John Carpenter - Night

Horror maestro John Carpenter is front and center in the first music video promoting his debut album "Lost Themes". One of if not the most iconic horror director of the early to late 80's, Carpenter is just as much one of the architects of the aural landscape of the contemporary sci-fi horror genre as he is its visual curator.

In "Night", we see Carpenter don a Oculus Rift helmet to embody the presence of a remote-controlled robot, tearing through the iridescent-soaked streets of midnight L.A. before meeting up with a buddy for a friendly game of baseball. Although the video itself isn't directed by Carpenter, co-directors Gavin Hignight and Ben Verhulst do an exceptional job of echoing the visual nuances of  his best work. Here's hoping we see more videos from this album in the future!

Brainstorm's Diablo Event Unleashes A Host of Horrors and Heroes

Lennart Verhoeff

The bad-ass artistic minds behind the Brainstorm collective knock it out of the park yet again with their month-long redesign challenge, this time reinterpreting the iconic imagery, classes and titular adversary of Blizzard Entertainment's classic dungeon-crawling series Diablo. Many of the results this past week impressively (if predictably) skew across the spectrum of sci-fi action, though a majority of the pieces submitted retain the distinctive gothic-horror flavor of the original.

Brainstorm mainstay Chen Nambiarooran (previously featured for his impressive 'Darth Vader' series) returns with some downright devilish-looking creature and class designs, joined by the likes of Luis Lashido, Tomaislav Jagnijc, and Lennart Verhoeff's impressively menacing profile portraits. It's all there and more, right after the break!

Self-Assembly Proves, Once Again, That Dead is Better

In Self-Assembly, A young couple are forced to resort to a demonic resurrection device in order to bring back their son after a freak incidence of tragedy. What comes out of the box is not what they put into it (or is it?), and the couple must decide whether to half-heartedly raise this mischievous homunculus who looks like one of the scammers from Futurama, or if the famous maxim of Stephen King's Pet Sematary remains true.

The short's ominous sense of dark serious is well-established, never abating for even a second while still managing to cram in a few unsettling laughs. It just gets weirder and weirder from minute one. Check out more of Director Ray Sullivan's work here.

Flying Lotus - Ready Err Not

The latest music video from Flying Lotus' You're Dead! is here just in the time for Halloween. Directed and animated courtesy of David Firth, the ingeniously demented mind behind the mental scar-inducing Salad Fingers series, Ready Err Not takes us into the decapitated mind of Flylo himself; complete with writhing hellspawn, quasimodo axe-men, eye spiders, and mischievous elf children straddling the line of androgyny. Imagine 'Waking Life' as more of a waking nightmare.

"BEACON" - A Sci-fi Roguelike With Body Horror?

(Via)

I've been an avid admirer of indie developer Monothetic ever since they released their first non-commercial mod project Black Snow in 2012. With its hope-crippling atmosphere and Carpenter-esque horror aesthetic, I've been patiently chomping at the bit to see what this young studio has to offer for their first commercial title. It looks I won't have to wait much longer as Beacon, a sci-fi horror Roguelike, is tentatively slated for release later this year. The game sounds like your average top-down action RPG, with one exception...

As in all Roguelikes, when you die in Beacon, you’ll be sent back to the beginning of the game, losing any weaponry and items you might have picked up along the way. However, rather than losing it, the DNA you harvested in that life is sent back to your personal clone bay (one of the few pieces of your ship still functioning), and spliced together with your own for your next life. This adds a level of  permanence to Beacon, as each subsequent life will stack more harvested DNA on top of what you had before, resulting in stat augmentations and (in extreme cases) full-fledged physical mutations. Be warned, however; not every mutation will be a positive thing.

If implemented correctly, this DNA element could result in a slew of compelling gameplay variations. A top-down action game that rewards trial-by-fire tenacity à la Diablo and Hotline Miami, balanced with a permanent trait bonus system that becomes deadly if left unchecked? Sign me up. Check out more of the mock-up concept art after the break!

"Tsume" - Her Grudge Remains

Haunted by a decision that ultimately cost the life of her classmate, Tsume narrates the downward spiral of a girl who makes a terrible error in judgement. A grudge is held, and this classmate comes back to haunt her and drive her insane over the course of this CG animated short.

Enjoyed the elements of Japanese horror strewn throughout Tsume (Fans of The Grudge will know what I'm talking about), including some subtle yet unsettling choices by the folks at Topless including making the end credits scroll horizontally to create a sense of unease.

Guillermo Del Toro Presents "The Strain"

Following an impressive pilot, the decision was made to expand Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain into a full season, finally bringing Guillermo's original vision for this franchise to reality. While Del Toro had originally envisioned this vampire horror series as a TV his initial attempts to find a party interested were unsuccessful, resulting in novelizations and comic book adaptations between 2009-2011 that eventually piqued the interest of FX.

The Strain offers an unorthodox take on vampire mythos, treating the symptoms of vampirism as a contagious, parasitic virus that originates on a Boeing 777 and ultimately spills out into the streets of New York. And these vampires are nothing like what we're accustomed to, with giant retractable stingers reminiscent of the Plaga monsters from the later Resident Evil installments. Following rave reviews of the pilot, which was directed by Del Toro the series was expanded into a full 13 episode season that will premiere July 13 on FX. Something to look forward to.

The Strain is a thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.

"Rigor Mortis" - A Hong Kong Horror Movie To Get Excited About

I think most people would agree that western horror has been failing for decades now, having lost sight of what actually makes a movie scary (With a few exceptions). What is defined as 'horror' these days involves movies that are filled with cheap 'startle' scares and recycled concepts that come out during Halloween to turn a quick buck. As a result I've found myself looking abroad for something fresh, and Hong Kong seems intent on delivering that with Rigor Mortis by fledgling director Juno Mak.

While the trailer is filled with tropes we've been accustomed to, I have to say that the 'cultural horror' aspect of the film might be a draw. Within a two minute trailer we're given a glimpse into Chinese ghost and vampire (Jiangshi) mythology, which are miles away from the ones that we've grown accustomed to in the west. This comes from Mak's wish to resurrect a dormant genre of Hong Kong horror that was prevalent in the 80's and 90's with franchises like Mr Vampire, that were incredibly popular at the time.

Aside from the stellar box office numbers abroad, the movie seemed to get quite a warm reception at the various festivals it was screened at internationally (Tokyo, London, Toronto and others), so we're genuinely excited about catching a screening when the movie premieres in the US on June 6.

Pluto and the Vessel

Stop motion always manages to bring some of the most unnerving imagery, the jittery frame rate and the often abstract art can add a lot to the the content's mood. Harrison Browning's short Pluto and the Vessel does an incredible job at using stop motion imagery to it's full effect. With a feeling very similar to John Carpenter's The Thing, Pluto and the Vessel tells an experimental story of one man's journey into the frigid unknown.

If you're looking for a deep and enthralling story, Pluto and the Vessel probably isn't what you're looking for. Instead the short does an incredible job at setting the tone and running with it, providing a dark and twisted experience. The stop motion in the short is absolutely topnotch, often blowing my mind that it isn't still used in modern blockbusters. \Seriously Hollywood, just look how well this sets the mood hurry up and get on that.

M Is For Meat

It's been interesting to see the various entries for the ABC's of Death 2 competition, a follow up to last years horror anthology featuring 26 letter themed shorts created by various directors. We just recently ran into another entry for the 'M' letter, right after posting M is for Masticate, which focused on more drug trip related cannibalistic horror.



M is for Meat takes a more stop motion approach, utilizing a mixture of inspirations including Jan Švankmajer's unsettling stop motion style and a little David Lynch. Definitely not recommended for vegetarians.

SHHHH...

This Halloween wasn't the spookfest I expected it to be, it was lacking an overabundance of horror films to tide me over for the year and went by far too quickly. October may be over, but that's not going to stop me from providing you with this Guillermo del Toro inspired short. 

 

Shhhh is a direct tribute to a young Guillermo del Toro, who would often times run into monsters in the bathroom as a young boy. The short is very much inspired by the work of Guillermo del Toro, featuring some amazing creature design and a storybook method of storytelling. Interestingly enough, the short is actually based off an interview with Guillermo del Toro back in 2010 which can be seen over here.

As horror movies become more and more of a niche, it's fantastic to see small studios churn out work that's shows both originality and an appreciation for the genre. The creature design truly sells this short, and the subtly of the narration gives it more of a fairytale vibe than a horror short (similar to Pan's Labyrinth). Guillermo del Toro has spawned a new era of horror, and as more directors begin to embrace it, the more excited I am for it's future.

Happy Meal Horror

Written and directed by Rocky Curby, Happy Meal Horror is a bizarre horror short that takes place in a robotic cow slaughterhouse. When a robo-cow's mother goes missing in the inner workings of the slaughterhouse, it heads out to search for her while one of the factories killer robots are in hot pursuit to contain it in this grungy animated short. Prepare for lots of chainsaws, UFO's and some not so subtle hints to McDonalds throughout this short.

M Is For Masticate

Created as part of this year's installment of the ABC's Of Death, a collective anthology effort to create a horror short film based off of each letter of the alphabet. Director Robert Boocheck landed with the letter M, which he used to create Masticate, featuring an enraged, psychotic bearded man overcome with a terrible hunger that leads him on a rampage through Los Angeles. That twist ending is pretty hilarious. The original ABC's Of Death (2012) was published by the Austin based Drafthouse films, so here's to hoping that this becomes a yearly tradition.

Hell No - The Sensible Horror Film

Let's just face it, Hollywood doesn't even bother making horror movies anymore. It's a thing of the past to see movies that create a genuine sense of fear, compared to the 'startle' movies that are out there today, typically following the same formula of a bunch of developmentally stunted protagonists in their journey of making stupid decisions, accompanied by a heavy dose of cheap, unimaginative scares and cookie cutter scenarios. Hell No by Pixels Per Second takes a long hard look at the genre, and injects a healthy dose of rationale to the protagonists as they're dealing with various scenarios. The result? A series of humorous, and incredibly anti-climactic takes on horror. Don't touch that Horadric cube now.

Imagine a realm where the most horrifying terrors of the underworld emerge to wreak bloody vengeance upon any who... hmm? What's that? you wanna go literally anywhere else? yeah, good idea let's get out of here

Frictional Game's SOMA Gameplay Trailer, 2015 release on PC & PS4

Over the past three or so weeks, Frictional Games have kept the Internet on a strict drip-feed diet of information regarding their latest title that's been in development since their 2010 breakthrough hit Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

A mysterious promo site with a mock-DOS interface littered with mysterious Kanji symbols, nebulous loading bars counting down to the release of two very bizarre, very terrifying live-action clips that scream of sci-fi body horror and unfathomable cosmic malice. No-one knew what the hell to make of this mysterious SOMA project. That is, until now.

Frictional Games have finally pulled back the curtain on their newest title, a first-person sci-fi horror game set on a mysterious derelict research facility named PATHOS-2. The crew have become stir-crazy, coerced to the brink of insanity and death by machines that now mimic their masters and an unspeakable alien force that has corroded its way into the facility. The only way out is to do the unimaginable. Sounds festive.

The game is slated for release in 2015 for PC and PS4, and I could not be any more excited. Frictional have also released a blog post concerning the game's release, as well as revealing the identities behind the production of those two awesome videos. Props to the fine folks at Imagos Films for scaring the ever-loving bejesus out of us, and under budget too!

Developers of Amnesia Tease Space Horror

Amnesia is fantastic, not just for pushing the horror genre down the correct path, but for bringing the H.P. Lovecraft style of writing to the forefront of pop-culture. While I found the game more creepy than downright scary unlike a few over-exaggerating YouTube personalities felt (*coughcough*), the team at Frictional Games proved that they are a force to be reckoned with.

After publishing the indirect sequel Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs the studio has begun teasing their next project with a fantastic 5-minute teaser. While not much is confirmed through the live-action short, it does hold a few hints and points towards a hard Sci-Fi setting. Hell yes!

The overall tone is subtle, but the feeling of tension never seems to letup, building to a climactic ending that will live you wanting more. While I fear the game will travel down the cliche path of a rogue A.I. like many modern Sci-Fi thrillers, I have complete faith that Frictional Games will pull another rabbit out of their hat with this one. I can't wait.

Escape From Tomorrow - A Disney Descent Into Madness

There's been quite a bit of buzz around Randy Moore's incredibly risky Escape From Tomorrow project since it's incredibly positive reception at Sundance, a 'horror fantasy' project filmed incognito at Disney World/Land using guerrilla style filming tactics. Small crews with small, yet powerful cameras infiltrated the parks and shot parts of the film, while the actors actually carried their scripts around on their iPhones.

This incredibly dark, and bizarre version of Disney features the dark underbelly of the parks you were never meant to see..The dark secret behind the Epcot dome, mad scientists, and a black and white aesthetic that would make David Lynch proud. Will this movie ever make it to theaters on October 11, especially considering Disney's reputation with their legal teams? We'll have to wait and see.

The Colony Trailer

If this movie has anything going for it, it's the team up of Lawrence Fishburne and Bill Paxton as leading men in a post-apocalyptic film set during a second ice age. On the plus side though, the trailer did have a mild The Thing vibe, and is the first movie to be filmed at the decommissioned Canadian NORAD  facility in Ontario, which reaches up to sixty stories in depth. Other than that we're looking at a complete russian roulette scenario for the final product, featuring a relatively unknown director (Jeff Renfroe). If this movie takes a route more rife on psychological horror rather than cheap startle moments, (Like every f***ing 'horror' movie made in the last 10 years) this might have a chance to be good.

Beneath the icy surface, survivors of Colony Seven struggle as food supplies dwindle and temperatures continue to drop. Plagued by illness and internal conflict, the colonists suspect the worst when they mysteriously lose contact with Colony Five – the only other known settlement. Sam (Zegers), a strong-willed mechanic with a tragic past, joins a team headed up by Briggs (Fishburne) on a dangerous expedition to find out what happened. After a hellish trek, they discover a threat much worse than imagined, and now Colony Seven must win a savage battle to preserve the last of humanity.

Valibate (NSFW)

Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, Valibate is a gnarly, twisted short film about a rather unlikable fellow taking the love of his phone a little too far. Reminiscent of the type of movie that David Chronenberg would create (With it's references to The Fly) and some truly creative cinematography, this short movie absolutely delivers as a modern take on 80's horror. Witness one man's terrifying, social media fueled downward spiral.

Texas Chainsaw 3D Concepts - What Leatherface Could Have Been

(Via)

Texas Chainsaw 3D just came out about a week ago, a sequel of sorts to the notorious 1974 horror classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which terrified audiences with it's unrelenting gore and disturbing premise at the time. Conceptual artist Jerad S Marantz just recently uploaded three variations of Leatherface's mask design for the remake. Known for character/ creature design in films like The Green Lantern and Rise of the Planet of the Apes,  Jerad was tasked with bringing the brutal protagonist of the film to a 2012 audience.

The final design (as pictured above) didn't stray far from the original design, whereas his other concepts are surprisingly different. Check out the different variants of Leatherface that could have been after the break!