Motel Hell Filming Location

Motel Hell(o) as seen in the film.

The spanish hacienda at the Sable Ranch

Most of this film was shot at the Sable Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita, California which was very well known to host T.V. shows like MacGyver, The A-Team, and so on. The ranch house at Sable also hosted such horror movies like The Devil's Rejects and even Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (though the ranch house was located at another movie ranch when it was filmed).

The location of the actual Motel Hell(o) was filmed at the spanish hacienda at the movie ranch, which has been used in countless films and T.V. shows in the past. Some parts of the film were also shot in Moorpark, California.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) Rema... I mean "meta" (LOL)

This movie was bound to have a modernized version made, and probably one of the last good slasher films out there that could handle an update. Years back the Gray brothers of the Guts and Gory fame talked about lensing a remake of this film, and apparently it fell through.

Sorority House Massacre I & II: Filming Locations

The sorority house as seen in the film: Sorority House Massacre

How the house looks now.

Living in Los Angeles I get to see a lot of filming locations for my favorite movies. Realistically, after seeing these locations it actually takes away a lot of the impact the movie had. With movie magic, a lot of these places were shot to seem a lot more secluded than they actually were. 

Night of the Demons (1988): Filming Locations

The old man's house in the beginning of the film.

This is how that house looks now. It was long abandon, but is now being

refurbished and is for sale/lease. It's on Menlo Avenue at 29th.

Kevin S. Tenney's Night of the Demons (1988) was shot pretty much entirely in one area of the Historic Menlo/29th District in Central Los Angeles. The Old Man's home seen in the beginning and the end of the movie is on the corner of Menlo Avenue and 29th Street.

People Under the Stairs: Filming Location

The house in the film People Under the Stairs

How the house looks today

The house used as the main location in the 1991, Wes Craven film The People Under the Stairs is located in central Los Angeles near the Historical Adams District on Harvard Avenue. Most of the interiors were actually shot on a set, making the home look a lot larger than it really is. 

Directly across from this home is the home used in the film Sorority House Massacre II (which is abandon). In that film the Red Herring Orville Ketchum lived across the street, in this home. At the end of this film – when the residents gather in the street – the Sorority House Massacre II house can be seen.

The Devil's Rejects Filming Locations(s)

Even though Rob Zombie has called the Friday the 13th franchise "stupid", I saw a lot of (maybe) unintentional homages throughout his 2005 movie The Devil's Rejects. The most obvious is Tiny's outfit in the beginning of the movie was spot on to Jason's in Friday the 13th: Part II.

Though, The Devil's Rejects was set in Texas, is was shot in the lower Mojave desert and places more south like Santa Clarita. Most of the movie was shot at the Sable Movie Ranch on Sand Canyon Road, right in the middle of Santa Clarita, California. Scenes like the "chicken fucker", Charlie Altamont's place, the Firefly house, and many more scenes. Here are some locations off of that movie ranch that reached as far up as Lancaster, California. 

"Buck's Grab n' Go" where Spaulding pulled into when his truck ran out of gas.

Rio Groceries is an actual store right outside of Acton, California.

Rio Groceries was used in the movie (mostly exterior shots), and is an actual store right on Soledad Canyon Road. It'a about 2 miles before the Acton KOA Campground. Even though the store has changed a little bit and was dressed up for the movie, it still remains pretty similar and still functioning.

Hatchet 2 news.

So, Bloody Disgusting announced some casting news regarding Hatchet 2, and a few things sort of struck me odd. Kane Hodder will be back as Victor Crowley as well as a lot of the production team and crew with exception to actress Tamara Feldman, the heroine of Hatchet. My gripe is the fact tha there is a new special make-up effects artist (however he did work on the first Hatchet movie) who vowed to give Victor Crowley a new and improved look.

I'll be the first to admit that Victor Crowley looked like an insane mime inside a bad rubber suit in the first Hatchet movie, but why change hos looks? One of the biggest complaints about the Friday The 13th franchise is the fact that Jason's face changed drastically from movie to movie. Here is a chance for a new franchise with the same film crew to carry on with perfect continuity and now they are going to change the look of the killer? Pretty fucking lame and I hope the change is not that drastic, it could be a bit less "funny" looking. I just could not get behind his old look, however I would vote for continuity over changing that fact.

I just found it quite odd.

The second thing I wanted to complain about was the whole "twice the amount of kills!" Am I alone when I say I'd rather have 8 nicely done, bloody and brutal kills than say 16 kills where some are great, some are lame and some are completely offscreen? When you have so many kills you know that half of them will be generic and completely run of the mill. So, why are people in the need of a high body count when about half of them will completely lack any impact?

Ah well, we'll see how this movie turns out.

Top 10 movies on VHS that I would love to see on DVD?

Some of the most often questions I generally get from my YouTube channel is "recommend me a movie not on DVD" or "what movie not on DVD do you wish was?" Ideally, if a movie is not given proper DVD treatment (i.e. 16x9 anamorphic transfer, Dolby 5.1, commentary, uncut if available, etc) then I really am content with it just being on VHS. The only downside of the VHS format is that it deteriorates over time and in 25 years all you are left with is a fuzzy rolling picture. Now with the technology we have to back up those old VHS tapes to DVDr again leaves me with that same notion... if you are not going to give these films proper DVD treatment then fuck off! My pet peeve is shelling out $11.99 for a DVD and to realize that it's nothing more than a VHS rip on a DVD-- fuck, I can do that myself for fifty cents!

So, lately I have been doing a series of videos on YouTube of VHS tapes that I have that I'd like to see have a proper DVD treatment. So far I have chosen 50- 5 per video- but I will narrow my choices down to 10 HORROR and give you guys a brief description why.

Wes Craven's opinions on the "Nightmare" remake.

I feel ya man!

From Movie Hole:

Wes Craven sounds like he'd rather stick a fork in his left one than have to sit through next years' "Nightmare on Elm Street" remake.

Freddy's creator tells Moviehole that it's doubtful he will go and see Platinum Dunes' remake of his 1984 classic.

''That’d be a tough one to re-see'' says Craven. ''I mean, it was tough for me to see Scary Movie, because they basically just took my shots. It was like – I had done all the hard work, and then I was sort of the laughingstock of it. But, you know, if you move on from the films you’ve made-- which I have tried always to move on – then it’s like, that’s in the past. You know, it’s had his life. And if they make a better film, maybe it will eclipse the original. I don’t know. If they don’t, then the original will look even better.''

Still, Craven admits he's "not the only one" who thinks

Retro Slashers: The Making Of The Burning.

The Burning being one of my favorite slasher movies of all time and being filmed practically in my back yard, I really love reading little articles and editorials about it. Here's a really good little tidbit I read on the Retro Slasher Myspace:

Filming commenced in upstate New York, around Buffalo and North Tonawanda and the climax would be shot in Model City, New York. Different crew members have different tales as to why the original intended setting, a cave system, was later scrapped – Savini claimed it as due to the caves collapsing whilst Maylam stated it was because of a bat infestation. Instead, they settled for an old, abandoned copper mine.
Once completed, all that was needed was an effective score. Maylam approached Rick Wakeman, keyboardist for the hugely influential prog rock group Yes, who he had collaborated with on White Rock, to compose the music. Being classically trained and a truly gifted musician, Wakeman was able to create the soundtrack and deliver it to a suitably impressed director. It was only then that The Burning was ready to be unleashed.

Freaked Director Alex Winter remakes The Gate in 3-D!

From Shock Till You Drop:

Winter Tackling The Gate Remake in 3-D?
Source:Production Weekly February 11, 2009

There's a new director on board the remake of The Gate and it's a perfect fit. According to Production Weekly, Alex Winter (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure & Bogus Journey) is tackling the redo of the hellish 1987 creature feature. Furthermore, he's doing it in 3-D.

Winter's been juggling an acting, writing and directing career for years since his "Bill" days. In '93 he helmed the FX-heavy comedy Freaked (a fave of mine) and Fever in '99. Recently he's been directing episodes of Ben 10 for the Cartoon Network. Winter's sensibilities seem ideal for The Gate's tale of three kids who open a portal to hell in their backyard.

Stephen Dorff starred in the original film directed by Tibor Takács.

Randall Cook was once attached to the redo, but as he told us in September, he was not pleased with the script and backed off the project.

Check out the Tom DeSimone interview on Retro Slashers Blog!

Great director of a fantastic movie (amongst others) called Hell Night and brother of Bob DeSimone, who us Friday The 13th fans know as Billy in Friday The 13th Part V!

“It was always my goal, even as a child, to make movies. I started making 8mm films when I was ten and continued on all through high school. Mostly using friends, family and table-top models for my projects. It was always my intention, if I would be so lucky, to go to California and work in films. After getting my Masters in Motion Picture Production at UCLA I worked at various companies making educational films and shorts. Mostly as an editor. My first real mainstream movie was Chatterbox. I had an old story outline for an X-rated comedy called Lips. A producer saw it, liked it and we joined forces and it became Chatterbox. American International did the theatrical releases.”

Check out the rest- it's a great interview!

Tom Savini: Misanthrope or Misunderstood?

Growing up in the 1980's and seeing Tom Savini's name attached to 1/2 of all of the significant horror films in my golden age sort of sets me up to really admire what Savini has done. I remember reading about him in Fangoria and thinking how cool this guy must be. Sadly, this is not the case- my only encounter with Tom was not bad, however no words were exchanged so I can not have an opinion good or bad about the guy. It just seems that the fans are split half and half- one half thinks that he is burnt out to the point where he hates conventions and in turn treats his fans like shit. The other half is completely opposite- they think he is super nice to the fans and is very fan oriented.

Is 3-D horror making a come back?

In the 1980's a good handful of horror movies (mainly Part III's) were released in 3-D, maybe you recognize the names; Friday The 13th Part III, Jaws III, Amityville III? It seemed like the huge success of Friday The 13th Part III paved the way for these movies in hopes to capture the same success, for the most part it did not happen. Friday The 13th Part III up until recently was the highest grossing 3-D film of all time, only to be dethroned by Spy Kids 3-D. Although the 1980's gave a valiant effort the 3-D craze of the 1950's was not recaptured and seemed to die with a bunch of failures like Silent Madness and Parasite.

The Burning: Once again following Friday The 13th's success?

According to some (perhaps unreliable) sources, The Burning may once again be relying on Friday The 13th's success. It's been revealed that if the remake does well, perhaps The Weinsteins may green light a The Burning remake. I personally would be all for this, and hopefully the remake will be once again shot here in Western, New York.

From RetroSlashers blog.

Within the last year or so, rumblings of a remake of the Weinsteins’ 1981 slasher classic The Burning began to surface, coinciding with both the original film’s release on dvd, and the box office success of the revamped Halloween (also from the Weinsteins). All has been quiet for the time being, but on the eve of the sure-to-be-a-hit Friday The 13th remake, the brothers Weinstein would have to be crazy not to seriously consider resurrecting Cropsy & his shears.
So what would the new model entail? The souls over at the ever…uh, dependable IMDB have this proposed plot outline up:
Thirteen years ago, at Camp Blackfoot in Upstate New York, a group of vengeful kids rebelled against a pedophile camp caretaker named Cropsy, who in their bout of revenge was burned nearly to death and disfigured forever. Now, at Camp Stonewater, one of the boys responsible for Cropsy’s deformations is a supervisor looking over a group of sex-driven camp counselors on a canoe trip up Blackfoot River. Unaware that Cropsy has recently been released from the hospital and is out for blood, the campers become the prime targets in Cropsys sheering reign of revenge.
So….basically just The Burning, with added pedophilia? Some early reports also had Cropsy’s origin retold at an apartment complex where he was the janitor, making the summer camp element rather random.
In a recent issue of Rue Morgue, original director Tony Maylam said that he was considering a new film revolving around the Cropsy campfire legend, but that project appears unrelated to the potential remake.
Will Cropsy return? I think we’ll get our answer when Friday The 13th’s box office tally is added up in a couple of weeks….

Uncut Slaughter High coming to DVD 4/14/09!

Well, it's about fucking time! This is probably the last of the good unreleased on DVD slasher films aside from maybe Humongous and Town That Dreaded Sundown. This one is a long time coming, and it's surprising since this movie has a huge following and is actually really good.

From Shock Till You Drop:

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is trotting out the 1986 slasher film Slaughter High on DVD under a new banner: "The Lost Collection: The best movies you totally forgot about." Indeed.

The late Simon Scuddamore (who reportedly committed suicide shortly after the film's release) stars as a bullied young man who falls victim to an awful prank. He schemes to get back at his tormentors when he holds a fake high school reunion for them to attend. Soon, bodies begin to drop in grisly ways. The wicked hot Caroline Munro (Maniac) also stars.

Originally called April Fool's Day (because the reunion was set on April 1st), the film was forced to take Slaughter High because Fred Walton's picture starring Amy Steel beat them to the punch.

Look for Slaughter High on DVD April 14th. We've been informed the cut will indeed be the R-rated version.

The Dead Strut Their Stuff at Phoenix Comicon

The Dead Strut Their Stuff at Phoenix Comicon

Phoenix – The Phoenix Comicon summons the dead, or undead to be exact, to walk among the living during the Zombie Beauty Pageant and the Zombie Walk at the Mesa Convention Center.

"The zombie community is ravenous," said Jenny Brundage, Horror Programming Manager, "And they're going to be here in full force!"

The zombie sightings will begin during the Phoenix Comicon Preview Night, Thursday January 22^nd. They will be gathering at 6pm in the open grass area by registration, and will then walk, shamble, and lurch through the surrounding area.

"Hunger is a serious issue, so we're combining this with a food drive," said Matt Solberg, Convention Director. "Non-perishable food only—St. Vincent de Paul won't accept fresh brains."

The undead festivities continue after the walk with the Zombie Beauty Pageant. Audience members and dismembers will enjoy laughter, screams, and delightful performances by reanimated beauties. A surprise celebrity host will entertain and discourage zombie attacks.

"Dressing in costume will increase your chance at survival," warned Brundage.

The Phoenix Comicon is Arizona's largest, multi-media and popular arts convention, focusing on comic books, anime, gaming, music, and film. The Comicon presents a full weekend schedule of guests and programming for hobbyists by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, and gaming worlds. For more information visit www.phoenixcomicon.com.

As a sidenote, Dean Lorey (writer on IX and Jason X, also cameo role involving a grate) and Erin Gray (part IX) are both guests, and will even be on a horror movies panel together.

The official mask for Rob Zombie's H2

From HorrorBid.com

It's the sculpture of the mask for Rob Zombie's upcoming Halloween 2. I like it, however we will see once it's put to latex and pulled from the mold and haired. Continuity wise it's pretty dead-on. I'm not saying that I am looking forward to this movie, but so far it's looking proper.

I guess I can say the mask can look worse- Halloween 5 and 6 anyone? Still, this movie may suck but will never come close to being the pieces of shit that Halloween 5-8 were.

Rob Zombies H2

So, first Rob Zombie says he will never do a remake, and then he signs on to do the Halloween remake- although he never called it a remake. He always suggested it was a reimagining, which to me is like putting a dick in our mouth and saying you don't suck. Then he later said he would absolutely never do a sequel to the movie, and here we are... it was just announced that Rob will direct a sequel to the REMAKE Halloween II.

My Bloody Valentine finally to be released UNCUT!

After nearly 30 years My Bloody Valentine will finally be released uncut. I, myself have been hoping for this day ever since I realized the movie was cut to pieces in about 1990. Most people believed that it would never happen and surely would never happen under Paramount Pictures' hands. So, when the movie was cataloged out to Lionsgate Films for release to coincide with the remake, new hope arose and well... it is finally going to be released uncut. THANK GOD!