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Scream Queens Spotlights Women in Horror

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:30:00 PDT

Starting tonight, VH1 is searching for the next queen of horror film. In Scream Queens, 10 unknown actresses will put their shrieking, crying, and butt-kicking skills to the test for the chance to win a feature role in the upcoming Saw VI. (Yes, there's going to be a Saw VI.)

The trailer for the show looks kind of hilariously awesome, in that White Rapper Show-esque, self-aware kind of way. But it's also gotten me thinking about women in horror generally and whether this show is a good or a bad thing.

On the one hand, well, the title says a lot: The show's looking for someone who can scream all damsel-in-distress-style, presumably while being attacked by some menacing thing. So often in horror movies, female sexuality and violence go hand-in-hand. You certainly would never see a competition looking for male screamers, right? But on the other hand, the trailer seems to be playing up the ass-kicking aspect of being a horror star, and show judge (and original Saw gal) Shawnee Smith has said there's a lot more to being a "scream queen" than just playing the victim.

In this Halloween month, it's as good a time as any to get talking about women in horror - so I invite you to post your thoughts on that below. You can check out the Scream Queens trailer if you

NBC Gets Top Talent for 13-Episode Horror Anthology

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:29:18 PST

NBC has lured top-notch horror writers, directors and actors to collaborate on Fear Itself, a 13-episode anthology series of suspense and horror stories that sounds like it's going to be genuinely cool and scary.

Some of the notable actors involved include Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Shiri Appleby (Charlie Wilson's War), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Cynthia Watros (Lost) and Eric Roberts (Heroes). The group of writers chosen to contribute features Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Dan Knauf (Carnivale, Supernatural), and a bunch of guys from Masters of Horror, among others. As for directors, they've roped in Mary Harron (American Psycho), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason, Bride of Chucky) and Ernest Dickerson (Heroes), along with several others.

To find out which of the episodes sound the most intriguingly freaky to me,

read more. You can find a full rundown of all the episodes here. The ones I'm most looking forward to are "Nightmare in Lace" ("On her wedding day, a beautiful bride receives a mysterious note that reads: 'The person you are marrying is a serial killer.'") and "Eater" ("A rookie cop (Moss) must spend her first night in the precinct watching over a serial killer, coined 'The Eater' (Stephen R. Hart). When her fellow cops start acting bizarre, she quickly learns that no one is who they seem."). What do you think of NBC's horror-fest? Will you tune in for Fear Itself?

Teeth: Carrie Meets Jaws in a Feminist Revenge Fantasy

GiggleSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:30:00 PST

GiggleSugar caught this scary/funny movie recently and awesomely offered to write up a review. Thanks, Giggle!

Dawn (the gorgeous and talented Jess Weixler, recalling a young Reese Witherspoon) is a naïve high school virgin who wears unicorn T-shirts, gives motivational speeches on behalf of her teen abstinence organization "The Promise," and whose body hides a secret that is revealed (or, more accurately, confirmed) only after she goes to the gynecologist: her vagina has teeth. One after another, molesters, rapists and just plain creeps find that Dawn has a nasty surprise waiting for them if they mess with her.

Director Mitchell Lichtenstein (son of Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein) makes the most of this crazy premise in his horror movie Teeth, which could have merely reversed male-on-female violence, inviting the audience to revel in watching Dawn’s vajayjay rip men to shreds. Although there is quite a bit of that, Lichtenstein also uses the horror movie genre and the vagina dentata myth to explore the roots of male misogyny (fear of the female body coupled with desire for it), and the ways that our culture reinforces it. Teeth is a smart, hilarious, and “ewww”-inducing gorefest that will have you thinking about men, women, and the state of our sexual culture long after the audience’s hooting and hollering has stopped ringing in your ears. To see what I mean,

read more Teeth contrasts Dawn’s purity with the besmirched environment around her. Toxic smoke spews from nuclear reactors behind her family’s house and may be the cause of Dawn’s “mutation." Her stepbrother Brad (John Hensley) is a surly goth punk who lusts after his beautiful stepsister. And when Dawn walks to her high school and angel music plays in the background, she’s assaulted by a phalanx of teens making fun of her vow of chastity. “Let’s pop her cherry,” one of them taunts. Although sex is an ever-present external threat to Dawn, it’s a tribute to Teeth's sensitivity and intelligence that it’s also depicted as an internal threat that Dawn eventually makes peace with. Teeth, in other words, is no pro-abstinence film. Dawn’s sexual awakening in the form of her desire for Tobey (Hale Appleman), a fellow abstinence buddy, troubles her. Yet, after her body reacts involuntarily to various male molestations the way a toothed vagina would be expected to react (not very kindly), she begins to own this power, having the ability to chomp or not to chomp depending on how comfortable she is with the sexual situation she’s in. In one scene, she looks boldly at herself in the mirror with a new appreciation of the body she once feared. With a clever script, great actors, and more severed penises than a man or woman would ever want to see, Teeth turns the horror genre on its head. You’ll never again watch a vulnerable woman in a horror flick without anticipating a "chomp" sound followed by a man’s blood-curdling shriek-and you'll be a better person for it! Source

Pilot Scoop: The River

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:01:37 PST

ABC is bringing a little bit of the horror genre to primetime with new series The River, which premieres tonight. In the show, created by Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli, a team of people goes on a rescue mission on the Amazon, but they find a lot more than they bargained for while on their expedition. It could be the next good TV mystery to get sucked into, so if you're interested, check out my thoughts on the pilot below.

What it's about: A famous TV adventure series host, Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), goes missing and is presumed dead while he's exploring the Amazon. His estranged wife and grown son refuse to give up, so they go to the site of his last trip, the creepy, jungle-lined Amazon, to see if they can find him. A documentary crew comes with them, and together they discover terrifying supernatural events aboard the boat.
Where it works: There are genuine scares in the pilot, especially because the mystery seems to be rooted in chilling cultural folklore. And if you crave jump scares weekly, this may be the show for you.
Where it doesn't: None of the main characters is particularly compelling, even though they each hint at enigmatic backstories for themselves. Also, the signature found-footage camera work may turn into a headache for some viewers.
When it's on: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC, starting Feb. 7
You might like this show if: You really miss Lost and love the Paranormal Activity movies.

To watch a preview and see some photos from The River, just keep reading

Box Office: Chronicle Edges Into First Place

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

Supernatural teens used their powers to win the box office this weekend, as new sci-fi release Chronicle won first place with $22 million. Daniel Radcliffe's horror flick The Woman in Black was hot on its heels, though, earning $21 million in its first weekend. Last weekend's box office winner, The Grey, came in third with $9.5 million. John Krasinski and Drew Barrymore couldn't pull off a Big Miracle for their film, however, opening in fourth place with just $8.5 million. Rounding out the top five was Underworld: Awakening, with $5.6 million.

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The Office, "Jury Duty": Best Lines of The Night

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:59:04 PST

After a solid cold opening of Andy dancing to "Footloose" in the warehouse (think dancing on bubble wrap and punching packing peanuts), the rest of this week's episode of The Office is a success. We find out early on that Jim was called to jury duty for a half day that he turned into five days. Dwight catches on to Jim's plan early on and does everything in his power to bring him down. On top of all the cute kids that show up for "Jury Duty," Jim and Dwight go at it. Oscar has some awesome moments. And I love this new friendship between Kevin and Erin that's blossoming before our eyes.

This is one of my favorite episodes I can remember in a long time. Not too plot driven and chock-full of solid comedic writing plus a handful endearing moments that just made me feel good. To get a few of my favorite lines, just keep reading.

The Help's Win, Love For 30 Rock and Modern Family, a Scorsese Drinking Game - Highlights From the SAG Awards!

Allie Merriam — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:22:03 PST

Michelle Williams was the first presenter at this evening's SAG Awards, handing the outstanding supporting actor statue to Christopher Plummer from Beginners. Octavia Spencer took home the corresponding statue for her work in The Help.

On the TV end, Alec Baldwin squealed with delight when he was named best actor in a comedic series, and an especially stunned Betty White, from Hot in Cleveland, dedicated her prize to her leading ladies Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, and Jane Leeves. The child actors from Modern Family, Ariel Winter, Rico Rodriguez, and Nolan Gould, got a chance to take the podium when their series won outstanding cast in a comedy. Miniseries accolades went to two absent stars, Kate Winslet for Mildred Pierce and Paul Giamatti for Too Big to Fail.

Bridesmaids' Maya Rudolph, Kristin Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy brought some comedic relief when onstage introducing their film as a contender in the best ensemble category. The trio came to the stage armed with vodka, beer, and champagne, and introduced a drinking game based around the word "Scorsese." Jessica Lange then followed up on her Golden Globes win with another victory in the category of best dramatic actress on a TV series for American Horror Story. Steve Buscemi won an Actor for his leading role on HBO's Boardwalk Empire. TV ensemble in a drama honors went to Steve's whole cast, giving him an additional opportunity to invoke his producer Martin Scorsese's name as an excuse for a drink.

There was a slight upset in the best actor in a film category - The Artist's Jean Dujardin beat out Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Demián Bichir, and George Clooney. Viola Davis claimed the best female actor in a motion picture for The Help, and beamed from the stage in her Marchesa gown. Further acclaim went to the cast of Viola's movie, with their Actor statues being handed off by none other than Brad Pitt. We've rounded up the full list of 2012 SAG Award winners, and make sure to check out all the action from celebrities on the SAGs red carpet!

Announcing the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Award Winners!

Shannon Vestal — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:28:28 PST

Well folks, we're one step closer to the close of award season. The SAG Awards were handed out tonight, with some expected winners and a few that raised eyebrows. The Help won big, with trophies for Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, and the entire ensemble for the night's biggest honor. Meanwhile, Jean Dujardin represented The Artist, and The Descendants went home empty-handed for the first time.

On the television side of things, Boardwalk Empire was a favorite for the second year in a row, while Alec Baldwin, Modern Family, and Betty White were the big winners in comedy.

To see the complete list, just keep reading.

Tricks to Removing Red Wine Stains!

Allison McNamara — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:37:36 PST

The dreaded red wine stain; we've all been there. There is nothing worse than that slow-motion horror you experience as the big spill happens, but lucky for you, we've taken it upon ourselves to sleuth out the best red wine stain removing tactics out there. The two that work best are club soda and a special product called Wine Away; watch this video to see how they work. On Allison: StyleMint.

4 George Lucas Revelations on Star Wars and Blockbusters

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:24:40 PST

Remember your first dose of cinematic geekdom? Whatever your age, it's likely the story of warring galaxies battling an evil Empire with something called "the Force" served as initiation to a lifetime of science fiction fandom.

George Lucas, the master behind the epic saga of good vs. evil in Star Wars recently gave an interview to the New York Times, in which he discussed his feelings towards devout Star Wars fans, and more about the popular films that made him a legend.

Blockbuster Retirement - After decades of involvement with pricey studio films, George is committing his cinematic focus to the more art-house, experimental filmmaking he worked on in film school and the years before Star Wars changed his life.
Indiana Jones 5 - Despite putting the star character in a refrigerator during the most recent Indiana Jones film to the audience's horror, Indiana Jones will make one more appearance on the big screen. Before he washes his hands entirely of Hollywood razzle-dazzle, George is contractually obligated to the fifth installation of the Indiana Jones story.
Star Wars Revisited - Considered by many fans an affront on their beloved films, the director's revision of an early Star Wars: A New Hope scene where Han Solo shoots bounty hunter Greedo in self defense was a necessary change, because it didn't blend with his view of Han as the saga's lasting hero.
On Fanboy Outrage - Further edits to the original Star Wars trilogy during the 1997 special edition release of the films left fans casting George to be just as much of a villain as a science fiction character. He now counters their criticism: ". . . My movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it."

As George himself admits he's drawn to stories with "corn" and heroes at the forefront, it will be interesting to see how his future films follow the same themes of his big-budget work. Will you miss his blockbuster films?