Movies
Review: Vestron Video Collector’s Series Unleashes Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Dementia 13’ on Blu-Ray
Vestron Video returns once again with a brand new collector’s series release sure to turn some heads. While many of their blu-rays as of late have been 80’s fare like the cult ghost rider movie THE WRAITH, we’re going old school with the debut feature of one of American cinema’s greatest filmmakers in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dementia 13! Written/Directed in 1963 and produced by American International Pictures and Roger Corman, this was Coppola’s first major motion picture and the one that gave him his start.
The story follows Louise (Luana Anders, Easy Rider) the scheming wife of John Haloran who is furious that most of his mother’s fortune is set to be donated to charity in the name of the late Kathleen Haloran, John’s sister. While arguing on a rowboat, John dies and Louise tosses his corpse into the murky waters to cover it up so she can still have a chance at gaining some of the family wealth. Travelling to the expansive Haloran Estate in Ireland, Louise concocts a scheme to try and convince the superstitious Lady Haloran to write her into the will, not knowing that dark family secrets haunt the mansion and cannot be buried forever… a dark secret with an axe!
A gothic psychological thriller made in the wake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Coppola’s eye for tension building and dreamlike scenes are evident even in his freshman feature making for an entertaining piece of psychological terror. With many sequences of intense suspense they’ll stick with you long after. The shadowy axe attack scenes were memorable and made me surprised they’re not mentioned as much in horror circles when it comes to this era of the genre. The Irish countryside and gothic architecture make for a unique setting that looks just as stunning in black and white. With the brand new 4K transfer on this blu-ray edition, the movie is presented in a crystal clarity that looks flawless and enthralling. Coppola himself helping to restore the film to such high definition with a personal print from his archives to release it as his director’s cut, quoted as saying “Dementia 13 obviously occupies a place in my heart as my first film and I’m very proud that it can now exist as I intended it.”
The special features also being a major draw for this release. Featuring an introduction from Francis Ford Coppola himself, an intriguing audio commentary by Coppola, and even the original Dementia 13 test gimmick prologue originally released with the film. Much like Hitchcock’s lauded intros and William Castle’s ghost tricks, the test was initially a hook to get audience’s attention. Essentially being a ‘real’ psychological test played before the movie to see if viewers were mentally stable enough to watch a movie so horrifying. Filmed at the “Los Angeles Institute of Hypnosis”! The packaging on this release is nice, featuring eerie minimalist art for the director’s cut. Though I do wish it was reversible to feature Dementia 13‘s original and more pulp poster from the original release and lauding the gimmicks involved.
Overall, Dementia 13 is a marvelously revived home video transfer of Coppola’s first movie and will hopefully expose more audiences to this fresh thriller from the 60’s.
Dementia 13 is currently available on blu-ray and digital.
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Movies
Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’
If you have been following Chris Stuckmann on YouTube you are aware of the struggles he has had getting his horror movie Shelby Oaks finished. But there’s good news about the project today. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin Of Evil, Doctor Sleep and The Haunting) is backing the film as a co-executive producer which might bring it much closer to being released. Flanagan is a part of the collective Intrepid Pictures which also includes Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka.
Stuckmann is a YouTube movie critic who’s been on the platform for over a decade. He came under some scrutiny for announcing on his channel two years ago that he would no longer be reviewing films negatively. However contrary to that statement, he did a non-review essay of the panned Madame Web recently saying, that studios strong-arm directors to make films just for the sake of keeping failing franchises alive. It seemed like a critique disguised as a discussion video.
But Stuckmann has his own movie to worry about. In one of Kickstarter’s most successful campaigns, he managed to raise over $1 million for his debut feature film Shelby Oaks which now sits in post-production.
Hopefully, with Flanagan and Intrepid’s help, the road to Shelby Oak’s completion is reaching its end.
“It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing Shelby Oaks to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path, and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”
Stuckmann says Intrepid Pictures has inspired him for years and, “it’s a dream come true to work with Mike and Trevor on my first feature.”
Producer Aaron B. Koontz of Paper Street Pictures has been working with Stuckmann since the beginning is also excited about the collaboration.
“For a film that had such a hard time getting going, it’s remarkable the doors that then opened to us,” said Koontz. “The success of our Kickstarter followed by the on-going leadership and guidance from Mike, Trevor, and Melinda is beyond anything I could have hoped for.”
Deadline describes the plot of Shelby Oaks as follows:
“A combination of documentary, found footage, and traditional film footage styles, Shelby Oaks centers on Mia’s (Camille Sullivan) frantic search for her sister, Riley, (Sarah Durn) who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her “Paranormal Paranoids” investigative series. As Mia’s obsession grows, she begins to suspect that the imaginary demon from Riley’s childhood may have been real.”
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Movies
New ‘MaXXXine’ Image is Pure 80s Costume Core
A24 has unveiled a captivating new image of Mia Goth in her role as the titular character in “MaXXXine”. This release comes approximately a year and a half after the previous installment in Ti West’s expansive horror saga, which covers more than seven decades.
His latest continues the story arc of freckle-faced aspiring starlet Maxine Minx from the first film X which took place in Texas in 1979. With stars in her eyes and blood on her hands, Maxine moves into a new decade and a new city, Hollywood, in pursuit of an acting career, “But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.”
The photo below is the latest snapshot released from the film and shows Maxine in full Thunderdome drag amid a crowd of teased hair and rebellious 80s fashion.
MaXXXine is set to open in theaters on July 5.
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Movies
Will ‘Scream VII’ Focus on The Prescott Family, Kids?
Since the beginning of the Scream franchise, it seems there have been NDAs handed out to the cast to not reveal any plot details or casting choices. But clever internet sleuths can pretty much find anything these days thanks to the World Wide Web and report what they find as conjecture instead of fact. It’s not the best journalistic practice, but it gets buzz going and if Scream has done anything well over the past 20-plus years it’s creating buzz.
In the latest speculation of what Scream VII will be about, horror movie blogger and deduction king Critical Overlord posted in early April that casting agents for the horror movie are looking to hire actors for children’s roles. This has led to some believing Ghostface will target Sidney’s family bringing the franchise back to its roots where our final girl is once again vulnerable and afraid.
'SCREAM VII' will reportedly include Sidney Prescott's family as leads.
— CriticalOverlord (@CriticalOverlo3) April 6, 2024
"They are looking to cast Sid's two kids. It seems like the movie will focus on Sid's family as all 4 (her, her husband and 2 kids) are listed as leads."
(Via: @DanielRPK) #ScreamVII pic.twitter.com/TPdkE1WbOa
It is common knowledge now that Neve Campbell is returning to the Scream franchise after being low-balled by Spyglass for her part in Scream VI which led to her resignation. It’s also well-known that Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega won’t be back any time soon to play their respective roles as sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter. Execs scrambling to find their bearings got broadsided when director Cristopher Landon said he would also not be going forward with Scream VII as originally planned.
Enter Scream creator Kevin Williamson who is now directing the latest installment. But the Carpenter’s arc has been seemingly scrapped so which direction will he take his beloved films? Critical Overlord seems to think it will be a familial thriller.
This also piggy-backs news that Patrick Dempsey might return to the series as Sidney’s husband which was hinted at in Scream V. Additionally, Courteney Cox is also considering reprising her role as the badass journalist-turned-author Gale Weathers.
As the film starts filming in Canada sometime this year, it will be interesting to see how well they can keep the plot under wraps. Hopefully, those who don’t want any spoilers can avoid them through production. As for us, we liked an idea that would bring the franchise into the mega-meta universe.
This will be the third Scream sequel not directed by Wes Craven.
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