Horror Highlights: THE DARK CRYSTAL 35th Anniversary Vinyl Score, SIGHTINGS DVD Contest, Q&A with THE RIZEN Director Matt Mitchell, A DEMON WITHIN

Jim Henson and Frank Oz's The Dark Crystal recently had its 35th anniversary, and Enjoy the Ride Records is joining the celebration with five deluxe anniversary vinyl versions of Trevor Jones' soaring score for the film. In today's Horror Highlights we also have a DVD giveaway for the new alien film Sightings, a fun Q&A with The Rizen writer/director Matt Mitchell, and the poster and trailer for A Demon Within.

The Dark Crystal 35th Anniversary Vinyl Score: From Enjoy the Ride Records: "In celebration of the 35th Anniversary of The Dark Crystal, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be available across five deluxe anniversary edition vinyl variants*, courtesy of The Jim Henson Company and Enjoy The Toons Records. This Deluxe 35th Anniversary Edition is pressed on 180-200 gram limited edition colored vinyl, complete with die-cut center labels** and housed in a 400gsm gatefold jacket. This release also includes a 24-page photo booklet, which includes rarely seen production photos, interviews, original poster art from around the world, and concept art from The Jim Henson Company archives.

The soundtrack features Trevor Jones' musical score written for the groundbreaking fantasy classic directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and was arranged specifically for an album listening experience. The album was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in 1982.

Web Exclusive Variants (hand-numbered for each respective color run):

100 - Black

150 - Three Suns Color In Color

200 - Purple Inside Clear with Purple Splatter

250 - Aughra Split**

300 - Tri-Color Stripe**

Full Track Listing

Overture (3:07)

The Power Ceremony (3:50)

The Storm (1:00)

The Mystic Master Dies (0:47)

The Funerals / Jen's Journey (5:23)

The Skeksis Duel (2:37)

The Pod Dance (3:09)

Love Theme (3:13)

Gelfling Song (2:15)

The Gelfling Ruins (2:41)

The Landstrider Journey (0:40)

The Great Conjunction (4:10)

Finale (7:14)

While Supplies Last, each order will receive an exclusive 12" x 12" art print with randomly selected orders receiving a signed print by Josh Bodwell

*Disclaimer: Due to these records being hand-numbered, they are not sealed in shrink wrap - they will be shipped in a protective poly sleeve.

**Due to manufacturing restrictions, the Aughra Split and Tri-Color Stripe variants do not have die cut center labels, but include traditional center labels with alternate artwork.

Note: Each record has a unique blend of color & may not look identical to the sample photo's

We cannot guarantee these will arrive in time for Christmas, but we will be shipping them out as quickly as possible! Thank you for your understanding.

***Strict Limit of 2 per order on the Black & 3 Suns Variant***"

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Contest: Win Sightings on DVD: "Writer-director Dallas Morgan’s unnerving supernatural thriller Sightings is now on DVD.

Dante Basco (Hook, Bad Ass 2 : Bad Asses), Kevin Sizemore (Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462), and Boo Arnold (Nashville) star in a pulse-pounding cornucopia of Stranger Things, Signs and Jaws.

When former Sheriff and skeptic of the paranormal, Tom Mayfield (Boo Arnold), encounters three dead bodies on his TX ranch, he must enlist the help of his conspiracy-theorist brother-in-law (Rawn Erickson II), a local surveillance expert (Dante Basco), and a renowned cryptozoologist (Stephanie Drapeau), in order to uncover who or what is behind these mysterious events.

While being pursued by the local detective (Kevin Sizemore) as a lead suspect for these deaths, Tom is forced to reconsider his preconceived ideas of what lies beyond our planet.

Ultimately, he must mend the estranged relationship with his daughter (Tahlia Morgan) and come to grips with the truth of his missing wife (Tiffany Heath), as he discovers the importance of community in survival and the belief in the unseen.

From High Octane Pictures, the studio that brought you Clowntergeist and The Answer, comes another workout for your goosebumps, Sightings."

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) DVD copy of Sightings.

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 “Sightings Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am EST on December 26th. 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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Q&A with The Rizen Writer/Director Matt Mitchell: "Matt Mitchell is the brainchild behind The Rizen, a fun action-horror movie (releasing in January from Uncork’d Entertainment) about a woman that leads a group of survivors – and the charge against the monsters – in a zombie outbreak.

Why movies? What was it about film that had you jumping through fiery hoops to be a part of it?

Matt Mitchell: Well, many moons ago, back in the day, about 100 years ago… I did the only thing I could do after failing all my exams and wanted to avoid getting a real job… I went to art school!

There I learnt that I couldn’t paint for shit, didn’t know the dangerous end of a pencil from the rubber and kept drinking all the fix and developer liquid in the photography studio.

But then I got hold of a camcorder (you see, moving pictures had just been invented), and I tell you what - suddenly I was good at something, I just couldn’t miss.

I’d found a medium that I could actually use and I haven’t looked back since. Right now, I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else other than make films - no matter how many of those fiery hoops there are, or how hot they get - and I may seem a little singed around the edges, but I feel incredibly lucky to be still jumping.

And why this particular movie, The Rizen? Did you find it relatively easy to break in?

Matt Mitchell: I’ll let you know once I’ve got this lock picked and reset the alarm - can you hold this flashlight for a moment?

To be honest, for indie film I’m not sure if it’s a case of ‘breaking in’ or just ‘not breaking down.’ We (Clare Pearce, my business partner - who is the unstoppable, championing producer behind all our films at Lost Eye Films Ltd.) made our first feature ‘Gangsters, Guns and Zombies’ because no-one was brave enough to tell us we shouldn’t. After more fiery hoops than I have time to tell you about here, that nutty little ultra-low budget film was sold worldwide and is still ticking over now.

With every film we make, the budgets get slightly bigger and make slightly fewer mistakes while brazenly walking into entirely new ones. The plan was always to just keep going no matter what, and get bigger and better, no matter what.

And again, if I’m being completely honest, it’s sites like Daily Dead that help make it possible, just with your attention and support of indie films like The Rizen. I guess what I’m trying to say is - thank you for holding the flashlight.

You have to have a thick skin, if you’re working in the business, I imagine. How do you handle the ups, downs, rejections and disparagement that the game brings?

Matt Mitchell: The only reason you need a thick skin is when something isn’t working, you know? If that’s the case, you adapt. Filmmaking, like any creative medium, is about communicating with an audience/viewer. There’s no point making something ‘just for yourself’ otherwise the only person who’s going to look at it is you - so I believe self-criticism and self-awareness is integral to making something other people want to look at - and no-one on planet Earth or beyond is as hard on yourself or your own work as you.

Or at least that’s what I tell myself while crying to sleep every night, trying to figure out who the fu** keeps lighting these hoops on fire! I mean seriously, wtf?!

You clearly like to be involved in all facets of filmmaking – is that why you prefer to get involved in indie projects?

Matt Mitchell: I’ll let you know once we get some of that big studio money and aren’t ‘indie’ any more! *cries self to sleep*

Do you feel it’s a little unfair that the big award shows don’t recognize independent films more?

Matt Mitchell: How bad is it if I admit to not watching any big award shows? Tell you what though, if we ever get on a podium, I’ll give Daily Dead a shout-out.

Even the major press shies away from indie films. Has it become less about what the readers might want to read about and more about who will keep them in business?

Matt Mitchell: The system has been rigged since we figured out smoke signals. If you own the fire, you control the signals.

They say ‘TV is where its at’ at the moment, do you agree?

Matt Mitchell: For the moment, you could say that. But story is where it’s always going to be at. TV, 3d, AR, VR, Holodecks, smoke signals… tell me a good story and I’ll listen.

Would you like to explore television?

Matt Mitchell: Funny you should mention it, but we’ve (Clare and myself) been putting together a few series ideas. We’ve got a few scripts kicking about and would love to stretch our legs with something really long form like TV.

Box office receipts are down – do you think that’s because of all the great television, or increased theatre prices? Or maybe something else?

Matt Mitchell: These things fluctuate. However - and I’m no expert here - I think it used to be that you could just throw truckloads (technical term) of cash at a film's marketing and enough people would go watch ‘Transformers 16: Horrific Death of My Childhood Dreams’ because you told them it was going to be big-splosion-fun-tastic.

Then after a week, they’d tell their mates it was a massive kick in the nostalgicals (technical term) and to avoid it like the plague. But a week had gone past and it had made more truckloads of money back than had been tipped into it in the first place.

Thankfully we have more access to each other and trusted communication online than ever before, so that week has become days, maybe hours, and people would rather stay in and stream Game of Thrones because it’s a better story. Put Game of Thrones on at the cinema and people would flock to watch it.

Tell readers why they need to seek out your film! What will they get from it?

Matt Mitchell: It’s like watching Game of Thrones in the cinema but from the comfort of your own home! There are no giant robots trampling your memories and although it is definitely fun-tastic, you can rest assured that no ‘splosions were harmed in the making of ‘The Rizen.’'

Yes, I read somewhere that ‘Pirates of The Caribbean 48: Water We Doing With Our Lives’ has its own ride built on the crushed dreams of indie filmmakers and cost about the same amount to make as the UK's national debt... but, if you’re partial to a spot of Lovecraftian mythos set in the ’50s, aren’t afraid of a female lead who well and truly gives as good as she gets, and have always suspected that unknowable cosmic horrors lurk in the darkness, clawing at the brink of devouring our world, then grab a crowbar and sit tight with a copy of ‘The Rizen.’

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A Demon Within Trailer & Poster: "In 1914, Crestwick, a demonic spirit named Nefas surfaced to prey on a family, ending with the death of an innocent young girl. The mysterious events haunted the mid-western community for years. Now, decades later, a skeptical doctor must stop history from repeating itself by confronting his personal demons and fighting to save the life of a teenage girl who has become possessed in his family’s old house."

Blue Fox Entertainment will release A Demon Within in limited theaters and on VOD platforms beginning January 12th, 2018. Directed by Justin LaReau and Ayush Banker, A Demon Within stars Charlene Amoia, Clinton Hummel, Patricia Ashley, Michael Ehlers, Cole Millette, Veronika Bonell, David Sweetman, and Laura Ann Parry.