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When it comes to ’80s horror, classics like The Shining, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th often steal the spotlight.

But for every iconic slasher and haunted hotel, there’s a treasure trove of forgotten horror films waiting in the shadows, ready to be rediscovered.

These aren’t the movies everyone talks about at Halloween parties — they’re the ones you stumbled upon at the video store, rented on a whim, and then never forgot.

(Universal Pictures/Screenshot)

From blood-soaked summer camps and sinister sororities to mind-bending nightmares and haunted mansions, the ’80s delivered a golden era of inventive, over-the-top horror.

And while Freddy and Jason were busy hogging the limelight, there were plenty of other creepy gems flying under the radar.

Whether you’re looking for gory slashers, supernatural chills, or just something gloriously weird, TV Fanatic has got you covered!

So, grab your popcorn, turn off the lights,...

After 35 years, Teen Witch star Robyn Lively‘s biggest fan might just be her little sister.

Marking the cult teen fantasy comedy’s milestone anniversary, the actress recalled how sister Blake Lively “would fan-girl over me” when Teen Witch premiered in 1989, and she continues to be a “massive” fan of the Dorian Walker-helmed film.

“It’s a family favorite, but not among my immediate family,” Robyn told Jezebel. “My kids love it, but it’s different. For my younger siblings… Blake was — and is — a massive Teen Witch fan. Like, she would fan-girl over me.”

In true stan fashion, Blake and husband Ryan Reynolds even recreated the film’s ‘Final Hour’ dance sequence for their 2012 wedding.

Teen Witch stars Robyn as high school nerd Louise Miller (Zelda Rubinstein), who learns from psychic Madame Serena that she possesses magical abilities, which kick in when she turns 16. With her newfound powers,...

In today's unnecessary franchises news, Amazon is developing a TV series based on "Poltergeist," the 1982 horror classic directed by the late, great Tobe Hooper and based on a story by Steven Spielberg (who co-wrote the script), which also inspired the song "Shining" by the band Misfits. According to Variety, Amazon MGM has tapped Kalinda Vazquez and Robbie Thompson to serve as writers, showrunners, and executive producers on the series. As of now, however, details are sparse when it comes to the show's approach to the larger franchise.

Vazquez previously worked on "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Prison Break," while Thompson worked on "Supernatural" and served as the showrunner for the prequel series "The Winchesters." The series also brings the horror property full circle, seeing as the original "Poltergeist" was actually inspired by a television show — specifically an episode of "The Twilight Zone" — and is now inspiring a TV series of its own.

While the home featured in the 1982 classic Poltergeist (watch it Here) sits on the market, looking for a buyer with more than $1 million to spare, Amazon MGM Studios is moving forward with the Poltergeist TV series we first heard about back in October of last year. Variety reports that the in-development project has just found the duo that will serve as the show’s writers, showrunners, and executive producers: Kalinda Vazquez and Robbie Thompson.

Variety notes that Vazquez has previously worked on the shows Fear the Walking Dead, Star Trek: Discovery, Once Upon a Time, Prison Break, and Nikita. She has also written for Marvel Comics, teaming up with Carlos Gomez for the comic book series America Chavez: Made in the USA. As for Thompson, he was a writer and co-executive producer on Supernatural and was also creator and showrunner of the prequel series The Winchesters. He has Marvel Comics experience of his own,...

Have you ever watched the 1982 classic Poltergeist (watch it Here) and wished you could live in the house that belonged to the Freeling family? Well, if you have around $1 million to spare, now you can! A Zillow listing reveals that the house used for the Freeling family home in Poltergeist, located at 4267 Roxbury Street in Simi Valley, California, is now up for sale, going for the price of $1,174,999.

Here’s the information from the Zillow listing: For the first time in 45 years, the legendary house from the movie Poltergeist is back on the market! Yes this is the home where much of the first movie of the series was filmed but “This house is clean.” Seriously, it is! Well-loved by its original owners, this charming 4 bedroom, 2 1/2-bathroom home is ready to welcome a new family, without the ghostly antics, we promise! Enjoy a thoughtfully designed layout perfect for entertaining, relaxing,...

Last year, Amazon closed an $8.5 billion acquisition of the film studio MGM, giving them ownership of the studio’s thousands of films and TV shows. Earlier this year, we heard that Poltergeist was one of the six MGM properties Amazon was most interested in doing something with… and now Variety has discovered that a Poltergeist TV series is in early development at Amazon MGM Studios! There are no plot details to share at this time, but Variety has been told “the show will be set within the world of the film”.

Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey are set to executive produce the series for Amblin Television.

Tobe Hooper, who had previously made The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Eaten Alive, Salem’s Lot, and The Funhouse, directed Poltergeist from a screenplay Steven Spielberg wrote with Michael Grais and Mark Victor. Spielberg also crafted the initial story. The film has the following synopsis: Strange...

Amazon MGM Studios is in the midst of early development for a TV series adaptation of classic horror film “Poltergeist,” TheWrap has learned.

Originally cowritten and produced by Steven Spielberg in 1982, the show version of “Poltergeist” will be executive produced by Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey on behalf of Amblin Television, which produced the original film. The TV series will be based on the world of the horror flick.

Starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson and Beatrice Straight, the 1982 film centers on the Freeling family, who learn shortly after moving into their suburban home that their house is full of malicious ghosts who abduct their 5-year-old daughter, Carol Anne. In an effort to rescue their daughter, the parents consult a parapsychologist and a spiritual medium.

Following the release of the Spielberg-created film, the “Poltergeist” franchise released two sequels, one in 1986 and another in 1988. Zelda Rubinstein, who played the spiritual medium,...

A series version of the iconic horror film “Poltergeist” is currently in early development at Amazon MGM Studios, Variety has learned exclusively.

No writer is currently attached to the project. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce on behalf of Amblin Television. Amblin produced the original 1982 film, with Steven Spielberg having come up with the story, co-writing the screenplay, and producing it. There are no plot details to share at this time, beyond the fact the show will be set within the world of the film.

“Poltergeist” centered on the Freeling family, who move into a new home only to discover that it is infested with a horde of ghosts. After the ghosts kidnap their young daughter, the Freelings work with a parapsychologist and a spiritual medium to free their daughter and escape the ghosts.

The original film proved to be a major success upon release. It grossed approximately...

Marcia DeRousse, who came to the aid of the supernatural as Dr. Patricia Ludwig on the HBO drama True Blood, died Saturday in Altadena after a long illness, a publicist announced. She was 70.

She wrote on Facebook in April that a fall in her doctor’s office was going to “lead to my death,” adding that the spill “caused my hiatal hernia to move to an area where it is now dangerous.”

The 4-foot-4 DeRousse made her big-screen debut alongside fellow little person Billy Barty in the Warner Bros. film Under the Rainbow (1981), also starring Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher. She also was in the movies Tiptoes (2002) and D.J. Caruso’s The Disappointments Room (2016).

DeRousse appeared on episodes on the Alan Ball-created True Blood during its second, fourth and seventh seasons.

A native of Doniphan, Missouri, DeRousse graduated from the University of Missouri and came to Los Angeles with...

It’s time for a new episode of the Real Slashers video series, and with this one we’re looking back at a 2006 release that has built up a solid cult following, but still hasn’t drawn in as many fans as it deserves. The movie is Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (watch it Here), and you can find out all about it by watching the video embedded above!

Directed by Scott Glosserman from a screenplay he wrote with David J. Stieve, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon has the following synopsis: You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher. Vernon, a good-natured killing machine, invites a documentary film crew to follow him as he reminisces with his murder mentor, evades his psychiatrist/nemesis, deconstructs Freudian symbolism, and meticulously plots his upcoming slaughter spree.

After taking on Poltergeist II last week (watch the episode Here) The Arrow in the Head Show is now going in depth on the good, bad and tragic of the 1988 Poltergeist 3 (see embed above). It was the last Poltergeist entry… until that useless remake that nobody remembers surfaced in 2015.

Written/Directed by Gary Sherman Poltergeist III tells the tale of: Carol Anne is staying with her aunt in a high-rise building, where the supernatural forces haunting her make their return.

The film stars Tom Skerritt, Tom Skerritt’s mustache, Nancy Allen, Heather O’Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein and Lara Flynn Boyle.

The Arrow in the Head Show‘s M.O. is: After many years behind the scenes, we’ve decided to take our sarcastic, booze-influenced style into the video age with The Arrow In The Head Show! Hosted by John Fallon aka The Arrow and Lance Vlcek, we will dig into the good,...

A new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show has just been released, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are talking about Poltergeist – but not the Tobe Hooper / Steven Spielberg classic from 1982. The Poltergeist movie they’re focusing on in this episode is the 1986 sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side (watch it Here), the one with the creepy reverend and the tequila worm. To find out what they had to say about it, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Brian Gibson from a screenplay written by Michael Grais and Mark Victor, Poltergeist II has the following synopsis: The Freelings have escaped their haunted house, which is now being studied by paranormal investigators, including shaman Taylor. When Taylor realizes that the Beast, masquerading as the Reverend Kane, knows where young Carol Anne Freeling now lives, he goes to warn the family that...

Michael Lerner, the busy Oscar-nominated character actor who had memorable turns as bombastic types in Barton Fink, Harlem Nights, Eight Men Out and so much more, has died. He was 81.

Lerner died Saturday night, according to an Instagram post from his nephew, Sam Lerner, who is also an actor (ABC’s The Goldbergs). The cause of death was not immediately known.

“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” Sam wrote. “His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way.”

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A post shared by Sam Lerner (@samlerner)

Raised in a Brooklyn housing project as...

The '80s was a pretty scary time to be a kid. Over in the United Kingdom, we were routinely terrified by grim public information films and even educational content like "Dark Towers" and "The Boy From Space" were pretty hair-raising for a class full of eight-year-olds at the time. Then you had "Watership Down," a tale of bunny brutality that inexplicably received a U (Universal) certificate and scarred an entire generation for life.

Unlike the United States, we didn't get our 12 certificate (the British equivalent of the PG-13) until 1989, which meant big Hollywood movies like "Gremlins" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" were still available to rent with the family-friendly PG rating. As a result, many impressionable '80s kids were traumatized by nasty little creatures trashing Christmas and a cult leader ripping out someone's still-beating heart well before they were equipped to deal with such stuff.

"They're here." At first, the ghosts haunting the Freelings' new home seem playful, rearranging furniture and interfering with their TV reception. Then, little Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) is abducted into their netherworld, and her parents fear they may have lost their child to specters with more malevolent intentions.

Poltergeist is produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper; Zelda Rubenstein, Beatrice Straight co-star.

The set is two-discs, 114 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English DTS HD 5.1 Master Audio, DTS HD stereo Master Audio, French, Spanish; Subtitles: English (Sdh), French, Spanish; documentaries; theatrical trailer.

Burbank, Calif., August 11, 2022 – Poltergeist, the 1982 classic horror film written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on September 20, it was announced today by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Directed by Spielberg and directed by Hooper, Poltergeist stars JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Zelda Rubinstein, Beatrice Straight and Heather O’Rourke.

The screenplay for Poltergeist was written by Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor, from a story by Spielberg. The film was produced by Frank Marshall and Spielberg.

Ultra HD* showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (Hdr) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before.

Poltergeist will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack for 24.99 Erp and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the feature film in 4K with Hdr and a Digital download of the film.

Antonio Pérez‘ Seville-based Maestranza Films, producer of Benito Zambrano’s “Solas” and “The Sleeping Voice”), and Kiko Martinez Madrid-based Nadie Es Perfecto, the company behind Álex de la Iglesia’s “The Bar,” have teamed to co-produce a remake of Bigas Luna’s cult horror modern classic “Anguish” (1987).

Spain-born but based in Los Angeles, Spanish director F. Javier Gutiérrez is attached to direct. Gutiérrez’ second feature, horror “Rings” –part of the several remakes saga starting with Gore Verbinski’s “The Ring”­– nabbed $83 million worldwide.

Luna’s original “Anguish” followed an ophthalmologist with a bizarre hobby –collecting eyes– and a dominant mother. Following his mother’s orders, he goes to a movie-theater, where he meets two friends. The feature they are watching, however, didsrupts their perception of reality.

One of the greatest ever Spanish directors, who gave Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem their big break in “Jamón, Jamón,” Luna helmed some English-language...

It takes too many words to properly describe Richard Kelly’s followup to Donnie Darko, but the oversized dystopian sci-fi epic just might grab audiences looking for weird extravagance. Cult hosannas aside, Kelly’s ‘crazy’ predictions closely resemble our present domestic chaos. Brilliant ideas rub shoulders with apocalyptic clichés and the acting styles are all over the place, but the show frequently achieves a truly goofy vibe described by its director as a cross between Philip K. Dick and Thomas Pynchon. Just be ready for a storyline that scatters in all directions. This new disc is a video debut for the original, longer Cannes preview cut.

Southland Tales

Blu-ray

Arrow Video

2006 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 145, 158 min. / Street Date January 26, 2021 / Available from Amazon / 39.95

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Nora Dunn, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Lambert, John Larroquette, Jon Lovits, Mandy Moore, Wallace Shawn, Justin Timberlake, Amy Poehler, Zelda Rubenstein,...

Stars: Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, Zelda Rubinstein, Scott Wilson, Robert Englund, Bridgett Newton | Written by Scott Glosserman, David J. Stieve | Directed by Scott Glosserman

I don’t always have a reason to go back to older movies for review, but having just recently revisited this movie, I had to talk about it. Why? Well, because it’s phenomenal, but also because… well… not many people actually talk about it, and that’s a shame.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a 2006 film from director Scott Glosserman, and takes a different approach to the tried and tested and well trodden slasher genre. I recall seeing this flick back when it came out, and I loved it. Some 14 years later I was curious if it held up, and was over the moon that it did. It really did. The story follows a young documentary crew who follow Leslie Vernon,...

[This story contains spoilers for season one, episode three of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, “Holy Ghost.”]

“This house is clean.” The line, spoken by Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) in Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist, has become an oft-used reference when it comes to haunted house stories in pop culture. The third episode of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, “Holy Ghost,” uses this awareness of pop culture, and the tried and true format of haunted house story, to grapple with a question: Can a place built on the foundations of racism ever truly be clean?

Ahead of the season premiere, showrunner and writer ...

[This story contains spoilers for season one, episode three of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, “Holy Ghost.”]

“This house is clean.” The line, spoken by Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) in Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist, has become an oft-used reference when it comes to haunted house stories in pop culture. The third episode of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, “Holy Ghost,” uses this awareness of pop culture, and the tried and true format of haunted house story, to grapple with a question: Can a place built on the foundations of racism ever truly be clean?

Ahead of the season premiere, showrunner and writer ...

John Hughes’ breakthrough writing-directing hit still carries a glow that defuses its rougher edges, making it one of the best of ’80s Teen comedies. Even the savvy Soraya Roberts cuts it some slack, thanks to the authentic presence and fine performance of Molly Ringwald. Hughes’ amusing script comes up with at least ten moments that would have made Preston Sturges laugh, and his perfect casting for personalities young and old makes his direction look inspired. With great turns by Anthony Michael Hall, Haviland Morris, Debbie Pollack, Gedde Watanabe, Paul Dooley, and Michael Schoeffling.

Sixteen Candles

Special Collector’s Edition Blu-ray

Arrow Video

1984 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 94, 92 min. / Street Date April 14, 2020 / Available from Arrow Video / 18.99

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Paul Dooley, Carlin Glynn, Blanche Baker, Edward Andrews, Carole Cook, Max Showalter, John Cusack, Debbie Pollack, Joan Cusack, Brian Doyle-Murray, Jami Gertz, John Kapelos,...

Last year, AMC’s horror-centric streaming service Shudder unveiled the compelling documentary “Horror Noire,” examining the role African-Americans played throughout film history. That feature’s success sparked a desire for the service to cater to more niche facets of film history, and their next foray into that arena is “Cursed Films,” which looks to examine films that have long histories of being cursed. The material is interesting, especially in conjunction with the features the five-part documentary series covers, but director Jay Cheel takes too many tangential digressions to keep things from feeling tiring.

When the 1982 feature “Poltergeist” debuted it was quickly tempered by the murder of actress Dominique Dunne. Actors Will Sampson and Julian Beck would pass after the film’s sequel came out, while leading child star Heather O’Rourke passed at just 11-years-old while working on “Poltergeist III.” It’s easy to see where audiences would start to wonder...

Although it introduces a new horror villain, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon also co-stars Robert Englund, the actor behind one of the genre's most influential icons, and in a bonus feature clip from Scream Factory's recently released Collector's Edition Blu-ray, actress Angela Goethals discusses what it was like to work with a living legend on the 2006 film.

In case you missed them, check here to watch more clips from the new Behind the Mask Blu-ray, and visit here to enter our Collector's Edition contest.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher. Nathan Baesel (Invasion) stars as Vernon, a good-natured killing machine who invites a documentary film crew to follow him as he reminisces with his murder mentor (Scott Wilson, The Walking Dead), evades his psychiatrist/nemesis (Robert Englund,...

"Freddy. Jason. Michael. We all need someone to look up to." Over ten years after Scott Glosserman introduced horror fans to a new name to fear in slasher cinema, Scream Factory is bringing Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon home like never before on a new Collector's Edition Blu-ray, and we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector's Edition Blu-ray copy of Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.

How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:

1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to [email protected] with the subject “Behind the Mask: The Rise...

Shining a satirical ray of light on the horror genre is nothing new, as a number of films (both indie and mainstream) have done this for a few decades now, but only one (that I know of), Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, states that in its own cinematic world, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger actually existed. Don't believe me? Check out some Blu-ray clips from Scream Factory's Collector's Edition of Scott Glosserman's cult movie before it hits shelves on March 27th.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon Collector's Edition Blu-ray: "You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher. Nathan Baesel (Invasion) stars as Vernon, a good-natured killing machine who invites a documentary film crew to follow him as he reminisces with his murder mentor (Scott Wilson, The Walking Dead), evades his psychiatrist/nemesis (Robert Englund,...

Over ten years after Scott Glosserman introduced horror fans to a new name to fear in slasher cinema, Scream Factory is bringing Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon home like never before on a new Collector's Edition Blu-ray this March, and we now have a look at the full list of special features, including several new interviews:

Press Release: You know legendary maniacs Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger. Now meet Leslie Vernon, the next great psycho-slasher, in the cult favorite Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Available as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray March 27th, 2018 from Scream Factory, Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon comes loaded with bonus features, including interviews with actors Angela Goethals, Ben Pace and co-writer/co-producer David Stieve, an audio commentary with co-writer/director Scott Glosserman, moderated by filmmakers Adam Green and Joe Lynch, an audio commentary with Nathan Baesel,...

“This house is clean.”

Poltergeist (1982) plays midnights this weekend (October 6th and 7th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series. Tickets are $8.

Poltergeist had all the hallmarks of the Spielberg blockbuster production – a small-town suburban family setting, fantastic special effects, fast-paced action and a liberal smattering of Spielberg’s own brand of natural humor. Rumors have persisted for decades that he wrested the direction away from credited director Tobe Hooper, but the influence and style of Hooper are also evident and, rather than detracting from the considerable input of Spielberg, they complement it in a way which results in a movie of subtle originality.

Poltergeist is fun, extremely well-made, and is packed full of terrific scares. It took the opposite approach from normal; there’s no big old spooky house or gruesome back-story of some patriarch walling people up in the tower. By contrast,...

A couple of weeks back, we offered you tickets to a midnight screening of the 1977 Japanese psychedelic haunted-house movie House. Now our friends at The Front Row are back to present more midnight horror at Chicago’s own Music Box Theatre, and this weekend’s movie is another mind-bender.

Released in 1987, Anguish (a.k.a. Anguista) is a Spanish production starring Zelda Rubinstein—best known as the psychic from the Poltergeist movies—in another telepathic role as Alice, star of The Mommy, a movie within the movie about a controlling mother who commands her visually impaired son to kill. The movie takes place partially within the universe of The Mommy and partially in the theater showing the movie, as the audience starts to feel the effects of The Mommy’s mind-control powers. It’s pretty wild.

We’re giving away tickets to this weekend’s midnight showings of ...

March 21st is a big day for cult film fans, not to mention all you RoboCop enthusiasts out there, as Tuesday has a variety of horror and sci-fi offerings that you’ll undoubtedly want to add to your home entertainment collections. Scream Factory is releasing a pair of amazing Collector's Edition Blu-rays for RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3, and Kino Lorber is keeping busy with a trio of HD releases, too: Chamber of Horrors, Invisible Ghost, and A Game of Death.

Other notable titles making their way home on March 21st include Wolf Creek: Season One, Eloise, John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs, and Frankenstein Created Bikers.

Chamber of Horrors (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray & DVD)

Newly Mastered in HD! Chamber of Horrors was based on the classic novel, The Door with Seven Locks by Edgar Wallace (King Kong, The Terror) - it was the second Wallace adaptation brought to the States by Monogram Pictures.

There was never really a need to sequelize 1982’s Poltergeist. It told a complete story. It vanquished the evil spirit haunting the house by film’s end. Heck, it even vanquished the house itself. But because the original movie was a hit and it was the ’80s, the Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg collaboration got not just one sequel but two, despite the fact that it does not lend itself to being a franchise. New villains and new mythology—and eventually even new family members—were introduced to keep the story going, albeit with mixed results. And while the sequels have their fans, they’re hardly among the most beloved horror films of the decade. Thanks to Scream Factory’s new Collector's Editions of both, horror fans now have the chance to reevaluate them in the best possible format.

Though released four years after the 1982 original, Poltergeist II: The Other Side...

With little over a month to go until Austin plays host to SXSW 2017 for another year, organizers of the annual showcase have announced that James Franco’s drama The Disaster Artist has been added to the stacked lineup.

Based on Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell’s non-fiction book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, Franco’s passion project is set to recount the infamous story behind The Room, Tommy Wiseau’s widely-derided pic that has since gone on to become something of a cult classic. No release date has been set, but we know that the feature will be written and directed by Franco, who stars as the eccentric Wiseau, and features a cast comprised of Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Josh Hutcherson, Ari Graynor, Jacki Weaver, and former Community star Alison Brie. Bryan Cranston and Zach Braff are among those set to cameo.

In related news, the midnight...

Sinister spirits set their sights on Carol Ann’s new high-rise home in Scream Factory’s Poltergeist III Collector’s Edition Blu-ray, and to celebrate the January 31st release of the film, we’ve been provided with three copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector’s Edition Blu-ray copy of Poltergeist III.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email [email protected] with the subject “Poltergeist III Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 5th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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Poltergeist III (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “They are back….again! And they’re looking for Carol Ann in this riveting finale to the Poltergeist trilogy.

For this final week of home entertainment releases in January, horror and sci-fi fans have a ton of cult classics to look forward to, including Poltergeist II and Poltergeist III from Scream Factory, and Lair of the White Worm and Parents from Lionsgate via their Vestron Video Collector’s Series.

Synapse Films is also keeping busy with a trio of releases this Tuesday—The Coffin Joe Trilogy Collection, At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, and This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse—and for those of you missed it in theaters, Boo! A Madea Halloween comes home to both Blu-ray and DVD on January 31st as well.

Lair of the White Worm: Vestron Video Collector’s Series (Lionsgate, Blu-ray)

Bram Stoker’s last novel is the basis for this wild tale of a horrific beast and the evil forces it unleashes on the beautiful English countryside.

Vestron Video...

If your home away from home in your formative years was the dentist’s office, then you know that braces can be hell. That teeth-centric fear was tapped into by the special effects team in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, and with the sequel coming out on a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on January 31st from Scream Factory, we’ve been provided with an exclusive bonus features clip just for Daily Dead readers that goes behind-the-scenes of the movie’s intense braces scene.

Check out our exclusive bonus features clip of actor Oliver Robins reminiscing about the braces scene below, and be sure to visit Scream Factory to learn more about their Collector’s Edition Blu-rays of both Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III:

https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/poltergeist-ii-the-other-side-collector-s-edition https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/poltergeist-iii-collector-s-edition

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray...

Beginning January 31st, sinister spirits return to haunt the Freeling family on Scream Factory’s Poltergeist II: The Other Side Collector’s Edition Blu-ray, and we’ve been provided with three copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector’s Edition Blu-ray copy of Poltergeist II: The Other Side.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email [email protected] with the subject “Poltergeist II Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 3rd. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “In this thrilling follow-up to the smash hit Poltergeist, the Freeling family (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson,...

Scream Factory welcomes back the spirits that plagued the Freeling family with their respective Collector’s Edition Blu-rays of Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III, and to get you prepped for the January 31st releases, we have high-def clips and trailers from both films for you to enjoy.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “In this thrilling follow-up to the smash hit Poltergeist, the Freeling family (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins) settles into a new home following the annihilation of their former residence by terrifying visitors from the netherworld. But the spirits of the dead are still hell-bent on luring the family’s clairvoyant daughter Carol Anne to “the other side.” This chilling sequel, directed by Brian Gibson (Breaking Glass) also stars Will Sampson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Julian Beck (The Cotton Club) and Zelda Rubinstein (Anguish) returns as Tangina.

We don’t normally do Blu-ray release announcements here on Nerdly, but when one of my favourite 80s teen movies (I mean that sincerely, despite how much the film is derided) is set for feature-packed release, I can’t help but shout it from the rooftops!

What film could possibly get me this excited you might ask? Well probably not if you’ve read the title of this post… I digress… but yes, Teen Witch - that pantheon of 80s chic and the butt of numerous “bad movie” jokes – is set for a Blu-ray release in the Us next year from Kino Lorber/Scorpion Releasing. Just check out that cover art:

From the press release:

Romance is the most powerful spell of all…or so one teenager learns in this fun teen fantasy starring Robyn Lively (Chicago Hope), Zelda Rubinstein (the Poltergeist trilogy), Dan Gauthier (Beverly Hills, 90210) and Dick Sargent...

With a return to the world of Harry Potter this weekend, Awfully Good revisits our favorite movie about magical adolescents. Teen Witch (1989) Director: Dorian Walker Stars: Robyn Lively, Zelda Rubinstein, Dan Gauthier An awkward high school outcast gets magical powers on her 16th birthday and uses them for pure evil. Not every movie about teenagers from the 1980s can be a John Hughes... Read More...

Ron Hogan Oct 3, 2016

American Horror Story: Roanoke's strange elements are starting to pull together in this very tense episode directed by Jennifer Lynch...

This review contains spoilers.

Flora is missing. The hunt for a missing girl, after three days or so, becomes more of a hunt to recover a body. A body is discovered, just... the wrong body. Mason, Lee's ex-husband, becomes the latest victim of the malevolent spirits and/or murderous hillbillies who have been menacing the Miller family since they moved into the big white farmhouse. However, there seems to be a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a diminutive psychic with a big ego and a bigger gift in the form of Cricket Marlowe. He's expensive, but he's the best, and he might be the only person who can help the Millers square off with the many forces...

Last Week’S Review: ‘American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare’ Already Feels Too Familiar

Fact vs. Fiction

Like last episode, “Chapter 3’s” talking heads segments feel monotonous, as once again each character just turns every emotional subtext into literal text. The interviews are also used to skip perfunctory plot beats, as characters zip from one location or day to the next to fit in all of this episode’s business. “Chapter 3” is a very busy episode, yet it still manages to be completely dull, which is sad to say about an episode that features feral children, hypnotism sex, and outrageous old-timey (Irish?) accents. Yet here we are.

The one interview moment that stands out is when the producers of “My Roanoke Nightmare” reveal to Real Lee that they know about her first daughter, Emily, who was also abducted (presumably not by ghosts). Real Lee demands the cameras be shut...

Kino Lorber and Scorpion Releasing are looking to cast an ’80s-infused spell on nostalgic viewers with their upcoming Blu-ray release of 1989’s Teen Witch.

According to Blu-ray.com, Teen Witch will be released on Blu-ray sometime this year. While the cover art and special features have yet to be revealed, Scorpion Releasing recently let fans know on their Facebook page that they’ve conducted a video interview with Teen Witch star Robyn Lively, and that fans can expect a lot of bonus features on this release. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more details.

Directed by Dorian Walker, Teen Witch stars Robyn Lively, Dan Gauthier, Caren Kaye, Joshua John Miller, and Dick Sargent.

Synopsis (via MGM): “Romance is the most powerful spell of all… or so one teenager learns in this fun teen fantasy starring Robyn Lively (“Chicago Hope”), Zelda Rubinstein (the Poltergeist trilogy), Dan Gauthier (“Beverly Hills, 90210”) and...

Special mention: Häxan

Directed by Benjamin Christensen

Denmark / Sweden, 1922

Genre: Documentary

Häxan (a.k.a The Witches or Witchcraft Through The Ages) is a 1922 silent documentary about the history of witchcraft, told in a variety of styles, from illustrated slideshows to dramatized reenactments of alleged real-life events. Written and directed by Benjamin Christensen, and based partly on Christensen’s study of the Malleus Maleficarum, Häxan is a fine examination of how superstition and the misunderstanding of mental illness could lead to the hysteria of the witch-hunts. At the time, it was the most expensive Scandinavian film ever made, costing nearly 2 million Swedish krona. Although it won acclaim in Denmark and Sweden, the film was banned in the United States and heavily censored in other countries for what were considered, at that time, graphic depictions of torture, nudity, and sexual perversion. Depending on which version you’re watching, the commentary is...

Occasionally older, strong-willed women creep into the sex-saturated narrative of horror that traditionally wallows in the terrorizing and disposing of young ladies. There is something to the fact that whether their presence maintains, twists or rebukes the genre’s stereotypically repressive lessons about female sexuality that so often end in the punishment of women acting out of bounds, aging females are just not surveilled, possessed or subjugated in the same ways as their less mature counterparts. This leaves space for some nuance of character to seep in, injecting a much-needed alternative depiction of gender that is based on agency instead of being acted upon. While the roles are few and far between, the following actresses have contributed iconic or under the radar performances in horror. (This post contains spoilers.)

Zelda Rubinstein

In the Poltergeist trilogy, medium Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) provides comfort, perspective, and exerts a powerful influence over the well-being...

Special Mention: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

Directed by Dario Argento

Screenplay by Dario Argento

1970, Italy

Genre: Giallo

One of the most self-assured directorial debuts of the 70’s was Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Not only was it a breakthrough film for the master of Giallo, but it was also a box office hit and had critics buzzing, regardless if they liked it or not. Although Argento would go on to perfect his craft in later films, The Bird With The Crystal Plumage went a long way in popularizing the Giallo genre and laid the groundwork for later classics like Deep Red. A difficult film to discuss without spoiling many of its most impressive and famous scenes, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a fairly straightforward murder mystery, albeit with many twists, turns and one of the best surprise endings of all time. But...

California's entire earthquake fault line goes haywire, with 9-point-plus shocks on the Jerry Lee Lewis Rigor Mortis scale! The geological wipeouts include Boulder Dam, downtown Los Angeles and most of the San Francisco peninsula. This expensive-looking Dwayne Johnson disaster spectacle looks sensationally good, with excellent 3-D effects and nearly wall-to-wall fun effects work, even if your Cal-tech experts will turn green at some of the overstated Temblor Tech Talk. San Andreas 3-D Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Warner Home Video 2015 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 114 min. / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 44.95 Starring Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Will Yun Lee, Kylie Minogue. Cinematography Steve Yedlin Film Editor Barry Chusid Production design Bob Ducsay Original Music Andrew Lockinton Written by Carlton Cruse, Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore Produced by Beau Flynn Directed by Brad Peyton

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Computer Generated Imagery has evolved to the...

Reviewed by Stacey Beth

MoreHorror.com

The second that news is released about any beloved horror film getting the remake treatment, there's usually a collective upheaval in the horror community and the film is almost immediately shunned. To be honest, I am not one of those horror fans that totally shuts a remake out; I'm an equal opportunity viewer. When it was announced that everyone's favorite haunted family was going to be given a contemporary spin, I was pissed...and then I wasn't...and then I saw the movie. I am pissed again.

If you're not familiar with the original story of Poltergeist, it follows a family whose home becomes plagued by spirits and when they're terrorized one night by all kinds of supernatural mayhem, these spirits kidnap the youngest daughter, Carol Anne. From there a group of paranormal investigators come in to help find the little girl with the aid of clairvoyant,...

When "Poltergeist" was released to theaters, I was 12 years old, and it was smack dab in the middle of the best summer of movies I'd ever seen. Film after film after film, I felt like these movies were hitting me right smack dab in my own particular pleasure center, and when I walked into "Poltergeist," I was ready for anything. One of the most complicated things about my reaction to the film was thanks to JoBeth Williams, who played Diane Freeling in the movie, the mother to the family that was troubled by the visitation. In the movie, she was 33 years old, a suburban mom, pretty much the opposite of what most kids at the age of 12 would consider an object of desire. It is safe to say that I had a full-blown out-of-control crush on Williams by the end of the film, though, and I'm not sure I could...

On Thursday, I saw the Gil Kenan (Monster House, City of Ember)-directed movie Poltergeist, a remake of Tobe Hooper's 1982 masterpiece. David Lindsay-Abaire (Oz the Great and Powerful, Rise of the Guardians) re-adapted the script from the original film, which had been conceived and co-written by Steven Spielberg. I expected the new movie to completely suck, so I'm surprised to disagree with many of my fellows and say that it's not great, but it's sort of okay.

If you haven't watched the 1982 Poltergeist, which stars Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams and Zelda Rubinstein, do yourself a favor and stop reading now. Find it on disc or online. It's the apex of family horror films and the greatest haunted house movie ever made, so it's little surprise Kenan would be chosen to direct the remake, based on his earlier Monster House. Hooper's original figures heavily in this review, and you...

"They’re here." The 1982 horror classic Poltergeist, directed by Toby Hooper of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre fame, and highly influenced by Steven Spielberg, has been an influence for many horror films since its release. It's no surprise, especially for a horror film, that a remake would be inevitable. How does one fill the shoes of the original Poltergeist? You don’t. It’s impossible. Director Gil Kenan, who directed 2006’s animated Monster House, takes on the unenvied task of updating Poltergeist. With a few accomplished scenes and set pieces, this updated product hits all the highlights, but looses all the substance that made the original a portrait of quaint suburban life turned into a nightmare.

The Bowen family move into a suburban community and strange occurrences begin happening in their new home. Eric (Sam Rockwell) is looking for a fresh start after being recently laid off from his job...