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Jesse Klein’s “Demons” to Play at FilmOut San Diego LGBT Film Festival

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A young man sits in group therapy relating how he’s just murdered a man by slitting his throat.  The rest of his group can totally relate.  One likes to kill using a short sword; another has a real thing for poison.  They discuss it with a fervent glee until the therapist in charge of the group calls them to order and reminds them that the group isn’t here to discuss their murderous instincts.  No, there purpose is much more serious.  These men are gay and that’s just not okay.  The therapist snorts a short line of cocaine and they get down to business.

This is the opening for Jesse Klein’s highly engaging and entertaining short, “Demons”, which will be making its West Coast debut at the San Diego FilmOut LGBT film festival in June.  The film drives home the point that there are worse things in the world than being gay, and came from Klein’s own personal dreams and experiences.

“I was looking at all of these anti-gay protesters,” Klein says, “and all I could think was that they could be using that energy for something so much more important.  I mean, if you’re going to base your protests on the Bible, why not pick one of the Ten Commandments?  Let’s protest murder!”

And so we find Matt, our protagonist, walking through a world that is hyper-violent.  People are beating each other in the streets, stealing from each other, etc.  He arrives at the home of his new boyfriend, a local butcher.  He’s greeted at the door and they kiss, only to hear the woman next door scoff at them as she’s handing her young beer swilling daughter an automatic rifle.

It isn’t only scoffing neighbors Matt will have to worry about on date night, however.  His serial killing parents are getting older and just not able to finish a job like they used to be.  So, when they call him in the middle of dinner, he has to leave Adam to help them clean up a mess they’ve made in a local ultra-conservative bar full of war-glorifying, gay hating douchebags.  What follows is a throat slashing extravaganza under multi-hued club lights that would make Sweeney Todd proud.

I asked Klein if he’d had any negative responses from audiences with a scene that could easily be seen as mirroring the tragic shooting at Pulse in Florida last year, and he said that remarkably there had been none of that.

“I think because I flipped it, because it’s these uber-Republicans with signs in the club that read “WAR!!” and “Kill the Gays!!” that they see what I’m doing with it and they respect it.  Honestly, I’ve had more people ask me why I didn’t have more blood in that scene!”

When his parents come in to help him clean up the bodies, he makes his excuses to get back to his date, switching pronouns from “he” to “she”, still hiding the fact that he’s gay.  As he leaves the club, his obviously proud parents watch him go with beaming smiles and turning to each other the father remarks that he loves his gay son.

“I think that’s what happens with a lot of people nowadays,” the writer/director laughs.  “I made a documentary about how I’d rather jump out of a plane and skydive than tell my parents I’m gay, and the thing this most of the time, they already know and they’re just waiting for you to tell them.”

Matt heads back to Adam and as they finish up their date night with a little pillow talk, he apologizes for having to leave earlier.  It’s at this point that my favorite revelation of the film comes through and it’s so good I refuse to tell you about it.  This is one little twist you have to see for yourself!

Klein presents a world that is both absurd and real in “Demons”.  The satire is worthy of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and equally as satisfying in its measured lesson on the absurdities of anti-gay sentiments.

Javan Nelson turns in s a charming performance as Matt.  He fully inhabits the transition from a young man who just might be falling in love to feral serial killer, and manages to do it with a Puckish grin that will melt your heart.

FilmOut San Diego will present “Demons” alongside four other horror shorts June 10, 2017  beginning at 10 pm.  For ticket information, visit the festival website!

DEMONS Trailer from Jesse Klein on Vimeo.

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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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