Severin Film's Restoration of LO SPETTRO/THE GHOST Receives Prestigious Film Festival Selections: "In one of the most prestigious events in company history, Severin Films proudly announces that their restoration of Riccardo Freda’s landmark 1963 horror thriller LO SPETTRO/THE GHOST starring Barbara Steele has been selected to premiere in the Venice Classics section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in September and open for the Seven Chances section of the 58th Sitges Film Festival in October.
Hailed as “Riccardo Freda’s masterpiece” (At the Mansion of Madness), LO SPETTRO/THE GHOST resets the bar for Italian horror history with a screenplay by Freda and Oreste Biancoli (BICYCLE THIEVES), and featuring a career-best performance by the supernaturally beautiful Steele. But after 50-plus years of tattered prints and murky transfers, Severin’s global sleuths finally located the thought-lost original camera negative in a storage facility near Cinecittà, only to discover the moldy element had suffered significant age-related damage. Severin was able to replace several shots from a positive print courtesy of The Jon Davison Collection at The Academy Film Archive prior to its 4K scan, then worked closely with Augustus Color of Rome over several months of meticulous digital restoration.
Schedules permitting, Severin Films co-founder/CEO David Gregory and iconic star Barbara Steele will attend the World Premiere program, whose line-up also features restorations of Stanley Kubrick’s LOLITA, Pedro Almodóvar’s MATADOR and Masaki Kobayashi’s KWAIDAN. Full details can be found at https://www.labiennale.org/en/
David Gregory will also be in attendance for the 58th Sitges Film Festival in October where LO SPETTRO/THE GHOST will open the festival’s Seven Chances section, which features non-current films whose singularity sets them apart from the official canon of their genre’s history. Severin’s restoration will be accompanied in the program by Óscar Aibar’s ATOLLADERO, Nobuo Nakagawa’s JIGOKU and Stuart Gordon’s RE-ANIMATOR. More information can be found at https://sitgesfilmfestival.
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A Cinematic Descent into Emotional Chaos: Staytus Releases “Headache”: "Industrial-electronic artist Staytus releases her latest single, Headache, now available on all major digital streaming platforms. Produced by acclaimed music producer Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Slayer), Headache offers an intense sonic journey, combining haunting industrial textures with piercing lyrics that confront emotional exhaustion, betrayal, and inner turmoil.
The song’s stark verses and unrelenting chorus paint a vivid portrait of isolation and disillusionment. With lines like “the seeds of pain have been sown” and “i need a break / this i cannot take,” Staytus captures the raw frustration of being trapped in cycles of hurt and deception.
“This track came from a place of overwhelming mental fatigue and the need to break free from toxic patterns,” said Staytus. “Headache is both a confession and a release—an attempt to make sense of the noise inside my mind.”
Headache is the latest in a series of genre-bending releases from Staytus, known for blending industrial, electronic, and nu-metal elements into a deeply personal and cinematic sound."
Pre-save on all platforms: https://found.ee/headache-1
About Staytus
"Staytus is an emerging force in the industrial-electronic scene, recognized for her emotionally charged compositions and boundary-pushing productions. Working with legendary producers like Sean Beavan and Matt McJunkins, she fuses elements of horror, gaming, and lived experience into powerful soundscapes that resonate with fans of dark, alternative music."
For more on Staytus, follow her at:
Website: StaytusMusic.com
Instagram: @StaytusMusic
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THE HORROR COLLECTIVE SNAGS FESTIVAL SLASHER SUPER HAPPY FUN CLOWN AHEAD OF ITS FRIGHTFEST UK PREMIERE: "Entertainment Squad’s genre label The Horror Collective has secured worldwide rights to Super Happy Fun Clown, the latest horror-comedy from director Patrick Rea, ahead of its international premiere next month at London’s prestigious FrightFest.
A blood-soaked, darkly comedic slasher, Super Happy Fun Clown stars Jennifer Seward (I Am Lisa, The Stylist) as Jennifer, a former child prodigy turned Jenn-O the Clown, wielding twisted inspirations drawn from classic movie monsters and infamous killers during one unforgettable Halloween night. Early buzz from the recent Panic Fest premiere highlights the film’s blend of "playful, sometimes silly" tones with "unbridled slaughter," all grounded by Seward’s arresting, visceral performance.
Produced by Eric Winkler and Patrick Rea, with Winkler also credited as writer, the film reflects the creative synergy that produced the female-driven werewolf/revenge film I Am Lisa.
"This is a character piece wrapped in a slasher candy shell," said Patrick Rea. "We wanted something emotionally raw yet gleefully unhinged and Jenn-O delivers both in spades. The Horror Collective is the perfect partner to unleash her on the world."
Eric Winkler, writer/producer, added: "While we’re honored to help rectify a glaring lack of female clown horror movies, the film is ultimately an exploration of the blurring lines of what it means to be successful. Do you feel empathy for Jenn-O? Should you?"
And from the excitement backstage in London, Greg Day, FrightFest co-director, said of the premiere buzz: "Fans are already responding with excitement to Super Happy Fun Clown - Patrick Rea’s super serial killer clown spree. Like his previous FrightFest hits I Am Lisa and They Wait in The Dark, it’s a title people will queue up for, and we expect the reaction to be hugely positive."
Super Happy Fun Clown will play on Sunday, August 24th at 4.00 Pm, in Odeon LUXE West End, Screen 1."
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ANIMALS EXPLORES THE DARKER SIDE OF (HUMAN) NATURE IN A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL FROM INVADER COMICS: "There have been countless stories about humans rising from the dead, but what if animals were the ones who came back? And what if they decided it was time for a reckoning with those who had violated their habitat? That’s the premise behind Invader Comics’ new graphic novel, ANIMALS, from the twisted mind of writer Keith Foster (Kodoja, Three Protectors) with dynamic kinetic art by hot newcomer Nico Miérez.
When a mutagenic virus starts to infect and reanimate the animal population deep in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, two government officials find themselves in a world of trouble. Why are these animals turning on humans? Who is behind the grisly outbreak? And what can be done to bring this nightmare scenario to an end? Equal parts Cocaine Bear and Night of the Living Dead with a dash of The X-Files for good measure, Animals explores the tenuous relationship between man and the natural world."
“I really wanted to explore the dynamic between humanity and the animal kingdom, and what would happen if that delicate balance were upset,” says writer/creator, Keith Foster. “At the same time, I wanted to tackle a grisly horror that could shock and entertain while addressing those deeper issues. Animals is the by-product of those explorations, filtered through the lens of Nico’s dark, noir-inspired art, and I’m excited to share the full story we’ve been developing together over the last couple of years.”
Our story begins in Olympic National Park as a bear stalks a camper with seemingly human intelligence and determination … and this isn’t the first time. Animals are killing people, and it’s up to Sheriff Jack (Jacqueline) Bertrand and Wildlife Agent Dan Simmons to figure out why. The "why" turns out to be a contagious virus that increases animal intelligence and ferocity, quickly turning docile forest creatures into calculating killers. As Jack and Dan frantically track the murderous animals, they find out the animals are really tracking them!
“We’re all about developing a space where different creators can explore a variety of genres and tell the kind of stories that burn inside them,” adds Invader Comics Editor-in-Chief, Michael Perkins. “Aside from being one of the key members of the Invader team, we’ve seen great success with Keith’s work on Kodoja and Three Protectors – as well as the single issues of Animals, which sold out at distributor level on their release – so it’s a thrill to share the complete saga with readers as we raise the stakes and amp up the horror.”
You can find out more about Animals and pledge your support for the project here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/invader/animals-outbreak-a-68pg-grisly-graphic-horror-mystery
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Dead, Jonathan is responsible for bringing the latest horror news to millions of readers from around the world. He is also consulted with as an expert on zombies in entertainment and pop culture, providing analyses of the zombie sub-genre to newspapers, radio stations, and convention attendees.
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Dead, Jonathan is responsible for bringing the latest horror news to millions of readers from around the world. He is also consulted with as an expert on zombies in entertainment and pop culture, providing analyses of the zombie sub-genre to newspapers, radio stations, and convention attendees.
