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APRIL 23 |
David Cronenberg's eXistenZ is 26
After the surprising low box office performance of 1988's DEAD RINGERS, especially after coming off hot from his previous movie, 1986's THE FLY, then the box office failures of 1991's NAKED LUNCH, then this movie, David Cronenberg announced that he no longer wanted to be considered a Horror movie director. He wasn't a Horror movie director, no way! After all, he directed M. Butterfly and Crash and they weren't Horror movies.
So to speak...
Okay, so they both fell into the purview of Body Horror, but still, David was turning over a new leaf!
Then came SPIDER, and A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, and EASTERN PROMISES. All of them centered around a tale of a person dealing with a past of grossly (torturously) distorting someone's body or a person living with a distorted body.
Yes, you could take the man out of the Horror, but you couldn't take out the Horror in the man's mind.
Which circles us back to 1999's eXistenZ.
Plus -
BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR is 22
When Stuart Gordon (FROM BEYOND) directed writers Dennis Paoli and William Norris' insane adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's RE-ANIMATOR for Producer Brian Yuzna, it was madhouse fun!
When Brian took the reigns for BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR it was madhouse fun squared!
But Brian wasn't done with us fans of the movies. Not until he took us BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR!
Also -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor Anastasia Baranova (RISE: THE BLOOD HUNTER, APOCALYPSE CALIFORNIA, THE DARKNESS II [VG], THE BUREAU: X-COM DECLASSIFIED [VG], MOSTLY GHOSTLY: HAVE YOU MET MY GHOULFRIEND?, WELCOME TO WILLITS, SYN [TV], Z-NATION [TV], EVOLVE [VG], METRO EXODUS [VG]) is 36.
Actor Jaime King (SIN CITY, THEY WAIT, THE TRIPPER, THE SPIRIT, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, MOTHER'S DAY, SILENT NIGHT, SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR, BITCH, ESCAPE PLAN 2, BLACK SUMMER [TV], OUT OF DEATH, THE RESURRECTION OF CHARLES MANSON) is 45.
Look for Jaime in the upcoming 2024, 2025 Thriller, THE WEIGHT OF DARKNESS
Actor Craig Sheffer (NIGHT BREED, BLUE DESERT, EYE OF THE STORM, BLOODKNOT, THE GRAVE, DOUBLE TAKE, EXECUTIVE POWER, THE FALL, SHADOW OF DOUBT, HELLRAISER: INFERNO, RITUAL, KILLER BUZZ, DRACULA II: ASCENSION, LOVE LIES BLEEDING, WHILE SHE WAS OUT, LIES BETWEEN FRIENDS, THE MARK [all], BATTLEDOGS, DESTRUCTION LOS ANGELES, WIDOW'S POINT, AMERICAN HORROR STORY [TV]) is 65.
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APRIL 22 |
TETSUO: THE IRON MAN is 36
It's not a David Lynch movie though I wouldn't be surprised if it was trying to be.
Instead, it's Actor, Writer, Producer, and Director Shin'ya Tsukamoto's greatest personal work in the Horror Thriller subgenre of Body Horror and the fork of that into Metal Mutation Horror.
TETSUO: THE IRON MAN is the movie that became Shin'ya's PHANTASM.
And -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor Amber Heard (SIDEFX, HIDDEN PALMS [TV], THE INFORMERS, ZOMBIELAND, THE STEPFATHER [2009], THE WARD, AND SOON THE DARKNESS, DRIVE ANGRY, PARANOIA, MACHETE KILLS, ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE [released to film festivals in 2006. Not released in U.S. until 2013], LONDON FIELDS, THE STAND [TV - 2020], IN THE FIRE) is 38.
Amber shares an April birthday with her ZOMBIELAND alumni, Abigail Breslin.
Actor Jack Nicholson (THE CRY BABY KILLER, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, THE RAVEN, THE TERROR, PSYCHE-OUT, CHINATOWN, THE SHINING, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, BATMAN, WOLF, MARS ATTACKS!, THE PLEDGE) is 87 today.
Writer, Director, Producer & more, Ben Rock (MUTANT SPECIES, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, ALIEN RAIDERS, VICTOR CROWLEY, 20 SECONDS TO LIVE [TV], VIDEO PALACE [TV], WRZ: WRZ: WHITE RACIST ZOMBIES) is 53.
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APRIL 21 |
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 Domestic (U.S. & Canada) Box Office: B.O. (negotiable).
B. Distributors omitting 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, theaters 50/50 B.O. split rises about 10% each weekend, favoring the theater, until it stops at 80/20 (negotiable).
1. SINNERS Warner Bros wins the #1 for the third week in a row and even better, with another movie. This Horror Thriller stars Michael B. Jordan (CHRONICLE), Sam Malone (SYNCHRONIC), and Delroy Lindo (THE CORE).
2. MINECRAFT steps down to #2 in its third weekend with a mild 48% loss in ticket sales against a 25 screen cut. This movie is profitable in the U.S. in its third weekend and nearing the billion mark world wide.
6. DROP steps down from last week's #5 in the profit zone in only its second weekend, despite adding 4 screens but losing 55% in ticket sales.
13. THE WOMAN IN THE YARD didn't make a splash despite being presented by Universal. It leaves the Top Ten in its 4th weekend with a 64% loss in ticket sales against a 963 screen cut.
You Buried Nothing
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.
PET SEMATARY Turns 35
It's the original movie based on the book that Stephen King wishes he never wrote. A book so brutal and scary the King of Horror novelists regrets it.
Screenwriter Ken King tells us how Director Mary Lambert's magnum opus grabbed him by the throat in his review of PET SEMATARY.
And -
SILENT HILL Turns 19
Director Christophe Gans was riding high on the International Horror hit, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF. For five years he'd struggled to convince game maker Konami, that he was the one to make the feature film of their number one game, SILENT HILL. He got the budget to bring together the best practical effects team, digital artists, and the top monster choreographer. Everyone gave it their best and it all shows.
The only problem was, there was one key person there whose best wasn't good enough. He spent the next 19 years trying to fix his mistake.
I'll tell you all about it in my review of 2006's SILENT HILL.
Plus -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor, Producer Jennifer Blanc-Biehn (THE CROW, KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE, DARK ANGEL [TV], MY APOCALYPSE, PRANK, THE JACK OF SPADES, THE BLOOD BOND, THE ABSENT, THE DIVIDE, THE VICTIM, JACOB, AMONG FRIENDS, TREACHERY, THE NIGHT VISITOR, THE LEGEND OF DARK HORSE COUNTY, MINDLESS, EVERLY, HIDDEN IN THE WOODS, HAVENHURST, DEADLY SIGNAL, SHE RISES [2016], DEADLY RETREAT, ALTERED PERCEPTION, FETISH FACTORY, KILLER WEEKEND, SORRY I KILLED YOU, TERROR EYES) is 51.
Actor James McAvoy (CHILDREN OF DUNE, ATONEMENT, WANTED, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, TRANCE, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE, ATOMIC BLONDE, SPLIT, WATERSHIP DOWN [TV], GLASS, DARK PHOENIX, IT: Chapter Two, MY SON, HIS DARK MATERIALS [TV]) is 46.
SUNDAY -
We bid a last farewell to
Actor Veronica Cartwright (Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS [1978], ALIEN, NIGHTMARES, FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, FALSE IDENTITY, CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH, THE X-FILES [TV - 1993 - 1999], THE LAST MAN ON PLANET EARTH, SCARY MOVIE 2, INVASION [TV], THE INVASION [2007], EASTWICK [TV], NEOWOLF, RESURRECTION [TV], THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN [2014], LIMBO, THE FIELD, THE PHANTOMS) wo would have celebrated her 76th Birthday, today.
Veronica shares an April birthday with her SCARY MOVIE 2 alumni, Tim Curry.
Actor Crispin Glover (FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER, RIVER'S EDGE, WILD AT HEART, WILLARD, SIMON SAYS, THE WIZARD OF GORE, BEOWULF, FREEZER BURN: THE INVASION OF LAXDALE, 9, THE DONNER PARTY, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, FREAKY DEAKY, AIMY IN A CAGE, WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE, SAAT DES TERRORS, AMERICAN GODS [TV], BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON, SMILEY FACE KILLERS) is 60.
Look for Crispin in the expected 2024 release of MR. K. Also in 2024, BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON.
Actor Clint Howard (EVILSPEAK, THE WRAITH,
B.O.R.N., FREEWAY, INITIATION: SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 4, DISTURBED, THE ROCKETEER, SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT 5, BODY CHEMISTRY II, CARNOSAUR, INFESTED, BIGFOOT: THE UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTER, LEPRECHAUN 2, ICE CREAM MAN, SAWBONES, TWISTED LOVE, DIGITAL MAN, HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP [1996], TWILIGHT [1998], THE DENTIST 2, BLACKWOODS, HOUSE OF THE DEAD, THE MISSING, BIG BAD WOLF, Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN, THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO, BLOODRAYNE: THE THIRD REICH, DOWN THE ROAD, BLUBBERELLA, SPARKS, THE LORDS OF SALEM, HUFF, THE PROFANE EXHIBIT, FUNHOUSE MASSACRE, FEAST OF FEAR, AMERICAN BIGFOOT, THE CHURCH [2018], 3 FROM HELL, FEAST OF FEAR, LA FLAMME ROUGE, BEYOND PARANORMAL) is 65.
Actor Andy Serkis (THE ESCAPIST, THE LORD OF THE RINGS [all], DEATHWATCH, BLESSED, KING KONG, THE PRESTIGE, THE COTTAGE, EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION, BURKE AND HARE, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES [2010 - all], THE HOBBIT [all], AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, BLACK PANTHER, THE BATMAN) is 60.
Andy shares an April birthday with fellow LOTR alumni, Sean Bean, and fellow RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES alumni, David Hewlett.
Dario Argento's TRAUMA is 32
Three common threads of agreement can be found among the fans of Dario Argento.
One - He has his best and his worst.
Two - Fans can't agree on which is his best and which is his worst.
Three - His movies are visually nightmarish dreams of eye candy.
Reviewer Max Glaessner delves into why he feels TRAUMA is a massively under rated Argento ... masterpiece?
HOT FUZZ is 18
After the success of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, Director Edgar Wright, and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, were back. This movie would be nothing like their past successes. They were neither boastful or cocky. Instead they were all confident and in their sophomore outing delivered their second classic in a row, HOT FUZZ.
SATURDAY -
Actor Tim Curry (THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, THE SHOUT, LEGEND, CLUE, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, IT [TV - 1990], THE SHADOW, CONGO, GARGOYLES [TV], THE MASK [TV], AAAHH!!! REAL MONSTERS, DOOM RUNNERS [TV], ADDAMS FAMILY REUNION, THE NET [TV], SCARY MOVIE 2, BLOOD MOON, TALES FROM THE CRYPT: RITUAL, BURKE AND HARE, GINGERCLOWN) is 79.
Horror Artist Ghoulish Gary is 51 today. Visit him at GhoulishGary.com.
Today's birthday girl is making just enough mystery thrillers to unbalance her career making rom coms. Do you remember any of her romantic comedies? Neither do I. But everyone recalls her twisted side. Happy Birthday to,
Actor Ashley Judd (THE PASSION OF DARKLY NOON, A TIME TO KILL, KISS THE GIRLS, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, DOUBLE JEOPARDY, HIGH CRIMES, TWISTED, BUG, MISSING [TV], OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, DIVERGENT, INSURGENT, ALLEGIANT, TWIN PEAKS [TV - 2017], BERLIN STATION [TV]) who is 56.
Horror Writer / Film maker Gregory Lamberson (Book: JOHNNY GRUESOME. Movies: SLIME CITY, NAKED FEAR, SLIME CITY MASSACRE, SNOW SHARK: ANCIENT SNOW BEAST) is 60.
THE SCORPION KING Turns 23
The Rock had his own starring role and the movie did okay, but the then WWF (now WWE) owned his Wrestling Ring name. The Rock knew he, and not the WWE, built his audience. So in the Ring he's The Rock. In Life he's Dwayne Johnson, and in this movie he's a wandering warrior named Mathayus. This is how he came to be known as THE SCORPION KING.
Careful though, it involves Scorpions.
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