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Another Panic Fest winds down, bringing a hybrid model that offered in-person screenings and virtual premieres including early screenings of Evil Dead Rise and Sisu.

The fest offered a slew of premieres, including nihilistic horrors like Beaten to Death and introspective docs like King on Screen.

While the packed schedule ensured we couldn’t catch it all, here’s a round-up of some of Panic Fest’s feature offerings this year.

Black Mold

Credit: The Line Film Company

In his feature debut, writer/director John Pata introduces the pitfalls of urban exploration with hallucinogenic psychological horror. Brooke (Agnes Albright) and her pal Tanner (Andrew Bailes) sneak into abandoned, off-limits buildings for art and an adrenaline rush. The pair break into their holy grail: Franklin Hill, a large facility with a history. There, Brooke and Tanner encounter a volatile threat that holds them captive. The longer their attacker keeps them there,...

Gravitas Ventures has obtained the rights to The Judge – Character. Cases. Courage., a documentary directed by Robert Griffith and narrated by Justin Theroux. The pic, which hails from the American Documentary Film Fund, will be released on Tvod/digital platforms on January 26. The doc follows Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr. in his distinguished, momentous and tumultuous 31-year tenure on the Federal bench where he fought against the status quo to promote racial and gender equality, protect the environment, uphold the rule of law and the US Constitution. It features interviews from the likes of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-va), U.S. Senator Mark Warner ((D-va), Anne Holton, Judge Merhige’s former law clerk, among many others.

Named by President Lyndon B. Johnson to Federal District Court in Richmond in 1967, Judge Merhige ordered the desegregation of dozens of Virginia school districts in 1972. In 1970, Judge Merhige ordered the University of Virginia...

Stars: Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Jeremy Gardner, Michael St. Michaels. Michael Richardson | Written and Directed by Juan Ortiz

Fingers is the second film of Juan Ortiz (Jennifer Help Us) who writes and direct this strange movie about a woman with a phobia of, well… fingers, as well as serious anxiety, who is recommended a self-help book by a psychiatrist/self-help guru named Dr. Scotty.

This is a real oddity of a film, that’s for sure, and it deals with the phobias and illogical fears of Amanda, the main character. The sequences in which we see Amanda’s anxieties in play are disturbing in a few ways, especially with just how some of those fears manifest. It feels like it’s attempting to offer a nod to modern day America in some of the ways it shows Amanda’s apparent fears come to the surface. On top of that, the sheer absurdity...

In the latest of his Arrow Video Frightfest preview podcasts, host Stuart Wright talks Fingers with the films writer/director Juan Ortiz.

Amanda has a finger-phobia and an abject loathing of all human strangeness. So she decides to read and take pointers from a recommended self-help book, Dr. Scotty’s ‘Follow Me: I Know The Way’. Meanwhile two hit men are hired by the mysterious Fox (Michael St. Michaels from Greasy Strangler) to cut the fingers off the mild, mannered Talky Panda to satisfy his lust for revenge. How they connect causes shocks to the system and the need to kill their fears.

Catch Fingers at Arrow Video Frightfest

22th to 26th August 2019

Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7Na.

Programme listings and film details www.frightfest.co.uk/2019films/index.html...

Dubious business arrangements can often lead to hostile relationships that awaken the partners’ demons within themselves and with each other. That’s certainly the case for Jeremy Gardner and Michael St. Michaels’ corrupt characters in the upcoming horror movie, ‘Fingers.’ In honor of the crime drama recently making its World Premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival, […]

The post Jeremy Gardner and Michael St. Michaels Threaten Each Other in Fingers Exclusive Clip appeared first on Shockya.com.

"A mind is a terrible thing to break." Dread Central Presents has released the official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled Extremity, the latest feature from director Anthony Diblasi. Extremity plays with the popular modern horror concept of "extreme haunts", or experiences horror fans can pay for that put them in horrific, torturous situations. The plot follows a young woman obsessed with horror who subjects herself to hours of grueling torment inside an extreme haunt in an attempt to confront her fears and conquer the tragic past that haunts her. Starring Dana Christina, J. Larose, Cam Damage, September D'Angelo, Felissa Rose, Tiffany Shepis, Chad Rook, Michael St. Michaels, Natalie Victoria, and Ricky Dean Logan. I wasn't even sure if I should post this, but it just looks so crazy with some seriously freaky imagery, I couldn't help it. You hve to see all this for yourself. Here's the first...

“This is disgusting.”

They say you can’t intentionally make a cult film, but you can certainly try. The Greasy Strangler tries very, very hard, and the result is a film that’s as unique as it is odd. We’ll have to wait a decade or so to see if the film is remembered as a cult favorite, but for now we can probably all agree that it’s a ridiculously absurd genre-bender guaranteed to have both fierce advocates and absolute detractors.

Keep reading to see what I heard on the commentary track for…

The Greasy Strangler (2016)

Commentators: Jim Hosking (director/co-writer), Michael St. Michaels (actor), Sky Elobar (actor)

1. The house was actually every bit as disgusting and smelly as it looks. “It’s a shame we don’t have a good shot of the black mold,” says Michaels.

2. Elobar says he gained roughly fifteen pounds for the role “on that belly there.”

3. Big...

Are Australian home entertainment buyers being offered the most extensive and grease-packed blu-ray edition of Jim Hosking's cult film The Greasy Strangler? Monster Pictures have announced the details for their upcoming release of The Greasy Strangler which will arrive in stores on DVD, Blu-ray and Video on Demand March 22nd 2017. It is their two-disc Greasy Down Under Edition that draws the most attention because of how much stuff they have packed onto those two discs. You can only buy this special edition through Jb Hi-Fi and there are only 2000 copies available. Check out the full details below! • Collectable Packaging with Newly Commissioned Artwork & Reversible Sleeve • Audio Commentary with director Jim Hosking, Michael St. Michaels and Sky Elobar •...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Garthim from The Dark Crystal has joined Funko's ReAction figure line and will be available at Toys"R"Us in just a few weeks! We also have details on Splathouse Podcast's discussion of Anna Ishida's I Am a Ghost, the Australian release of The Greasy Strangler, and a trailer for The Hobbyist.

Funko's The Dark Crystal ReAction Figure: From Funko: "Dark Crystal fans, we have one more ReAction surprise for you!

The Garthim is headed to Toys"R"Us in the next couple of weeks!

Available at Toys"R"Us by mid-March!"

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Splathouse Podcast Discuss I Am A Ghost: From Splathouse: "This week Team Splathouse welcomes actor Anna Ishida of 2012's I Am a Ghost into the studio!

The movie's writer/director, H.P. Mendoza, joins us for a conversation about the making of the film.

F This Film's editor-in-chief, Patrick Bromley, swings by with a thoughtful appreciation of the work.

Stars: Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo, Gil Gex, Abdoulaye NGom, Holland MacFallister, Sam Dissanayake, Joe David Walters, Sal Koussa, Jesse Keen, Carl Solomon, Dana Haas | Written by Toby Harvard, Jim Hosking | Directed by Jim Hosking

While it is fair to say that some movies are just bad, there are others that are created to Be bad. While for some people, they stay that way, for others they become a self-aware gem of a film that has its own charm… The Greasy Strangler is definitely the latter.

The Greasy Strangler is a tale that follows the lives of Big Ronnie (Michael St. Michales) and his father Big Brayden (Sky Elobar). While taking a group of people on their Disco Walking tour, they encounter Janet (Elizabeth De Razzo) who Ronnie soon falls for. With attention movie away from his father to this new woman in their lives, it soon...

One actor recalls reading the script, putting it down and then uttering aloud, "Hell no." Another said that he called the director and asked him, point blank: "What the fuck is this? Are you making a porno, man?" At its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this past January, both the filmmaker and his leading man hastily ran out of their in-progress screening to stress-vomit, while a fellow cast member declared that "the first time I saw, I was appalled."

So what kind of movie is capable of repulsing its cast,...

“You’re such a gross-out, Dad. I might barf,” says Big Brayden (Sky Elobar, “Lady Dynamite”) to his aggressively disgusting father, Big Ronnie (Michael St. Michaels). And he’s got a point. The pair live in a grimy house, exclusively eat food dunked into sludgy grease, and tend to go about their days in flimsy bikini underwear or completely naked. (The film’s prosthetic penis department deserves recognition for its commitment to the construction of cartoonishly ugly fake genitalia.) When they do put on clothes, it usually comes down to matching pink turtleneck sweaters and knit short-shorts, their uniform for the disco walking.

October is upon us. The leaves are changing. Sweaters are becoming more abundant. Awards contenders are popping up in theaters nationwide. But those are far from the only films opening throughout the coming weeks. Below, you’ll find every planned theatrical release for the month of October, separated out into films with wide runs and limited ones. (Synopses are provided by festivals and distributors.)

Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Stay warm and happy watching!

Week of October 7 Wide

The Birth of a Nation

Director: Nate Parker

Cast: Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Nate Parker

Synopsis: Set against the antebellum South and based on a true story, “The Birth...

The weird and disgusting genre has always had a home in the midnight film lineup. Enter Jim Hosking and his go at taking over the throne as weirdest and most disgusting midnighter with The Greasy Strangler. Well, good work, Mr. Hosking. The Greasy Strangler is indeed one of the weirdest and absolutely most disgusting midnight movies in memory. It's also funny as fuck. Alright... So, a plot: The rough sketch is that 40-something year old Brayden (aka Big Brayden, aka Sky Elobar) still lives with his father Ronnie (aka Big Ronnie, aka Michael St. Michaels). The father and son duo spend most of their time hanging around home in their undies, cooking up greasy meals, and running their walking disco tour. This tour provides the...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

While there may be a serious lack of theatrical horror coming our way this Halloween season, fear not genre fans, as we have over 15 different horror and sci-fi titles making their way onto smaller screens this October, which should help take the sting off a bit. Several great films I happened to catch earlier on this year at various festivals – The Greasy Strangler, In A Valley of Violence and Under the Shadow – are all making their VOD debuts this month, and you also have the remastered version of Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm and the series final sequel, Phantasm: Ravager, to look forward to as well.

Other notable VOD releases for October 2016 include The Windmill, The Unspoken, ClownTown, Fear, Inc., Vampyres, Halloweed, and Goddess of Love from Jon Knautz (The Shrine, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer).

ClownTown (ITN Distribution) – October 4th

Clowntown tells the story of a group of friends who get...

Ever wanted to see a John Waters movie scored by Gene Belcher? That’s The Greasy Strangler. Chaos and perversion reign in premium fashion, almost challenging audiences to walk out on Jim Hosking’s “daring” feature debut. Non-continuity purists should throw their hands in the air and praise their new god. Life as you know it, does not relate to The Greasy Strangler, yet somehow all the dick-waving and throat-collapsing works (against all odds). Each line of ludicrous lingo and disgusting act of deprivation. All the vulgar descriptions of cum-drenched partners and atrocities against morality. No single scene is suitable for general audiences, so strap in for the weirdest cinematic watch of 2016 – or ever.

Sky Elobar plays Big Brayden, a walking disco tour guide who lives and works with his father, Big Ronnie (Michael St. Michaels). There’s a murderer on the loose dubbed The Greasy Strangler (because he covers...

2Nd Update (9/23, 3:23 Pdt): An earlier version of this article listed Elle Evans as the actress who plays the title role in The Love Witch. That distinction in fact goes to Samantha Robinson. We regret the error. Update (9/22, 11:37 Pm Pdt): The same day this article was published, Paramount pushed back the release date for Rings from October 28 to February 3, 2017. Original Article: Fall has traditionally been viewed as the prime time of year for the horror film, but this summer was actually a pretty good one for the genre, with movies like The Conjuring 2, Lights Out, and the surprise smash Don't Breathe doing gangbusters business in the midst of blockbuster season. But the year's not over yet! With September in full swing, there are a number of worthwhile (and, yes, questionable) titles looming on the release calendar over the next three months. Below, you can find a rundown of 12 upcoming horror films,...

Cavity Colors' new Halloween apparel is here! Also, in today's Horror Highlights, a look at The Evil Gene, Australia's Monster Fest 2016 details, and a new trailer / screening details for Jessica Cameron's Mania.

A Look at Cavity Colors' New Halloween Apparel: From Cavity Colors: "Here at Cavitycolors, we sort of live in the world of Halloween and Horror all year long. It's something that surrounds us on a daily basis, whether it's in our studio, in our home, or on our television screen. It lives in our hearts, and it's something we consider sacred and magical, and a large part of our creative process. We've always got a case of the Pumpkin Brains!

The term "Everyday Is Halloween" isn't just a term used to describe your spooky surroundings, it's a magical feeling that exists deep down inside. Like fluttering bats in your stomach instead of butterflies. That moment when you...

Set in Los Angeles, The Greasy Strangler follows Big Ronnie, a man who runs a disco walking tour along with his son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman named Janet comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son. It also brings about the appearance of an oily, slimy, inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent — soon dubbed “the Greasy Strangler.” The off-kilter feature film debut by writer/director Jim Hosking features performances by Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, and Elizabeth De Razzo as well as prominent genre film producers including Theo Brooks, […]...

An unconventional love triangle and a bizarre killer are teased in the latest, very Nsfw trailer for Jim Hosking’s The Greasy Strangler.

“This Los Angeles–set tale follows Big Ronnie, a man who runs a disco walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman named Janet comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son for her attentions. It also brings about the appearance of an oily, slimy, inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent—soon dubbed “the Greasy Strangler.”

Flush your expectations down the toilet, because you have never seen a slasher film or a father-son comedy like this before. Writer/Director Jim Hosking has made an outrageously off-kilter feature film debut that is equal parts disgusting, offensive, and manically entertaining. Featuring performances by Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, and Elizabeth De Razzo that are destined for cult status,...

For those of you who are still curious about seeing The Greasy Strangler, I've got a new Nsfw trailer for you to watch which is outrageously nauseating. I saw a portion of the film at Sundance, and it was so awful that I couldn't sit through the whole thing. I wrote up my experience with what I saw of the film here, and if you watch this trailer you'll see firsthand why I felt the way I did about this movie.

I get that there's an audience out there for films like this, but this movie was obviously not for me. If you like what you see in this trailer, though, then by all means, go out and watch the film! Maybe you'll enjoy it.

The Los Angeles-set tale follows Ronnie, a man who runs a Disco Walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman comes to take the tour,...

In typical fashion, 2016’s Sundance Film Festival rolled out a diverse range of cinematic experiences – the bankable crowd-pleasers, the breakout hits and the divisive pictures that, similar to Swiss Army Man, split attendees right down the middle.

One film to emerge from the latter bracket was Jim Hosking’s The Greasy Strangler, a vivid and downright surreal feature capable of intriguing and disgusting within the space of two minutes flat. Don’t believe us? A decidedly Nsfw trailer has found its way online today, which does at least offer up an inkling of the film’s core premise. You know, once you scrape aside the lard and mucous-like goop, not to mention braving the borderline gratuitous sex and nudity.

If nothing else, The Greasy Strangler is poised to go down as perhaps the most remarkable film of 2016 thus far purely because of its balls-to-the-wall style. It features Michael St. Michaels as Big Ronnie,...

"Kiss my cheeks, cherry lips." FilmRise has released a second trailer for the wacky horror film The Greasy Strangler, which premiered at Sundance this year to quite a bit of acclaim. The first teaser trailer for this was pretty messed up, focusing more on the gore and gross side of this film. This new trailer is packed full of sex and nudity, the kind you don't want to see, but that's what this film is all about. The surreal horror stars Michael St. Michaels as Big Ronnie, along with Sky Elobar as Big Brayden, plus Elizabeth De Razzo and Gil Gex. It's about an aging disco enthusiast who turns into a creepy, grease-covered strangler at night. The other story twist revealed in this trailer is the brutal father-son rivalry for the same woman. Get greasy. Here's the new highly-nsfw official trailer for Jim Hosking's The Greasy Strangler, from YouTube: The Los Angeles-set "surreal,...

Following its premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, Jim Hosking’s The Greasy Strangler will be released in theaters and on VOD by FilmRise on October 7th. Ahead of its upcoming Us release, a new poster for the film has been unveiled, showing Big Ronnie and his son, Brayden, posing for an awkward family photo.

“This Los Angeles–set tale follows Big Ronnie, a man who runs a disco walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman named Janet comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son for her attentions. It also brings about the appearance of an oily, slimy, inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent—soon dubbed “the Greasy Strangler.”

Flush your expectations down the toilet, because you have never seen a slasher film or a father-son comedy like this before.

There are so many words that can describe The Greasy Strangler, Jim Hosking's feature directorial debut: gross, vile, disturbing, demented, cheap, disgusting, offensive, flatulent. I'm probably leaving out another hundred or so. But damned if I wasn't thoroughly entertained by this uproariously funny film that defies description. It may be difficult to grasp considering how extreme it is, but at its heart the film is a touching story about the often awkward father-son relationship.

Michael St. Michaels (with a whopping 9 acting credits since 1974 on IMDb) plays Ronnie, a disco walking tour owner whose son, Brayden (Sky Elobar), works and lives with him. Ronnie's dietary habits are not healthy, to say the least: let's just say he enjoys a little bit of food with his grease. Whe [Continued ...]...

In less than one month, Bruce Campbell’s third annual Horror Film Festival will return to Chicago for its third year of celebrating horror movies both old and new. This year’s lineup includes Fede Alvarez’s Don’t Breathe and Darren Lynn Bousman’s Abattoir, the world premiere of Found Footage 3D, a 30th anniversary screening of Night of the Creeps, and much more:

Press Release: Rosemont, Ill., June 22, 2016— Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival, presented by Starz and their hit original series Ash vs. Evil Dead, returns for its third annual festivities on August 18-21, in conjunction with Wizard World Chicago. Today, the Festival announced highlights of the groovy lineup, sponsored by Shudder and Bloody-Disgusting.com, featuring the critically acclaimed opening night nail-biter Don’t Breathe, directed by Fede Alvarez; a salute to genre hero Fred Dekker; an epic event featuring comedian Doug Benson; and a 25th anniversary...

Rated ‘G’ for excessive greasiness, the first trailer for Jim Hosking’s (The ABC’s of Death 2) horror-thriller The Greasy Strangler has landed, and it’s definitely not safe for work – maybe not even safe for life.

Starring Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar and Elizabeth De Razzo, the surreal and nutty flick enjoyed a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, garnering more “Wtf” reviews than just about any other film on the festival slate. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is something we’ll leave to you.

Set against Los Angeles, it’s Michael St. Michaels that takes point as Big Ronnie, a man who knows a thing or two about the mythical Greasy Strangler – an “oily, slimy inhuman maniac” that stalks the shadows and quite literally beats the innocent to a pulp.

Expect wonderful weirdness in spades when The Greasy Strangler launches...

Earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, I attempted to watch a movie called The Greasy Strangler. I couldn’t sit through the whole thing because it was one of the most nauseating and vile films that I’ve tried to watch. I've only walked out of three films in my life, and this was one of them. I wrote a first impression review/rant of it and an explanation of why I walked out of it that you can read here if you want. Normally I enjoy strange, odd, and unique films, but this one just rubbed me in all the wrong way in all the wrong places.

The first very red-band teaser trailer has been released for the film, and it pretty much represents everything that I hated about what I saw in this movie. I’m sure people are going to watch the film out of curiosity.

It's time to get greasy. The first teaser trailer has been revealed for a film that premiered in the Midnight section at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, called The Greasy Strangler. It's a totally insane, surreal horror comedy produced by Drafthouse Films and Elijah Wood's SpectreVision and received mixed reviews, as it's just too much disgusting madness for some to handle. You'll see exactly what I mean with this trailer. The films stars Michael St. Michaels as Big Ronnie, along with Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo and Gil Gex. It's about an aging disco enthusiast who turns into a creepy, greasy strangler at night, and things get much, much weirder. Not everyone will be into this, but some of you... maybe. Dive right in. Here's the first highly-nsfw teaser trailer for Jim Hosking's The Greasy Strangler, from YouTube: The Los Angeles-set "surreal, midnight-horror comedy" follows Ronnie, a man who runs a Disco Walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. ...

Our own Ryland Aldrich described The Greasy Strangler as "one of the weirdest and absolutely most disgusting midnight movies in memory. It's also funny as fuck." And if you need proof of that, have we got a trailer for you! Of course, it's Nsfw (Not Safe For Work), which is, apparently, the point. (I confess: I have not seen the movie.) As to the plot, let's turn again to the words of Mr. Aldrich (he saw the film at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year): The rough sketch is that 40-something year old Brayden (aka Big Brayden, aka Sky Elobar) still lives with his father Ronnie (aka Big Ronnie, aka Michael St. Michaels). The father and son duo spend most of their time hanging...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Flush your expectations down the toilet, because you have never seen a slasher film or a father-son comedy like this before. Directed by Jim Hosking (The Abcs Of Death 2) The Greasy Strangler is being described as an "off-kilter feature film debut that is equal parts disgusting, offensive, and manically entertaining."

Featuring performances by Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, and Elizabeth De Razzo that are destined for cult status, The Greasy Strangler also enlists a dream team of talent behind the camera including a deliriously fun score by Andrew Hung of Fuck Buttons and a few of the most prominent genre film producers from across the globe including Theo Brooks, Tim League, Ben Wheatley, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C. Waller, Daniel Noah, and Elijah Wood.

[Continued ...]...

Perhaps due to its competition status and star power at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Swiss Army Man was the most-talked about in terms of being a curious oddity, but in the midnight side-bar, there was a film that truly pushed the gonzo envelope. The Greasy Strangler follows Michael St. Michaels as Big Ronnie, an aging disco enthusiast who by night turns into our titular, greased-up villain. When his son Brayden (Sky Elobar) becomes aware, things get much, much weirder. The first teaser has now arrived for the Elijah Wood-produced film and it’s a Nsfw, Wtf-level mind-trip.

We said in our review, “From its title you sort of know what you’re getting into and director Jim Hosking delivers the goods. Uproariously and often disturbingly funny, the concept, like Yoga Hosers, sounds like it was conceived at random. Hosking admitted the concept of a greasy strangler to...

Certainly one of the more wildly memorable midnight movies during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival was Jim Hosking’s wonderfully depraved The Greasy Strangler, which follows disco-loving Big Ronnie (Michael St. Michaels), his awkward son, Brayden (Sky Elobar), and a mysterious woman named Janet (Elizabeth De Razzo) vying for their affections.

Daily Dead had the opportunity to speak with the trio about their experiences working together on The Greasy Strangler and to be honest, the conversation took a bunch of hysterical left turns along the way. Read on to hear more from the cast of The Greasy Strangler and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more on this one as fans of cult cinema definitely will want to check it out for themselves.

I must say, when you start off Sundance and you see that first Midnight movie, you want something that's going to be completely unexpected and totally wild,...

Undoubtedly one of the more unusual Midnight selections at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival was Jim Hosking’s The Greasy Strangler, the unpredictably perverse story of a father and son (Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar), a grease-laden murderer and the woman who gets between them (Elizabeth De Razzo).

Daily Dead had the opportunity to catch up with Hosking at the festival and heard from the up-and-coming filmmaker about his journey to getting The Greasy Strangler made, collaborating with his cast, and pushing the boundaries of modern cinema.

I'm curious, where did the story of The Greasy Strangler originate, and how did you get from the script point to the part where you got people to say “yes” to this? Because it is so unusual, I can’t imagine it was an easy sell to say the least.

Jim Hosking: I don't think anyone understood what this film was. I think...

If a tree falls in the forest, does anyone hear it? By the same token, if a midnight movie premieres on VOD or screens at an empty AMC multiplex at 2Pm, is it still a midnight movie? Is one required to be drunk, stoned, or half asleep to enjoy The Greasy Strangler? I’d say no, but being with the right audience and in the right state of mind certainly helps.

From its title you sort of know what you’re getting into and director Jim Hosking delivers the goods. Uproariously and often disturbingly funny, the concept, like Yoga Hosers, sounds like it was conceived at random. Hosking admitted the concept of a greasy strangler to be nearly impossible — how would he get a good grip? — yet he commits and continues to reinvent the wheel along the way until the picture stumbles late in its third act. For a midnight...

I don’t even know where to start with The Greasy Strangler. It’s a movie that defies traditional cinematic definition and completely hits you out of nowhere time and time again with its deranged sense of humor and completely trash-tastic sensibilities. In a nutshell, The Greasy Strangler feels like Troma made an episode of the Tim and Eric Awesome Show and it’s a must-see experience for anyone who relishes perverse absurdism—and lots and lots of grease too, of course.

The Greasy Strangler follows Brayden (Sky Elobar) and his dad, Ronnie (Michael St. Michaels), who run a walking disco tour in Los Angeles and find themselves at a crossroads when they both fall for the same woman, Janet (Elizabeth De Razzo), who takes their tour and immediately connects with Brayden. There’s also a killer on the loose, known as “The Greasy Strangler”, who Brayden suspects is his...

Full disclosure: I walked out of this movie after watching only 30 minutes of it. This is kind of a first impression review, an explanation of why I walked out, and a brief rant on Sundance selecting and showing shitty movies like this.

Before I begin, you need to know that I love horror movies and I thoroughly enjoy strange and insane off-beat kind of films. This movie could be described that way, but it was completely unwatchable in every way.

This movie was a waste of time and money. I can't tell you if it was a waste of talent or not, because from what I saw there was no talent involved with the creation of this...film? I don't even want to call it a film. This was just utter crap.

Five minutes into watching the movie, people were already starting to walk out of the theater. I was telling myself,...

The weird and disgusting genre has always had a home in the midnight film lineup. Enter Jim Hosking and his go at taking over the throne as weirdest and most disgusting midnighter with The Greasy Strangler. Well, good work, Mr. Hosking. The Greasy Strangler is indeed one of the weirdest and absolutely most disgusting midnight movies in memory. It's also funny as fuck. Alright... So, a plot: The rough sketch is that 40-something year old Brayden (aka Big Brayden, aka Sky Elobar) still lives with his father Ronnie (aka Big Ronnie, aka Michael St. Michaels). The father and son duo spend most of their time hanging around home in their undies, cooking up greasy meals, and running their walking disco tour. This tour provides the...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Stars: Ana Paula Redding, David Landry, Lillian Pennypacker, Michael St. Michaels, Nancy Wolfe | Written and Directed by Jason Bognacki

There’s a joke in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, the under-seen but superlative comedy about the making of a fictional eighties horror programme, that is too good not to repeat at any given opportunity. In it, the show’s producer, played by Richard Ayoade, claims that due to episodes running far too short, any scene without dialogue was considered for slow motion. Given its own brief running time of just eighty minutes and its predilection for the special effect, one wonders if Mark of the Witch was produced under a similar ethos.

Mark of the Witch portrays Jordyn (Ana Paula Redding), a young woman who keeps having weird and wacky experiences of a not entirely pleasant nature. Turns out, she’s being harassed/possessed by a demonic presence. There’s not...

Kate Plays ChristineThe lineup for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 21 -31, has been announced.U.S. Dramatic COMPETITIONAs You Are (Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA): As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere The Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker, USA): Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World PremiereChristine (Antonio Campos,...

The Sundance Film institute has released the line-up of film for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Going to Sundance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love going because you never know what kind of movies you're going to see. Sometimes they are great films that amaze and entertain, other times they completely suck ass, but that's all part of the fun of going to the festival. It's an awesome experience for any hardcore movie geek, and if you ever get a chance to go, you need to.

The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.

Some of...

As we near the end of the calendar year, there is still plenty to look forward to in cinema – and not just the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December. Yes, as we barrel down on the industry’s undisputed purple patch, our local theaters will soon become brimming with awards contenders each out to stake a claim for that coveted Oscar trophy.

Much like previous years, the Academy’s presentation will take place in February, and it’ll be preceded by the Sundance Film Festival one month prior. Returning for its 32nd year on the festival circuit, the Midnight selection has been formally revealed, confirming such entires as Rob Zombie’s horror 31 along with the Kevin Smith-directed college flick, Yoga Hosers.

Blending irreverent comedies with impassioned horror films, the Midnight slate of Sundance 2016 is once again jam-packed with notable release, and let’s not forget...

This January, Sundance Film Festival attendees will have the chance to witness the mania of Murder World, as the festival announced today that Rob Zombie's Halloween-set horror film 31 will be part of its special Midnight section, along with Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers, The Greasy Strangler, and more.

To celebrate the Sundance screening announcement, a new image from 31 has been released, along with a video of Rob Zombie's on-the-go reaction to the news. For more details, we have the official press release:

Press Release: Park City, Ut — Adrenaline junkies and genre film-lovers know the real fun at the Sundance Film Festival starts at midnight. Sundance Institute tonight offers a first look at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival by announcing the nine feature films that will screen in its iconic Midnight section, which has launched films including The Blair Witch Project, Saw, Super Troopers, The Babadook, Black Dynamite, What We Do In The Shadows,...

A change of pace for Sundance Film Festival, before we get their competition films (and much more), they’ve first unveiled their midnight line-up for 2016. Among the notable titles are the latest films from Rob Zombie and Kevin Smith, 31 and Yoga Hosers, respectively. However, what keeps me coming back to Park City are the surprises, so there’s also a handful of features from relatively unknown directors that have caught our eye, including Carnage Park and Under the Shadow. Check out the line-up below, along with debut images, and return for our coverage in around two months.

31 / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rob Zombie) — Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns. Cast: Sheri Moon Zombie,...

In an unusual move, the Sundance Film Festival revealed the nine-strong genre strand line-up late on Sunday night with little warning.

The section includes Rob Zombie’s 31, Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers (pictured) — the second in his True North trilogy that began with Toronto 2014 entry Tusk — featuring Johnny Depp and Babak Anvari’s Tehran-set Under The Shadow.

Midnight selections appear below with full synopses as provided by the festival. All films hail from the Us and are world premieres unless stated otherwise.

This year’s festival will include a programme of Midnight short films. Those and other Sundance selections will be announced in the weeks ahead. Sundance will run from January 21-31 2016.

31, Rob Zombie

Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns...

In an unusual move, the festival revealed the nine-strong genre strand line-up late on Sunday night with little warning.

The section includes Rob Zombie’s 31, Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers (pictured) — the second in his True North trilogy that began with Toronto 2014 entry Tusk — featuring Johnny Depp and Babak Anvari’s Tehran-set Under The Shadow.

Midnight selections appear below with full synopses as provided by the festival. All films hail from the Us and are world premieres unless stated otherwise.

This year’s festival will include a programme of Midnight short films. Those and other Sundance selections will be announced in the weeks ahead. Sundance will run from January 21-31 2016.

31, Rob Zombie

Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns.

Cast: [link...

In an unusual move, the festival revealed the nine-strong genre strand line-up late on Sunday night with little warning.

The section includes Rob Zombie’s 31, Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers — the second in his True North trilogy that began with Toronto 2014 entry Tusk — featuring Johnny Depp and Babak Anvari’s Tehran-set Under The Shadow.

Midnight selections appear below with full synopses as provided by the festival. All films hail from the Us and are world premieres unless stated otherwise.

This year’s festival will include a programme of Midnight short films. Those and other Sundance selections will be announced in the weeks ahead. Sundance will run from January 21-31 2016.

31 (USA), Rob Zombie)

Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns.

Cast: [link...

Stars: Ana Paula Redding, David Landry, Lillian Pennypacker, Michael St. Michaels, Nancy Wolfe | Written and Directed by Jason Bognacki

There’s a joke in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, the under-seen but superlative comedy about the making of a fictional eighties horror programme, that is too good not to repeat at any given opportunity. In it, the show’s producer, played by Richard Ayoade, claims that due to episodes running far too short, any scene without dialogue was considered for slow motion. Given its own brief running time of just eighty minutes and its predilection for the special effect, one wonders if Another was produced under a similar ethos.

Another portrays Jordyn (Ana Paula Redding), a young woman who keeps having weird and wacky experiences of a not entirely pleasant nature. Turns out, she’s being harassed/possessed by a demonic presence. There’s not really a great deal more to the plot than that,...

Director Jason Bognacki's Another is getting set to have its World Premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival. Leading up to its premiere, the director and Full Frame Pictures have released a new graphic for the film. This official artwork highlights the demonic forces lurking inside, with the character and protagonist Jordyn (Paulie Rojas) shown prominently. The film debuts in under a week! Another is a supernatural yarn of two sisters. One sister is just coming into adulthood and the other/another is testing Jordyn's resolve. Can Jordyn resist the temptation of witchcraft? Another will debut at Siff May 17th, 2014. The film will offer two showings in May and horror or supernatural fans are encouraged to see the show on the big screen. A trailer for the film is available below. Release Date: May 17th, 2014 (World Premiere). Director/writer: Jason Bognacki. Cast: Paulie Rojas, Maria Olsen, Nancy Wolfe, David Landry and Michael St. Michaels.

Director Jason Bognacki's ("The Red Door") supernatural thriller Another will debut at the Seattle International Film Festival. Here, the film will have its World Premiere. Another is a coming-of-age film, in which a young woman named Jordyn (Paulie Rojas) discovers the presence of an evil twin. The Another uses witchy powers to take over Jordyn's body and behaviours. The film stars Paulie Rojas (The Last Resort), Maria Olsen (The Bunnyman Massacre) and Nancy Wolfe. The World Premiere for Another takes place May 17th, 2014. On this date, the film will be presented in 4K screen resolution, to highlight the breathtaking imagery from the film. Some of that exquisite quality can be seen in the film's official trailer, which is hosted below. As well, more details on the theatrical launch of Another are below. Release Date: May 17th, 2014 (World Premiere). Director/writer: Jason Bognacki. Cast: Paulie Rojas, Maria Olsen, Nancy Wolfe,...