Shudder's Halloween Season Lineup Includes: Creepshow Series & 10 Exclusive Movie Premieres

September 4,  2019, New York, NY — Shudder, AMC Networks premiere streaming destination for exclusive and original genre entertainment, has announced its unbeatable seasonal slate of new horror, thriller and supernatural programming for Halloween, including the series premiere of Creepshow—the most highly anticipated new horror show of the season—and a killer lineup of 10 exclusive new movies that can't be streamed anywhere else.

Said Craig Engler, GM of Shudder, "For us, Halloween starts now, and this year we’re going all out with our most ambitious project yet, an original Creepshow series from Greg Nicotero featuring stories by Stephen King, Joe Hill, Joe Lansdale and Josh Malerman. On top of that, we have 10 new, exclusive films, including Issa Lopez’s phenomenal Tigers Are Not Afraid and Shin’ichiro Ueda’s wild One Cut of the Dead, two of the best-reviewed horror films of the year.”

SERIES

CREEPSHOW — A SHUDDER ORIGINAL SERIES (premieres Thursday, 9/26)

The beloved horror franchise billed as “The Most Fun You’ll Have Being Scared” is back as a new anthology series from showrunner Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead). Twelve chilling tales will be told across six weekly episodes starring David Arquette (Scream franchise), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), Tobin Bell (Sawfranchise), Big Boi (a.k.a. Antwan Patton), Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator), Kid Cudi (a.k.a. Scott Mescudi), Bruce Davison (X-Men), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) and DJ Qualls (The Man in the High Castle).

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inzsKlVR_N8

CHANNEL ZERO: THE DREAM DOOR — (premieres Thursday, 10/10)

Based on the “creepypasta” short story “Hidden Door” by Charlotte Bywater, Channel Zero: The Dream Door follows newlyweds Jillian (Maria Sten) and Tom (Brandon Scott), who have each brought secrets into their marriage. When they discover a strange door in their basement, those secrets start to threaten their relationship — and their lives. With Steven Weber, Steven Robertson and Barbara Crampton, directed by E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills). 

With the premiere of The Dream Door, Shudder will be the exclusive streaming home for all four seasons of the groundbreaking Channel Zero series. 

NOS4A2 — (streaming now)

New episodes of AMC’s hit horror series, based on the bestselling novel by Joe Hill, continue to premiere weekly on Shudder Thursdays through October 10.

MOVIES:

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD (premiere date TBA)

While shooting a low-budget, single-take zombie movie, the crew find themselves caught between actual zombies and a mad director who won’t stop rolling. If you think you know what happens next, in this surprising zombie comedy, think again. Starring Takayuki Hamatsu, Mao, Harumi Shuhama, directed by Shin'ichirô Ueda

Trailer: https://youtu.be/4wBImbHqhFk 

TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (premiere date TBA)

A haunting horror fairytale set against the backdrop of Mexico’s devastating drug wars,​ Tigers Are Not Afraid​ follows a group of orphaned children armed with three magical wishes, running from the ghosts that haunt them and the cartel that murdered their parents. Starring Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, and Hanssel Casillas, directed by Issa López

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyoE0mSJXO8

BELZEBUTH (streaming now)

Shocking deaths on the US/Mexico border lead a special agent toward an ancient demon. Starring Tobin Bell (Saw), Joaquín Cosio and Tate Ellington, directed by Emilio Portes 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrYROX81hg

INCIDENT IN A GHOSTLAND (streaming now)

A mother of two is confronted with murderous intruders on the first night in their new home and fights for her daughters’ lives. Sixteen years later when the daughters reunite at the house, things get really strange. Starring Crystal Reed, Anastasia Phillips, Emilia Jones, Taylor Hickson, directed by Pascal Laugier.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/15zAIucLvaU  

THE WRATH (premieres Thursday, 9/5)

When a curse kills the sons of the kingdom’s highest-ranking official, a pregnant widow must face both a vengeful spirit and vicious family politics in this remake of 1986 Korean horror essential, Woman’s Wail. Starring Hong-il Choi, Young hee Seo and Na-Eun Son, directed by Young-sun Yoo.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpSzxbMBt5E

HELL HOUSE LLC III: LAKE OF FIRE (premieres Thursday, 9/19)

In the final installment, guests both past and present will be forced to battle for their souls as all is revealed about the infamous Abaddon Hotel and the evil that dwells there. Starring Gabriel Chytry, Elizabeth Vermilyea and Sam Kazzi, directed by Stephen Cognetti.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/l53UHYXwy6k 

THE FURIES (premieres Thursday, 10/3)

Rebellious high school students Kayla and her best friend Maddie find themselves abducted by a sinister presence and stalked, along with six other women, by men in terrifying masks. Starring Airlie Dodds, Linda Ngo and Taylor Ferguson, directed by Tony D'Aquino. (Note: THE FURIES will be in theaters in its home country Australia on November 7.)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sGFhb6YC4g

GWEN (premieres Thursday, 10/17)

In this stark and atmospheric tale, Gwen is a young girl struggling with her mother’s mysterious illness, her father's absence and the suspicious local community that has turned on them. Somehow Gwen must find the strength to guide her family through the darkness and overcome the evil that is taking grip of her home. Starring Maxine Peake, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, and Richard Harrington, directed by William McGregor.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ROhan7hfPI

HAUNT (premieres Thursday, 10/24)

From producer Eli Roth and the writers of ​A Quiet Place​. On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an "extreme" haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realization that some nightmares are real. Starring  Katie Stevens, Will Brittain and Lauryn Alisa McClain, directed by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/DUfBgon5dKg 

NIGHTMARE CINEMA (premieres Tuesday, 10/29)

A new anthology movie featuring segments from the acclaimed directors of ​Gremlins,​ B​lack Mirror: Bandersnatch​, The Stand​ miniseries, ​The Midnight Meat Train​ and ​Juan of the Dead.​ Starring Mickey Rourke, Richard Chamberlain and Adam Godley, directed by Alejandro Brugués, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, Ryûhei Kitamura and David Slade.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvJw8X-BwHg

 

“THE GHOUL LOG” and “SON OF GHOUL LOG” (coming soon)

Fan favorite The Ghoul Log is back, accompanied by an all-new, creepier sequel. Set the mood for your Halloween festivities with Shudder’s 24/7 feed of a candlelit Jack-o’-Lantern accompanied by spooky night noises that does for Halloween what the Yule Log video does for Christmas. 

Plus a special Halloween treat on Friday, 10/25, that you’ll want to stay up late for. (Details coming soon.)

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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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Incident in a Ghostland (Review)

Title: Incident in a Ghostland
Writer/ Director: Pascal Laugier
Cast: Crystal Reed, Mylène Farmer, Anastasia Phillips, Emilia Jones, Taylor Hickson, Kevin Power
Min: 91
Year: 2018

Pauline (Mylène Farmer) has recently inherited her sister Clarissa's secluded house. She travels to the house with her two teenage daughters, the slightly more rebellious Vera (Taylor Hickson) and Beth (Emilia Jones) who is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and likes to write horror fiction. At a rest stop, Beth reads an article about a series of home invasions where the parents are killed but the daughters are spared. What they don't know is that someone in a candy truck is stalking them.

They settle in for the night, but then suddenly a large, obese man breaks in. The Fat Man (Rob Archer) attacks Pauline, and the goes for the girls, dragging them to the basement. A strange woman soon joins them, who says that that they just want to play with dolls. The Fat Man assaults both girls. When he smells that Beth has had her period, he turns his perverse attention and focus on to Vera. Pauline recovers and stabs both the Fat Man and the Candy Truck Woman (Kevin Power) killing them.

Sixteen years later, Beth has grown into a beautiful and successful woman ( now played by Crystal Reed). She is a popular horror author and lives with her husband and their son. She is on a talk show promoting her latest work Incident in a Ghostland, which is inspired by the horrific events of that night. Later, she receives a frantic phone call from her sister (Anastasia Phillips), who still lives with their mom in the same house.

Beth, haunted by her own nightmares, travels to see what she can do to help her sister and mom. There her mother Pauline tells her that Vera cannot move on and is still traumatized and anguished by those events. Soon, Beth, herself, is haunted by strange happenings and Vera says that her assailants are still after them.

Incident in a Ghostland is a deeply searing psychological horror film from French genre writer/ director Paul Lagier, whose classic Martyrs is a brutal masterpiece. And, I am very happy to report that unlike his disappointing and uneven 2012 movie, The Tall Man, this one hits all the marks. And, boy are these marks ever scarring.

The opening home invasion is intense and very violent. It's one fucking hell of a way to start off and sets the unflinching tone which is kept throughout much of the flick's running time. It is also an excellent study of PTSD and the utter horrors of child abuse. This all results is a nightmarish experience that stays with the viewer, well after it is all said and done.

Laugier manages to disturb and unnerve his audience. And, while for some filmmakers this might not be an easy task, for Laugier, it is something that is right up his alley. The film does use a bunch of jump scares. However, they usually work, because they are actual scares and not fake outs. This ads to the tension that Laugier expertly knows how to build up. The climax will have your heart jumping out of your chest and nails buried deep into your seat. It ends on a very satisfying note, even if you feeling completely fucking drained by the time it's over.

The violence and bloodletting is equally harsh and graphic, keeping the audience's nerves on their very edge. The movie isn't ever light nor funny, and considering the heavy subject matter, it shouldn't be. This all results in a film that has much in common with '70's horror than what is currently out there, which is a huge plus for me.

The acting here is phenomenal. It is some of the finest you are likely to see in a horror movie this year, as their suffering is very palatable. Crystal Reed gives a very strong performance as Beth. She allows her character's pain, strength, and loving and protective nature to really come forth. Anastasia Phillips is incredible as Vera. Her screams of physical and emotional pain are utterly heartbreaking. Seeing her nude, clutching her doll, and begging for help in one scene is one of the most heart-wrenching things that you are likely to see in a genre film. Mylène Farmer gives excellent support as the loving and goodhearted mother.

Incident in a Ghostland is a brutal, intense, and emotionally draining experience. One that left me feeling many powerful emotions and completely consumed me. The acting is utterly phenomenal; giving the movie its emotional center and strength. Disturbing and haunting, it is the most soul crushing horror movie of the year. And, as it begins streaming exclusively on Shudder this Thursday, August 15, 2019, I give you my highest possible recommendation to watch.

4 out of 4

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SHUDDER: AUGUST 2019 U.S. HIGHLIGHTS

Pictures come courtesy of Shudder

From the official press release:

As summer heats up, we’re here to give you even more reasons to stay inside, with the AC turned up and the lights turned down. Reason one: NOS4A2, AMC’s hit horror series comes to Shudder. Reasons two and three: the Shudder Exclusive Incident in a Ghostland and the Shudder Original Belzebuth. Reasons four through nine: a special curated collection of the first six A Nightmare on Elm Streetmovies. Reason ten is all the rest of our lineup of new titles this month, including must-see shorts from Gigi Saul Guerrero (director of the recent Into the Dark: Culture Shock) and Sam Wineman (currently hard at work on Shudder’s upcoming queer horror documentary). Sun? Who needs it? (Programming also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK where noted.)

NEW SERIES

NOS4A2 (2019) — first episode available on Thursday, August 8 

Based on Joe Hill's New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, NOS4A2 is a different kind of vampire story. It follows Vic McQueen, a gifted young woman who discovers she has a supernatural ability to find lost things. This ability puts her on a collision course with the evil and immortal Charlie Manx. Manx is a supernatural villain who feeds off the souls of children and then deposits what remains of them into Christmasland – a twisted place of Manx's imagination where every day is Christmas Day and unhappiness is against the law. Vic strives to defeat Manx and rescue his victims – without losing her mind or falling victim to him herself.

NOS4A2 stars Emmy®-nominated actor and producer Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Virginia Kull, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jahkara Smith

Episode 1 premieres on Shudder August 8, with new episodes added every Thursday through October 10. 

SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE TITLES

Incident in a Ghostland (2018) — available Thursday, August 15

Director: Pascal Laugier, Cast: Crystal Reed, Mylène Farmer, Anastasia Phillips

A mother of two who inherits a house is confronted with murderous intruders on the first night in their new home and fights for her daughters’ lives. Sixteen years later when the daughters reunite at the house, things get really strange. A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE. (Also available on Shudder Canada)

Belzebuth (2017) — available Thursday, August 29

Director: Emilio Portes, Cast: Tobin Bell, Joaquín Cosio, Tate Ellington

Set on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, this Spanish/English language film follows special agent Emanuel Ritter as he leads a police investigation into a series of mysterious deaths involving young children at the border. The case takes a supernatural turn when a priest  from the Vatican links the ancient demon Belzebuth to the murders. A SHUDDER ORIGINAL. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

FEATURED COLLECTION

NIGHTMARES ON ELM STREET: THE FIRST 6 MOVIES — available Thursday, August 1

One, two, Freddy’s coming for you / Three, four, better lock your door / Five, six, binge that many Elm Street pix… This month, Shudder presents a collection of the first six films in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise: Wes Craven’s 1984 original masterpiece, followed by Freddy’s Revenge (1985), Dream Warriors (1987), The Dream Master (1988), The Dream Child (1989) and Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991). If that’s not enough, round out your summer Freddy re-watch with the fascinating, comprehensive documentary, Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010).

NEW MOVIES FOR AUGUST

July 29 (added too late for last month’s highlights)

Moon (2009, Duncan Jones)

On the far side of the moon, lone miner Sam trudges to the end of his three-year stint for a mega-corporation that has hit a gold vein by harvesting lunar rock for energy. With only a self-mechanized robot (whose only human feature is a Happy Face/Sad Face component) for company, Sam shows signs of cabin fever. Hallucinating and obsessing about his wife and daughter on Earth, his fragile condition deteriorates, exacerbated when he gets whacked on the noggin as he crashes his rover on the lunar surface. Sam emerges to find an aggressive version of himself tromping around the space vehicle. Hallucination? Clone? Doppelganger? Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott

El Gigante (2014 short, Gigi Saul Guerrero and Luke Bramley)

After attempting to cross the US/Mexico border in search of a better life, Armando awakens in an unknown room, his body broken down and a Lucha Libre mask sewn into his neck. He attempts to escape, but is surrounded by a sadistic family, who watch him with hungry eyes. The only chance for Armando’s survival in this hellish nightmare is to last in a wrestling match against the most terrifying villain of all: GIGANTE! Starring: Edwin Perez, Luis Javier, Arlina Rodriguez (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

The Quiet Room (2018 short, Sam Wineman)

After a failed suicide attempt, Michael's believes that he's awakened Hattie, a demon who —  according to urban legend — haunts his hospital's "quiet room." Now, he must find a way to stop her before her rampage claims everyone Michael connects with. Starring: Jamal Douglas, Barkley Harper, Stephanie Kerbis (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

August 1

Raising Cain (1992, Brian De Palma)

The story of twin brothers, Carter and Josh, one good and one evil, who will stop at nothing to find children to further their father's psychological experiments. Starring: John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer

August 5

The Slumber Party Massacre (1982, Amy Holden Jones)

When Trish decides to invite her high school girls’ basketball teammates over for a slumber party, she has no idea the night is going to end with an unexpected guest — an escaped mental patient and his portable power drill — crashing the party in this cult classic. Starring: Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille, Michael Villella (Also available on Shudder Canada)

Slumber Party Massacre II (1987, Deborah Brock)

Courtney, the younger sister of the "new girl across the street" in the first film is all grown up now, but suffers from nightmares about the Big Wet Incident. She and the other members of her female rock group go to a condo for the weekend to play music and have fun with their boyfriends. Courtney's dreams are of her sister, who is in a mental institution, warning her of having sex, and the dreams begin to spill into real life, threatening Courtney and her friends as they begin experiencing an attrition problem. Starring: Crystal Bernard, Jennifer Rhodes, Kimberly McArthur (Also available on Shudder Canada)

August 12

Chopping Mall (1986, Jim Wynorski)

A group of teenagers who work at the mall get together for a late night party in one of the stores. When the mall goes on lockdown before they can get out, the robot security system malfunctions and goes on a killing spree. Starring: Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell, Russell Todd (Also available on Shudder Canada)

Get My Gun (2017, Brian Darwas)

After an innocent prank leaves Amanda pregnant and out of a job, she finds herself on the verge of motherhood and the target of a psychotic stalker who will stop at nothing to get her hands on the unborn child. Starring: Kate Hoffman, Rosanne Rubino, Christy Casey (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK Ireland)

Why Horror? (2014, Nicolas Kleiman and Rob Lindsay)

Tal Zimerman is a horror journalist and a full-fledged fan of everything deep dark and disgusting. But lately he's been asking himself WHY? Why is it that he and millions of other people are obsessed with horror? Tal sits down with leading genre filmmakers, writers, musicians, historians, anthropologists and psychologists around the world, to discover why we enjoy being scared. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK Ireland)

August 19

Bad Moon (1996, Eric Red) 

Ted is working in Nepal when he and his girlfriend are attacked by a mysterious creature. Ted, though brutally maimed, survives, but his girlfriend is not so lucky. To help his recovery, Ted moves close to his sister, Janet, and her son, Brett, but soon realizes he was attacked by a werewolf. Starring: Mariel Hemingway, Michael Paré, Mason Gamble (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

Hell Night (1981, Tom DeSimone) 

Sorority and fraternity pledges are required to spend the title evening of their initiation inside the spooky Garth Manor. The mansion was the site of a gruesome multiple murder, wherein the owner killed his wife and three of his four deformed children before taking his own life. After the pledges bed down for the night, mischievous upperclassmen descend into the house, intending to scare them out of their wits...but something even more repulsive than a pack of drunken frat-boys beats them to it. Starring: Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Peter Barton  (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

August 26

Humanoids From the Deep (1980, Barbara Peeters and Jimmy T. Murakami (uncredited)) 

Scientific experiments backfire and produce horrific mutations: half man, half fish, which terrorize a small fishing village by killing the men and raping the women. Starring: Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, Vic Morrow (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

The Love Witch (2016, Anna Biller)

Elaine, a beautiful young witch, is determined to find a man to love her, but her spells work too well, leaving her with a string of hapless victims. With a visual style that pays tribute to Technicolor thrillers of the 1960s, The Love Witch explores female fantasy and the repercussions of pathological narcissism. Starring: Samantha Robinson, Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Laura Waddell (Also available on Shudder Canada) 

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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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