Starting off today's Horror Highlights are details on Comet TV's September Prize Pack contest in association with the Charge! network. Also: Shriekfest 2018's final three films revealed, Darkness Reigns DVD giveaway details, Molly Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD release details, and the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival lineup.

Comet TV's September Contest Details: "COMET TV September Contest: "Are you ready for a Spacey-week?

I hope so because COMET TV has so many cool things in September! COMET TV is the new home of the cult classic Space: 1999! The out of this world series starring Martin Landau is a fun retro adventure, you’ll love!

Plus, there are Godzilla Double Features, Dr. Who, and more!

Plus, we can’t forget the action network CHARGE! There is a Rocky marathon featuring the classic film series all month long!

CHARGE! is an action network showing the most “kickin’” and “punchin’” films ever created.

And we want to give you the opportunity to have an awesome September of your own! The COMET TV and CHARGE! September Prize Pack is perfect for bingeing some classic films and TV Shows!

Prize Details: (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive (1) prize pack from COMET, including:

(1) Limited Edition Space: 1999 COMET TV T-shirt
(1) Rocky Exclusive Charge! Clamshell Box
(1) Rocky Viewing Kit
(1) Godzilla Funko Pop Figure

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “COMET September Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01 a.m. EST on October 3rd. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per entry method, per household, will be accepted."

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Shriekfest 2018 Announces Final Lineup: Press Release: "The Shriekfest Film Festival, an international horror/sci-fi film, and screenplay competition, has announced the final three films of its 2018 feature film lineup. Film festival director Denise Gossett says "Wait until you see these amazing films from all over the world.".

The last 3 feature films selected are listed below:

"Alive" (WEST COAST PREMIERE) directed by Shriekfest alum Rob Grant (What Doesn't Kill You), written by Chuck McCue and Jules Vincent. A severely injured man and a woman awake in an abandoned sanitarium only to discover that a sadistic caretaker holds the keys to their freedom and the horrific answers as to their real identity. Starring Thomas Cocquerel, Camille Stopps (The Strain), Angus Macfadyen (Saw III, Saw IV, Braveheart).

"Chimera" (WEST COAST PREMIERE) Written and Directed by Maurice Haeems. A brilliant but disturbed scientist freezes his children alive, while he races to cure their deadly genetic disease by decoding the DNA of the immortal Turritopsis jellyfish. Starring Henry Ian Cusick (Lost, 24), Kathleen Quinlan (Prison Break, Chicago Fire, The Hills Have Eyes 2006), Erika Ervin (American Horror Story), and Jenna Harrison (12 Days of Terror).

"Ashes" (WORLD PREMIERE) Written and Directed by Barry Jay.
When a family’s “Black Sheep” Aunt passes away, they are reluctantly gifted her cremated remains. After a series of strange supernatural misfortunes beset them, they’ll go through Hell to be rid of her vexed spirit once and for all. Starring Elizabeth Keener (The L Word), Melinda DeKay (Torment), Jeremy Earl (Empire), Yumarie Morales (Sisterhood), Angelique Murnae, Maria Olsen (Paranormal Activity 3).

The festival will also showcase 35 outstanding and diverse international short films, covering just about every aspect of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.

The Shriekfest Film Festival runs October 4 - 7, 2018. An opening night party will take place at Bar Sinister in Hollywood; the rest of the festival will be at the iconic Raleigh Studios on Melrose Ave.

Shriekfest, now in its 18th year, was created in July 2001 by Denise Gossett and has grown into the longest-running and one of the largest horror and sci-fi film festivals in the country. This is also the second year that Shriekfest will be bi-coastal with Shriekfest Orlando on November 3rd. Since its inception, Shriekfest has offered young and upcoming writers, actors, directors, and producers a chance to have their work screened and rated by peers.

For more information on the Shriekfest Film Festival, sponsorship opportunities, schedules, and more visit www.shriekfest.com or contact festival founder and director Denise Gossett at email@shriekfest.com. Shriekfest is also on Twitter and Facebook."

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Darkness Reigns DVD Giveaway: "Darkness Reigns DVD Contest: "Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) DVD copy of Darkness Reigns.

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Darkness Reigns Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01 am EST on October 4th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per entry method, per household, will be accepted."

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"A film crew is ravaged by a demon in the unique new horror film Darkness Reigns, premiering from Wild Eye Releasing on VOD 7/10/18.

Genre icon Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers, Alita: Battle Angel) plays himself in a clever spookfest from Emmy nominee Andrew P.Jones about a group of filmmakers shooting a movie in a reportedly haunted hotel that are faced with an unfathomable demonic force that possesses and attacks both the crew and the film’s star, Casper Van Dien. Will the film’s director be able to escape with the paranormal proof he has captured, or will he succumb to the hellish plans of the demon who has surfaced?

From the director of Haunting on Cellblock 11, and starring Casper Van Dien, Zachary Mooren (“Aquarius”), Linara Washington (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and Jennifer Wenger (Tales of Halloween), Darkness Reigns this July on from Wild Eye Releasing."

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Molly Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD Release Details: Press Release: "Artsploitation has announced the home video release of the Dutch action/sci-fi thriller Molly. The English-language first feature from co-directors Colinda Bongers and Thijs Meuwese, Molly premiered at the Imagine Film Festival, where Screen Anarchy raved, "like with Turbo Kid two years ago, ingenuity is the name of the game here". Molly will be available nationwide October 2nd on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD, including iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Vudu and more.

Julia Batelaan makes her feature film debut as the titular Molly, the latest addition to the pantheon of teens standing between evil and the end of the world.

Molly is an electrifying and imaginative tale of one young woman's determined struggle to survive in an inhospitable world. In a barren landscape ravished by war, a super-powered young woman roams the violent post-apocalyptic landscape, armed only with a bow and arrow, to confront the dangers around her. When a sadistic ringmaster who runs an underground fight club hears of her supernatural abilities, he sends his sociopathic marauders to capture her and make her a star attraction in his cage fights.

The Blu-ray (SRP $19.99) and DVD (SRP $14.99) releases of Molly will exclusively include a feature-length commentary with co-directors Colinda Bongers and Thijs Meuwese as well as a 30-minute making-of featurette."

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Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Lineup: Press Release: "The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is thrilled to announce five more features joining our 2018 lineup. Our bonus wave of international horror perfectly rounds out the fest and includes the North American Premiere of Paulo Leite’s supernatural thriller INNER GHOSTS and Danishka Esterhazy’s dystopian women-led satire LEVEL 16 (co-presented by The Future of Film is Female), and more!

Don’t miss Brooklyn Horror Fest October 11th - 18th with events and screenings at Nitehawk Cinema, Syndicated, LIU Kumble Theatre, Videology, Wythe Hotel Cinema and IFP’s Made in NY Media Center.

INNER GHOSTS (North American Premiere)
Brazil/Portugal | 2018 | 89 Min | Dir. Paulo Leite

To call Dr. Helen’s research “revolutionary” would be one hell of an understatement. Hoping to find a cure for brain diseases, Helen has developed a theory that such ailments can be treated by testing on ghosts, all of whom, of course, don’t need brain functions in order to act. As Helen sees it, if she can tap into how ghosts do that, she can figure out a way to get brain disease patients to communicate through their souls. Lofty, indeed. But after Helen’s young daughter dies suddenly, she puts her research on hold, refusing to connect to the afterlife anymore. Before long, a stranger’s request sends Helen back to the spirit world; as it turns out, though, something evil has been waiting there for her.

Fans of INSIDIOUS, take note: INNER GHOSTS delivers the same kinds of supernaturally charged goods. Writer-director Paulo Leite’s impressive debut fuses heavy science with a Lin-Shaye-like hero, nightmarish demons, otherworldly twists and a third act that’s as relentlessly assaultive as it is audaciously off-the-wall.

LEVEL 16 (East Coast Premiere)
Canada | 2018 | 102 Min | Dir. Danishka Esterhazy
Co-Presented by The Future of Film is Female

Having spent their entire lives trapped in a prison-like school, the teenage girls of Vestalis Academy must follow a strict educational system that enforces conforming to “The Feminine Virtues.” They are forced to follow the school’s rules for fear of extreme punishment - with the light at the end of the tunnel being adoption to a loving upper-class family. Sixteen-year-olds Vivien and Sophia, who have reached the final level of the school are on the cusp of adoption until they learn the horrifying truth about the academy.

Canadian filmmaker Danishka Esterhazy crafts a cold female-centric satire featuring striking imagery of a dystopian society. Loaded with charismatic performances, LEVEL 16 is an intense and cerebral experience like no other. Sure to get under your skin by the finale, Esterhazy will take you on a journey through the past, complete with characters named after classic Hollywood stars to express a sharp, feminist critique.

The Night Shifter
Brazil | 2018 | 110 Min | Dir. Dennison Ramalho

You know that old expression, “Dead men tell no tales”? Well, don’t tell that to Stênio, a well-meaning family man whose life is, prior to understanding the falsehood of that old expression, a mess. His wife can’t stop reminding him that their situation is dire thanks to financial stresses and general marital discord; even worse, when he’s working as a mortician, mean-spirited paramedics make it their second job to routinely make fun of Stênio. Weirdly enough, his reprieve comes from the corpses he works on, all of whom can communicate with him. But when one specific stiff reveals a big secret, Stênio finds himself, as well as his family, under attack, turning his world into a living hell courtesy of the undead.

Blending dark humor with visceral scares and buckets of gore, Brazilian filmmaker Dennison Ramalho (“J is for Jesus” in ABCs OF DEATH 2) makes his feature debut with the kind of full-throttle horror film that’s directly engineered for a thrill-seeking festival audience. No-holds-barred in its hardcore nature, THE NIGHT SHIFTER goes all out in its depiction of one man’s inner rage being exposed by the should-be deceased.

TENANTS (New York Premiere)
Mexico | 2018 | 88 Min | Dir. Chava Cartas

Picking up the pieces after a traumatic event, Luzma and Demián move into a new apartment complex. Before they’re even unpacked, strange interactions with the secretive landlord and a disturbed handyman quickly put a dash on the young couple’s hopes for a fresh start. To make matters worse, Luzma begins to suffer from terrible hallucinations and Demián seems less and less himself. There’s something truly wrong with this apartment.

Mixing traditional haunted house tropes with region-specific mythology to great effect, TENANTS explores the dark extremes of local religious practices of Santería and Brujería witchcraft. Part ROSEMARY’S BABY with a little AMITYVILLE HORROR, Mexican director Chava Cartas first foray into horror carves out space in religious horror all its own.

TUMBBAD
India | 2018 | 109 Min | Dir. Rahi Anil Barve, Adesh Prasad

Throughout his young life, Vinayak has heard the legend surrounding his family’s home: There’s a demon guarding his family’s treasure and he best not challenge it. But when his great-grandmother dies, Vinayak inherits both the fortune and the creature protecting it. Fast-forward to adult Vinayak and his ingenious idea: Slowly but surely, he’ll sneak pieces of the treasure out by tricking the demon in various ways, a plan he’s carried out successfully for years. That is until his greedy family inadvertently angers the demon. Once that happens, all bets are off.

TUMBBAD is not only a truly scary-as-hell horror film, but it’s an ambitious blend of historical drama, supernatural creativity, creature feature insanity, and character-driven tension.

See you soon in Brooklyn and check out the website for more information on previously announced titles and an updated schedule - www.Brooklynhorrorfest.com"

  • Tamika Jones
    About the Author - Tamika Jones

    Tamika hails from North Beach, Maryland, a tiny town inches from the Chesapeake Bay.She knew she wanted to be an actor after reciting a soliloquy by Sojourner Truth in front of her entire fifth grade class. Since then, she's appeared in over 20 film and television projects. In addition to acting, Tamika is the Indie Spotlight manager for Daily Dead, where she brings readers news on independent horror projects every weekend.

    The first horror film Tamika watched was Child's Play. Being eight years old at the time, she remembers being so scared when Chucky came to life that she projectile vomited. It's tough for her to choose only one movie as her favorite horror film, so she picked two: Nosferatu and The Stepford Wives (1975).