The mythology for the long-running "Friday the 13th" film series has been notoriously shabby and amorphous. At the end of Sean Cunningham's 1980 original slasher, it was revealed that Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) had witnessed her developmentally disabled son Jason drown in Crystal Lake years earlier, largely thanks to the neglect of the boy's randy, sex-distracted counselors. Pamela set about getting madness-inspired spiritual revenge by murdering any new counselors who deigned to have sex at Camp Crystal Lake. Luckily, Pamela was killed before she could commit any more murders than she already did.
In Steve Miner's "Friday the 13th Part 2," however, it was revealed that Jason (Steve Daskewisz and Warrington Gillette) was still alive, living in the woods for decades, presumably unbeknownst to his mother. But Jason, it is revealed, knew his mother was killing people and witnessed the events of the first "Friday." Why, one will immediately ask,...
In Steve Miner's "Friday the 13th Part 2," however, it was revealed that Jason (Steve Daskewisz and Warrington Gillette) was still alive, living in the woods for decades, presumably unbeknownst to his mother. But Jason, it is revealed, knew his mother was killing people and witnessed the events of the first "Friday." Why, one will immediately ask,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI reached the 37th anniversary of its theatrical release on August 1st. Four days earlier, July 28th was the 34th anniversary of the release of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. And the folks at Sadist Art Designs have decided to celebrate both of these films by unveiling new Jason Lives and Jason Takes Manhattan T-shirt designs!
Both shirts are available with or without side seams, and while the Jason Lives shirt is only available in black, the Jason Takes Manhattan shirt comes in a variety of colors. Prices range from $26 to $32, and the options and be viewed (and purchases can be made) on the Sadist Art Designs website. A couple sample images of the shirts can also be found at the bottom of this article.
The Jason Lives shirt shows iconic slasher Jason Voorhees with iconic rocker Alice Cooper, who...
Both shirts are available with or without side seams, and while the Jason Lives shirt is only available in black, the Jason Takes Manhattan shirt comes in a variety of colors. Prices range from $26 to $32, and the options and be viewed (and purchases can be made) on the Sadist Art Designs website. A couple sample images of the shirts can also be found at the bottom of this article.
The Jason Lives shirt shows iconic slasher Jason Voorhees with iconic rocker Alice Cooper, who...
- 8/4/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In New York, everyone can hear you scream. But will they really care? In the city that never sleeps, evil lurks around every corner, ready to strike whenever one's guard is let down for just a moment. Sure, it's a gorgeous, bustling metropolis, but if horror movies have taught audiences anything, it's that the Big Apple packs some big scares. Tyler Gillett & Matt Bettinelli-Olpin surprised fans with their very funny, very bloody 2022 "Scream" reboot. For the sixth entry, the duo have supplanted Woodsboro, California, in favor of New York City, letting Ghostface get bigger, meaner, and deadlier.
Shooting in the actual city can be costly, likely accounting for just how few true New York horror stories there really are. Often, Manhattan is merely used as a backdrop, the horror features never fully taking advantage of the distinct iconography or scale for something truly terrifying. Some have, however, and here, we'll...
Shooting in the actual city can be costly, likely accounting for just how few true New York horror stories there really are. Often, Manhattan is merely used as a backdrop, the horror features never fully taking advantage of the distinct iconography or scale for something truly terrifying. Some have, however, and here, we'll...
- 3/4/2023
- by Chad Collins
- Slash Film
The Arrow in the Head Show hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are clearly two guys who are after my own heart. I say this because Friday the 13th is my favorite franchise, so I find that I can never go too long without watching a Friday the 13th movie. The Arrow and Lance seem to be right there with me, because they talk about Friday the 13th movies with some frequency – and in the latest episode of The Arrow in the Head Show, they’re taking a deep dive into the 1989 sequel Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (watch it Here)! To find out what they had to say about Jason Takes Manhattan, check out the video embedded above.
Written and directed by Rob Hedden, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan has the following synopsis: Mass murderer Jason Voorhees is resurrected from the bottom of Crystal Lake.
Written and directed by Rob Hedden, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan has the following synopsis: Mass murderer Jason Voorhees is resurrected from the bottom of Crystal Lake.
- 2/5/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
It’s time for a new episode of our Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? video series, and in this one we’re looking back at a poorly-received entry in a beloved slasher franchise. A movie that marked the end of an era. The horror movie covered in this episode is Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (watch it Here), which was not only the last Friday the 13th to be released in the 1980s (since it came out in ’89), but also the last one to be distributed solely by Paramount Pictures. After this one, there would be a four year break between films while the franchise moved over to New Line Cinema. Why was Jason Takes Manhattan so underwhelming that Paramount gave up on Friday the 13th? Find out by taking a look at the video embedded above.
Written and directed by Rob Hedden, Friday the 13th Part VIII...
Written and directed by Rob Hedden, Friday the 13th Part VIII...
- 10/21/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Although the Popcorn Frights Film Festival may take place every August, the team behind the fest celebrates the genre all year long with monthly screenings at Savor Cinema. This month is no exception, as Popcorn Frights is bringing The Big Apple to Fort Lauderdale with a 30th anniversary screening of Rob Hedden's Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.
Featuring a live performance by the talented team at Infinite Abyss Productions, the Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan screening will take place at 10:00pm this Friday the 13th.
We have additional details on the Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan screening below, and to learn more, visit:
https://popcornfrights.com/film/f13jtm/
From Popcorn Frights: "Date: Friday, September 13
Time: 10:00Pm
Venue: Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale
Featuring A Live Interactive Performance By Infinite Abyss Productions, “I ❤ NY” Woodfire Pizza, Pop Up Doom Room Video Store,...
Featuring a live performance by the talented team at Infinite Abyss Productions, the Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan screening will take place at 10:00pm this Friday the 13th.
We have additional details on the Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan screening below, and to learn more, visit:
https://popcornfrights.com/film/f13jtm/
From Popcorn Frights: "Date: Friday, September 13
Time: 10:00Pm
Venue: Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale
Featuring A Live Interactive Performance By Infinite Abyss Productions, “I ❤ NY” Woodfire Pizza, Pop Up Doom Room Video Store,...
- 9/11/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
[We're celebrating some of the most memorable horror and sci-fi movies of 1989 this month in Daily Dead's Class of 89 retrospective series! Check back on Daily Dead throughout the rest of August for more special features celebrating the 30th anniversaries of a wide range of horror and sci-fi films!]
Whew! Now, that is a long movie title! We can't close out the 1980s without discussing Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Coincidentally, Part VIII would be the last movie released in Paramount’s original Friday the 13th timeline, and it was released in 1989, the last year of the decade. But, let's not talk so much about the end and focus instead on celebrating what I believe to be one of the most Gif-able slasher movies ever.
Rob Hedden's Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan follows the senior class of Lakeview High School as they set sail towards the bright lights of New York City. It's not long after the Lazarus takes off that good ol' Jason boards the ship to do what he does best: terrorize and kill the unsuspecting passengers on board. Side note: I can't help but notice that the ship's name...
Whew! Now, that is a long movie title! We can't close out the 1980s without discussing Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Coincidentally, Part VIII would be the last movie released in Paramount’s original Friday the 13th timeline, and it was released in 1989, the last year of the decade. But, let's not talk so much about the end and focus instead on celebrating what I believe to be one of the most Gif-able slasher movies ever.
Rob Hedden's Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan follows the senior class of Lakeview High School as they set sail towards the bright lights of New York City. It's not long after the Lazarus takes off that good ol' Jason boards the ship to do what he does best: terrorize and kill the unsuspecting passengers on board. Side note: I can't help but notice that the ship's name...
- 8/21/2019
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Interview & article by Michael Lizaragga.
Before he ever went to hell, fought Freddy, froze through time, or launched into space, Jason Voorhees embarked on one of the scariest, weirdest and most craziest frontiers of them all: New York.
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan stands as a classic amongst Jason Junkies, forever revered and remembered as the hockey mask’s first outing outside Crystal Lake (unless you count Part 2, in which Jason tracks down his mom’s decapitator and bumps her off during the first five), as well as Paramount’s final stab into the billion dollar franchise. And like its unstoppable poster boy who never dies, the 13th legacy will always remain—along with generations of fans requesting tales and testimonies from those who have taken part in the Jason saga.
One such participant, actor/producer/writer Vc “Julius” Dupree who starred in Jason Takes Manhattan, commemorates...
Before he ever went to hell, fought Freddy, froze through time, or launched into space, Jason Voorhees embarked on one of the scariest, weirdest and most craziest frontiers of them all: New York.
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan stands as a classic amongst Jason Junkies, forever revered and remembered as the hockey mask’s first outing outside Crystal Lake (unless you count Part 2, in which Jason tracks down his mom’s decapitator and bumps her off during the first five), as well as Paramount’s final stab into the billion dollar franchise. And like its unstoppable poster boy who never dies, the 13th legacy will always remain—along with generations of fans requesting tales and testimonies from those who have taken part in the Jason saga.
One such participant, actor/producer/writer Vc “Julius” Dupree who starred in Jason Takes Manhattan, commemorates...
- 6/30/2014
- by Holly Interlandi
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Most fans of the Friday the 13th franchise have been contemplating recent rumors of a found footage approach for the forthcoming series re-reboot. And it’s probably safe to assume that most (at least diehards) fans weren’t overjoyed with the notion.
I too sat in that boat, scratching my head, hoping it couldn’t be true, figuring that if the idea did come to fruition, I might get my hands on some of the Kool-Aid just to avoid future disaster pics. It simply sounded like a perplexing idea... initially.
I berated the idea and those behind it. I seethed at the thought of a handi-cam Voorhees pic. I cursed the Hollywood gods. I may have even at one point soiled myself, losing all control of my bodily functions because, let’s face it: Found footage Jason sounds truly overtly outlandish.
And then I got to really thinking of the...
I too sat in that boat, scratching my head, hoping it couldn’t be true, figuring that if the idea did come to fruition, I might get my hands on some of the Kool-Aid just to avoid future disaster pics. It simply sounded like a perplexing idea... initially.
I berated the idea and those behind it. I seethed at the thought of a handi-cam Voorhees pic. I cursed the Hollywood gods. I may have even at one point soiled myself, losing all control of my bodily functions because, let’s face it: Found footage Jason sounds truly overtly outlandish.
And then I got to really thinking of the...
- 6/13/2014
- by Matt Molgaard
- DreadCentral.com
Friday the 13th Part 8s faults are far greater than those exhibited by this shallow ensemble of personalities and to the credit of the cast screenwriterdirector Rob Hedden really deserves to carry a hefty load of the blame for that error as he just doesnt give these performers anything to work with. Its Jason on a boat offing loads of kids immediately. Theres no real story here and no buildup whatsoever. Even worse Jason doesnt take Manhattan Jason doesnt even arrive on the island until deep into the pictures final act. This one should have been branded Jason Takes a Boat Ride at least consumers would have been afforded the truth up front.
- 9/14/2013
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
The complete specs have been made available for Warner Bros. Entertainment's upcoming Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection Blu-ray box set, and it's a great day if you like your releases edited and slapped together.
You can scroll to the bottom for a complete list of specs for each movie, but I'm going to jump in and tell you exactly what's wrong with this release. This isn't an editorial lamenting the lack of uncut Friday the 13th movies that have never before been released. If we haven't seen excised footage by now, it's because, in all probability, it no longer exists. Yes, it would be nice to finally see Friday the 13th part 2 in all its uncut, Carl Fullerton glory, but it's probably never going to happen.
This isn't a gripe session predicated on unrealistic expectations. But what's inexcusable is that Warner Bros. is offering the R-rated...
You can scroll to the bottom for a complete list of specs for each movie, but I'm going to jump in and tell you exactly what's wrong with this release. This isn't an editorial lamenting the lack of uncut Friday the 13th movies that have never before been released. If we haven't seen excised footage by now, it's because, in all probability, it no longer exists. Yes, it would be nice to finally see Friday the 13th part 2 in all its uncut, Carl Fullerton glory, but it's probably never going to happen.
This isn't a gripe session predicated on unrealistic expectations. But what's inexcusable is that Warner Bros. is offering the R-rated...
- 6/28/2013
- by Matt Serafini
- DreadCentral.com
Chicago – “Brazil” is more than a movie. The story behind the film’s tumultuous production and release became nearly as essential to its history and arguably more so than the film itself. The special feature on the new Criterion release, “The Battle of Brazil” is a fascinating examination of expectation, ego, and commerce vs. art that all movie fans must see. And, of course, the movie is an undeniable sci-fi masterpiece.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
When “Brazil,” Terry Gilliam’s futuristic satire about bureaucracy, screened for audiences before its release, studio heads called it a disaster. They took it away from Gilliam and mangled it. And then the real fun began. Most of the special features on the Criterion version of “Brazil” center on the drama around its release. They even go so far as to include the “Love Conquers All” version of the movie, the 96-minute cinematic crime (Gilliam’s cut runs...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
When “Brazil,” Terry Gilliam’s futuristic satire about bureaucracy, screened for audiences before its release, studio heads called it a disaster. They took it away from Gilliam and mangled it. And then the real fun began. Most of the special features on the Criterion version of “Brazil” center on the drama around its release. They even go so far as to include the “Love Conquers All” version of the movie, the 96-minute cinematic crime (Gilliam’s cut runs...
- 12/19/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
A Planet Fury-approved selection of notable genre releases for December.
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) 20th Century Fox Blu-ray and DVD Available Now
Six-year-old Hushpuppy (fearless newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis) lives in the “Bathtub,” a southern Louisiana bayou community far removed from the civilized world. Her father Wink (Dwight Henry), a poor fisherman, keeps her at arm’s length but ensures her well-being within the cultural confines of their rough-and-tumble society. Seen through the eyes of the feisty Hushpuppy, the lines between myth and reality are blurred. An impending storm coincides with the melting of the arctic ice caps (and the thawing of some mythical creatures), which changes the world of the Bathtub forever. This heartbreaking little fable came out of nowhere last summer after building some positive buzz on the festival circuit. Shot on 16mm film for under $2 million, Beasts is a true independent film: a fiercely original and moving...
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) 20th Century Fox Blu-ray and DVD Available Now
Six-year-old Hushpuppy (fearless newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis) lives in the “Bathtub,” a southern Louisiana bayou community far removed from the civilized world. Her father Wink (Dwight Henry), a poor fisherman, keeps her at arm’s length but ensures her well-being within the cultural confines of their rough-and-tumble society. Seen through the eyes of the feisty Hushpuppy, the lines between myth and reality are blurred. An impending storm coincides with the melting of the arctic ice caps (and the thawing of some mythical creatures), which changes the world of the Bathtub forever. This heartbreaking little fable came out of nowhere last summer after building some positive buzz on the festival circuit. Shot on 16mm film for under $2 million, Beasts is a true independent film: a fiercely original and moving...
- 12/14/2012
- by Bradley Harding
- Planet Fury
Rating: 2.0/5.0
Chicago – Rob Hedden’s “You May Not Kiss the Bride” with Dave Annable, Katharine McPhee, and Rob Schneider is the kind of modest romantic comedy with wacky hijinks and likable central characters that one typically stumbles upon in a video store or when cycling through new On Demand options. Before that happens, the mediocre honeymoon from hell pic is getting a minor theatrical release in some markets, including Chicago, starting this weekend. The charisma and comic timing of the film’s female leads make up for some of the screenwriting rough patches but not enough to justify a trip to the theater.
Annable (“Brothers & Sisters,” “666 Park Avenue”) plays Bryan Lighthouse, the owner of a Chicago pet photography studio called Lighthouse Photography. Bryan’s assistant Tonya (Mena Suvari) is a troublemaker who happens to have an unhealthy crush on our affable hero. One day, Tonya accidentally allows a cat into...
Chicago – Rob Hedden’s “You May Not Kiss the Bride” with Dave Annable, Katharine McPhee, and Rob Schneider is the kind of modest romantic comedy with wacky hijinks and likable central characters that one typically stumbles upon in a video store or when cycling through new On Demand options. Before that happens, the mediocre honeymoon from hell pic is getting a minor theatrical release in some markets, including Chicago, starting this weekend. The charisma and comic timing of the film’s female leads make up for some of the screenwriting rough patches but not enough to justify a trip to the theater.
Annable (“Brothers & Sisters,” “666 Park Avenue”) plays Bryan Lighthouse, the owner of a Chicago pet photography studio called Lighthouse Photography. Bryan’s assistant Tonya (Mena Suvari) is a troublemaker who happens to have an unhealthy crush on our affable hero. One day, Tonya accidentally allows a cat into...
- 9/20/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Blu-ray Release Date: Dec. 4, 2012
Price: Blu-ray $49.95
Studio: Criterion
Something nasty and futuristic is afoot in Terry Gilliam's Brazil.
The Criterion Edition of Terry Gilliam’s landmark 1985 cult, sci-fi-flavored classic movie Brazil, filled with its countless supplements and the infamous “Love Saves the Day” edition of the film, finally makes its Blu-ray debut!
Universal issued a no-frills Blu-ray edition of Brazil in July, 2011 which we favorably reviewed at the time, but we can’t deny that we’re pretty excited to check out Criterion’s Blu-ray version.. This new edition ports over all the materials from the company’s masterful, extras-laden 1999 multi-disc DVD release which was generally considered to be the godfather of all Criterion and studio special editions to come.
Written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown (both of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) and Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love), Brazil remains Gilliam’s greatest directing/writing accomplishment, a perfect amalgam of his Monty Python roots,...
Price: Blu-ray $49.95
Studio: Criterion
Something nasty and futuristic is afoot in Terry Gilliam's Brazil.
The Criterion Edition of Terry Gilliam’s landmark 1985 cult, sci-fi-flavored classic movie Brazil, filled with its countless supplements and the infamous “Love Saves the Day” edition of the film, finally makes its Blu-ray debut!
Universal issued a no-frills Blu-ray edition of Brazil in July, 2011 which we favorably reviewed at the time, but we can’t deny that we’re pretty excited to check out Criterion’s Blu-ray version.. This new edition ports over all the materials from the company’s masterful, extras-laden 1999 multi-disc DVD release which was generally considered to be the godfather of all Criterion and studio special editions to come.
Written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown (both of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) and Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love), Brazil remains Gilliam’s greatest directing/writing accomplishment, a perfect amalgam of his Monty Python roots,...
- 9/18/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Title: You May Not Kiss the Bride Director: Rob Hedden Starring: Dave Annable, Katharine McPhee, Ken Davitian, Vinnie Jones, Mena Suvari, Rob Schneider, Tia Carrere, Kevin Dunn, Howard Bishop, Kathy Bates, Stephen Tobolowsky An uneven action-comedy of unconvincingly forced hijinks, “You May Not Kiss the Bride” plays like a strange, misbegotten mash-up of “The Bounty Hunter,” “Green Card,” “Get Shorty” and “The Big Bounce.” The cross-pollinated ensemble story of an arranged marriage, unlikely budding romances and a bunch of criminal mischief and double-crossing, it’s amiable yet still consistently wearying — a movie that never figures out a way to stitch together all of its incongruous elements. After a mishap involving a customer’s [ Read More ]...
- 9/18/2012
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Freestyle Digital Media and Hawaii Film Partners Distribution have joined forces to release the new tropical adventure-comedy-romance You May Not Kiss The Bride, written and directed by Rob Hedden (.Clockstoppers.). The film, which was produced by Rann Watumull, Gina Watumull, David Jackson and Shauna Shapiro Jackson, stars Katharine McPhee (.Smash.), Dave Annable (.Brothers and Sisters.), Rob Schneider (.Grown Ups.), Mena Suvari (.American Beauty.) and Kathy Bates (.Midnight in Paris.). You May Not Kiss The Bride is slated for a red carpet destination premiere in Honolulu, with its U.S. mainland theatrical release to follow in additional markets including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas.
You May Not Kiss The Bride is a charming tale of adventurous high jinx and budding romance involving an unassuming pet photographer (Annable) who is thrown head first into a series of unforeseeable events when he’s forced to marry a Croatian mobster.s daughter (McPhee) and...
You May Not Kiss The Bride is a charming tale of adventurous high jinx and budding romance involving an unassuming pet photographer (Annable) who is thrown head first into a series of unforeseeable events when he’s forced to marry a Croatian mobster.s daughter (McPhee) and...
- 7/25/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
One month, 280 films and 70,000 words later, my guide to the films of 2010 is now complete. I hope you've enjoyed reading it all - it's been utterly exhausting but an ultimately rewarding venture I've been single-handedly pulling together since early December. If you have liked it, my only request is that you help spread the word about it now that it's all done.
If you're a fellow blogger or site owner, please give it a plug on your site. If you're a reader, give it a mention on Facebook, Twitter or other online places you might venture. A lot of effort went into this, the greatest reward so far has been seeing it talked about and hearing your reactions. I'm glad many of you have gotten a lot of use out of the previous pages, so I hope you enjoy this final part:
Vincere
Opens: 2010
Cast: Filippo Timi, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Corrado Invernizzi,...
If you're a fellow blogger or site owner, please give it a plug on your site. If you're a reader, give it a mention on Facebook, Twitter or other online places you might venture. A lot of effort went into this, the greatest reward so far has been seeing it talked about and hearing your reactions. I'm glad many of you have gotten a lot of use out of the previous pages, so I hope you enjoy this final part:
Vincere
Opens: 2010
Cast: Filippo Timi, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Corrado Invernizzi,...
- 1/13/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
This Tuesday, Paramount will complete their series of Friday The 13th Deluxe Edition DVD's with the release of Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood and Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.
To celebrate said release, the studio sent over 3 copies of each, and now we're giving them to some lucky Fangoria readers.
Want a copy to round out your Friday The 13th collection? Enter below!
Bonus features as follows:
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Killer Commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder Jason's Destroyer: The Making of Friday the 13th Part VII Mind Over Matter: The Truth about Telekinesis Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass Slashed Scenes (with intro) Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Killer Commentary by writer/director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder New...
To celebrate said release, the studio sent over 3 copies of each, and now we're giving them to some lucky Fangoria readers.
Want a copy to round out your Friday The 13th collection? Enter below!
Bonus features as follows:
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Killer Commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder Jason's Destroyer: The Making of Friday the 13th Part VII Mind Over Matter: The Truth about Telekinesis Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass Slashed Scenes (with intro) Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Killer Commentary by writer/director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder New...
- 9/14/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
Director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder offer a feature-length commentary on Paramount's forthcoming special edition of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan . We've got a select clip from the disc - which streets on September 15 - which finds Jason delivering some poisonous punishment to Peter Mark Richman. Hodder provided his commentary via phone from the set of Adam Green's Frozen . Also arriving on the 15th, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood .
- 9/11/2009
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Over the past few weeks, one of the most-asked questions hitting the mailboxes here at Fango has been "Will Paramount be releasing Friday The 13th Parts 7 & 8 in Deluxe Editions?"
Today we have the answer, and the answer is Yes!
On September 15th, Paramount will unleash their final batch of Deluxe Edition F13 DVD's. Msrp is $16.99 each, but you can pre-order 'em for $11.99 each through Amazon.com by clicking here and here.
Bonus features as follows:
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Killer Commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder Jason's Destroyer: The Making of Friday the 13th Part VII Mind Over Matter: The Truth about Telekinesis Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass Slashed Scenes (with intro) Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Killer Commentary by writer/director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder...
Today we have the answer, and the answer is Yes!
On September 15th, Paramount will unleash their final batch of Deluxe Edition F13 DVD's. Msrp is $16.99 each, but you can pre-order 'em for $11.99 each through Amazon.com by clicking here and here.
Bonus features as follows:
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Killer Commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder Jason's Destroyer: The Making of Friday the 13th Part VII Mind Over Matter: The Truth about Telekinesis Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass Slashed Scenes (with intro) Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Killer Commentary by writer/director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane Hodder...
- 6/18/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
On September 15th, Paramount wraps up their Friday the 13th reissues with deluxe editions of Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood and Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan . We now have special feature details and artwork for both titles. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood . Commentary: - Killer Commentary by director John Carl Buechler and actors Lar Park Lincoln and Kane Hodder . Jason's Destroyer: The Making of Friday the 13th Part VII . Mind Over Matter: The Truth about Telekinesis . Makeover by Maddy: Need a Little Touch-Up Work, My Ass . Slashed Scenes Intro . Slashed Scenes Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan . Commentary: - Killer Commentary by writer/director Rob Hedden and actors Jensen Daggett and Kane...
- 6/18/2009
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Rob Schneider will appear in You May Not Kiss The Bride. The film is written and will be directed by Rob Hedden (The Condemned). It centers on a pet photographer who gets mixed up with the Croatian mob while he is in Hawaii on his honeymoon with the daughtero of a gangster. Vinnie Jones, Katherine McPhee, Mena Suvari and Tia Carrere are all also involved. Hey, if Schneider can keep getting jobs in spite of never once in his cinematic career being likable, more power to him. And hey, if this...
- 4/6/2009
- by James Thoo
- JoBlo.com
Rob Schneider has signed up to star in forthcoming romantic comedy 'You May Not Kiss the Bride.' According to The Hollywood Reporter the film follows the exploits of an America pet photographer who gets embroiled with Eastern European gangsters while on honeymoon with a mobster's daughter. Schneider will play a helicopter pilot based in Tahiti. Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones, Katharine McPhee, Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitia have already been cast. Rob Hedden is directing from his own script. Filming is underway in Hawaii.
- 4/6/2009
- by James Wray
- Monsters and Critics
Rob Schneider has joined the cast of the romantic comedy "You May Not Kiss the Bride."
Rob Hedden ("The Condemned") is currently in Hawaii directing from his own script, originally titled "Wedlocked," about an American pet photographer who gets mixed up with Croatian mobsters while on a honeymoon with a gangster's daughter.
Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones, Katharine McPhee, Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitian were previously cast. Schneider will play Ernesto, a daredevil helicopter pilot in Tahiti.
Schneider, who is repped by CAA and John Schneider Management, recently completed principal photography on Claire Kilner's "Virgin on Bourbon Street." He next will co-star in the untitled Adam Sandler project shooting this spring.
Rob Hedden ("The Condemned") is currently in Hawaii directing from his own script, originally titled "Wedlocked," about an American pet photographer who gets mixed up with Croatian mobsters while on a honeymoon with a gangster's daughter.
Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones, Katharine McPhee, Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitian were previously cast. Schneider will play Ernesto, a daredevil helicopter pilot in Tahiti.
Schneider, who is repped by CAA and John Schneider Management, recently completed principal photography on Claire Kilner's "Virgin on Bourbon Street." He next will co-star in the untitled Adam Sandler project shooting this spring.
- 4/5/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hump day is behind us, the weekend is in sight, and here are some casting bites, courtesy of Variety:
We're still waiting to see when on earth The Garden of Eden will hit screens (some, like me, more impatiently than others), but meanwhile, Mena Suvari has picked up a new gig. She (along with Ken Davitian, Kevin Dunn, and Tia Carrere) is joining a new indie project called You May Not Kiss the Bride. The film is said to be a mixture of romance and action (a la Romancing the Stone). IMDb, under the name Wedlocked, says it's about a mobster trying to get his daughter Us citizenship by marrying her off to an American photographer. Unfortunately, director and screenwriter Rob Hedden's credits probably won't help you figure out the film's tone. He's responsible not only for Clockstoppers, but also Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Oh,...
We're still waiting to see when on earth The Garden of Eden will hit screens (some, like me, more impatiently than others), but meanwhile, Mena Suvari has picked up a new gig. She (along with Ken Davitian, Kevin Dunn, and Tia Carrere) is joining a new indie project called You May Not Kiss the Bride. The film is said to be a mixture of romance and action (a la Romancing the Stone). IMDb, under the name Wedlocked, says it's about a mobster trying to get his daughter Us citizenship by marrying her off to an American photographer. Unfortunately, director and screenwriter Rob Hedden's credits probably won't help you figure out the film's tone. He's responsible not only for Clockstoppers, but also Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Oh,...
- 3/12/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
Here's your dose of film news for March 12, 2009:
• Former WWE star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Charisma Carpenter have joined Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Randy Couture in Stallone's upcoming action flick "The Expendables." The movie follows a group of mercenaries who infiltrate a South American country to overthrow its dictator. (Variety)
• Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitian have joined the cast of Rob Hedden's upcoming romantic comedy "You May Not Kiss the Bride," formerly known as "Wedlocked." Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones and Katharine McPhee also star in the film. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Rob McKittrick is set to write "Johnny Klutz," a film based on the character created by Jay Baruchel, who is also attached to star in the project. The Hollywood Reporter describes Klutz as "lovable loser who is impervious to pain." McKittrick also wrote and directed "Waiting..."
• Alexandre Aja has signed on...
• Former WWE star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Charisma Carpenter have joined Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Randy Couture in Stallone's upcoming action flick "The Expendables." The movie follows a group of mercenaries who infiltrate a South American country to overthrow its dictator. (Variety)
• Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitian have joined the cast of Rob Hedden's upcoming romantic comedy "You May Not Kiss the Bride," formerly known as "Wedlocked." Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones and Katharine McPhee also star in the film. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Rob McKittrick is set to write "Johnny Klutz," a film based on the character created by Jay Baruchel, who is also attached to star in the project. The Hollywood Reporter describes Klutz as "lovable loser who is impervious to pain." McKittrick also wrote and directed "Waiting..."
• Alexandre Aja has signed on...
- 3/12/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
I have always been a fan of quirky ensemble casts--remember Southland Tales anyone? They don't necessarily always work, but it definitely can be fun to watch them try. But more often than not, it's squirm-inducing. Something tells me that the cast assembled for the Rob Hedden-directed romantic comedy You May Not Kiss The Bride will most likely be squirm-inducing. Fellow Hollywood relics Mena Suvari and Tia Carrere will join Borat's fat boyfriend Ken Davitian, Vinnie Jones, Katherine McPhee...
- 3/12/2009
- by Daniel Barna
- JoBlo.com
Vows are being exchanged Monday on "You May Not Kiss the Bride" when production begins on the romantic comedy in Hawaii. Mena Suvari, Tia Carrere and Ken Davitian have joined Dave Annable, Vinnie Jones and Katharine McPhee in the cast.
Rob Hedden ("The Condemned") is directing from his own script, originally titled "Wedlocked," about an American pet photographer who gets mixed up with Croatian mobsters while on a honeymoon with one gangster's daughter.
Rann and Gina Watumull and David Jackson and Shauna Shapiro Jackson, co-founders of the Honolulu-based Hawaii Film Partners, are the film's producers.
Hawaii Film Partners is a film and TV production outfit designed to build a homegrown Hawaiian film industry. Its first projects were the Discovery Kids TV show "Flight 29 Down" and the original animated series "Guardians of the Power Masks." Although "Bride" is set in Chicago and Tahiti, it will be filmed entirely on location in Hawaii.
Rob Hedden ("The Condemned") is directing from his own script, originally titled "Wedlocked," about an American pet photographer who gets mixed up with Croatian mobsters while on a honeymoon with one gangster's daughter.
Rann and Gina Watumull and David Jackson and Shauna Shapiro Jackson, co-founders of the Honolulu-based Hawaii Film Partners, are the film's producers.
Hawaii Film Partners is a film and TV production outfit designed to build a homegrown Hawaiian film industry. Its first projects were the Discovery Kids TV show "Flight 29 Down" and the original animated series "Guardians of the Power Masks." Although "Bride" is set in Chicago and Tahiti, it will be filmed entirely on location in Hawaii.
- 3/11/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Vinnie Jones has a busy schedule in the near future.
Jones has officially signed on to star in Rob Hedden's romantic comedy "Wedlocked," about a pet photographer who gets involved with a mobster and his daughter (Katharine McPhee).
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones will play the mobster, who attempts to kidnapp McPhee's character.
The second project Jones recently joined is "Smokin' Aces: Blowback," a "Smokin' Aces" prequel in which he plays an assassin hunting down a mob who is hiding in Las Vegas. P.J. Pesce is directing the film, which will go straight to DVD.
Jones recently starred in "Hell Ride" and "Midnight Meat Train." He will soon be seen in "Year One" and "Not Another Not Another Movie."...
Jones has officially signed on to star in Rob Hedden's romantic comedy "Wedlocked," about a pet photographer who gets involved with a mobster and his daughter (Katharine McPhee).
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones will play the mobster, who attempts to kidnapp McPhee's character.
The second project Jones recently joined is "Smokin' Aces: Blowback," a "Smokin' Aces" prequel in which he plays an assassin hunting down a mob who is hiding in Las Vegas. P.J. Pesce is directing the film, which will go straight to DVD.
Jones recently starred in "Hell Ride" and "Midnight Meat Train." He will soon be seen in "Year One" and "Not Another Not Another Movie."...
- 2/25/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
Vinnie Jones (X-Men: The Last Stand) has signed on for two upcoming films: the comedy "Wedlocked" and the Joe Carnahan-produced prequel "Smokin' Aces: Blowback." In "Wedlocked," Jones plays a Croatian mobster who attempts to kidnap his crush, who is on her honeymoon with the American man she married to get Us citizenship. Dave Annable and Katharine McPhee previously were cast in writer-director Rob Hedden's film. In "Blowback," Jones plays an assassin gunning for a mob snitch who is hiding in Las Vegas. Tom Berenger, Clayne Crawford, Tommy Flanagan and Maury Sterling also will star in the film. Pj Pesce is set to helm the direct-to-dvd release. Jones next appears in Columbia's biblical comedy "Year One," set for a June release.
- 2/25/2009
- WorstPreviews.com
Vinnie Jones has some crimes to commit.
The "X-Men: The Last Stand" actor has signed for two upcoming films: the comedy "Wedlocked" and Universal's Joe Carnahan-produced prequel "Smokin' Aces: Blowback."
In "Wedlocked," Jones plays a Croatian mobster who attempts to kidnap his crush, who is on her honeymoon with the American man she married to get U.S. citizenship. Dave Annable and Katharine McPhee previously were cast in writer-director Rob Hedden's film.
Shauna and David Jackson and Rann and Gina Watumull are producing the independent feature.
In "Blowback," Jones plays an assassin gunning for a mob snitch who is hiding in Las Vegas. Tom Berenger, Clayne Crawford, Tommy Flanagan and Maury Sterling also will star in the film. P.J. Pesce is set to helm the direct-to-dvd release, which Mike Elliott is producing.
Jones, repped by Apa and Elevate Entertainment, next appears in Columbia's biblical comedy "The Year One,...
The "X-Men: The Last Stand" actor has signed for two upcoming films: the comedy "Wedlocked" and Universal's Joe Carnahan-produced prequel "Smokin' Aces: Blowback."
In "Wedlocked," Jones plays a Croatian mobster who attempts to kidnap his crush, who is on her honeymoon with the American man she married to get U.S. citizenship. Dave Annable and Katharine McPhee previously were cast in writer-director Rob Hedden's film.
Shauna and David Jackson and Rann and Gina Watumull are producing the independent feature.
In "Blowback," Jones plays an assassin gunning for a mob snitch who is hiding in Las Vegas. Tom Berenger, Clayne Crawford, Tommy Flanagan and Maury Sterling also will star in the film. P.J. Pesce is set to helm the direct-to-dvd release, which Mike Elliott is producing.
Jones, repped by Apa and Elevate Entertainment, next appears in Columbia's biblical comedy "The Year One,...
- 2/24/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Once again I bring you the best round-up of all the movie updates announced in this past week's trade reports. Some I reported on throughout the week others I held until now. Either way here is the lot. Check out the full list and links are available if the film is in the database already, and remember you can keep up with all new films added and updated on the site right here 24/7. Title: Untitled Crowley Project
Studio: CBS Films
Director: Tom Vaughan (What Happens in Vegas)
Screenwriter: Robert Nelson Jacobs
Cast: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell
Storyline: Russell plays Aileen Crowley, a wife and mother who relentlessly builds a normal, loving home life for her children while her husband, John Crowley (Fraser), and an unconventional scientist (Ford) race against time to build a company that could rescue them. The film is inspired by a true story. Title: Wedlocked...
Studio: CBS Films
Director: Tom Vaughan (What Happens in Vegas)
Screenwriter: Robert Nelson Jacobs
Cast: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell
Storyline: Russell plays Aileen Crowley, a wife and mother who relentlessly builds a normal, loving home life for her children while her husband, John Crowley (Fraser), and an unconventional scientist (Ford) race against time to build a company that could rescue them. The film is inspired by a true story. Title: Wedlocked...
- 2/20/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Here's your dose of daily film news for Feb. 17, 2009:
• Halle Berry is in talks to star in "Who Is Doris Payne," a fact-based film written by Eunetta Boon. The film focuses on the career of an international jewel thief. Berry was last seen in "Things We Lost in the Fire." She is currently filming "Frankie and Alice" for Geoffrey Sax. (Variety)
• Dave Annable has signed on to star in Rob Hedden's romantic comedy "Wedlocked," about a pet photographer who gets involved with a mobster and his daughter (Katharine McPhee). Annable's credits include "Little Black Book" and television's "Brothers & Sisters." (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Marc-Andre Grondin, Ellen Barkin and Famke Janssen have boarded "The Chameleon," a thriller about a mysterious reunion between a young man and his family. Jean Paul Salome is directing a script he co-wrote with Natalie Carter. Nick Stahl and Emilie de Ravin round out the cast.
• Halle Berry is in talks to star in "Who Is Doris Payne," a fact-based film written by Eunetta Boon. The film focuses on the career of an international jewel thief. Berry was last seen in "Things We Lost in the Fire." She is currently filming "Frankie and Alice" for Geoffrey Sax. (Variety)
• Dave Annable has signed on to star in Rob Hedden's romantic comedy "Wedlocked," about a pet photographer who gets involved with a mobster and his daughter (Katharine McPhee). Annable's credits include "Little Black Book" and television's "Brothers & Sisters." (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Marc-Andre Grondin, Ellen Barkin and Famke Janssen have boarded "The Chameleon," a thriller about a mysterious reunion between a young man and his family. Jean Paul Salome is directing a script he co-wrote with Natalie Carter. Nick Stahl and Emilie de Ravin round out the cast.
- 2/17/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
Dave Annable has been cast opposite Katharine McPhee in the romantic-comedy "Wedlocked." Rob Hedden will direct from his own script, which focuses on a young photographer (Annable), who gets wrangled into a marriage-of-convenience to the daughter (McPhee) of a mobster. They even get a forced honeymoon in Hawaii, which is where the film will shoot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on "Wedlocked" will begin in March when Annable is on "Brothers & Sisters" hiatus. The film is produced Showcase Entertainment's Shawna and David Jackson and by Hawaii Film Partners' Rann and Gina Watamull. We suppose the latter production entity is...
- 2/17/2009
- by HitFix Staff
- Hitfix
Remember Katharine McPhee? She gave the whole nation "McPheever" when she was on American Idol, only to be beaten by the Soul Patrol antics of Taylor Hicks? You may also remember that she was giving a movie career a shot, taking a supporting role in The House Bunny that, apparently, weren't entirely embarrassing. Now she's giving movie stardom yet another try, taking a role alongside Brothers & Sisters star Dave Annable in Wedlocked, a romantic comedy about mobsters, pet photographers, and forced weddings. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Rob Hedden (The Condemned) will direct the film, which starts filming in March. I know it's unfair to say that American Idol stars have a short shelf life, given that Jennifer Hudson is America's reigning sweetheart. But I'm really not seeing the "next big thing" potential in McPhee.
- 2/17/2009
- cinemablend.com
"Brothers & Sisters" star Dave Annable has been cast in the romantic comedy Wedlocked opposite "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee. Rob Hedden ( The Condemned ) will direct from his own script. Annable will play a pet photographer who gets mixed up with a mobster and his daughter, who is angling for American citizenship. Things go terribly awry on their forced honeymoon. The production will start in Oahu, Hawaii in March while Annable is on hiatus from his ABC show.
- 2/17/2009
- Comingsoon.net
"American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee will star opposite "Brothers and Sisters" star Dave Annable in an upcoming romantic comedy film from Showcase Entertainment.
"Wedlocked" was written and will be directed by Rob Hedden, who wrote the 2007 action pic "The Condemned." Showcase's Shawna and David Jackson will produce with Hawaii Film Partners' Ran and Gina Watamull.
The story revolves around a pet photographer who gets mixed up with a mobster and his daughter Masha, who is seeking American citizenship. Things go wrong on their forced honeymoon, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Production will start in March in Oahu, Hawaii.
"Wedlocked" was written and will be directed by Rob Hedden, who wrote the 2007 action pic "The Condemned." Showcase's Shawna and David Jackson will produce with Hawaii Film Partners' Ran and Gina Watamull.
The story revolves around a pet photographer who gets mixed up with a mobster and his daughter Masha, who is seeking American citizenship. Things go wrong on their forced honeymoon, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Production will start in March in Oahu, Hawaii.
- 2/17/2009
- icelebz.com
"Brothers & Sisters" star Dave Annable has been cast in the romantic comedy "Wedlocked" opposite "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee. Rob Hedden ("The Condemned") will direct from his own script.
The film is being produced by Showcase Entertainment's Shawna and David Jackson and by Hawaii Film Partners' Rann and Gina Watamull.
Annable will play a pet photographer who gets mixed up with a mobster and his daughter, who is angling for American citizenship. Things go terribly awry on their forced honeymoon.
The production will start in Oahu, Hawaii in March while Annable is on hiatus from his ABC show.
Repped by CAA and Barking Dog Entertainment, Annable had a role in "Little Black Book."...
The film is being produced by Showcase Entertainment's Shawna and David Jackson and by Hawaii Film Partners' Rann and Gina Watamull.
Annable will play a pet photographer who gets mixed up with a mobster and his daughter, who is angling for American citizenship. Things go terribly awry on their forced honeymoon.
The production will start in Oahu, Hawaii in March while Annable is on hiatus from his ABC show.
Repped by CAA and Barking Dog Entertainment, Annable had a role in "Little Black Book."...
- 2/16/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lionsgate
The posters for The Condemned include the tagline "10 People Will Fight. 9 People Will Die. You Get to Watch."
They ran out of space before they could include the words " ... and be Bored Silly" by this D-grade Running Man ripoff, starring World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Steve Austin as one of a group of death row cons (including a couple of women) who fight for their freedom on a streaming webcast orchestrated by a ratings-mad producer.
As off-putting and ridiculous as it is ponderous, this WWE Films enterprise should have been condemned to fight for space on the DVD shelves rather than be thrust upon unsuspecting moviegoers, but distributor Lionsgate obviously has other ideas.
Directed by Scott Wiper (2000's equally derivative A Better Way to Die), from a script he penned with Rob Hedden, the story centers on an egotistical TV producer (Robert Mammone, with a seeming nod in the direction of Joe Francis) who's determined to get the kind of viewers for reality programming that broadcasters can no longer deliver.
His brainchild involves corralling 10 condemned killers, with names like the German, the Italian, the Russian and Paco, and let them go at one another on a remote island, played by Australia.
The last man standing wins his freedom, and the producer pockets millions.
But a potential spoiler has arrived in the intimidating form of Jack Conrad (Austin), a good ol' Lubbock, Texas, boy, sentenced to death in an El Salvador prison with a covert past and a real sense of decency beneath that menacing brawn.
He proves to be a considerable match for resident sicko McStarley (Vinnie Jones), a sadistic British special forces agent with a history of rape, torture and murder.
All the ensuing gratuitous violence and mock moralizing about society's voyeuristic craving for this kind of stuff might have been met with more revulsion had the movie not been so dopey and tedious.
While some of those contestants blow up real good (they're outfitted with ankle-bracelet bombs that discharge if they are tampered with), the lags in between are killer, and the dialogue isn't even B-movie worthy.
Austin, who has proved himself a capable actor before on Nash Bridges and in the Adam Sandler version of The Longest Yard, does his stoic thing but hasn't been handed the sufficient tools to work with by Wiper and Hedden.
The posters for The Condemned include the tagline "10 People Will Fight. 9 People Will Die. You Get to Watch."
They ran out of space before they could include the words " ... and be Bored Silly" by this D-grade Running Man ripoff, starring World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Steve Austin as one of a group of death row cons (including a couple of women) who fight for their freedom on a streaming webcast orchestrated by a ratings-mad producer.
As off-putting and ridiculous as it is ponderous, this WWE Films enterprise should have been condemned to fight for space on the DVD shelves rather than be thrust upon unsuspecting moviegoers, but distributor Lionsgate obviously has other ideas.
Directed by Scott Wiper (2000's equally derivative A Better Way to Die), from a script he penned with Rob Hedden, the story centers on an egotistical TV producer (Robert Mammone, with a seeming nod in the direction of Joe Francis) who's determined to get the kind of viewers for reality programming that broadcasters can no longer deliver.
His brainchild involves corralling 10 condemned killers, with names like the German, the Italian, the Russian and Paco, and let them go at one another on a remote island, played by Australia.
The last man standing wins his freedom, and the producer pockets millions.
But a potential spoiler has arrived in the intimidating form of Jack Conrad (Austin), a good ol' Lubbock, Texas, boy, sentenced to death in an El Salvador prison with a covert past and a real sense of decency beneath that menacing brawn.
He proves to be a considerable match for resident sicko McStarley (Vinnie Jones), a sadistic British special forces agent with a history of rape, torture and murder.
All the ensuing gratuitous violence and mock moralizing about society's voyeuristic craving for this kind of stuff might have been met with more revulsion had the movie not been so dopey and tedious.
While some of those contestants blow up real good (they're outfitted with ankle-bracelet bombs that discharge if they are tampered with), the lags in between are killer, and the dialogue isn't even B-movie worthy.
Austin, who has proved himself a capable actor before on Nash Bridges and in the Adam Sandler version of The Longest Yard, does his stoic thing but hasn't been handed the sufficient tools to work with by Wiper and Hedden.
- 4/25/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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