Dance with the Dead and 'Otis' at SXSW!
Austin's South By Southwest Film Festival is known for many things, but it's usually a small gold-mine for the hardcore horror hounds. In years past we caught movies like Slither, Behind the Mask, Cabin Fever, Bubba Ho-tep, Dead and Breakfast, Ju-On, and Them (Ils) -- so while SXSW is definitely an "all-genre" festival, you just know they've got some gorehounds on the programming team. This year SXSW promises four world premiere horror flicks as part of their 'Round Midnight slate, plus a psychological mind-bender that we're assured is something memorable.
Here's what we'll be covering next month:
Dance of the Dead -- A few years back we saw a colorful little genre cocktail called The Other Side. Definitely not a masterpiece, but it had a real energy to it. So now that director is back with a bigger budget and a fairly cool concept: "A horror/adventure that takes place on the night of the big High School Prom: the dead rise to eat the living, and the only people who can stop them are the losers who couldn't get dates to the dance." This is #1 on my high hopes list.
A Necessary Death -- SXSW chief Matt Dentler is a pal of ours, and he knows how much we dig the scary stuff. He told us that this flick isn't exactly a horror film, but that we definitely have to see it. Period. When we pressed him for more details, he clamped his trap shut. Good man. So here's the premise from the festival guide: "Documentary Filmmaker looking for suicidal individual to follow from first preparation to final act." Cut from 142 video tapes, this project sheds light on the tragedy following the infamous internet ad. -- OK, now I'm reallllly curious.
Otis -- This Raw Feed production will hit DVD a little later this year, so why not give it a spin on the big screen? "In the midst of a serial abductor/killer's rampage, a beautiful young teen goes missing but soon turns the tables on her tormentor." Plus it's got Illeana Douglas and Kevin Pollak! Sign me up.
Shuttle -- First-time director Edward Anderson presents "a late-night shuttle ride home from airport [which] descends into darkness." Good enough for us. Anderson also wrote Flawless, which will be playing at SXSW as well.
Southern Gothic -- Already it's a pretty cool title. The basic premise? "A man must atone for a tragic mistake by saving a little girl from a ruthless, undead preacher." Cool. Don't even show us a trailer. The director's had a few near-misses (including the recent Tooth and Nail), so here's hoping for a breakout. At the very least, it's got William Forsythe in it.
And not just reviews! A good chunk of the FEARnet team will be on the scene in Austin next month, so expect tons of news tidbits, flashy snapshots, insightful interviews, and (yes) some really brilliant film reviews.
