HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN Director, Jason Eisner's Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

Hobo with a Shotgun and The ABCs of Death segment director, Jason Eisner was awesome enough to tell us which 3 films he's most excited for in this year's Midnight Madness programme and why. Check them out!!

John Dies At The End

Coming from a family where the idea of wanting to become a filmmaker seemed very foreign, I took my father to a screening of Bubba Ho-Tep. After seeing the energy and reaction from the audience my dad took me aside and told me that he now "get's it" and understood what it was I was trying to do, and told me he would fully support me in my filmmaking future. That film holds a very special place in my heart and you can bet that dad and I will be strapped in and ready for anything Don Coscarelli brings to the screen.

The Lords of Salem

The Devil's Rejects is a huge inspiration. Before it's release I remember hearing that Rob Zombie was going to use Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird". I thought "how the hell can you do justice to Free Bird?" Well Rob Zombie sure as hell did! It's the perfect song to be destroyed too. It inspired me to have a playlist on my iphone that reads "Incase of plane crash" which only features Free Bird.

I love old, rusty carnival haunted house rides, especially the ones where you fear that the ride could break down and you could actually get hurt. House of 1000 Corpses is one of the closest's cinematic experiences to capturing that feeling. It's watched every Halloween at my place.

Which brings me to Halloween 2. Brandon Trost's DOP work in that film is fucking incredible! And Zombie brings some insane moments that brought a huge smile to my face. I'm an obsessed fan of the Halloween series, and I appreciate that this film steers away from what we're used to seeing. It offers something different, so much so that I wish the character wasn't named Myers, and was just some pissed off homeless guy who eats dogs, kills pimps, hicks and is haunted by his mom's ghost, riding a white stallion!!

The idea of Brandon Trost and Rob Zombie working together again on The Lords of Salem has me extremely excited. I'm not gonna lie, I watched the damn bootleg trailer that was recorded on an iphone from one of Zombie's concerts and it had me screaming "Hail Satan"!

ABC's of Death

Might sound lame that I'm picking a film that I have a short featured in, but I have yet to see the other 25 short films. Before being a filmmaker, I'm a film fan and there are so many directors involved with this that I'm a huge fan of. I can't wait to see how this turns out. With 26 short films of non-stop insanity, this is sure to be an endurance test. So make sure you sneak something stiff in your drink before the curtains roll, and I'll be there to hold you tight after the show!

Jason Eisner grew up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia working on short movies every day after school. Inspired by genre films of the 70’s and 80’s he entered the 2007 Grindhouse trailer contest and won. The massive success of his entry (Hobo with a Shotgun) led to a full-length feature version. He's currently working on his new feature, Blatant Violence High, and he has a segment in this year's Midnight Madness selection, The ABCs of Death. 












Screening Times:
JOHN DIES AT THE END
Canadian Premiere: Sat., Sept. 15th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 16th, 6:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

THE LORDS OF SALEM
World Premiere: Mon., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 12th, 5:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

THE ABC'S OF DEATH
World Premiere: Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

"Ghoulish" Gary Pullin's Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

"Ghoulish" Gary Pullin is an award winning, freelance artist residing in Toronto and the former long time art director for Rue Morgue Magazine. He's now their resident art columnist, curating, "The Fright Gallery." 

I'm no stranger to the Midnight Madness program. I've been attending for almost a decade now and each year seems to get better and better. Thanks to Jeff Wright and Colin Geddes for having me here. Honestly, it was tough to pick only three, but here's my short list I'm most eager to see:

#1 - The ABC's of Death

Inspired by educational children's books, twenty-six up and coming film directors were assigned a letter of the alphabet to create a shocking short. This film event has genre fans salivating for bite sized bits of cinema nastiness written and directed by students of modern horror from around the globe. Ti West (House of the Devil, Innkeepers), Angela Bettis (Roman, May), Xavier Gens (Frontiers, The Divide), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), Srdjan Spasojevic (Serbian Film), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Machine Girl), Adam Wingard (You're Next) and many more bring the pain. Jason Eisener's "N for Nature," for instance. Sounds innocent enough, doesn't it? Far from it. Jason's contribution will test your gag reflex, ignite uncomfortable laughter and give you those icky feelings I'm still trying to shake. You may not look at high school sports the same way ever again. Perhaps the most ambitious anthology ever made, these are bedtime stories for big kids.

#2 - John Dies At The End

The Phantasm films are weird. And I mean that as a huge compliment because that's how I like 'em. They defy category and come to think of it, so does Don Coscarelli's entire filmography. John Dies At The End, based on the cult novel by David Wong, looks like no exception. Don has a knack for making absurd, mind-bending concepts work, which in the hands of many directors, may not fly so well. I'm admittedly green to the source material, so I'm just showing up to drink the Kool-Aid and wait for the inter-dimensional fun. With Don's films, you can always expect an unconventional experience, and really, you had me at Clancy Brown. That guy's face is a movie.

#3 - Dredd 3D

I think most would agree, Stallone's 1995 adaption of DC's popular comic book hero is better left in the Mega City dump. It was a huge let down for fans of the comic. It broke the rules by showing Dredd's face, a major offence and something comic creator John Wagner was adamant about keeping sacred through the span of the series. Director Peter Travis (Vantage Point, Endgame) is set to correct all the wrongs made by that film with a darker, ultra-violent version, a most welcome return to the futuristic wasteland. Travis is sticking close to the source this time and injecting noir grittiness back into the material. The film was shot using the latest 3D technology and initial online buzz is extremely positive. All rise. Your honourable Judge, Jury and Executioner is back!

Gary's artwork has infected publications and galleries across the globe. He's worked with collectible poster boutique Mondo in Austin, Texas, DC Shoes, and Death Waltz Records for a vinyl release of John Carpenter's THEY LIVE score. Look for his illustrations in Glass Eye Pix's upcoming documentary YEAR OF THE LIVING DEAD, about the making of George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD during the civil unrest of the 60s.

Visit http://www.ghoulishgary.com/ to see more of his work.





Screening Times:

THE ABC'S OF DEATH
World Premiere: Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

JOHN DIES AT THE END
Sat., Sept. 15th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 16th, 6:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

DREDD 3D
Thurs., Sept. 6th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 8th, 12:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

THE RAID Director Gareth Huw Evans' Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

Gareth Huw Evans, the director of The Raid (AKA The Raid: Redemption) brings us his Top 3 anticipated Midnight Madness picks today!  Enjoy!

This line up of films has been a tough group to whittle down to just three - a sign yet again of the talent of the legend that is the Midnight Madness programmer, Mr. Colin Geddes. There's nothing I could want more than to spend 10 nights in the company of the Midnight Madness crowd, enjoying every single one of them. But it's a bit of a trek from Indonesia, so instead I will spend each night bitter and angry while you guys are treated to a pretty healthy dose of inspired, blood soaked genius.

Regardless, here are my picks...

#1 - The ABC's of Death

What's not to like, 26 short films by 26 different directors from around the world all not wanting to be outdone by the other. I'm good friends with one of the directors, Timo Tjahjanto, and having seen an early cut of his "L" if the rest are anywhere near the insanity of his entry there's very little out there that can prepare an audience for this.

#2 - Dredd 3D

 

Let's get this out of the way shall we. Both Dredd and The Raid were in production at the same time, if anything Dredd started before us. But here it is and setting aside any coincidental similarities this film looks absolutely stunning and the talent behind it I greatly respect and admire. The character was well overdue a revamp and it looks like they've done a superb job this time round.

#3 - Hellbenders

JT Petty's S&Man chilled me to my core. One of the most effective horror films in some time--it's the work of pure genius. And while I know very little about Hellbenders beyond a 2 line synopsis, the fact that Petty's name is on there makes this a must see.

Best,
Gareth

Gareth Huw Evans is the director of last year's opening Midnight Madness film, The Raid (The Raid: Redemption), as well as Merantau, and Footsteps. He is currently in pre-production on Berendal; a sequel to The Raid.












Screening Times:
The ABCs of Death
Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

Dredd 3D
Thurs., Sept. 6th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 8th, 12:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

Hellbenders
Sun., Sept. 9th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue., Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 2

Festival Programmer Steven Landry's Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

Today's Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks are from Toronto After Dark Film Fest programmer, Steven Landry. TAD just announced their first 10 titles, so go check out their site after reading Steven's picks!

When I think about that lovely synaptic buzz we call anticipation, it's not that I'm remembering my favourite meal, or looking forward to entering a pre-established world of characters I've grown to love over the course of a sequel or two. The greatest form of anticipation for me comes from the unknown. Think about that first time as a child you ventured out past the boundary of your neighbourhood, or that first date with someone you've been crushing on for awhile. You never forget your first time, they say, and that's because there's a level of excitement when something is brand new that doesn't compare to the return to a well worn experience. Show me something new!  

#1 - Hellbenders

It's the three-peat at Midnight Madness this year for writer/director JT Petty with Hellbenders, a raunchy exorcism horror comedy, shot in 3D, and staring The Kurgan himself, Clancy Brown. As far as anticipation goes, you had me at JT Petty, a filmmaker who's work is as varied as anyone working in genre today. Midnight Madness audiences first met JT with S&MAN, a "documentary" about extreme horror that delved into the reasons why we would want to watch such terrible things. Next up was the epic western / creature feature The Burrowers, a film that played with the conventions of the western, and showed its usual heroes to be the true monsters. Now with Hellbenders he switches gears again, and I can't wait to see his take on the horror / comedy. A consistently skilled filmmaker tackling different types of stories, Hellbenders may be my most anticipated film of this year's crop.

#2 - John Dies at the End

Based on the book I've passed along to a number of friends, it's hard for me not to be excited for Don Coscarelli's take on John Dies at the End. Imagine if Hunter S. Thompson and William Burroughs collaborated on the script for Ghostbusters, and naturally thought ghosts were pretty passe, so they added Shadow People, inter-dimensional drugs, Lovecraftian bug demons, and a creature made of various cuts of meat. Oh... and a floating dog. For a story that is completely out there, it's the droll sense of humour that won me over, and how despite the fact that you may be battling the minions of an ancient god in your spare time, you still have to make your shift at a shitty day job to pay your bills. Add Clancy Brown (yet again) and Paul Giamatti to the mix, and I can't wait to finally see this whacked out story of the big screen. 

#3 - Come Out and Play

Seemingly out of nowhere we get a remake of the Spanish film Who Can Kill a Child?, by a director who is literally unknown, as he uses a pseudonym and wears a mask on set. Now that's something to look forward to right there! The original 1976 film is quite notorious for obvious reasons, a young couple end up trapped on an island off the coast of Spain and have to fight for their lives, as all the children have gone mad and murdered all of the island's adult residents. Let's face it, everyone knows kids are creepy. Have you seen The Brood? I rest my case. I think though that the real horror comes from the question that's right there in the title... could you bring yourself to do the unspeakable in order to survive? I think the anticipation in this film comes from the audience wondering just how far it will go, given the premise, and how often we'll feel the need to squint our eyes and turn away from the screen. This is Midnight Madness after all, so the chances are good that this film will indeed go farther than we'll be comfortable with, and I think that's a good thing.



Steven Landry is tall, bald, and never had wisdom teeth. When he's not assisting programmers or trafficking film prints at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, he's programming films for the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, where he works from his kitchen as the entire Programming Administration and Print Traffic departments.

His mother says Gypsies left him as an infant on her doorstep. He regrets nothing. Not even his love of Akiva Schaffer's 2007 amateur stunt man opus, Hot Rod.




Screening times:

Hellbenders
Sun., Sept. 9th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue., Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 2

John Dies at the End
Sat., Sept. 15th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 16th, 6:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

Come Out and Play
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri., Sept. 14th, 3:15 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 10
Sat., Sept. 15th, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK 11

Producer, Travis Stevens' Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

This is the first in a series of posts where I asked some peeps what 3 Midnight Madness films they're most excited for this year.

First up is A Horrible Way to Die and The Aggression Scale producer, Travis Stevens' picks.

#1 - The Lords of Salem

 Who cares if an artist missteps every now and then as long as they're heading in an interesting direction? House of 1,000 Corpses is a bit juvenile--designed and executed like an elementary school halloween fundraiser for the children of an outlaw biker gang, but it was made with relish. The Halloween 1+2 reboot sacrificed what made the character iconic in order to make him "new" but who cares? At least he had the balls to actually "kill the cat" so to speak.

But the real reason to look forward to The Lords of Salem is because it appears that he's created another new world for us to explore. And the last time he did that we got a dusty masterpiece. The Devil's Rejects was an assembly of gore and exploitation as complex and as beautiful as a Faberge Egg...smashed against the skull of an unsuspecting audience.

He's going to push the sexuality. He's going to push the WTFness. And I could care less if he stumbles.

#2 - The Bay

Why, at the age 70, did Barry Levinson of Good Morning, Vietnam and Rain Man fame, decide to dip his toes in the dangerous waters of the high concept / low budget horror world? Was it crass commercialism? The desire to explore a looser approach to filmmaking, free of some of the restraints that big budgets and movie stars can shackle you with? Did he lose a bet?

Beyond the basic stomach turning appeal of a parasitic outbreak rampaging through the mouths and guts of a small coastal town, I just want to see what the hell Levinson does with the concept. Let's hope the end result is focused, funny and terrifying...and that Levinson tells the audience "why" during the Q&A.

#3 - The ABCs of Death

Taking an approach to anthology films that would have made Caligula proud, this orgy of gore is likely to cause the only death by excess recorded in the history of a cinema. But what a way to go! Gangbanged to death by some of the most inventive minds working in genre film today. I'll take it.

Bonus Non-MM Picks

 #4 - Passion

The hope is that Passion is to De Palma what Black Book was to Verhoeven.  Once last crack of the master's whip.  An indulgence of the man's personal fetishes, blossoming forth from the pavement of a really commercial script.  The fear is that it plays closer to Argento's Dracula 3D.  

#5 - The Hunt 
Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen.  A collaboration that appears just as delicate, cold and beautiful as an icicle hanging from your roof in winter.  I want to watch it shatter. 

Travis Stevens is the founder of Snowfort Pictures; a boutique production company specializing in the development, financing, production and sale of commercial genre films. Since founding the company in 2010 he's produced Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE, Steven C Miller's THE AGGRESSION SCALE, The Butcher Brothers THE THOMPSONS, Frank Pavich's JODOROWSKY'S DUNE, Mike Mendez's MEGA SPIDER, Ravi Dhar's AMERICAN MUSCLE and Trent Haaga and E.L. Katz's upcoming CHEAP THRILLS.

None of which his wife shows any interest in seeing.

Screening Times:
THE LORDS OF SALEM
World Premiere: Mon., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 12th, 5:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

THE BAY
World Premiere: Wed., Sept. 12th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 2:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

THE ABCs OF DEATH
World Premiere: Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

PASSION
Tues., Sept. 11th, 8:00 PM WINTER GARDEN THEATRE
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 8:30 PM SCOTIABANK 1
Fri., Sept. 14th, 9:30 AM SCOTIABANK 3

THE HUNT
Mon., Sept. 10th, 9:15 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1
Wed., Sept. 12th, 3:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 2