Stacey Nelkin is known best for her role of Ellie Grimbridge in “Halloween III: Season of the Witch”. She was also cast in “Blade Runner” as the the infamous “Sixth Replicant” but ended up being cut.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Stacey about Halloween III as well as her work with the Monty Python gang in “Yellowbeard” and working with Tony Danza and Danny DeVito and the orangutans in “Going Ape”.
Pre-Order Available Here: https://nblast.de/TestamentTOC
The time has arrived for legendary bay area thrash metal giants TESTAMENT to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album, Titans Of Creation, which will be released on April 3 via Nuclear Blast.
Today, the band releases the lyric video for the first single, “Night Of The Witch” here: youtu.be/cF2hIrXq2ss
Chuck Billy comments, “It has been months since the final mixing of ‘Titans Of Creation’ and we are eager for fans to hear it. We feel that we put a lot into this record and at the end of the day it is a TESTAMENT record that stands on its own. We are very proud of ‘Titans Of Creation.’”
“’Night Of The Witch’ uses old school lyrics about witches chanting in the moonlight and casting spells. The beauty of this song is that I worked Eric’s vocals into the chorus. I wanted to incorporate him as he does Dragonlord and this song was a perfect match. It is a heavy song and a great way to introduce everyone to ‘Titans Of Creation.’”
Titans Of Creation was produced by Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson while Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios handled co-producing, recording and engineering. Andy Sneap was responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album. Eliran Kantor stepped up once again to create a new masterpiece of artwork for the cover of this release.
Titans Of Creation will be available in the following formats:
Pre-order your copy of Titans Of Creation in the format of your choice here: https://nblast.de/TestamentTOC
Pre-save the album on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer: nblast.de/TESTAMENTpreSave
Below is the track listing:
Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in TESTAMENT represents a necessary component of this latest musical creation. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still including the alluring, brilliant and progressive ingredients they are known for.
TESTAMENT is:
Chuck Billy | Lead Vocals
Eric Peterson | Rhythm/Lead guitar & Vocals
Alex Skolnick | Lead Guitar
Steve Di Giorgio | Bass guitar
Gene Hoglan | Drums
“Season of the Witch”
John 5 and the Creatures
60 Cycle Hum
Producer: John 5
Tracks: 13
Our score: 4 out of 5 stars
World-Renowned guitarist John 5 and his band The Creatures are back with a brand new 13 track album titled “Season of the Witch”. The album (John’s 8th as a solo artist) is being released via 60 Cycle Hum is the follow up to his 2014 release “Careful With that Axe”.
John 5 seems to be one of those guys who is constantly going and perfecting his craft. From his work with Rob Zombie and Rod Stewart to scoring films and appearing as a guest performer on dozens of albums each year the guy always seems to be playing. John’s latest offering “Season of the Witch” blends, twists and smashes a variety of genres leaving practically no musical stone unturned over the course of its 13 track, 37 minute run time. From the sample laden opener “Book of Spells”, to the Rush-esque “Guitar, Tits and Monsters and the layered back twang filled echoes of “Behind the Nut Love” listeners are take on a rollercoaster ride of sound and emotion as the virtuoso lets his guitar do all of the talking. Backed by an equally impressive band known as “The Creatures” consisting of bassist Ian Ross and drummer Rodger Carter the trio connects flawlessly providing an enjoyable listening experience.
Don’t let the albums brief runtime fool you as John 5 and the Creatures pack every ounce of musicality they can in to each and every second of “Seasons of the Witch”. Easily his most diverse solo effort to date John 5 showcases his ability and diverse tastes by blending country, funk, rock and metal with his love for the macabre into one cohesive package that provides listeners with something new each time you listen.
Track Listing:
1.) Book of Spells
2.) The Black Grass Plague
3.) Guitars, Tits and Monsters
4.) Now Fear This
5.) Behind the Nut Love
6.) Making Monsters
7.) Cr. Evil’s Spookshow
8.) Here’s to the Crazy One’s
9.) The Macabre
10.) Ddd
11.) Hell Haw I.G.R.
12.) Ode to Jasper
13.) Season of the Witch
World-Renowned Guitarist JOHN 5 Releases New Album “Season of The Witch”, Kicks off solo tour in support.
“Season Of The Witch”, the brand new full-length instrumental solo album from world-renowned guitarist JOHN 5, is out now and can be ordered via iTunes, Amazon and John-5.com, or streamed via Spotify.
In celebration of the album’s release, JOHN 5 and The Creatures are kicked off their U.S. tour in Fife, WA on March 3rd. The tour will hit roughly 35 cities (with more potentially TBA), coming to an end in Chicago, IL on April 16. Tickets and VIP are available now – visit http://www.john-5.com/main/tour for more information.
JOHN 5 and the Creatures “SEASON OF THE WITCH” Confirmed Tour Dates:
3/3 – Fife, WA @ Louie G’s
3/4 – Everett, WA @ Tony V’s Garage
3/5 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
3/9 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub
3/10 – San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
3/11 – Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55
3/12 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
3/16 – Fullerton, CA @ The Slidebar Rock-n-Roll Cafe
3/17 – West Hollywood, CA @ Whisky A Go Go
3/18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vamp’d Rock Bar & Grill
3/19 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
3/20 – Mesa, AZ @ Club Red
3/22 – Austin, TX @ Grizzly Hall
3/23 – San Antonio, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music
3/24 – Tyler, TX @ Clicks Live
3/25 – Houston, TX @ Scout’s Bar
3/26 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
3/29 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings
3/30 – Charlotte, NC @ Neighbourhood Theatre
3/31 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger
4/1 – Wilmington, NC @ Calico
4/2 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka’s
4/3 – Richmond, VA @ Capitol Ale House
4/5 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East – Downstairs
4/6 – Derry, NH @ New Tupelo Music Hall
4/7 – Queens, NY @ Blackthorn 51
4/8 – Boonsboro, MD @ The Stage House
4/9 – Falls Church, VA @ The State Theatre
4/10 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
4/11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh
4/12 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Ballroom
4/13 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
4/14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue
4/15 – Westland, MI @ The Token Lounge
4/16 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies
JOHN 5 online:
www.john-5.com
www.facebook.com/John5official
www.twitter.com/john5guitarist
www.instagram.com/john5official
Actors: James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Brandon Scott, Valorie Curry, Corbin Reid
Directors: Adam Wingard
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: January 3, 2017
Run Time: 89 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
“Blair Witch” was previously known as “The Woods”. This movie was a big surprised when it was revealed as the long awaited third “Blair Witch” film. Right away the haters came out for this film without even seeing it and trashed it, which is not fair because this film is an awesome and honestly quite terrifying follow up to the original film. I loved everything about it. I would have liked some more questions answered but I am sure it was saved for another film. Unfortunately, due to the power of trolls and the internet, I doubt that will be happening now. Either way, if you feel like being open minded this is a rad flick and had me biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my chair.
Official Premise: A group of college students venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to uncover the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of their friend’s sister, who many believe is connected to the legend of the Blair Witch. At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals offer to act as guides through the dark and winding woods, but as the endless night wears on, the group is visited by a menacing presence. Slowly, they begin to realize the legend is all too real and more sinister than they could have imagined.
Lionsgate Film is delivering this film in a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. The films 1080p transfer is solid enough but remember it is hand shot by the actors not winning any cinematography awards. The sound though is a huge winner delivering an epic Dolby Atmos (which at base is Dolby TrueHD 7.1), which creeped the hell of out me. Especially since this film relies on subtle sounds to scare you. Very effective track!
The special features are jam-packed! There is a fantastic audio commentary track with horror duo Director Adam Wingard and Writer Simon Barrett. Love this one. “Never Ending Night: The Making of Blair Witch” is an epic 6-part documentary that is a must watch for anyone who enjoyed the film! There is focus on the story origin, the cast, shooting style, editing as well as music and sound design. Lastly there is a featurette “House of Horrors: Exploring the Set”, which gives some cool insight into how they came up the house.
“The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser”
Rob Zombie
Zodiac Swan
Tracks: 12
Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Master of the macabre Rob Zombie is back with his 6th studio album titled “The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser”. As the follow up to his 2013 release “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor” the new album features 12 tracks from the former White Zombie front man which blend his unique brand of 70’s tinged rock and roll with eerie b-movie samplings which seem to permeate from every crack and crevice.
With an album title like “The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser” one would hope for the music to be equally as impressive. Sadly this is not the case as the new album from Rob Zombie is an uneven blend of chaotic, multi layered samples that lack any real musical substance. Over the course of the albums twelve tracks which only clock in at a measly thirty one minutes Zombie’s once unique blend of horror infused rock comes off as stale and tiresome. Despite a few shining moments in the way of tracks like “Well Everybody’s Fucking in a U.F.O.” and “The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore” the album seemed to be absent of any real hook or catchiness and, instead comes off as a scattered mess. Even with such an impressive band behind him consisting of bassist Piggy D, guitarist John 5 and drummer Ginger Fish there still just wasn’t enough musical appeal to warrant a second listen.
Some impressively wordy titles are about all you will find in the latest release from Rob Zombie. With a three year lapse between albums I was certainly hoping for more and, in the case of “The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser” I needed a lot more. The albums lack of focus and its brief runtime really left me unfulfilled. This is easily Zombie’s weakest release however if you’re a long time fan and want it for your collection go for it but, if you are just know checking out Rob’s work I highly recommend skipping this and going to his impressive back catalog.
Track Listing:
1.) The Last of the Demons Defeated
2.) Satanic Cyanide! The Killer Rocks On!
3.) The Life and Times of a Teenage Rock God
4.) Well Everybody’s Fucking in a U.F.O.
5.) A Hearse That Overturns with the Coffin Bursting Open
6.) The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore
7.) Medication for the Melancholy
8.) In the Age of the Consecrated Vampire We All get High
9.) Super-Doom-Hex-Gloom, Pt. 1
10.) In the Bone Pile
11.) Get Your Boots On! That’s the End of Rock and Roll
12.) Wurdalak
Starring: Vin Diesel, Elijah Wood and Michael Caine
Directed by: Breck Eisner
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
Summit Entertainment
Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars
Let me say right at the start that I am a big Vin Diesel fan. While the majority of his movies are not the greatest, there is something about him as a personality that makes you want to root for him. Here we find him making the rounds as an immortal witch hunter, protected and watched over by a certain faction of priests. Kaulder (Diesel) is officially known as a witch hunter, brokering the peace between bad witches and good humans. But when the peace is threatened, only Kaulder (and his partners in peace) can save the day.
The movie starts out in olden times, where a band of warriors, led by Kaulder decides to take out a coven of witches. Kaulder does the job but is cursed with eternal life by the witch queen he has just dispatched. Which takes us to modern times. Kaulder lives in a beautiful high rise apartment which is lavishly furnished. He also drives a flashy car. Good thing he’s keeping a low profile. He is about to watch the 36th priest who has protected him (Caine) retire and meet number 37 (Wood). It all unravels when #36 is found dead, which can only mean one thing…WITCHES! If only we knew someone that hunted them.
I’m tempted to say this movie blows and leave it at that but, dammit, I can’t. First off, it’s made by Summit, which gave us the “Twilight” series of films (sadly, the special effects utilized by the studio are still achingly bad). Second, the cast does try hard. And third…Vin Diesel and his screen presence. He’s not doing Shakespeare here, which is a good thing. Early in the film he must discuss the “ancient rooooons” he has been looking for. Things get better when Wood shares the screen, his wide-eyed young padawan getting serious while looking like a psychotic Chris Kattan. The special effects are poorly designed and the laughs are readily found, though probably not intentionally.
My advice: see it for Vin Diesel. If you need to, just pretend he’s driving around in a fast car! I’ve never seen the “First” Witch Hunter. Unfortunately, I did see the “Last” one!
To celebrate Halloween, we are happy to be giving away a Digital HD Download of “The Blair Witch Project”. If you want to win this, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite go-to horror film to watch on Halloween. This giveaway will remain open until November 7th at Noon, Eastern Time.
Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Digital Download code for The Blair Witch Project via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Relive the horror classic! THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT follows a trio of filmmakers on what should have been a simple walk in the woods, but quickly becomes an excursion into heart-stopping terror.
Or dive into a new horror experience – from the director of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT comes EXISTS, for five friends, it was a chance for a summer getaway – a weekend of camping in the Texas Big Thicket. But visions of a carefree vacation are shattered with an accident on a dark and desolate country road.
Actors: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Thomas Mann
Directors: Tommy Wirkola
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R / Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Run Time: 87 / 97 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
3D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” is exactly what you would expect…over-the-top and fun..and that is all. The action is pretty awesome and the film is quite gory for us horrorhounds. The make-up effects are also pretty sharp. Overall, it is just mindless entertainment. For fans of “The Avengers”, did I mention it has Hawkeye in it? Jeremy Renner is fun in the role, poking fun at his character, as is Gemma Arterton, who isn’t hurting on the eyes either. Famke Janssen also has a great role in the film and plays a great witch. This is also the American film debut of Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola, who did the 2009 feature “Dead Snow”, which is another fun zany horror/comedy with Nazi zombies.
All that going for it and did I mention it is also in 3D? They most definitely take advantage of the third dimension as well and it works in the film’s favorite for more added fun. The 3D makes the film entertaining and there are a few great in-your-face gore shots and fireballs thrown at the screen. The film was delayed to be post converted but I think they have really mastered post conversion process…anyone see “Iron Man 3″? The film wasn’t a huge hit in the US but good enough…I hear that there is already a sequel in the card…do I smell a new franchise? Best movie of 2013? Nope but definitely worth a rental.
Official Premise: Get ready for a twisted take on the classic tale as Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) have turned pro, coping with the trauma of their childhood captivity by slaying witches for hire. But when the seemingly unstoppable bounty hunters meet their match in an enemy so evil, it’ll take all their training, weapons and courage to survive. Revenge is sweeter than candy.
This release includes two cuts of the film. The original theatrical R-rated 87 minute cut and the extended unrated 97 minute cut. The unrated cut is definitely worth checking out with more blood and gore…but it is only available in 2D. I think that is the most disappointing part of this release is that the 3D Blu-ray only contains the theatrical cut, I would have liked to enjoy both in 3D. I am sure it would haven’t have been much trouble to give us 3D cuts of both but nonetheless we got what we got.
Paramount delivers a fantastic three-disc combo pack including a 3D Blu-ray, standard 2D Blu-ray and DVD copy. Ultraviolet streaming digital copy, as well there is a iTunes digital copy. Like I said the 1080p transfer is very impressive and works very well with the 3D presentation. 2D fans will also appreciate this fine transfer as well. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio track works perfectly with the action and score by Atli Örvarsson, who recently worked with Hans Zimmer to contribute music to the Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel”.
As brainless fun as the film is, the special features are lacking in terms but still are decent. There are three short featurettes. The first is “Reinventing Hansel & Gretel”, which runs about 15 minutes. It looks into the origin of the film and its production. “The Witching Hours” looks into the cool design process of the witches in the film. Kudos again for great make-up. Lastly “Meet Edward the Troll” is another short look at creating the Troll in the film. So overall decent but nothing really substantial in terms of value. Of course if you can always count the unrated cut as a bonus feature but that is up to you.
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton and Peter Stormare
Directed by: Tommy Workola
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 28 mins
Paramount
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
Of course, like me, you remember the story of Hansel and Gretel. Two kids lost in the forest find a house made of candy, go inside and eventually kill the witch that hoped to eat them. The End. Or so you thought. Apparently there’s a little bit more to the story.
Gorily rendered in pretty impressive 3-D, “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” gives the old fairy tale a pretty bold spin. Seems the tykes weren’t lost…they were abandoned in the woods by their dad, hoping to hide a family secret. Of course, after they got a taste of the excitement and celebrity that comes with shoving a witch in the over and burning her to death, the two grow up to become, to be blunt, bounty hunters. Their journeys take them to a small town where several children have turned up missing. Even the crudely drawn likenesses attached to milk bottles haven’t produced a clue. When H and G show up they come across a mob, led by the local sheriff (Stormare in, after last week’s “The Last Stand,” his second consecutive over the top performance) intent on burning a young woman (Pihla Viitala) accused of being a witch. Before someone can determine if she weighs the same as a duck (or is made of wood) Hansel steps in and declares her too beautiful to be a witch and she is set free. Later that night a group of non-professional witch hunters are attacked by Muriel (Famke Jensen), a kind of super-witch with some deep and dark plans for the missing children. But Hansel and Gretel have other plans. Let the carnage begin!
Full of exploding heads and set in that weird movie land where the people still ride horses, light their homes with candles and possess automatic weapons, “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” is best summed up in one word: Fun. At least that’s the way I took it. Both Renner and Arterton give tongue in cheek performances, which are always the best in films like this. Take these parts too seriously and you get hooted off the screen. Take them too casually and people want their money back. Here the laughs are earned, the effects are strong and both actors can be assured of working again.
Visually the film is well put together. The 3-D is utilized to its fullest potential and the special effects are well rendered. The script has some witty moments as well as a few holes. Due to having to eat so much candy as a child Hansel has apparently become the world’s first diabetic. He informs us that he needs to give himself a shot every couple of hours or he will die. Then he proceeds to go a couple days without it. Maybe he’s Type 2? On a positive side, I can see this movie spawning a great drinking game once it comes out on DVD – everyone takes a drink when they hear the word witch! See, I told you it was fun!
ALL PASSES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED AND WINNER HAVE BEEN EMAILED
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2012
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Place: AMC Studio 30, Olathe, Kansas
Official Site: HanselandGretelmovie.com
Opening Date: Friday, January 25, 2012
Directed by: Ray Austin
Starring: Ann Michelle, Vicki Michelle, Keith Buckley, Patricia Haines, James Chase
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Kino Lorber/Redemption
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 88 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars
Redemption does it again! The Blu-ray release of “Virgin Witch” is fantastic. It was mastered in HD from the original 35MM negative. You get such quality with the film and know that it is well taken care of when you see a release from Redemption. The 1.66:1 1920x1080p transfer is extremely sharp and clear. The audio is also very notable working really well with Ted Dicks fantastic/haunting score. Ann and Vicki Michelle are just so amazing together, not to mention quite a sight to look at.
The film follows Christine (Ann Michelle) and her sister Betty (Vicki Michelle) during their trip to London. Christine get a job modelling at Sybil Waite’s talent agency. The girls take a trip into the country to spend the weekend and for a photo shoot. Though we find out that Sybil (Patricia Haines) has more plans then she is letting up. It turns out that the castle where they are staying is witches’ coven and they are looking for two new virgin recruits.
Like past releases from Redemption, unfortunately the special features do not match this fantastic release. There is only a photo gallery and trailer included. In the future if they are able to produce a wonderful remastered edition of this great films and then top it off with some amazing special features, Redemption will be on their way to rule the world. Horror fans needs to pick this up, it is a must purchase.
