Indie Spotlight

2013/09/15 20:56:43 +00:00 | Tamika Jones

We're back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today's feature includes DVD release details for Shiver, information on the Mile High Horror Film Festival, an exclusive excerpt from Dead is Only Skin Deep, a Q&A with 13-year-old Emily DiPrimio for Carver, and more:

Q&A Interview with Up-and-Coming 13-Year-Old Filmmaker Emily DiPrimio

by Heather Wixson

It’s not often that you run across aspiring genre directors who are still in their teens so when we discovered a brand new Kickstarter campaign for Carver, an upcoming indie slasher from the filmmaking team of Ron DiPrimio and his 13-year-old daughter Emily DiPrimio, we immediately took notice.

In the campaign, the DiPrimios’ describe Carver as, “a throwback 80’s style slasher that follows a group of teenagers who are haunted by a despicable act they committed on Halloween when they were younger. Their actions caused the deaths of three innocent people and now, on the anniversary of those deaths, an ominous calling card in the form of a carved pumpkin has been placed at each of their homes- someone is out for revenge.”

Check out what Emily had to say about her love of horror movies, directing her first feature film with her Dad, what fans can expect from Carver and what’s she’s learned about horror and filmmaking along the way.

So how did you get introduced to the horror genre?

Emily DiPrimio: It all leads back to my dad. He is a horror movie fanatic. He couldn’t wait to share his love of horror with me so at the age of three he decided it would be okay to show me Child’s Play-I am still terrified of Chucky to this day. It wasn’t until I was five that I saw my first horror movie from beginning to end and that movie was Pet Sematary. I was hooked- I still get chills to this day whenever I hear the name Rachel.

You’ve been making other movies with your dad (Ron DiPrimio) before the Kickstarter campaign for Carver- can you talk about those projects and what you learned from those?

Emily DiPrimio: When I was eight, my dad shot his first feature film Sorrow Hill. It was as low budget as low budget can get. I was his script supervisor and I earned the nickname “Script Nazi.” I made sure that every actor said their lines correctly and if they didn’t, I would walk over to my dad after he yelled cut and show him what was missed or said incorrectly. After that we did several short films and I acted in all of them.

When I wasn’t in front of the camera, I was at my dad’s side assisting him in whatever manner he needed. I have worked slate, gaffed, AD’d and even held a boom mic a few times. When you are making a low budget independent film, you have to be able to wear many hats.

I think it’s really cool that a lot of your references for Carver seem to be coming classic horror movies- was there something special about that time for horror movies that made you a fan?

Emily DiPrimio: Let’s face it- 80’s slasher films are fun. Now I am not going to sit here and pretend that I have seen them all- my dad does filter what I watch to a certain extent. Right now, I am making my way through the Friday the 13th series and I am loving every aspect of those films. Horror films were different in the 80’s, they didn’t rely on CGI gore which I despise. I love watching a horror film from that era with my dad and we sit there trying to figure out how they pulled off that particular effect. With today’s horror movies we all know how they did it- in post.

In your campaign for Carver, you discussed working with your dad on the script- how much fun was it working with him and what was the writing process like?

Emily DiPrimio: It was a learning experience to say the least. My dad is big on character development, one thing we both feel is sorely lacking in most horror films. So when we sat down to write Carver while I recovered from ankle surgery he stressed the importance of making the characters well rounded. I want the audience to feel something for the characters so when they get killed they are sad to see them die.

Most slasher films the audience is rooting for the killer because his eventual victims are so vapid and unlikable. I had a blast with writing the backstory for each character which helped when we wrote about them in the script. Writing with my dad was very easy; he was very patient and took the time to show me how to format a screenplay, how to write dialogue so it flows without filler words, and how to make each characters voice unique. I hope we write many more scripts together.

I know you’re going to be co-directing Carver with your dad, Ron, which is really exciting- what have you learned about filmmaking over the years that has helped prepare you for this and what’s the part of being a director that excites you the most?

Emily DiPrimio: Being on my dad’s sets has really been a great first hand education. The fact that he let me be a part of all his projects and everyone he has worked with accepted me as part of the crew and not the boss’s daughter. They let me be involved and I learned so much. Also, I know this is going to sound crazy but I love to watch the making of extras on DVD’s and I have learned a lot from those extras.

Are you planning on doing other horror movies after Carver?

Emily DiPrimio: Of course! But the priority is getting Carver made. This is what I want to do and I know I am young but I can’t picture myself doing anything else.

What are some of your favorite horror movies and why you love them so much?

Emily DiPrimio: My three favorite horror movies are Psycho, Halloween and Shaun of the Dead. I can’t even begin to count how many times I have watched these three masterpieces. Psycho is creepy, intelligent, scary, and groundbreaking; I remember thinking before I watched this film, “it’s in black and white- how scary can it be?” Man, was I wrong.

Halloween is the first slasher film that I watched. I was 10 and I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen at a revival screening. I remember clutching the armrests and shrieking with delight as Michael hunted his victims. I remember thinking, “why is he killing, what’s his motive?” Then I realized pure evil doesn’t need a motive. That thought alone sent a shiver down my spine.

And Shaun of the Dead is just utterly amazing in every aspect. The acting, the direction and the story are fantastic. The gore is tremendous even though there is some CGI gore; but the team of Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright can do no wrong.

What’s the one thing that you want people who are donating to your Kickstarter for Carver to know about you as a fan and as a storyteller?

Emily DiPrimio: The one thing I want the people who are gracious enough to donate is that their money is going to be used wisely. All I want to do is make a great slasher film that horror fans will sit down and enjoy; a slasher film that doesn’t just trot out the same boring clichés and insult the audience’s intelligence. Carver will be smart, fun, gory and entertaining. We have crafted a script that will keep the audience guessing until the end and will leave them speechless when they are finished watching the movie.

I love the genre, I love the genre fans and I love how the fans always support the projects that are worth supporting. I hope after they watch my pitch they will find me worthy of their hard earned money.

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Learn more about Carver by visiting: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1103446968/carver-a-horror-film-by-13-year-old-emily-diprimio

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Details on Sapi: "With the rival station Philippine Broadcasting Channel (PBC) eating up the TV audiences' major share, Sarimanok Broadcasting Network (SBN) needs a miracle to stay alive in the competition. In these mad and fearful times, SBN's news team finds that documenting an actual spiritual possession would be their only hope.

Tasked to head the documentary production is Meryll Flores, a trainee TV Executive producer, along with Dennis Marquez, the reporter. Needless to say, the success of the project will also secure their eventual promotion in the company. However, the miracle seems to evade Meryll's team. They go to distant places, schools, provincial areas, religious groups, and faith healers, just to cover the case of mass possession, but to no avail. They simply cannot find a single incident of possession. Worse, Baron Valdez, cameraman of the rival network PBC, is the one who was able to capture the isolated case of demonic possession that involved a high school teacher (Ruby).

To fulfill her task, Meryll enters into a deal that is more profoundly horrifying than the harrowing scene of paranormal possession. To acquire the needed footage, she buys the outtakes of the Ruby possession case from Baron. But at the point where Meryll imagines to be the turning point of her new career, an exorcising reality dawns on her with a spiralling effect that mirrors the political system governing the TV network.

Cannes award-winning director and festival vet Brillante Ma Mendoza's first horror film [is called] Sapi. Mendoza has directed several internationally acclaimed films such as Serbis, Kinatay, Lola, Captive and last year’s Thy Womb. Sapi had its World Premiere in the Vanguard section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6th, and has received a great response. It will have one more TIFF screening on the 15th."

For more information on Sapi, visit: http://sapithemovie.com/

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Nicholas Vince's What Monsters Do: “Hidden Basement Productions have teamed up with writer and actor Nicholas Vince to present psychological horror plays for this year's London Horror Festival, at the Etcetera Theatre, Camden.

Nicholas, known for playing the Chatterer Cenobite in Clive Barker's ‘Hellraiser’ film; has dramatised two stories from his collection, ‘What Monsters Do’. He is working closely with Hidden Basement Productions to bring them to the stage.

The show, ‘What Monsters Do’, consists of two 25 minute horror plays performed as a double bill. The stories, ‘Tunes from the Music Hall’ and ‘Green Eyes’ explore love, lust, obsession, the bond of family and the dark violence that lurks behind seemingly innocent people. Nicholas said, "The plays centre on the theme: it is not our flesh, but our acts which make us monsters."

Directing the plays will be Philip North, co-writer and director of 'The Puppetry of Flesh', which sold out at last year's London Horror Festival. He said, 'I'm thrilled that a horror icon like Nick has chosen to work with Hidden Basement to bring his dark stories to life. It's great to have such rich source material for a project. I think the piece is really unique and a must see for all fans of horror. I'm looking forward to unleashing these two disturbing tales on London audiences.'

‘What Monsters Do’ is on at the Etcetera Theatre, Camden at 7:30pm, October 25th-27th 2013 as part of the London Horror Festival. Tickets [are] available from September 9th, 2013."

For more information on What Monsters Do, and where to purchase tickets, go to: http://www.etceteratheatre.com/index.php?id=2&wod=10/25/2013 or http://www.londonhorrorfestival.com/whats-on/what-monsters-do/

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Mile High Horror Film Festival Feature Lineup Announced: "Mile High Horror is excited to announce its highly anticipated feature films lineup for its 4th Annual Film Festival, which will run October 3-6 at the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Littleton, Colorado.

The 2013 Mile High Horror Film Festival Feature Films Lineup is as follows:

WE ARE WHAT WE ARE
-- Opening Night Film --
USA, (2013) 105 min., Directed by Jim Mickle
Director Jim Mickle will be in attendance!
When the patriarch of the family passes away, the teenage children must take responsibility for the family chores: the preparation of the rituals, the hunting and putting the all-important meat on the table. These newfound responsibilities are even more daunting, however, when you live in the city and happen to be a family of cannibals.

BAD MILO
USA, (2013) 85 min., Directed by Jacob Vaughan
A horror comedy centered on a guy who learns that his unusual stomach problems are being caused by a demon living in his intestines.

BIG BAD WOLVES
Israel, (2013) 110 min., Directed by Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado
A series of brutal murders puts the lives of three men on a collision course: The father of the latest victim now out for revenge, a vigilante police detective operating outside the boundaries of law, and the main suspect in the killings - a religious studies teacher arrested and released due to a police blunder.

CHEAP THRILLS
USA, (2013) 83 min, Directed by E.L. Katz
A diabolically smart skewing of the horrors of economic slavery and the exploitation of the working class that practically dares its audience not to look away, CHEAP THRILLS explodes with dirty deeds done anything but dirt cheap.

FOR ELISA
Spain, (2013) 80 min., Directed by Juanra Fernandez
Para Elisa is a terrifying story based on a simple, innocent children's game. Something that looks naive and harmless turns into the worst nightmare, into the struggle to escape a tragic and expected end, into an explicit and inevitable horror.

GOLDBERG & EISENBERG
Israel, (2012) 90 min., Directed by Oren Carmi
In the tradition of dark suspense features such as "Misery", "Cape Fear" and "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", the film weaves a setting of erratic encounters, which drastically evolves into an insane hunt across a bizarre and hectic Tel Aviv. Starting with black comic undertones, the story gradually gravitates into an unpredictable whirlwind of terror.

GHOST TEAM ONE (press pic / screenshot coming soon)
USA, (2013) 107 min., Directed by Ben Peyser & Scott Rutherford
Two roommates deathly afraid of ghosts both fall in love with a girl who believes their home is haunted.

HAUNTER
USA, (2013) 97 min., Directed by Vincenzo Natali
The ghost of a teenager who died years ago reaches out to the land of the living in order to save someone from suffering her same fate.

MIRAGE MEN
USA, (2013) 85 min., Directed by John Lundberg, Roland Denning, Kypros Kyprianou
How the US government created a myth that took over the world.
UFOs: weapons of mass deception... For over 60 years teams within the US Air Force and Intelligence services exploited and manipulated beliefs about UFOs and ET visitations as part of their counterintelligence programmes. In doing so they spawned a mythology so powerful that it captivated and warped many brilliant minds, including several of their own. Now, for the first time, some of those behind these operations, and their victims, speak out, revealing a true story that is part Manchurian Candidate and part Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

ON AIR
Germany, (2012) 94 min., Directed by Carsten Vauth
A man (Markus Knuefken) runs the pirate radio "Nighthawk" from the basement of his house, and every saturday night he goes "On Air" as Doc Rock. Unexpectedly a serial killer "The Night-Slasher" (Charles Rettinghaus) calls in on his show, and now...Doc has to stop him from killing his next victim. The struggle for survival is ON...AIR.

PLUS ONE
USA, (2013) 105 min., Directed by Dennis Iliadis
Three college friends hit the biggest party of the year, where a mysterious phenomenon disrupts the night, quickly descending into a chaos that challenges their friendships -- and whether they can stay alive.

THE SEASONING HOUSE
UK, (2012) 90 min., Directed by Paul Hyett
The Seasoning House: Where young girls are prostituted to the military. An orphaned deaf mute is enslaved to care for them. She moves between the walls and crawlspaces, showing the little kindnesses when she can. When fate brings the men that murdered her family and the reason she ended up in the whore house, a chain of events begins that will end her captivity, free the girls who are still alive.

SEPTIC MAN
USA, (2013) 83 min., Directed by Jesse T. Cook
A sewage worker gets trapped inside a septic tank during a water contamination crisis and undergoes a hideous transformation. To escaped, he must team up with a docile Giant and confront the murdering madman known as Lord Auch.

Confirmed guests for this year's Mile High Horror Film Festival include Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead, The Devil's Rejects), Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Meg Foster (They Live), The Enigma (The Jim Rose Circus), Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination), Daniel Myrick (The Blair Witch Project) and a another big one to be named tomorrow.

Tickets for screenings will be available for purchase at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17th."

For more information about the Mile High Horror Film Festival, visit: www.mhhff.com

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Truth or Dare Premiere Details: “Jessica Cameron’s directorial debut had begun the festival circuit and it couldn’t have a better world premiere date. Truth or Dare made its bloody world premiere [on] FRIDAY THE 13TH at 9 p.m. at the Arizona Underground Film Festival in Tucson, AZ. Tucson just so happens to be the hometown of Truth or Dare producer/co­writer Jonathan Higgins.

The very next day, the film screened as a double feature with Canadian filmmaker, Ryan M. Andrews’ zombie movie, Sick, at the Montreal Horror Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec starting at 2 p.m. (Truth or Dare starts at 4 p.m.).

Then on October 12th at 10 p.m., Truth or Dare will screen at the Pollygrind Film Festival in Las Vegas, NV. Cameron won the “Best Cameo” award there last year for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in The Black Dahlia Haunting.

Other official selections with to be announced screening times include the Salty Horror Film Festival in Salt Lake City, UT on Halloween night, along with the Twin Cities Film Festival in St. Louis Park, MN (Oct 17th-­26th).”

For more information on Truth or Dare, and to purchase tickets to the announced screening, visit:
or https://www.facebook.com/TruthOrDareTheMovie?ref=hl

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Shiver DVD Release Details: “The Gryphon is a serial killer with a flair for the dramatic – and a grisly trophy case of victims. But when he sets out to add shy, young secretary Wendy Alden (Harris) to his macabre collection, he gets more than he bargained for. Unfortunately, Wendy’s escape from his first assault only deepens the killer’s twisted obsession – and affection – for her. Always one step ahead of pursuing Detective Delgado (van Dien), the brilliant psychopath penetrates police lines at will, circling ever closer to the target of his deranged fantasies. Until, finally, the only thing standing between Wendy and the Gryphon’s unthinkable desires is her own desperate, indomitable will to survive.

Image Entertainment, announces the release of the horror-thriller Shiver, starring Danielle Harris (Halloween), John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) and Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers). Directed by UK based, multi-film festival award-winner Julian Richards, the film is based on the novel by New York Times best selling author Brian Harper (a.k.a. Michael Prescott). Shiver is available on DVD on October 8, 2013.”

For more information on Shiver, visit:
http://www.us.rljentertainment.com/product/shiver/6077f771-aeb1-e211-97c7-020045490004

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Kevin Sizemore Joins Cast of ABC's Resurrection: "Kevin Sizemore has moved on from Chester’s Mill to Arcadia, Missouri in a recurring role on the much anticipated ABC Drama “Resurrections”. Following his memorable recurring role as Paul Randolph, the man who shot the Dome, in the summer hit “Under the Dome”, Kevin once again finds himself in a small close knit town dealing with an unexplainable phenomenon.

Resurrection stars Omar Epps (House), Kurtwood Smith (That 70’s Show) & Frances Fisher (Titanic) and is the story of a small town, Arcadia, Missouri, that is forever changed when their deceased loved ones suddenly start to return 30 years later…without aging one single year.

Resurrection premieres Sunday, March 9 at 10/9c.”

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Details on Chris Grun's Interview for Preternatural: "Goat Man’s Hill has just released a short interview with their talented creature designer Chris Grun where he reveals some insight into the ideas behind the unique independent horror film.

“This really should be something that makes you afraid of the fairy world,” says Grun. “There’s nothing that I can think that has this kind of...trying to put the terror into fairy like we have here.”

You may not know Chris’s face, but you have seen his work which includes designing creatures for films such as Land of the Lost, The Cabin in the Woods, and R.I.P.D.

The team behind the 2012 indie thriller Sick Boy describes the new project as an unreliable documentary about fairies. “It’s not a found footage film,” says writer / director Tim T. Cunningham. “Nothing against them, but this will be something more in the ballpark of Troll Hunter. It’s going to be a straight up horror film.”

Preternatural is designed to start like a true crime documentary investigating the mysterious disappearance of an accused murderer, but quickly turns into a tale of monsters when questions are raised as to whether the person the accused allegedly murdered is actually dead. Promising to take full advantage of their visual effects backgrounds which span more than 35 combined years and more than 60 feature films, the Cunningham brothers aim to create an experience that feels as real as possible.”

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Must Love Horror Begins Pre-Production: "Must Love Horror is the story of Edgar, an avid horror film fanatic, who plans to spend Halloween night watching scary movies with his girlfriend when the gory, macabre worlds of the films he loves come crashing into reality.

Wonder Works Films is proud to announce that they have greenlit Must Love Horror, a new horror screenplay from the writing team of Christopher Coffel & Brett O. Walker. This is the second feature screenplay from Coffel and Walker and the follow up to their 2012 debut, On the Count of 3, an action/comedy featuring the legendary Lloyd Kaufman that Walker also directed.

Must Love Horror is currently in the beginning stages of pre-production and casting. A release is tentatively scheduled for early 2014.

Wonder Works Films, part of the producing team behind Sinister, is led by CEO and owner Joseph Bechor."

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Dark Arc Trailer and Release Details: "Dan Zukovic's "Dark Arc", a bizarre and disturbing modern noir dark comedy was recently released on DVD and Netflix through Vanguard Cinema, and is currently debuting on Cable Video On Demand.

The film had it's World Premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival, and it's U.S. Premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival. Featuring Sarah Strange ("White Noise"), Kurt Max Runte ("X-Men", "Battlestar Gallactica",) and Dan Zukovic (director and star of the cult comedy "The Last Big Thing"). Featuring the Glam/Punk songs "Dark Fruition", "Ire and Angst", "F.ByronFitzBaudelaire" and a dark orchestral score by Neil Burnett.”

For more information on this film, visit: http://www.vanguardcinema.com/darkarc/darkarc.htm

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First Details on Twinge: "Loving mother and wife Camille snaps after her children die in a car accident. With Grandma’s help she’s on a mission to replace the children she lost. With the help of a special tea concoction to brainwash whom they see fit, she finally has another chance at motherhood. But it doesn’t come without a price. The evil side effect of the tea causes her new children to have a thirst for blood, and desperation causes them to do whatever it takes to keep their loving family together."

The film is still in the process of receiving funding for its development. To learn more about Twinge, and to support the progress of this film, visit: https://www.facebook.com/TwingeMovie/info

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Details on Halloween-Themed Hot Sauces: "Victor "The Undertaker" Ives dresses as a creepy undertaker character year-round and promotes Halloween Hot Sauce at conventions and trade shows!

Halloween Hot Sauce "unearths" homemade Halloween-themed hot sauce products sealed in handmade cedar coffins! They're a Halloween decoration! They're delicious hot sauces! They're perfect for Halloween parties...or anytime!

The sauces are:

Spider Venom Hot Sauce (Heat level: mild. Spider Venom is a green jalapeno pepper based hot sauce).

Bloody Bat Hot Sauce (Heat level: medium. Bloody Bat is a red cayenne pepper based hot sauce).

Grinning Skull Hot Sauce (Heat level: hot. Grinning Skull is a red habanero pepper based hot sauce).

Each bottle is wrapped in a vintage, apothecary-style label like one might find on the dusty shelves of an old, abandoned funeral parlor. Each bottle comes topped with scraps of "burial cloth" and is securely tied with a toe-tag.

You can get Halloween Hot Sauce in a coffin or without. The handmade cedar coffins come stuffed with "mausoleum moss" and have a couple novelty maggots thrown in for good measure. You can get individual bottles in coffins or all three bottles in one big coffin.

[He] also does the hot sauce for former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein and sells that at www.DoylesMadeInHell.com.”

For more information on this line of Halloween-themed hot sauces, go to: http://www.HalloweenHotSauce.com

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An Excerpt from Death is Only Skin Deep: "Noble Fusion Press presents the most macabre ways to new life in these three chilling gas-lit tales, presented in the tradition of the Grand Guinol.

A mystic’s love compels a ghastly reincarnation between “The Garden and The Mirror.”

A widow longs to escape war and covers an unspeakable crime with her special “Sausage and Biscuits.”

A child hungers for love, warm and fulfilling, bite by bite, in “Little Zombie Lulu.”

These tales guide you through the darkness of the heart to a bright light that reveals hope turned feral. Sometimes, the path of good intentions leads through the abattoir. "Death Is Only Skin Deep."

Little Zombie Lulu
By: Sherri Dean

Lulu pawed up through the dirt with her tiny hands, dark bits of it clinging in the chubby wrinkles of her wrists and elbows. She clawed and wriggled upward and finally broke ground, emerging in the early moonlight among a pile of pale pink flowers and sateen bows.

Dragging herself forward, she climbed up and out, heaving herself unsteadily to a standing position. She looked down and gasped at how dirty her pretty new dress was. Mama would be so angry! She might even hit Lulu again, maybe even harder. Mama liked Lulu to stay clean and be good. She knew she had to clean up quick and get home before Mama found out she was out after dark.

She shambled across the cemetery, smelling like moldy roses and fresh earth. She found a big iron gate with a small house, like a playhouse, next to it. She heard a small 'meow?' from the front of the building. She rounded it to see a small black cat staring at her with wide golden eyes.
"Pretty kitty!" Lulu said, and her lips curled up in a ghastly smile. She picked up the cat and stroked it, listening to it purr.

In Lulu’s head, pictures appeared of other kittens snuggling to a big mama cat. Lulu realized, she could see the kitty’s thoughts! Do those thoughts taste like milk? Do they have a flavor?

She smelled the cat's warm fur, then bit into its head. The cat's fragile skull broke like a thin crust on a pie and Lulu chewed slowly, savoring the flavor. She ate more, the cat's brains yummier than anything Mama ever baked. She dropped the cat's limp body and left, gore dripping down her chin. She frowned and pouted- she was still hungry and had to find her Mama.

She wandered through her small town's back alleys for hours until she found the gate to her backyard. She reached up and opened the latch, closed the gate behind her and then walked on tip toe, trying to be as quiet as she could.

"Arf ! Arf ! Arf !"

A small terrier barked wildly, jumping and twisting in excitement to see Lulu. It was her doggie, Skippy. He pawed at her dress, getting more dirt and grass on it.

Lulu saw Skippy’s dog-thoughts, pictures of Lulu playing in the sun, scratching Skippy’s ear.
But Skippy took several deep smells of Lulu, hesitantly, having dark thoughts that something was wrong. Skippy backed away slowly, cowering, but not before peeing on Lulu's shiny Mary Jane shoes in terror. She frowned.

"Bad Skippy!" she scolded. She leaned over, picked up the dog and crunched into the top of his skull with her tiny white teeth. Her eyes rolled back into their sockets, showing the whites as she chewed. "Good Skippy!" she murmured around a mouthful of brains and fur.

Her dress, already dirty and bloodstained, crusted with more gore. She looked down: Oh, she'd have to clean up before Mama saw her or she'd be in trouble for sure!

She stumbled through the backyard littered with child's toys, moving closer to the house. Thump! Her foot bumped something hard but sloshy sounding in the dark. She leaned forward, groping with both hands and felt cold water. Her kiddy pool! She had played in it all summer and even though it was half full of leaves and grass there was enough water to wash off her pretty dress.

She jumped in the pool, shoes and all, and splashed and giggled like any six year old playing in the moonlight. She rubbed and scrubbed until she thought herself clean enough, then clambered out of the pool. A thin layer of dirt and blood foam floated on the water's surface.

She tried to squeeze as much water out of the heavy folds of her dress as she could. She began to spin slowly in drunken circles to try and dry off. She fell down a lot, and giggled a lot, then decided she was getting tired and it was time to see her Mama. She shook off the dizziness she felt and clomped up the wooden steps to the backdoor, her patent leather shoes reflecting the full moon above. Her footsteps rang out hollowly.

The porch light came on suddenly, followed by a frightened muffled "Who is it? Who's out there?"

To learn more and purchase Death is Only Skin Deep, head over to Amazon.

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The Last Light: An Irish Ghost Story Trailer and Acquisition News: “Local handy man Rob Walker (Robert Render) is hired to brick up and block all entrances and windows of a secluded and abandoned mansion along the Irish coast. However as Rob makes his inspections he begins to the feel he's not alone. Is it local kids playing a practical joke? Or a sinister force that does not wish to be disturbed. The Last Light: An Irish Ghost Story is the violently haunting tale of a (real) Ulster mansion, donated as a war hospital in the early 1900's before turning into a retirement home for the old and wealthy. Even as a listed building, the house was left to waste, and soon became a playground for kids who destroyed the original features of the facility, upsetting not just the local people and historians, but something deep within the walls. Don’t be afraid of the dark. Be afraid of what is in the dark.

Eagle One Media is proud to announce it has acquired worldwide rights to the Yellow Fever Production film The Last Light: An Irish Ghost Story. Director George Clarke’s feature film shot on location in Northern Ireland at a real Ulster mansion that is reported to actually be haunted. The feature film will be release on DVD November 5th in North America, and on VOD and digital platforms, and rolled out globally in various territory markets.

The Last Light: An Irish Ghost Story won Robert Render the best actor award at the Freak Show Horror Film Festival. The film is a multiple film festival award winner that delivers and with glowing reviews.

The Last Light: An Irish Ghost Story can be pre-ordered on DVD on Amazon, with VOD and digital availability updates to follow.”

To learn more, go to: www.eagleonemedia.com

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Catch of the Day Trailer Released: “Acid Bath Productions, the makers of “Hack Job”, “I Spill Your Guts” and “Cool As Hell,” announce the official anticipated release date of November 19, 2013 for a brand new Horror Comedy, “Catch of the Day.” Directed by James Balsamo, this buddy- cop masterpiece with splashes of mutant fish monsters and tons of splatstick fun is bound to get you excited.

Officer Rod Davis becomes embedded undercover when a cartel starts brining drugs into the city through shipments of fish. He soon finds himself and his city under siege when a scientist accidently creates mutant fish people with a poisonous bite. It's up to the rookie cop and a sexy lab assistant to find the drug stash and destroy the crime lord controlling the mutant monsters, but it turns personal when Rod's sister is kidnapped. Are they fighting giant mutant fish monsters just for the halibut? See the badge, bass, and ass in a horror-comedy that you won't want to throw back... because it's the "Catch of the Day."

The film features Tuesday Knight, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Debbie Rochon, Johnny Legend, Jennifer Banko, Irwin Keyes, Carmine Capobianco and lead singer of Suffocation Frank Mullen. The laugh-out-loud comedy adventure also features music by MxPx, Less Than Jake, Something To Do and many, many more.”

For more information, or to pre-order this film online, visit: www.acidbathproductions.com/store. To watch the trailer, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKHGgo5288w&feature=youtu.be

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Slaughter Daughter: “After being left at the altar 5 years ago, ex-beauty queen Farrah Adjani has receded into her own world. She lives at home in an apartment shared by her mother and aunt, and rarely comes out of her room. She spends her time flipping through the 24-hour news cycle and feeding her obsession with Jackson Miles, a recently convicted serial killer. Everything changes when her overbearing drunk of a mother returns home from her date, flashes a ring, and announces 'Mommy's getting married!' Thrown into a tailspin, Farrah makes a drastic move to get noticed by Jackson Miles. She wants to learn everything Jackson knows about murder. Farrah never could be the perfect daughter, but can she be the perfect killer? On her mother's wedding day, she's planning to find out!

Maxim Media International has acquired Slaughter Daughter for worldwide distribution. Plans are underway to release the film on DVD and Video On Demand with the North America imprint Brain Damage Films. Official artwork and release dates are coming soon!

Slaughter Daughter is the brainchild of Director Travis Campbell and Writer/Producer Lauren Miller. Campbell and Miller also partnered up on their previous feature, Mr. Bricks: A Heavy Metal Murder Musical. After Mr. Bricks was completed, they begin brainstorming a new idea about a matricidal young woman named Farrah. They immediately thought of Nicola Fiore, one of the stars of Mr. Bricks, to play the lead. Italian Giallo films of the 1970s, soap operas, and true crime novels all became the inspirations behind Slaughter Daughter.

In January of 2011, the team began to build an online presence for the film and shot the first of what would become a weekly web series lasting 8 episodes. The series focused in on Farrah’s stint in a mental hospital and aired on YouTube. From there, the team pulled up their socks and climbed the uphill battle of making independent film. Fueled by inspiration and determination, they completed the project and gave birth to something truly inspired.”

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Under the Knife Trailer Released: "Beverly travels to South Korea to get plastic surgery, but ends up unknowingly getting a computerized implant from a surgeon who maniacally turns his patients into beautiful killing machines. Under the Knife stars Jin-geun Kim (Acacia, Voices) as Dr. P and Jyeong-ah Kim as Beverly. The movie was filmed on location in South Korea, Japan and the U.S.

Bloated Cat Productions in association with Penguin Films, is currently in post production with the horror feature film Under the Knife, written and directed by Josh Hoffman. J. Pingo Lindstrom is producing.

This gore-filled suspense thriller is a South Korea / Sweden co-production, with post being done in Sweden. J. Pingo Lindstrom previously produced ANGRY, starring Bo Svenson (Kill Bill).

Under the Knife will premiere worldwide on all media in 2014. The trailer can now be viewed at the official site."

To learn more about Under the Knife, go to: www.UnderTheKnifeMovie.com

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Ashes of Eden: "On Sunday September 1st at 8:00 pm EST, New House Entertainment in association with Collective Development Inc., and Ahptic Film and Digital, released worldwide, the trailer of the highly anticipated film, Ashes of Eden.

The trailer was released on the official website, Facebook page, and Twitter. Fans were lighting up the social networks sites with positive comments and sharing the link on their pages.

Producers Hagedorn and Perry are planning a November premiere for the feature in their hometown of Lansing, MI. At the premiere screening, audiences will get a chance to meet the director (Hagedorn), producer (Perry), and some of the cast. Following the premiere will be an ‘Eden Afterglow’ VIP party for cast, crew, and others closely associated with the film.

Some audiences were already treated to a few test screenings in July, which resulted in an very emotional and deep heartfelt response. Both test audiences gave overwhelming praise for the film. Producers are actively seeking distribution for the film to be released in multiple theaters nationwide and DVD/VOD globally."

To watch the trailer for Ashes of Eden, go to: www.ashesofedenmovie.com

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  • 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).