Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day #12

 Dr. Gangrene continues the 2020 Halloween countdown with a look at The Simpson's version of THE RAVEN.

Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day #11

 Dr. Gangrene continues the Halloween countdown of the films of Edgar Allan Poe with a look at The Tell-Tale Heart.

Edgar Allan Poe-down Day #10

 Dr. Gangrene's Halloween countdown continues with a look at the 1991 version of The Pit and the Pendulum from director Stuart Gordon.

Edgar Allan Poe-down Day #9

 Dr. Gangrene continues the Halloween countdown with a look at the Roger Corman classic, The Pit and the Pendulum.

Nocturne (2020)

 

Nocturne is part of the Welcome to Blumhouse series of films from Blumhouse Studios, which features 8 films that will debut on Amazon streaming. The first four air this October, the rest in 2021. 

 

A pair of twin girls named Juliet and Vivian (Sydney Sweeney and Madison Iseman) are enrolled in a prestigious arts school. Vivian is outgoing and popular, while Juliet more reserved and withdrawn. Both are gifted at playing the piano, but Vivian has always been the more successful – and favorite of their parents. When they arrive at the school, they learn that the soloist in the school concerto – a girl named Moria (Ji Eun Hwang) – died a week prior, having committed suicide, and there will be an open competition to decide the new lead. Vivian is the assumed forerunner. One day Juliet stumbles upon a notebook that previously belonged to Moira, her theory book, containing strange drawings, musical notations and messages written backwards. She finds herself drawn to it, and into a world of the supernatural, using it to channel her own talents and try to win the lead in the concerto… 

  

Nocturne was written and directed by Zu Quirke, who is seriously channeling Suspiria with this tale of a musical academy with a supernatural secret lurking beneath its facade. However, unlike the 1977 Argento film (and its 2018 remake) this one doesn’t lean into the horror element fully, rather swerving at the last second to a more pedestrian ending that, while still good, falls short of the potential it was building toward. The acting is good across the board and Sydney Sweeney really shines in the role of the tormented Juliet. 

Nocturne is a stylish and well-made tale of jealousy, ambition and sibling rivalry. I just wish it had embraced the horror fully. Just before she goes onstage to perform Juliet’s principal tell her to, “Give them hell.” Unfortunately, it didn’t quite go there.

Available on Amazon starting October 13, 2020.

Evil Eye (2020)

Evil Eye is part of the Welcome to Blumhouse series of films from Blumhouse Studios, which features 8 films that will debut on Amazon streaming. The first four air this October, the rest in 2021.

Evil Eye is about a girl named Pallavi (Sunita Mani) who lives alone in the US while her parents live back home in India. Her mother Usha (Sarita Choudhury) worries about her daughter, especially as she’s almost 30 and hasn’t been married. She constantly tries fixing her daughter up and seems overly concerned with the topic, almost to the point of obsession. When Pallavi meets a handsome boy named Sandeep (Omar Maskati ) you’d think her mother would be thrilled, but quite the opposite. She becomes even more concerned, convinced that Sandeep is the reincarnation of the man who attempted to murder her 30 years prior, and who cursed her with the evil eye while she was pregnant.

Evil Eye was originally written by Madhuri Shekar as an audio play that debuted on Audible, where it was on the Best-Seller list. She also wrote the screenplay for the film, which was directed by Elan and Rajeev Dassani, twin brothers who were born right here in Nashville, TN. The story is as much a drama as a horror story, albeit one with supernatural overtones. Both Shekar and the Dassani brothers are of Indian descent, which shows through in the film. It feels authentic to the culture, even to a Westerner like me with little familiarity to it. It was interesting and engaging, even if the ending is a little heavy-handed with social messaging – although to be fair that is probably exactly what many viewers will like best about it. 

Sarita Choudhury was especially good as the matriarch of the family. I looked her up on IMDB and the only film I think I’ve previously seen her in is Lady in the Water, which I really don’t remember that well. I hope to see her in more movies though, she was great, as were all of the cast. Produced by Amazon Studios in conjunction with Blumhouse Productions. Available on Amazon starting October 13, 2020.

Edgar Allan Poe-Down #8

 Dr. Gangrene continues the Halloween countdown with a look at The Black Cat.

Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day 7

 Dr. Gangrene's Halloween countdown continues with a look at the 1964 Italian film Castle of Blood. 

Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day 6

 The Doc keeps the Halloween countdown going with a look at an episode of the TV show Suspense (1949).

Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day 5

 Dr. Gangrene continues the Halloween countdown with a look at the Bela Lugosi classic Murders in the Rue Morgue.

New Blumhouse VIP Premieres!

Do you want to see a VIP screening of 2 new Blumhouse films? 

If so, just let me know which of the following two films - NOCTURNE and EVIL EYE - you'd like to see, by posting in the comments here or emailing me at drgangrene@hotmail.com. I'll choose winners and email the code to see these films, which screen at 8:30ct Monday the 12th, a day before it premieres on Amazon.

More details below!

Amazon Studios has two VIP virtual world premieres on Monday at 8:30 CT, and I have some access codes to give away! The two films, NOCTURNE and EVIL EYE, are part of the Welcome to the Blumhouse (Jason Blum) series of new horror films coming to Prime Video, and this interactive screening is your chance to see it before anyone else, all from the safety of your own home. The VIP premieres also includes a post-film after party, where you can solve mysteries, listen to live music and ‘Explore the Virtual Blumhouse’ on your computer. The screenings happen at the same time, so you must choose your film you’d like a code to. Comment below your film of choice and I’ll choose some winners to send the codes to! #WelcomeToTheBlumhouse

Dr. Gangrene movie screening at the Franklin Drive-in

 

The new Dr. Gangrene anthology film TALES FROM PARTS UNKNOWN is screening next Saturday, October 17th at the Franklin Drive-in! 

Come out and catch this film under the stars with a pair of zombie classics - RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!! The event will be hosted by the Physician of Fright himself, Dr. Gangrene. 

The Franklin Drive in is located at:

6250 Nashville Rd,
Franklin, KY 42134

Just over the TN state line. So make plans now to shamble out for a night of fright at the Franklin Drive-in!!

Edgar Allan Poe-down Day 4

 

Dr. Gangrene keeps the Halloween countdown going with a look at the

1981 Lucio Fulci film The Black Cat.

Edgar Allan Poe-Down Day 3

 

Dr. Gangrene continues the Halloween countdown of the films of Poe with a look at Legend of Horror (1972).

Edgar Allan Poe-down Day 2

 

Dr. Gangrene's Halloween countdown of the films of Edgar Allan Poe continues with a look at The Premature Burial, starring Ray Milland.

Edgar Allan Poe-down

Dr. Gangrene continues the tradition of a Halloween countdown - this year's theme is films based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe - an EDGAR ALLAN POE-DOWN!! All October we'll present a video a day looking at a different Poe movie or TV episode.

The countdown kicks off with a look at the made for TV special, An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe.