Horror Highlights: TERROR VISION, BROTHER BEDLAM, MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE, THE THING

Terror Vision Kicks Off Their 10th Year with ‘13 Weeks of Halloween!’ Starting…NOW!: "Terror Vision is rocking its 10-Year Anniversary with 13 Weeks of Halloween, an onslaught of fresh slaughter flicks and killer soundtracks announced every Friday through Halloween. August 8 kicks things off with a rad AF trio of scholastically minded classic 80’s class cutters: the first ever HD release of the OG slasher parody STUDENT BODIES (1981) on UHD, Blu-ray and yes: VHS; the requisite spring break massacre that is DEATH BY DIALOGUE (1988) on Blu; and the surprisingly grave soundtrack to CHEERLEADER CAMP (1988) on both vinyl and cassette! See more grisly details about these releases below…

Physical media completists will find Bundle options to fill their backpacks and earn extra credit with themed, collectible bonus items. Those who just can’t wait to find out what’s next should stay tuned to @ _terror_vision_ for hints and clues throughout the week, then get ready to bust doors at Terror-Vision.com first thing every Friday to grab these limited releases before their availability is killed off."

STUDENT BODIES (1981)

“Hasn't there been enough senseless killing? Let's have a murder that makes sense!”

Do the math: 13 1/2 Murders + 1423 Laughs = Student Bodies. Long before Scary Movie, STUDENT BODIES parodied the still infant slasher scene while still delivering the fun kills demanded by fans of the genre (Need proof? The film keeps score with an onscreen body count throughout).  Written/directed by TV comedy vet Mickey Rose, and that Allen Smithee producing credit? None other than the great (if uneven) Michael Ritchie (he’s long passed so this credit-dox feels Karma-Lite).

DEATH BY DIALOGUE (1988)

“Bodies will burn! Breasts will bounce!”

This low-budget, direct-to-video delight was City Light Productions’ biggest film ever when it slid into VCRs in ‘88. Directed by stuntman Tom DeWeir and starring Nightmare on Elm Street Dream Warrior Ken Sagoes, DEATH BY DIALOGUE tortures its spring breaking college students with a possessed movie script that can manifest real-world horror from its own self-scribing pages.

CHEERLEADER CAMP (1988) AKA BLOODY POM POMS

“Give me a K! Give me an I! Give me an L! Give me an L!”

In this campy camp slasher filled with pom poms and sweet-faced heartthrobs (Leif Garrett, Betsy Russell, Lucinda Dickey), the score by Murielle Hodler-Hamilton and Joel Hamilton is satisfyingly dark and synthy. If Wendy Carlos went to Cheerleader Camp, it might sound like this. The album art alone is worth adding this to one’s collection.

---

MONSTER FORGE PRODUCTIONS’ GRAPHIC NOVEL BROTHER BEDLAM NOW AVAILABLE ON GLOBALCOMIX: "Monster Forge Productions is thrilled to announce the digital release of its breakout graphic novel, Brother Bedlam, now available on GlobalComix. Originally published by Image Comics, this genre-smashing title is written by the late Eisner Award-winner Keith Giffen and acclaimed writer-producer Shannon Eric Denton, with striking artwork and cover by the late Matt Jacobs.

A young minister faces a crisis of faith when he discovers he’s God’s sleeper agent — and the only thing standing between humanity and the apocalypse.

Described as Blade meets The Da Vinci Code, Brother Bedlam is a supernatural thriller that dives headfirst into themes of belief, destiny, and redemption — wrapped in kinetic action and cinematic visuals.

“Keith and I didn’t hold back,” said co-writer Shannon Eric Denton. “Brother Bedlam is packed with explosive moments, but it also asks big questions — about faith, about duty, about what we’re willing to fight for when everything’s on the line.”

The story follows a man of the cloth turned reluctant warrior, caught between divine purpose and personal doubt, as he races to unravel a conspiracy that could end the world.

“This isn’t your typical hero’s journey,” Denton added. “It’s dark, it’s raw, and it’s unapologetically original. Fans of supernatural action are in for something special. Matt’s epic visuals are a cinematic treat.”

Brother Bedlam is now available to read digitally at GlobalComix.com and brings a cult favorite back into the spotlight for longtime fans and new readers alike."

https://globalcomix.com/c/brother-bedlam

---

MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE COMPOSE ORIGINAL SCORE FOR UNIVERSAL HORROR UNLEASHED: "Gothic horror and haunted house music composers Midnight Syndicate have written an original score for Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new year-round horror experience is set to open on August 14, 2025.

The score is Midnight Syndicate’s latest collaboration with Universal Entertainment. It is part of a history of working together that goes back to 1999 when the band’s music first appeared in Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights event. Most recently, the band produced the “Music of Halloween Horror Nights” and “Legendary Truth” albums with Universal Orlando. “It’s an honor to be a part of this next exciting chapter in Universal’s legacy of horror entertainment with Universal Horror Unleashed,“ said Midnight Syndicate composer, Edward Douglas.

Midnight Syndicate’s music has been a staple in the haunted attraction industry worldwide since the late 1990s, but the Universal Horror Unleashed project marks their first custom score for an attraction.  “Conveying an imaginary scene through music is something that we’ve been doing since the beginning of Midnight Syndicate, but capturing someone else's vision for a project always presents a uniquely exciting set of challenges,” said Gavin Goszka. Douglas added “while writing for Universal Horror Unleashed was more akin to writing a Midnight Syndicate album than scoring a film, we needed to keep in mind that, like a film score, the music was just one of the cogs in the machine and needed to seamlessly elevate the many elements guests will be experiencing. Universal is creating a truly immersive horror experience with Universal Horror Unleashed where we think horror fans are really going to enjoy losing themselves.”

Located at the AREA15 District in Las Vegas, Universal Horror Unleashed is Universal Destinations & Experiences’ first-ever, year-round horror experience, set to open on August 14. The nightmarish spectacle features four themed immersive areas set in an abandoned production warehouse, plus four terrifying haunted houses, themed food and beverage offerings, and a retail location with unique collectible merchandise and more. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at UniversalHorrorUnleashed.com

The band is currently focusing on their next full-length album which is scheduled for release in mid-2026. An EP of previously unreleased material entitled “Darkened Corners” is scheduled for a release in September of 2025."

Midnight Syndicate official website: www.MidnightSyndicate.com

---

THE THING EXPANDED DOCUMENTARY  PUTS OUT CALL TO PUSH FOR THE PRESERVATION OF JOHN CARPENTER’S 1982 CLASSIC THE THING IN NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY: "The filmmaking team behind CREATORVC’s upcoming The Thing  Expanded documentary is calling on die-hard fans of John Carpenter’s The Thing to help get the 1982  science fiction/horror film selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry  before voting ends Friday, August 15. 

Original Thing cast member Richard Masur (who played dog handler Clark and was interviewed for  the documentary) officially put out the call, writing, “The National Film Preservation Board makes  recommendations to the Librarian of Congress about which 25 films should be added to the Registry  each year. I have heard there is significant support among the NFPB members and I really think there’s  a real shot this year. ... Films with a lot of public support, as well as Board support, almost always end  up on the list.” 

Fans and genre film enthusiasts can nominate 1982’s The Thing HERE, amid other cherished cinematic  titles to be selected by the National Film Registry. 

Widely panned upon its release in June 1982, The Thing has since gained a massive global following in  the decades since its release that far exceeds cult status, with fans often praising its watershed effects,  ensemble cast, and masterful direction. 

“It blows my mind that John Carpenter’s masterpiece is yet to be selected for preservation in the  National Film Registry,” says The Thing Expanded writer-director, Ian Nathan. “This film not only  redefined how we consider genres such as science fiction and horror, but it also redefined the possibility  of special effects. I mean as an art form, for that is what Rob Bottin and his team achieved: great art. The Thing also sees Carpenter at the height of his powers, exploring the nature of humanity, the will  to survive, leadership, paranoia, and the fear of infection against a truly hostile background. It is  superlative filmmaking, profound filmmaking, wonderfully mysterious and metaphorical filmmaking,  and the fans must unite to have such greatness preserved forevermore.”

“John Carpenter’s The Thing should have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry  long ago,” adds producer and co-writer Josh Weiss. “The groundbreaking special effects, palpable  atmosphere of paranoia, and timeless themes of distrust and infection make the film more than  worthy of joining the likes of Citizen Kane and Star Wars. We hope die-hard Thing fans will help it gain  cinematic immortality. In the meantime, let’s just wait here for a little while…see what happens.” 

Since 1988, the National Film Preservation Board has annually selected a list of 25 American films  considered to be culturally, historically, and artistically significant — thus making them worthy of  conversation in the National Film Registry."