Like almost every other horror film I can recall, Black House, directed by Sin Tae-ra [Shin Terra, 신태라] and featuring a cast headed by the excellent Hwang Jeong-min [황정민] (Bloody Tie, 2006, A Bittersweet Life, 2005, You Are My Sunshine, 2005), involves a series of unexplained deaths. Unlike other Korean horror movies, the film is the first in my recollection to feature psychedelic poster art (it’s only a teaser!). Adapted from a novel by Japanese writer Kishi Yusuke and co-produced by CJ Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures, this early entry in this summer’s horror film line-up finished shooting earlier this month and is slated for theatrical release in June. Other cast members include Kang Shin-il [강신일] (Maundy Thursday, 2006, Public Enemy, 2002), Yoo Seon [유선] (The Wig, 2005, The Big Swindle, 2004, The Uninvited, 2003) and Kim Seo-hyeong [김서형] (The City of Violence, 2006). Sin Tae-ra previously directed Brainwave [브레인웨이브], a low-budget sci-fi adventure, which received a limited release last summer.

Poster, Stills, Production Photos, Trailer

KFCC Forum Thread
[Source: KOFIC, KFCC]

FOR TRAILERS & CLIP, SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE

“Gorehounds, asshounds: Run, don’t walk, to this budget-conscious and kooky but surprisingly effective slasher flick from the director of [Rooms for Tourists (Habitaciones para turistas)], an Argentine favorite from 2005’s [Cine Las Americas] festival. [García] Bogliano layers familiar horror motifs with a critique of women’s oppression, albeit one accompanied by gynecologically intimate low angles of half-wedgied bikini bottoms and all manner of graphic violence: strobe-lit torture montages, branding, and a choreographed dance sequence. [García] Bogliano’s girls frolic in the garden hose in winking slo-mo sequences, but soon enough we see that in their poolside vacation house they are kept captive like Troma babes in a pervy zoo exhibit. The rules - silence, obedience, and happiness - are enforced by a club-wielding, 300-pound man-boy who chops off fingers. Having thus inculpated the voyeuristic, sadistic, and presumably male gaze of his audience, [García] Bogliano cranks up the camp, speeding toward a splatter finale competently stylized after the pulpy mayhem of giallo and ‘killer party’ slashers like My Bloody Valentine. Let’s not call it feminist, but there is something recognizably anti-patriarchal and satirical in the way the women are trained to a whistle and forced to smile and act nice, then pitted against one another for survival.” - The Austin Chronicle

Twitch, in association with GOMORRAHY.com, is now providing a downloadable QuickTime version of the first teaser trailer for Adrián García Bogliano’s black-comedy horror 36 Steps (36 pasos).

36 Steps is scheduled to have its U.S. première at Cine Las Americas (CLA) in Austin, Texas on April 25th at 9:45 p.m.. The movie was produced by Paura Flics (Argentina) in association with Roman Porno Eiga (Spain) and Condor Media (U.S.A.).

Continue Reading "Update on Adrián García Bogliano’s 36 STEPS (36 PASOS)"...

More stills from Albert Pyun‘s Left for Dead have been added to the website of production company (and North American sales agent for the movie) Sofia Films LLC.

Distribution rights for Left for Dead are to be offered for sale by Chris Davis International (CDI) at this year’s Marché du Film in Cannes, which runs from May 16th to 26th.

As was previously reported here on Twitch, the screenplay for Left for Dead was written by Chad Leslie. The movie stars Victoria Maurette, Mariana Seligman, Andres Bagg, María Alche, Javier de la Vega, and Janet Bar. Hernán Findling was a co-producer of it; he himself directed the English-language horrAR (i.e., Argentine horror) Director’s Cut. Daniel de la Vega was the principal cameraman for it; he himself directed the English-language horrAR Death Knows Your Name, and is set to direct the English-language horrAR White Coffin.

Bagg previously starred in such movies as Findling’s Director’s Cut and Sergio Esquenazi’s English-language horrAR-thriller Dead Line (Interference).

Sofia Films: Left for Dead (w/ stills, etc.)
Left for Dead poster (288 KB JPEG)
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GOMORRAHY.com: Hernán Findling’s Director’s Cut (w/ stills, etc.)
GOMORRAHY.com: Daniel de la Vega’s Death Knows Your Name (w/ trailers, stills, etc.)

Back in December, Todd pointed out a link to the trailer for Nick Ryan’s A Lonely Sky and now it just came to my attention through Nick’s post on the Cgtalk forum that the entire short film is put up online at his website. Heres what he got to say on it:

In 1947, a test pilot who will risk his life to break the sound barrier, is forced to question his reasons and abilities by a strange yet familiar man. Starring Keir Dullea (2001, A Space Odyssey, The Good Shepherd), Paudge Behan (Veronica Guerin), Padraic Delaney (The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Legend). I wrote, directed and co-produced

There is approximately 5 minutes of entirely CGI effects in the finished film of 10 minutes. This was all completed at HD resolution (1920x1080) for projection in theatres as a scope print.

The quality of the production value is simply outstanding, from the solid cast to the impressive visual effects. It could have fool me into thinking it was done by a major film studios. Check it out.

A Lonely Sky Website (downloadable short film lurks within)

So there I was, doing what every good Twitch writer should be doing this weekend, taking someone to see Hot Fuzz. When lo and behold what should my eyes catch but a display standard for the British horror-comedy Severance. So I saunter over [saunter I say] and I paruse the numerous quotes on it. And there it is. The last one. Well by golly, it’s a quote from our Lord and Master Todd Brown… except… waitaminute! Who the hell is Todd Smith!?! And what the hell is Twichfilm.net!?! Has our dear friend Todd been cheating on us, using an alias and leading a double life? Can it be? Say it isn’t so Todd. Say it isn’t so!

Despite this wholly frack-up please don’t think ill of the film. Severance is a gem of a movie and everyone should see it when it comes out in cinemas, even though we’ve all had the R2 for a number of months now. And while you’re at it, take someone to see Hot Fuzz too. Support films we like!

There are certain directors—Im Sang-soo, Choi Dong-hoon, Yu Ha, the team of Lee Hae-joon and Lee Hae-young to name just a few—whose work is so fresh and innovative that one can’t help but wait in anticipation of their upcoming works. Another such filmmaker is Han Jae-rim, whose Rules of Dating [연애의 목적] was one of the most exciting discoveries of 2005. So when it was revealed that the director was working on a gangster film, I knew it would be anything but conventional. My enthousiasm even led me (a bit hastily) to predict a spectacular box office success, provided that Han was able to marshal the same quirky humor and snappy dialogue of his debut feature, without descending into the sappy melodrama that spoils so many otherwise good Korean pictures. At the time, I made no mention of his leading actor’s abilities—by now, there is no question of Song Kang-ho turning in a great performance. In The Show Must Go On, Song plays a mid-level gangster trying to balance work life and family life, with disastrous results. It would seem that Han has not only imbued his latest film with humor and superb camerawork, but also an added element of irony and escalating violence not seen in his previous outing. The film landed the number one slot opening weekend, but by the second week, ticket sales had fallen dramatically, though it still held onto the second slot (Paradise Murdered holding the no. 1 spot). It might be that viewers were troubled by Han’s trademark jerky camerawork, the mix of lighter moments with the more serious aspects of the story, and a slightly overlong running time. The R3 DVD released July 30 by KD Media will as usual be anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs and feature optional English subtitles.

Posters, Photos, Production Stills, Trailers

Review (Russell Edwards for Variety)

Review (Darcy Paquet)

Previous Entry

Seventeen islanders disappear without a trace, and the doctor in charge of conducting an investigation into the mysterious case is suspected of being a serial murderer. That is the plot of Paradise Murdered [aka Paradise 1986], the thriller comedy released in theatres last week, overtaking The Show Must Go On, to land the number one slot at the box office. The debut feature by director Kim Han-min was already attracting attention days before its premiere, as a comic book with the same name and scenario was released online two days prior to the film’s opening. Three mobile phone comanies were also offering the service. Many Korean films are now adapted from comics, such as Choi Dong-hoon’s War of Flowers—so it was only a matter of time before the reverse trend appeared. The film’s success also signals the growing popularity of actor Park Hae-il (The Host, 2006, Rules of Dating, 2005) who, since working with Bong Joon-ho in Memories of Murder (2003), has been rapidly coming into his own as one of Korea’s major young talents. The R3 DVD to be released July 30th by KD Media will be anamorphically enhanced for widescreen televisions and feature optional English subtitles.

Posters, Photos, Production Shots, Trailers

Previous Entry

[Source: Korea Content]

This week I was lucky enough to see John Paul Kinhart’s documentary “BLOOD, BOOBS & BEAST”. What lured me into seeing it was the subject: a few eccentric individuals who produce horror and science fiction movies, independently and on a shoestring budget, often literally from their backyards.
So I expected a barrel of comical anecdotes and some interesting hints, tips and how-to’s about cheap special effects make-up. And some blood, boobs and beasts of course! But those expectations were totally wrong.

Because despite the title it’s actually a quiet and gentle movie about a quiet and gentle man, who just happens to be the creator of several brutal horror- and science fiction movies.

The subject here is writer/director/producer Don Dohler, and the documentary divides its time between a description of the man himself and the birth of his newest picture “Dead Hunt”. Now I pride myself on having some knowledge of horror- and science fiction movies but have to admit to never having heard of him prior to this documentary. Seems I may have dodged a bullet as he is responsible for films as “The Alien Factor” (IMDB-rating: 4.2), “Fiend” (IMDB-rating 2.6), “Nightbeast” (IMDB-rating 1.9), “Vampire Sisters” (IMDB-rating 2.5) and “Blood Massacre” (IMDB-rating 2.9).
Ouch!!
He must have done something right though, because he has a small but enthusiastic fanbase including people like Tom Savini and J.J. Abrams.

Continue Reading "BLOOD, BOOBS & BEAST Review"...

Aya Pro K.K. (K.K. Aya Puro) is scheduled to release Tsukasa Kishimoto’s Akôkurô at the Sakurazaka Theater (Sakurazaka Gekijô) in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on June 9th.

The screenplay for Akôkurô was written by Kishimoto. The movie stars (listed order corresponds to order on cast page of official website) Maki Tamaru, Shûgo Oshinari, Erika, Shôgen, Nahana, Taeko Yoshida, Takehiro Murata, Misa Shimizu, Takashi Yûki, Tomoji Yamashiro, and Yû Tejima (a.k.a. You Tejima).

For more information on Akôkurô, see Twitch’s third, second, and first articles on it.

Akôkurô theatrical trailer (downloadable 6 MB MOV file)

Akôkurô teaser trailer (downloadable 4.3 MB MOV file)

Akôkurô official website

Wikipedia: Ryukyuan religion: Magical creatures (see paragraph on kijimunâ)

GP Museum Soft K.K. (K.K. GP Myûjiamu Sofuto) is scheduled to release Toshikazu Katsu’s Joshû shiiku 611 on DVD and VHS in Japan on May 25th. The movie is the third in a series that began with Katsu’s Joshû 611: onna-tachi no yakata, followed by his Joshû 611: onna-tachi no gyakushû.

Joshû shiiku 611 stars (listed order corresponds to trailer order) Kei Mizutani, Yoshimi Asada, Yôko Kamon, Harumi Nemoto, Akira Kiuchi, and Jaguar Yokota (Jagâ Yokota). According to the page for it on GP Museum Soft’s website, it co-stars Shinzô Hotta.

Those who are interested in Joshû shiiku 611 may wish to view the trailer for Ken’ichi Fujiwara’s Zero Ûman R: keishichô 0-ka no onna - yokubô no daishô.

GP Museum Soft: Joshû shiiku 611 (w/ trailer)
GP Museum Soft: Joshû 611: onna-tachi no gyakushû (w/ trailer)
YesAsia.com: Joshû 611: onna-tachi no gyakushû Japanese sale DVD
Joshû 611: onna-tachi no yakata trailer (downloadable 2.1 MB MOV file - viewer discretion is advised)

Joshû 611: onna-tachi no yakata Japanese rental DVD cover (200 KB JPEG)
YesAsia.com: Joshû 611: onna-tachi no yakata Japanese sale DVD
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Zero Ûman R: keishichô 0-ka no onna - yokubô no daishô trailer (streaming Windows Media)

Zero Ûman R: keishichô 0-ka no onna - yokubô no daishô official subsite

So much water so close to home, why did he have to go miles away to fish?

A while back, David Lowery came up with a term that I love and seem to keep using over and over—“substantiating connective tissue”—to describe what ties together literature and cinema (or—for that matter—any other artistic medium and cinema). For our immediate purposes, however, perhaps the term stuck with me because increasingly over the last year I’ve become interested in the writer’s role in this complex business of making films. Not only, let’s say, a novelist or a short story writer whose work has been picked up for adaptation; but the screenwriter’s challenge in pursuing such an adaptation. Let alone writers like myself who approach film from either a critic’s perspective or a commentarian’s fascination. The written word and the cinematic image seem as intimately linked as a sibling relationship, whether one of rivalry or loyalty.

There are several essays I’ve been methodically shaping. The work of James Leo Herlihy in film. The work of Julio Cortazar. Soon, I hope, I can present those burnished musings on Twitch. For now, I was reminded of my “substantiating connective tissue” projects by correspondence I received from Russell Perreault, Vice President and Director of Publicity for Vintage Books and Anchor Books, a division of the Knopf Group/Random House, Inc. In what I consider one of the most creative and imaginative publicity campaigns in recent memory, Perreault forwarded a copy of “So Much Water So Close To Home”, the short story by Raymond Carver that serves as the basis of the Sony Pictures Classics adaptation Jindabyne, opening later this month. It felt refreshing to start at the beginning, to read this deeply evocative story and to imagine how it caught the attention of filmmakers and how they will amplify Carver’s tale into a full length feature. Further, it was a unique reading because—knowing beforehand Laura Linney would be in the film—I kept seeing her face and hearing her voice while reading the story. It made for a rich, imaginative read and I’m looking all the more forward to watching Jindabyne at a press screening next week. I commend Perreault for reminding of the source material.

Jindabyne: Official Website

Continue Reading "RAYMOND CARVER—So Much Water So Close To Home"...

Maurizio Lucidi’s LA VITTIMA DESIGNATA (or THE DESIGNATED VICTIM in the US) has just received it’s first worldwide DVD release as a R2 disc coming from NEW Entertainment World in Germany. Lucidi’s film is seen as one of the most underrated gems in the Italian crime/polizieschi department, and this release should please fans outside Germany as well as it comes with a English audio track. The film’s called ‘DER TODESENGEL’ in Germany, so that should be the title under which your favourite import retailer could have it in stock soon.

The film stars Tomas Milian as Stefano, a successful leader of an advertising agency. Not satisfied with his personal life, he wants to separate from his wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli). Unfortunately, all business matters run through his wife, so Stefano is forced to stay with her. One day, Stefano meets the mysterious Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clementi), who offers to kill Stefano’s wife - only requiring that in turn, Stefano must kill Tiepolo’s brother. He doesn’t take the offer seriously, but when Tiepolo suddenly completes his part of the deal, Stefano becomes the main suspect and things begin to spiral out of control.

No word yet on whether the special features include English language options as well, but either way, this should be a must-buy for Italian cinema fans around the world. NEW are quickly making a name for themselves as one of the most reliable DVD companies for Eurocult flicks, previously having released films such as Tonino Valerii’s SAHARA CROSS.

As for me, I’ll try to get my hands on the disc as soon as possible and get back to those of you who’re interested with a review of it.

The official website for Jorge Algora‘s Spanish-Argentine psychological thriller The Mudboy (El niño de barro) is online, and on that site are two trailers, two ‘making of’ videos, and three stills galleries for the movie. There’s a stills gallery for the movie, as well as a larger version of the second trailer for it, on the website of Filmax (Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales S.A.). Filmax is scheduled to release it theatrically in Spain on May 18th.

The screenplay for The Mudboy was written by Algora, Christian Busquier, and Héctor Carré. The movie stars Maribel Verdú as Estela, Daniel Freire as Petrie, Chete Lera as Dr. Soria, Juan Ciancio as Mateo, César Bordón as Octavio, Abel Ayala as Cayetano, Rolly Serrano as Blas, Oscar Alegre as Valentín, and Sergio Boris as Palacios.

Here’s a synopsis for The Mudboy from the official website for the movie: “Based on a true story.

Buenos Aires, 1912. A series of brutal murders are sweeping the town.

Mateo (Juan Ciancio), a 10-year-old boy, holds a secret: sometimes his mind guides him to a dark place in his memory where he is eyewitness to a series of murders.

When his secret is revealed, many people think he is the murderer.

Estela, his mother (Maribel Verdú), with the help of a forensic policeman named Dr. Soria (Chete Lera), tries to find a rational explanation for the visions and then challenge the scepticism of Petrie (Daniel Freire), the police inspector.

Meanwhile murders continue… And chaos takes hold of the situation.”

Those who are interested in The Mudboy may also wish to read the Twitch articles on Paco Cabezas’ Spanish-Argentine-Swedish horror The Appeared (Aparecidos).

The Mudboy large trailer #2 (downloadable 3.1 MB MOV file)

The Mudboy medium trailer #2 (downloadable 1.9 MB MOV file)

The Mudboy trailer #1 (downloadable 1.8 MB MOV file)

The Mudboy ‘making of’ video #2 (downloadable 1.9 MB MOV file)

The Mudboy ‘making of’ video #1 (downloadable 2 MB MOV file)

Filmax: The Mudboy stills gallery

The Mudboy official website

Adivina Producciones: The Mudboy

Iroko Films: The Mudboy

Filmax: The Mudboy

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GOMORRAHY.com: Paco Cabezas’ The Appeared (Aparecidos) (w/ trailer, stills, etc.)

Dennis Harvey’s masterful SF360 summation of this past month’s Sleazy Sundays series and the pervading grindhouse mania that’s crept into programming in nearly every major urban center in the States warrants a shout-out.  It’s a fun read, not the least for listing some of his most memorable moments at the Strand Theatre here in San Francisco.  When Roxy Music sang, “Do the Strand!”, they didn’t know it was being interpreted so idiosyncratically down on Market Street.  My favorite moments at the Strand (that I’m willing to admit): a John Waters retrospective where I first saw Female Trouble; a David Cronenberg retrospective where I first saw Rabid and Brood; escaping the rain one day to watch a movie I knew nothing about, something called The Terminator.  Then there was the time I was terrified by a paper bag on one of the seats next to me.  It had been left behind by some previous patron and—as I watched the movie—the bag moved all by itself.  I was too terrified to do anything but look at it, increasingly distracted from the movie I had paid good money—well, cheap money—to watch.  Anyone else have some good Strand stories?

Dennis also profiles the final triple bill in this month’s series: Maniac, Preacherman, and Black Gestapo.  All in all, Sleazy Sundays has been a fun series and Dead Channels deserves something—maybe their comeuppance?—for indulging us our flashback to the sticky ‘60s and ‘70s.

But don’t think the mania’s over yet!!  Joel Shephard, film curator over at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, has booked “Broken Speakers and Broken People: A Real Grindhouse Double-Feature” on Thursday, May 10, at 7:30 & 9PM.

Joel writes: “In (a little belated) celebration of Grindhouse, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s tribute to the sleaze-pits of yore, here is a double-feature of fucked-up, freaked-out and forgotten 70s exploitation films.  Rather than a studied re-creation, though, this is the real thing.  In true exploitation scam tradition, I’ve decided not to announce the titles in advance, you’ll need to trust me and just show up.  I promise, though, that you will not be disappointed . . . suckers!”

Joel, baby, this has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with drooling unbridled curiosity!!  I can hope for “roughies”, can’t I?  See you at Sleazy Sundays and Broken Speakers/Broken People!

SF360 Sleazy Sundays article (Dennis Harvey)
YBCA Grindhouse Doublebill

Cross-published on The Evening Class.