Horror Report

Year: 2024

  • LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL earns $666,666 on Palm Sunday

    LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL earns $666,666 on Palm Sunday

    You can’t make it up.. bit all joking aside is this a wee bit too..strange.. for confort?

    The  indie horror film “Late Night With the Devil” opened this weekend across 1,034 venues where it made $2.8 million and ended up in sixth place.

    However our eyebrows are rising now that final numbers are being analyzed .. it has been revealed that the film’s estimated Palm Sunday one-day haul is coming in at $666,666 according to trade paper Variety..

    No joke..

    From Variety:

    On the independent scene, “Late Night With the Devil” took sixth place and summoned $2.8 million from 1,034 venues, including (and you can’t make this up) $666,666 on Sunday. This marks the biggest opening weekend for its distributor IFC Films, overtaking 2022’s “Watcher” with $826,775. The low-budget thriller stars David Dastmalchian as a late-night talk show host who keeps the cameras rolling during a live Satanic incident. 

    “This weekend’s release of ‘Late Night With the Devil’ set fire to our old opening record,” says Scott Shooman, head of AMC Networks Films, which encompasses IFC. “[It] continues to showcase that there is still potential for highly reviewed, intelligent auteur films in movie theaters across all genres.”

    666 for the devil on one of the holiest days of the year.

  • LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL AI art continues on social media.. reports indicate good crowds in major cities while others hate it as much as SKINAMARINK!

    LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL AI art continues on social media.. reports indicate good crowds in major cities while others hate it as much as SKINAMARINK!

    Let’s first start with this: There was something very calming about watching the horror flick LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL in a theater with a packed audience.. we highly recommend it if you can find a theater showing it.

    Now that we have that out of the way…

    The Shudder horror film LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL was getting rave reviews and even had a 100% rotten rating on ROTTEN TOMATOES.. While it is maintaining a decent rating with critics and an 83% with audiences, controversy marred the opening weekend.

    At issue: The AI art..

    Just a few images, really. But those images caused shockwaves of hostility across social media platforms..

    When it was revealed this week that the film used some AI imagery, there were immediate calls for a boycott of the movie.

    Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the Australian siblings who wrote and directed the film, released a statement to Variety clarifying the scope of AI art in the film. The statement reads:

    “In conjunction with our amazing graphics and production design team, all of whom worked tirelessly to give this film the 70s aesthetic we had always imagined, we experimented with AI for three still images which we edited further and ultimately appear as very brief interstitials in the film. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a talented and passionate cast, crew and producing team go above and beyond to help bring this film to life. We can’t wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend.”

    But consider the fact that the film was made prior to 2024.. released originally in 2023 (long before the current AI debate really hit like it’s doing now) … Can we get some forgiveness?

    Beyond the AI controversy, some truly despised this movie–others seemingly loved it. Perusing the former Twitterverse now Xsphere, we are greeted by a number of people who hated the film giving it a o out of 10.. others who loved it with a 9 out of 10. There seems to be little meeting in the middle among fans.

    Seriously.. David Dastmalchian rocked this role.

    The movie will be in some people’s top 10 of horror.. others will not think to include it.

    It appears this film is going the same route as last year’s SKINAMARINK, also heralded by some in 2023 while others were purely disgusted by that film.

    At the point this is written, IFC’s LATE NIGHT is showing in 1,034 locations .. it posted a $1.1M Friday, 3-day heading to $2.9M. From reports, there are solid numbers in NYC, Toronto, Salt Lake City, Edmonton, Dallas, San Antonio and LA..

    DEVELOPING..

  • Kate Middleton reveals cancer diagnosis and gives chemotherapy update

    Kate Middleton reveals cancer diagnosis and gives chemotherapy update

    The Princess of Wales is being treated for cancer, she announced tonight in a video message.

    The future queen is currently undergoing a course of chemotherapy that started in February, Kensington Palace announced. Kate, 42, was admitted to hospital on January 16 for “major abdominal surgery”, which has been confirmed as successful.

    At the time of her operation it was thought that her condition was non-cancerous, as no tests had confirmed the presence of cancer.

    However, post-operative tests confirmed that cancer had been present

    Developing..

  • AI with the devil

    AI with the devil

    The horror flick LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL has been gaining some fan traction. But suddenly that came to a screeching halt when some noticed AI. Art was being used in the film..

    A few even called for a boycott on social media…

    Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the Australian siblings who wrote and directed the film, released a statement to Variety clarifying the scope of AI art in the film. The statement reads:

    “In conjunction with our amazing graphics and production design team, all of whom worked tirelessly to give this film the 70s aesthetic we had always imagined, we experimented with AI for three still images which we edited further and ultimately appear as very brief interstitials in the film. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a talented and passionate cast, crew and producing team go above and beyond to help bring this film to life. We can’t wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend.”

    More..

    The full VARIETY story..

  • Fresh Devils vs Frozen Ghosts at weekend box office

    Fresh Devils vs Frozen Ghosts at weekend box office

    So many have been looking forward to March 22 for a long time–movies to finally choose from at a box office that may be enjoyable!!

    GHOSTBUSTERS FROZEN EMPIRE is taking on another little movie that could, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, this weekend..

    So many are hopeful that the old busters will make them feel nostalgic inside, the magic may be wearing thing. The 30 year rule has passed–the idea that nostalgia only works well if this movie would have been made in 2014, not 2024..

    That said, it will most likely do well, even with reviews that are less then stellar like this from BLOODY DISGUSTING:

    Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire can’t decide between nostalgia, humor, or heart. So, it opts for a scattershot version of all three. Whereas Afterlife grappled with family legacy, Frozen Empire isn’t sure of itself beyond addressing the shift from old guard to new. But it’s still far too reliant on nostalgia to serve as the next step in the franchise’s evolution, and that also includes the formula, right down to updated lines like “Are you the flame master?” It winds up a series of charming moments cast adrift amidst an overly simplistic, familiar story.

    But the other movie set to draw attention from horror fans is LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL–it has received mostly decent press at this point. The movie’s limited release is unfortunate, too bad it is not wide, but it is exciting. Hopefully you will be able to find a theater showing the movie — it seems like it is just one of those that needs to be experienced in a dark theater on a big screen..

    It is predictable that the seniors will be top dogs at the box.. Nostalgia will get one last win for the Gipper of 1984 Slimer fame.

  • New worries over April total solar eclipse

    New worries over April total solar eclipse

    Call it the new version of y2k.. the fear over the April total solar eclipse leading to blackouts–not of the sun but of electric on the ground..

    During the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse, the path of totality in the continental U.S. will extend from Texas in the south to Maine in the northeast. Elsewhere in the U.S., Miami will see a partial eclipse in which a maximum of 46% of the Sun’s disk is obscured. In Seattle, far from the path of totality, the Moon will cover only a maximum of 20% of the Sun. In southern Texas, where the path of totality first crosses into the U.S., the eclipse will last just under three hours, with totality a mere 4 minutes and 27 seconds.

    This story about these April 8 eclipse fear is making rounds, with this as the main point:

    To plan for an eclipse, electrical system operators need to figure out how much the energy production will drop and how much power people will draw from the reserves. On the day of the 2017 total solar eclipse, for example, solar power generation in the U.S. dropped 25% below average.

    Because solar power production falls quickly during the eclipse’s peak, grid operators may need to tap into reserves at a rate that may strain the electrical transmission lines. To try to keep things running smoothly, grid operators will rely on local reserves and minimize power transfer between grids during the event. This should lessen the burden on transmission lines in local grids and prevent temporary blackouts.

    We will survive. No panic..

    Although don’t pick up hitchhikers as Oklahoma has warned !!

  • Iceland volcano erupts, prompting evacuation

    Iceland volcano erupts, prompting evacuation

    Iceland’s world-famous Blue Lagoon and the nearby town of Grindavik are under evacuation following a volcanic eruption in the country’s Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV reported Saturday.

    Lava appeared to be flowing rapidly towards north of Grindavík, just as it did during the eruption on February 8, RÚV said citing the Icelandic Met Office..

    Developing..

    https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/16/europe/iceland-volcano-eruption-blue-lagoon-intl/index.html

  • The mysterious case of Riley Strain: His family asking for help as the bar that served him denies liquor violations

    The mysterious case of Riley Strain: His family asking for help as the bar that served him denies liquor violations

    Riley Strain, 22, has been missing since he was escorted out of Luke Bryan’s bar in Nashville on March 8.

    MORE..

    The University of Missouri student who went missing after being kicked out of a Nashville bar was served only one drink before he was asked to leave country music star Luke Bryan’s bar, the owners said.

    Luke’s 32 Bridge + Drink and its owner, TC Restaurant Group, said in a statement that Riley Strain, 22, was served one alcoholic drink and two waters while at the downtown Nashville bar during a trip with his fraternity for a spring formal.

    However an investigation from Tennessee officials has now commenced to determine if he should have even been served at the bar at all..

    The bar said it had also “provided detailed information” to the Nashville Metro Police Department in an effort to help locate the missing man.

    He was last seen on security video just before 10 p.m. March 8. In the footage, he appears to sway and do a full 360-degree turn before continuing to walk.

    Some are questioning if he was running for help or from something..

    Strain has been trending on social media and online sleuths have joined in the X-sphere to opine and ask questions–some great questions like this:

    https://twitter.com/onemoveahead/status/1769061528202825910

    Riley’s family has been posting on social media thanking people for support and asking for more help and attention to the case..

    At the time this post is written, official have converged around the Nissan Stadium in the search..

    DEVELOPING..

  • Art Bell tribute site goes AI creepy

    Art Bell tribute site goes AI creepy

    The master of macabre has been gone since Friday the 13th in 2018.. we miss him greatly..

    Ground Zero Radio does, too.. A page was published on March 11, 2024, about the late great radio host..

    It began,

    Art Bell was an iconic figure in the realm of paranormal and unexplained phenomena broadcasting. His deep, resonant voice and open-minded approach to the mysteries of the night made his show, ‘Coast to Coast AM,’ a beacon for those seeking to explore the unknown. Bell’s legacy continues to influence the world of paranormal media, inspiring countless individuals to look beyond the veil of ordinary reality. This article pays homage to the man who captivated the airwaves with tales of the strange and supernatural, inviting us to ponder the endless possibilities that exist just beyond the edge of our understanding.

    All that was good..

    But the images presented showcasing the Coast to Coast AM host were .. questionable.

    AI at its finest–or worst..

    As the story opens, the image used showcases Art to be in a Stephen Hawking-like position overlooking the planet from space..

    But it gets weirder..

    Meet Art as a strange elderly mall cop … we’ve all seen this guy at the local dive bar at 1am..

    And if you don’t like that, why not trying to buy a car from this version, he’ll take good care of you and get you into something nice..

    Grandpa Art is coming over later with his hard candies..

    And finally.. the closest we get to something that sorta somewhat looks like Art Bell showcases Art hotwiring his radio sound board like he’s stealing it, and his broken middle finger on the right hand makes it look like things went horribly wrong.

    AI when used properly can be fine. AI when used like this–when there are tons of real images of people–get weird. And these? These were even weirder than Art’s show itself..

  • Don’t worry about a thing

    Don’t worry about a thing

    Let me just say if they ever been TikTok.. This video better last in spite of the ban..

    There was something important about seeing this today.. feeling the emotion of its innocence..

    Sure TikTok is spying–but so ARE ALL THE SOCIALS!!

    At least this social gave us a beautiful moment to remember..

    @frenchfuse

    Don’t worry ❤️ long version of “Three Little Birds” available everywhere 🤍

    ♬ Three Little Birds – French Fuse