HAMMER Films returns to the big screen next Friday with The Woman in Black. We got 10 Admit Two passes to give away not only to see the film for free but to see it the Tuesday before it comes out.

Synopsis

The story follows a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), who is ordered to travel to a remote village and sort out a recently deceased client’s papers. As he works alone in the client’s isolated house, Kipps begins to uncover tragic secrets, his unease growing when he glimpses a mysterious woman dressed only in black. Receiving only silence from the locals, Kipps is forced to uncover the true identity of the Woman in Black on his own, leading to a desperate race against time when he discovers her true intent.

How to Win

• “Like” us on Facebook
• Leave a comment on either your favorite Hammer horror film or your own personal ghost story.
• The screening is Tuesday, January 31st at 7pm. Location will be revealed to the winners.

Not only am I a horror nut, but I’m also a video game, comics, sports and fitness nut. Whenever there is an opportunity for any of my worlds to combine it brings me joy that is unspeakable. It looks like a potential combination of these is on its way, and I’m so glad my proud city of St. Louis is participating. What I am speaking of is the ‘Run For Your Lives Zombie 5K Race’ that started in Baltimore last year and is now taking over 12 other cities including ours.

Zombie-Infested 5K, Run For Your Lives Launches Nationally

Popular race to invade 12 cities throughout the United States in 2012

BALTIMORE, MD (Jan. 25, 2012) /PRNewswire/ — Reed Street Productions, creators of the zombie-infested 5K adventure race, Run for Your Lives, announced today that the race will expand beyond its inaugural location outside of Baltimore into 12 cities across the country, starting with the Atlanta area on March 3, 2012. The inaugural race launched in Darlington, Md., last October with more than 10,000 participants and spectators.

“Even before we officially launched the first race in Darlington, we started planning to invade other popular cities. We’d received so much demand and interest from consumers in the U.S. and abroad that we knew we needed to expand,” commented Ryan Hogan, managing member of Reed Street Productions and co-creator of Run For Your Lives. “We learned a lot from our first race and are excited to bring the improved Run For Your Lives experience to zombie-enthusiasts and runners. The zombies are coming to a city near you; get ready to Run For Your Lives!”

Run For Your Lives will be launching in locations near the following major cities:

• Atlanta – March 3
• Boston – May 5
• Minneapolis – June 2
• Indianapolis – June 23
• Denver – July 14
• Seattle/Portland – Aug.4
• St. Louis – Aug. 18
• Pittsburgh – Sept. 1
• Toronto – Sept. 15
• San Diego/Los Angeles – Oct. 20
• Baltimore – Oct. 27
• Austin – Dec. 15

Run for Your Lives will take participants through a series of obstacles over a 5K course, all while being chased by zombies. Racers, wearing a flag football-like belt with three flags, must make strategic choices to find the quickest route to the finish line with at least one flag to complete the race as a survivor. Survivors and newly-created “zombies” – those who finish without flags – will be able to celebrate following the event at the Apocalypse Party, which will feature live, local entertainment, music, vendors, food, beverages, and of course, zombies.

Registration packages for participants include a race shirt, admission to the Apocalypse Party, a medal signifying your survival or zombie transformation, and advanced training for the zombie apocalypse. Spectator and camping packages are also available. Prizes will be given to the top male and female human finishers in several age brackets, including: 14-19; 20-29; 30-39; and 40 and up. There will also be an awards bracket for military participants. A portion of every ticket sold will be donated to the American Red Cross.

Athletic apparel company, Warwear is the title sponsor for Run For Your Lives, and Subaru of America has signed on as a presenting sponsor of the race.

To register for Run For Your Lives or for more information regarding how the race works, please visit: www.runforyourlives.com.

I hope we here at DTB can be heavily involved with the St. Louis portion of this but no matter what I will be participating because it looks like a blast. Forget all those online survey games about zombie survival lets put it to the test! Stay tuned for more on this.

Source: Runforyourlives.com

Paramount Pictures released The Devil Inside on January 6th. If you still haven’t had the chance to check it out, we have some passes to give away during its theatrical engagement.

Official Synopsis:

In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley) confessing that she had brutally killed three people. 20 years later, her daughter Isabella (Fernanda Andrade) seeks to understand the truth about what happened that night. She travels to the Centrino Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Italy where her mother has been locked away to determine if her mother is mentally ill or demonically possessed. When she recruits two young exorcists (Simon Quarterman and Evan Helmuth) to cure her mom using unconventional methods combining both science and religion, they come face-to-face with pure evil in the form of four powerful demons possessing Maria…Many have been possessed by one; only one has been possessed by many.

All we ask you to do is:

• “Like” us on Facebook
• Tell us what compels (pun encouraged) you to see this film.

We previously reported on the North American release of Battle Royale on DVD & Blu-Ray. Amazon.com has the Blu-Ray of the Complete Collection which includes Battle Royale and Battle Royale II on Blu-Ray along with 2 hours of special features. Simply click on the image below to pre-order the Blu-Ray which is set to release on March 20, 2012

Battle Royale: The Complete Collection’s four disc set Blu-ray set will include:

• Battle Royale Director’s Cut

  with Japanese Dolby TrueHD 7.1, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, and English subtitles.

• Battle Royale Theatrical Cut

  with Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, and English subtitles.

• Battle Royale II

  with Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and English subtitles.

• Battle Royale

  Bonus disc (DVD).

The bonus DVD will feature:

• The Making Of Battle Royale
• Battle Royale  Press Conference
• Instructional Video: Birthday Version
• Audition & Rehearsal Footage
• Special Effects Comparison Featurette
• Tokyo International Film Festival 2000
• Battle Royale Documentary
• Basketball Scene Rehearsals
• Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
• Filming On-Set
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Special Edition TV Spot
• TV Spot: Tarantino Version

No, it’s not a new movie, but it’s an awesome new design from our buddies over at Fright -Rags. Just in time for this month’s upcoming Friday The 13^th (does anyone still show the marathons?) Fright-Rags is releasing a limited edition t-shirt for guys and girls showing a combination of one of America’s icons of horror ‘Jason Voorhees’ and our beloved miniature soldiers from the 80’s, G.I. Joe.  Not only is the image itself pretty cool, but it truly pays homage to my childhood growing up with these two figures. Both are in a league of their own. They will only be available for three days, starting this Friday. Check out the press release from Fright- Rags and click the link below to secure one of those before they are gone.

“Just like any other kid growing up in the 80s, my childhood was a blur of action figures, sugary cereals, cold war paranoia, Saturday morning cartoons, and of course horror films. All of which I ate up like a good little consumer and much of it has shaped the way I am today. These days we are inundated with endless channels of stimulation and I can’t help but look back at that bygone era with misty-eyed fondness, as it was a much simpler time.

So, in celebration of another Friday the 13th, I felt it was a perfect time to pay homage to arguably the biggest slasher of the 80s, and mix in another element from my childhood for a mash-up of epic proportions that would make my inner 10 year old squeal with excitement. For me, it sums up the majority of my childhood in one image…and I hope you dig it as well.

Purchase the shirt from here: http://www.fright-rags.com/teaser/gi-jason-teaser.html

Shirts are 25.95 and hoodies are also available for 45.95.

Chicago is our bigger Midwestern brother. They are only about 5 hours away from St. Louis and tend to get all the cool stuff. Some well known names from the Chicago area are creating a two day film festival for independent horror and with the names involved, I only expect quality. Hell, if it wasn’t a week after my birthday, I would possibly travel up there to check it out. Just because I can’t make it doesn’t mean you can’t check it out. Also, this could be a big break for you aspiring horror filmmakers out there, regardless of your location.

From the Press Release:

Chicago may be known as the “Second City”, but Chicago-based Horror Enterprises Flashback Weekend (Horror Conventions & Drive-In Film Fests), Horror Society (web based horror news & Horror film fests), Sinister Visions (horror website & graphic design), and Zombie Army Productions (Haunted House design & film production), are working to establish Chicago as the 1st city of Horror!

The weekend of April 13-14, 2012, these four Titans of the Chicago Horror Community and Muvico Theaters are teaming up to present CHICAGO FEAR FEST, a major two day indie horror film festival. All of the festival selections will screen at Chicago’s premiere movie going experience; the Muvico Theaters Rosemont 18 located in Rosemont, IL.

CHICAGO FEAR FEST will showcase the very best in cutting edge independent horror films. The lineup will include short films, feature films, celebrity guests, panel discussions, and Q & A’s. Festival after-parties will be held in Bogart’s, a full service bar and grill located on the second floor of the Muvico Theaters Rosemont 18.

Films will be judged based in 3 different categories: Best Feature, Best Short and Audience Favorite. The winning director of each category will be invited to appear as a featured celebrity guest at the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention to be held August 10-12, 2012 in Rosemont, IL.

CHICAGO FEAR FEST will be a celebration of the art of indie horror film making by encouraging and supporting independent filmmakers from around the world. CHICAGO FEAR FEST and Muvico Theaters are committed to promoting excellence in independent filmmaking by fostering a community of filmmakers and encouraging an appreciation of independent film.

We are accepting film submissions from horror filmmakers now! This is your chance to get your film screened in Chicago in front of an audience of high profile media, film critics, film-making industry professionals, and horror fans!

For more information about the festival and for film submission, please visit our website at WWW.CHICAGOFEARFEST.COM and follow us on facebook and twitter!!

Chris Gorak’s follow up to his film Right At Your Door from 2006 is an alien invasion film called The Darkest Hour and Destroy the Brain has some free passes to give away so you can see it for free and before anyone else. All you have to do is follow a few simple steps for your chance to win.

Starring Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor, and Joel Kinnaman, the film follows five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The 3D action-thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects from the minds of visionary filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (WANTED, NIGHT WATCH) and director Chris Gorak.

Contest Rules

• You must be a St. Louis Resident or in town during the screening (December 22nd@ 7pm).
• “Like” us on Facebook (click here to go to our Facebook page).
• Leave a comment below giving us and readers what your favorite Alien Invasion film is.
• When you leave a comment below, please make sure you enter in your email address. If you connect via Facebook, we won’t be able to contact you if you are a winner. DO NOT CONNECT VIA FACEBOOK.

Screening Info:

Thursday, December 22nd
Time: 7PM
Location: Ronnie’s 20 Cine

Winners will be chosen at random no later than Wednesday, December 21st at 7pm CST. No Purchase Neccessary. Passes cannot be duplicated, substituted or exchanged. No Purchase Necessary .

Destroy the Brain is happy to give you the opportunity to see one of the year’s highly anticipated films, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, before its release on December 21st for free! This is only available to our St. Louis residents.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first film in Columbia Pictures’ and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ three-picture adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s literary blockbuster The Millennium Trilogy. Directed by David Fincher and starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the film is based on the first novel in the trilogy, which altogether have sold 65 million copies in 46 countries and become a worldwide phenomenon. The screenplay is by Steven Zaillian. The producers are Scott Rudin, Ole Søndberg, Søren Stærmose, and Ceán Chaffin.

The cast includes Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick Van Wageningen, and Joely Richardson.

Visit the film’s official site: http://www.dragontattoo.com/site/
“Like” the film on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DragonTattoo
Follow it on Twitter: @DragonTattoo

Contest Rules

• You must be a St. Louis Resident or in town during the screening (December 19th @ 7pm)
• “Like” us on Facebook (click here to go to our Facebook page)
• Leave a comment below giving us and readers a reason on why you are excited to see the film.
• When you leave a comment below, please make sure you enter in your email address. If you connect via Facebook, we won’t be able to contact you if you are a winner. DO NOT CONNECT VIA FACEBOOK.

Screening Info:

Monday, December 19th
Time: 7PM
Location: Will Be Given to the Winners

Winners will be chosen at random no later than Sunday, December 18th at 7pm CST. No Purchase Neccessary. Passes cannot be duplicated, substituted or exchanged. No Purchase Necessary .

One of the main things I look for when reading horror news is what no one is talking about. What’s a different story that you aren’t seeing on every website? Hoping to make sure that DTB stands out from the rest is why I’m here. Every once in a while I come across something that’s stands out beyond compare. Ladies and gentlemen, this is it.

Fan concept art is one of my favorite things to look at. Nothing is better than taking that art and applying it to something familiar that people will look at and not only respect but also say, “Wow.” So when I saw these awesome Chuck Taylor’s with designs from Breaking Bad, Dexter and The Walking Dead, a nice smirk came across my face.

Back in October there was a bunch of concept art floating around on various websites for the holiday and I came across a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor shoes on my Tumblr feed that had a zombie design that read The Walking Dead in the background. I instantly responded back to the post asking who did these and where can I find them. They never responded so it was nice to see this story come across the news with an all new look and design.

The creator of these awesome shoes is a website called Tauntr.com that specializes in making sport shirt designs to tick off the opposing fans. I am happy to announce these shoes are now for a sale for a pricey $85.00 a pair. It would be a great collector’s item for any fan of these shows (I am of all three), and what a Christmas gift it would be. Check out the pics below after the official press release from the website on the shoes and look for more of these types of shoes in the near future. To purchase these shoes go to http://tauntr.myshopify.com/collections/all

Official press release:

In October of 2011, Tauntr.com released a series of original custom Converse Chuck Taylor shoe mockups featuring illustrations by artist Jonny etc. that featured characters from popular television shows. The demand for the shoes was incredible and soon the website was bombarded with e-mails from fans looking to purchase the custom shoes. However, Tauntr sadly lacked the resources to produce the shoes themselves.

That was, of course, until The Ave Venice stepped in with their patented custom shoe printing wizardry. Thanks to the Ave Venice, Tauntr’s once elusive shoe designs have now become a reality. The custom kicks that everyone wanted, but couldn’t have, are now finally available for sale!

Now that Tauntr and the Ave Venice have joined forces, you can expect a full catalog of pop culture inspired, custom-designed apparel that you won’t find anywhere else.

 

Black Friday will host some great deals on DVD’s & Blu-Ray’s. Amazon.com, luckily, is making it easier for you not to deal with the crazies by giving you some of the best Black Friday deals before Black Friday. These deals only last four hours and go on all week. We will be authoring a post for every deal you might be interested in. Previously, The Crow Blu-Ray was $5. Not bad for a product that has been out for a month. Next up is Pulp Fiction and I’m already extremely jealous of those of you who will be getting this for the low price of $4 as I paid full price. The good news is that the transfer and all the supplemental material arewell worth the price I paid so you are getting this for a steal at $4! Hurry, this deal is only good until 10:30pm CST supplies last. For example, The Crow sold out in less than 8 minutes!

The $4 Pulp Fiction Blu-Ray will be available at 6:30 CST!

Buy the Blu-Ray Now!

Look, we all know that at the end of the week Black Friday will rear its head. If you want true horror, just wake up early enough to see people fight tooth and nail for a small supply of substandard HDTV’s. This year, most stores are opening around Midnight instead of the wee hours of the morning. I participated in my first Black Friday last year and the experience was pretty amusing. I was able to get a 2TB WD External Hard Drive for under $70 and I bought my Blu-Ray Player that year as well. What some people don’t realize is the majority of the deals can be purchased for the same price on Amazon.com.

There are some decent movie deals in various stores this Black Friday but Amazon is actually price matching some of them throughout the week and we at Destroy the Brain have decided to remind you when movies you might be interested in are available for dirt cheap prices! These prices are only available for a short amount of time, usually only 4 hours. Click on the Blu-Ray cover or the button below to order it now! If you get/have Amazon Prime, this deal is a no-brainer, as long as you like the film. If not, pad your order over $25 to receive free shipping or pay the shipping price as you would still be getting a hell of a deal since this Blu-Ray regularly costs $11.99.

These deals only last for a certain amount of time and may end before the 4 hours. As of 2:35 CST, ‘The Crow’ Blu-Ray has already sold 90% of the inventory allowed. Five more minutes and I’m sure this deal will be no longer.

Update: 2:38pm – The Lightning Deal has ended with 100% of the inventory claimed. You can still purchase it for $12.

Buy the Blu-Ray Now!

Where would some of our favorite horror sequences be without their musical accompaniment?  It goes without saying that the right music not only sets the tone of the film, but it can be just as important as the cinematography, actors, locations, and so on.  One of my favorite composers currently working in the horror genre is Jeff Grace.  As if assisting Howard Shore on The Lord of the Rings films wasn’t enough, the man has won numerous awards and accolades for his musical compositions.  His most recent work can be found in the pitch-perfect  Ti West film The Innkeepers.

Screen Archives, a website dedicated to providing film fans with rare and limited edition releases of soundtracks, DVDs, and Blu-rays (they will soon be putting out the long awaited original Fright Night on Blu-ray), is having a major sale on a handful of movie soundtracks from their catalog.  Sure enough, some of Jeff Grace’s haunting scores can be found in this sale.  By clicking right HERE, you can browse the many CDs on sale that begin at only $2.99!  Some of the movie soundtracks that are on sale that Jeff Grace provided music to is Trigger Man, The Roost, I Sell the Dead, and House of the Devil.  Aside from those, you will also be able to find many other film scores at bargain based prices.  A sale this good is music to my ears.

You can find out more info about Jeff Grace by visiting his website here.

Source: Screen Archives

Beginning today, SLIFF, the St. Louis International Film Festival, celebrates its 20th year honoring feature films, short films, animation, and documentaries.  The Tivoli Theater, Plaza Frontenac, Webster University, and Washington University play host once again this year.  From Nov. 10 – 20, the “Gateway to the West” will welcome many acclaimed films and filmmakers that will undoubtedly be some of the films on everyone’s top lists at the end of the year.  Some of the most anticipated films playing the festival include, The Artist, A Dangerous Method, Shame, The Descendants, and We Need to Talk About Kevin. Oscar buzz has already been generated by a few of these films from previous festival appearances.  Some of these films playing the festival may not appeal to the “genre” loving readers of this site.  That is why, we here at Destroy the Brain! have gone through the 400 plus films being presented and have spotlighted the ones most of you would be interested in.

9: 06

Showing:
Mon. Nov. 14, 9:15, Plaza Frontenac

A police inspector investigates an unusual suicide case. The investigation develops into an obsession, inspector starts living in the apartment of the deceased, digging through his life and gradually taking over his identity.

96 Minutes

Fri. Nov. 11, 9:30, Tivoli

The story of 4 lives slammed together in a shocking moment. Intercutting between a carjacking and the separate stories of the 4 kids, we watch as they hurtle toward a life-changing end.

Burke and Hare

Fri. Nov. 11, 7:15, Plaza Frontenac
Sun. Nov. 13, 12:30, Plaza Frontenac

A black comedy from director John Landis (American Werewolf in London, Animal House) about two 19th century grave robbers who find a lucrative business providing cadavers for an Edinburgh medical school.

A Dangerous Method

Fri. Nov. 11, 7:00, Plaza Frontenac

A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.  From famed director David Cronenberg, who previously gave us Scanners, Videodrome, Dead Ringers, and History of Violence.

Headhunters

Thurs. Nov. 17, 9:30, Plaza Frontenac
Fri. Nov. 18, 2:15, Plaza Frontenac

An accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary.  Based off of a thrilling book from popular Swedish crime writer Jo Nesbo (The Snowman).

The Man in the Maze

Sat. Nov. 19, 10:30, Tivoli

While doing research in the woods, four college friends find a cursed Indian burial mound and find themselves trapped in a mysterious maze, followed by a terrifying force.

Pig

Sun. Nov. 13, 1:30, Tivoli

A man wakes up alone in the middle of the desert with a black hood on his head and his hands tied behind his back. Upon regaining consciousness, the man realizes he has amnesia, and has no idea who he is. His only clue, a piece of paper in his pocket with the name “Manny Elder” on it, sends him on a journey to Los Angeles to discover his past.

Radio Free Albemuth

Sat. Nov. 12, 7:00, Tivoli

The story is set in an alternate reality America circa 1985 under the authoritarian control of President Fremont, a Nixon-like clone (Scott Wilson).  Not only is this an adaptation of a Phillip K. Dick novel,but the science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick himself (Shea Whigam) plays a character in the film as well. A trippy, dangerous political-mystical conspiracy of cosmic proportions ensues.

Shuffle

Sun. Nov. 20, 6:30, Tivoli

Lovell Milo suddenly begins to experience his life out of chronological sequence.  Everyday he wakes up at a different age.  Kind of like if The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was actually good.

Tyrannosaur

Fri. Nov. 11, 9:15, Plaza Frontenac
Sun. Nov. 13, 7:30, Plaza Frontenac

Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction, earns a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker.  Actor Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, In America) makes his feature length debut.

We Need to Talk about Kevin

Sat. Nov. 12, 6:00, Plaza Frontenac

Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly play parents dealing with a troubled boy as he grows from infancy to his teenage years.  If you read anything more about this film (such as the description on IMDB) it will give away what seems to be a critical point in the film.

World on a Wire

Sun. Nov. 13, 6:30, Webster University

The three hour plus long sci-fi classic was previously released as a two-part mini-series abroad in 1973.  Now, a recently restored version is making its way to the states.  Somewhere in the future there is a computer project called Simulacron which is able to simulate a full featured reality.  Fans of Kubrick, Vonnegut, and Dick should make note of this epic film.

As always, SLIFF  will also hold its Shorts programs as well.  The “horror” grouping will be held Nov. 11 at 9:45 at the Tivoli.  While another one worth noting is the “absurd” grouping shown Nov. 20 at 8:15 at Plaza Frontenac.

Well . . . there you have it.  SLIFF 2011 has, yet again, a wide array of films that should please the palette of those who are looking for something a little different than your typical film festival features.  For more info about the festival and its many screenings, you can head on over to their official website by clicking HERE.  Hopefully the fest continues to be a success this year as well, and it can only do so by viewers like you.  So go out and celebrate St. Louis and its film community by going to one of these many upcoming events!

In honor of Halloween and the many fantastic events that are happening around St. Louis this week, we here at Destroy the Brain will be spotlighting a different Halloween themed event every day this week.  St. Louis is a city that loves the haunting holiday, and what is better than joining in in the fun by partaking in one of these horror themed happenings.

The subject of persecution and nonacceptance of a “stranger” entering a new community has been tackled in film, books, and stage productions for years.  Though many of these stories sometimes fall to the side of melodrama, a few stand out as touching accounts that reflect our own society.  Thankfully, Bat Boy: The Musical, a story by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming and music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe, is able to touch on these complex issues while also infusing some effective humor.  If the name Bat Boy sounds familiar to you, you may recall hearing about the story of a half bat- half boy that made the “Weekly World News” back in 1992. The horrific creature’s face was plastered across the front of the paper exploiting this “poor boy” to sell papers.  News later came out that the story was fictitious and made up by the editor at the time.  Yet, the fanged character has continued to live on as a cultural icon on and off the stage.  Bat Boy: The Musical tells the tale of the creature being discovered in a cave and taken in by a veterinarian and his family in a small town.  The musical plays up the town’s fear of the horrific creature even though his family attempts to civilize him and present him as an upstanding member of society.  What’s scarier, the pointy-eared, pale skin, and sharp fanged boy, or the judgmental town?

Witness the horror yourself when Bat Boy: The Musical is presented at Lindenwood University this week and next.  Performance are at 7:30 at the Emerson Black Box Theater Oct. 27-29 and Nov. 2-4.  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased HERE.

Call (636) 949-4433 for more information.

In honor of Halloween and the many fantastic events that are happening around St. Louis this week, we here at Destroy the Brain will be spotlighting a different Halloween themed event every day this week.  St. Louis is a city that loves the haunting holiday, and what is better than joining in in the fun by partaking in one of these horror themed happenings.

There is so much to do this coming haunted weekend that it’s hard to nail down just one event to do.  Amidst all the Halloween themed parties and scary movie screenings, one event stands (on two legs adorned with high-heels) as being a truly unique horror happening.  Turn the Other Cheek Burlesque Review will be presenting their “Halloween Spectacular” at the Handle Bar this Saturday, October 30th from 10:00 – 1:00am.  The $5 cover not only gets you a peek at a little bit of skin but will also give you a treat for your ears with music by Googolplexia.

Turn the Other Cheek Burlesque “is a core group of badass women (& men) and a revolving cast of musicians, emcees, and novelty performers, we entertain our audiences with unconventional strip tease, pointe dancing, tap dancing, joke telling, music performance and composition, skit performin’, baton twirling, and some gender bending, all with the idea of celebrating and deconstructing the strange affliction known as humanity.”

If you enjoy a well rounded variety of talented ghosts and ghouls, make sure to head to the Handle Bar this Saturday night.  Located at 4127 Manchester, the Handle Bar is a bicycle themed-bar that opened in 2010.  Beyond just the allure of entertaining performers, the evening will have an added bonus with $4 Jameson’s.  They clearly know what us thirsty horror fans drink.  If you are looking for some live entertainment this Halloween, this horrific event should be right up your alley.

For more info, check out their Facebook page HERE.

In honor of Halloween and the many fantastic events that are happening around St. Louis this week, we here at Destroy the Brain will be spotlighting a different Halloween themed event every day this week.  St. Louis is a city that loves the haunting holiday, and what is better than joining in in the fun by partaking in one of these horror themed happenings.

Earlier this month, Destroy the Brain showed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as part of its Late Nite Grindhouse program at the Hi-Pointe Theatre here in St. Louis, Missouri. The film still holds potency after 37 years. Now, Scott Ford is bringing John Dugan, the man who played Grandpa, to St. Louis for a glorious hootenanny called Texas Chainsaw Halloween Hootenanny!

Scott Ford runs one of the largest movie memorabilia businesses in the midwest and he can’t wait for everyone in the St. Louis area to meet Grandpa! Not only that but there will be live bands playing this show as well. The bands are Dead Dick Hammer & the T.B.A. Band who hail from Kentucky. You can listen to a sample of songs on their ReverbNation which is some great rockabilly horror music. Also playing is St. Louis’ own The Saw is Family which is old school rock with humorous lyrics.

Also, our good friend Tom Stockman will be showing the 8mm version of Texas Chain Saw Massacre throughout the night! A Ed Gein Look-Alike Contest and the first 40 people in the door get an Ed Gein paper-stick mask!

You can check out Scott’s website at SCOTTFORDSDRIVEINGRAPHICS.COM. All the info for the show is down below as well as some YouTube videos featuring both bands.

Show Info

Friday, October 28th
The Texas Chainsaw Halloween Hootenanny
at The Way Out Club (2525 Jefferson)

Live Music with Dead Dick Hammer & The TBA and The Saw is Family

Tickets are $10

The Saw Is Family – “Mean Mother Trucker” (Live at KDHX)

Dead Dick Hammer – “Last Call”

In honor of Halloween and the many fantastic events that are happening around St. Louis this week, we here at Destroy the Brain will be spotlighting a different Halloween themed event every day this week.  St. Louis is a city that loves the haunting holiday, and what is better than joining in in the fun by partaking in one of these horror themed happenings. Today, we are taking a look at an event that is happening this Friday and Saturday at Powell Hall.  Following last year’s hugely successful evening where the St. Louis Symphony played live accompanying music to Alfred Hitchcocks’s ‘Psycho‘, the symphony will be returning to perform along with the Lon Chaney classic ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’

Lon Chaney is known as the “man of a thousand faces.” This reputation and talent started early on in his life as he was forced to utilize his hands and face for communication with his deaf parents. The  ’Phantom’ in 1925 and ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ in 1923 are known as the two most iconic roles in over 150 films the actor appeared in.  His ghastly skull-like make-up in ‘Phantom’ is seen as one of the most terrifying images in horror history.  To this day, this original silent version of the novel by Gaston Leroux is the best adaptation of the hopelessly in love, disfigured, and troubled man, that lurks deep below the Paris Opera House.

The 1925 silent horror classic will be shown Oct. 28 and 29 at 7:30.  Tickets are $30-55 and can be purchased at stlsymphony.org or by calling 314-534-1700.  Ward Stare, the Resident Composer at the Symphony, will oversee the orchestration of the evening.  I was lucky enough to attend last year’s amazing ’Psycho’ accompaniment, and am thoroughly excited that I will be continuing the tradition this year with ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’  The beauty of Powell Hall in conjunction with the operatic music and Gothic film imagery will create a unique evening that should appeal to horror fans both young and old.

The guys over at Capcom have been busy these last few weeks and DTB’s own horror game connoisseur has been intrigued from the start.  First up is the 15th anniversary of the highly successful Resident Evil Franchise. To celebrate this franchise Capcom has been releasing HD versions of their games, hosting zombie shooting parties in Japan, and now they have released a limited edition T-shirt to celebrate the trials and tribulations of Raccoon City. This limited edition shirt can only be found at Capcom’s official store and looks to sell out soon. For 19.95 plus s&h you can show your love of the T-Virus to all your friends.

Here is the press release from Capcom:

“Celebrate 15 years of the t-virus with your very own Resident Evil™ 15th Anniversary T-Shirt. This clever design is exclusively available in the Capcom Store!”

The shirt looks great, and we included a snap shot of it below. In other Resident Evil news, the highly anticipated Operation Raccoon City that was set to release at the end of this year for the holiday season doesn’t look like it will hit the shelves until way into 2012. Once we get an official release date we will let you know.

Destroy the Brain’s monthly midnight program, LATE NITE GRINDHOUSE, is treating St. Louisian’s to a bonus show this month in conjunction with Blue Underground to celebrate the newly restored version of Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE being released on Blu-Ray! Normally, our shows are the first full weekend of every month but we couldn’t pass this one up. Plus, who would complain about two shows in October, a month when everyone is in the mood for horror. LATE NITE GRINDHOUSE is exclusively at The Hi-Pointe Theatre. Below the Press Release, you can RSVP via Facebook and get all the details. We will have issues of Paracinema Magazine and even a special t-shirt a local designer made up in tribute of Fulci’s Italian undead masterpiece.

From the Press Release:

Experience the Italian horror maestro’s gore classic
as you’ve never seen or heard it before,
digitally restored and remastered!

Blue Underground is bringing its digitally restored and remastered version of Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE to theaters across the U.S. and Canada this month. The exclusive midnight screenings give fans the chance to experience Fulci’s horror classic as it’s never been seen or heard before in advance of Blue Underground’s release of ZOMBIE on Blu-ray disc.

A listing of theaters and dates is attached; all screenings will take place on October 21 & 22, 2011, except where noted. Theaters and showtimes are online now at: http://www.blue-underground.com/zombie

“Like” it on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Underground-Presents-Lucio-Fulcis-Zombie/163552143731516

The late, great Lucio Fulci is known to horror fans for such wildly imaginative and outrageously gory films as THE BEYOND, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, and CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD; his influence continues to be felt in the work of contemporary genre directors including Eli Roth (HOSTEL, CABIN FEVER) and Guillermo del Toro (HELLBOY, PAN’S LABYRINTH).

Originally released in Italy as an unofficial sequel to DAWN OF THE DEAD, Fulci’s ZOMBIE is arguably the director’s most popular movie and remains one of the most eye-skewering, skin-ripping, gore-gushingly graphic horror hits of all time! ZOMBIE stars Tisa Farrow (THE GRIM REAPER), Ian McCulloch (CONTAMINATION), Al Cliver (CANNIBALS), and Richard Johnson (THE HAUNTING).

Blue Underground is proud to present ZOMBIE in a new 2K High Definition transfer from the original uncut and uncensored camera negative. Each frame has been lovingly restored to perfection under the supervision of cinematographer Sergio Salvati (THE BEYOND), and the soundtrack has been remastered in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound to create the most pristine, mind-blowing version of the movie ever seen.

“We are very excited about this theatrical release of ZOMBIE,” says Blue Underground founder and president William Lustig. “We spent hundreds of hours working by hand to restore every frame of the movie. When we premiered our restoration of the film at Fantastic Fest in Austin, fans told us that ZOMBIE looks like it was made yesterday!”

Blue Underground’s Ultimate Edition of ZOMBIE will be released as a 2-Disc Blu-ray and 2-Disc DVD on October 25, 2011.

“When I first saw ZOMBIE, my mind exploded! After the movie ended, I didn’t know if I had dreamed it, because surely such movies didn’t exist! You are about to see a movie that is created by one of the most brilliant minds in the genre, that is full of ‘Oh, my God!’ moments that you will not believe….visceral satisfaction fully guaranteed! Fulci was a ferocious mind, and ZOMBIE is his most savage movie.”

– Guillermo del Toro, director of Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth

“One of the all-time great horror classics, Fulci’s ZOMBIE contains the greatest scene ever committed to celluloid, and that is a zombie fighting a shark. Fulci put a stuntman dressed as a zombie in a tank with a live shark and made them fight – it’s one of the craziest, most insane and irresponsible scenes ever put on film. This was 1980, years before CG. And the zombie wins! To this day, nobody knows how in the hell he did it, it’s simply jaw-dropping. There’s nothing you will see in any modern zombie movie that comes close to what Fulci did in 1980. Viva Fulci!”

– Eli Roth, director of Hostel and Cabin Fever

For more information about Blue Underground, visit www.blue-underground.com.
Follow Blue Underground on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/BLUnderground.

RSVP to Late Nite Grindhouse Presents: ZOMBIE

RSVP for Friday’s Show here
RSVP for Saturday’s Show here

Listing of theatres outside of St. Louis

October 21^st & 22^nd
(except where otherwise noted)

ALBUQUERQUE Guild Cinema (Oct. 28 & 29) ATLANTA Plaza Theatre (9:30pm, Oct. 21 only) AUSTIN Alamo The Ritz (9:30pm, Oct. 24 & 7:00pm, Oct. 31) AUSTIN Alamo S. Lamar (7:00pm, Oct. 30) BOSTON Coolidge Corner Theatre CHICAGO Music Box Theatre CLEVELAND Capitol Theatre (Oct. 15) DALLAS Landmark Inwood Theatre DENVER Landmark Esquire DETROIT Landmark Main Art HOUSTON Landmark River Oaks JACKSONVILLE, FL 5 Points Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only) KANSAS CITY Tivoli Cinemas (9:00pm) LAS VEGAS Theatre 7 (7:00pm, Oct. 31) LAWRENCE, KS Liberty Hall (10:00pm, Oct. 21 only) LOS ANGELES New Beverly Cinema MESA, AZ The Royale (10:00pm, Oct. 21 & 9:00pm, Oct. 22) MINNEAPOLIS Landmark Uptown (Nov. 4 & 5) NEW YORK CITY Landmark’s Sunshine

OTTAWA, ONTARIO Mayfair Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only) PHILADELPHIA Landmark Ritz Bourse (10:00pm) PITTSBURGH The Oaks Theater (11:59pm, Oct. 21 & 7:00pm, Oct. 22) PORTLAND, OR Hollywood Theatre (9:30pm) SACRAMENTO Crest Theatre SAN ANTONIO Alamo Westlakes (10:00pm) SAN DIEGO Landmark Ken Cinema SAN FRANCISCO Roxie Theater (Various Times, Oct. 29 – 31) SEATTLE Landmark Egyptian (Ian McCulloch in person on Oct. 21!) ST. LOUIS Hi-Pointe Theatre ST. PETE BEACH, FL The Beach Theatre TORONTO The Revue Cinema (Oct. 22 & 31) TUCSON, AZ The Loft Cinema WASHINGTON, D.C. Landmark E Street Cinema WICHITA, KS Warren Old Town Theater (7:00 & 9:00pm, Oct. 24 & 25) WINCHESTER, VA Alamo Drafthouse Winchester WINNIPEG, MANITOBA Park Theatre Cafe (8:00pm, Oct. 13) YELLOW SPRINGS, OH Little Art Theatre (9:00pm, Oct. 22 only)

It’s October which means it is time for another Paranormal Activity entry. We have tons of passes to give away for our St. Louis readers. Not only do you get to see it on us but you get to see it before anyone else in St. Louis can (unless we are the Top 20 Tweet campaign). You can also read our advance review of PA3 here (*of note: we were shown a “pretty final” version of the film).

How to Enter:

• You Must “Like” DestroytheBrain.com on Facebook (click here to “Like” us)
• Answer the following: What are the names of the two little girls in Paranormal Activity 3 (hint: they are the female characters featured in PA 1 & 2)?
• When you leave your answer in our comments section, you must sign up with your full name and a valid email address. If this isn’t done, you will not be qualified.

IF THERE ARE MORE ENTRIES THAN 20, WE WILL SELECT WINNERS AT RANDOM. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PASSES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED. DUPLICATE TICKETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Screening Info:

Wednesday, October 19
Ronnie’s 20 Cine
9PM

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 is produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli and Steven Schneider and directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman from a screenplay by Christopher Landon. Follow PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TweetYourScream for audience reactions and important announcements.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 will be in theaters October 21, 2011.

Visit the official film’s site: http://www.paranormalmovie.com.

“Like the movie on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paranormalactivity

NOW ADD THEM ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE SCARES!
www.YouTube.com/ParanormalActivity

Today’s Diabolical Deal is an Amazon Deal of the Day. Therefore, this deal is only good for today so act quickly.

You can get the Twin Peaks Complete Series for under $36! This includes the Pilot and the First & Second Seasons. If you have never seen Twin Peaks, I highly recommend it. It is still very unique, albeit being a little dated.

This deal is highly recommended!

Buy it Today @ Amazon.com

Special Features

For those of you that have recently upgraded to Blu, you know that there are some flicks that need to be upgraded and there are some you might be on the fence about. The Others was a good old fashioned ghost story told right. Amazon.com has the The Others and Blu-Ray for under $6!

Academy Award © winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours, Moulin Rouge!) delivers an utterly unforgettable performance in this chilling and stylish suspense thriller! While awaiting her husband’s return from war, Grace (Kidman) and her two young children live an unusually isolated existence behind the locked doors and drawn curtains of a secluded island mansion. Then, when three mysterious servants arrive it becomes frighteningly clear that there is far more to this house than meets the eye. Acclaimed by critics everywhere, the unpredictable twists and turns of this compelling hit will keep you guessing!

Buy it below!

October is here! One of our favorite months of the year usually brings some horror films to the big screen. This month, the prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing, is released in theaters and we have 10 pairs of passes to give out to our readers.

Synopsis:

Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost where a discovery full of scientific possibility becomes a mission of survival when an alien is unearthed by a crew of international scientists. In the thriller The Thing, paranoia spreads among a group of researchers as they encounter something inhuman that has the ability to turn itself into an exact replica of any living being. Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago, but it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew’s pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish.

The Thing serves as a prelude to John Carpenter’s classic 1982 film of the same name. Directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen, the thriller is produced by Strike Entertainment’s Marc Abraham and Eric Newman (Dawn of the Dead)

THE THING has been rated R for strong creature violence and gore, disturbing images and language.OPENS NATIONWIDE OCTOBER 14

How to Win the Passes

• “Like” DestroytheBrain.com on Facebook
• Leave a comment below reminiscing the first time you saw John Carpenter’s The Thing (Make sure you use a valid email address so we can email you the passes)

Screening Info

Tuesday, October 11, 2011
7pm
Ronnie’s 20 Cine

No Purchase Necessary

If you are a winner, we will email you the passes by 5pm Central on October 10. Good Luck!

We have another ticket giveaway for you! This time it is for the new psychological thriller, Dream House which stars Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz. The film is directed by Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father, In America). Destroy the Brain has some Admit Two passes to give out to our readers. All you need to do is leave an answer to our question below in the comments section.

What is the scariest house you have had to stay in?

Screening Info:

Thursday, September 29th at 10pm @ Ronnie’s 20 Cine

In order to Qualify to win the tickets, you need to follow these rules:

• “Like” Us on Facebook

• Leave the answer to the question above in the Comments section. Be sure to use a valid email address so we can contact you if you won.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Synopsis:

Some say that all houses have memories. For one man, his home is the place he would kill to forget. Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts star in “Dream House,” a suspense thriller about a family that unknowingly moves into a home where several grisly murders were committed…only to find themselves the killer’s next target.

Successful publisher Will Atenton (Craig) quit a job in New York City to relocate his wife, Libby (Weisz), and two girls to a quaint New England town. But as they settle into their new life, they discover their perfect home was the murder scene of a mother and her children. And the entire city believes it was at the hands of the husband who survived.

When Will investigates the tragedy, his only lead comes from Ann Paterson (Watts), a neighbor who was close to the family that died. As Will and Ann piece together the disturbing puzzle, they discover that the story of the last man to leave Will’s dream house will be just as horrifying to the one who came next.

DREAM HOUSE has been rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13) for violence, terror, some sexuality and brief strong language.

DREAM HOUSE opens nationwide on Friday, September 30.

Winners will be notified on the morning of September 29.

We have had a good history with Wicked Pixel Cinema. They are one of the few film companies in St. Louis and as a fan and a long time follower – ever since Savage Harvest – we will support anything that the WPC crew does. Wicked Pixel will be having a DVD Release party this weekend in St. Louis and Destroy The Brain & Wicked Pixel are hoping you can make it out! Check out the full details for the party beyond the break.

From the Press Release:

The Koken Art Factory (2500 Ohio Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri) will host the RATLINE DVD Release Bash on Saturday, September 17th, 2011.

RATLINE is the new motion picture by award-winning director Eric Stanze (DEADWOOD PARK, SCRAPBOOK). The DVD of RATLINE will be released officially on September 20th, but you will be able to purchase your copy (at a discounted price) at this show on the 17th. This is the ONLY place the DVD will be for sale before September 20th – so don’t miss your opportunity to own it before the rest of Planet Earth! Performing live at the September 17th RATLINE DVD Release Bash will be devil-rockers Sons Of Black Mass. These ghoul-punk metal fiends can be heard in the film RATLINE and on the soundtrack of a previous Eric Stanze film, ICE FROM THE SUN. The RATLINE DVD Release Bash will represent the one and only live performance of Sons Of Black Mass this year. Punk rock hooligans Ded Bugs will open. So don’t miss it!

Doors are at 8:30. Show starts at 9:00. $5 gets you in. 21 and up only.

For more info, visit:
www.kokenartfactory.com
www.wickedpixel.com

RATLINE Story Synopsis:

Before the fall of Nazi Germany, the most sacred relic of the Nazi party, the Blood Flag,
went missing. This cherished object possessed supernatural powers, infused by the occult
experimentation of the SS Paranormal Division. The flag’s current condition and whereabouts
are unknown. Today, the search for the missing Blood Flag is on, and one man – with diabolical
intentions – is getting closer to its hiding place. The flag is about to be unearthed – with
nightmarish, blood-soaked consequences.

RATLINE stars Emily Haack, Jason Christ, Ryan Bax, Joseph R. Engel, DJ Vivona, Paul
Wendell, Paul Lancia, and Stephen Potter.

 

Hope to see you there! For those technically inclined, you can view the film for $3 on Amazon via Amazon Video on Demand