Got a news scoop? Send it now! NEWS HUB DECEMBER 2005 - ARCHIVED BACK TO CURRENT BETSY PALMER CASTS A SPELL AS THE BELL WITCH! Based upon real-life accounts of a Tennessee legend, writer/director Shane Marr's upcoming Bell Witch: The Movie has wrapped production and sports an impressive cast credit: Betsy Palmer, who so memorably portrayed 'Mrs. Voorhees' in the original Friday The 13th, provides the voice-over for the titular witch. The independent film, set in the Great Smoky Mountains during the 1930's, also boasts a toe-tapping soundtrack of period bluegrass music performed by such contemporary acts as Jimbo Whaley, Valerie Smith, Jeff & Vida, and the Jeanette Williams Band. The tale of a vengeful spirit who haunts the descendents of Tennessee settler John Bell, Bell Witch is the stuff of legendary hauntings and gothic Americana. After a recent premiere in Nashville, wherein the soundtrack artists also performed an energetic concert prior to the screening, Miss Palmer candidly stated, "This is not a stage play, this is not a film....this is a legend that has come to life." Bell Witch: The Movie is still awaiting a confirmed release date. In the meantime, both the soundtrack CD and the novel adaptation (by Robert Maughon) will be available as a set through the end of the year for the extra-low price of $19.95 (plus shipping/handling) at the Bell Witch Store. The attractive poster (at left; click for larger view) is also available. For more information on the film plus audio samples from the album, see the official site. The Pit will keep you informed as we learn more about this very special movie! SID HAIG HEADLINES 'NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D'! Genre fave Sid Haig--Captain Spaulding himself--will appear in Jeff Broadstreet's eagerly anticipated 3D re-envisioning of George A. Romero's zombie classic Night Of The Living Dead. Robert Valding's script is adapted from the original, although Romero is not involved in this film, including siblings Barb and Johnny who are on their way to an aunt's funeral. But there are also some modifications, including the addition of Haig's character, who is an unlicensed mortician with a frenzied fear of fire and who may hold the key to the zombified mayhem. All end up in an abandoned farmhouse where they must contend with legions of the undead. "By the way," director Broadstreet mentions, "I don't think Sid even knows this, but we wrote the character of 'Gerald Tovar, Jr.' for him....Sid, thanks for doing the movie!" Night Of The Living Dead 3D utilizes the anaglyph 3D system most recently seen in Robert Rodriguez' Spy Kids 3D and which requires red/blue glasses. With a soft-launch release date of 27 January 2006 in selected cities, the film is expected to receive wider release later in the new year. In the meantime, visit the official site for more info! 'SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE' REVIEW ADDED TO THE PIT! Korean director Chan-wook Park's hard-hitting follow-up to his acclaimed Oldboy is now on home video, and John Gray says it's all that plus a bag of chips! Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance is the tale of a young deaf man who takes matters into his own hands when a dishonest seller reneges on the black market purchase of a kidney for his ill sister. As gritty and hard-hitting a film as you're liable to see this year, this tale of corruption and retribution is a commanding entry into the pantheon of Pit Picks. Read John's enthusiastic review here. 'BLOODRAYNE' SET TO RAIN LIKE HELL IN EARLY '06! Coming to theaters everywhere, Uwe Boll's Bloodrayne is a genre all to itself. It is packed with action, but it¹s not an action film per se. It is a mighty adventure, but it¹s not a pure adventure film. There are mythical and immortal creatures of great power and evil, but it¹s not a typical vampire movie. Bloodrayne crosses all genres. There is romance, adventure, action, drama and a raging battle of good against evil. With killer star power featuring the likes of Ben Kingsley, Kristanna Lokken, Michael Madsen and Billy Zane, this flick is set to be a box office juggernaut. Just when you thought you’d seen your last period piece/vampire movie/thriller based on a video game, a film comes along that surpasses your expectations. Bloodrayne hits screens January 6. Check out the trailer here. WE'RE NOT CRYING WOLF--NEW SLASHER TO HIT DVD ON DECEMBER 20TH! Just in time for that perfect last-minute Christmas stocking stuff, Cry Wolf makes its DVD debut December 20. When the students at a prestigious prep school spread a hoax email about a serial killer, they start a game of terror and deception that has three rules: avoid suspicion, lie to your friends, and eliminate your enemies. But what starts as a joke soon turns deadly and now they find themselves victims of their own game! The malevolent figure known as The Wolf is now on a vicious tear throughout the community. No one knows where the lies end and the truth begins. And nobody believes a liar--even when they're telling the truth! The disc will be available in both PG-13 and Unrated editions and will feature the following special features: * Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, French * Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) * Commentary by Director/Co-Writer Jeff Wadlow, Producer/Co-Writer Beau Bauman and Editor/Associate Producer Seth Gordon * Deleted/Extended Scenes * Alternate Scene * Wolves, Sheep and Shepherds: Casting the Roles * Winning the Game: Inside the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival * Before They Cried Wolf: The Filmmakers' Short Films Be sure and check out the teaser and trailer clips in various formats and resolutions at the official website. Thanks to Jackie for the heads-up! EXCLUSIVE 'WOLF CREEK' TRAILERS NOW ONLINE! Wolf Creek is a dramatic thriller about three young adults who go on a vacation of a lifetime in the Australian Outback. The film stars John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, and Andy McPhee and is scheduled to release nation wide on December 25th. With an official site now launched, expect some stills very soon. In the meantime, two trailers are available for viewing in both high and low resolution: Trailer #1 - Lo Res Trailer #1 - Hi Res Trailer #2 - Lo Res Trailer #2 - Hi Res --Contributed by Christina Dobrzynski ARGENTO JOINS THE 'MASTERS' WITH BRILLIANT EPISODE 'JENIFER'! Dario Argento, the Italian giallo maestro responsible for such classics as Suspiria and Tenebre, lends his capable directing hand to "Jennifer," the latest installment of Showtime's successful cable series Masters Of Horror. Our ace webmaster John Gray once again provides his skillful assessment of this stand-out installment to the fright-filled cycle. Read his review here. And check your local cable listings for broadcast information. WILLIAM BUTLER CRANKS UP THE 'FURNACE'! Furnace is the next project for horror actor-turned director William Butler, whose recent helming debut Madhouse has become a hit on video. Genre fans will doubtless recognize him from early acting turns in Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 3, Friday The 13th, Part VII: The New Blood and Tom Savini's 1990 remake of Night Of The Living Dead. Melee Entertainment will produce the film, which centers on a dilapidated penitentiary in which a motley assortment of inmates unwittingly awaken a deadly evil. Veteran effects artist John Vulich has been confirmed for make-up and visual effects, and the film is set to begin shooting in January in the same prison location used for the successful 1999 Stephen King adaptation The Green Mile. Source: Fangoria.com HILLS HAVE EYES REMAKE TO RECEIVE NC-17 RATING? Alexandra Aja, who directed the recent horror hit Haute Tension, has wrapped a Madrid shoot of the remake of Wes Craven's 1977 classic The Hills Have Eyes. Craven himself is co-producing the redux. But the new film is being threatened with an NC-17 rating because of its content. The original film, which secured its cozy R-rating in the year of Annie Hall and Star Wars, contained violence that was more implicit than depicted, including instances of baby-snatching, throat rippings, cactus immolations and canine maulings. Aja's more explicit vision of this survival story has the MPAA ratings board reluctant to give it an R-rating. The filmmakers are trimming some of the more brutal sequences in order to avoid the commercial unviability of an NC-17, which would severely limit the number of fannies in seats at the local cineplex. The Hills Have Eyes is presently slated for a 10 March 2006 wide release. THREE NEW MASTERS OF HORROR EPISODES REVIEWED! The likes of Stuart Gordon, Mick Garris and Tobe Hooper have made their mark on Showtime's well-received Masters Of Horror set, and John Gray's reviews are in. "Dreams In The Witch-House," "Dance Of The Dead" and "Chocolate" are the latest tales of the macabre to grace this innovative cable series, so check them out at first opportunity. Consult your local TV listings for showtimes in your area. THE PIT INTERVIEWS ELI ROTH! John Gray recently caught up with Eli Roth following the Pit-hosted promotional screening of Hostel in Dallas and bagged an insightful interview with the writer/director, with additional comments by actress Barbara Nedeljakova. One of the goriest films to garner a mere R-rating, Hostel hits screens on January 6, 2006. Fans of Roth's previous feature Cabin Fever know that he's no stranger to the red stuff! Read the interview here. EXCLUSIVE PIT OF HORROR 'HOSTEL' REVIEW As you know, the Pit of Horror hosted the first official USA screening of Eli Roth's, Hostel on the 21st November. Hence we have an exclusive (and spoiler free, it should be said) review from your very own webmaster, John Gray. Check it out... ---Contributed by Rich Carlin Got a news scoop? Send it now!