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Like most recognizable movie stars, it took many years for Charlize Theron to become an overnight sensation. Her first film role was that of an unnamed, non-speaking extra in James D.R. Hickox's 1995 slasher sequel "Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest," a film Theron remembers well. She chased that with the 1996 mid-budget neo-noir "2 Days in the Valley," in which she played the girlfriend of a gangster portrayed by James Spader. With her foot in the studio door, she began turning up in multiple high-profile nationwide releases like "Trial and Error," and "That Thing You Do!," but she really caught a lot of attention for her impassioned performance in Taylor Hackford's 1997 demonic thriller "The Devil's Advocate." After that, she was pretty much a celebrity. Indeed, she even played a celebrity in Woody Allen's 1998 film "Celebrity."

The same year she was in "Urban Harvest," though, Theron had an...

In James D.R. Hickox's 1995 horror flick "Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest," the rural mayhem of Gatlin, Nebraska is transposed to the concrete wilds of Chicago. A child cult leader named Eli (Daniel Porter) is adopted by a citybound foster mother (Nancy Lee Grahn) who is astonished by his gentle demeanor and Amish-like language. What she doesn't know is that he worships a demonic corn deity (!) called He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Said deity had been mentioned in both 1984's "Children of the Corn" and 1992's "Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice," but no one had ever seen the elusive Hwwbtr, leaving its true nature mysterious. 

Eli has magical corn kernels in his possession, and he can swiftly grow and harvest a miniature corn crop in an isolated Chicago lot. This attracts both Hwwbtr and an eager cult of teen followers. Eli, like his "Corn" forebears,...

Anthony Hickox, the British director known for horrors such as Waxwork and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, has died aged 64.

Hickox had spent his recent years in Romania, where police found him dead last week at his house in Bucharest after friends had reported not seeing him for some time, according to close friend and InterTalent Rights Group CEO Jonathan Shalit.

Best known for his work in the comedy-horror genre, Hickox’s best known work was 1988’s Waxwork, which starred the likes of Zach Gilligan, Deborah Foreman and Michelle Johnson and was inspired by a 1920s German silent film. It is claimed Hickox wrote the script for Waxwork after driving into the back of Staffan Ahrenberg’s car and persuading the producer to let him pay for the damage by writing the script for just $3,000.

Hickox also directed a sequel and films such as Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat and Warlock: The Armageddon.

Full disclosure: I haven’t enjoyed a “Children of the Corn” movie since 1995. That’s the year director James D.R. Hickox’s “Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest” first hit home video, a film that I feel is severely –and unfairly — ignored by most people. After that much-maligned entry, the series really went downhill, each sequel more unwatchable than the last. I know I’ve seen all of the them, but I can’t remember a single detail about any of them. Since the series had lain dormant for so long, I figured nobody really gave two purple pimples about the franchise, the recent remake notwithstanding. So imagine my surprise when rumblings of yet another installment started surfacing earlier this year. More surprising still is the fact that “Children of the Corn: Genesis” really isn’t that bad. It’s certainly a notch or two above the straight-to-video...

by Shannon Hilson, MoreHorror.com

If you’ve watched many horror movies in your lifetime, then you’ve no doubt absorbed your share of the classic prank-gone-bad plotline when it comes to what you watch. Detention – directed by James D.R. Hickox and distributed by American World Pictures – fits comfortably under this umbrella and very much keeps to the formula you’ll be familiar with.

The film opens in 1976 on the prank in question which involves a teen named Gabriel winding up trapped inside his school’s incinerator at the hands of classmates who apparently thought this would be a real laugh riot. A freak lightning storm promptly sends electricity surging through the school’s wiring system and before you can say “I know this can only end in tears”, poor Gabriel is going right up in flames just as you instinctually knew he would. As the opening credits lead into the rest of the movie,...

You don’t want to get stuck in Detention in Sabretooth/Children Of The Corn III director James D.R. Hickox’s new horror thriller about all the things wrong with staying after school. The film, not to be confused with the recent same-titled Sony acquisition, hits DVD this month from American World Pictures and Take 2 Releasing. This bloody Detention stars David Carradine (as the boozy high school principal) in one of his last roles. Check out comments from star and producer Alexa Jago, as well as exclusive photos, below the jump.

With all the hoopla surrounding the NBA lately, we know that there are plenty of angry fans that would love to see Lebron James get his on the court. For those angst filled few we've nailed down a few new stills from Detention to live vicariously through.

Available on DVD now from Take 2 Releasing/Allegro is James Hickox's ghostly tale of Detention, starring the late great David Carradine, Billy Aaron Brown, Thomas Calabro, and Zelda Williams.

Check out the plot crunch and DVD artwork below.

Synopsis

A group of high school students are sent to after-school Detention for unexplained reasons. There, the teenagers find themselves abandoned and locked in the classroom after their detention teacher leaves, then mysteriously disappears. With night slowly approaching, a thunderstorm builds outside. The heavy rain and lightning cause a massive power failure, throwing the school into total darkness. Then strange, haunting images of ghosts...

James D.R. Hickox James D.R. Hickox has been working in the business of horror for nearly twenty years scaring audiences across the world with his films which include Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, Krocodylus (aka Blood Surf) and the recently released Detention starring the late, great David Carradine. What makes a James D.R. Hickox horror film feel like a James D.R. Hickox horror film, is that he has child age or teenage characters having to face some kind of horror within themselves while stuck in a horror type situation externally. There's a play on the struggles faced internally vs. externally. It's that play, that makes his work feel uniquely like him and makes his work stand out. It's interesting to see how his first film, Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, just got recently re-released to DVD around the exact same time that his latest film Detention...

In school and throughout my teenage years, I was an absolute and total lunatic. Not kidding either. I super-glued my Spanish teacher to her chair, punched my principal in the face, threw a computer through a closed glass window, etc. You name it. I did it. Though if detention would have been as bad as it is in the movie of the same name, I may have thought twice!

Hitting DVD from Take 2 Releasing/Allegro is James Hickox's ghostly tale of Detention, starring the late great David Carradine, Billy Aaron Brown, Thomas Calabro, and Zelda Williams.

Check out the plot crunch and DVD artwork below.

Synopsis

A group of high school students are sent to after-school Detention for unexplained reasons. There, the teenagers find themselves abandoned and locked in the classroom after their detention teacher leaves, then mysteriously disappears. With night slowly approaching, a thunderstorm builds outside. The heavy...

2010 - 81 mins. - Not Rated

D: James D.R. Hickox

C: David Carradine, Preston Jones, Alexa Jago, Billy Aaron Brown, Michael Mitchell, Rachel Sterling, Thomas Calabro, Zelda Williams, Lil J

Group of students stuck in detention are attacked by a malevolent spirit intent on revenge for his death some 30 odd years ago.

Detention starts out on the slow side with some especially hokey and unconvincing CGI horror inspired effects. However, Detention keeps getting better ....and better as it goes along. It captures the inherent spookiness of being in a darkened building during the middle of a thunderstorm. It has some suspenseful moments of the characters trying to find a way out of their predicament. And it has some appealing character vignettes due to a likable cast. The thing is, Detention never fully gels. It's just too jerky and uneven. Detention throws out many ideas, many notions. Some of it works, some of it doesn't.

The UK’s very own Horror channel are heading back to high school this month for a veritable feast of terrified teens, haunted classrooms, wayward witches and dead cheerleaders… all of which sounds like my idea of B-movie heaven!

The high school season kicks off Tonight with the network premiere of comedy horror Return to Horror High (1987) which marks George Clooney’s film acting debut as Oliver – an ambitious but unrated actor. Guess who is the first to die? Then on Sat 12th, there’s another showing for James Hickox’s gruesome Detention, which stars David Carradine in his last completed film before his untimely death. Look out for his ‘death by seat-belt’ scene.

On Sat 19th February the Satan’s School For Girls (2000) has its network premiere. A remake of a classic 1970’s Us TV movie the film stars Shannen Doherty (Beverley Hills 90210) as Beth, a student who enrols...

As most people know high school can be hell. But one wouldn’t expect it to be quite so literal! All next month on the wonderful Horror Channel, there’s a series of horror flicks going back to school and exploring its relationship to the best genre ever! There’s plenty of films to feast on.

The Horror Channel should be celebrated for its very existence. It offers entertainment and an education. It was on this channel late one night that I discovered the late Jean Rollin’s work and only this past Christmas did I finally get to see the infamous Silent Night, Deadly Night – a film that was never submitted to the BBFC given its notoriety Stateside. Critics and the moral minority in charge didn’t take kindly to a horror director spreading a little blood instead of Christmas cheer. But it’s a good, if very silly,...

Are you bored of the same old TV shows? Tired of the mainstream? Then check out this round-up of alternative movies and series showing on UK television tonight…

7.20pm The Lost Boys (Sky Movies SciFi & Horror)

Brothers Michael and Sam move to a new town, rumoured to be plagued by vampires. When Michael starts to exhibit traditional bloodsucker behaviour, little brother Sam sets out to save him by taking down the charismatic leader of the vampire gang.

8.00pm The Butterfly Effect 2 (Syfy)

A man who blames himself for causing his girlfriend’s death in a road accident discovers he has the ability to travel back in time. He tries to use this power to prevent the tragedy from happening – but finds meddling in the course of history has devastating repercussions.

9.00pm Blade: The Series (Horror Channel)

Slick small-screen adaptation of the popular Blade franchise. Marcus discovers the location of...

Are you bored of the same old TV shows? Tired of the mainstream? Then check out this round-up of alternative movies and series showing on UK television tonight…

7.00pm Firefly (Horror Channel)

The crew members aboard a small transport ship face challenges in the wake of an interstellar war 400 years in the future. The crew of the Serenity are in for a gunfight when one of Inara’s companion colleagues asks for their help. Season One, episode 14.

8.00pm A Town Called Eureka (Syfy)

Dr Tess Fontana reopens Section Five, triggering a chain of strange events, culminating in inanimate objects throughout the town suddenly springing to life.

9.00pm Warehouse 13 (Virgin 1)

This family friendly scifi drama captures the spirit of The X-Files and Friday the 13th the series. After saving the life of an international diplomat in Washington D.C., a pair of U.S Secret Service agents are whisked away...

Starring the late great David Carradine in one of his last film roles as "Principle Hoskins", Dentention is a new haunted school indie from Children of the Corn III director, James Hickox and writers Stephen L. Johnston (The Hillside Strangler), John Stienfield and Michael Muscal.

Synopsis:

A group of high school students are sent to detention for unexplained reasons.

There, the teenagers find themselves abandoned and locked in their classroom after their detention teacher leaves and then mysteriously disappears.

With night slowly approaching, a thunder storm builds outside. The heavy rain and lightening causes a massive power failure throwing the school in total darkness. Strange, haunting images of ghosts begin to appear in the school. The kids manage to break out of the classroom only to find that the the building has taken on a life of it's own, keeping them trapped inside.

The film also stars Thomas Calabro, Alexa Jago,...

The Associated Press has reported that actor David Carradine was found dead this morning in his hotel room in Bangkok, an apparent suicide. Carradine, who was in the Thai city to shoot a movie, was 72.

The actor was discovered by a hotel maid hanged with a curtain cord, and a preliminary police investigation found no signs of foul play. Further details are being withheld out of consideration for his family. Carradine’s long career ranged from the art house to the grindhouse and everything in between, with horror credits including Larry Cohen’s Q, Gary Graver’s Trick Or Treats, Robert Martin Carroll’s Sonny Boy, Anthony Hickox’s Sundown: The Vampire In Retreat (pictured) and Waxwork II: Lost In Time, Fred Olen Ray’s Evil Toons, Ethan Wiley’s Children Of The Corn V: Fields Of Terror, Mitch Marcus’ Knocking On Death’S Door, Mark Lambert Bristol’s The Monster Hunter,...