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“Ghost House”: Behind the Scenes with Kevin and Rich Ragsdale

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When Kevin Ragsdale and his wife had their first child, they decided to take him to Thailand (his wife’s country of origin) to introduce him to the family.  Kevin’s brother Rich and Rich’s girlfriend tagged along, and while dealing with considerable jet lag, the two decided to take a walk through the surrounding jungle.  Little did they know that their late night stroll would lead to inspiration.

As Rich and his girlfriend continued their trek, they came to a clearing.  Around the clearing, they found numerous “retired” ghost houses in various states disarray.

“My first reaction was this is really cool,” Rich laughed.  “And then, you know, we’re poking around and it suddenly occurs to me that maybe this is a little stupid!”

You see, ghost houses are an ancient tradition in Southeast Asia.  The small, often elaborate structures are placed outside homes and businesses set aside as a sacred space for spirits who might visit the structure.  It’s meant to appease those spirits, but to also set up a place to commune with the spirits of nature.  They are highly regarded and are literally set on pedestals among the communities.

The repository, a ghost house graveyard as the brothers came to call it, set a fire in their imaginations.

“It was something we’d never seen before in an American horror film,”  Kevin pointed out, “but we thought it could be very cool and that American audiences would be open to it.”

Kevin and Rich sat down to flesh out the story and then brought in screenwriters because, as they both admitted, dialogue isn’t their strong suit, and soon their script was complete.

Scout Taylor-Compton and James Landry Hebert with the crew on set of Ghost House.

Aptly named, Ghost House, centers on Julie and Jim, an American couple played by Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween 2) and James Landry Hebert (Super 8, “Westworld”), on a romantic vacation in tropical Thailand.  When Julie disturbs an old ghost house, she soon finds herself both haunted and hunted by an angry female spirit.

Now that they had a script, it was time to work for funding which the brothers tell me wasn’t the easiest quest.

“Yeah, it took a while when we’re telling people why don’t you help us fund this movie in Thailand…where you’ll have no control,” Rich explains.

“And it’s halfway around the world,” Kevin piped in.

“Come on,” Rich said, “no one does anything weird with their money in Thailand!”

Behind the Scenes Still provided by Rich Ragsdale

Regardless, the funding was finally secured and casting began in earnest with Taylor-Compton and Hebert coming onto the project rather quickly.  The largest question mark for the brothers became casting the Thai cast.  They had no idea what the local acting pool was like, and the language barrier presented its own problem, especially for the pivotal character of Gogo, Julie and Jim’s driver and the man who ultimately explains the ghost houses and helps them when things get terrifying.

Their blessing came in Michael S. New.  The actor, who is half-Thai, Half-Canadian was perfect for the role that was based on the Ragsdales’ driver on their own fateful trip to Thailand.

Through it all, it seemed that, though it was definitely work getting started, the way things fell together was kismet.  Acclaimed make-up and prosthetic designer Vincent Van Dyke set to work designing the phenomenal special effects make-ups for a shoot that was made up of predominantly practical effects.

Meanwhile, Rich, who was already directing the film, set to work composing a glorious score made up of orchestral pieces that paid homage to great classic horror films, synth-style compositions as a nod to the horror scores of John Carpenter, and a mixture of local ethnic Thai musical sounds.  When the three come together, they create something that works in ways you cannot imagine, and I, for one, hope the score is released on CD or in download form, as well, for genre fans who love the music as much as the acting.

What’s more, the film spans the gap between East and West beautifully, a fact that Kevin points out ultimately works due to two distinct factors.

“My wife was there constantly,” he says.  “I should have given her a producer’s credit on the film.  She was really a guiding force.”

And the other factor?  The almost entirely Thai crew.

Rich and Kevin Ragsdale perform a Thai ritual to draw blessings on their first day of shooting.

The Ragsdales spent a lot of time talking to the crew about how they made movies and reinforcing that while it wasn’t really a Thai movie, it ultimately wasn’t an American movie either.

“We really wanted it to be an international film,” Rich finally explained.

The formula worked.  Ghost House opened at #2 in the Thailand box office and has continued to see that same sort of welcome throughout Southeast Asia in places like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Malaysia.

The Ragsdales’ production company is currently working on a few different projects and if Ghost House is any indication, I think we can expect great things from KNR Productions!

Ghost House is currently available on Video on Demand.  Check out the trailer below!

 

All photos provided courtesy of Rich Ragsdale

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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

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Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
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1994’s ‘The Crow’ Coming Back to Theaters for A New Special Engagement

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The Crow

Cinemark recently announced that they will be bringing The Crow back from the dead once again. This announcement comes just in time for the film’s 30th anniversary. Cinemark will be playing The Crow in select theaters on May 29th and 30th.

For those unaware, The Crow is a fantastic film based on the gritty graphic novel by James O’Barr. Widely considered one of the best films of the 90s, The Crow’s lifespan was cut short when Brandon Lee died of an accidental on set shooting.

The official synapsis of the film is as follows. “The modern-gothic original that entranced audiences and critics alike, The Crow tells the tale of a young musician brutally murdered alongside his beloved fiancée, only to be risen from the grave by a mysterious crow. Seeking revenge, he battles a criminal underground that must answer for its crimes. Adapted from the comic book saga of the same name, this action-packed thriller from director Alex Proyas (Dark City) features hypnotic style, dazzling visuals, and a soulful performance by the late Brandon Lee.”

The Crow

The timing of this release couldn’t be better. As a new generation of fans eagerly awaits the release of The Crow remake, they can now see the classic film in all of its glory. As much as we love Bill Skarsgard (IT), there is something timeless in Brandon Lee’s performance in the film.

This theatrical release is part of the Scream Greats series. This is a collaboration between Paramount Scares and Fangoria to bring audiences some of the best classic horror films. So far, they are doing a fantastic job.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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