A short introduction to this months round-up of horror news as I appear to have quite a bit to get through. I am expecting some turbulent times to be upcoming in my life in the near future so this is the calm before the storm, will see how the next few months pan out. Anyway, onto the news...
Not so much news, more designed as a way to bring potential customers to a car website is the Zombia 3000. This is an advert for a fake car that could help you survive the inevitable zombie apocalypse. I've mentioned it here though as the advert goes into quite some detail. Including a break down of exterior features (such as plough attachment), and interior features (CB radio) this was a fun little article. Check it out for yourself here if you so wish.
Just over a year ago I reviewed Alex Noyer's excellent short horror film Conductor, which was about a very special type of music device. Well some good news in that this is going to be adapted into a feature length thriller in what will be Noyer's first full length directorial debut. Starring Jasmin Savoy Brown, Lili Simmons and James Jagger the film is to be about a formerly deaf woman who somehow gained synesthetic abilities after witnessing the murder of her family as a child. She now uses these abilities in a career in music, 'composing her masterpiece through gruesome murders'.
Terror Films have announced some of the films being released as part of their 2020 line-up. There are too many to go into detail on but so far the films announced are Red Letters, All the Wrong Friends, Serena Waits, The Torment of Laurie Ann Cullom, Dark Roads 79, Tropical Vampires, The Evil Rises, A Knight's Tour, Derelicts, 10/31, Still Life, The Bone Box and Irrational Fear.
I've mentioned the clown killer horror Kill Giggles before but now it has a trailer. Apparently inspired by director/writer Jaysen Buterin's fear of clowns this is about a serial killer who only targets them. It stars Michael Ray Williams as clown killer Tommy dos Santos along with Ellie Church (High on the Hog), Vernon Wells (Mad Max), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) and Judith O'Dea (Night of the Living Dead).
November 8th saw Indican Pictures Ballet Blanc come to theatres. Anne-Sophie Dutoit's film centres on a young boy abandoned by his ballet troupe, who sets out on a reign of terror in the town he was left in. Ballet Blanc is due to be released on DVD and Digital platforms January 2020.
Richard Tyson (Black Hawk Down), Harley Wallen, Naomi Grossman (American Horror Story), Maria Olsen (I Spit on Your Grave), Mel Novak (Bruce Lee's Game of Death) and Vernon Wells (Weird Science) are all set to appear in upcoming indie horror drama film The Initiation. In this movie Professor Daniel Kimmer discovers an ex-student he is having an affair with is actually a member of a secret society of feminist witches.
Hex Studios are going to release a limited edition of festival hit Here Comes Hell. Described as 'The Old House' meets 'The Evil Dead' this is a horror comedy homage to classic horror films. Jack McHenry's directorial debut is filmed in black and white and is about a group of 1930's socialites who accidentally open a gateway to Hell during a dinner party event at a dilapidated mansion. It certainly sounds interesting. This limited DVD release includes a commentary as well as a behind the scenes documentary. It can be preordered here.
German zombie film The Rise of Valhalla is now out on DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital. I first mentioned this way back in 2014 so is good to see it has came out. The film looks to be set during World War II and has Nazi soldiers battling undead vikings.
Roberto D'Antona's The Last Heroes is out on Amazon Prime Video. This Italian horror is about a group of friends meeting in a small town where they once shared a terrible secret. Together they discover the ancient curse of Kaisha. The film can be found here.
I have already reviewed The Pale Faced Lady and She Will Return, and now the third chapter in Jeff Payne's well edited series has been announced. Short film In Darkness I Wait is meant to be 'a rollercoaster ride of tension of scares'. Part 3 follows two people who head into the notorious house in order to burn it down, unaware of the horrors within. It sounds like this could possibly be the final film in what has been an entertaining series.
The final film news for this month is a trailer for new horror/sci-fi/thriller mystery film Twenty Twenty. This was written, directed and produced by Dave Sweeny (Deranged Foxhole) and stars Nicholas M. Garofolo (Deranged Foxhole, Sweet Revenge). In this one a man struggles to figure out what's real or not. He encounters such characters as Terranova, who claims she is from the man's future, as well as a Mystery Woman, his landlady Mary Lee, and Old Man.
Onto music news now, firstly heavy rock artist Emma Garell has released the music video for her new single Crawl. This was directed by Cody Mausolf of The Liquor Portal and is available now via The Label Group/ INgrooves.
Hungarian punk/rock/metal band The Hellfreaks have released the video for the 2nd single 'Red Sky' from their upcoming album God on the Run. The band say the song "is about the seed of change, it's about the nature of pain." The new album can be pre-ordered here.
Synthwave trio 3force have created a reimagining of Once, There Was An Explosion which is the theme for the new science fiction game Death Stranding (that I would quite like to play if I had the funds!). The track has been described as 'a captivating piece of futuristic terror that will keep listeners riveted to their speakers'. The track is available now through independent synthwave label FiXT Neon.
While this next bit of news isn't strictly horror related I'm mentioning it as it is related to Peter Ricq who was the director/score composer/creator/co-writer of the criminally underrated horror Dead Shack (go watch it, it's great!). Anyway, he is working on a graphic novel titled A King's Vengeance. The story is about a King who gets resurrected 25 years after he dies in order to avenge his family's death. It has been described as 'a steampunk, medieval, fantasy, adventure, and violent revenge story' with influences cited as Conan the Barbarian, Robocop, GOT and Hellboy. There is currently a Kickstarter campaign going to raise funds to produce a high-end quality hardcover book. There is currently 13 days left of the campaign, so to find out more details check it out here.