Clive Barker Says: Save My 'Midnight Meat Train'!
Filed under: Horror, Thrillers, Lionsgate Films, Distribution
I'm hungry for horror. The Strangers was OK, but The Happening was a major disappointment and nothing else is scheduled until August 1. That's when Ryuhei Kitamura's Midnight Meat Train, starring Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones and Leslie Bibb, is now set to open, delayed from May 16. But will you get to see it?Shock Till You Drop reported last week that Lionsgate planned only a limited, 100-screen release in major cities, followed by a quick release on DVD, thus denying many horror fans the opportunity to see the film on the big screen. Someone suggested a viral campaign to get a wider release, which has now been endorsed by the man who wrote the story on which the movie is based: Clive Barker.
As quoted at The Official Clive Barker Resource, he says: "I am very excited about this possibility and I would passionately encourage everybody who cares about my work to use this chance to change the minds of the folks at Lionsgate. ... I really think, this late in the day, that grassroots support for our movie could significantly improve our chances of reaching a much bigger audience theatrically. The picture is worth the effort, I believe."
With three wide releases already scheduled on August 1 (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Rocker, Swing Vote), it's a tough sell, but I'd love to see it happen. A thread at the IMDb boards has contact information.
[ Via Bloody Good Horror ]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-19-2008 @ 1:57PM
Bo Kaier said...
I was in a test audience for this movie - my love of horror and cinematic adaptations of Barker got me there. I can say with certainty any studio apathy towards 'Meat Train' is deserved - the quality of the final product screams direct to DVD. As much as I want to see future 'Blood' stories make it to film, supporting them through this conduit just isn't worth it.
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6-19-2008 @ 2:15PM
GL said...
I would have guessed as much. Too bad.
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6-19-2008 @ 4:05PM
Peter Hall said...
I'd love to see this on the big screen as well, but nothing about the movie thus far, spare the name Clive Barker, has me interested in it. Add on Bo Kaier's comment above and it confirms the vibe I've had about the project from day go, which is unfortunate.
I'd LOVE to see more Books of Blood on the big screen, and I know the title 'chapter' is in the works as we type, but I don't understand why Midnight Meat Train was the first of the lot? Barker purists might cleaver me, but it just isn't that complex of a story (and that answers my own question).
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6-19-2008 @ 4:20PM
Christopher said...
It's just like the 2008 thriller "Pathology" which was supposed to open April 18, 2008...but as of 06/19/08 the film has yet to open in Phoenix, Arizona!!
It's a sad shame that film studios rarley get the film that audiences want to see in theaters!!
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6-19-2008 @ 5:38PM
Hal Masonberg said...
Clive's karma? Many of you already know that Clive and his producers were largely responsible for having the creative team removed from THE PLAGUE in post production. THE PLAGUE was based on an original screenplay by myself and my writing partner, Teal Minton, and directed by me. The script and film were not based on any Barker material. After I struggled for eight years to get the film made, Barker and his producers kept me out of the editing room once my contract expired and re-cut the film from scratch into exactly the kind of film we were making THE PLAGUE in opposition to. And for their efforts, THE PLAGUE (disgustingly retitled CLIVE BARKER’S THE PLAGUE) was released straight to DVD as an embarrassment to Clive’s new Midnight Picture Show label. Not a great introduction, to say the least. Now that Clive’s second film under this new banner is also going quickly to DVD, he’s decided to start a grassroots campaign to get the film a wider theatrical release! Sound familiar?
Check out a website called spreadingtheplague.com. Here you will find a site dedicated to getting THE PLAGUE: WRITERS & DIRECTOR’S CUT released. This cut of the film is completely different from Clive's frame-one re-cut and is supported by the filmmakers, cast and crew, as well as noted film authors, journalists, film historians and Mr. Bill Butler, the magnificent DP of such films as JAWS, THE CONVERSATION, and FRAILTY, who was not invited by the producers to color-time his own work on THE PLAGUE. Is it possible that Clive's name above the title and involvement in a film is, in fact, the very reason these films turn out the way they do?
While pondering that question, consider helping to support THE PLAGUE: WRITERS & DIRECTOR'S CUT by going here to learn more about what happened and to sign our petition (1235 signatures and counting). This is the cut of the film I’m guessing Clive and his people would prefer you never saw:
http://www.spreadingtheplague.com/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/plague/
Who knows? Maybe all of Clive’s films will have grassroots campaigns to fight the powers that be. You go, Clive!
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6-19-2008 @ 8:42PM
SnoopPaddieRasta said...
Interesting story. Interesting Web site, too.
What was the Clive-meister thinking?
I hope your version of your film does get released.
6-20-2008 @ 11:09PM
Karl said...
Irony of ironies! I've seen both cuts of The Plague and the Writers and Director's Cut is no contest the one to see. I know that Clive Barker had Lord of Illusions taken away from him too, so how he could allow what happened to The Plague to happen is beyond comprehension. But I never want the money guys to get away with what they can and do, so I hope Barker has enough clout to see his vision come true. But still, karmic justice indeed.
6-19-2008 @ 7:55PM
madgamer said...
I thought the trailers for this looked really terrible and it has a name like bad porno, so maybe its best left to DVD.
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