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Posts with tag StuartGordon

Stuart Gordon Announces 'House' Demise / New Lovecraft Project

Posted Mar 31st 2008 6:02PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror

We've been following the House of Re-Animator story for a little while now, but the project seems to be officially dead and buried at this point. According to a recent Fangoria piece, director Stuart Gordon was unable to get the funding for his splattery political satire, and now that George Bush is about to leave office -- the premise wouldn't exactly feel all that fresh. So while the Re-Animator series may live on in one form or another, it won't be going in this particular direction. Darn.

But in the same article, Mr. Gordon announced that he's just about to start casting for his adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's Thing On the Doorstep. While this short story is hardly one of Lovecraft's most acclaimed efforts, I think it's a damn solid little terror tale. Production on Doorstep will begin this summer. (Oh, and Gordon's Stuck opens this May, and if it plays near you, I'd say check it out.)

Horror Flick 'Stuck' Gets U.S. Distribution

Posted Nov 6th 2007 5:32PM by Eric D. Snider
Filed under: Horror, Independent, ThinkFilm, Distribution, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie

How many times has this happened to you? You spend the evening drinking and doing drugs, and as you precariously drive home, you hit a pedestrian, leaving him embedded in your windshield. You figure he's dead, so you leave him where he is, park the car in the garage, and hope nobody finds out.

I think we've all been there. Iconic horror filmmaker Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator) made a movie based on the idea, Stuck, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and has now been acquired by Image Entertainment for U.S. release. Sister company ThinkFilm will release it theatrically next spring, and then Image will handle the DVD sales.

The film stars Mena Suvari as the driver and Stephen Rea as the victim. The story has him not quite dead after all, and understandably P.O.'ed when he realizes she's left him out in the garage, stuck to her windshield, to die. Cinematical's Scott Weinberg, who knows horror like Rosie O'Donnell knows pizza, reviewed Stuck at Toronto and said: "Backed by a pair of very fine lead performances, several colorful background players, a quick pace, and a handful of truly memorable scenes, Stuck might just be Stuart Gordon's best flick since Dagon -- or even From Beyond."

Furthermore, it's "a surprisingly smart flick that starts out slowly and gradually explodes into a darkly satisfying finale."

It's based on a true story, apparently this one, which happened in Fort Worth. But Snopes, the indispensable urban-legend-cataloging site, shows that the Fort Worth incident is by no means unique. This confirms what I've always suspected: there are a lot of really scary drivers out there.

TIFF Review: Stuck

Posted Sep 9th 2007 2:02PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Drama, Horror, Thrillers, Theatrical Reviews, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie



All the horror fans love Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator, and the really hardcore horror fans are also well-versed on titles like From Beyond, Dolls, Fortress, Dagon and King of the Ants. Hell, even Gordon's relative misfires (Robot Jox, Castle Freak, Space Truckers) are more entertaining than most genre fare. Plus the guy's a well-respected stage director in Chicago, a close personal friend of David Mamet, and a filmmaker who sometimes steps away from the gory stuff and delivers a really crafty flick like Edmond.

So clearly I'm a fan of the guy's work. And when I saw that the Toronto Midnight slate was offering the director's latest project, I was pretty psyched indeed. (It doesn't hurt that the slate also includes new offerings from guys like Romero and Argento, but I'm digressing like a geek.) Anyway, Stuart Gordon's latest film is a welcome return to his old genre stomping grounds. More of a twisted thriller than an out-and-out horror movie, Stuck is still more than generous with the thrills, chills, and gooey gore-spills. Plus it has a sly and simple streak of social commentary, which adds a satisfying dash of subtext to a brutally bizarre story.

Continue reading TIFF Review: Stuck

First Trailer for Mena Suvari's 'Stuck' Online

Posted Jun 26th 2007 10:31AM by Jennifer DeFilippo
Filed under: Horror, Thrillers, Cannes

Mena Suvari is Stuck in a really really really bad situation. She has cornrows, a difficult job as a nurse practitioner and has just hit Stephen Rea with her car. The first trailer for the Stuck thriller is being hosted on Bloody-Disgusting. It's definitely bloody and the cast happens to include some of my favorite actors -- have you ever seen Stephen Rea not play someone interesting? And I've appreciated Mena Suvari since her very brave performance as the dirty-mouthed yet inexperienced teenager in American Beauty.

Aside from Suvari's terrible imposition, the trailer shows Rea going from one horrible moment to the next. It seems like the kind of bad day that every person wishes they could sleep through. Suvari is a hard working, party girl -- a personality conundrum? -- who appears to want more responsibility at work but puts everything in jeopardy after striking Rea with her car. What happens next could mean death for Rea and a huge cover up for Suvari in order to keep her life running smoothly.

Stuck is written and directed by Stuart Gordon. -- the director who brought us Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, a far cry from his 'not for children fair.' Gordon is also responsible for Dagon and 1985's medical school experiment gone bad, Re-Animator. Stuck premiered last month at Cannes Film Festival -- its wide release date has yet to be determined.

New Re-Animator Flick Getting the Masters Treatment?

Posted Mar 27th 2007 6:32PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Lionsgate Films, Remakes and Sequels

A while back we heard some juicy little rumblings about the possibility of a new Re-Animator sequel called House of Re-Animator, which would be both a gore-strewn horror flick AND a tongue-in-cheek satire of today's political scene. But it seems like director Stuart Gordon, producer Brian Yuzna and actors like Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton might have a new plan: Re-Animator Part 4 as an episode of Showtime's Masters of Horror series! It's so crazy it just might work!

Mr. Gordon is, of course, a modern master of horror, and he previously worked on the Showtime series when he presented his Dreams in the Witch-House and The Black Cat adaptations. (H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, respectively.) Dread Central learned of the (potential) news while chatting with Ms. Crampton at the Texas Fearfest last weekend. (I was also in attendance at the event, and the DC guys aren't kidding when they say that Ms. Crampton is as lovely today as she ever was. In a room full of Jasons and Leatherfaces, Barbara Crampton was the only one who made me a little nervous.) Obviously this project is nowhere near a done deal, but it seems like a great way to kill a few birds with one stone. The fans get a new (if slightly smaller) entry in the Re-Animator series, and Masters of Horror gets a fresh episode that would guarantee a pretty strong viewership. Bring it on!

Rea and Suvari Get Stuck with Stuart Gordon

Posted Nov 25th 2006 9:35AM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Thrillers, Casting, DIY/Filmmaking

Just over a month ago I shared with you the news that genre favorite Stuart Gordon was about to get rolling on an odd-sounding thriller called Stuck -- and I promised to bring you casting news when it became available. I really did! "Stuck begins production in New Brunswick next week. We'll let you know if any cool casting news hits the 'net." See?

Well anyway, some of the aforementioned casting news has indeed hit the 'net, and here's what we got: Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea. She'll play a young woman who smashes into a homeless man with her car, only to find him irretrievably lodged within her windshield. So she drives home with the guy "stuck" there, parks her car in the garage, and waits for the poor dude to die. Nice, eh? Gotta love good ol' Stu Gordon.

More than a dozen other actors have also been named as Stuck employees, but Rea and Suvari are easily the biggest names in the cast. Check out the rest of the actors at Bloody-Disgusting.com, which is where I originally found the information. Obviously.

Stuart Gordon Aims to Get Stuck

Posted Oct 20th 2006 3:31PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Independent, Thrillers, Cinematical Indie

It only takes one true-blue classic for the horror fans to embrace a filmmaker -- just ask Sean Cunningham -- but in the case of Mr. Stuart Gordon, we have a solid handful of goodies to choose from. Yep, 1985's Re-Animator is the guy's big hitter, obviously, but over the years Mr. G has turned out some fairly entertaining pieces of genre, most notably From Beyond (1986), Fortress (1993) and Dagon (2001). The Chicago-bred filmmaker recently gave William H. Macy some great opportunities in a big-screen adaptation of David Mamet's Edmond -- and now it looks like it's back to the horror scene for Stu.

Gordon's next film will be a thriller called Stuck, and it's about the terror that pursues a woman after she stupidly bails from the scene of a nasty hit & run accident. The director will be co-writing Stuck, which is reportedly based on actual events, with a guy named John Strysik, who once wrote a truly awful horror flick called Deathbed ... for producer Stuart Gordon.

Stuck begins production in New Brunswick next week. We'll let you know if any cool casting news hits the 'net. And there's been no new word on Gordon's apparent involvement in House of Re-Animator, but I have my fingers crossed.

Stuart Gordon is Back From Beyond

Posted Jun 5th 2006 2:08PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Home Entertainment

Like any young movie geek who was madly in love with Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator, I was eagerly anticipating his follow-up, From Beyond, when it first debuted on VHS. And the result ... let's just say that I loved the gore, but I didn't "get" the plot. (Hey, I was 14.) And since the flick has yet to be released on DVD, I haven't been able to give it the second chance it obviously deserves. But get this: On June 10th, a network (I don't have) called Monsters HD will be presenting a fully-remastered and extra-splattery Director's Cut of From Beyond. Cool! That means a DVD can't be far behind!

This news has been percolating at the horror sites for quite some time, but hey, June 10th is next week, right? Go check your cable or satellite listings to see if you get Monsters HD. (Then be sure to record the flick and send me a copy!) In the meantime, here's a trailer for the Director's Cut presentation, and if your cubicle resides next to someone who can't stand goopy monsters with forehead tentacles, then it's probably not work-safe.

Based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft, and starring the likes of Jeffrey Combs, Ken Foree, and Barbara Crampton, From Beyond was not the smash-success follow-up that Re-Animator could have yielded, but there's a large legion of gorehounds who dig it all the same.

Second Team of Horror Masters Suit Up

Posted May 27th 2006 6:03PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror

OK, OK, the Masters of Horror series plays on cable television, which means it's definitely more of TV Squad's domain than it is Cinematical's ... so I'll just share a quick press release, mention a bunch of horror movie directors, and then move on.

Bloody-Disgusting.com was kind enough to share a Masters of Horror Season 2 press release with us, and it's stuffed with genre names we all know and love. Returning to direct a second episode will be Dario Argento (Suspiria), John Carpenter (Halloween), Joe Dante (The Howling), Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers), Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator), Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and John Landis (An American Werewolf in London). Newcomers to the Masters roster include Brad Anderson (Session 9), Ernest Dickerson (Demon Knight), and Tom Holland (Fright Night). Writers/inspirations include include Brett Hanley (Frailty), Sam Hamm (Batman), F. Paul Wilson, Ambrose Bierce, Clive Barker, and Edgar Allen Poe.

IDT and Showtime are promising 13 new episodes, which is a little bit confusing since there are only ten directors mentioned, but I guess we'll be getting some new announcements soon. Hungry for some pre-release plot synopses? Check 'em right here.

President Macy vs. Herbert West!

Posted May 17th 2006 4:06PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Remakes and Sequels

Just one week ago, we shared some news about an all-new Re-Animator trilogy that producer Brian Yuzna seems pretty darn psyched about, and today Fangoria brings us some even cooler news:

William H. Macy, one of the most talented, admired, and gosh-darn likable character actors in the known universe, has been signed to play the President of the United States in Stuart Gordon's House of Re-Animator! Returning for the third trilogy are director Gordon, producer Yuzna, screenwriter Dennis Paoli, and Dr. West himself: Jeffrey Combs. (Someone get Bruce Abbott's agent on the phone ... or his wife if he doesn't have an agent anymore. And please don't forget the lovely Barbara Crampton...)

Ready for the plot? The U.S. President dies, so one high-ranking moron calls Dr. West in to bring the Commander-in-Chief back to life ... and if you've ever seen, say, 5 random minutes of Re-Animator, then you know precisely what happens next. (Yay!)

(Y'know, while the gorehounds stress and worry about Sam Raimi's potential return to the Evil Dead series, I'm of the opinion that the Re-Animator trilogy gets a pretty raw deal. True, everyone loves the first one cuz it's a splatter-tastic mega-classic, but those sequels aren't all that bad, you know. And now that a new trilogy is getting the kick-start (and with the original filmmakers, no less), I think this is pretty big news indeed. For the horror geeks, anyway. Like me.)

Yuzna Announces New Re-Animator Trilogy

Posted May 10th 2006 10:02PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Remakes and Sequels

Longtime Stuart Gordon collaborator and bona-fide horror geek of the most colorful variety, Brian Yuzna has some big plans. He recently closed up shop on his Fantastic Factory shingle (a Spanish production company that yielded Faust, Dagon, Rottweiler, and Beyond Re-Animator) and kick-started an outfit called Halcyon, and guess what Mr. Yuzna will be doing there. That's right: making splattery horror flicks.

According to Fango, the company has a few titles in the can already (with titles like Doomed, Battlespace, and Darkworld ... cool), but their big plan is to reunite the original Re-Animator / Bride of Re-Animator gang (producer Yuzna, director Stuart Gordon, screenwriter Dennis Paoli, and actors Bruce Abbott & Jeffrey Combs) for a White House-based sequel entitled House of Re-Animator (the gang hopes this will be chapter one in an all-new Re-Animator trilogy). Yuzna also hopes to get William H. Macy to play the president, and it might not be all that difficult; Macy recently starred in the David Mamet adaptation Edmond -- which was directed by Stuart Gordon.

Also in Yuzna's blood-soaked pipeline: Sprawl: Grizzly, which is about a whole PACK of ravenous man-eating bears, and Everdark, a "based on actual events" ghost story ... like we really need another one of those.

Cinematical Seven: '80s Horror Flicks STILL Not on DVD

Posted Apr 9th 2006 7:30PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Cinematical Seven


Did you guys know that Jack Arnold's The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) has never been released on DVD? That's right: One of the most imaginative, intelligent, and thought-provoking science fiction films of all time (yes, I said all time) is still sitting in some vault collecting dust, while genre contemporaries like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, War of the Worlds, and The Day the Earth Stood Still have all hit DVD sporting all sorts of well-deserved bells & whistles. Directed by Black Lagoon's Jack Arnold and penned by certified ultra-genius Richard Matheson, The Incredible Shrinking Man stands as one of the most influential movies in the history of Weinberg. Plus all that stuff with the cat, the spider, and the dollhouse ... awesome.

So this got me to thinking about other movies that I loved as a kid, most of which (stuff like 1941 and Jaws 2 and The Goonies) already have a home on a special little DVD shelf all their own -- but SOME of which have never seen life as a shiny digital disc! For example, how is it that we can get 11 different versions of (the truly awesome) Evil Dead 2 -- yet The Incredible freakin' Shrinking Man remains DVD MIA?? I actually have a theory on this one: Universal owns the rights to Shrinking Man, and that studio has spent several years trying to cobble together a remake with Keenen Ivory Wayans as the director. One can only assume that Uni is waiting for that retread to bear box office fruit before releasing the original film on DVD as a "tie-in," which (obviously) annoys me to no end.

So listed below in this most recent edition of Cinematical Seven are a bunch of semi-obscure 1980s horror movies that I'd really like to see on DVD. Why switch over from The Incredible Shrinking Man to the generally unpleasant topic of "forgotten 1980s horror movies?" Because a wise man once said "write what you know," and I know very, very little outside the realm of 1980s horror movies. (OK, and Futurama and Halo ... and The Phillies. I know a lot about those things, too.)

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: '80s Horror Flicks STILL Not on DVD

Masters of Horror: The DVD Breakdown

Posted Mar 29th 2006 9:06PM by Scott Weinberg
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Home Entertainment

A lot of people have taken to calling the Masters of Horror series a Showtime production, but the truth is that the experiment was born over at Anchor Bay. Series creator Mick Garris had the idea to snag a bunch of the finest horror-makers under the sun, have each one direct an hour-long mini-movie, and then let the Gorehounds devour the goods through the magic of DVD. But then Showtime got involved, and they aired 12 of the 13 episodes between last December and March of this year. (The 13th episode, Takashi Miike's Imprint, was deemed too harsh by the Showtime folks, which means you won't be able to see it till the DVD hits shelves.)

Unfortunately, Anchor Bay has taken a fairly money-hungry approach to releasing Masters on DVD: Two episodes hit stores yesterday, available individually or as part of a 2-pack. But with a list price of $16.98 apiece (which means a retail cost of about 11 bucks each), it seems that the horror faithful are expected to dole out about $150 if they want the entire season. (By comparison, my 13-episode collection of the brilliant Firefly set me back only about 40 bucks!) But hey, nobody's saying you have to buy 'em all, right? We horror geeks aren't ravenous completists and ferocious collectors ... are we? (To be fair, if the first 2 DVDs are any indication, each release promises to come stocked with loads of extra goodies, so at least we're getting some value for our money.)


Anyway, to commemorate the DVD debut of the series (well, the first two episodes) I thought it might be helpful to give our readers a Masters Guide -- despite the fact that I've seen precisely ONE episode of the show so far! Click below for a list of all the actors, the Masters, the release dates, all 13 plot synopses, and a variety of trivial hoo-hah intended mainly for the hardcore horror freaks.

Continue reading Masters of Horror: The DVD Breakdown

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