Coronavirus Mortality Updates: 2020 - 2023 |
APRIL 29 |
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Horror fiction editor, Nanci Kalanta (EULOGIES II) is 64 today.
Actor, Stuntman, Derek Mears (THE DEMOLITIONIST, MEN IN BLACK II, CURSED, SIGNS, Masters of Horror: PRO-LIFE, THE HILLS HAVE EYES II, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, FRIDAY THE 13TH [2009], HELLBINDERS, PREDATORS, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, THE AGGRESSION SCALE, COMPOUND FRACTURE, HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, HATCHET III, LOST TIME, PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, DEAD SNOW 2, COMPOUND FRACTURE, LOST TIME, FREAKS OF NATURE, SLEEPY HOLLOW [TV], FROM JENNIFER, RWBY [TV], ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, SWAMP THING [TV], THE GUARDIANS OF JUSTICE (WILL SAVE YOU!), LION GIRL, SHELBY OAKS, 'SALEM'S LOT [TV]) is 54.
Look for Derek in Horror Thriller, DATE. It's scheduled for a Christmas Day release in 2026.
Writers, Producers, Actors, Directors Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska (ReGOREgITATED SACRIFICE, DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK, AMERICAN MARY, F4F FRIENDS 4 LIFE, SUBURBAN GOTHIC, ABCs OF DEATH 2, SEE NO EVIL 2, THE BLACKBURN ASYLUM, HELLAVATOR [TV], RABID, ON THE EDGE, MUTILATOR 2, FESTIVAL OF THE LIVING DEAD) are 43.
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APRIL 28 |
John Carpenter's VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED Is 31
By 1995 even the new board of directors at Universal had to admit that their studio, and not John Carpenter, was entirely to blame for fortune they'd lost on, what was now recognized world-wide as one of the best movies ever made, John Carpenter's THE THING. How could they not? Even most of the still living critics who eviscerated it with glee in 1982, were humbly repenting, their virtual hats in their hands.
Except for a few like Roger Ebert. Roger flummoxed more than a few of his contemporaries in 2011 by simply not understanding the movie, the story, how the alien worked, and why. It was as if, whenever Ebert watched a movie, he had fixed expectations for how it has to be told and anything his checked boxes wasn't simply challenging, new, or curious, let alone exciting: It was wrong. Any movie that didn't fit his niches was made wrong.
So Universal, wanting Carpenter's audience but not respecting him wanted to hire John again (We at Universal feel John has a terrible studio reputation. After all, look at the awful things we say about him!). Was there another classic Science Fiction Horror movie that John would like to make? Come, let bygones by bygones! We have a few properties here. Are there any you'd like to do?
Well, John had one... VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED.
Plus -
THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE is 16
A teenager already? Ah, they grow so fast! The Horror movie genre is filled with gory gross-out exploitation, with violence and atrocity so over-the-top it achieves Pythonesque humor over repulsion.
With all of that said, 15 years later and I've still never seen such a polished, low-budget, indie exploitation Horror movie like Tom Six's THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.
Finale -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor Jessica Alba (IDLE HANDS, PARANOID, DARK ANGEL [TV], SIN CITY, INTO THE BLUE, AWAKE, THE EYE, THE KILLER INSIDE ME, MACHETE, MACHETE KILLS, SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR, THE VEIL, KILLERS ANONYMOUS, TRIGGER WARNING) is 43.
Writer P.S. Gifford (THE CURIOUS ACCOUNTS OF THE IMAGINARY FRIEND, DR. OFFIG'S LESSONS FROM THE DARK SIDE, THE FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE IMAGINARY FRIEND) is 63 or something.
Actor Rebekah Kochan (EXORCISM: THE POSSESSION OF GAIL BOWERS, WHEN A KILLER CALLS, DRACULA'S CURSE, HALLOWEEN NIGHT, FREAKSHOW, YORKTOWN, DEADLY SANCTUARY) is 40.
Writer Steven E. Wedel (CALL TO THE HUNT, SHARA, DARKSCAPES, SEVEN DAYS IN BENEVOLENCE, MURDERED BY HUMAN WOLVES, ULRIK, LITTLE GRAVEYARD ON THE PRAIRIE, NADIA'S CURSE, UNHOLY WOMB, AFTER OBSESSION) is 58.
Actor Kari Wuhrer (THINNER, ANACONDA, KATE'S ADDICTION, FATAL CONFLICT, KILLER LOVE, EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS, FINAL EXAMINATION, KING OF THE ANTS, THE HITCHER II, THE PROHECY: UPRISING, HELLRAISER: DEADER, THE PROPHECY: FORSAKEN, TORNADO WARNING, SECRETS OF A PSYCHOPATH) who is 57.
Composer Christopher Young THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, THE POWER [1984], DEF-CON4, WHEELS OF FIRE, BARBARIAN QUEEN, WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE, TORMENT, INVADERS FROM MARS [1986], TRICK OR TREAT [1986], HELLRAISER, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, HAUNTED SUMMER, HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2, THE FLY II, HIDER IN THE HOUSE, THE VAGRANT, JENNIFER 8, THE DARK HALF, DREAM LOVER, TALES FROM THE HOOD, SPECIES, VIRTUOSITY, COPYCAT, UNFORGETTABLE, HUSH, URBAN LEGEND, BLESS THE CHILD, THE GIFT, THE GLASS HOUSE, THE CORE, THE GRUDGE, THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, THE GRUDGE 2, GHOST RIDER, SPIDER-MAN 3, UNTRACEABLE, THE INFORMERS, THE UNINVITED, DRAG ME TO HELL, PRIEST, THE GHOSTMAKER, SCARY OR DIE, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, PET SEMATARY [2019], THE EMPTY MAN) is 67.
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APRIL 27 |
YOU DUG IT
Good 2 Know: Any weekend box office drop of less than 50% is good. Any weekend B.O. drop smaller than 30% of the previous is excellent.
General Rules:
A. Theaters get approximately 50% of the gross in North American B.O. (negotiable).
B. Distributors omitting Production budget figures believe the movie will under perform.
C. Total gross by the 3rd weekend accounts for at least half of movie's total theater ticket sales regardless of length of stay.
D. After the 3rd weekend, as screens drop, theater 50/50 B.O. split rises about 10% each weekend, favoring the theater, until it stops at 80/20 (negotiable).
3. PROJECT HAIL MARY in its 6th weekend, steps down from last weekend's #2 with only a 37% drop in ticket sales against a 310 screen cut. With a world-wide box office over $600 million dollars, this might be one of the rare movies to make more in the weekends after its 3 week cume while in the Top Ten.
4. Lee Cronin's THE MUMMY while stepping down only one place from last weekend, also suffered a steep 59% drop in ticket sales.
8. OVER YOUR DEAD BODY, a Cabin in the Woods movie, debuts this week on 1,550 screens.
9. MOTHER MARY leaps from last weekend's #20 as studio A24 negotiates and extra 1,098 screens, bringing the total to 1,103 screens. Yeah, well, when your title character is an Oscar winner I guess that's the least you can do.
17. EXIT 8, in its second weekend release in North America, with its extremely limited screen release from NEON, and with reported figures so confusing that The Numbers and Box Office Mojo couldn't agree on where it stood, in or out of the Top Ten, now definitely falls off of it, with both tracking sites at least agreeing on where it fell.
Figures calibrated from reporting by Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. Should there be differences between the two, I err on the side of caution and post the most positive numbers.
And -
THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS is 63
When John Wyndham wrote THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS, no such plant existed. Years later when this movie was released, it was so convincing that many in the audience thought Triffids were real. But of course they weren't in 1963.
But time changes everything and long after the release of this movie, botanist scientists discovered an actual species of Triffid. All that and more in my review of THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.
Plus -
Over Half a Century of DEATH RACE 2000
When cinema historians look at Ib Melchior's lifetime output, and then Roger Corman's insanely extensive lifetime output, DEATH RACE 2000 is in both of their top ten.
What makes this even crazier? DEATH RACE 2000 is also in actors David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone's extensive lifetime output top 10!
This is a staggering achievement for a futuristic SF movie and something the 2008 DEATH RACE reboot and its sequels will never claim for anyone but its Co-writer, Producer, and Director Paul W.S. Anderson (EVENT HORIZON, RESIDENT EVIL, PANDORUM). Who, unfortunately, boasts a top ten that largely consists of box office bombs you likely have never heard of.
26 years into timeline obsolescence and nearly double that since its launch date, yet Paul Bartel's DEATH RACE 2000, and its franchise, STILL LIVES!
Also -
CREATURE is 41
Written by William Malone (SCARED TO DEATH). Produced by William Malone (PARASOMNIA). Directed by William Malone (FEAR DOT COM). This movie is William Malone at his most 1980s William Malone-ist!
It stars Klaus Kinski at his most Klaus Kinski-est! Pee Wee Herman's friend, his fictional wife Mrs. Cobblepot and the Mother of The Penguin in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS, Diane Salinger. What's more, it stars Ferris Bueller's Pop, Lyman Ward. The SFX were done by L.A. Effects Group, who worked on Joe Dante's EXPLORERS and JEWEL OF THE NILE the same year, as well as James Cameron's ALIENS the following year.
Whew!
Did all of that talent make a great movie out of CREATURE?
Finale -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
A Final Farewell to
Musician Ace Frehley (Albums: HOTTER THAN HELL, DESTROYER, LOVE GUN, PSYCHO CIRCUS, 10,000 VOLTS, and way more. Movies: KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK [TV], REMEDY) who would have been 74 today.
Actor Kevin McNally (ENIGMA, DOCTOR WHO [TV 1984], THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES: MY FIRST ADVENTURE, UNDERWORLD [TV 1997], JEKYLL & HYDE [1990], PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN [all], THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA [2004], DEAD FISH, SCOOP, DEMONS [TV], THE RAVEN [2012], SUPERNATURAL [TV], BOUNTY KILLER, DESIGNATED SURVIVOR [TV], THE OUTPOST [TV], DECRYPTED, DOCTOR WHO [TV - 2021], PAINTED BEAUTY, ARGH AND THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN DRAGON SKULL, PRIMATE) is 69.
Actor Laura Ortiz (THE HILLS HAVE EYES [2006], CHILLERAMA, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF HORROR [TV], VICTOR CROWLEY, SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER [VG], HOLLISTON [TV]) is 37.
Writer, Producer, Director Matt Reeves (FUTURE SHOCK [2014], CLOVERFIELD, LET ME IN, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, THE PASSAGE [TV], TALES FROM THE LOOP [TV], AWAY [TV], MOTHER/ANDROID, THE BATMAN, THE PENGUIN [TV], ANIMAL FARM) is 58.
Actor Lisa Wilcox (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD, WATCHERS REBORN, DEAD COUNTRY, FEAR CLINIC [Net Series], SAVAGE, SEBASTIAN, IMAGO, CLINGER, RED HOLLOW, THE CHURCH [2018], SOMETHING HORRIBLE, THE BLOODY MAN, MYSTERY SPOT, DARK RITUAL, SEASONS, WOODS WITCH, THE HOUSE THAT EATS FLESH, DESERT FIENDS, and many more) is 61.
Look for Lisa in the upcoming 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Horror Thriller, ANADELLIA RISES.
SUNDAY -
Actor Michael Dorman (SUBURBAN MAYHEM, ACOLYTES, TRIANGLE [2009], DAYBREAKERS, NEEDLE, SERANGOON ROAD, GOLDSTONE, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, THE INVISIBLE MAN [2020], THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS [TV], FOR ALL MANKIND [TV]) is 45.
Look for Michael in the upcoming 2026 Thriller, THE NIGHTBEAST [TV]
Actor Amber Midthunder (DEADLY SPECIES, NOT FORGOTTEN, 14 CAMERAS, ONLY MINE, LEGION [TV], ROSEWELL NEW MEXICO [TV], THE MARKSMAN, ICE ROAD, PREY, DREAM SCENARIO, OPUS, MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS) is 29.
Look for Amber in the upcoming 2026 Horror Thriller, CARRIE [TV].
My First Novel RUMOR
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
My first novel: Like most comics, artists, musicians, or writers, I began with the riffs of those who came before. In this case, RUMOR is my modernization and extension of H.P. Lovecraft's The Statement Of Randolph Carter. Lovecraft wrote so many stories that ended on a cliffhanger or punchline, that many were described as "fragments". Many of those fragments were finished by other authors after Lovecraft's death.
It was Lovecraft's The Statement', that left me wondering,
"But what happened next?"
RUMOR is my What Happened Next.
I'm already preparing for two more books to complete a trilogy. Like Lovecraft himself, I'm moving forward by creating my own monsters, not borrowing from anyone else (at least, not that I'm aware - there is little new under the sun ...
... or beneath the surface).
Monday morning on a crisp October dawn, Professor R. Carter was found wandering, disoriented, near death, on the outskirts of Big Cypress Swamp.
Is he one of the missing?
Missing person reports in the towns between Houston and Big Cypress Swamp have spiked to unprecedented levels and the number is increasing. Strange animals are recorded wandering near the edges of neighborhoods and all bordering the swamp.
To Police Psychiatrist Iris Scanley and Det. Alex Mezo, the only thing more unbelievable than Carter's witness statement is the madness growing all around them.
"Whatever is happening, its moving toward Houston."
Everyone has a theory, and the rumors spread as panic tips toward anarchy. But Scanley and Mezo were unaware that they had only hours to uncover the truth beneath the rumor.
Truth hurts : Rumor kills
RUMOR is available in Hardcover, Paperback, and Kindle (free to users of Kindle Unlimited).
THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US is 70
Outdated, flawed, but fun, reviewer Kelly Parks explains why THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US is Ripe For Remake!
JASON X is 24
Do you remember watching this in the movie theaters when you were 18?
Well now yer 421 and yer OLD! Old enough to be a freaking Grandparent and here we are, still talking about Jason freaking Voorhees!
In fact, screenwriter Ken King, The Fan Behind the Mask, wrote our review of JASON X.
AVENGERS ENDGAME is 7
It's almost breathtaking how fast and nearly complete the box office power of DC and Marvel Superhero movies were wiped out by their own studios. Only DC's BATMAN and Marvel's SPIDER-MAN and DEAD POOL appear to stand above the fray, and that's not a given.
Stan Lee couldn't make it to the end of the first MCU story arc, but his parting gift was more than enough for Marvel fans. Even if Marvel comics go under (which seems given) and Disney destroys the brand (already in its final death throes), we ended on a genuinely earned emotional high with AVENGERS ENDGAME.
SATURDAY -
Actor Daniel Kash (ALIENS, NIGHTBREED, ROBOCOP [TV], THE MICHELLE APTS., VIRUS [1996], THE SLEEP ROOM, GOOSEBUMPS [TV], HIDDEN AGENDA, PILGRIM, KILLING MOON, DON'T SAY A WORD, COLD CREEK MANOR, THE BLACK MIRROR [VG], THE GOOD SHEPHERD [2004], THE HUNT FOR THE BTK KILLER, ONE WAY, DIARY OF THE DEAD, JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER, THE DRESDEN FILES [TV], REPO MEN, A DARK TRUTH, ALPHAS [TV], MAMA, SOLO [2013], ROBOCOP [2014], HANNIBAL [TV], THE STRAIN [TV], REMEMBER, ASSASIN'S CREED: SYNDICATE - JACK THE RIPPER [VG], BITTEN [TV], DAMIEN [TV], MANHATTAN UNDYING, THE EXPANSE [TV], ORPHAN BLACK [TV], ORDINARY DAYS, TINY PRETTY THINGS [TV], LETTERS TO SATAN CLAUS, QUEEN OF SPADES, DON'T HANG UP, SLASHER [TV], BELIEVER, HELL MOTEL [TV]) is 67.
Daniel shares an April birthday with NIGHTBREED alumni, Craig Sheffer.
Daniel shares an April 25 birthday with HANNIBAL [TV] alumni, Gina Torres.
Look for Daniel in the upcoming 2024, 2025, 2026 Horror Thriller, DEN MOTHER CRIMSON.
Actor Daniel Sharman (THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING, IMMORTALS, THE LAST DAYS OF EDGAR HARDING, THE COLLECTION, TEEN WOLF [TV], THE ORIGINALS [TV], FEAR THE WALKING DEAD [TV], CURSED [TV] THE FIX) is 40.
Actor Gina Torres (M.A.N.T.I.S., DARK ANGEL [1996], CLEOPATRA 2525 [TV], ANGEL [TV], ALIAS [TV], FIREFLY [TV], THE MATRIX RELOADED, THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, 24 [TV], SERENITY, FIVE FINGERS, TRANSFORMERS PRIME [Animated - TV], DESTINY [VG], LICHDOM [VG], REVENGE [TV], HANNIBAL [TV], WESTWORLD [TV], DESTINY 2 [VG], GIVE ME AN A, THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA [TV], MEMORY OF A KILLER [TV]) is 57.
IDENTITY is 22
The only problem with this movie, is that its great story wonderfully goes all the way to a great ending.
Then someone in the pipeline thought an extra five or so minutes of more movie should be shot, then stapled it onto that great ending. Y'know, so it could set up a possible sequel. Mebbe a franchise. Hey! That shitty addendum to A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET worked for those guys!
That wished-for sequel, entirely unnecessary, never happened. But that poorly grafted extra five minutes was a loud wet sloppy fart that wiped itself on the jewel of the otherwise great Horror movie that is IDENTITY.
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