Fréwaka (Review)

Writer/ Director: Aislinn Clarke
Cast: Clare Moonelly, Bríd Ní Neachtain, Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya, Clare Barrett
Year: 2024
Min: 103

Shortly after the suicide of her estranged mother, Shoo (Clare Monnelly), a young in-home care worker, is assigned to care for an elderly shut-in named Peig (Brid Ni Neachtain). This old lady lives in a secluded town in the Irish countryside. She is also hard to care for, being untrusting of Shoo and generally paranoid. On top of her off fears, there is her weird beliefs. But, as they spend more time together, they grow closer. Eventually, Shoo, who is dealing with her own trauma, begins to think that maybe Peig's fears of those she wishes to keep from coming in the house, might, in fact, be very real.

Fréwaka is a supernatural/ folk horror film and the second feature from writer/ director Aislinn (The Devil's Doorway) Clarke. From the beginning prologue and the suicide that follows it, the movie sets up a very uneasy feeling. The fact that the flick is shot mostly in the Gaelic language adds to this foreboding feeling. 

While, the pacing is slow the apprehensiveness of it helps to carry the movie throughout its running time. This is compounded by a continuous undercurrent of malevolence. The excellent sound design further adds to this helping the flick to get even more under your skin. I also really like the movie's use of religious imagery which make them come off as especially spine-chilling. Another key factor is its very somber tone tone.  Combine this all with it's use of past trauma and abuse, and  the flick manages to stay with you. 

I do have to say that there is over reliance on typical tropes. For example, the phone reception sucks. You have other circumstances (covered up mirrors, creepy villagers, etc.) that you expect in a movie like this. This makes it sometimes feel as if it over relies on these motifs. However, for the most part these things don't really deter from film. They are incorporated into the plot, and their use, however typical they maybe, are well done. They help to add to the compelling and involving mystery. 

The acting is very strong, especially from the two leads. Clare Monnelly is very likable and believable as Shoo. Brid Ni Neachtain is also great Peig. Her character is complex and feels very real (within the context of this story, anyways). And, as we get to know her, she too is very likable. I also really appreciated the way their relationship develops as the story moves along. It is credible and becomes filled with heart and pathos as we get closer to the climax. The scene between them in Peig's bedroom is an especially good example of this. As, it is a touching and heartbreaking study in PTSD. 

 
Another factor helping the flick is that Clarke really does a good directing job. This is especially true of certain scenes that are really nicely shot. She also does a strong job with the movie's climax. As it is one that odd and yet intense and compelling. This, in turn, leads to the nightmarish and bone chilling ending. 

Fréwaka is a well done supernatural, folk-horror film. It may use a lot of overdone tropes, but the compellingly mysterious plot overturns this. The acting, especially from our two leads, is great. While, certainly a slow burn, it builds up nicely, ending on a chilling note. The movie, itself, remains unsettling and haunting from beginning to that just mentioned ending. It starts streaming on Shudder on April 25, 2025, as part of their "Halfway to Halloween" programming. Be sure to check it out then.

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Shudder Celebrates Its Annual 'Halfway to Halloween" with its April 2025 Program Guide

 825 FOREST ROAD
Shudder Original Film
Directed by Stephen Cognetti
Streaming On Shudder April 4
Available in US, CA, AU, NZ, UK&I

Synopsis

From the creator of the Hell House LLC franchise, Stephen Cognetti, the film centers on Chuck Wilson starting a new life after a family tragedy when he moves to the town of Ashland Falls with his wife Maria and little sister Elizabeth. But he quickly discovers that the town has a dark secret. The ghost of Helen Foster has terrorized residents for decades, since her own suicide back in the ‘40s. Finding Helen’s old home is key to ending the hauntings, but the address they have doesn’t match any of the town’s existing streets. When Chuck realizes his family might be in danger of Helen’s wrath, he takes it upon himself to locate 825 Forest Road before it’s too late.

SHADOW OF GOD

Shudder Original Film

Directed by Michael Peterson

Streaming On Shudder April 11

Available in US, AU, NZ, UK&I

Synopsis

When several of his fellow Vatican exorcists are simultaneously killed, Father Mason Harper returns to his childhood home to spend time with childhood friend while he awaits orders from the Church. However, this small town holds dark secrets about Mason's past and the religious organization once run by his father, Angus. Thought dead, Angus reappears, forcing a reunion between father and son. But Angus is different now, and before long, Mason suspects he’s possessed, not by the devil, but by something… holy. When Mason attempts to exorcise the presence from his father, he sets off a chain of events that may end in a cataclysm of biblical proportions testing everything he holds sacred.

DEAD MAIL

Shudder Original Film

Directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy

Streaming On Shudder April 18

Available in US, CA, AU, NZ, UK&I

Synopsis

On a desolate, Midwestern county road, a bound man crawls towards a remote postal box, managing to slide a blood-stained plea-for-help message into the slot before a panicking figure closes in behind him. The note makes its way to the desk of Jasper, a seasoned ‘dead letter’ investigator at a 1980s midwestern post office. As he begins to piece together the letter’s origins, it leads him down a violent, unforeseen path to a kidnapped keyboard engineer and his eccentric business associate.

FRÉWAKA

Directed by Aislinn Clarke

Streaming On Shudder April 25

Available in US, CA, AU, NZ, UK

Synopsis

Irish folk horror from Aislinn Clarke (The Devil’s Doorway) follows home care worker Shoo, who is sent to a remote village to care for an agoraphobic woman who fears the neighbors as much as she fears the Na Sídhe — sinister entities who she believes abducted her decades before. As the two develop a strangely deep connection, Shoo is consumed by the old woman’s paranoia, rituals, and superstitions,  eventually confronting the horrors from her own past.

About Shudder

AMC Networks’ Shudder stands as the leading curatorial voice and cultural destination for genre entertainment, delivering an unparalleled selection of horror, thrillers, and the supernatural. With an ever-expanding library of films, TV series, and exclusive Originals, Shudder is accessible across most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. 

 

Shudder has redefined genre streaming with a slate of groundbreaking and critically acclaimed titles, including Rob Savage’s HOST, Jayro Bustamante’s Golden Globe-nominated LA LLORONA, Phil Tippett’s MAD GOD, Kyle Edward Ball’s SKINAMARINK, Christian Tafdrup’s SPEAK NO EVIL, Chloe Okuno’s WATCHER, Demián Rugna’s WHEN EVIL LURKS, Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s THE DEVIL’S BATH, Chris Nash’s IN A VIOLENT NATURE, Sébastien Vaniček’s INFESTED, Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Damian McCarthy’s ODDITY, Robert Morgan’s STOPMOTION and the latest installment in the V/H/S franchise. Shudder also boasts fan-favorite series such as the Emmy Award-nominated THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA, Greg Nicotero’s CREEPSHOW, THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS and Mark Duplass’s THE CREEP TAPES, among others.

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CURSED FILMS Is the Second Biggest Premiere Ever on Shudder!

New Show Is Shudder’s Most-Watched Series After ‘Creepshow’
And Most-Watched Documentary Ever 

April 9, 2020 — The Shudder original series Cursed Films debuted to huge numbers for the streaming service, becoming the second most-watched series premiere in Shudder history behind only breakout hit Creepshow. Cursed Films also stands as the service’s most-watched documentary premiere (series or film) ever. The series, which is part of Shudder’s “Halfway to Halloween Month” programming lineup, released its second and third episodes earlier today, focused on The Omen and Poltergeist.

“Cursed Films became an instant hit for us across every metric we have, including total number of viewers, percentage of subscribers who watched during its opening weekend, and completion rate,” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s General Manager. “Jay Cheel’s thoughtful — and at times heartbreaking  — examination of the tragic events that led people to label films like The Exorcist and The Omen ‘cursed’ has clearly resonated with audiences and critics.”

“The entire Cursed Films team is thrilled by the enthusiastic response the series has received from critics and horror fans,” said series writer/director Jay Cheel. “It was a deeply gratifying experience traveling around the US and Canada, interviewing some childhood horror heroes along with some of the most intelligent, articulate, and empathetic subjects a documentary filmmaker could ask for. We're so excited to finally be able to share the finished product with Shudder's members who we hope find the experience of watching Cursed Films as rewarding as we did making it.” 

Cursed Films explores the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions through interviews with experts, witnesses and the cast, directors and producers who experienced these events first hand. Were these movies really cursed, as many believe, or just victims of bad luck and bizarre circumstances? The Exorcist star Linda Blair, The Omen director Richard Donner, Poltergeist III director Gary Sherman, podcaster Matt Gourley, critic April Wolfe and Fangoria editor Phil Nobile Jr are among the many insiders and experts interviewed for the series.

Last week’s record-breaking premiere focused on the legend and impact of The Exorcist “curse.” Episodes two and three, premiering today, explore whether the Devil himself might have cursed The Omen, and if a curse might be connected to the tragic deaths associated with the Poltergeist franchise. The final two episodes, examining the horrific deaths on the sets of The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie, will premiere Thursday, April 16. 

Cursed Films is written, directed and edited by Jay Cheel (How to Build a Time Machine) and executive produced by Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith and Laura Perlmutter for First Love Films, along with Jay Cheel and Brian Robertson. 

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ABOUT FIRST LOVE FILMS

Laura Perlmutter and Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith created FIRST LOVE to create exceptional screen based content regardless of the platform. Since 2012, FIRST LOVE has played on the most prestigious screens across the world, including Sundance, TIFF, Locarno, and AFI. FIRST LOVE has taken home over dozens of top awards including a Canadian Screen Award, Grand Prix at Claremont Ferrand, and the Locarno’s Jury Prize. Most recently First Love produced COLD (New Form/Go90), WARIGAMI (CW/CBC), CURSED (AMC/Shudder), and the critically acclaimed horror film THE DARK (Dark Sky).

ABOUT SHUDDER

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Germany. New members can enjoy 30-days free with the promo code SHUTIN when signing up at Shudder.com.

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April Is "Halfway to Halloween Month" on Shudder!

March 24, 2020 — April has long been celebrated by horror fans as the halfway point to Halloween, and this year Shudder makes it official with the launch of Halfway to Halloween Month. Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will offer its biggest month of non-October programming ever, at a time when many people are turning to streaming to help entertain them while they’re social distancing and quarantining. 

Put on a costume and whip up a pumpkin spice latte, because here’s what’s in store:

• The premiere of new Shudder Original Series Cursed Films, a five-part documentary exploring the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously cursed horror films: The Exorcist, The Omen, Poltergeist, The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie
• An all-new season of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, with weekly hosted double features streamed live on ShudderTV
• The long-awaited second season of the hit Australian horror series Wolf Creek
• The Friday the 13th Collection: including the first eight movies in the franchise to go with the epic six-hour documentary Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13^th, Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini and To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story. 
• The return of Shudder’s Halloween Hotline, with live, personalized horror movie picks from Shudder curator Samuel Zimmerman, every Friday in April  from 3-4pm ET. 
• A special Halfway to Halloween collection featuring holiday favorites like Tales of Halloween, Haunters: The Art of the Scare and Extremity (all new to Shudder) along with Hell House LLC, Haunt, Spookers, Halloween, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Rob Zombie’s 31, the Creepshow series and fan favorite The Ghoul Log. 
• The Shudder Original supernatural thriller 0.0Mhz, starring Korean pop star Jung Eun-Ji.
• Newly added movies Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, Absentia, We Are What We Are (2013), Voice from the Stone and The Siren

See below for programming details. New members can sign up at Shudder.com with promo code SHUTIN for an extended 30-day free trial. 

APRIL “HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN MONTH” U.S. HIGHLIGHTS

Titles also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK as noted

ORIGINAL & EXCLUSIVE SERIES

CURSED FILMS — Premieres April 2

Cursed Films is a five-part documentary series from writer/director Jay Cheel (How to Build a Time Machine) exploring the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From plane accidents and bombings during the making of The Omen, to the rumored use of real human skeletons on the set of Poltergeist, these stories are legendary … but what’s real and what’s myth?  

Cursed Films recounts the horrifying events that haunted these productions through interviews with experts, witnesses and the cast, directors and producers who lived through them, including Richard Donner, Linda Blair, Michael Berryman, Lloyd Kaufman, Kane Hodder, Gary Sherman, Eileen Dietz, Mitch Horowitz. Were these films really cursed, as many believe, or just the victims of bad luck and bizarre circumstances? A Shudder Original Series. Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK. 

April 2:                  Ep. 1 “The Exorcist”

April 9:                 Ep. 2 “Poltergeist” and Ep. 3 “The Omen”  

April 16:               Ep. 4 “The Crow” and Ep. 5 “Twilight Zone: The Movie”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/X4LZBEVlSXA 

THE LAST DRIVE IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS season 2— Season Premiere April 24

Each weekly double feature will premiere on the “Shudder TV” feed Fridays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, beginning April 24 and concluding on Friday, June 26. 

Proving once again that “the drive-in will never die,” iconic horror host and exploitation movie aficionado Joe Bob Briggs is back with an all-new season of weekly Friday night double features streaming live exclusively on Shudder. Over the course of ten episodes, The Last Drive-In series will offer an eclectic selection of movies running the gamut from horror classics to obscurities and foreign cult favorites along with the occasional surprise guest. A Shudder Original Series. Also on Shudder Canada; some episodes also available on demand on Shudder UK.

WOLF CREEK season 2 — Premieres April 30 (full season binge)

In the second season of the hit horror series, a group of international tourists embark on the Outback adventure of a lifetime, but a chance encounter with trigger-happy pig hunter Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) sets them on a journey none of them could have imagined. With Tess Haubrich (Alien: Covenant), Matt Day (Rake), Ben Oxenbould (The Code), Laura Wheelwright (Animal Kingdom), Charlie Clausen (Home & Away) Stephen Hunter (The Leftovers) and Chris Haywood (Muriel’s Wedding). A Shudder Exclusive Series. Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK.

NEW ORIGINAL MOVIE

0.0Mhz — Premieres April 23

Members of a paranormal exploration club go to an abandoned house in the remote small town to prove the existence of a ghost using radio frequency-based technology. Unfortunately, the young students unwittingly become the ghost’s host... Starring  Yoon-young Choi, Shin Joo-Hwan, Eun-ji Jung (of the K-pop group Apink) , directed by Sun-Dong Yoo. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)  Trailer: https://youtu.be/SXuq_sIrWIo 

FEATURED COLLECTIONS

THE ‘FRIDAY THE 13TH’ COLLECTION — available 4/1

Jason takes Shudder as we present the first eight films in one of the most beloved and successful franchises in horror history. If that’s not enough, go behind the scenes with documentaries Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th and Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini. Ki ki ki, ma ma ma…

Featuring Friday the 13th, Part 2, Part III, The Final Chapter, A New Beginning, Part VI: Jason Lives, Part VII: The New Blood, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini and To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story (April 27)

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN — available 4/1

Spooky season is too much fun to celebrate just once a year, so Shudder is unleashing Halloween in April with this curated collection of All Hallows Eve-themed films and series. 

Featuring The Exorcist, Halloween, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Haunt, Hell House LLC, Rob Zombie's 31, Spookers, the Creepshow series (episode “All Hallows Eve”) and the fan-favorite streaming jack-o-lanterns The Ghoul Log and Return of the Ghoul Log, along with Haunters: The Art of the Scare and Tales of Halloween, both starting Apr. 6, and Extremity starting Apr. 20. (Select titles also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK.)

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN HOTLINE

EVERY FRIDAY IN APRIL FROM 3-4PM ET

Shudder has the best, hand-selected collection of horror movies around, but sometimes you need a little extra help picking exactly which great slasher, ghost story, giallo or monster movie to watch next. As a #HalfwayToHalloween treat, Shudder’s head curator, Samuel Zimmerman, will be offering callers live, personalized picks for what to watch. (Read a recap of last October’s hotline recommendations.)

Movie lovers from around the world are invited to call Sam (via a new number to be announced) every Friday in April from 3-4pm ET and tell him about their mood or taste. From that information, Sam will use his horror knowledge to pick a film from Shudder’s vast library custom-suited for them. Call volume is expected to be high, so if you get a busy signal please keep trying. We can’t promise every call will be answered, but Sam will get to as many as he can during each hour. While the recommendations are provided for free, please note that normal phone and long-distance charges may apply.

NEW MOVIES FOR APRIL

April 1

THE FRIDAY THE 13TH COLLECTION (see above for details)

THE EXORCIST (Director: William Friedkin)

When a charming 12-year-old girl takes on the characteristics and voices of others, doctors say there is nothing they can do. As people begin to die, the girl's mother realizes her daughter has been possessed by the devil—and that her daughter's only possible hope lies with two priests and the ancient rite of demonic exorcism. One of the best and most influential horror movies ever made. Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Jason Miller

April 2

CURSED FILMS: EP.1 ‘THE EXORCIST’ (see above for details)

April 3

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN HOTLINE 3-4pm ET

April 6

HAUNTERS: THE ART OF THE SCARE (Director: Jon Schnitzer)

Explore the rise of terror as entertainment by going behind-the-screams and into the lives of Shar Mayer, legendary scare actor, Donald Julson, a traditional boo-scare maze designer, and the infamous Russ McKamey, as he creates the most controversial full-contact haunt of all time in this documentary about how family-friendly haunted houses for Halloween have spawned a growing subculture of extreme horror simulation. With Jason Blum, McKenzie Westmore, the Soska Sisters, Slash (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

TALES OF HALLOWEEN (Directors: Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Adam Gierasch, Andrew Kasch, Neil Marshall, Lucky McKee, Mike Mendez, Dave Parker, Ryan Schifrin, John Skipp, and Paul Solet)

This critically acclaimed anthology weaves together ten chilling tales from top horror directors. Featuring Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Lin Shaye (Insidious), John Savage (The Deer Hunter), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), Joe Dante (Director of Gremlins), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, We Are Still Here), Pat Healy (Cheap Thrills), Caroline Williams (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), Kristina Klebe (Rob Zombie's Halloween), Alex Essoe (Starry Eyes), Pollyanna McIntosh (The Woman) and more.

April 9

CURSED FILMS: EP.2 ‘THE OMEN’ (see above for details)

CURSED FILMS: EP.3 ‘POLTERGEIST’ (see above for details)

April 10

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN HOTLINE 3-4pm ET

April 13

ABSENTIA (Director: Mike Flanagan)

As Tricia prepares to declare Daniel legally dead, she encounters a mysterious tunnel and a terrified man inside. Soon after, Daniel returns, shaken and bloodied—and scared to death of the tunnel. What happened, and what secrets does the tunnel hold? From Mike Flanagan, the director of Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House. Starring: Katie Parker, Katie Bell, Dave Levine 

ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK (Director: Phil Rubenstein)

Upon arriving in a small town where she has inherited a rundown mansion, the famous horror hostess must battle her evil uncle and townspeople who want her burned at the stake. 

Starring: Cassandra Peterson, Phil Rubenstein, Larry Flash Jenkins (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (Director: Jim Mickle)

The Parkers seem to be a wholesome family but when tragedy strikes and sisters Iris and Rose are forced to assume terrifying responsibilities, the local authorities begin to uncover clues to a horrible truth that the Parkers have hidden for years. Starring Michael Parks, Kelly McGillis and Julia Garner. 

April 16

CURSED FILMS: EP.4 ‘THE CROW’ (see above for details)

CURSED FILMS: EP.3 ‘TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE’ (see above for details)

April 17

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN HOTLINE 3-4pm ET

April 20

EXTREMITY (Director: Anthony DiBlasi)

Allison is an emotionally troubled young woman who believes that confronting her past trauma might be a means of exercising her demons. She signs up for a trip to Perdition, an exclusive haunt that promises absolute, unadulterated terror, but the most frightening thing on display will prove to be Allison's own twisted psyche. Starring: Chad Rook, Dana Christina, J. LaRose 

VOICE FROM THE STONE (Director: Eric D. Howell)

A haunting thriller set at an isolated castle in 1950s Tuscany. Verena (Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke) is a determined young nurse who is hired to help the mute young heir within. But the more she observes him, the more Verena becomes convinced he has fallen under the spell of a powerful and otherworldly persona trapped in the villa's stone walls, one that seems to be rapidly entwining with her own. Starring: Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Marton Csokas, Caterina Murino 

April 23

0.0Mhz (see above for details)

April 24

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN HOTLINE 3-4pm ET

THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS 9pm ET season premiere (see above for details)

April 27

THE SIREN (Director: Perry Blackshear)

Tom rents a cabin on a secluded lake marked by a local legend of a lovelorn spirit who haunts the surrounding woods and drowns anyone she encounters. Drawn to her immediately, Tom knows he has found his soulmate in the seemingly human Nina, who must battle to repress her demonic instincts when she feels the same towards him. Starring:  Margaret Ying Drake, MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY (Director: Derek Dennis Herbert)

Overcoming a dehumanizing childhood and a near-death burn accident, Hodder worked his way up through Hollywood, leading to his ultimate rise as Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th series. After decades of watching Kane Hodder on screen, get ready to meet the man behind the mask in a gut-wrenching but inspiring story about one of cinema's most vicious monsters. Starring: Kane Hodder, Bruce Campbell, Danielle Harris, Robert Englund, Cassandra Peterson  

April 30

WOLF CREEK season 2 (see above for details)

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ABOUT SHUDDER

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Germany. To experience Shudder commitment-free for 7 days, visit ​www.shudder.com​.

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