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The Legend of El Muerto: The Headless Horseman Who Haunts Texas

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Washington Irving’s fictional The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has become a celebrated tale about a ghostly headless horseman. But there is another story—a true one—that takes place in Texas.

Back in the mid-1800s, South Texas was a hotbed of criminal activity. So much so, law enforcement agents known as the Texas Rangers were created to help stop the problem. Their task, among other things, was to keep criminals in check.

Since Texas and Mexico were entrenched in a border war, it was a perfect time for bandits to take advantage of the distraction.

One such bandit, in Austin, by the name of Vidal had a long record for horse thievery and decided to make what would be the biggest mistake of his life: steal horses from Creed Taylor, a Texas Ranger who didn’t take kindly to criminals especially ones who acted against him personally.

A Real Texas Ranger

Taylor got wind of Vidal’s actions and banded together with two other Rangers, Flores and William Alexander Anderson Wallace, aka “Big Foot.” The trio tracked Vidal and his posse to their hideout and killed them. But Taylor wasn’t quite finished with Vidal’s corpse.

It’s said that the angry Ranger decapitated the thief and strung his headless body to a horse. He strapped Vidal’s head to the animal as well and set them off to wander aimlessly throughout the Texas landscape forever.

El Muerte

El Muerte

There were plenty of sightings of the meandering headless cadaver and his wayward horse–Vidal’s ever-decomposing body was riddled from the effects from the Texas sun. This gave locals such a fright they deemed the image a specter mostly because they couldn’t stop it. It seemed the steed was immune to bullet fire.

Sightings Continued of the Ghost Throughout Texas

Eventually, Vidal and his horse were captured. His body was ravaged with weapon slugs and protruding arrows; his separated head taut and sallow.  Both parts of the bandit were unceremoniously buried.  But earth and stone weren’t going to keep ol’ Vidal down.

Sightings continued of his headless body mounted on a horse. Some say the horse spit flames from its nostrils and lightning from its feet. One San Diego-bound couple recalled seeing the apparition, and this time it spoke: “It is mine. It is all mine!”

There was also another sighting of the marauding specter in 1969.

The name El Muerto was born.

A Non-Living Legend

As with most legends, there are bits of truth contained therein. In the El Muerto tale, there was actually a Texas Ranger named Creed Taylor who took responsibility for Vidal’s death and beheading.

Maybe not as renown as writer Irving’s headless horseman in Sleepy Hollow, El Muerto still captures the imagination of a creepy local Texas legend rooted in fact. And sometimes those ghost stories are the most frightening.

To this day, people report seeing El Muerto riding under the cover of the mesquite on warm, clear nights over the landscape.

Vidal’s headless body and his unfortunate horse are doomed to ride beneath the Southern Texas moonlight for all eternity.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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