News

Interview: Sam Raimi Talks ’50 States of Fright’ on Quibi

Published

4 years ago

April 15, 2020

When the producers at Gunpowder & Sky approached legendary horror director Sam Raimi with a series idea called 50 States of Fright, the concept just made sense. There is a universal appeal to urban legends and campfire stories, and if it was handled correctly, the concept could really speak to a larger audience.

“I had seen in the state of Michigan these books. You see them in tourist spots,” he said in press call interview yesterday. “You would see these little Ghost Stories of Michigan pamphlets that local authors write. It’s similar in the state of Illinois. When they presented [the series] to me, I knew there must be writers and stories like this in every state. I recognized they had a great idea.”

They had no thoughts of taking the series to Quibi, however. As it stood during the pitch, 50 States of Fright would be a weekly anthology series.

In fact, it wasn’t until they presented their ideas to Jeffrey Katzenberg that the format changed. The former Disney exec and co-founder of Dreamworks had a new streaming service in mind featuring five to ten minute episodes and he thought the new series was a perfect fit.

The format brought its own unique challenges. They were working to create the equivalent of nine short independent films with the time and budgetary constraints of a regular television series, and each story would have to broken down to about three parts to fit the time constraints. Ultimately, however, Raimi says this worked in the show’s favor.

“It came down to not relying on big special effects or big-budget spectacles,” he explained. “It came down to getting back to the basics. Telling a simple story. It was both a challenge given the format and the limitations of budget, but also an advantage. Characters, plot, simple story construction to try to please the audience.”

Raimi not only serves as executive producer on 50 States of Fright, he also directed the series premiere which he co-wrote with his brother, Ivan Rami. It’s called “The Golden Arm” and it’s based on an old folktale he remembers hearing as a child in Michigan.

It has everything one needs for a great horror story: obsession, vengeance, and that slight touch of realness that slips like ice down your spine.

The story stars Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Travis Fimmel (Vikings), both of whom, he says, were great collaborators bringing suggestions to the storytelling that elevated the material from page to screen.

“They personalized the roles in a really great way,” Raimi said. “I wish we had more time together. The whole thing was shot in a handful of days but we really got to form a very close relationship and left there wanting to work together again.”

The process also reminded him of the value of brevity in this type of storytelling and the way they can dive right into the thrills and chills of a good story.

“For me, I’m not a great writer, but I do love ghost stories, the kind you tell around a campfire,” he said. “So for me, yes, I think it works beautifully to have a 15 minute type of story. It’s like a roller coaster ride. You don’t want to be on it for an hour and a half. A five minute or ten minute thrill experience with its ups and downs. Thrills and chills and little ghost stories. ”

He’s not the only filmmaker and writer who feels this way either, as he has discovered on this journey.

When word got out about the series, he says writers and directors from all over the U.S. began to contact the producers, and he’s excited that–if the series is successful–it can grow in a very organic way with stories from all over the country from creatives with their own diverse childhoods and backgrounds.

The Quibi app is available on both Android and Apple devices. The cost is $4.99 per month but they are offering a 90 Day Trial if you sign up by April 30, 2020. Download the app today and check out 50 States of Fright!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvSnlU6O6N0

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Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks.

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story.

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did.

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD.

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind.

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Lists

The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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News

Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors.

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie.

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time.

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.