News

Weird on Top Pictures, makers of Straight Edge Kegger and Night Terror, bring a stripped-back serial killer flick with their new release Looky-Loo.

Directed by Jason Zink and written by Nolan Mihail, the film follows a stalker’s escalation to serial killing through his own documentation of his crimes. His obsession with film and the women he terrorizes results in an uncomfortably intimate found footage gem.

The opening shots are somewhat serene as the setting of a quiet, cute town is established. That serenity quickly halts and the creep factor shoots up with every step Looky-loo takes. It feels like you are following people around, to their homes, and trying to open their doors. The voyeuristic ick becomes even more intense as Looky-loo records his own workspace.

This is a very slow-burn horror film. Clocking in at just over an hour and 20 minutes, I wouldn’t say it’s the...

The Poughkeepsie Tapes is one of the most infamous found footage movies of all time because it seems chillingly real. Urban myths and legends surround The Poughkeepsie Tapes and the story of serial killer Edward Carver. Ever since its 2007 release, rumors have persisted that The Poughkeepsie Tapes are real, and director John Erick Dowdle somehow got a genuine snuff movie put into circulation. Dowdle stoked this reputation by marketing The Poughkeepsie Tapes as being based entirely on real events.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes aren't real, but they are based on true stories. The Poughkeepsie Tapes starts with a police raid on a house in Poughkeepsie, New York, where the disturbing discovery of over 800 videotapes filmed by serial killer Edward Carver. The horrifying mementos document everything from his abduction process to the post-mortem mutilation in excruciating detail. While the titular "Poughkeepsie Tapes" the movies focus on don't exist, they are incredibly brutal...

One half of the Vicious Brothers, Stuart Ortiz, directs his first solo horror feature with Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire. It's a faux true-crime documentary about San Bernardino's most prolific serial killer, doing the work to trick audiences into believing its narrative authenticity. Think of Strange Harvest as the little sibling of John Erick Dowdle's The Poughkeepsie Tapes the horrors of a violent, inhumane murder spree are recalled by talking heads and through revolting footage. Ortiz pays meticulous attention to the documentary's composition, which results in believable interview subjects and tight editing techniques. It plays like a late-night serial killer special on a true crime channel. It's organic, unnerving, and proficiently grounded as a modern criminal nightmare.

Mixing the creeping faux true crime chills of The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) with hearty daubs of compelling supernatural mythos, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire is an impressive, engrossing, and downright scary instant found-footage/pseudo-doc horror classic from writer/director Stuart Ortiz.

Told in a docu-series format, Strange Harvest uncovers the weird tale of Mr. Shiny, a masked murderer responsible for a spate of ritualistic deaths located in and around San Bernardino, California, stretching back to the early ‘90s. Through news reports, still photos, the killer’s own letters, archival videos, and interviews with detectives Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Alexis Taylor (Terri Apple) as well as various others, the film takes viewers into the mind of a mysterious killer and the occult beliefs he may be killing for.

Ortiz brings the skills he sharpened on Grave Encounters (2011) and its sequel to bear here, gifting lovers of true crime...

The Following Film Review is Based on A True Story. Reader Discretion is Advised.

According to statistics (that I’ve just now fabricated to support my claim), the average horror fan consumes approx. 736 true crime documentaries each year. It’s an outrageous number, but one feels closer to reality than zero. The good, however, is that those countless hours of over-produced, mildly exploitative junk content have prepared you for a new mockumentary from the co-director of the Reality TV parody Grave Encounters.

Stuart Ortiz’s Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire is an incredibly spot-on spoof of the now classic Netflix True Crime documentary format. It’s got salacious crime scene footage, distressing interviews with the parents of victims, cops that have gotten to close to the case, cliffhangers designed for commercial breaks, and a mysteriously intriguing intro montage. It so closely resembles the medium it’s mimicking...

Prime Video is the place to be in August with an incredible month of new releases. The month kicks off with the premiere of the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader on Aug. 1. The series was produced by J.J. Abrams and The Batman‘s Matt Reeves. We also return to Middle Earth this month with the premiere of The Rings of Power season 2 on Aug. 29.

As far as movies go, the Amazon original Jackpot! arrives on Aug. 15 starring Awkwafina and John Cena. This comedy is set in a world where Lottery winners have to survive until sundown in order to claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot – anyone who kills them before that gets to claim their prize.

The Hobbit trilogy also joins the Prime Video library this month, as do 21 and 22 Jump Street, Superman I-iv, Superman Returns, Night Swim, Drive Away Dolls, and 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Here’s everything coming...

Do you relish the eerie thrill of watching creepy killers in action? Inspired by the creepy af vibes of Longlegs, we’ve curated a list of 12 of the most disturbing serial killer movies ever made. These films plunge deep into the minds of the most twisted and terrifying murderers, delivering spine-tingling suspense that will make you question the very fabric of humanity.

Serial killer movies are all about the psychological thrill, the nerve-wracking tension, and that unshakable sense of dread. We’re not just talking about gore—though there’s plenty to go around. We’re diving into the chilling calm of meticulous murderers, the grotesque enjoyment of their gruesome deeds, and the horrific genius that makes these films unforgettable. If you’re a true crime fan or just love a good scare, these movies are guaranteed to haunt your thoughts.

New Line Cinema 12. The Cell (2000)

The Cell is a...

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

We’ve finally arrived at the first of ten 2023 Amityville titles! First up is writer/director Jack Hunter II’s Amityville Ride-Share, a ~60 minute found footage film featuring loosely interconnected (or not) clips.

In some ways, Ride-Share feels reminiscent of the ill-advised pandemic title Amityville Hex, which exclusively featured YouTube creators doing their take on a viral video challenge.

The difference between this and Hex, however, is that there appears to be a knowing wink of self-awareness to the material. And while that may be giving Hunter II and dialogue writer Dann Eudy too much credit, even if it is unintentional, the bizarre meta commentary about gimmicky, cash grab sequels makes Ride-Share more interesting in the long run.

The film begins with...

In a Violent Nature has been getting a lot of attention for its concept of taking a Friday the 13th-like slasher, with a masked killer stalking people in the woods, and reinventing it by telling the story from the killer's perspective. While that's a great idea, this 2024 title is not the first to do it. 1960's Peeping Tom had its killer filming his victims as he murdered them. Halloween really made the gimmick popular with that opening scene of a teenage girl being stalked in her own home before being stabbed to death, until the Pov is reversed to show us that the killer was her six-year-old brother, Michael Myers himself. Friday the 13th used it a lot too with the first film in the franchise to play up the mystery of not knowing who the killer is. More recently, The Poughkeepsie Tapes used that angle to terrifying success,...

While horror is filled with astounding stories of survivors fighting back and triumphing over their villains, every once in a while, audiences like seeing things from a different point of view. That's why fans are excited for Chris Nash's In A Violent Nature, an upcoming film promising to offer a startlingly deep view into the actions and mind of your typical horror slasher. But viewers don't need to wait for that film to come out to see such a terrifyingly introspective plot — they can watch The Poughkeepsie Tapes, directed by John Erick Dowdle. This deeply disturbing horror movie goes where no other found footage has before, giving an intimate view into the crimes of its central serial killer and grounding itself in his sickening actions. But even within a genre that's famous for its saturation of petrifying monsters, this film stands out by showing just how easily its murderer...

Ron Harper, who starred in iconic science-fiction series like Planet of the Apes and Land of the Lost, has died at 91. His daughter, Nicole Longeuay, says her father died of natural causes at his home in West Hills on Thursday.

Ron Harper, with his golden hair, piercing eyes, and suave demeanor, was an understudy for Paul Newman on Broadway before playing notable roles like Alan Virdon in the Planet of the Apes series, Uncle Jack in Land of the Lost, and Peter Whitmore in the TV series Generations. Before striking it rich with roles that would increase his star power, Harper appeared in four series that never got a second season, including 87th Precinct, Wendy and Me, The Jean Arthur Show, and Garrison’s Gorillas.

Thankfully, Planet of the Apes helped put Harper on executive’s watch lists. While Planet of the Apes didn’t last long on the air, Harper...

Every now and then, the internet becomes obsessed with a fictional movie that it believes to be real. Back in the early days of the World Wide Web, The Blair Witch Project's marketing campaign convinced everyone and their parents that three film students had indeed gone missing in rural Maryland. During the pandemic, TikTok users found themselves obsessed with the 2011 found footage horror Megan Is Missing. To many, the images shown in the movie looked way too real to be faked. Not long after that, the phenomenon repeated itself, now with the 2007 mockumentary The Poughkeepsie Tapes at its center. As is the nature of TikTok, videos in which users talk about watching the movie quickly went viral, and it soon became clear that not everyone was fully convinced it was all just a story.

Amazon is running a massive sale on over 100 Scream Factory titles today, including some of the lowest-ever prices on their 4K UHDs and Blu-rays. Now is the time to stock up!

Here are some of the top horror highlights from the sale…

Halloween 4K UHDs:

Halloween – $22.99 Halloween II – $20.99 Halloween III – $20.99 Halloween 4 – $20.99 Halloween 5 – $19.99 Halloween 6 / Halloween H20 / Halloween: Resurrection – $59.99

John Carpenter 4K UHDs:

They Live – $18.99 They Live [Steelbook] – $23.99 The Fog – $19.99 The Fog [Steelbook] – $25.99 Prince of Darkness – $19.99 Escape From New York – $20.99 Halloween – $22.99

4K UHDs:

Child’s Play – $22.99 Child’s Play 2 – $20.99 Child’s Play 3 – $19.99 The Howling – $19.99 The Funhouse – $19.99 Slumber Party Massacre / Slumber Party Massacre II – $20.99 Carrie – $20.99 Carrie [Steelbook] – $22.17 Brotherhood of the Wolf – $20.99 Cat People – $20.99 Happy Death Day – $20.99 Happy Death Day 2U – $20.99 Army of Darkness – $21.99 Evil Dead (2013) – $21.99 Dog Soldiers – $21.99 The Haunting of Julia – $21.99 Lifeforce – $21.99 Krampus: The Naughty Cut – $21.99 Alligator – $21.99 The People Under the Stairs -$22.99 Bubba Ho-Tep – $22.99 The Exorcist III – $22.99 Dawn of the Dead (2004) – $22.99 Motel Hell – $22.99 Dead Silence – $22.99 The Return of the Living Dead...

In the final moments of The Poughkeepsie Tapes, an FBI agent looks right at the camera and delivers a very important message: whoever the murderer known as the Water Street Butcher (Ben Messmer) might be, he will certainly be at the movies watching this very film, keeping up with what is being said about him. Therefore, the FBI will monitor all screenings of The Poughkeepsie Tapes up close to maybe, just maybe, finally put their hands on the elusive serial killer. It's a perfect conclusion to a found footage mockumentary selling itself as the real deal. There is just one tiny problem: The Poughkeepsie Tapes never got any screenings. Instead, the movie sat on MGM's shelf for nearly a decade, completely barred from reaching the eyes of the public until it hit VOD in 2014, seven years after its original release at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The iconic tale of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is getting a fresh take with The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. The film centers on Vicaria, a teenage genius who, after losing both her mother and her brother to gang violence, tries to use science to resurrect her brother, only to result in the creation of a monster that puts the rest of her family in danger.

Laya DeLeon Hayes is leading the cast of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster alongside Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, and Keith Holliday. Exploring themes of institutional racism and grief and melding them with chilling creature feature thrills, the movie is a breathtaking and stylish spin on its source material.

Related: Frankenstein: 5 Most Accurate Versions Of The Monster (& The 5 Least)

In anticipation of the movie's theatrical release, Screen Rant spoke exclusively with writer and director Bomani J. Story...

The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a found footage mockumentary horror film directed by John Erick Dowdle that grew to notoriety due to its controversial unreleased status for a decade. It spent those years circulating as an underground cult classic, though many only heard of it via word-of-mouth before its official debut. This status stoked the fire of the film's legend, causing viewers to believe the footage and the serial killer known as the Water Street Butcher in the movie were real.

The truth behind The Poughkeepsie Tapes is much less exciting but does not detract from how effective the movie is as a whole. Dowdle wrote and directed the film, known for his work on flicks like Quarantine, Devil, and As Above, So Below, and was able to create a realistic, documentary-style narrative that blends found footage with engaging interviews and convincing characters. Let's look closer at Dowdle's success with this,...

For about a decade, The Poughkeepsie Tapes was the stuff of legend, the type of movie that’s only found in a creepypasta. If you believed the rumors, this documentary about a serial killer terrorizing Poughkeepsie, New York used real footage of that man assaulting, torturing, and murdering his victims. Obviously, that isn’t the case; The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a completely fictional film about a made-up serial killer, but that hasn’t kept the film from holding on to its “true story” legacy.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes opens with the discovery of the tapes themselves. After uncovering ten bodies in a residential backyard, Poughkeepsie Police unearthed something far more menacing — over 800 tapes from the killer, each detailing his heinous exploits. Composed of this found footage, interviews with experts, and one victim’s testimony, The Poughkeepsie Tapes pieces together the story of the Water Street Butcher.

The film’s eerie mimicry...

Think you’ve seen it all? I hope you’ve got a strong stomach, because there are plenty of disturbing, vile, and downright terrifying films lurking in the shadows, ready to push you to your limit. I sought out 10 movies so disturbing, that even Redditors couldn’t finish them. And that’s saying something. Get ready to be scared out of your wits!

1. Terrifier (2016)

Clowns are supposed to be funny, right? Well, not this one. Terrifier follows the deranged Art the Clown, who terrorizes a group of friends on Halloween night. The film features graphic violence and gore, including one scene that involves Art hacking off a woman’s face. Yep, you read that right. It’s no wonder that this brave viewer on Reddit couldn’t make it through this movie.

2. Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

Found footage films can be creepy, but Poughkeepsie Tapes takes it to a whole new level.

From Freddy Krueger to Annie Wilkes, iconic villains with memorable backstories are a hallmark of popular horror media, but there’s more than one way to terrify audiences. For example, some horror flicks task viewers with unmasking the mysterious antagonist alongside our main characters in scare-centric whodunit mashups.

And with the continued success of the Scream franchise proving that audiences are hungry for more mystery alongside the traditional blood and guts, we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending six lesser-known whodunit horror flicks for your viewing pleasure.

Since this list is meant to highlight underseen scary movies, we won’t be including more popular whodunits like the original Friday the 13th, Happy Death Day or any of the aforementioned Scream films. However, feel free to comment below with your own favorite whodunit horror flicks if you think we missed a particularly underrated one.

Now, onto the list…...

From Paranormal Activity to Grave Encounters, the most popular Found Footage movies tend to focus on supernatural horror. However, the sub-genre is capable of much more than that, with the believable thrills of the format becoming especially useful when telling stories about plausible terrors. After all, spooky media isn’t exclusive to fiction, with the True Crime genre offering up plenty of grounded scares without the need for literal ghosts and demons. That’s why I’d argue that the Dowdle Brothers’ controversial The Poughkeepsie Tapes is one of the most effective Found Footage flicks out there.

Not only is it a chilling addition to serial killer cinema, but it also serves as a rare example of a modern cult hit, with the Dowdles’ film becoming something of an urban legend due to the convoluted circumstances of its release. And with the film celebrating its 15th anniversary, I’d like...

(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Chris is reminded that hell is other people with "Speak No Evil.")

Spoilers for "Speak No Evil" follow.

A lifetime of watching horror movies has more or less desensitized me, but every now and then, something comes along that burrows into my skin. "Kill List" is one of the prime examples, and more recently, "Speak No Evil" earned that distinction as well. In fact, Christian Tafdrup's immensely disturbing film got to me so much that I know I'll never watch it again. It's such a hopeless, cruel film that a part of me questions exactly who this movie is even for. But if you're looking for something terrifying, look no further than this movie's final, terrible moments.

The Setup

On vacation,...

Stars: Maïmouna Badjie, Charles De Meester, Tristan Feyten, Stefaan Degand, Sven De Ridder, Margaux Vandecasteele | Written by Thomas Vanbrabant | Directed by Thomas Vanbrabant, Jordi Ostir

Johannes Duyster was the city of Antwerp’s executioner from 1606 to 1613. On February 5th, 2020 three college students were given a video production assignment, they chose him as their subject. None of them have been seen since February 27th of that year.

The text crawl at the start of the Belgian found footage film Duyster fills us in on the basics.Then we join the trio, Nora Danso (Maïmouna Badjie), Milan Avonds (Charles De Meester; Memento Mori) and Bas Lauwer (Tristan Feyten) at a museum in front of a mediaval illustration of Duyster and his crew at work. Much of the film’s first half consists of scenes like this, shots of locations associated with Duyster or interviews with historians and folklorists that fill in the...

Over the past quarter century, the Slamdance Film Festival has served as a launchpad for a number of now high profile filmmakers at the very start of their careers. Here is a baker’s dozen of some of the festival’s greatest discoveries.

Marc Forster

“Loungers”

Forster premiered his $10,000 debut in 1995 and grabbed the Audience Award, and has become one of the most versatile directors working, with other credits including “Monster’s Ball,” “Finding Neverland,” “Stay,” “The Kite Runner,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Quantum of Solace,” “World War Z” and “Christopher Robin.”

Rian Johnson

“Evil Demon Golfball from Hell!!!”

Johnson’s irreverent short film played the festival in 1996, launching a career that has dabbled in artistic indies and big-budget franchise blockbusters (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”).

Greg Mottola

“The Daytrippers”

The writer-director’s 1996 feature debut was produced by Steven Soderbergh and got Mottola work on cult-classic television series “Undeclared,” “Arrested Development,...

Besides releasing a number of our favorite classic horror films and the occasional cult oddity, the good folks at Scream Factory are also releasing a number of contemporary horror films and giving them a home on Blu-ray. Here’s a look at three of their recent efforts:

Ten years after it was slated for release, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is finally available on Blu-ray thanks to Scream Factory. Would that it had remained buried. A found-footage “documentary”-style horror film, it chronicles a serial killer who has videotaped all of his crimes. The film is pieced together through interviews with people familiar with the case, as well as footage taken by the killer himself. Imagine the video camera scene from Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, only stretched to feature length and repellant for totally different reasons.

The sequence in Henry works because the film has earned that moment and because...

Out today from our friends at Scream Factory comes the eagerly awaited home release of The Poughkeepsie Tapes. This film has been hovering at cult status for years, ever since its 2007 Tribeca Film Festival screening, where it was bought by MGM. We've never really been told why MGM pulled the film's theatrical release from its 2008 slate, but the cast and crew seem to think it had to deal with a disastrous screening in Austin. We may never know why the film was yanked, but finally, here it is for collectors to enjoy at home. Directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine, As Above, So Below, No Escape), The Poughkeepsie Tapes centers on the home video collection of hundreds of VHS tapes left behind by a serial killer for...

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

Oh, man. The home entertainment releases for October 10th are bonkers, as we have a ton of brilliant offerings making their way to Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday. Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver hits multiple formats this week, and we also have the unrated cut of Wish Upon to look forward to as well. Scream Factory is digging up The Poughkeepsie Tapes (finally) for their Blu/DVD Combo release, and Criterion Collection has put together a stunning presentation for The Lure.

Cult cinema fans will want to pick up the new Blu-rays for Kill, Baby… Kill and The Green Slime, and for those looking for some new horror experiences, Temple, Open Water 3, and Demonic come home on October 10th.

Baby Driver (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 4K Ultra HD/Blu/Digital, Blu/Digital & DVD)

Baby (Ansel Elgort) – a talented, young getaway driver – relies on the beat of his personal...

If you've been waiting to own The Poughkeepsie Tapes since its initial premiere back in 2007, then Scream Factory has the ultimate early Halloween treat for you with their October 10th home media release of the John Erick Dowdle film, and we've been provided with three Blu-ray / DVD combo pack copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.

---------

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray / DVD combo pack copy of The Poughkeepsie Tapes.

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

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

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

2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Poughkeepsie Tapes Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will...

Mythical unreleased horror movie finally gets a release from Scream Factory

The post The Poughkeepsie Tapes Blu-ray Review appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

The bonus features for the long-awaited Blu-ray release of The Poughkeepsie Tapes are included in today's Horror Highlights, which also features a deleted scene included on The Mummy Blu-ray, clips from Die Laughing and The Lodgers, the trailer and poster for Haze, and images from Restricted Area.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes Blu-ray: Press Release: "From the filmmakers that brought you Quarantine and As Above, So Below comes a descent into the twisted crimes of a serial killer! Long sought-after by horror enthusiasts after its original 2007 theatrical release was infinitely delayed, this highly anticipated documentary-style thriller has never before been officially released on home entertainment formats. Making its Blu-ray and DVD debut October 10th, 2017 from Scream Factory, The Poughkeepsie Tapes also includes new interviews with writer/director John Erick Dowdle, writer/producer Drew Dowdle and actress Stacy Chbosky, as well as the original theatrical trailer as bonus features. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.

The Dowdle brothers’ The Poughkeepsie Tapes is finally coming to home video via Scream Factory, and we have your details right here! From the Press Release: From the filmmakers that brought you Quarantine and As Above, So Below comes a… Continue Reading →

The post The Poughkeepsie Tapes Blu-ray Details Caught on Film appeared first on Dread Central.

In one of the longest delays of all time, Scream Factory recently announced they will be bringing the long-shelved found-footage classic The Poughkeepsie Tapes to Blu-ray on October 10, 2017! Extras include the trailer and new interviews with the filmmakers and cast. While the film had found a VOD release through DirecTV three years ago, […]...

Howdy, folks! It’s Sunday, which means it’s time for the horror haul, our weekly round-up and one-stop-shop for all things horror. This week in horror, The Grudge reboot recruits The Eyes of My Mother director Nicholas Pesce, the long-shelved (we're talking a decade here) found footage serial killer shocker The Poughkeepsie Tapes is finally getting a proper release, John Carpenter is developing a Tales for a Halloween Night series for Syfy, and Jigsaw gets an official poster and a San Diego Comic-Con presence. Plus, new trailers for the slasher Jackals, Another Wolfcop …...

You may remember seeing a trailer for The Poughkeepsie Tapes back in 2007, when it was still set to hit theaters in early 2008. And then…nothing. The film was yanked off the schedule and vanished without a trace. And like any horror movie that proves difficult or impossible to see, the film became something of a […]

The post Infamous Horror Movie ‘The Poughkeepsie Tapes’ is Finally Getting a Home Video Release appeared first on /Film.

If you've been waiting to own The Poughkeepsie Tapes since its initial premiere back in 2007, then Scream Factory has the ultimate Halloween season treat for you, because they have announced an October 10th Blu-ray / DVD release for the John Erick Dowdle film.

From Scream Factory: "The infamous, grisly and sought after serial killer-themed film The Poughkeepsie Tapes finally sees an official home entertainment release on DVD & Blu-ray! From Director John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine, Devil and As Above So Below)

Street date is 10/10 but if you order directly from us it will ship two weeks early. Pre-order now @ https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-poughkeepsie-tapes… Extras will be announced at a later date.

Synopsis: "From the filmmakers that brought you Quarantine and As Above, So Below comes a descent into the twisted crimes of a serial killer!

Throughout the 1990s, a serial killer terrorized upstate New York. After a decade-long crime...

It’s a mystery to me why the Dowdle brothers’ The Poughkeepsie Tapes has taken so long to get the distro it deserves. Thankfully Scream Factory is here to run with the ball for horror fans! Via the Scream Factory Facebook… Continue Reading →

The post The Poughkeepsie Tapes Finally Playing on Blu-ray appeared first on Dread Central.

In one of the longest delays of all time, Scream Factory has announced today they will be bringing the long-shelved found-footage classic The Poughkeepsie Tapes to Blu-ray on October 10, 2017! Extras are yet to be revealed but I sure as hell hope we get some goodies after a decade-long wait. While the film had found […]...

When I reviewed the original The Blair Witch Project, it was March of 1999. I saw it in Austin, in the apartment of a couple of my friends, thanks to Harry Knowles, who had been sent a VHS copy of the film by the filmmakers during its Sundance run. I went to Austin in February, and Harry had been sitting on his copy, waiting for us to get to town. We were there for the third Quentin Tarantino film festival at the still-young Alamo Drafthouse, and on the last night of the festival, my friends and I were set to hit the road as soon as the movies ended. We were road-tripping, and between the four of us, we figured we’d be able to do the entire drive back to La straight through with no stops for sleep. Harry asked us not to leave town right after the film, though.

To date, writing and directing duo John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle don’t have the most inspiring CV, with a string of mostly low rent thriller and horror pictures to their name including “No Escape,” “As Above, So Below,” “Devil,” and “The Poughkeepsie Tapes.” But it speaks to the power of the true story that will […]

The post Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch & Ludacris Head To Texas For Limited Series ‘Waco’ appeared first on The Playlist.

Having made their initial mark in the horror genre with The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Quarantine, Devil and As Above So Below, writing-directing team Drew and John Erick Dowdle recently moved into action with the thriller No Escape. Sticking with the latter for the time being, their next film will be Six Minutes To Freedom, based on the real-life adventures of Kurt Muse.Muse got into trouble in Panama in the late '80s for running a pirate radio station broadcasting dissent against Manuel Noriega. He was imprisoned in the notorious Panamanian jail Carcel Modelo, and was liberated when the Us invaded Panama to oust Noriega in December, 1989. His rescue was dubbed Operation Acid Gambit and carried out by the Us Delta Force led by Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin. We've possibly got part of that wrong.A small story of escape in a wider context of violent revolution is exactly what...

Chicago – Filmmakers brothers are ubiquitous, as siblings grow up with the love of the movies and turn it into a career when adults. Director John Erick Dowdle and his writing partner, brother Drew, has had a successful run with films like “Devil” and last year’s “As Above, So Below.” Their latest film, “No Escape,” explores geopolitics and the increasing potential for government breakdown.

Owen Wilson and Lake Bell are Jack and Annie, Americans traveling with two children who go to an unnamed Asian land for Jack’s work. He represents a corporation whose activities with the government cause an uprising, and the family suddenly finds themselves in the midst of a street war. Coming to their aid is a mysterious British expatriate, portrayed with a maniacal verve by Pierce Brosnan. The family must find a way to escape the country, as foreigners are being rounded up for execution.

The...

In this excerpt from the Guardian film show, critics Xan Brooks, Henry Barnes and Catherine Shoard watch Owen Wilson sling his screen family across the rooftops of an unnamed east Asian city in an effort to escape a rebellious mob. Written and directed by horror film-makers the Dowdle Brothers (The Poughkeepsie Tapes, As Above, So Below) No Escape also stars Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan

Continue reading...

"What's Wrong with you?!" As the angry tears erupted and Toshi jumped up from the edge of the pool, suddenly red-faced and livid at me, I realized I had made a serious miscalculation, and perhaps ruined a day that I've spent much of this summer planning and anticipating in the process. Let's back up, though. The seeds of this amazing day began when I was looking for an apartment last year in the wake of my separation from my wife of over a decade. I remember the entire process as sort of a blur. I looked at about 20 buildings in different parts of town, and when I visited the building I live in now, something about it resonated immediately. It's a nice building, it's a good area, and it felt like the kind of California apartment building I remembered from movies like "The Karate Kid" when I was younger. I...

Title: As Above, So Below Director: John Erick Dowdle Starring: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman and Edwin Hodge Relying on your thorough experience within a particular subject often leads to capturing the next intriguing story on the topic. Holding that knowledgeable background not only stresses the exploration of one of the most fabled jewels in history by the main character in the new independent found footage horror thriller, ‘As Above, So Below,’ but also helped filmmaker John Erick Dowdle infuse the story with the best physical effects possible. The director, who has previous experience helming films in the genre, including ‘The Poughkeepsie Tapes’ and ‘Quarantine,’ which he also co-wrote with his [ Read More ]

The post As Above, So Below Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

There is a story about the Paris catacombs that I love dearly. In August of 2004, several police officers were exploring a section of the infamous maze of tunnels near the Eiffel Tower when they came across a particular doorway covered in plastic with a sign that said, "No entry." Inside, the police were momentarily terrified by the sound of attacking guard dogs, but they realized it was a recording. Pushing further into the tunnel, they found a full working cinema, complete with lights, a projector, a bar, a dining area, and seats carved directly into the rocks. When they went topside to report their find to their superior officers, they were pleased with what they'd found. By the time they got back, though, everything was gone, and all that was left was a note that said, "Do not look for us. Signed, The Society Of The Perforated Mexicans." Since then,...

Paris - Coming up with a new twist for a horror film without going down some very disgusting roads hasn't been that easy in the 21st Century.  It's one reason franchises like "Saw," "Paranormal Activity" and "The Purge" have hit such a cord with viewers and spawned a ton of sequels.  One film that's trying to add a new twist to the supernatural thriller (with more than a touch of horror thrown in) is the Dowdle brothers' "As Above/So Below" which arrives in theaters on Friday. Originally, Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh had an idea about staging a film in the catacombs of Paris, a labyrinth of tunnels and quarries beneath the streets of the city that stretch over 200 miles.  Shockingly, very few films had used the centuries old underground spaces as the setting for a movie.  Considering approximately 6 million human remains were buried (or re-buried) there it seemed like...

As Above/So Below opens in theaters everywhere this Friday (August 29th) from Legendary Pictures and Universal. Not only is it the first full-on horror film to come from Legendary since Trick 'r Treat, it's the latest project from the Dowdle brothers who have given us films like The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Quarantine and Devil. To learn more about the film, I ventured out to Paris, France - where the film is set - to not only speak to the Dowdles, but to stars Perdita Weeks and Ben Feldman (Friday the 13th, Mad Men) as well. And we did it in the very catacombs beneath the street of Paris where this supernatural tale unfolds.

The post As Above/So Below Interviews Part 1: Talking With the Cast & Crew in the Catacombs! appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Paris - Walking through the Paris catacombs, it's hard to believe Hollywood hasn't mined this wonder more on the big screen.  There have been films that have tried, 2007's "Catacombs" being one of them, but its a rare few that have ever gotten access to shoot in the actual underground tunnels and quarries.  The upcoming thriller "As Above/So Below" is the exception. Directed by John Erick Dowdle ("Devil," "The Poughkeepsie Tapes") from a screenplay by Dowdle and his brother Drew, "As Above/So Below" introduces audiences to Scarlet Marlowe (Perdita Weeks), a gutsy archeologist on a global search for an ancient artifact.  When she determines this potentially magic object may lie beneath the City of Lights in the Catacombs of Paris she recruits an old flame (Ben Feldman, soon to be seen on NBC's "A to Z") and a few local tunnel experts to check it out.  When they...

John Erick Dowdle is one of the genres unsung stars. The man has already pieced together a couple awesome flicks in Quarantine The Poughkeepsie Tapes and Devil. The dude has a knack for fear and hes proven himself capable of manufacturing high caliber tension as well as thrilling handicam works. Dont expect anything other than another solid effort from As Above So Below.

On August 29th, Legendary Pictures is releasing the latest from John and Drew Dowdle- As Above, So Below- their terrifying tale which explores the horrors that lie deep below the streets of Paris inside the centuries-old catacombs after an archeological expedition goes awry.

During the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, Daily Dead had the opportunity to chat with both John and Drew about the story of As Above, So Below as well as what inspired them to head down to the historic Paris catacombs for the film and their thoughts on their contributions to the modern found footage movement. The Dowdles also chatted about the status of The Poughkeepsie Tapes and what happened with the recent DirecTV VOD release snafu when the film appeared to be available to rent finally, but was pulled down just a few short hours later.

Check out our video interview with John and Drew Dowdle below...

This is a bit of an odd story. For years The Poughkeepsie Tapes, a 2007 mockumentary horror film directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine, Devil, and the upcoming As Above, So Below), has been sitting on the shelf unreleased. Though it never officially came out (outside of a few film festivals), the film has had pirated copies circling conventions and illegal copies have found their way online, giving the film a small cult following. As reported by Bloody Disgusting last week, the film suddenly appeared out of nowhere on VOD for DirecTV subscribers. It was finally available for horror nuts to watch without breaking the law.

Now in a strange turn of events, it seems that the film is no longer available to rent in any capacity. Ryan Turek of Shock Till You Drop ran into Dowdle and his brother/producing partner Drew Dowdle at Comic-Con and Drew told him that...