Got a news scoop? Send it now! NEWS HUB AUGUST 2005 - ARCHIVED BACK TO CURRENT HORROR FANS SET TO CONVERGE ON CHERRY HILL, NJ! Horror fans across the US are getting their gear together early in anticipation of next week's Monster-Mania convention in Cherry Hill, NJ. Here's a sample of the guest list... Wes Craven (director of Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Red Eye) Sean S. Cunningham (Director of Friday the 13th) Bill Mosely (Otis of Devil's Rejects) Sid Haig (Captain Spaulding of Devil's Rejects) R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket, New Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Chris Sarandon (Fright Night, Child's Play, Nightmare Before Christmas) Dick Warlock (Michael Myers in Halloween 2) Danielle Harris ("Jamie" from Halloween IV and V) Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Escape from New York, Creepshow) In addition will be a 25th Anniversary "Fog" reunion, Sony Pictures with movie previews and giveaways, Team TROMA and enough stars from the "Halloween" movie series to get even Shatner's attention. ALSO on hand will be a Mini Toy show featuring... From SOTA toys: Prototypes from Land of the Dead, The Leprechaun, The Fog, Pumpkinhead, Legend and the first showing of Now Playing series 2 completed with Killer Klowns, The Mummy Returns and Jeepers Creepers 2. From Sideshow toys: Quarter scale Freddy and Jason There will also be a small mountain of giveaways to go along with this showing including Now Playing figures from SOTA, 12" figures from Sideshow, Glow in the dark Toxies from Shocker Toys and Mourge Minis from Teddy Scares. There will be something to win every hour! With films running all day, Q&A's from your favorite horror fiends and a huge room full of vendors, this show is packed to the gills with action, so come on down! For more details, visit the OFFICIAL SITE SAW II GIVES THE MPAA 'THE FINGERS'! Well, it seems the ‘Saw II’ poster we posted over at Guts and Gory has been pulled due to MPAA restrictions. Molly over at Special Ops sent the Pit the new official poster, approved by the MPAA (a.k.a. Must Punish All Artists)... as follows... We liked the other one better. GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE! Dante Tomaselli gives us the latest on the highly anticipated ‘Satan’s Playground’. Check out this review on JoBlo. And for those of you lucky enough to live in the NY area, you can see the film before anyone else. Check out all the info here RING 2 / JAPANESE RINGU Series DVD Contest! Does this ring a bell? Pit Of Horror is offering DVD's of Ring Two PLUS two boxsets of the Japanese Ringu series up for grabs! The unrated edition of Ring Two DVD features an intensely thrilling version of the film that’s over 10-minutes longer than the theatrical version, plus exclusive spine-tingling bonus features including an additional 18-minutes of deleted scenes. MORE THREE NEW REVIEWS ADDED TO SPECIAL FEATURES! Been debating over whether or not to see The Skeleton Key, or maybe drive to a select theatre somewhere out of town to catch a rare screening of Undead or Hellbent? But you're just not sure if they're worth the effort? Well, no longer; you've got an answer, thanks to the Pit. Head over to John Gray's reviews of each (just click on the above titles to be magically transported) and see why he says they're all winners! Then go see them....or rent them once they're on video. But don't miss 'em! ROCKVILLE, YOU SLAY ME! Hitting home video on November 1 will be The Rockville Slayer from Freestyle Home Entertainment. An escaped female mental patient terrorizes a small-town community with a spree of horrific murderers, and the detectives assigned to the case soon realize they're getting more than they bargained for in their investigation. Joe Estevez stars, with genre favorites Robert Z'Dar (Maniac Cop) and Linnea Quigley (Return Of The Living Dead) in supporting roles. Marc Selz (Short Cut Road) directs from his own script. A deal for foreign distribution is also being developed. Thanks to Claudia for the info! HOLY HELL! ROGER EBERT QUOTES JOHN GRAY AND THE PIT! As if the Pit weren't getting enough exposure as it is, top mainstream critic Roger Ebert has included quotes from our own John Gray's review of David "The Demon" DeFalco's brand new feature Chaos in his own critique of the film. Within the same paragraph, he also alludes to reviews from Ain't It Cool and Slant Magazine. You can read Mr. Ebert's full article here. Although his assessment of Chaos was negative, it's rather nice to be mentioned by someone in the big leagues (which puts our web address onto the screens of many potential new visitors), as well as to have our critical acumen placed alongside such online luminaries as Moriarty and Ed Gonzalez. Special thanks to our own Sam Austin for alerting us to this. WES CRAVEN INTERVIEW WITH THE PIT John Gray interviews legendary horror director Wes Craven, read it HERE! Hello to Fright Fans everywhere... The financiers of “M-S-P” have turned out to be people of very little moral character, and have now actually crossed the line into criminal behavior. I am suing them on many counts. They are putting a version of “Murder-Set-Pieces” out on DVD. They have cut the film, and have taken 14 minutes of the sex and violent scenes out of the film! They have also added ludicrous voice-over narration over the film (which I did not write!) and have hired another lead actor (not Sven Garrett) to voice the narration! Worst of all, they are putting this horrible, cut version out with my name attached to it. This is illegal and we are going to a jury trial over this. I have decided to put “Murder-Set-Pieces” out myself. My version will be the Uncut; Director’s Cut of the film, and will have a commentary track with myself and actor Sven Garrett (“The Photographer”) It will also include trailers, and never before seen footage. Fortunately, only I have access to the footage. The Director’s Cut of “Murder-Set-Pieces” will be available exclusively through www.frightflix.com by Halloween, 2005. We are accepting PRE-ORDERS NOW! all Pre-Order Customers will recieve extra goodies. Additionally, we have a new partnership with RottenCotton.com and they will be handling all of the Official "M-S-P" Merchandise, such as T-Shirts, Hoodies, Hats, etc... A sincere THANK YOU to every single person out there for your continued support .......until Halloween, ---Nick Palumbo www.frightflix.com MR. VENGEANCE GETS LIMITED DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION! Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, the second film in director Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance trilogy which began with Old Boy, is coming to selected theatres August 19. The story follows Ryu (Shin Ha-Kyun), a young factory worker who turns to the black market for to purchase a kidney for his dying sister. The seller cheats Ryu after accepting his life savings, which sets into motion an escalating series of violent repurcussions and retribution. You can view the trailer here. An official website for the film is being developed and will launch very soon. Source: Jonathan Blitstein WE'RE NOT JUST CRYING WOLF! RELEASE DATE BUMPED FORWARD! Mark your calendars for September 16, the new release date for psychological stalker thriller Cry Wolf, which was originally announced for September 23. The film is directed and co-written by Jeff Wadlow, and cast members include Julian Morris, Lindy Booth, Jared Padalecki and Jon Bon Jovi. The synopsis: Nobody believes a liar - even when they're telling the truth. When a young woman is found murdered, a group of local high school students decide to further scare their classmates by spreading online rumors that a serial killer called "The Wolf" is on the loose. By describing "The Wolf's" next victims, the students' game is to see how many people they can convince - and if anyone will uncover the lie. But when the described victims actually do start turning up dead, suddenly no one knows where the lies end and the truth begins. As someone or something begins hunting the students themselves, the game turns terrifyingly real. Watch the trailer in various formats and sizes at the official site. Source: Jamie Feldshuh R.I.P. Matthew McGrory 1973 - 2005 Matthew has starred in several films. Most notably to horror fans: House Of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects as 'Tiny'. He was a truly memorable character and person, a huge man! I was fortunate enough to meet him at the recent Fangoria convention in California and sadly the last thing I said to him was, "I hope to see you in many more movies". The Pit and GUTS wish all his family and friends the best. Fortunately we, as his fans, can look to the legacy he has left behind with his hugely memorable movie roles since 1999 to 2005. We won't forget! ---Matt Carlin SIN-JIN SMYTH OPENS UP A ‘TOOL BOX’ OF WHOOP ASS! CHRISTOPHER DOYLE, the Coffin Baby Killer in Tobe Hooper’s THE TOOL BOX MURDERS (Who also served as stunt coordinator on ARMY OF DARKNESS, DARKMAN) is ramping up to join the rebel alliance behind SIN-JIN SMYTH (www.sin-jinsmyth.com). Doyle, described by Director Ethan Dettenmaier as ‘bullet proof!’ is well respected within the industry for his ‘bravery under fire and his ability to do next-to-impossible stunt work!’ As with most news surrounding the production, very few details were released except the fact that Doyle will be ‘HIT and LIT UP WITH A FLARE GUN! SHOT UP! And LYNCHED IN A TREE!’ Talk about a nice day on the job! ---Contributed by Tom Harris TEXAS CHAINSAW PREQUEL UPDATE! TITLE ANNOUNCED! Sources inform us that the upcoming Leatherface prequel, in which Andrew Bryniarski has been pegged to reprise his role as the chainsaw-wielding maniac, now has a title and a projected release date! Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Origin is set to open on October 6, 2006. It will be directed by Jonathan Liebesman, who recently helmed the horror hit Darkness Falls. Word around the campfire is that Lee Ermey will also reprise his role as the corrupt Sheriff Hoyt. Look for the Pit to keep you briefed on the latest details! Source: www.FilmJerk.com. GUTS AND GORY SNAGS KEN FOREE! Beloved genre vet Ken Foree (Dawn Of The Dead, Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III) is the latest horror celebrity to jump aboard the juggernaut message board known as GUTS AND GORY. With the recent instant classic The Devil's Rejects newly under his belt, his star is shining brighter than ever. Stop in at Ken's brand-spanking-assed new message forum, offer him a hearty welcome and post questions you may have about any of the movies he's appeared in. And many thanks to Ken for climbing aboard! DANTE TOMASELLI INTERVIEWED BY JOHN GRAY! Writer/Director Dante Tomaselli, who has completed work on the upcoming Satan's Playground, has taken part in a new Pit interview. He comments about the great experience of working with such a seasoned genre cast (including Ellen Sandweiss, Ed Neal, Felissa Rose and Ron Millkie) and also offers some tidbits about his next project The Ocean, which will feature a rare appearance by original Night Of The Living Dead actress Judith O'Dea. Check out the interview here. Many thanks to Dante for dropping by our neck of cyberspace! STEVE DASH SPEAKS! Steve Dash, the actor/stuntman who played Jason Voorhees for the majority of Friday the 13th, Part II, has submitted the Pit's August editorial (the second in our new series of celebrity columns). As he relates in the piece, the experience of appearing at a horror convention--and meeting fans you never knew you had--can be an eye-opening experience. We thank Steve for his candor and his participation. Read it here. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SHIT? CULT GUITARIST GETS 'ELECTRIC' WITH SIN-JIN SMYTH! Billy Duffy of the high-octane band THE CULT is in talks to lay down some heavy guitar work on the soundtrack of Sin-Jin Smyth! The film---which follows two Federal Marshals assigned to a midnight prisoner transfer (over Halloween weekend) of a mysterious man with no past---has a heavy action element in it as if the characters were "rough and tumble gunfighters out of the Wild West!" said director Ethan Dettenmaier. "And for that, we want a serious edge!" Midnight Syndicate, who is hard at work designing the orchestral track for the film, wanted to revolutionize their sound---and The Director wants to keep the music mean! “Syndicate is inventive,” continued Dettenmaier, “and they made it clear that they wanted to expand upon the sound that they’ve become known for and that led to the idea of bringing in a guitar player. Once Edward (Douglass of Syndicate) and I discussed it, we agreed we should go out and get one of the best!” Enter Billy Duffy…One of the most respected men in music!!! Although a contract is still in the process of being worked out, the idea took a serious step forward as the film’s Producers met with Duffy and members of the SANCTUARY RECORDS GROUP at their offices in Los Angeles in order to ‘make it work!’ Duffy will also take on the role of Music Supervisor, (working from the library of Sanctuary Records (which includes: IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD, ROBERT PLANT, BILLY IDOL, FLEETWOOD MAC, MOTLEY CRUE and others) and yes, Duffy will also gear up to take on a wicked role in the film ‘which will give him an opportunity to get locked and loaded, weapons and all!’ Talk about a triple threat! --Contributed by Fred Godlash OLD BOY COMING TO HOME VIDEO AUGUST 23rd! A major Asia Extreme title is finally making its way to domestic release this month: Old Boy. Championed by Quentin Tarantino as the film of the year at Cannes, Park Chan-Wook’s epic masterpiece of revenge is coming to DVD and UMD! What is a UMD – you might ask. For those of you who aren’t gamers, the UMD disc is the miniature DVD for the new Sony portable gaming system – The PSP (Playstation Portable). The UMD disc will only play in PSP systems and it contains some special features not available on the regular DVD release. Expect a Pit giveaway contest soon! "SIN-JIN SMYTH…MEAN! LIKE AN ILLEGAL BLOW TO THE HELMET!” ALL PRO ROBERT GRIFFITH (who played with The Vikings, BROWNS and now the re-vamped Cardinals) is in talks to join the cast of next year’s much anticipated film Sin-Jin Smyth. Written/Directed by ETHAN DETTENMAIER, the film is set against a Halloween legend that warns of the midnight appearance of the Devil in a quiet Kansas cemetery, as two Federal Marshals (Played by Richard Tyson and Jason Hildebrandt, both of Black Hawk Down) report to the small town of Shin Bone, Kansas for the midnight prisoner transfer of a man with no past and no identity. He is known only as…SIN-JIN SMYTH! Other than that storyline, not much has been revealed about the film except the fact that the director wants to ‘keep it dark and kick your teeth in!’ On the subject of adding Griffith to an already high-profile cast, Dettenmaier hit us with a statement in which he said, “Griff can knock people out better than anybody! He’s built for this kind of thing and---from an industry stand point---it’s high-time we kicked in a demonstration of what the man can do!” Griffith (Who had logged substantial TV time along with several music videos) will be playing a rogue Federal Agent known only as…CABLE SIXX (a character also rumored to appear in the upcoming comic book) who gets locked and loaded for a series of violent fire-fights throughout the picture. Check out Sin-Jin Smyth film news at the official site. --Contributed by Tom Harris Got a news scoop? Send it now!