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Exclusive: Expect To See New Releases On Shudder

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If you haven’t checked out Shudder yet, you’re missing out. For those who haven’t been following, Shudder is a new horror-only movie streaming service, which launched in beta last month. I was fortunate enough to get an early access invite ahead of the true launch to give it a test drive. I sent some questions Shudder’s way a while back, and while some of them have been answered with the launch itself, I did get additional responses courtesy of lead curator Colin Geddes.

Shudder

Asked to talk about how Shudder came to be, Geddes said:

On a dark and stormy night, a lightning bolt struck a TV antenna which was wired up to a strange creature stitched together from some of the best video store clerks and fanzine writers of all time, scavenged from moldy, dark graves. A horror super-service was born!

But seriously, Shudder is clearly an idea that’s long overdue: to provide horror film fans with a well thought out and curated selection of horror films, all at their fingertips. Some smart horror aficionados put their heads together and decided to put together the best horror “video store” on the internet. Whereas other services may offer a horror section, we offer a curated experience full of top quality cinema, not just “content”.

On the best way for users to know when titles have been added or removed:

We hope to continue adding new titles to the service on a regular, ongoing basis, so members will have a constantly growing library to choose from. We’ll be letting people know about what’s new by spotlighting recently added titles on the site, and also noting them on social media and in a members’ email bulletin.

When I first got my invite to Shudder, the first movie I watched was Asylum Blackout (which I recommend checking out if you haven’t seen it). I noticed about a week later that the title appeared to no longer be available. While it has since reappeared, I had asked about this and if other titles had been removed when I sent my questions in. While the question of this particular title is irrelevant now, Geddes’ response still provides some insight worth noting:

We are still in beta (aka, still reinforcing the stitching on our beautiful monster’s bodyparts), which means we’re continually refreshing artwork and adjusting copy to make the experience better. That said, if you go back into the service, you should be able to find Asylum Blackout once again.

Film rights are also a complex thing, and as with Netflix and other VOD services, films won’t necessarily stay on Shudder for eternity, as they may be available to us only for a specific period of time. However, you should get at least a year or two to enjoy a title before it disappears, so if something seems to be prematurely gone, email us!

I asked if Shudder has plans for original content or even syndicated serial content. Geddes said:

To keep reusing the metaphor … our monster is still a baby! We hope to add all kinds of things to its diet to make sure it grows into a big, scary beast! In other words, we’ve got lots of ideas in the works, but nothing to officially announce just yet.

Finally, a question that is probably on a lot of users’ minds: Can we expect to see new releases appear on Shudder? According to Geddes:

Yes. We’re hoping to get some cool exclusives for the service in the months to come. We will continue to offer a wide array of classics, and older titles, but we do want to keep our fans fed with a steady diet of fresh blood and guts!

It will be very interesting to see what kinds of deals Shudder can work out in this department. While the service is already a bargain for $5 a month (and already has 180 movies that aren’t on Netflix), the addition of new releases would significantly increase the value of a membership. Consider that new VOD rentals are typically more than that.

Geddes recently spoke with Modern Horrors further discussing his involvement and the service’s content strategy, so give that a read too. He talks about how filmmakers can try to get their films on the service, but notes that they won’t just take anything. In other words, there’s some quality control going on and of course rights negotiations.

Shudder has also been looking to add more curators, and has at least two new hires. Shock Till You Drop managing editor Samuel Zimmerman announced this past week that he’s leaving that site to take one of the spots. He had only taken on the Shock role in December after leaving a similar position at Fangoria where he had been since 2009. Shudder also added Sam Wunderl, who previously worked at Sony Pictures Classics, Advanced Alternative Media, and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

 

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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