This is just a selection of, mainly US, releases scheduled for the first half of the coming year. Omitted for length are the entries in this year’s third annual After Dark Horror Fest (which ran from the 9th–15th of January) and it’s “8 films to die for”.
For more on these check out the article link and reviews to come.
January 2009 Releases in Horror Films:
- The Unborn
Already released this month is writer/director David Goyer’s The Unborn, which tells the story of a woman haunted by the spirit of her dead twin. Goyer’s checkered history (ranging from working on hits like The Dark Knight and Blade 2 to the not-so-worthwhile Blade: Trinity) makes this one impossible to predict.
Worth checking out.
- My Bloody Valentine 3D
Also out in theatres, with director Patrick Lussier (Dracula 2000) is My Bloody Valentine 3D. As one of the many slasher re-makes that are currently being exploited, this one holds less promise than usual. A full review is available Here on Suite 101.
Moving swiftly on.
- Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Released this week is the third installement of the Underworld films, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. So more vampires, werewolves and Kate Beckinsale in a close-fitting rubber/pvc thing. On paper it’s spectacularly good. In reality, the first two films (particularly the second) sucked.
This is now helmed by Patrick Tatopoulos, who formerly worked in the industry, and the previous films of the series, as a production designer. Is this a much needed change of direction or just a way for the Studio to pay less money to help the film break even at the box office?
- I Sell the Dead
Meanwhile, premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival was Glenn McQuaid’s I Sell the Dead, with Dominic Monaghan and Ron Perlman as 18th century grave-robbers.
No date has been set yet for general release but a mix of horror, humour and strange goings-on make this one of the more anticipated films on offer. Also starring Larry Fessenden.
February 2009 Releases in Horror Films:
- Friday the 13th
This’ll be a big month for those devouts of the Vorhees franchise. Yes, on Friday the 13th comes Friday the 13th, Marcus Nispel’s re-make of the 80’s slasher that gave us the unstoppable, machete-wielding, Jason.
Nispel has previously worked on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre re-make (decent, but pointless) and Pathfinder (poor) as well as The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection (?). The signs are ominous.
- Against the Dark
Not nearly as ominous, however, as the straight-to-dvd Against the Dark (feb 10th). This is the first foray into horror for…wait for it…Steven Seagal. He plays a Vampire-hunter in a post-apocalyptic future and the chances are good that he doesn’t get bitten. Or punched. Or kicked. Or lightly scratched. Because he’s so awesome. Who knows, this could be quite entertaining.
First-time director Richard Crudo has worked as a cinematographer on many previous films, including Sam Mendes’ utterly briliant American Beauty. What that means for this feature is anybody’s guess, but probably not much.
March, April & May 2009 Releases in Horror Films:
- Lesbian Vampire Killers
With March comes the Brit horror-comedy, Lesbian Vampire Killers, directed by Phil Claydon. This is being covered by another reviewer here at Suite 101, so for preview information, a trailer, and an interview with the creators, see Michelle Strozykowski’s article on LVK.
- The Last House on the Left
Slated for this April is the re-make of Wes Craven’s 1972 revenge thriller. The only previous credit for director Dennis Illiadis is 2004’s Hardcore. Having not seen it, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope that this Craven re-telling is superior to that made of The Hills Have Eyes.
- The Descent: Part 2
Finally, from the sweetly titled Celador Films studio comes the not-so-sweetly conceived sequal to the 2005 British horror film, both written and directed by Neil Marshall.
The Descent was a well-executed, claustrophobic premise about a group of female friends trapped underground while caving. Moreover, they are trapped with what seem to be people regressed and adapted to a feral life in the mountain (like a tribe of carnivorous gollums). It’s a good film, not great. It’s also heavily implied that no one survives.
So a sequel, not written and directed by Neil Marshall, in which one of the women supposedly survives to re-live the nightmare Ripley-style, was hardly going to sound like a good idea. Add to that another debutant director in John Harris and this is clearly a cash-in. This one’s set for May 15th.
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Check out what’s expected from the rest of the year in the second half of this article.
Sources: Shocktillyoudrop.com, Bloodydisgusting.com, OMG Horror, IMDB and affiliated websites.
