, Donnie Darko), Chanel Ryan (Bad Kids Go to Hell, BASEketball), Candace Kita (Barb Wire, Nip/Tuck), Jw Wiseman (Deadliest Warrior), Tawny Amber Young (The Guilt Trip), and KJ McCormick (SyFy's Ghost Hunters). Creature Effects are being provided by Phil Nichols of Facades FX Lab (Arlington Road, Boggy Creek, the upcoming Bigfoot Wars).

More information, including a trailer, will appear early this Fall as the film is readied for its theatrical premiere, to be followed by its home release in 2014."

For more information on Dead Sea, go to the film's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DeadSeaMovie

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New Chronicles of the Dead Episode Details: "Our latest episode "Virtual" from our zombie web series Chronicles of the Dead has been released. Only 5 minutes in length, [it brings] a new spin and originality.

In the near future, upon the curfew hour in New America, a young man plugs into the world of Virtual, entering "Chronicles of the Dead".

Directed by Brian Hernandez and written by Younger Robbins & Brian Hernandez, [Chronicles of the Dead - "Virtual"] stars Jon Marsch."

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Theatrical Release Date Announced for The Colony: "Laurence Fishburne (Matrix Trilogy), Bill Paxton (Aliens) and Kevin Zegers (Mortal Instruments: City of Bones) headline an all-star cast in this savage and unrelenting thriller about mankind's greatest enemy: himself. Written by Patrick Tarr (American Psycho), Pascal Trottier (Blind Fear) and Svet Rouskov (Silent Cargo), The Colony will debut on Ultra-VOD on Aug. 22, 2013 and in theaters on Sept. 20, 2013 in Los Angeles, New York and major U.S. markets. The announcement was made today by Image Entertainment’s Chief Acquisition Officer, Bill Bromiley.

The Colony opens as an endless winter engulfs Earth. Humans struggle to survive in remote underground outposts. When Colony seven receives a distress call from a nearby settlement, Sam (Zegers) and Briggs (Fishburne) race through the snow on a dangerous rescue mission. What they find at the desolate base could mean mankind’s salvation or its total annihilation. Terrifying discoveries will unfold that will change the rules of survival forever.

The Colony was produced by Paul Barkin, Matthew Cervi, Pierre Even and Marie-Claude Poulin and executive produced by Peter Graham, Marc Schaberg, Noah Segal and Mark Slone."

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Second Trailer for Yellow: "Arianna is a young woman that moves to the city to escape a traumatic family life in the suburbs. She works as a cosmetologist and is showing early signs of formaldehyde poisoning. New to the city and lonely, she reaches out to a female sex line operator. They agree to meet and soon begin a volatile relationship. An altercation at work results in Arianna losing her job. Then, people in her life begin to turn up dead. With Arianna's health, career, and new relationship all disintegrating before her eyes, how much longer can she, and those around her, survive?"

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Do Not Disturb DVD Release Details: "Holed up in a seedy hotel, Hollywood screenwriter Don Malek (Geoffreys) is scripting a diabolical plan for revenge. But instead of writing about a bloodthirsty serial killer, Don is doing the dirty work with his own hands. Tiffany Shepis and Corey Haim also star in this gritty, jolting thriller where no one is safe…and checkout time is sooner than you think.

Image Entertainment, announces the release of Do Not Disturb, available on DVD on Aug. 6, 2013. Directed by BC Furtney (New Terminal Hotel), this horror film stars Stephen Geoffreys (Friday Night), Tiffany Shepis (Cyrus), Ezra Buzzington (Fight Club) and Corey Haim (The Lost Boys)."

To learn more, go to: http://www.rljentertainment.com/product/do-not-disturb/74adce8e-447c-e211-97c7-020045490004#sthash.BgqGMbgU.dpuf

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First Photos from Night of the Krampus: "Night of the Krampus, a follow-up to Fighting Owl Films' 2011 horror/fantasy feature The Night Shift, has wrapped production.

According to legend, on Christmas Eve Santa Claus travels with a creature known as Krampus. While Santa rewards the good children, Krampus punishes the naughty. But that's just a myth...Or is it?

When the naughty kids of a suburb begin to vanish in the weeks leading to Christmas, all evidence points to the creature's existence. In this follow-up to “The Night Shift”, it's up to supernatural investigators Rue Morgan, Claire Rennfield, and skeletal sidekick Herbie West to solve the mystery, save the children, and face-off against the deadly Krampus.

Night of the Krampus promises to be an eerie good time. The half-hour short is set for a December release.

The Night Shift was named Best Fantasy Feature at Shockerfest International Film Festival, and received North American DVD distribution from R-Squared Films. Returning cast includes Khristian Fulmer (Rue Morgan), Erin Lilley (Claire Rennfield), and Soren Odom (Herbie West)."

To view the first photos, visit: https://www.facebook.com/fightingowlfilms

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First Details on Death Walks: "One night a young girl arrives injured at a shopping centre closed for the day, an act of kindness paves the way for a familiar but very different terror. Twenty people trapped with hundreds of deadly killers who use stealth as their weapon, prepare for a zombie movie unlike any other.

Filming began a few weeks back. We are accepting interest from locals to participate. Filming will be complete before the end of August.

Our cast includes Lucinda Rhodes, Joanna Finata, Daniel Smales, and Scott Mullins."

To keep up-to-date with the progress of this film, visit: https://www.facebook.com/DeathWalksMovie

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The Conspiracy Trailer: "When two young filmmakers select a crazed conspiracy theorist as the subject of their new movie, they have no idea the terrifying peril they will put themselves in. When the man disappears without a trace, the filmmakers begin an obsessive quest to uncover the truth that will lead them to an ancient and dangerous secret society. A meticulously researched thriller based on real conspiracy theories, THE CONSPIRACY blurs the line between fact and fiction, news and propaganda."

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The Bates Haunting DVD and Digital Release Details: "Uncork’d Entertainment proudly announces the multi-platform release of Byron Turk’s (Storm Chasers) The Bates Haunting, dubbed by the director as “Scream meets Scooby Doo”. The indie thriller was shot in rural Pennsylvania, at Arasapha Farm’s original Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride: one of America’s top Halloween attractions. The Bates Haunting will be available August 6 for rental and digital, and available for sale on DVD a few months later.

Agnes Rickover (Jean Louise O’Sullivan, Valley Peaks, Bullrun) visited the Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride looking for some Halloween fear and fun. Instead, she witnessed a tragedy: the fiery death of her best friend Lily making her dramatic debut on the Hayride. After a year spent obsessing over the horrible accident, Agnes takes a job at The Haunted Hayride, hoping to face her trauma and to exorcise her demons. She thinks this could be an investigative opportunity as well, and when her new co-workers end up victims of mysterious accidents, she knows it is. With her new sidekick Clyde, Agnes must figure out whom – or what – is behind all of this mayhem before more people die.

The film co-stars Zachary Fletcher in his debut starring role as Junior Bates and the late Ryan Dunn. Featuring a wild cast of characters ranging from ghouls and goblins to an overzealous chainsaw wielding theater actor, The Bates Haunting is part haunt, part hunt, full of spirits and the spirited! Agnes and Clyde are facing certain death – their only escape route through a crowd of entertained customers who think it’s just a show, but for them it’s a scary, shocking showdown!"

For more information about The Bates Haunting, visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheBatesHaunting

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Trailer and Release Details for The Crying Dead: "Production on The Crying Dead completed in 2012, outside of Los Angeles, California. This horror title focuses on six filmmakers, who hope to make it big in the paranormal reality show market. They find the surprise of their lives, instead! Since 2012, the film has undergone several edits and enhancements to heighten the film’s many ghostly thrills. And now, in 2013, Viva Pictures, along with Busted Knuckle Productions, have announced that The Crying Dead will release on DVD September 17th 2013.

The Crying Dead involves paranormal research in a haunted psychiatric hospital. Six filmmakers break into and search the abandoned Ettersburgh Psychiatric Hospital, for signs of hauntings. Pressure from the studios demands an exciting show and this film crew will go to any lengths and to any depths to find evidence of ghostly visits. The spirits of three young girls, who were murdered in this hospital, wait for them in the bowels of this derelict building. Now, Chris (Chris Hayes), Jeff (Jeff Stearns), Becka (Becka Adams), Angelina (Angelina Lyubomirova), Callie (Callie Cameron) and Andrew (Andrew Olson) will have to battle with these spirits and each other, if they are to escape this hellish location.

Horror fans can pre-order their own copy of The Crying Dead now, through several online retailers, including Amazon. The Crying Dead will also release on Video-on-demand and at Redbox kiosks, in September."

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Miss Burton's Class: The First Year... Book Details: Written by Katherine Kuzma-Beck, "Msburtonsclass.com, is a popular blog about a NJ teacher who finds herself in the middle of the zombie apocalypse one day. Though it begins centered around her and her students, the story balloons out into scary and even gross confrontations with heavy language.

On July 8th, a book based on the blog was released in paperback with a twist. Researchers from the Time of Stabilization find the archives of her blog and begin to piece together what Burton ultimately became in this new world."

To learn more about the book, Miss Burton's Class: The First Year: Tales of a Fifth Grade Teacher Turned Zombie Survivalist, head over to Amazon.

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Bloodsucka Jones Premiere Details: "David's new girlfriend turns out to be a vampire so he enlists the help of the 10th best vampire hunter in his zip code and legendary badass Bloodsucka Jones to fight off an army of evil preppy vampires.

Bloodsucka Jones has a new trailer, a new poster by Patrick Carson Sparrow (Astron 6, Freddy in Space, 100 Monsters), and we will be screening this Friday, July 26th at 6pm as part of Fright Night Film Festival/Fandomfest in Louisville, Kentucky. Poster, trading, cards, and t-shirts will be available.

Gorgeous girls, graphic violence, kids cursing, severed heads, kicking, screaming, laughing, bad language, Kung Fu, blood, boobs, babes, heavy metal, punk, vampires, death, destruction, hugs, kisses, and gratuitous everything. No, it's not Shakespeare. It's the best movie ever!"

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The Conjuring Prank Video: "Working alongside Roadshow Films to help promote the horror film, The Conjuring, we thought you might be interested in this funny/scary alleyway prank we made to promote the film."

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Zombie Massacre DVD Release Details: "From Uwe Boll and the directors of "Eaters" comes Zombie Massacre, the latest undead entertainment from eOne, lurching onto BD/DVD on August 6th.

A bacteriological weapon developed by the U.S. Government to create an army of super soldiers spreads an epidemic, turning the citizens of a quiet Eastern European town into mutated zombies. All citizens have become infected. In order to conceal the outbreak, a plan is hatched to detonate an atomic bomb inside the local nuclear power plant and pretend that a terrible accident occurred. No one has to know the truth. But when a team of mercenaries is put together to carry out the mission, they must first wage war against the horde of monsters in order to succeed. Who will survive in this zombie massacre."

For more information on this film, go to: http://twitter.com/eOneHomeVideo

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Free Movie of the Month Details: "The Collective, an entertainment management and production company, and horror website Bloody-Disgusting, will feature a new horror movie from their Bloody Disgusting Selects library on Hulu and Hulu Plus each month leading up to Halloween. Hulu visitors can watch these titles for free, while Hulu Plus subscribers can watch select titles on connected TVs and devices.

New titles to be featured include the following:

(JULY): EXIT HUMANITY -- In the aftermath of the Civil War an unexplained outbreak of the walking dead claims the life of Edward Young’s wife while his son disappears. This sets him off on a harrowing journey into the plagued countryside. Facing off challenges not just from the ferocious undead but also from the living, will Edward find an exit to the grotesque caricature of what humanity has become? The War might be over but the fight has just begun.

(AUGUST): CRAWL – Set in an unknown rural town, a seedy bar-owner hires a mysterious hit man to settle a score. The gun-toting killer crosses paths with an innocent waitress sparking a cat and mouse struggle of survival. As tension builds, everyone is driven to desperate measures causing a chain of events that build to a blood-curdling climax.

(SEPTEMBER): TRUTH OR DIE -- A group of college friends celebrate the end of term with a party to end all parties. During a drink and drug-fueled evening, an innocent game of ‘Truth or Dare’ has a very sore loser, sparking a terrifying sequence of events and a whole new twist on the game of Truth or Dare – where the truth can kill you.

(OCTOBER): YELLOW BRICK ROAD -- In the Fall of 1940, the entire population of Friar, NH abandoned their homes and walked up an ancient trail, never to be seen alive again. Their fates have remained a mystery for over 70 years, until a team of researchers discover the trailhead and attempt to track the path the doomed citizens of Friar took. YELLOW BRICK ROAD is a return to the slow burn, character driven horror thrillers of the 1970s."

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Casting and Acquisition Details for Grace: "Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (“SPWA”) has acquired GRACE, the horror-thriller from Automatik, Oddfellows Entertainment and Colony Pictures. Jeff Chan, who co-wrote the film with Chris Paré, is directing. GRACE marks Chan’s full-length feature debut, having previously helmed live action shorts for Activision’s CALL OF DUTY franchise. Automatik’s Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, SINISTER, INSIDIOUS) and Oddfellows’ Chris Ferguson are producing.

Seen entirely through the eyes of Grace, an oppressed 18 year old is tormented by the ungodly forces that plague her.

The film, which is currently shooting in Vancouver, stars Alexia Fast (JACK REACHER) as Grace, Alan Dale (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER), Lin Shaye (INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, INSIDIOUS), Alexis Knapp (PITCH PERFECT, PROJECT X), Joel David Moore (AVATAR, SAVAGES) and Clarke Peters (“Treme,” “The Wire”).

Colony Pictures’ Chan and IM Global CEO Stuart Ford are executive producing. Michael Helfand, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of SPWA."

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Theatrical Release Dates for Beneath: "When a group of young friends commemorating their high school graduation take a trip to the remote Black Lake, their celebration turns into a nightmare with the sudden appearance of a relentless menace from beneath. Stuck in a leaking boat with no oars, the teens face the ultimate tests of friendship and sacrifice during a terror-stricken fight for survival.

We'll be doing a limited theatrical [release] in more than 15 markets this summer as well as VOD on all digital platforms beginning July 15th in NYC at the IFC Center in Manhattan. Then, IndieScreen in Brooklyn on July 16th, as well as around the country."

Larry Fessenden's Beneath stars Daniel Zovatto, Bonnie Dennison, Chris Conroy, Jonny Orsini, Griffin Newman, Mackenzie Rosman, and Mark Margolis.

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HazMat Premiere and Trailer Details: "The television crew of the "Scary Antics" hidden camera show sets up a disturbed young man for a practical joke, but the joke is on them when heads roll.

We will be making our world premiere at the 2013 Massachusetts Independent Film Festival on August 16th as part of the Women In Horror block."

HazMat stars Norbert Velez, Aniela McGuinness, Todd Bruno, Gema Calero, Giordan Diaz, Tom Stedham, Daniela Larez, Reggie Peters, Dennis Spain, Mario Nalini, Massiel Checo and Brandi Rudicil.

For more information on this film, and to watch the official trailer, visit: https://www.facebook.com/hazmatmovie

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Pissed Off Clown Casting Details: "Afterlight Pictures, LLC will be bringing another Minarovich-penned screenplay in front of the cameras…the dark thriller PISSED OFF CLOWN.

To be directed by Zeke Flatten, PISSED OFF CLOWN will give you a new reason to fear clowns. Life is good for attorney Robert Cohen; he is at the top of his game and there are rumors of a partnership at the firm where he works. But things take a wrong turn for him one night at a local carnival when he faces his childhood fears by standing up to a loud mouthed clown at a dunking booth. His life will forever change as he soon realizes in this dark and thrilling tale that he pissed off the WRONG CLOWN.

While casting is still underway, the producers plan on filling the main roles with familiar faces including actors from the popular AMC series “The Walking Dead” and the hit CW series “The Vampire Diaries”. Some of these names include Robert Pralgo (Mayor Lockwood on “The Vampire Diaries”), Theodus Crane (Big Tiny from “The Walking Dead”) and the screenwriter himself, Adam Minarovich (Ed from “The Walking Dead”). The producers have been in talks with other actors from both series to tackle roles in the film, as well as reaching out to some other notable names to be announced soon.

Pissed Off Clown is a thriller with some disturbingly comedic overtones."

To stay up-to-date with the progress of this film, go to: https://www.facebook.com/PissedOffClown

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Speak No Evil Trailer and Distribution Details: "Speak No Evil is the story of Anna, a single mother fighting to protect her daughter from demonically possessed children and a town gone mad.

We are self-distributing our film through our website. [Speak No Evil] stars Olivia Cavender, Sylvie Cohen, Mario Guzman, Carl Jensen IV, and Gabrielle Stone (daughter of Dee Wallace of "Cujo", "E.T.", "Lords of Salem").

For more information on this film, or to watch the trailer, go to: http://www.mindplate.tv

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New Episode Details for Horror Medication: "Grief is a process we all have to go through in our lives. The idea for this Horror Medication episode, ignited when I thought about how some people hang on to texts and voicemail recordings of those they've lost.

Prepare the atmosphere for this episode, make sure you watch in the dark, turn off your phone...and check [to make sure] your front door to your home is locked."

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Mega Shark Vs. Mecha Shark Contest Announced: "The Asylum is excited to announce its latest fan contest: one devoted fan of the MEGA SHARK franchise will win a walk-on role, including a death scene, in MEGA SHARK VS. MECHA SHARK. Entrants must prove that they are the most devoted MEGA SHARK fan by presenting photographic or video evidence of their fandom, plus a brief description of themselves and why they deserve to win. One winner will receive a two-day trip to Los Angeles, including air fare and lodging, and a walk-on role in the film.

What qualifies as “proof” of ultimate fan devotion? Anything. The Asylum will evaluate photos and videos sent in by our fans of body art, painting, sculpture, music, and every other kind of fan tribute imaginable. The contest will be judged by employees of The Asylum based on creativity, intensity, and displayed level of enthusiasm for MEGA SHARK. That’s it. It’s open-ended, it’s subjective, and it’s entirely dependent on what our fans end up turning in as evidence of their deep and abiding passion for MEGA SHARK and The Asylum. Anything is possible; anything, even pre-existing fan art and the like, will qualify, as long as it is demonstrably the original work of the entrant.

Submissions must be sent to contest@theasylum.cc by 5pm PST on July 30. Participants must be available August 1 through August 15."

For more information on this contest, visit: http://www.theasylum.cc/blog/2013/07/mega-shark-3-fan-contest/

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Trailer and Theatrical Release Date for 36 Saints: "When New York Police Headquarters is confronted with the horror of a serial murderer loose on the streets of Manhattan, two detectives are tasked with bringing order to the chaos. Oblivious to the danger, six students from all over the world, who now attend school together in New York, are planning a memorial to celebrate the lives of their 30 lost “brothers and sisters” who died suddenly in a tragic plane crash a year prior. As evidence continues to mount and more body bags are gathered, the detectives are convinced that the killer is basing his crimes on the belief that every generation has 36 righteous individuals who live among us, where, with all of them gone, the world would fall into darkness. It is a race against time for the detectives to stop the murders and find the last of the 36 Saints before the killer does."

Directed by Eddy Duran, 36 Saints stars Franky G, Jeffrey De Serrano, Donna McKechnie, Jaime Tirelli, and Britne Oldford, Tyrone Brown, Matthew Daddario, Aja Naomi King, Chris Riggi, and Alesandrea Assante. The theatrical release date is September 6, 2013.

To learn more, go to the film's website at: www.36saintsthefilm.com

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Reality Terror Night DVD and VOD Release Details: "Lightyear Entertainment has announced the release of a new horror film, Reality Terror Night, on DVD and Video On Demand, as well as download to own and rent, on September 10, 2013.

In the film, five beautiful girls win a contest to star in a new reality show. Spend a night in a haunted house…first one to make contact with a ghost wins. What they don’t know is that the house is really haunted by a vicious killer who intends that none of them will win.

The DVD will be released in the U.S. and Canada through Entertainment One Distribution. It will debut day-and-date on Video on Demand, on Comcast, Time-Warner, Cox, Charter, Verizon, GCI, Mediacom, Suddenlink, and various other carriers. At the same time, it will be made available for digital download and rental through Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Cinemanow, Google, Playstation, and Xbox.

The film stars veteran star Martin Kove (Karate Kid 1,2, and 3, Rambo: First Blood II), Katherine Norland (Stargate SG-1), and Liana Mendoza (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, The Love Guru)."

For more information on Reality Terror Night, or to watch the trailer, go to: http://youtu.be/sRzMju-x9rg

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February 4th Details: "Four college students made a birthday present for the zombie king himself George A. Romero. Shot from the point of view of one of the survivors, February 4th shows what can happen to you if you are not prepared for the zombie apocalypse.

[The film] stars Stephen Snowden, Scott Gleine, Nathan Pinsoneault, and Chris Gierowski."