Jack Thomas Smith Writer/Director Of Infliction

We had a chance to sit down with writer and director Jack Smith to talk about his up coming feature Infliction and whats next from Fox Trail Productions

Epic Horror-With eight years between films, what have yourself and Fox Trail Productions been doing ?

Jack Thomas Smith - That's a great question. I've been in development HELL!!! I had a verbal commitment for the financing for my action/horror feature "In The Dark", but then it fell through when the market tanked in 2008. From there, I scrambled to find

investors and dealt with two different studios to put together the project. But after endless rewrites and delays, I shifted my focus and efforts to "Infliction."

EH - What lessons have you taken away from music videos for your films and vica versa.

JTS - I always try to keep it true to the movie... And true to the artist's vision. For example, we shot a music video for my last film "Disorder." The artist's name is Purple Pam. She's a rocker from NYC. The song "Take Me Away" is a beautiful ballad and was a change of direction for her. The song dealt with suicide, so I incorporated Pam's vision and meaning behind the song with 
  the same locations that we shot the film. It really came out great and tied both the song and the movie together.

EH - With Fox Trail adding more movies to it's stable, what genre are you most comfortable with?

JTS - I love thrillers. I'm a big Brian DePalma guy. I love 
  films that have a tight story and keep you guessing... And then right when you think you have it figured out... There's a twist ending. I love complex characters and actually CARING about characters... That way it makes it so much more impactful when you lose them. With that being said, those are the types of films I like to make... Films that will keep you on the edge of your seat and will have you talking afterwards.

EH - With films like Disorder, Infliction,and your upcoming In The Dark, What do you look for in a horror movie?

JTS -  I love horror films that have a strong story and suspense. If the movie calls for gore... Awesome.  But if it's not necessary, then it's not necessary. Personally, gore doesn't scare me. Suspense is what scares me. I love when you're on the edge of your seat... You 

  have no idea what's coming next... It's the anticipation of what's to come that I find to be scarier than splatter in your face without that suspenseful buildup.

EH - Most overused horror cliches

JTS -  I hate when tension is building during a scene... And then a cat jumps out of nowhere. Can't stand that. Lol.

EH - Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking was not just a hobby, but that it would be your life and your living?

JTS - It's something that's always been in me. Writing and filmmaking is part of my DNA. It's all I know. When I was 8, I saw "Star Wars" and that absolutely blew me away. And shortly after that, I read "The Shining" by Stephen King and that knocked me off my feet as well. At a very young age, I wanted to write and make films. And as an adult, it's the only career I've ever pursued.

EH - How did growing up shape you as a filmmaker?

JTS - As a teenager, I obsessively 
  watched films by George Romero, John Carpenter, Martin Scorsese, Brian 
  DePalma, and Stanley Kubrick. I'd practically study their films... 
  Why did a particular scene work? How did they build the tension or develop the characters? Their styles of filmmaking were brilliant and helped set the moods of their films... But their styles never got in the way of the stories. It was during that time that my father bought me a super 8 movie camera and I started shooting horror shorts and comedy shorts with my brother and friends in my neighborhood. It was a lot of fun, but I also started to learn 
  the process even on such a small scale of working with actors, shooting coverage, locations, props, wardrobe, etc. We have those

old films on DVD and every once in a while we throw them on for a good laugh.

EH - Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

JTS - It's really hard to break into the 
  entertainment business. When I was in my early 20s, I had completed my first screenplay and shopped it around to everyone and anyone -- studios, agents, etc. I was rejected by everyone. At that time, I had been introduced to Ted Bohus, who is an indie feature film director and producer, and we talked about doing our own film for a small budget. So we did just that... I co-wrote the screenplay with Ted and he directed "The Regenerated Man",  which was a sci-fi/horror campy type of film. We made the film for a small amount of money that we were able to pull together ourselves and secured a nationwide video deal for double our investment when it was complete. But then from there, it took another three years to put together the money for the next 

film that I produced for John Russo, who co-wrote and produced the original "Night of the Living Dead." The name of that film was "Santa Claws" and it was about a guy in a Santa Claus costume running around killing people. John directed it and I produced it and we ultimately secured distribution. From there it took six years to pull together the financing for my next film "Disorder", which I wrote, produced, and directed. "Disorder" is a psychological thriller told from the perspective of a paranoid schizophrenic... So you don't know what's real and what isn't... And right when you think you have it figured out... There's a twist ending. "Disorder" was distributed on DVD by Universal/Vivendi and on PPV and VOD by Warner Brothers. After "Disorder", I was in development hell for

years with "In The Dark" as I described earlier before I started "Infliction" in 2011. It's a long-winded answer... The bottom line is that it's hard to break into the movie business and it's equally as hard to stay in the movie business. You just have to keep moving forward and pushing your projects.

EH - What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your films? How did that lesson happen?

JTS - You learn something new with every film. I'm a firm believer in a lot of rehearsals with the actors... I storyboard every single shot and I walk through all of the setups with the DP in advance. The most important part of making a film is Pre-Production. You have

to plan and rehearse and prepare obsessively so that when you're on set you don't miss a beat. Things always happen when you shoot that you can't plan for, but if you have a solid plan in place, you can push through it. There's an old saying... "Fix it in post." And that's true to a certain extent... But you don't want to rely on post completely to make your film work. If you put in the work before you start shooting, it will make the entire process so much better and smoother

EH - What films have been the most inspiring or influential to you and why?

JTS - There's a lot. When I was a kid, it was definitely "Star Wars" and "Dawn of the Dead." For obvious reasons, "Star Wars" changed everything. George Lucas created something so original and unique... I loved the characters... The story... And the effects were amazing. It was a perfect movie. "Dawn of the Dead" is my 
  all-time favorite horror film. It was scary and the effects were off the charts... And you really wanted the characters to survive. As I got older, I realized the shot "Dawn of the Dead" took at American consumerism... We're all mindless zombies going to the malls to buy our name brands. Other films that I love and have influenced me are "Apocalypse Now", "The Crow", "Platoon", "Scarface," and "Goodfellas."

EH - “It all starts with the script.” Maybe not, but when do you know a script is ready to shoot, and what is your process of getting it there?

JTS - I guess the best way to answer this question is that I just know. When I write a screenplay, I'm conscious of the fact that there are certain plot points that need to be hit in the appropriate places and the story must flow. You're constantly tweaking 
  the script... Even when you rehearse right up to when you're on set... You can tweak and adjust the dialogue as it seems fit... And usually when I complete the script I storyboard my shots so that visually I have the film in front of me and I put together detailed shot lists so that i know the exact order how to shoot everything

EH - What do audiences want? And is it the filmmaker’s role to worry about that?

JTS -  I'm as guilty as any other filmmaker in that I want to make movies that I'd like to see and I want to tell stories that mean something to me. However, I also understand that audiences want to be entertained and that they want to see something original and thought provoking. Hopefully, the films that I make satisfy my needs as an artist, but more importantly entertain the audience and leave them discussing it and thinking about what they just watched.

EH - It is said that your upcoming film "In The Dark" was based on where you lived in Michigan, Any plans to shoot there.

JTS -  I'd LOVE to shoot there. In particular, I'd love to shoot on Grosse Ile, which is where I lived when I was a kid before moving to NJ. It all depends on the financing and Michigan's state tax credits if it makes sense to shoot there.

EH - If I walked up to an audience leaving one of your films, what would you want them to tell me

JTS - I'd like for them to tell you that they have very passionate 
  feelings about what they just saw. I want the audience to talk about my films after seeing them. We've had screenings of "Infliction" in different parts of the country followed by Q&A sessions and the discussions have been very lively. "Infliction" seems to be striking a nerve with people... especially with women... because of its disturbing subject matter

EH - One last question what can we look forward to from yourself and Fox Trail? 

JTS - I'm hoping to shoot "In The Dark" next year. That project has been a labor of love for years and I'm determined to make it happen. I'm also planning to start writing the drama "Illegals", which will be honest and unbiased in regards to the illegal immigration issue that effects us today. 

A Change Of Direction

Dear Fans and Readers,

I will be changing the focus of this blog from all horror movies to just indie films pacifically preproduction films in crowdfunding.

I find the filmmakers much more approachable and easier to work with. I have a great passion to see them succeed. you won't see any bad reviews here I will just not write about a movie I don't believe in. You may see an occasional film from a different genre but we are going to stay true to our horror roots, with a we want to see this movie made twist. I truly appreciate everyone that reads the words I throw down on the screen here and sincerely hope you all will stay with us for the next phase of the journey. That being said  if you hear or see anything drop me a line and we will check it out. Stay scary my friends.

Epic Horror

Wer (2013)

Wer (2013)


Disclaimer: I am a big fan of found footage films and it's so refreshing to find one that is as good as Wer
The 2013 film Wer not only redefines the werewolf movie but also saves it. I try to watch a couple horror movies a day and by doing so you see movies with a good cast or a good story or great direction, you seldom see all three in one film. Wer has it not only a very good veteran cast but excellent story that turns the

legend on it's head and a clear vision by the director that this ain't your Twilight wolf pack.  I don't go into any movie with high hopes and with the werewolf movies that have came out the last couple of years I was a little gun shy on Wer, but this one put my faith back in monster movies.

Written and directed by William Brent Bell known for The Devil Inside and Stay Alive. With Wer he not only reinvents the monster but adds just enough of the old werewolf legend to make us familiar with his new take. With nods to the legend

made famous in the Lon Chaney Jr. films. He lets us think we know what's going on up until he changes what we believe about werewolves. An excellent vision on the monster and well directed cast this just might turn out to be his breakout film. Wer also uses just the right amount of special effect that is so rare in today's CGI world and that alone is worth checking this film out.

The cast is full of recognizable faces from the TV and the big screen, and one unknown that steals the movie making it both scary and believable. Brian Scott O'Connor plays Talan Gwynek who lives a quiet life with his mother in a small hamlet in France and happens to live near where a

vacationing American family is attacked with the father and son being killed. After his arrest we find that he has a rare disease that makes him to weak to commit the crime and cause unusual hyper hair growth. But the only way to tell if he truly has the disease is a special test. The test causes him to turn and we get to see him release his inner beast. The story at this point takes a little bit of a preachy government wants to steal the land turn, but works more like a red herring to what is really going on. I'm not going to say anymore on the plot of the movie except to say "Don't Miss The Chance To See It" The rest of the cast are very good staying within their roles making the characters believable and likable. Starring A.J. Cook best known as Jennifer Jareau on the Tv show Criminal Minds along with longtime actor Sebastian Roché with great support from Vik Sahay and Simon Quarterman whose transformation in the film is astonishing. 

In conclusion if you're looking for a genre defining movie this one is it. I highly recommend searching our the film to see what can happen to an old story when it's seen through fresh eyes.

THE EPIDEMIC (2015) first Look

THE EPIDEMIC

The Beginning of the End...... or The Beginning Of A New Franchise

The new pre production film that will be filming in September 2014, The Epidemic scheduled for release in 2015 has all the makings of the next great zombie film. The 
premise giving a nod to the holy grail of of the genre has a virus coming from space but not from a satellite ala NOTLD but a

doomsday meteor that was broken up by missile strikes. That leads to thousands of small zombie stones landing everywhere and heres a nice new little twist on the zombie movie not only are the dead coming back but if you drink the water or breath the air you might get infected. It will tell the story of a group of survivors trying to outlast the outbreak.

And I must say from someone that looks at dozen and dozen of indie horror movies a week the make-up is looking top notch. With writer/director Nigel Hartwell at the helm the project should be in good hands with his extensive resume on both sides of the camera. They also have special effects whiz Michael Martin taken care of the visual effects  

And can we talk about the cast for a second it reads like a whos who of horror actors. They have Danny Trejo, Eric Roberts, Corey

Feldman, Tony Todd, Chris Owen, Larry Zerner(the person that gave Jason his hockey mask), and wrestling divas Barbie Blank and Angelina Love. 

With all that going for it what could they possibly need, well that would be you the film currently has a crowdfunding campaign on indiegogo. with a good story and great cast this would make a great investment in the zombie universe. so head on over and show some undead love to these guys.

Rob Zombie New Movie Rumors

Rob Zombie Teases New Movie

So this week Rob Zombie teased about an upcoming movie if you haven't seen it look here.......





So in my too much time on my hands sort of way I went looking for clues and answers. And guess what not a darn thing lots and lots of rumors and guessing. Well thats fine because we can do that with the best of them.  First is that a 3I or 31 Zombie confirmed it was indeed a 31.
Now lets take a look at the clown picture again. I'm already creeped out. what we know for sure is that it's a man in clown make up. But is that enough to go on. No but in an email he said the film is "for the hardcore fans who want it nasty and brutal." OK still not a lot to go on. so lets look at five possible  scenarios.

1. The Captain Spaulding/Rejects Theory

Maybe it's a prequel for a back story on Capt. Spaulding and the rest of the Firefly clan. It would fit in with the "nasty and brutal" quote And the pictures below do look like they could be the same person.

But wouldn't that be to easy for such a well thought out tease. And where does 31 come into play.






2. The "well it has to be Halloween 3" crowd

You can't deny that would make a lot of sense with what we know.
Halloween falls on October 31, and he may be taking the franchise on a darker turn. but that doesn't look like that Bill Shatner mask from Halloween movie fame, you right but remember when little Michael Myers is going out trick or treating hhmmmm.          

                                            
I know right that could be it. We got 31 check
We got clown tie in check 
But thats all we got. Maybe it's not another sequel as much as it's a total reboot on it. Making him more scary by making him more human.




3. American Horror Season 4
I get what you're thinking but here me out. Rob Zombie may be taking a stab at directing a few episodes of American Horror Story.  It premieres around Halloween. This season is titled "Freak Show" and takes place in a carnival. And for the kicker Michael Chiklis has been tapped to be on it. So see any resemblance here

I don't think it's too far of a stretch to see a resemblance between teaser clown and the commish.





4. "It" Remake

Well we know that a remake of Stephen Kings "It" is on the books for sometime in 2015. And it would be a shocker to have the minds of King and Zombie meld in a gorefest. but it doesn't fit the 31 unless it's a release date. 

I can see it, if i try hard enough











And that brings us to the last visit on the rumor mill train.

5. John Wayne Gacy

It is said he killed between 27 and 33 young men. and he did dress up like a clown. Rob zombie could pull off a hellish version of this story and the picture is passable. 

Please leave your comments on your own theories below
Here's the buzz on it from the rest of the internet


Rob Zombie has announced the title of his next horror film: 31. The revelation comes courtesy of a promo video posted on his website spanning his cinematic career, which you can find below. That clown mask appears to be integral to the plot, but if you're looking for plot details, you're shit out of luck.

That said, an email from Zombie claims this film is "for the hardcore fans who want it nasty and brutal."

Presumably this is the same project Zombie talked up back in February, when he said, "I think it's something fans of the other stuff will like. Probably fans of The Devil's Rejects will enjoy the most. It's not connected to that film but it's more on that headspace".

We'll see what further details we can grab onto - you'll get 'em as soon as we do!

- from http://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/rob-zombies-next-film-is-3i---see-the-promo-teaser-here

Rob Zombie has been busy lately, not only touring and working on music, but also getting to work on his next film. Now, the rocker-director has officially announced his new horror flick, titled ’3I,’ with a new visual promo (seen above).
In the video, Zombie’s career with horror films is examined, from his first movie ‘House of 1,000 Corpses’ up to his most recent flick ‘Lords of Salem,’ before the new film is teased. All that we get however is a scary looking man in clown makeup, similar to Captain Spalding from his early films, with the film title ’3I.’
What does it all mean? We’ll have to wait and find out, but Zombie did respond to a few commenters on his Facebook page, promising that it will be “nasty and disgusting,” and also dissuading those who proposed that the film would be a Captain Spalding prequel.
We do know who will be creating the score for the film — Rob Zombie’s very own guitarist John 5! The axeman revealed the news via his Instagram page.


Read More: Rob Zombie Teases Horror Film, Offers New Album Update | http://loudwire.com/rob-zombie-new-horror-film/?trackback=tsmclip

The cinematic ouevre of Rob Zombie is reflected upon in a teaser for a new directorial effort called 31. What do we know? Well, the title. Also, it's going to be "hardcore." The video – which debuted at the rocker-director's official site – asks you to sign up for the Rob Zombie newsletter to stay up-to-date.

The final image of the promo gives us a creepy clown visage. That doesn't say much. What does 31 refer to?

The number of days in the month of October? Halloween takes place on October 31st. Grotesque clown visage + 31 = Halloween night to me. Maybe not necessarily a Halloween film, per se, but a film set around that time?

Specultate away. I'm curious to hear what you think.
from http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/