Night of the Living Dead's Bill Hinzman - RIP

It's been widely reported that horror actor Bill Hinzman died over the weekend at the age of 75, following a long battle with cancer.

Hinzman is undoubtedly best known for his role as the Cemetery Zombie in George Romero's classic 1968 film "Night of the living Dead".

He went on to star and produce in numerous other independant horrors over the years, including Romero's "The Crazies", and the films "Flesh Eater" (AKA Zombie Nosh) and "Santa Claws".

He was a regular at horror conventions in the US, and would often turn up in full zombie make up to pose for photos with fans.

So long Bill, may you rest in peace (and hopefully not return as a zombie this time)!

Visit Bill's official website at http://zombie1.com/ 

Hostel Part 3 - Out Now on UK DVD and Blu-ray

The nice folks at Sony Home Pictures entertainment were kind enough to send me a review copy of "Hostel Part 3" to take a look at, which recently hit UK video shelves. Picking up sometime after part 2, a group of teens on a stag weekend in Las Vegas are busy partying hard, when they get invited to an exclusive off-strip party.

When one of them fails to turn up back at the hotel next day, the others go looking for him, only to fall prey to the notorious Elite Hunting Club, which has just relocated to Las Vegas. It seems they have their own high stakes gambling games and the group have just become unwitting players in them. As  Sin City prepares to get a lot more sinful.

Directed by Scott Speigel (Intruder, From Dusk till Dawn Part 2), this direct to disc feature follows in the bloody footsteps of Eli Roth's earlier films. It is perhaps not as gory or visceral as its predecessors, and I'm kind-of surprised they choose the direct-to-video route, as I would rather they have upped the budget and get Eli Roth back to direct. But it is never-the-less a respectable follow up which fans should enjoy.

The film is available now on DVD and Blu-ray with an audio commentary track, featuring director Scott Speigal and star Kip Pardue, as an extra.

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Buy the UK Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk

Snowtown comes to UK DVD

Revolver Entertainment is pleased to announce the Monday 19th March UK Blu-Ray & DVD release of Snowtown – one of the most gripping, harrowing and disturbing films ever to come out of Australia.

From first-time director Justin Kurzel, Snowtown marks the arrival of a major new filmmaking talent. A nail-biting, emotionally compelling and a psychologically devastating account of real-life murders, Snowtown documents the true-story of John Bunting - Australia’s most notorious serial killer.

Set in Adelaide, Southern Australia during the late 1990s, Bunting rallies against a nonchalant police force where paedophiles and drug addicts are free to roam the streets. Bunting takes on the role as an unsolicited vigilante for the under-classes by taking the law into his own hands and sets off on a killing spree.

Currently serving eleven consecutive sentences of life imprisonment, Bunting was the ringleader of what is described as a "degenerate sub-culture" of murderers. His crimes led to the longest and most expensive investigation and criminal trials in Australia's history. Bunting's targets consisted primarily of people he knew and thought to be paedophiles and homosexuals.  He has been described as a skilled manipulator of people and "Australia's worst serial killer".

With an outstanding cast, made-up almost completely of newcomers, Snowtown has mesmerised viewers and critics alike. The film was honoured with the prestigious Adelaide Film Festival’s Audience Award, was given the President’s Special Mention at Cannes, and was officially selected for the 2011 London Film Festival.

Visit the official website at http://www.snowtownthemovie.com/ 

Buy the DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Buy the Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk

The Thing to invade UK homes this March

Ever wondered what really happened during the events leading up to the original film The Thing?  Get ready to find out where it all began as the chilling prequel to John Carpenter’s sci-fi horror classic crashes onto Blu-ray with Digital Copy, DVD and download to own this March from Universal Pictures UK.  

If you’re a fan of the original’s body-shock horror and creepy, suspenseful atmosphere, then brace yourself for a terrifying ride as events unfold at an isolated Antarctic research site immediately prior to the original film. A spine-chilling prologue to the sci-fi saga of the same name, The Thing introduces a whole new generation of fans to one of the most unforgettable and gruesome horror stories of all time.  

Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3, Death Proof), The Thing sees a group of research scientists accidentally stumbling on the existence of a frozen alien craft in remote Antarctica.  Follow the horrifying fall-out of a decision to bring the craft and its deep-frozen inhabitant back to base camp as the scientists battle to contain the terror they have unwittingly unleashed.

With stunning, out-of-this-world special effects and a must-see storyline that fills in the many unanswered questions from the original, The Thing is an action-packed rollercoaster ride of jumps and thrills – truly unmissable in high definition Blu-ray!

Packed with hours of special features the DVD and Blu-ray discs both feature extensive bonus content including making of features, commentaries with the director and producer and both deleted and extended scenes. In addition, a must for any horror fan, is the new two-disc boxset that features not only this year’s gripping prequel, but also John Carpenter’s original classic movie The Thing from 1982. Both the DVD and Blu-ray boxsets contain a plethora of additional content allowing you to delve further and deeper into this iconic horror franchise’s universe than ever before.

The Thing is released to UK video shelves on 26 March.

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Buy the UK Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk

Robert Englund's INKUBUS comes to UK DVD this Feb.

The nice chappies over at Trinity X were kind enough to supply me with a screener copy of the new horror film "Inkubus" to take a look at. Marking the directorial debut of Glenn Ciano, the film stars robert Englund as a serial killer, who just strolls into a police station one night with a severed head in his hands, and proclaims he is the killer known as "Inkubus" that they've been looking for all these years.

But he's no ordinary serial killer, and he's not there to give himelf up, he's there to raise some hell. Also starring William Forsythe (Devil's Rejects - Rob Zombies Halloween) and written by Carl Dupre (who worked on some of the later Hellraiser films) this low budget horror might not be to everyone's taste, which is a kind of cross between "Assault on Precinct 13" and "Candyman", but Robert Englund fans should enjoy it.

The DVD is released to UK video shelves Feb 13 with a trailer as an extra.

Watch the trailer on YouTube

Buy the DVD on Amazon.co.uk

House of the Devil finds a home on The Horror Channel (UK)

From the director of "THE ROOST" & "CABIN FEVER 2" Ti West, comes slow-brewing, old school psychological horror at its finest, freakiest and most fiendish, "HOUSE OF THE DEVIL", starring veteran genre actor Tom Noonan (ROBOCOP 2, MANHUNTER), which premieres on Friday Feb 17, 22:55 .

Student Samantha has just moved into her own apartment and needs some fast cash for the rent. Answering a campus advert for a babysitter, she ends up at the creepy old remote country home of the strange Ulman couple. But something is clearly wrong. The pay is too high. There seems to be no child. A total lunar eclipse is about to further darken the night skies. And Samantha’s blood-freezing satanic panic begins…

Ti West will also be presenting a director’s night on Thurs 23 Feb from 21:00, introducing his three favourite horror films. His picks? Creepshow 11, The Evil Dead and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138

www.horrorchannel.co.uk/ | twitter.com/horror_channel

Frightfest Glasgow 2012 Line Up Revealed.

The UK’s favourite horror fantasy festival returns to its second home at the Glasgow Film Festival for the 7th year with its biggest line-up ever.

From Friday Feb 24 to Saturday Feb 25, Film4 FrightFest will be screening eleven new must-see genre titles. ten of which are UK premieres. So expect to be taken of the roller-coaster ride from hell with this ghoulish global celluloid feast, featuring Argentinean demons, flesh-hungry Russian zombies, mutant cannibals, a Chinese-speaking alien, Asia’s deadliest killers, a Croatian hit-man, Pinocchio obsessed psychos and Jack Nicholson like you’ve never seen him before.

With guest directors and filmmakers from all over world (to be announced shortly), surprises on screen and off, and our unique community feeling, FrightFest at the GFF has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan's calendar.

Alan Jones, FrightFest’s co-director said: “Film4 FrightFest is thrilled to be part of the Glasgow Film Festival for its seventh and biggest year. We’ll be showing eleven fantastic premieres, previews and special events to shock, thrill and amaze over two days - plus those must-meet guests from all corners of the genre.  So, be part of the best community spirit in the country while watching the best fright stuff currently on offer. There couldn’t be a better way to delve into 2012 and ready yourselves for FrightFest the 13th in August”

The Films are listed as follows...

FRI 24

13:30 CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL

16:00 TAPE 407: THE MESA RESERVE INCIDENT

18:30 CRAWL 

21:00 THE DAY 

23:15 WAR OF THE DEAD

SAT 25

11:00 EVIDENCE

13:15 PENUMBRA 

15:30 RITES OF SPRING

18:30 L’ARRIVO DI WANG/ WANG’S ARRIVAL

21:00  CASSADAGA

23:15 THE RAID

For full details and info on how to book tickets, log onto the Frightfest Website