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Riding to Hell in Domonic Smith’s “Van”

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Writers and directors in independent short horror films are literally looking everywhere for inspiration.  It might come from a sign, a snippet of overheard conversation, or a headline in a newspaper, but when that lightning strikes they’re ready to move on it.  Such was the case with Domonic Smith’s short film, “Van” which all started on an app called Hooked which features stories entirely told by text and instant messaging.

“I just kind of stumble on the app,”  Smith explained.  “I would go on there every day and read through the stories, and I found one called “Waiting for You”.  I kept thinking about how much I really liked the story and I wasn’t sure how it would translate over to film but I really want to try.”

Smith contacted the author of the story and asked for permission to adapt it.  He explained that there would be things that he had to change, but that it would, at the core, still be the author’s story.  When he received a resounding “Yes!” from both the author and then the owner of the app, he was ready to start adapting.

In “Van”, we open on a young woman, Laura, nodding off while she is driving.  Suddenly, she’s sitting at a crossroads and her friend, Julia, is calling her on video chat.  The friend is obviously in distress and is begging to be picked up.  Laura notices blood on Julia’s neck and assumes Julia’s boyfriend has abused her in some way.  She agrees to pick up her friend and asks for the address, but when she receives it, she realizes she’s less than one hundred feet from the location.

Enter the ominous, titular van.

“There’s a lot of old folklore about a Devil’s carriage that carries souls to hell,” he pointed out.  “So I was thinking what would be the modern equivalent of this creepy carriage?  What’s the creepiest vehicle today?  And the idea of a van came to me.  It’s the creepy van that carries souls to hell.”

The van in question is indeed creepy.  A catering van with a creepy devil in its logo (who would order from them?!), it seems to sit and stare Laura down as she approaches it all the while madly texting her friend to find out where she is.  This van is really a character itself.  It exudes menace and instills dread no matter the angle of filming.

The director came up with a brilliant plan for drawing his audience into the film by using several split screens that allow the audience to not only see Laura’s face, but also to see her phone’s screen as she texts Julia.

“When I’m texting someone and the conversation is intense, I get really nervous when I see those ellipses that show that they’re typing.  You don’t know what they’re going to say next.  I wanted people to feel like this is a situation they could find themselves in,” he says.  “So I don’t want to just shoot a wide shot of someone texting.  I want you to see what they’re texting.  I want you to see how fast they’re texting.  How anxious they are.  It replicates what you do in life.”

The choice is effective and I found myself holding my breath as Laura approaches the van and Julia insists that there is no van where she is.  I don’t want to give away too much more to avoid spoilers, but the whole scene plays beautifully with an exacting amount of tension.  It’s really no wonder at all that the film was a finalist in the iHorror Awards this last season.

You could tell Smith really loves the form of the short film and we talked about his great love for anthology films that went hand in hand with his love of short stories like the ones in Stories to Tell in the Dark which he read when he was growing up.

“I enjoy giving people a taste of fear,”  Smith said.  “I’ve been doing short films for so long that it’s actually harder for me to do a feature.  But if you give me three minutes, five minutes, or even ten minutes, it’s easier for me to tell my story.  It has to be tight; the minutes have to be filled, but I love leaving that audience with that cliffhanger.  Always leave them wanting more!”

The young director, who just signed on to create content for Crypt TV, has a whole host of short films in the works as well as a feature he hopes to begin shooting at the end of the year.  If they’re as creative and fresh as “Van”, I’m sure we’re in for many more spectacular thrills and kills from Domonic Smith.

Check out “Van” below!

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“Mickey Vs. Winnie”: Iconic Childhood Characters Collide in A Terrifying Versus Slasher

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iHorror is diving deep into film production with a chilling new project that’s sure to redefine your childhood memories. We’re thrilled to introduce ‘Mickey vs. Winnie,’ a groundbreaking horror slasher directed by Glenn Douglas Packard. This isn’t just any horror slasher; it’s a visceral showdown between twisted versions of childhood favorites Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh. ‘Mickey vs. Winnie’ brings together the now-public-domain characters from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ books and Mickey Mouse from the 1920s ‘Steamboat Willie’ cartoon in a VS battle like never before seen.

Mickey VS Winnie
Mickey VS Winnie Poster

Set in the 1920s, the plot kicks off with a disturbing narrative about two convicts who escape into a cursed forest, only to be swallowed by its dark essence. Fast forward a hundred years, and the story picks up with a group of thrill-seeking friends whose nature getaway goes horribly wrong. They accidentally venture into the same cursed woods, finding themselves face-to-face with the now monstrous versions of Mickey and Winnie. What follows is a night filled with terror, as these beloved characters mutate into horrifying adversaries, unleashing a frenzy of violence and bloodshed.

Glenn Douglas Packard, an Emmy-nominated choreographer turned filmmaker known for his work on “Pitchfork,” brings a unique creative vision to this film. Packard describes “Mickey vs. Winnie” as a tribute to horror fans’ love for iconic crossovers, which often remain just a fantasy due to licensing restrictions. “Our film celebrates the thrill of combining legendary characters in unexpected ways, serving up a nightmarish yet exhilarating cinematic experience,” says Packard.

Produced by Packard and his creative partner Rachel Carter under the Untouchables Entertainment banner, and our very own Anthony Pernicka, founder of iHorror, “Mickey vs. Winnie” promises to deliver an entirely new take on these iconic figures. “Forget what you know about Mickey and Winnie,” Pernicka enthuses. “Our film portrays these characters not as mere masked figures but as transformed, live-action horrors that merge innocence with malevolence. The intense scenes crafted for this movie will change how you see these characters forever.”

Currently underway in Michigan, the production of “Mickey vs. Winnie” is a testament to pushing boundaries, which horror loves to do. As iHorror ventures into producing our own films, we’re excited to share this thrilling, terrifying journey with you, our loyal audience. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to transform the familiar into the frightful in ways you’ve never imagined.

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Mike Flanagan Comes Aboard To Assist in Completion of ‘Shelby Oaks’

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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.

Shelby Oaks
Shelby Oaks

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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New ‘MaXXXine’ Image is Pure 80s Costume Core

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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.

MaXXXine Official Trailer

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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