Movies

Suspiria 2018

Published by FrightFind On October 3, 2018

In 1977, Italian director, horror film master, and all around mad-cinema genius Dario Argento terrified international audiences with his hauntingly brutal film, Suspiria. The film was dark, oddly psychedelic, and purportedly based on some rather loose but nonetheless true events that a relative of Argento’s mysteriously experienced in Europe. Told through the eye of an American dance student, the chilling film introduced audiences to the Italian brand of horror known as Giallo.

Suspiria: Dario Argento’s 1977 Horror Masterpiece

Rough in its definition, Giallo is an Italian sub-genre that incorporates horror, detective fiction, gore, supernatural elements, and psychological exploitation so as to craft as masterful a film as possible. For Argento at this time, it was about creating that surreal dreamworld inside a rather morbid reality. All of these sights played against a score composed entirely by the cultish progressive Italian rock band Goblin, and the nightmares were sure to come. Nearly forty-one years later, the film is being revisited with an exciting new cast and dedication to frighten all new first time viewers.

Suspiria Returns in 2018

Academy Award nominated director Luca Guadagnino, is looking to bring his best as the new film stars Dakota Johnson as Susie in the main role of an American ballet dancer who travels overseas to Europe in hopes of refining her delicate craft. However soon after her arrival, things don’t quite appear as normal as they should. A sequence of tragic events and nightmares has Susie believing that her ballet company is fronting for nothing more than a sinister coven of witches possibly headed by the company’s own Madame Blanc, played with eerie compassion by Academy Award winning actress, Tilda Swinton.

One of the key takeaways from the film’s many teasers and trailers is that Guadagnino, while looking to stick close to Argento’s source material in some ways, is almost entirely abandoning the paranoid color scheme that was captured so well in the 1977 film version. Guadagnino has said of his visuals for the film,

“My production designer Inbal Weinberg, my costume designer Giulia Piersanti and the director of photography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom went for browns and blacks and blues and greens, all muted and juxtaposed, so that we could in a way encompass this idea of a German Autumn. That’s why the colors are not primary. They do not pop at you. I hope that they infiltrate you and they go deep into you”.

As far as getting an approval from Argento on his finished product, Guadagnino said, “I can only say to you that after he saw it he called me, and it was a great call”.

Suspiria is set to hit theaters October 26, 2018.

Charles Manson Inspires New Quentin Tarantino Film

Published by FrightFind On August 27, 2018

Film writer and director Quentin Tarantino is celebrated as one of the most daring and critically acclaimed filmmakers in recent cinema history. Having made only ten full-length feature films, he has been established by studio critics and fans alike as the “must-see his movie” director. It is with much fanfare that his eleventh studio film would be based on a true crime story, deep in his own Hollywood backyard. A film semi-based around the infamous Manson Family murders of 1969.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio

Titled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the film is set to star three of Hollywood’s most exciting A-list actors. Leonard DiCaprio and Brad Pitt take on the mysterious roles of a failed television Western star and his longtime stunt double. Early leaked storylines suggest that the pair are down on their luck and having trouble landing roles in Hollywood and hope to turn around their situation by involving a most famous next-door neighbor, actress Sharon Tate. Academy Award nominated actress and DC Comic fanboy crush, Margot Robbie will be playing the role of Tate.

Margot Robbie and Sharon Tate

Tarantino has found his Manson

After half of Hollywood have been pining for the role of cult leader Charles Manson, Tarantino has finally found his man. Mostly unknown Australian actor Damon Herriman (FX’s Justified) will play the part of Charles Manson. Of course, you never know how large of a part the cult leader will play in the movie, it’s for certain that it will be a memorable one. It doesn’t hurt that Damon holds an uncanny resemblance to the Manson Family Dad.

Damon Herriman and Charles Manson

Tarantino and Sony Pictures has recently had to backtrack some preconceived notions that the film is purely based on the Manson Family murders. Ever the outspoken and candid individual, Tarantino has insisted that the film deals “directly with the events of 1969”. Not saying much more than that and given the details on the top star casting, it is safe to say that the horrific Tate Murders will be showcased in the film in one Tarantino-style way or another. Given, like in Inglourious Basterds, that he likes to bend historical events, it cannot be said with absolute certainty just what Tate’s fate will hold until the film’s release.

Casting and release date for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Other top cast and crew members include veteran actor Burt Reynolds, Academy Award winner Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch and producer Damian Lewis. While no casting sheet has been made publicly available, the buzz is strong that the film will also star a gaggle of Tarantino film veteran actors. Rumor has it we may see Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, James Remar, and the ever-popular Samuel L. Jackson cast in the perfect Tarantino blend of fictional and real characters.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is due to be released July 26, 2019.

Stephen King and “The Shining” Hotels that Gave Us The Overlook Hotel

Published by FrightFind On August 13, 2018

What Hotels Inspired The Shining?

In late 1974, Stephen King was emerging as a wildly successful young author. His two bestsellers, Carrie and Salem’s Lot, were enjoying multiple printing editions. For such an overnight success, the spotlight was beginning to shine on King, who previously worked as an English teacher at a Maine high school and sometimes moonlighted at a local laundry. Little did he know, a short-lived move to Boulder, Colorado would bring a new setting for many of his stories to come. One night, he found himself at the birthplace of The Shining in Estes Park, Colorado where he stayed at the Stanley Hotel, the first of many hotels to impact a story that has bewildered fans for decades.

The Stanley Hotel Hauntings that Sparked The Shining

On October 30, 1974, Stephen King and his wife chose to stay at The Stanley Hotel. As fate would have it, King and his wife Tabitha were the only guests for this short stay as the hotel was on the cusp of closing for the winter season. “They were just getting ready to close for the season, and we found ourselves the only guests in the place — with all those long, empty corridors.” With one hundred and forty rooms and fourteen thousand square feet, the 1909 hotel could not have been a more perfect setting as King took to walking the long and lonely halls. The Stanley Hotel was known to have paranormal activity long before King’s stay and it was prepared to play a large part in his unwritten horror hit, The Shining.

The Ghosts of The Stanley Hotel

Some say the hauntings of the Stanley originated with a housekeeper by the name of Elizabeth Wilson. In King’s novel, The Shining, room 217 of The Overlook Hotel is pivotal to the plot. King himself stayed in room 217 at the Stanley Hotel. He has even gone on record saying he suffered terrible nightmares and cold sweats at all hours. Elizabeth Wilson had accidentally died in room 217 in the late fall of 1911 when she was lighting up the room’s oil lanterns. A small explosion erupted killing Wilson as fire engulfed about ten percent of the hotel. King’s stay at the haunted Stanley Hotel began to shape the setting for The Shining’s secluded Overlook Hotel.

The Stanley Hotel Ballroom

A popular sight and scene from King’s novel is the ballroom in the hotel. The Stanley Hotel’s paranormal activity is not just confined to room 217. During the early twentieth century, the ballroom at the hotel was bursting with excitement for late evening parties, dances, and revelry of all sorts. With such a large party scene where alcohol was surely an influence, the hotel employed a bouncer of sorts who’s only known name was Paul. It was commonplace for him to rumble and corral unruly guests out of the ballroom and off the premises. The Stanley Hotel’s current staff and travelers report that late at night around the ballroom, one can hear a very hushed voice utter the words, “get out”. The sightings surrounding Paul and the rowdy past of the hotel’s ballroom also played as inspiration for King and his novel.

The Mohonk Mountain House Hedge Maze and Topiary

For anyone who has read The Shining or seen the film, one of the most renowned images is the giant hedge maze and topiary. At the time of King’s visit at the Stanley Hotel, it did not have a hedge maze on its grounds. The Shining book featured a topiary while The Shining movie featured a hedge maze for little Danny Torrance.

Another hotel that King often visited was The Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York. It was a frequent favorite of King and his wife to stay. While the hauntings at the Mohonk Mountain House have less notoriety, the hotel with its lush gardens and gothic features, are said to have inspired some of the hotel’s settings in the book. A most inspiring piece from the hotel is its enormous hedge maze on Mohonk’s property. Standing at over twelve feet tall in some spots, the highly manicured maze may have given King the spark for one of the novel’s most famous scenes.

The Stanley Hotel Adds a Hedge Maze

Sadly, the massive amount of visitors who come to the Stanley Hotel hoping for a maze experience come to find that the hotel never actually had an outdoor maze. This was remedied in 2015 by the current owners of the Stanley Hotel, who designed, built, and carefully constructed one. While most visitors aren’t excited by the hedge walls standing only three feet high, there have been talks by the management of increasing the size of the hedge walls to accommodate the influx of fans who descend on the hotel on a daily basis.

The Timberline Lodge in Oregon is the Face of The Shining

Translating King’s story to film was a challenge for eccentric director Stanley Kubrick. The shots he demanded did not fit with King’s vision and he opted to use another hotel for the exterior shots. The Timberline Lodge became the Overlook Hotel in Kubrick’s The Shining. Nestled on the south side of the Mount Hood National Forest in Northwestern Oregon, the Timberline was just the hotel with the ominous exteriors fit for the job.

Constructed between 1937 and 1938, the Timberline was a brainchild artisan project of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration and was designed to bring in a flow of tourism to the poverty-stricken and remote area. Stanley Kubrick was known in Hollywood for taking filming schedules into uncharted and quite lengthy territory. The Shining was proving no different and the year-long-plus process allowed for prolonged shots of the Timberline after a fresh snowfall. This gave the film a dramatic and eerie visual setting.

The Timberline Lodge did not have a hedge maze either. Go figure.

The Ahwahnee Hotel Inspires the Interior of The Shining Hotel

Kubrick relied on gaudy interior visuals for his film and drew inspiration from the majestic Ahwahnee Hotel. Located inside Yosemite National Park in California, the Ahwahnee’s interior design took inspiration from natural attractions in the area and highlighted genuine redwood hardwood flooring, farmed local stones, and overhead grand chandeliers fashioned out of hunted deer and elk antlers.

One clear inspiration featured in Kubrick’s Shining would be the Ahwahnee elevator doors that would shed a sea of blood into our nightmares for decades.

The Ahwahnee Hotel Shining Elevators

The hotel did not allow any filming to take place inside. Kubrick’s designers would draw from the Stanley, the Mohonk, Timberline, and Ahwahnee hotels to piece together the visuals of The Shining. Stanley Kubrick took film production overseas and to the confines of his native England and into Hertfordshire which was home to the often used Elstree Studios.

Is Stephen King Jack Torrance?

For most amateur horror novel and film fans, they think that it was simply a case of Stephen King spending the night in a haunted hotel and a novel was born. Upon closer examination, the truth of the matter is that King had inserted little pieces of digested literature and personal experiences to crank out a horror experience that is still terrifying to this day. The novel’s main character, Jack Torrance, is a former high school English teacher, just like King used to be. That sort of background may have made it easy for him to get inside the head of his character and really bring out his frustrations.

In several interviews, King has gone so far as to make it known that Jack’s actions were just a surrogate confession that King was making about his life at the time. It is no secret that King was a heavy alcohol user in his early writing days here and this was further parlayed into Jack’s character. Coupled with an isolated location, it was only natural that tempers would flare, madness would emerge, and humanity snaps. The eerie parallels of cabin fever were possibly inspired from French author Guy De Maupassant’s The Inn, a similar tale in which an isolated inn on a snowy mountaintop serves as a backdrop to madness and murderous visions.

But what about the most famous aspect of King’s novel? The young character of Danny Torrance who possesses a very unusual psychic communication ability. This didn’t come to King by staying at a hotel but actually came from a previous failed novel attempt. In 1972, King had the idea about a young boy with psychic abilities who is enamored with a local amusement park. Not getting very far in the plot, he abandoned the story. It wasn’t until his paranormal stay at the Stanley Hotel when King realized he had the perfect protagonist after suffering a nightmare in which a young boy similar to that in his failed novel, was being chased by his father. With all these details, King had just what he needed to flesh out his next novel even if he was supposed to be celebrating his success with a peaceful vacation holiday.

The Stanley Hotel and The Shining

Just how has all of this attention over the years affected these hotels, especially the Stanley? The current ownership does not seem to mind too much. To show appreciation for its horror roots, the Stanley Hotel has played host to a semi-regular horror film festival, The Stanley Film Festival. The hotel has embraced paranormal fans even more by hosting tours on the hotel grounds to provide new historical perspective on why the Stanley is so popular amongst such groups.

For anyone staying at the Stanley who wakes with nightmares, trembling in sweat like King did some forty plus years ago, there is even a resident psychic on premises named Madame Vera who is available on call and during operating hours to help try and make sense of whatever the other side is trying to say. Showing a richer appreciation for the film, The Shining is televised on the hotel’s in-house television system in a nonstop loop.

With the huge success of King’s novel and even the cult status of Kubrick’s film, it is fair to say that those terrifying vacation nights at the Stanley Hotel, served all parties very well to a very agreeable financial benefit. However, Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick did not see eye to eye on the version of the film and have not been on good terms for years. This lead King to push for an ABC miniseries which aired in 1997 that brought things back full-circle to the Stanley Hotel. Much of the miniseries was shot at The Stanley.

And after all the success and venturing to Colorado, was King done with the area? Not a chance. His next novel to follow The Shining was even bigger and far more frightening as it painted a world-ending viral outbreak with the heroes uniting in Boulder, Colorado. That novel? The Stand.

Halloween (2018) Movie Poster Released at Comic Con

Published by FrightFind On July 20, 2018

40 years later, the clock is ticking down to Halloween 2018 and San Diego’s Comic-Con just released an exclusive movie poster for John Carpenter’s return to the Halloween franchise. The artwork is from artist Bill Sienkiewicz (@SienkiewicsArt). Stop by booth #2614 and tell Bill FrightFind sent you. Check out more of Sienkiewicz’ art on his website at billsienkiewiczart.com. Halloween hits theaters October 19th.

Official 2018 San Diego Comic-Con Halloween Poster

Horror Films Coming in 2019

Published by FrightFind On June 16, 2018

We know what you are thinking: 2018 isn’t even half over and you are already moving on to 2019. You would be correct in thinking that, but we don’t care. It’s all about the future Man! There are still several great horror flicks to hit theaters in 2018, but why not prepare for next year? Here are a few noteworthy horror films expected at your local cineplex in 2019.

Annabelle 3

After the soaring box office success of the first two installations of The Conjuring spinoff, Annabelle, the little devil returns to continue terrorizing the physical plane. Writer Gary Dauberman has quite a reputation in The Conjuring universe by writing the first two Annabelle films and The Nun coming this September, however, this chapter in the Annabelle series will be his first attempt at directing a feature film. No actors or plot details have yet been released. The third Annabelle will be in theaters July 3, 2019.

The New Mutants

X-Mens mutants return but this time with the intention to scare. This new spin on the classic franchise will follow five young mutants being held in a secret facility against their will. Together, they will have to work through understanding their powers, and past traumas, while fighting to stay alive. The New Mutants had an original release date of April 2018 but with the desire to make the film more horror driven reshoots were requested. Writers Josh Boone and Knate Lee are trying to take a more Deadpool approach to the world of superhero films, something more hardcore and violent. Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton and others have been chosen to join the team. The New Mutants opens in theaters August 2, 2019.

It: Chapter Two

Twenty-seven years after IT: Chapter One, Pennywise returns yet again to torment the losers club. A large majority of the actors set to portray the grown-up losers have been revealed, among them, SNL’s Bill Hader, James McAvoy, and Jessica Chastain. Bill Skarsgard will return as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Director Andy Muschietti guarantees a more terrifying experience this go round. IT: Chapter Two hits theaters September 6, 2019.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

The classic Nickelodeon horror series Are You Afraid of the Dark? is getting a horrifying reboot. The original show, created by D.J. MacHale and Ned Kandel, was set around a group of teenagers who called themselves the Midnight Society. As a group, they would meet in the woods every week to tell spooky stories. The Conjuring franchise writer Gary Dauberman is currently writing the screenplay but other than that little is know about where the beloved series will go story wise. Don’t be afraid to catch Are You Afraid of the Dark? in theaters October 11, 2019.

The Conjuring 3

James Wan’s hit series returns with a new supernatural adventure for Ed and Lorraine Warren. There are whispers that the story will take place in London during the 1980s. Others speculate that The Crooked Man, a character seen in the second Conjuring will make an appearance. Little is still know, but Wan promises a solid and scary addition to The Conjuring universe. “The Conjuring films are still the mothership and the mothership needs to be strong,” Wan told Entertainment Weekly last month regarding the surge of spin-off films in The Conjuring franchise. Catch the third installation of The Conjuring in theaters July 3, 2019.

Little Shop of Horrors

The musical/horror cult classic returns for a reboot currently being written by Matthew Robinson. Greg Berlanti is set to direct. Both Rebel Wilson and Josh Gad have been considered as the roles of Seymour and Audrey respectively but nothing has yet been confirmed. The release date is still to be announced.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Director Joe Berlinger is helping audiences step right inside the mind of one of the most infamous serial killers in American history: Ted Bundy. His story is told from the perspective of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer, as she struggles to understand his horrifying nature. At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, it was revealed that Zac Efron will play the lead role of Ted Bundy while Lily Collins will play Elizabeth Kloepfer. John Malkovich has been chosen to portray the judge presiding over Bundy, Edward Cowart. The release date for this killer flick is yet to be announced.

Us

After Get Out rocked the box office, director Jordan Peele is back with a new horror film called Us. Nothing has been confirmed but Peele seems to be considering Elisabeth Moss and Lupita Nyong’o as his leading stars with whispers of Winston Ducks also finding a role. Not much is yet known about the new Peele film but it seems he’s gearing up for another psychological thriller. Us will be in theaters March 15, 2019.

Black Hole

In Charles Burns’ 12-issue graphic novel Black Hole, a strange new sexually transmitted virus begins to spread, causing unusual mutations as side effects. Rick Famuyiwa will be directing this story of a group of teens in 1970s era Seattle and how the virus’ mutations made them become social outcasts. It is still unclear who will be cast as the odd crew of teens. An announcement date is still left to come.

The Lighthouse

The Witch director Robert Eggers returns with his sophomore film The Lighthouse that he describes as “a fantasy horror story set in the world of old seafaring myths.” Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe have been cast in this tale about an aging lighthouse keeper in early 20th-century Maine. Little is still know about the plot and the release date is yet to be announced.

Eli

A young boy with a rare illness goes to a secluded clinic for treatment only to find himself trapped in a haunted nightmare of a building. Charlie Sotwell has been chosen to play young lead Eli alongside Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink. Sinister 2 director Ciaran Foy will director the David Chirchirillo screenplay that has been sitting on the back burner since 2015. After being revised by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing, Paramount picked it up and says Eli will be its first wide release of 2019. Eli opens January 4, 2019.

The Turning

Finally, the film adaptation of Henry James’ 1892 gothic horror story The Turn of the Screw is here. Or at least a loose adaptation. The gothic tale will follow the ominous events that unfold when a young governess is hired to take care of two children living in a haunted estate in Essex. Mackenzie Davis is set to portray governess Kate while Strangers Things star Finn Wolfhard and Brooklynn Prince will play the two siblings. Canadian-Italian director Floria Sigismondi has been put in charge of the upcoming horror film whose release date is yet to be announced.

2019 Horror Rumors

Blumhouse Productions Firestarter Remake
An American Werewolf in London directed by Max Landis, John’s son
The Wizard of Oz?!?!
The Blob starring Samuel L. Jackson
Alien: Covenant sequel
M. Night Shyamalan’s third part of his Unbreakable and Split trilogy
Hellboy reboot

Halloween 2018 Trailer Has Arrived

Published by FrightFind On June 8, 2018

On Monday, June 4, CEO and founder Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions announced in five tantalizing tweets that the upcoming Halloween trailer will be released this upcoming Friday, or, today!

Guess what?

— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) June 4, 2018

The Halloween trailer

— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) June 4, 2018

Is dropping

— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) June 4, 2018

Friday.

— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) June 4, 2018

Boom

— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) June 4, 2018

Halloween 2018 Trailer

The trailer was first debuted at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where Jamie Lee Curtis told fans that “this movie is hella scary,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly. “I just used a young person word and I’m almost 60. You guys tweet that I said hella,” said Curtis.

Halloween 2018 Plot

Here’s what we know so far from the first trailer: according to IndieWire and Entertainment Weekly, the CinemaCon trailer showed fans a team of true-crime documentary investigators looking into Michael Myers’ murderous rampage 40 years ago… but not carefully enough.

The team of investigators makes a misguided visit with Myers, who has spent the past 15 or so years in isolation at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. The infamous William Shatner mask, which now carries obvious signs of wear and tear from the past four decades, makes an appearance while the team interviews Myers. The film’s plot follows the team’s efforts to interview the survivors of the events, who are now small-town legends, but, of course… things go horribly wrong.

However, a traumatized but unbroken Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has been preparing for Myers’ return. 40 years is a long time to prepare for a final showdown, and Strode has not been wasting her time. Our heroine lives alone, and this damsel is most certainly not helpless — her shooting practice and ingenuity with a kitchen island during the trailer make it clear that Strode is taking no chances.

All the bloody fun begins when Myers makes his inevitable escape from the sanitarium, and several unfortunate souls have the terribly bad fortune of interrupting his journey to Haddonfield: a girl trying to go in peace in a gas station bathroom and a young boy trying to go to bed with the help of his babysitter, learn this the hard way.

Here’s to Halloween coming early, FrightFind readers…

The Real Story of the Annabelle Doll

Published by FrightFind On June 6, 2018

Dolls can be very creepy. Some suggest that dolls were the first children’s toy dating back to the Egyptians. Were those Egyptian dolls creepy? Of course, they were! Since then, children have spent endless hours playing with everything from Barbie and Cabbage Patch to G.I. Joe and Star Wars dolls. Yes, those are dolls. And of course, there are famously haunted dolls. There’s Harold, the first haunted doll sold on eBay, whom psychics won’t go anywhere near. There’s Robert the haunted doll, who now lives at The Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. And then there is Annabelle, the Raggedy Ann doll that has taken doll stardom to new heights and is known as one of the most haunted dolls in the world. Here is the true backstory of the Annabelle doll from The Conjuring films.

The Real Annabelle Doll

The Real Annabelle Doll from The Conjuring Universe at the Warren’s Occult Museum

The Annabelle doll was actually a Raggedy Ann doll, not what you might expect a haunted, evil doll would look like. How could anyone ever see that smiling, brightly colored doll as a demonic menace? A young med student named Donna would find out. As well as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who have a compelling tale of horror that will make you think twice about this rosy-cheeked rag doll.

True History of the Annabelle Doll

The year is 1970 and soon to be registered nurse Donna has just received an antique Raggedy Ann doll from her mother for her birthday. She takes the doll back to her shared apartment with her roommate and fellow nurse, Angie. Both girls fawn over the cute smiling doll when it arrives but quickly forget its existence as it becomes part of the decor. However, the doll doesn’t go unnoticed long. Only days later, both girls start to notice that the doll seems to not only move from room to room but also change positions on its own. Donna would sometimes leave the doll in the living room only to come home to find the doll on her bed with the door closed. The doll was often found with its legs crossed or standing on both feet but it was never left in those positions, to begin with.

A month after the doll’s arrival, Donna started to find handwritten notes seemingly from the doll itself. Each note was written on scraps of parchment paper with the handwriting of a small child that bore the message, “Help us” and “Help Lou.” Donna, confused and scared, noted that she had never owned parchment paper and had no idea where it could have come from. Lou was a long-time friend to both Donna and Angie and at the time it was unclear why the doll had written his name specifically.

Up to this point, Donna kept what was happening to herself and didn’t feel the need to call in any kind of specialist until after one particularly unsettling event. Donna had just come home to find that the doll had moved again, this time to her bed. This time, something a bit more was off about the doll than just its changing position. Upon further inspection, Donna found to her horror that the doll had drops of a blood-like substance on its chest and hands. Nearly petrified with fear, Donna and Angie agreed they needed help and called a medium.

Who was Annabelle? Was the Annabelle doll possessed?

Through this medium, the girls would learn about the now infamous Annabelle Higgins. Before the apartment complex where the girls lived was built, there was just a field and a small house. It’s said that Annabelle and her family lived there happily until tragedy struck the family when seven-year-old Annabelle would be found dead in the field where the apartments now sit. The medium relayed to the sympathetic Donna and Angie, that Annabelle just wanted to stay and be loved. Without question, Donna allowed the spirit of Annabelle to stay in the Raggedy Ann doll. Not long after accepting Annabelle’s plea to stay, the girls realized that the spirit might not be as innocent as its soft doll was make it seem.

From the very beginning, Lou had disliked the cheery doll, even saying it was evil and he urged Donna and Angie to get rid of it as soon as it arrived. Both girls continuously refused since they felt such compassion for both the doll and Annabelle. Lou, on the other hand, had nothing but terrifying experiences when it came to the Annabelle doll. One night, Lou awoke to find that he could not move his body. Panic-stricken, he looked toward the end of the bed and saw the doll standing there. Seconds later, Lou felt the pressure of hands around his throat and was choked almost to the point of asphyxiation. Lou woke the next day terrified and convinced it had not been a dream or sleep paralysis. This would not be his only encounter with Annabelle. He also received seven long claw marks on his chest, three vertical and four horizontal. Interestingly, the cuts were fully healed in two days, leaving no trace they had ever been there.

The Warrens take on Annabelle

After these violent episodes, Donna realized this was not the spirit of a little girl but something much more sinister. Donna knew she needed more than a medium, so she contacted an Episcopal priest named Father Hegan. After Donna explained what had been happening to Lou and the doll, Father Hegan decided to call a priest of higher authority, Father Cooke. Upon hearing about the horrifying events, he instantly called Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens came to the conclusion that it was not the spirit of the young Annabelle but instead a demonic presence since spirits want to possess people, not inanimate objects. It was only making the doll seem alive so it could attach to a human host instead.

Starting small, the evil spirit started attracting attention to itself to get closer to a human host. The medium also made it much easier for the spirit to manipulate the girls with a sob story. Considering how violent the spirit started to get, the Warren’s predicted that the spirit would have possessed or killed someone in a couple of weeks if they haven’t been notified. Father Cooke cleansed the apartment with a seven-page prayer and, to Donna, Angie, and Lou’s relief, the Warrens took the Raggedy Ann doll with them.

Where is the Annabelle doll now?

The Annabelle doll is currently in a case in The Warren’s Occult Museum in Connecticut with a sign on the glass reading: “WARNING POSITIVELY DO NOT OPEN.”

The doll still showed signs of violence while in the Warren’s care. As they traveled home with the doll in the back seat, the car stalled repeatedly on every corner making the power steering and brakes fail. After almost colliding with another car because of this, Ed Warren poured holy water over the doll and they made it home safely with no more strange automobile failure. Ed also reported that the doll levitated off a chair when they returned and would turn up in rooms randomly. The Warrens built a special case for the doll after Father Jason Bradford, a Catholic exorcist friend of the Warrens, got into an almost fatal car accident after tossing the doll and telling it, ”You’re just a ragdoll Annabelle, you can’t hurt anyone.”

Tony Spera, curator of The Warren’s Occult Museum on Annabelle

Comparisons to the Annabelle film

While some of the above was included in the film, much of it was embellished for Hollywood’s big screen. Here are a few truths and falsities.

The doll was indeed a birthday gift to Donna from her mother. She was a nursing student which was depicted in the film.
The doll was never given to a pregnant wife.
The satanic cult scene never happened.
The owners never attempted to throw away the Annabelle doll. The activity was never really bad enough to warrant tossing the doll.
There were messages that appeared to have been left by the doll. Another odd fact was that the paper used was parchment. Donna, Angie, and Lou did not have any parchment in the house.
The doll never started a fire.
Father Hegan did perform an exorcism on the doll.
The Warrens did confiscate the doll to be held at their Occult Museum.

Ever wonder where the real Conjuring house is?

Halloween 2018 Update

Published by FrightFind On June 4, 2018

40 years later and you simply can’t have Halloween without Michael Myers.

Halloween will hit theaters this October

The newest installment of the franchise, entitled Halloween, will be released on October 19 of this year. The story so far is that the film, and its events, will be set 40 years after the events of the original Halloween, with Jamie Lee Curtis returning as Myer’s sister and target Laurie Strode, with Judy Greer and Andi Matichak joining the cast as Laurie’s daughter, Karen Strode, and granddaughter Allyson, respectively.

John Carpenter returns to Halloween

According to FANDOM’s Wikia website for Halloween, after 2009’s Halloween II from Rob Zombie, two more sequels failed to reach the silver screen under former rights holder Dimension Films, which led to a loss of the intellectual property rights. They were later obtained by Blumhouse Productions through assistance from John Carpenter, the co-creator of Halloween. Carpenter disagreed with Zombie’s remake, and sought to create a new Halloween film with the studio that better fit his vision of the iconic slasher.

Upon hearing about the development, director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express) and actor Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down), who are both avid fans of the Halloween franchise, approached Blumhouse and Carpenter with a proposal to collaborate on a direct sequel to the original Halloween, which Carpenter accepted. According to McBride, the film will not incorporate the storylines of any of the Halloween sequels or Rob Zombie’s remakes, but will still honor them, as he explained in an interview with Flickering Myth:

“This (the upcoming Halloween sequel) picks up after the first one. The Halloween franchise has kind of become a little bit of like choose your own adventure, you know like there’s some many different versions, and the timeline is so mixed up, we just thought it would be easier to go back to the source and continue from there. It was nicer than knowing you’re working on Halloween 11, it just seemed cooler, ‘we’re making Halloween 2‘. We do [reference the other movies]. For fans, we pay homage and respect to every Halloween that has been out there.”

In September of last year, Curtis shared a chilling preview of what’s to come via Twitter: “Same porch. Same clothes. Same issues. 40 years later. Headed back to Haddonfield one last time for Halloween. Release date 10/19/18.”

It is barely summer yet, but the chills are already here…

Mom and Dad The Movie. They brought you into this world….

Published by FrightFind On May 30, 2018

Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair are anything but good ol’ “Mom And Dad” in this blood-splattered flick. Described as a “wickedly dark, bloody comedy” by Rotten Tomatoes with a 73% freshness rating, this movie is a mixed bag that has a little something for everyone but does not necessarily deliver on all of them. However, for horror fans looking for a quick-paced thrill that delivers the scares on the back of the parents-who-secretly-hate-their-kids taboo, this is for you.

Mom and Dad Movie Plot

Cage and Blaire play the overworked and communication-starved Brent and Kendall Ryan, who are reluctant parents to Carly (Anne Winters) and Josh (Zackary Arthur). When the parents in their town begin to fall suspect to “a strange disorder [that] causes parents to violently turn against their own children,” according to the synopsis on Rotten Tomatoes, the Ryans are left attempting to make sense of the growing chaos surrounding them, and the simmering discord brewing between each other.

Some elements of the plot are somewhat unclear — somehow, the homicidal syndrome is triggered when parents are exposed to a mysterious static broadcast, which appears throughout the movie.

Although described as a comedy, the movie’s humor struggles with finding its footing. There are plenty of half-effort lines and scenes that attempt to push the envelope with the film’s controversial topic, and out of those moments, few land with a similar level of comedic timing as when Brent’s parents arrive for dinner. However, as far as the horror and the movie’s pacing goes, it is practically an electric current, and the unfolding chaos reveals itself with a quickness that keeps on coming.

Nicolas Cage is back and is crazy as ever!

Cage’s infamous over-acting is right at home in this movie as Brent Ryan, and his performance perfectly rides the line between being outrageously ridiculous and outright horrifying. He nails it as the pudgy-bellied asshole office dad who resents his wife and his children, and pretty much everything about the millennial age. Brent is also not good about healthily expressing his frustration, especially when he protests the corruption of the Internet with a tirade featuring, perhaps, the most illustrious line of his career:

“mouth to dildo, dildo to ass, ass to ass… ‘Hi Brent, anal beads!’”

Also, watching Brent bark around his home while in murderous pursuit of his son is hysterical — the man is a psychotic infomercial disaster in motion, and I still have yet to get the sight of the whites of Cage’s eyes out of my head.

Mom and Dad Horror Movie Trailer

The Ryans’ dysfunction is often the butt of extremely uncomfortable jokes throughout the movie, often seen in flashbacks that interrupt more than they inform the viewer of the underlying tensions and resentment between the Ryans. These moments often center around the parents’ jealousy of their children’s’ youth, and to say this politely, the gloves are completely off.

There is content that some viewers may find disturbing, such as the post-workout class chat between Kendall and her fellow mom friend Jenna (Samantha Lemole), who pointedly describes seeing her teenage daughter changing: “one day, those tits are gonna drop, you little whore.”

The sheer unabashedness with how these characters both sexualized and shamed their children brought a wave of the creeps up and down my back. The terror that arises between the women of this film, especially with Kendall’s rising paranoia over her age and beauty as she awaits the arrival of her sister, Jeanne’s (Rachel Melvin) baby, holds its own against the overwhelm of Brent’s rage with just as much tension.

They Brought You Into This World. They Can Take You Out.

The kids of this movie have a bone or two to pick with their parents as well, who do not respect their emerging independence nor what they have to say about it. Kendall is brought to tears attempting to even talk about it with Carly, who ultimately backs down because she does not want to break her already fragile mother.

These families are a mess and ignore their own advice for the sake of providing us a good hour-and-a-half of gory family fun. Brent’s one shining moment as an actually good father, and a potential voice of reason, emerges in his call of “maybe we need to have boundaries.”

This movie’s answer?

“Whatever, Dad.”

The Real Story of the Exorcism of Emily Rose

Published by FrightFind On May 28, 2018

Was the Exorcism of Emily Rose Real?

Sometimes, we comfort ourselves when watching something frightening or disturbing by telling ourselves, “It’s not real. It’s made up.” Unfortunately, this just won’t work when it comes to the true story behind the Scott Derrickson film The Exorcism of Emily Rose. The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on the very true and very tragic events that happened to Annaliese Michel. Her life story would lead to one of the most unsettling and widely accepted accounts of possession to date.

Who Was The Real Emily Rose?

The Exorcism of Emily Rose was based on the true story of Anneliese Michel. Anneliese Michel was born in 1952 in Klingenberg, Bavaria, West Germany to a deeply Catholic family. Anneliese had a normal and happy childhood until 1968 when she experienced her first blackout episode. After being rushed to the hospital, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Shortly after having her third seizure while staying there, she was given an anti-convulsive medication. During this time, she started describing faces of the devil that taunted her throughout the day. As a result, her doctor prescribed her a medication meant for various psychoses including schizophrenia.

By 1973, she was given an anti-seizure medication in hopes it would ease her attacks, but to no avail. She suffered from manic depression and became frustrated in the failure of the medication she took for so long. Strangely, she also became intolerant of religious objects such as the crucifix and started denouncing religious figures. To her mother’s horror, she found Annaliese staring hatefully at a statue of the Virgin Mary one day. Annaliese said she could not look directly at a picture of Christ because he “sparkled so immensely.” She also started describing voices in her head telling her that she was “damned” and would “rot in hell.” In 1975, Anneliese became very aggressive and started physically deteriorating. She would hurt herself and family members, eat spiders and flies, and drink her own urine off the floor.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose AKA Annaliese Michel

After displaying such horrifying behavior, the Michel family went in search of a priest, convinced their daughter was possessed by a demon. Father Ernst Alt answered the families prayers and said he would try and help Anneliese. The Michel parents, with the support of Father Alt, requested an exorcism. That September of 1975, a priest named Arnold Renz was given permission from the Vatican to start performing exorcisms on Annaliese right away.

The first exorcism took place on September 24, 1975. Over the course of ten months, 67 total exorcisms would be performed. Plus, 43 voice recordings were collected, as well as disturbing videos of the convulsing Annaliese. When questioned by Father Renz, Annaliese identified her demons as Lucifer, Cain, Judas Iscariot, Hitler, and Nero. Towards the end of her life, Annaliese started to physically deteriorate by starving and biting herself. However, she refused medical care or any doctor visits. A day after her last exorcism, Anneliese died of malnutrition and dehydration. She weighed only 68 pounds and was unable to move without assistance due to both of her knees being broken from constant genuflections.

After an investigation of her death, the Michels and priests Renz and Alt were charged with negligent homicide since it was determined that Anneliese’s death could have been easily prevented. The Michel’s defense was that their daughter was possessed and they were doing what they needed to save her. The audio recordings of the exorcisms were played as evidence but were not taken seriously by the court.

They also took the stance that it was in Anneliese’s legal right to refuse medical treatment and that something like force feeding her would have violated that right. However, doctor Richard Roth, who came at the request of Father Alt during one of the many exorcisms, told the court that it was a psychological effect born of both her strict religious upbringing and her epilepsy. According to Father Alt, this does not line up with the events of doctor Roth’s visit where he allegedly said, “there is no injection against the devil, Anneliese.” The Michel’s lawyer also brought up the point that the exorcism was completely legal and that the German constitution protected their right to an unrestricted exercise of their religious beliefs.

The Michels, Father Alt, and Father Renz were all found guilty after the case was ruled a misidentification of mental illness rather than possession. The priests were fined while the Michels were found guilty. The Michels were not punished since the prosecutor believed that they had “suffered enough.” Two years after the case closed, the Catholic church publicly acknowledged that in the case of Anneliese Michel, it was a mental illness that she suffered from rather than demons.

More Exorcist & Exorcisms

Visit the Real Exorcist House, where it all started.
The infamous Exorcist Stairs from the movie.

It Chapter 2 Cast Announcements

Published by FrightFind On May 22, 2018

Stephen King‘s IT: Chapter 2

In the most recent It: Chapter Two casting announcement, according to Den of Geek, James Ransone and Andy Bean will be joining the Loser’s Club, with Ransone portraying the adult version of Eddie Kaspbrak (played by Jake Dylan Grazer in Chapter 1), and Andy Bean will be in the role of a grown-up Stan Uris, who was played by Wyatt Olef in the new IT film from Andrés Muschietti.

James Ransone and Andy Bean

Under the direction of Andrés Muschietti, who also directed 2017’s It, Ransone and Bean will be joining Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh (portrayed by Sophia Lillis in the first chapter), James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough (the younger character was played by Jaeden Lieberher in the first installment), Bill Hader as Richie Tozier (acted by Finn Wolfhard in the first film), and Bill Skarsgård as It.

Chastain, McAvoy and Hader starring in It: Chapter Two

James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader

It: Chapter Two will follow the struggles of a now-adult group of childhood friends, who we were introduced to in the first chapter of the series, as they reunite to combat Pennywise’s eventual awakening from his demonic slumber. 27 years after they defeated him in the summer of 1989 in Derry, Maine, It is back… but so is the Loser’s Club.

Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise

It: Chapter Two is slated for release on September 6, 2019.

Ten Horror Movies to Come in 2018

Published by FrightFind On May 19, 2018

2018 is shaping up to be a good year for horror movies with hits like A Quiet Place, Unsane, Winchester, and Annihilation already released. But there is still so much more to come. Here are 9 upcoming horror movies, plus a bonus one, so watch out.

Trailers for Upcoming 2018 Horror Movies

The Little Stranger

On a scorching summer day in 1947, a country doctor named Dr. Faraday is requested at Hundreds Hall, a once lavish estate now in decline. Mrs. Ayres owns and lives in the hall with her two grown children, all of whom seem afflicted with more than just sickness. Soon after entering the house, Dr. Faraday comes to realize that the supernatural, not an illness, is plaguing the current owners. Based on the Sarah Waters book of the same name, The Little Strangers will open in theaters August 31.

The Nun

Since the release of the 2013 blockbuster The Conjuring, its cinematic universe has been expanding rapidly. The Nun is a spin-off story about the terrifying nun character introduced in The Conjuring 2 (2016). The film takes place in 1952 Romania and follows a nun, a Catholic priest, and a novitiate as they investigate the strange nature behind the suicide of a nun. The Nun is the first installment of this spin-off, though chronologically, it’s the first movie in The Conjuring universe. The Nun will be released on September 13.

The House That Jack Built

The House That Jack Built made its debut at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival earlier this May and saw mixed reviews. During the premiere, more than a hundred audience members walked out, while the remaining audience members gave it a six-minute standing ovation. This highly controversial film centers on Jack and his 12 years as a serial killer. Director Lars von Trier describes it as celebrating “the idea that life is evil and soulless.” The US release date for this psychological horror film is yet to be announced.

Nothing kills the holiday mood quite like a zombie apocalypse. In this zombie musical, high schooler Anna and her friends need to not only fight with their hearts but sing with their hearts too, to keep these undead monsters from ruining the Christmas cheer. Look out for this horrifying delight in theaters December 7.

Suspiria

Dario Argento’s 1977 cult classic Suspiria returns but as more of a reboot then a remake. Actor Mia Goth, who also starred in the original 1977 version of the film, has said that this film will be more of a “nod of the hat to Dario Argento's version of it.” The film follows a young American ballet dancer that enrolls in a famous Berlin school of dance. As time goes on students start disappearing, and the disturbing tales of witchcraft and brutal murders that take place in the school come to light. The film will be released on November 2 by Amazon Studios.

Halloween

The infamous Michael Myers returns in the eleventh installation in the Halloween franchise. Halloween (2018) takes place forty years after the first Halloween (1978) but will disregard the previous sequels. In 2007, Dimension Films lost the rights to the Halloween series and was later obtained by Blumhouse Productions. Series co-created by John Carpenter has decided to take the series in a more violent and gruesome direction with the help of Blumhouse Productions. The story revolves around Laurie Strode and how she will handle coming face-to-face with Michael Myers once more. Catch this Halloween sequel in theaters October 19.

Halloween 2018 Filming Has Officially Wrapped

Published by FrightFind On February 28, 2018

With only 7 months to go before its October 19, 2018 release date, it looks like filming has officially wrapped on John Carpenter’s Halloween revitalization.

The official announcement came via Twitter from the VP of Feature Film Development for Blumhouse productions, Ryan Turek, with a short but sweet message to fans, “That’s a wrap!”, complete with a knife and pumpkin emoji.

This announcement came roughly two weeks after Jamie Lee Curtis announced her involvement on set was finished, much to the relief of fans who feared her limited time on set didn’t bode well for her reprisal as Laurie Strode. Following Turek’s tweet though, it appears that this is just another way that the film will remain true to the original – with both wrapping in under 30 days.

Halloween Returns to the Past

Jamie Lee Curtis was vocal about her hopes that Halloween:H20 would bring closure to her role as Laurie Strode, and originally wanted the film to end with her killing Michael once and for all. Unfortunately, her desire for closure 20 years after her debut was never fully realized, with H20 seeing the demise of a Michael imposter instead.

After her own death in Halloween: Resurrection, it appeared that Curtis was content to lay Laurie to rest once and for all. Or at least she was, that is, until she got a hold of David Gordon Green’s and Danny McBride’s script.

Could this film give Curtis the conclusion she’s been waiting for; a final one on one show down between Laurie and her 40 year rival? According to an interview Danny McBride did with Empire Film Podcast, that might be a possibility.

“I think we’re just trying to strip it down and just take it back to what was so good about the original. It was just very simple and just achieved that level of horror that wasn’t corny and it wasn’t turning Michael Myers into some supernatural being that couldn’t be killed. … I want to be scared by something that I really think could happen.”

Stand Alone or Sequel City?

So, could this Halloween revision actually stand out in the horror world we live in today? Where most films are created with an open ending in hopes of banking off of the first installment and sequels get announced on box office opening weekends?

Without getting too ahead of ourselves, Green and McBride have certainly inspired at least a little hope that, yes, their retelling could, in fact, do just that.

Time and time again, the creative duo have hinted that their aim with this film is to right some of the wrongs that came after the original – which spawned no fewer than ten remakes and four separate story arcs, including one in which Laurie and Michael were siblings. So with that goal in mind, and the current mentality that this is a one-off film for this cast and crew, perhaps this will be the resolution we’ve all been waiting for.

As fans of the series ourselves, we’re waiting with bated breath for October to finally get here, and if you’re anxious about this new re-telling, perhaps Nick Castle, the original Michael Myers can put you at ease. Speaking with Halloween Daily News, he offers this assurance,

“I can be unabashedly proud to be a part of it, and tell the fans I think they’re in pretty good hands. It’s kind of like fansare making the movie.”

So what do you think? Is this the end of The Shape once and for all?

Haunted Theater Experience in Buena Park’s CGV Theaters

Published by FrightFind On October 27, 2017

Experience scary movies like never before at Buena Vista’s Haunted Theater.

CGV Cinemas in Buena Park, California will be transformed into a haunted movie theater as Halloween is upon us. The theater takes place every weekend (Friday to Sunday) until October 31st. This is your last chance… Or should I say your last gasp?

Get a ticket and you’ll be transported to CGV’s Halloween wonderland. Complete with spooky decorations, eerie noises, and a delicious Halloween-themed concessions menu. On weekends you will find live (or dead) wandering zombies wandering the halls. Come take a picture with a walker perhaps?

Enjoy Batty Pizza, Franken Finger Hot Dogs and Halloween themed popcorn in a variety of colors, all of which pairs perfectly with soju cocktails such as The Witches Brew and The Candy Corn. Attendees can also get a ticket to Knott’s Scary Farm, where they can continue the Halloween fun.

Experience the Haunted Theater in menacing 4DX

This weekend Jigsaw, the new horror film from the Saw franchise will be playing in bone-trembling 4DX.

https://youtu.be/Yhjg95ry4Js

Check out tickets and more here >>

MoPOP’s Scared to Death gets a visit from The Ring

Published by FrightFind On October 25, 2017

Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Scared to Death exhibit had a surprise guest recently. Employees and guests were unaware that Sadako (Samara) from The Ring was making the rounds. The biggest question we have is if these guys still have 7 days to solve the mystery of The Ring or not.

Watch as The Ring’s Sadako (Samara) invades MoPOP

Would you get in that elevator?

Catch Sadako at MoPOP again on October 26 & 27

MoPOP’s Sadako was played by a local cosplay actress and will be returning the evening of October 26-27 for After Dark Happy Hours. Get a discounted admission to view the MoPOP exhibit, Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film and come face to hair with Sadako.

Get After Dark Happy Hour tickets at MoPOP and you may meet Sadako. You might want to burn all your VHS tapes before attending.

MoPOP Scared to Death Exhibit

MoPOP is located at 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109. The Scared to Death exhibit features more than 50 props and costumes from the most famous horror franchises you know, including A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Walking Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Jeepers Creepers, Pet Sematary and more. More on the Scared to Death exhibit.

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