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HEAD – Entering the Realm of Puppet Horror

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Written by Brian Linsky

From writer and director Jon Bristol, and his crew at Elmwood Productions, comes HEAD, a weekend camping trip with a site to die for.

HEAD is a throwback to the Grindhouse films of the 1970s and 80s, but with one major difference…  all of the actors are puppets.

Bristol admits to being a huge fan of The Muppets, and when the comic illustrator, turned film director, had a chance to make his first film, he came up with the idea of casting puppets.

HEAD

Elmwood Productions presents HEAD

Influenced by not only The Muppet Movie, but the films of George Romero, Evil Dead, and classic B-Horror films, Bristol jokess he wanted to get the look of the low budget horror flicks, but with better acting.

HEAD falls somewhere between the category of Friday the 13th, and Crank Yankers, but the short film is surprisingly well done, and its characters are certainly entertaining.

HEAD

One of the featured “cast” of HEAD, Vicki.

If you’re looking for a dramatic tearjerker to watch with the family on movie night, then HEAD is clearly not for you. However, if you’re a fan of crude humor, slasher flicks, and the art of puppetry, then HEAD is the film you’ve been waiting for.

Puppets

The story of HEAD features friends Vicki, Bruce, Lenny, Joe, & Nelly.

The plot surrounds five young co-eds from the Boston area, who decide to go camping for the weekend, only to find out that the location they chose for their getaway was the scene of a brutal mass murder years earlier.

The group is later joined by Tom, a loner in his early 30s, who inadvertently stumbles upon the kids’ campsite while looking for somewhere to pee.

HEAD

The campers meet Tom during their weekend getaway.

Though the group is slightly untrusting of Tom at first, the campers soon learn that Tom has just as much reason to worry as everyone else. There’s a sadistic killer on the loose, and they’re decapitating the campers one by one.

When the gang finds a tree in the woods covered with the severed heads of the victims, all bets are off on who the killer may be.

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Decapitated victims found in a tree by the campers.

The puppets for HEAD were built by Jon Bristol, along with the assistance of Mike Finland and Ben Farley, who say the puppets usually take anywhere from 12 – 40 hours to complete.

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Behind the scenes making of the movie HEAD from Elmwood Productions.

Bristol’s decision to use puppets instead of traditional actors made the film enjoyable to watch, even though some of the storyline may seem a little familiar. The characters’ foul mouths and carefree attitudes also made the film fun, and added the perfect amount of raunchiness to the mix.

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Behind the scenes look at the making of HEAD from Elmwood Productions.

After watching HEAD, I caught up with Jon to discuss the process of making the film, and see what else Elmwood Productions has up their sleeves for the future. I want to thank Jon for taking the time to talk to iHorror, and giving us a behind the scenes look at the film.

HEAD

HEAD is a horror / comedy from the creative team at Elmwood Productions.

iH: I assume it’s probably easier to work with puppets instead of people, but what’s better about it, what’s tougher?

JB: It’s 50/50… With an actor doing a take two (or more) is much easier, just go back to one, and start again. With a puppet, every scene is a special effect. Even something as simple as picking up a gun and pointing it can take three people working under the puppet, and doing it take after take can get tiresome and cumbersome. But it’s worth it.

Puppets have much better attitudes, and none of the drama, that come with most actors I’ve dealt with. Another huge plus is if you need to take a long break in shooting the puppet won’t get a haircut, or shave, hahaha… Or age! So if need be you can take a long break and not worry about continuity.

HEAD

Five friends on a camping trip get more than they bargained for in HEAD.

iH: Are the lead characters in HEAD based on actual people you know?

JB: I wrote it with some friends of my own in mind. But only one of the puppets looks like the person it was based on, Lenny. He looks like J.R. Calvo, who acted as a vampire hunter in “Steve the Vampire”, and he’s also a writer, and did some punch ups for dialog on the script before we shot it. I did try to make some of the puppets look “familiar” … Based on actors and celebrities.

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Jon and his gang directing his puppets on set.

iH: How did your Kickstarter campaign go? Did you reach your goal?

JB: I had fought the idea of doing a Kickstarter for years, because I didn’t want to jump on the begging for money bandwagon, and I wanted to makes sure the project was just right. Finally, the rest of the Elmwood gang convinced me now was the time.

We didn’t ask for much, only $3000.00, so I think that helped us get the goal met. We weren’t being greedy, hahaha. We wanted just enough to get some new lighting and sound gear and have enough to press DVDs. It worked out great, we surpassed the goal by a couple hundred bucks!

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Elmwood Productions presents HEAD.

iH: HEAD has been nominated for numerous horror awards, What have you won so far?

JB: At Fear NYC, New York, Chris Geirowski won Producer of the Year. We’ve also won at numerous film festivals for Best Screenplay, Best Feature, Best Underground Film, Best Special Effects, Best Midnight Movie, and at the Yellow Fever Film Fest in Belfast, Ireland, we won Best Film.

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Vicki finds herself in a sticky situation in HEAD.

iH: What’s next for Elmwood Productions?

JB: We just finished shooting a web series called “The Risley Brothers”, a ten episode comedy about two brothers who own and run a bar. The pilot is on our VHX page now, and the series should be premiering early spring 2017.

And of course HEAD! We just set up a deal with I Bleed Indie for it to be rented or purchased on the site. I’m really glad the film found a home there. It’s the perfect vibe for this weird little horror/comedy. Also get ready for HEAD 2! Yes, there will be a sequel.

iH: Sounds good, we’ll keep an eye out for it! Fans can currently watch HEAD at ibleedindie.com, and stay up to date with the latest projects from Elmwood Productions by visiting their official website.

HEAD

HEAD is now streaming on demand.

It seems to be a pretty popular time for puppets in horror these days. NECA recently announced they will start selling their Ashy Slashy puppet beginning in 2017.

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Childhood Memories Collide in New Horror Film ‘Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble’

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It looks like ITN Studious and Jagged Edge Productions are going the Avengers: Infinity War route with their upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. From the deranged mind of Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) comes this belligerent mash up of beloved childhood icons.

According to an article out of Variety today, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will consist of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty. All of these iconic figured will be warped into nightmarish versions of their former selves. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is set to be released upon the world sometime in 2025.

Poohniverse

Actor-producer Scott Chambers (Malevolent) had the following to say about Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. “As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains. It’d have Freddy Krueger, Jason, ‘Halloween,’ ‘Scream,’ all of those. Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way, and that’s where this film has been born.”

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will be a part of The Twisted Childhood Universe. Just like the MCU, each character will first get a standalone film. After introductions are made, they will be reunited in an Avengers style film. Although they will be killing off the survivors from the previous films, they won’t be working together.

Chambers describes this as an “epic sequences of monster vs. monster.” And I don’t know what more fans could ask of the studio. This fantastical idea is a huge risk but Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble sounds amazing.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Check back here for more updates on Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 below.

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Blumhouse’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Kicks Off Production with Leigh Whannell at the Helm

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Blumhouse Productions has officially commenced filming its reboot of the Universal Monsters legend, “Wolf Man”. Under the direction of Leigh Whannell, known for his acclaimed work on “The Invisible Man” (2020), the project promises to breathe new life into the iconic tale. The film is slated for a theatrical release on October 25th, marking a new chapter in the storied franchise.

Wolf Man

The journey of a “Wolf Man” reboot began in 2020 when actor Ryan Gosling presented a fresh take on the classic story to Universal. This concept quickly evolved into a screenplay crafted by the talented duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, who are known for their work on “Orange Is the New Black,” alongside contributions from Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The narrative is set in contemporary times, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric tension of Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Nightcrawler,” albeit with a distinct supernatural twist.

The film has seen its share of directorial and casting shifts, with Whannell initially signing on to direct in 2020, only to step away and then return to the project after Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance exited. The lead roles have been filled by Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom bring significant talent to the screen. Abbott portrays a man whose family faces the terror of a lethal predator, with Garner likely playing his wife, sharing in the familial peril. The storyline also hints at a daughter named Ginger, adding a layer of depth to the family’s harrowing experience.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott

This reboot represents a collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, with Jason Blum producing. Ryan Gosling remains involved as an executive producer, alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell himself. The announcement of the film’s production start was made by Jason Blum, who shared an exciting glimpse of Whannell on set, signaling the beginning of what is hoped to be a memorable addition to the horror genre.

As the “Wolf Man” reboot moves forward, fans and newcomers alike are eager to see how this modern interpretation will pay homage to its roots while offering a fresh and thrilling experience. With a talented cast and crew at the helm, the film is poised to reintroduce the timeless tale of transformation and terror to a new generation.

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‘Immaculate’ Stars Reveal Which Horror Villains They Would “F, Marry, Kill”

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Sydney Sweeney is just coming off the success of her rom-com Anyone But You, but she’s ditching the love story for a horror story in her latest film Immaculate.

Sweeney is taking Hollywood by storm, portraying everything from a love-lusting teenager in Euphoria to an accidental superhero in Madame Web. Although the latter got a lot of hate among theater-goers, Immaculate is getting the polar opposite.

The film was screened at SXSW this past week and was well-received. It also gained a reputation for being extremely gory. Derek Smith of Slant says the, “final act contains some of the most twisted, gory violence this particular subgenre of horror has seen in years…”

Thankfully curious horror movie fans won’t have to wait long to see for themselves what Smith is talking about as Immaculate will hit theaters across the United States on March, 22.

Bloody Disgusting says that the movie’s distributor NEON, in a bit of marketing smarts, had stars Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco play a game of “F, Marry, Kill” in which all their choices had to be horror movie villains.

It’s an interesting question, and you might be surprised at their answers. So colorful are their responses that YouTube slapped an age-restricted rating on the video.

Immaculate is a religious horror movie that NEON says stars Sweeney, “as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.”

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