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In the 1990s, Hollywood found both success and failure by digging deep into the back catalog of horror master Stephen King. The decade saw some of the best adaptations of his work and some of the worst (we don't need to talk about "The Lawnmower Man"), but its high and low points alike notably drew from lesser-known King works, as many of his major hits were already adapted in the decades prior. "Thinner" falls into this category: Released in 1984, the novel that inspired the movie was well-regarded upon release, but is mostly known now as the book that helped readers identify King as the writer behind pseudonym Richard Bachman.

Plenty of King fans love "Thinner," but the novel about an overweight man who is cursed to lose weight rapidly to the point of emaciation isn't exactly as high profile as the novelist's more zeitgeist-defining works. The Tom Holland-directed film...

One Stephen King adaptation from the 1990s would have been a very different film if it had starred John Candy, which was the original plan.

Per CinemaBlend, the Scream Factory Blu-ray release of the 1996 movie Thinner included a commentary track with producer Mitchell Galin sharing some new insight into the film. According to Galin, John Candy was the first choice to play the film's lead character. In fact, an offer was sent out to Candy prior to the beloved actor's death in 1994, but he was apparently not interested. Galin isn't exactly sure why Candy declined the film, noting how he didn't "care" too much and quickly moved forward with the production.

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"We did reach out to [John] Candy’s people," the producer said.

Thinner, a 1996 movie adaptation of Stephen King's novel, had John Candy as King's original choice for the lead role of Billy Halleck. Candy reportedly declined the role, possibly because he didn't spark to the material, and Robert John Burke ultimately played the character. Candy's inclusion in Thinner might have tarnished his career as a comedy icon.

Stephen King adaptations have not always been as successful as in recent years, with many movies of the ‘80s and ‘90s failing to capture the horror master’s nuances on screen. For every Carrie, there has been a Maximum Overdrive, and among the list of critically panned King adaptations is Thinner, the 1996 movie based on a novel written under King’s pseudonym of Richard Bachman. In a new commentary track on Shout! Factory’s Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of the film, producer Mitchell Galin revealed that an iconic comedy star was King’s...

We all remember John Candy as one of the most lovable comedians to have ever stepped in front of the screen. So rare were his dramatic performances that many might be hard-pressed to name any (he really only dipped his toe through JFK and Only the Lonely). But if Stephen King had gotten his way, Candy would have starred in Thinner, which is about a man who gets a curse placed upon him that causes him to lose weight at a deadly rate.

As noted on the commentary track of Shout! Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray release of Thinner (via CinemaBlend), producer Mitchell Galin revealed that King had the idea to cast Candy as Billy Halleck. However, there might have been an ulterior motive, but, jokingly, King pitched it. “We did reach out to [John] Candy’s people. Steve’s comment was like, ‘We’ll pay him a nice chunk of money,...

Horror author Stephen King originally wanted John Candy for the lead role in the adaptation of one of his novels. Candy's comedic talent and potential for a dramatic role made him an interesting choice for the film. Despite reaching out to Candy's representatives, the casting did not work out, and the movie ended up being a failure regardless.

A producer on one of the worst Stephen King adaptations reveals the horror author originally wanted John Candy for the lead. The world lost a comedy legend when Candy passed away in 1994 at the age of just 43. After an early string of memorable supporting roles, one-time Sctv mainstay Candy became a lead with 1985’s Summer Rental, going on to star in numerous classic comedies, including Spaceballs, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors and Uncle Buck.

Comedy was indeed Candy’s specialty throughout his career, but a producer on the maligned King...

Actor Joe Mantegna has previously recorded a commentary for the 1996 Stephen King adaptation Thinner with the film’s director Tom Holland (whose other credits include Fright Night and Child’s Play)… but that didn’t stop him from sitting down to record a new commentary for Scream Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray release of Thinner! This time, Mantegna was joined by producer Mitchell Galin – and we’ll get to hear what they had to say about Thinner when the Blu-ray is released on January 23rd. Copies are available for pre-order through the Scream Factory website and on Amazon.

Scripted by Tom Holland and Michael McDowell, Thinner is based on a novel King wrote under his Richard Bachman pen name and tells a story of supernatural terror as one man faces a countdown to the ultimate excruciating payback. A 109-year-old Romani man, hell-bent on revenge for the death of his daughter, exacts a...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week — and since we’re off next week, you get an extra item!

Ghoulies Plushes from Toynk

Who among us hasn’t wanted to cuddle with the Ghoulies? Your dream can come true in the end, thanks to Toynk.

Summon 14″ plush toys of Fish Ghoulie, Cat Ghoulie, and Rat Ghoulie for $30 each. They’re currently eligible for a Buy 3, Get 1 Free deal.

Creature from the Black Lagoon Figure from Super 7

Creature from the Black Lagoon is joining Super7’s Super Cyborg line of “x-ray” toys next month for $125. Shipping is free with the code WINTER79.

The 11″ action figure features three removable panels that expose the anatomy of Gillman’s head, arm, and torso. It has seven points of articulation.

Writing as Richard Bachman, Stephen King's Thinner has always stuck with me as one of his most chilling and decidedly bleak novels, so it's especially thrilling to see that Tom Holland's 1996 adaptation of Thinner is coming to Blu-ray in a new Collector's Edition from Scream Factory that's brimming with bonus features, including an interview with Holland, two new audio commentaries, and much more!

Press Release: On January 23, 2024, Scream Factory™ will unleash the horror thriller Thinner Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray. This definitive collector’s edition release includes new audio commentary with producer Mitchell Galin and actor Joe Mantegna, new audio commentary with film critic and historian Lee Gambin and novelist Aaron Dries, new interviews with director Tom Holland, and actor Lucinda Jenney, and much more! Loyal fans and collectors, Thinner Collector’s Edition Blu-ray is available for pre-order now at ShoutFactory.com.

*Special Offer: Order from ShoutFactory.com...

In the ’70s, George A. Romero and his producing partner Richard P. Rubinstein formed the company Laurel Entertainment, and one TV show that came out of Laurel during Romero and Rubinstein’s years of working together was Tales from the Darkside, an anthology that mixed science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Earlier this year, we looked back at Tales from the Darkside for an episode of the Horror TV Shows We Miss video series. Romero left Laurel in the mid-’80s, and a while later Rubinstein oversaw another horror anthology TV show. That show was called Monsters, and it’s the one we’re digging into with the new episode of Horror TV Shows We Miss. Check it out in the embed above!

Created by Rubinstein and Mitchell Galin, Monsters has the following synopsis:

From modern-day fables of fear, to stories that uncover the trembling terrors of times past, each episode...

Ahead of its second season premiere on April 1st, the horror anthology series Creepshow has been renewed by Shudder for a six-episode third season that's slated to debut later this year!

Press Release: Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY - February 18, 2021 - Shudder, AMC Networks' premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced today from the Television Critics' Association (TCA) Press Tour the renewal of the hit anthology series Creepshow for a third season of six episodes, set to premiere later this year. The renewal comes ahead of the series' season two debut on Shudder and AMC+, the premium streaming bundle, on April 1, with new episodes airing each week. The show will also air on AMC at a later date. Actors Ethan Embry and Andrew Bachelor, aka King Bach will join as guest stars in season three, with more guest stars to be announced. Based on George A. Romero's iconic 1982 movie,...

Shudder has more screams in store after the streaming service renewed Creepshow for a third season.

The service will bring Creepshow back for another six episode run to premiere later this year,

Shudder revealed the renewal ahead of AMC Networks’ virtual TCA winter press tour session. The third season will feature guest stars including Ethan Embry (Grace & Frankie) and Andrew Bachelor (The Walking Dead).

Creepshow‘s renewal comes ahead of the horror anthology’s season two premiere on April 1 on Shudder and AMC+.

“During our season two production, Shudder was so pleased with what they were seeing that they asked us to roll right into production on a brand-new third season that will feature some of our most ambitious stories yet,” said executive producer and showrunner Greg Nicotero. “I’m incredibly thankful to the team at Shudder for the opportunity to continue honoring the genre with more gleefully ghoulish tales over not one,...

Shudder has released the trailer for A Creepshow Holiday Special. AMC Networks' premium streaming service for horror, thriller, and the supernatural, also released some new images from the special, which is all set to premiere December 18th, exclusively on the horror streaming service in all its territories, along with the Shudder offering within the AMC+ bundle. 2020 has been tricky for Shudder's Creepshow, but Greg Nicotero and crew have adapted to bring new content to horror fans all over the world.

A Creepshow Holiday Special stars Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Adam Pally (The Mindy Project). It is written and directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero and based on a short story by J.A. Konrath (Last Call). In the holiday themed, hour-long episode, Shapeshifters Anonymous, fearing he is a murderer, an anxious man searches for answers for his "unique condition" from an unusual support group.

A Creepshow Holiday Special trailer...

Shudder has announced A Creepshow Holiday Special set to premiere December 18th. The Christmas special will be available exclusively on the horror streaming service in all its territories, as well as via the Shudder offering within the AMC+ bundle. Production on Creepshow season 2 was halted earlier this year due to the public health crisis, but that did not stop Greg Nicotero and crew from getting some other work done. One of the projects Nicotero worked on was the recently-released Creepshow animated Halloween special, and now, we have a Christmas special on the way.

In the holiday themed, hour-long Creepshow episode, Shapeshifters Anonymous, fearing he is a murderer, an anxious man searches for answers for his "unique condition" from an unusual support group. Starring Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Adam Pally (The Mindy Project), the special is written and directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero. It is based on a short story by J.

In April, as everyone was just getting used to conducting affairs through Zoom calls, director Rob Savage had an idea: Set up an elaborate video-conference prank in which he explores the source of creepy footsteps coming from his attic, ending in a horrifying jump scare for his friends. The two-minute video, now viewed over 220,000 times on Twitter, immediately sparked the interest of executives at horror streaming service Shudder.

“We said, ‘Let’s talk right away.’ What sold us was ‘Zoom seance,'” Shudder general manger Craig Engler recalled of the timely concept. “It was 12 weeks from the time we were pitched the movie to the time it ended up on Shudder.”

The 57-minute film based on Savage’s video, “Host,” released in July, exemplifies why AMC Networks’ Shudder has been able to find success in such a crowded streaming landscape. The service, which launched in 2015, crossed 1 million subscribers in September thanks to its nimbleness,...

Four ghoulish fables in one modern nightmare. On August 25, 2020, Scream Factory proudly presents the anthology Tales from the Darkside: The Movie Collector's Edition in its ultimate Blu-ray debut. The horror fan-favorite comes home in a release packed with bonus features, including a new audio commentary with co-producer David R. Kappes and a new six-chapter feature-length documentary featuring a bevy of cast and crew. Fans who order from shoutfactory.com will also receive an exclusive poster, while supplies last.

From the clever and creepy minds of Stephen King (Pet Sematary), Michael McDowell (Beetlejuice), George A. Romero (Dawn of the Dead) and Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), comes an all-star anthology of horror.

To keep from being eaten by a modern-day witch, a young paperboy weaves three twisted stories to distract her. In "Lot 249," a vengeful college student resuscitates an evil mummy to teach unsuspecting student bodies a lesson in terror.

Although it may be difficult to believe, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, and Scream Factory is celebrating with a new Collector's Edition Blu-ray of the beloved horror anthology on August 25th. Ahead of its release, we've been provided with the full list of special features for the new Blu, including a massive making-of documentary:

Press Release: Los Angeles, CA – Four ghoulish fables in one modern nightmare. On August 25, 2020, Scream Factory proudly presents the anthology Tales from the Darkside: The Movie. (Collector’s Edition) in its ultimate Blu-ray debut. The horror fan-favorite comes home in a release packed with bonus features, including a new audio commentary with co-producer David R. Kappes and a new six-chapter feature-length documentary featuring a bevy of cast and crew. Fans who order from shoutfactory.com will also receive an exclusive poster, while supplies last.

From the clever and...

Network: Syfy. Episodes: 12 (hour). Seasons: One. TV show dates: October 20, 2017 — January 18, 2018. Series status: Cancelled. Performers include: Mario Van Peebles, W. Earl Brown, Demetria McKinney, Diamond Dallas Page, Robinne Lee, Brad James, Morgana Van Peebles, T.C. Carter, and Tatiana Lia Zappardino. TV show description: A Syfy horror drama, the Superstition TV show centers on the Hastings family of La Rochelle, Georgia. They include Calvin (James), Bea (Lee), May (McKinney), and Isaac (Van Peebles). The Hastings happen to own the only funeral home and cemetery in town. Since La Rochelle is a dark and curious place, the Hastings' duties extend beyond the responsibilities people typically associate with mortuaries and...

Syfy doesn't restrict itself to science fiction programming. Some new fantasy dramas are making their debut in the 2017-18 television season. The first seasons of Ghost Wars and Superstition kicked off within a couple of weeks of each other. Is the supernatural still a safe bet for this cable channel? Will Superstition be cancelled or renewed for season two? Stay tuned. A horror drama, Superstition stars Mario Van Peebles, W. Earl Brown, Demetria McKinney, Diamond Dallas Page, Robinne Lee, Brad James, Morgana Van Peebles, T.C. Carter, and Tatiana Lia Zappardino. The Syfy series centers on the Hastings family of La Rochelle, Georgia. They happen to own the only funeral home and cemetery in town. Because of unexplained deaths due to demonic activity, the family also offers “afterlife care.” In addition to their arsenal of esoteric weapons, the...

There's another Stephen King movie on the way! His novella, The Gingerbread Girl, is the latest story of his to get picked up for a feature film adaptation. The rights to the story were snatched up by Brainstorm Media.

The Gingerbread Girl was originally published in Esquire magazine and was later included in King’s 2008 collection of stories Just After Sunset.

For those of you not familiar with the story, it focuses on a woman named Emily, who is "recovering from a recent loss in a secluded house in the loneliest stretch of New England. She avoids contact with her husband and her father and channels her grief into a grueling daily running regimen. This is doing her all kinds of good, until one day she makes the mistake of looking into the driveway of a man named Pickering. Pickering also enjoys privacy, but the young women he brings to...

Stephen King’s novella The Gingerbread Girl has been optioned by U.S. production and distribution outfit Brainstorm Media, which plans to distribute the film in North America. Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is launching foreign sales efforts on the thriller in Cannes.

Frequent King collaborator Craig R. Baxley will direct the film from a screenplay written by King and Baxley. Mitchell Galin will produce. Casting is currently underway.

Baxley has previously directed the King adaptations Storm of the Century, The Triangle, Kingdom Hospital and Rose Red, while Galin produced the adaptations of King’s Pet Sematary, The Stand, Thinner, The Night Flier, Creepshow 2, The Langoliers and Golden Years.

The Gingerbread Girl originally appeared in Esquire magazine, and was later included in King’s 2008 collection of stories Just After Sunset. The story focuses on Emily, a woman recovering from a recent loss in a secluded house in the loneliest stretch of New England.

Brainstorm Media is getting into the Stephen King business, and has optioned the author’s 2007 novella “The Gingerbread Girl” for film. Brainstorm will handle U.S. and Canadian distribution.

King is set to co-write the script with frequent collaborator Craig R. Baxley, who will also direct. Baxley previously directed television adaptations of King’s novels “Storm of the Century,” “The Triangle,” “Kingdom Hospital,” and “Rose Red.” Casting for “The Gingerbread Girl” is currently underway.

Mitchell Galin will produce “The Gingerbread Girl,” having previously produced adaptations of King’s “Pet Sematary,” “The Stand,” “Thinner,” “The Night Flier,” “The Langoliers,” and “Golden Years.”...

What's going on with Superstition? Recently, Syfy shifted the TV series to a different day and time.The horror drama centers on the Hastings family of La Rochelle, Georgia. They happen to own the only funeral home and cemetery in town. Because of unexplained deaths due to demonic activity, the family also offers “afterlife care.” The cast includes Mario Van Peebles, W. Earl Brown, Demetria McKinney, Diamond Dallas Page, Robinne Lee, Brad James, Morgana Van Peebles, T.C. Carter, and Tatiana Lia Zappardino.Read More…...

In development since November 2013, The CW Network has officially ordered a pilot for their Tales from the Darkside reboot. Joe Hill, the author of Horns, Locke & Key and the son of celebrated novelist Stephen King, is writing the pilot script and executive producing alongside Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

The original horror anthology series, which was created by George A. Romero, ran for four seasons on CBS between 1984 and 1988. It was later adapted for the big screen in 1990's Tales from the Darkside: The Movie. Each episode of the show told an individual short story with a twist, in the same vein as other programs such as Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and Tales from the Crypt. The show typically stayed within the horror, science fiction, and fantasy genres, but certain episodes featured more dark comedy or lighthearted themes.

Joe Hill, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are executive producing alongsdie Heather Kadin,...

Delivering laughs for the entire family, Apostles of Comedy: Onwards and Upwards is a hilarious stand-up comedy feature film aimed at the faith-based community but ready to be loved by everyone, starring comedy superstars Jeff Allen, Ron Pearson and Keith Alberstadt. We have the exclusive trailer, with the film in select theaters starting June 14 from XLrator Media. Laugh and enjoy the ride!

Apostles Of Comedy: Onwards And Upwards - Exclusive "Trailer"

Apostles of Comedy: Onwards and Upwards comes to theaters June 14th, 2013 and stars Jeff Allen, Ron Pearson, Keith Alberstadt. The film is directed by Mitchell Galin, Lenny Sisselman.

Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 I’ll let Jack Crow (James Woods) from John Carpenter’s Vampires lead us into this week’s retrospective: “Well first of all, they’re not romantic. It’s not like they’re a bunch of fuckin’ fags hoppin’ around in rented formal wear and seducing everybody in sight with cheesy Euro-trash accents, all right? Forget whatever you’ve seen in the movies: they don’t turn into bats, crosses don’t work. Garlic? You wanna try garlic? You could stand there with garlic around your neck and one of these buggers will bend you fucking over and take a walk up your strada-chocolata While he’s suckin’ the blood outta your neck, all right? And they don’t sleep in coffins lined in taffeta. You wanna kill one, you drive a wooden stake right through his fuckin’ heart. Sunlight turns ‘em into crispy critters.

A mysterious bloodsucker flies into the boondocks airports of New England, kills the attendants, sucks their blood and disappears into the psychosphere in this adaptation of a Stephen King short story.

Although the blood type of this scarer is G (for generic), young male ghoulheads will likely find sufficient entertainment sustenance in this cannily crafted hacker.

Opening today for New Line in very limited release, "Stephen King The's Night Flier", however, will likely fly straight to video, where it will win a more vital second life.

Inspired by a fringe character from "The Dead Zone", the film centers around a sleazy tabloid reporter, Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer), who fancies himself a major journalist. Dees is tenacious, irascible and vile and every bit as much a prima donna as one could find on a big-city daily.

Inevitably, every story is too small for his expertise. But Dees has a wily editor who knows how to inveigle him onto any assignment, playing with his ego and goading him to frustration. After all, when Dees digs into a story, he goes all the way. Not surprisingly, Stephen King has pinned this personality strength/flaw to the story's main plot peg as Dees journalistically "stalks" the phantom flier.

King tacks on a juicy philosophical appendage: When does the story, and in particular this kind of grisly story, take over the sensibility of the writer or investigator?

Unfortunately, the plotting gives away its ultimate ending quickly and easily. Even those of us who avoid horror films as much as professional license allows can spot the pat, psychological symmetries of this concoction.

Still, with this type of film, the hacking usually wins out over any hack-job narration and, indeed, "Night Flier" oozes with the lifeblood staples of the genre: caped characters, grisly killings, weird locals, inclement weather and, as ever, the hint of sexual debauchery.

Credit screenwriters Mark Pavia (who also directs) and Jack O'Donnell for lining up the elements and generally keeping them in order. Undeniably, there are some unintentional laughs from the straightforward dialogue.

In general, director Pavia has carved out a serviceable product, infusing it with the right mix of tension and emotional relief. As the consumed tabloid reporter, Ferrer is well-cast, menacing and more than a tad scary. Julie Entwisle, as his young, ambitious protege, exudes the ambitions and contradictions of dewy but deadly "intern" employees.

Technical contributions are solid, with special praise to composer Brian Keane for the chilly yet luscious musical score. It's far better and much richer than this type of film usually gets.

STEPHEN King The's NIGHT FLIER

New Line Cinema

New Amsterdam Entertainment Inc.

In association with Stardust International Ltd. & Medusa Film SpA

Presents a Richard P. Rubinstein production

A Mark Pavia film

Producers: Richard P. Rubinstein, Mitchell Galin

Director: Mark Pavia

Screenwriters: Mark Pavia, Jack O'Donnell

Based on a story by: Stephen King

Executive producer: David Kappes

Co-producer: Alfredo Cuomo

Director of photography: David Connell

Special effects make-up: KNB EFX Group Inc.

Editor: Elizabeth Schwartz

Production designer: Burton Rencher

Costume designer:Pauline White

Music: Brian Keane

Casting: Leonard Finger, Lyn Richmond

Color/stereo

Cast:

Richard Dees: Miguel Ferrer

Merton Morrison: Dan Monahan

Dwight Renfeld: Michael H. Moss

Katherine Blair: Julie Entwisle

Running time -- 99 minutes

MPAA rating: R...