American Mary, You're Next, The Conjuring and Maniac are just a few of the genre films of 2013 that thrilled, scared and entertained of the grue-crew throughout the past twelve months. These are the best horror, sci-fi and fantasy films 2013 has to offer.
Co-hosts Doc Rotten, Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani take a look back at the best films of 2013 each presenting their personal top 10 for the year. You're Next and The Conjuring make all four lists with Maniac placing on three of them. Some of last week's most disappointing films return this week to be on another host's best. Ha! Doc starts the ball rolling with the What Have You Been Watching segment with Haunter and Dave bring the final Horror News of the Week for 2013.
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Episode 39 – The Best Genre Films of 2013
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00:05:10 – What Have You Been Watching: Haunter (2013)
Wrapping up 2013, Doc takes in Haunter from director Vincenzo Natali, a sensational ghost tale that has a lovely young spirit realizing the horrible truth about her life - or unlife - but decides to save the life of a young still living teen girl. Abigail Breslin stars Lisa Johnson who has only a ghost of a chance in defeating the big bad haunter played by Stephen McHattie. Doc surprises his co-host as he announces that Haunter is also number ten on his list of best for the year.
00:09:25 – The Best Genre Films of 2013
As 2013 comes to a close, Doc, Thomas and Santos take a look back at the best of year, the most exciting, thrilling and influential genre films of 2013. Cutting to the chase here are the films discussed:
Thomas Mariani
The Black Saint
Dave Dreher
Doc Rotten
01:11:00 - Horror News of the Week for 12/30/2013
Dave returns this week to proudly bring his final Horror News of the Week for 2013. Doc is happy to hear that the trailer for Dead Snow 2: Dead vs Red has been released. The next installment to the Amityville Horror franchise gets its January 2015 release date and a new name: Amityville. SyFy is promoting its new genre show, Helix, with a dozen or so short trailers confusing everyone on the podcast. Dave shares news of Fear Clinic including his interviewing the director and teases set visit articles on the way. Last up is True Blood loses one of is supporting cast with the exit of Luke Grimes.
Doc Rotten: facebook DoctorRotten, twitter @doc_rotten, letterboxd DocRotten
Dave Dreher: facebook drehershouseofhorrors, twitter @savinifan
Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr.: facebook theblacksainthnn, twitter @tbssaysyou, letterboxd TheBlackSaint
Thomas Mariani: twitter @notthewhostommy. , letterboxd SilentTom
Vixen: twitter @purevixen44
Special thanks and a big shout out goes to the band Tear Out The Heart and Victory Records for allowing HorrorNews.Net to sample music from their single Undead Anthem for the podcast’s intro and outro theme music. Check them out and tell them The Official HorrorNews.Net Podcast sent you their way!
You’re Next has descended upon audiences providing screams, laughs and mayhem. Co-hosts Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Thomas Mariani and Vixen recap and review the film with Thomas declaring it an instant cult classic. We also have Alan Tuskes, one of the FX artists on You’re Next, on board with the inside scoop on the gore and make-up. Dave fires up the crypt-keepers with the horror news of the week and Doc has the winners of the latest contest.
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Episode 21 – You’re Next and Alan Tuskes – FX Artist You’re Next interview
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0:02:24– Interview with Alan Tuskes, FX artist on You’re Next
This week we have an Interview with Alan Tuskes who, along with Lino Stavole and A.J. Venuto, is responsible for the make-up FX in this week’s horror flick, You’re Next. Alan shares his experience with the film, how immediate the effects were and the challenges they faced. Alan is from the Kurtsman Instintute, http://www.kurtzmaninstitute.com, and the Creature Corps FX studio, http://www.creaturecorps.net/.
0:31:52- You’re Next recap and review
You’re Next is an insane mix of Friday the 13th with The Strangers with Motel Hell. It is a terrific audience participation film and the grue-crew are here to share their reaction to the movie. Sharni Vinson makes for one of the more incredible and exciting final girls in horror in years. Director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Garrett have a cult classic on their hands. In a rare event, the entire cast of hosts on HorrorNews.Net podcast all agree on You’re Next. Listen to the podcast to find out why.
0:58:03– Horror news of the week
Dave Dreher’s horror news of the week begins with news of the first sign of the Apocalypse. That’s right HorrorNews.Net podcast co-hosts Doc Rotten and Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin, Jr. joined forces to appear at the same location, at the same time. Somehow, the world survived and everyone at The Grandin Theater in Roanoke, Virginia got to see the premiere of Plan 9 from director John Johnson. Next up, Vixen goes postal on the crew when Dave brings up the casting of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne as Batman meets Superman in Man of Steel 2. Next up is discussion about the opening credits for American Horror Story secretly revealing the story lines for each season according to show creator, Ryan Murphy. Scream Factory is releasing two John Carpenter classics:Body Bags and Assault on Precinct 13. Last up is news that Horror Starlets Cerina Vincent, Brook Lewis, Anne McDaniels and more are teaming up with Bowling for Boobies to raise money for breast cancer awareness.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/horrornews-net-presents-dead-afterlife
1:27:43– Announcement: Contest winners for one of 3 copies of the Absence Blu-ray
It is time to announce the 3 lucky winners of the Absence Blu-rays. The contest promoted heavily on the HorrorNews.Net Podcast Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/HorrorNewsNetPodcast/) asked interested parties to complete the poll on the following question: What is your favorite Found Footage horror film? The surprise winner of that poll was Trollhunter! Here is the synopsis of the film, Absense: “Expectant mother Liz wakes to discover that her unborn child has disappeared overnight. She travels to the mountains with her husband and brother to escape the attention of prying neighbors and police – and to try to make sense of what happened, where they realize that their ordeal is not yet over.” Congratulations to the three winners: Joan Sherwood, Oliver Sloan and Mikie Michelle.
Doc Rotten: facebook DoctorRotten, twitter @doc_rotten, letterboxd DocRotten
Dave Dreher: facebook drehershouseofhorrors, twitter @savinifan
Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr.: facebook theblacksainthnn, twitter @tbssaysyou, letterboxd TheBlackSaint
Thomas Mariani: twitter @notthewhostommy. , letterboxd SilentTom
Vixen: twitter @purevixen44
Special thanks and a big shout out goes to the band Tear Out Your Heart and Victory Records for allowing HorrorNews.Net to sample music from their single Undead Anthem for the podcast’s intro and outro theme music. Check them out and tell them The Official HorrorNews.Net Podcast sent you their way!
It’s all about Maniac: Joe Spinell versus Elijah Wood as co-hosts Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Thomas Mariani and Vixen discuss the William Lustig 1980 classic and the fascinating new remake from Franck Khalfoun. Then Dave Dreher surprises the entire cast by introducing special effects legend Tom Savini as special guest host to discuss secrets and stories behind the making of the original Maniac, Tom’s career and his thoughts about remakes, zombies and Facebook.
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Episode 8 – Maniac with Tom Savini
The original Maniac (1980) is a cult classic, notorious for its seedy representation of New York at the time, its grimy, sweaty lead and the film’s graphic special effects. The film is dark and morose from the onset and never lets up; there is no hope for its lead as he spirals out of control. Joe Spinell oozes creepy serial killer as he flays his victims, placing their bloody scalps on a collection of mannequins in his home. Tom Savini provided the realistic and bloody special effects, including a scene where his character has his head blown off.
Alexandre Aja writes and produces the modern remake of Maniac (2013), placing mousy Elijah Wood into the Spinell-originated lead. Franck (P2) Khalfoun steps in to direct. Wood’s version of Frank Zito is far more disturbed with his mommy issue but also far more less imposing. Until he goes in for the kill, that is. Aja’s script builds upon the original’s story improving on the love story between Frank and Anna while the special effects are as visceral and shocking as ever. Maniac turns out to be one of the better remakes in recent years.
Tom Savini surprises the grue-crew but joining in the discussion bringing his take on the original Maniac film, sharing stories about the classic effects, his approach to gore make-up and his encounters with Joe Spinell. Afterwords, Tom discusses remakes, his career, his current crop of films and a tirade or two: his rebuts the famous “Tom Savini is a dick” blog posts and rants about Facebook. It’s an incredible 40 minutes with the Godfather of Gore.
Doc Rotten: facebook DoctorRotten, twitter @doc_rotten
Dave Dreher: facebook drehershouseofhorrors, twitter @savinifan
Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr.: facebook theblacksainthnn, twitter @tbssaysyou
Thomas Mariani: twitter @notthewhostommy.
Special thanks and a big shout out goes to the band Tear Out Your Heart and Victory Records for allowing HorrorNews.Net to sample music from their single Undead Amthem for the podcast’s intro and outro theme music. Check them out and tell them The Official HorrorNews.Net Podcast sent you their way!