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James Quinn’s Horror Manifests from Real Psychological Pain

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It was six or seven years ago that Austrian filmmaker James Quinn was first diagnosed with schizophrenia.  What followed were five years of unimaginable horror the likes of which we genre fans will probably never experience.

Two years of just trying to get the right medication and dosing plus an additional three years where life seemed to throw every kind of hell imaginable at him.  There were suicide attempts and the loss of friends as he began to open up about his mental illness and they simply couldn’t handle what was happening.

In a moment of pure desperation, he decided to make a film that would, if successful, show the world some of what he’d been through.  That short film was called The Law of Sodom.  He wrote scenes when his mind was in a manic state and at one pivotal moment, even filmed himself in the midst of a manic episode in a scene that is visceral and terrifying in ways that must be seen to be believed.

In an equally bold move, he sent that short film to the first ever Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio and it was chosen to screen at midnight.  To his further astonishment, he won an award for his efforts.

It was that win that began to turn Quinn’s life around.  He began his next projects immediately and formed Sodom and Chimera Productions.  Soon, he was making Flesh of the Void which was screened at this year’s Nightmares Film Festival.

Flesh of the Void‘s official synopsis on IMDb is as follows:

Flesh of the Void is a terribly disturbing experimental horror film about what it could feel like if death truly were the most horrible thing one could ever experience. It is intended as a trip through the deepest fears of human beings, exploring its subject in a highly grotesque, violent and extreme manner.

“I was pretty sure I wanted to actually shoot on film,” Quinn explained to me as we chatted via Skype a few days after the festival ended.  “I didn’t have the resources or the experience to do it when I shot The Law of Sodom, but I knew I needed to do that for this project.”

It began with a couple of rolls of Kodachrome, one of the earliest forms of film.  In fact, the film was so old that the chemicals needed to develop them actually no longer exist.  Not to be outdone, however, Quinn began experimenting with his own chemical process to develop the film.

“Some of the rolls wouldn’t develop at all, or they came out completely black.  The ones that did were the most grainy and disgusting things I’ve ever seen!” Quinn enthused.  “I even took the negatives and slapped them on the ground after developing to add to the scratches and graininess.  It all added to the overall look.”

In step with the rest of his process, writing and shooting and filming all took place seemingly out of order.  He would search out locations and then return home to write out his surreal scenes then return to the places he found to shoot.  Ultimately, he broke the film into three acts with a different type of film used for each.  Act One was Kodachrome; Act Two was modern Super 8, and the final act was filmed using 16mm.

“It’s a continuous increase in quality in terms of sharpness and grain,” he says.  “By the third act, I think there is a lot of beauty.  I tried to make and show the beauty in creepy and disgusting things.”

The process seems to have worked.  It was a moment no one who attended Nightmares Film Festival 2017 will forget as Quinn was awarded Best Overall Feature, and we watched a young man overcome with emotion as he explained that the festival had saved his life and that he would return every year whether he had a film in the festival or not because it meant so much to him.

“It changed my life,” he told me.  “I’ve always enjoyed solitude my entire life, but I realized that I actually enjoyed being a part of a community   I have a family here.”

As our interview ended, I couldn’t help feeling that I’d spent a half hour talking to perhaps the most sensitive filmmaker I’d ever met…a man who has walked through a personal hell that would have crushed other people, and found a way to create from that destruction.  He’s a face that will change the landscape of experimental horror.  In fact, he already has.

For more information about Flesh of the Void, you can follow the film on Facebook.  And keep your eyes peeled.  We’ve not heard the last of James Quinn.

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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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