CREEPY CRAWLIES - 2023 Halloween Countdown - Day 1

 Dr. Gangrene kicks off the 2023 Halloween countdown! This year's theme is Creepy Crawlies, movies featuring critters that creep, and crawl, and slither and slime. Nature attacks in the lab all October - tune in every day for the Halloween Countdown. Day 1 takes a look at the 1988 flick SLUGS.

 

The Return of Amicus Studios!

This week some great news was announced - the return of Amicus Studios! 

Independent producer/director Lawrie Brewster officially made this announcement this week. Best of all, it is being done in cooperation with the Milton Subotsky estate. Subotsky was one-half of the legendary Amicus studio, which he formed with his partner Max Rosenberg. They made a number of mostly horror films in the 60s and 70s, specializing in portmanteau (or anthology) films, each usually containing four or five separate stories tied together with a linking storyline running throughout the film. 

I'm a HUGE Amicus fan, so this was music to my ears. In fact, anthology films are my favorite sub-genre, and several of Amicus' films are among my favorite of all-time. Here's some proof, a couple of photos of the posters in my house...

Those are all originals, and just a few of the ones I own. I even have a poster of a Subotsky film made after Amicus disbanded - The Monster Club. This is an extremely difficult poster to find, the only one I was able to locate was a Spanish poster...

So, again, I'm a fan of these films. So I was very excited to hear the good news. Lawrie had teased he wanted to make a studio that channeled Amicus, and that's why I started following him on Twitter originally. The fact they're making it official and resurrecting Amicus officially is even better!

Here's the press release below. Check it out, and give them a follow over on Twitter, and keep an eye out for more official news upcoming!

****

Amicus Productions Rises from the Grave

After decades in the shadows, the legendary Amicus Productions is set for a grand revival thanks to the team at Hex Studios. Their upcoming film, 'In the Grip of Terror', seeks to honor the classic studio's legacy while forging a new chapter in British horror.

Drawing inspiration from iconic films like 'Dr. Terror's House of Horrors' (1965), 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972), and 'Asylum' (1972), the new portmanteau feature will spotlight four tales rooted in the works of revered authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, and E.F Benson. With a central theme of medical macabre, the film promises to be a chilling experience. While the full cast list is under wraps, it will feature UK horror stalwarts like Laurence R. Harvey (Human Centipede II) and emerging stars Megan Tremethick (Ghost Crew) Jonathan Hansler (The Devil's Machine) and Michael Daviot (Revenge of Innsmouth).

Guiding the ambitious resurrection is the new president of Amicus Productions, Lawrie Brewster, known for 'The Unkindness of Ravens' (2016), 'The Devil's Machine' (2019), and 'Ghost Crew' (2022). Alongside him is his business partner, writer/producer Sarah Daly. Their efforts come after extensive dialogues and collaboration with the family of Amicus founder Milton Subotsky, who have wholeheartedly endorsed this venture.

But the aspirations of Brewster and team stretch beyond a single film. They are calling upon classic horror aficionados to be part of this cinematic rebirth. A crowdfunding campaign, set to kick off in mid-September, will facilitate the initial stages of the project, driving set construction, original practical effects creation, and talent acquisition. Fans can get a head start by registering for updates on the Amicus Pre-Launch Campaign Page.

Brewster expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Our aim is to re-establish Amicus Productions as a beacon of independent British horror. We're concocting a film that captures the essence and panache that rendered the studio iconic. By emphasizing atmospheric storytelling, tangible effects, and a genuine respect for the genre, our vision is to teleport audiences back to British horror's golden epoch. This venture transcends mere studio revival—it's a renaissance of passion, tribute to a rich legacy, and a testament to indie cinema's prowess."

Brewster also delved into the deep-rooted involvement of the Subotsky family in the project. "The title 'In the Grip of Terror' was generously shared with me by Sergei Subotsky, derived from a list of potential titles his late father, Milton Subotsky, had curated decades ago. It feels profoundly fitting that we're expanding upon the imaginative groundwork set by such a visionary. What's even more fascinating is that three of the four stories we're adapting were suggested by Milton's widow and Sergei's mother, Dr. Fiona Subotsky.'"

For continuous updates, follow Hex Studios on @LawrieBrewster on Twitter or at the "British Horror Studio" Facebook Group. Media inquiries can be directed to Lawrie Brewster, lawriebrewster@hexmedia.tv

This month in the lab

 The killers are coming this month in the Cinetarium. The schedule kicks off with a brand new episode this Saturday with Scream Bloody Murder!

Nature Attacks Month!

Spring has sprung and the wildlife is on the attack with this month's films - it's NATURE ATTACKS month here in the lab all April

Rondo Awards!!

Greetings fright fans, it's that time of year again, and I'm honored to announce Dr. Gangrene has been nominated for 2 Rondo awards: 

Best website (for this very website)

Favorite Horror Host!

This is the 21st annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards - it's an annual fan-voted award given to recognize excellence in the horror field in a number of categories. The vote is all done by email - so to vote simply email your choices to taraco@aol.com

To see the entire ballot go to: http://rondoaward.com

And remember to STAY MAD!

This month in the Lab!

 Join the Doc in the Cinetarium for March Madness all month long, a celebration of mad science, monsters and madness!

February's movies in the Cinetarium...!

Keep watching the skies for an otherworldly lineup of alien invasion films this month on Dr. Gangrene's Cinetarium - every Saturday night at 9pm central (10 eastern) right here and on the Necat Roku Channel.

 

Coming up in the lab - Man in the Attic

Made in 1953, this film was based on the book The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes, the same source material for Hitchcock's film of the same name (The Lodger 1927). Our film stars good ole Jack Palance in an early role as Mr. Slade, who rents a room in a boarding house in London during the Jack the Ripper slayings. Slade is a bit of an odd duck, and prefers his privacy - but becomes friendly with the niece of the owners of the boarding house, Lily (Constance Smith). As the killings continue, people begin to grow suspicious of the odd Slade - but does he know more than he's letting on, or just an innocent if somewhat quirky tenet? This is an entertaining mystery/noir, directed by Hugo Fregonese. 

Saturday at 9pm central/10 eastern right here in the Cinetarium and on the Necat Roku channel.

Top 10 Lon Chaney Jr. Films

 In celebration of the star of this week's film, Lon Chaney Jr, here is a countdown of the Top 10 films of good ole Lon!

This week's dose of HORROR THERAPY - Vengeance of the Zombies

Greetings fright fans and welcome to the Cinetarium. This week I'm prescribing an exotic dose of horror therapy with the 1972 Spanish spookfest Vengeance of the Zombies, starring the incomparable Paul Naschy.

Naschy is known for his horror mashups, combining various themes and genres mashed into one movie. This film is no exception, and in fact may be one of the better examples of it. Let's see...

This is a Spanish made film set in England concerning an Indian guru and his evil, disfigured brother who practices African voodoo and controls undead supernatural zombies, partly set in a cursed mansion where satanic black masses were held, all told in an Italian giallo style story with a masked killer, scored with a jazzy 70s soundtrack. Oh, and Satan himself shows up in a dream sequence too!

If that isn't enough to entice you into viewing, as a special treat I also have a couple of special guests in the lab too - Rod Barnett and Troy Guinn of the Nashcycast, a podcast devoted to the films of Paul Naschy. They'll be in the lab to discuss Vengeance and all things Naschy in nature.

Tune in Saturday Jan 14th at 9pm central. 

3 ways to watch:

1. On Nashville's NECAT CH9 (Comcast)

2. Simulcast on the Necat Roku channel (Arts tab)

3. drgangrene.com

Watch out for zombies and STAY MAD!!

This week's movie: Horror Express

All Aboard!

This week in the Cinetarium we are showing one of the better films we've featured - Horror Express (1972). This one is notable in that it feels very much like a Hammer film, primarily because it stars good friends and Hammer stalwarts Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It also tosses Telly Savalas into the mix as well, and is a monster movie to boot!

It tells the story of an archaeological expedition that discovers a prehistoric throwback frozen in ice. While transporting it back to civilization aboard the Trans-Siberian Express train to Moscow it awakens, and begins a killing rampage. Cushing and Lee, professional rivals in the field of archeology, must work together to try to survive and stop the creature - which it turns out, is much more than meets the eye. This one's loosely based on the John W. Campbell novella "Who Goes There?" which also inspired The Thing from Another World (1951) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).

You can tune in Saturday at 9pmc on Nashville's Necat Arts CH9 (Comcast Nashville)

and the show is simulcast on the Necat Roku channel (Arts Tab)

and right here on drgangrene.com