Horror Highlights: THE CONVENT, THE SAMARITANS, Q&A with DEADLY CLASS Composer Nathan Matthew David

Ahead of the film's release on May 3rd, check out the official trailer and poster for Paul Hyett's The Convent. Also in today's Horror Highlights: North American release details for The Samaritans and a Q&A with Deadly Class composer Nathan Matthew David.

The Convent Release Details, Trailer, and Poster: "In the early 17th century, innocent young Persephone is falsely accused and put on trial for her life. Her fate seems sealed except for the timely intervention of the mysterious Reverend Mother offering her not just sanctuary, but hope. For the Reverend Mother is the self-appointed leader of a small religious retreat, a secluded Priory, where her fellow Sisters devote their lives to the Lord and seek atonement for their pasts. But upon arrival, Persephone is plagued with terrifying visions and soon realizes that it’s not salvation that awaits but a battle for her very soul itself.

Director: Paul Hyett
Written by: Paul Hyett, Conal Palmer, Gregory Blair
Cast: Hannah Arterton, Clare Higgins, Rosie Day

Runtime: 80 minutes
Not Rated

IN THEATERS and ON DEMAND
MAY 3, 2019."

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The Samaritans North American Release Details: "Viva Pictures will release the upcoming horror film THE SAMARITANS On Digital and On Demand on April 16, 2019.

THE SAMARITANS is a new horror flick that stars Keith Collins (The Meat Puppet, The Evangelist), Doug Bollinger (Waltzing Anna, Mail Order Bride), Timothy Laurel Harrison (Out of My Hand), and Annelise Nielsen (The Brink of Us). The film was written and directed by Doug Bollinger and was based on a story by Keith Collins.

THE SAMARITANS tells the story of four co-workers who get together to finish a project at their manager’s home. They haven’t actually met face to face and they discover they have more in common than the new App they are perfecting. As they piece together their histories, they realize that each of them has a deadly secret that could reveal a way out or seal their fates. Their pasts have provoked a vengeful force to show them the errors in their ways. The home they have been summoned to becomes their court and their prison. Can they prove that history doesn’t repeat itself? Can they redeem themselves before time runs out? Will they figure out their fateful bond before revenge has its way with them?

A Statement from the Filmmakers:
We (like most filmmakers) believe that our film is different. It is not different because of the content (which we do think is pretty darn good). It stands alone in a crowded field of indie horror/thriller because of how we did it. This film could be marketed as the "next big thing" or "scary" or "creepy" but that would be just like any other marketing campaign. It is all of those things but the fact it was made in such little time for such little money is very rare.

Six people. One weekend. Two rooms. That's all it took for The Samaritans team to shoot this micro-budget thriller. The tense mood was created with one light, four actors, and no more than three takes on any setup. The creative team consists of Doug Bollinger, Keith Collins, Cory Green, and Matt Grego. The entire feature film was shot in a four day weekend. This intrepid group of dedicated filmmakers did nothing but eat, sleep, and shoot to create what is sure to be one of the most talked about indie thrillers of the year.

Follow on Social Media:
#TheSamaritansMovie

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TheSamaritansMovie
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5486552/reference"

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Deadly Class Q&A with Composer : "Season 1 of Deadly Class wrapped up last week with the explosive, cliffhanger-filled finale “Sink with California”. The show hasn’t received an official Season 2 pick-up yet from the NBCUniversal-owned Syfy, but EP Rick Remender has made it very clear he is working on the assumption that the show is coming back. One of the other show creatives that also hopes this is true is the composer, Nathan Matthew David, who has been providing the 80’s inspired score all season. In the below exclusive interview, Nathan talks about everything from how the specific character themes bloomed throughout the season to working with the Russo brothers. Read here:

How would you describe your score for Deadly Class?

Nathan Matthew David: Early on, Rick, Miles and The Russo Brothers spoke a lot about doing a future-past score. The ‘80s sound’ has come back so strongly in the last few years, so it was crucial that we carved our own space. We wanted to have elements of nostalgia, but we also wanted to blend that with modern sounds and approaches. We looked more towards the B-side of the 80s for inspiration: The Cult, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Tangerine Dream, and many others.

In the pilot, there are a lot of songs on top of the score. Did you work with the music department and find out what these songs are and where they are going to be placed ahead of time so you can create a cohesive vibe around them?

Nathan Matthew David: Rick had an epic playlist of songs from that era. It’s truly an education on music from that time. He does such an amazing job choosing the needle drops for each episode. It was important to be mindful of the songs to make sure the entire sonic landscape made sense.

Do you find that your score changed at all from the pilot episode to later on in the season?

Nathan Matthew David: Yes, it was important for the music to bloom as we explored all the characters. Many of the themes planted in the pilot will grow throughout the season as the different dimensions of the characters are revealed. We also meet many ‘villains’ throughout the season, and each one has a distinct theme from the Tom Waits-ian sound for Fuckface to the solo timpani of Gao.

The show takes place in the 80s. How much did the time period play into the sound you created for the show?

Nathan Matthew David: The songs do a lot of the heavy lifting to create nostalgia from that era. So with the score, we had a lot of fun being inspired by the B-sides of that era but also using some modern touches as well to remain connective to our audience.

Prior to working on Deadly Class, were you familiar with executive producers Anthony & Joe Russo Russo work?

Nathan Matthew David: Yes, after I graduated from USC in film scoring, I was fortunate to be mentored by Theodore Shapiro (Spy, Ghostbusters) and Ludwig Goransson (Black Panther). One of my first jobs was to assist Ludwig on ‘Community’. The Russo Brothers, of course, produced that show and they had also worked with Teddy on their film ‘You, Me and Dupree’.

What was one of the biggest challenges you had creating the score for the show?

Nathan Matthew David: I really pushed myself to have a fresh perspective on writing ’80’s inspired music’, so there was a lot of time and effort placed in finding a unique score that also served the story. I invested a lot of effort in manipulating different synths and guitar tones until I felt like we were enough left of center while still remaining within the scope of the story.

Are you a horror fan? If so, what horror shows or films suck out to you in 2018?

Nathan Matthew David: Absolutely! There’s nothing better than going to the theater, grabbing some popcorn and seeing a film that will scare the shit out of you or cozying up on a stormy evening and putting one on. ‘Hereditary’ and ‘A Quiet Place’ were two of the standouts for me from last year. I love that the genesis of those films came from the minds of filmmakers that were previously known for their comedy work. That has been a fascinating trend, and I love it.

What would be your favorite horror film score of all time?

Nathan Matthew David: Oh wow. There have been some great ones! Even though a lot of concert pieces were used in the score, I love the musical landscape of ‘The Shining’. Each year when the leaves begin to turn, it’s a tradition to watch that film. I love it more with each viewing."