THE DEVIL'S CANDY: Complete World Premiere Post-Screening Q&A With Sean Byrne & Ethan Embry

Here is the compete The Devil's Candy world premiere post-screening Q&A with director/writer Sean Byrne and actor Ethan Embry moderated by programmer Colin Geddes.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY Final Screening!

"Just let me finish my evil painting, and then we'll go."

Today's your last chance to see The Devil's Candy! Will an artist slowly descend into madness and trance states that lead to creepy paintings--a syndrome common among artists--and become a stranger to even his family? Will there be sinister visitations? Will there be Metal?

Maniacs, it will be brutal.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY Final Screening:
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14

SOUTHBOUND: Interview with Director Roxanne Benjamin

Director, actor and producer Roxanne Benjamin has two films at Midnight Madness this year. She's a director in the horror anthology Southbound and a producer on The Devil's Candy. In fact, Roxanne Benjamin is probably responsible now for about 30% of the Madness at Midnight Madness, you might remember a little film series she co-produced, V/H/S.

Benjamin took time to answer some questions in advance of the Southbound premiere last night. (The internet passes through Hell itself, and so, you know, the answers got a little delayed in transmission. Demons always think that's funny, that and 404's...).


How did you come to be involved with Southbound and The Devil's Candy?

Brad Miska and I produced the first two V/H/S films together. With those films, we wanted to take found footage, something that felt beat to death as a trope at that point, and find a way to make it interesting and new. With Southbound, we wanted to do the same thing with the actual structure of a multi-director narrative-we wanted to make one world-one mythology with a connected, interweaving story. Brad had been in touch with the Radio Silence boys about it, and I reached out to David Bruckner, and then we had a V/H/S reunion of sorts on our hands.

With Devil’s Candy, I was working under producers Keith and Jess Calder at the time, co-producing some of their film slate over at Snoot Entertainment and basically trying to soak up as much filmmaking knowledge from them as possible. Devil’s Candy was one of the first projects of theirs that I read, and being a huge fan of The Loved Ones (which I learned about from Midnight Madness, of course) I was beyond excited to get to work on Sean Byrne’s film.

You've been involved in many aspects of filmmaking (and tv-making) from the art department to producing and now screenwriting and directing. How did come to directing? And, is there anything you learned in the other ares of filmmaking that you've been involved in that you brought with you to directing?

Yeah. Drink a lot of water. Really though, every day on set in any capacity teaches you something new.  My route to directing isn’t the most traditional, I’ve had a little experience in a lot of different roles, which hopefully informs me as a filmmaker and producer. I think directing was the obvious transition for me after working in the anthology format for so many years now, which is so creatively collaborative by design, and you’re way more involved in shaping the overall vision of the film than in traditional features. Also, working with people better than you makes you better at what you do, it forces you to raise your game.  So I surround myself with as many talented people as possible. I’m also lucky to have some really rad director friends like Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun) and Dave Bruckner (The Signal) and Evan Katz (Cheap Thrills) that I can learn from, who have all definitely pushed me at various times to get behind the camera myself. It was definitely such an ‘Oh, THIS is what I’m supposed to be doing’ moment the first day on set in that capacity.

You've produced a bunch of anthology movies including the V/H/S series and now Southbound. What's some of the appeal of working in an anthology format for you?

Working with friends, always first and foremost. And you get to collaborate in a way that is not totally available to you with straight features. A feature is really a two to three-year process from development to the release of the film. And there’s so many great filmmakers in genre today. With these types of projects I get to work with a whole gang of talented filmmakers that I respect in that same window. Sixteen, actually, between the V/H/S movies and Southbound, which is pretty crazy. Watching the whole come together as greater than the sum of its parts--these separate visions that we’re helping to bring to screen to make one cohesive narrative--is one of my favorite things about the process. I’d also say I’ve made as many multi-director/multi-writer films as I have because of a love for the writer’s room working in TV, and the entire process of TV production. Particularly with Southbound, we were all coming up with this world together and structured production more like a TV series than a feature. We’d be in my living room once a week breaking story and talking themes, leading up to production. Same thing on set and once we got into the editing process. We’ve probably watched this film no less than 50 times through as a group since the rough cut.

What are some of your favorite horror movies, anthology or otherwise?

Creepshow 2 and Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, particularly the Michael McDowell segment, "Lover’s Vow." That messed me up as a kid. In the Mouth of Madness is also at the top of the ‘probably fucked up my psyche at a formative age’ list.  I probably have way less horror film background than one would expect given my filmography, ha. I was always more of a reader—I grew up on EC Comics, Stephen King, USA Up All Night, and pulp novels.  I remember biking into town to the corner drugstore to get the latest Tales from the Crypt, Haunt of Fear, and Vault of Horror issues (I swear this was the '90s, not the '50s). But I tend to be more obsessed with anything that evokes a sense of creeping dread when it comes to movies, like The Sentinel or Repulsion or Picnic at Hanging Rock. I’m also fascinated by the dynamics of female relationships--there’s so much fodder there to mine-which I don’t think is explored enough in modern horror. I guess you can see that obsession in my part of Southbound.

Exploring the dynamics of female relationships---with DANGER!

What can the Midnight Madness audience expect from Southbound and The Devil's Candy?

Complete pandemonium, hopefully? I’m actually really excited to see both of these films with the Ryerson crowd. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Roxanne Benjamin!
 
SOUTHBOUND Screening Times: Fri, Sept 18, 12:45 PM SCOTIABANK Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK


THE DEVIL'S CANDY Final Screening:
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

BASKIN: Visions of Hell in Art

"Who likes art?" "We do!"

There are still screenings of Baskin and The Devil's Candy for you to feast your eyes on--and potentially for hell-creatures to feast on your eyes. (We are legally and morally obligated to warn you of the possiblity that hell-creatures will feast on your eyes during Baskin and The Devil's Candy. But we assure you that it is totally worth it. In fact, we're certain you won't mind).

So why not look at some more pictures of hell and hell pictures while you're waiting to catch the next screening of Baskin or The Devil's Candy. Or even to let bore into your mind as you wait in line for Southbound. I'm sure there's nothing diabolical about that horror anthology. Horror anthologies never involve hell... or paintings... What could it hurt to take a peek?

I could use some inspiration...

We usually see Hieronymous Bosch's depiction of hell from "Garden of Earthly Delights," but I thought for a change, let's just contemplate, "An Angel Leading A Soul Into Hell."

"And here's the Infernal Panopticon. And there's the guy who chops people up for eternity..."

Here the Devil's and his stomach pal have popped out of Hell to remind everyone that there is no redemption in Hell. Of course, a lot more people read Latin in 1485, so you'd have to be around then to really appreciate the concision of the warning. Especially when he has a cute bat head.

Don't be fooled by the cute bat head!

 An intriguing Hellmouth from the Winchester Psalter (1225). It is one head or two? It a face or  a vase? THAT IS THE HORROR OF HELL!

Everybody in? Good, I'm locking the Gate to Hell. Watch your tails!

A Hellmouth from a French translation of St. Augustine's The City Of God with very diligent demons and overworked angels.

It's like an infernal Pac-Man.

This painting is also French. It's from Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry. The Devil has a really upset stomach.

Satan really overdid it on the people-eating.

Meanwhile, in an 1861 Yoshimori blockprint, bad dogs are being judged in Hell. Really bad, bad dogs.

I don't even want to know what these dogs did.

And skeletons are up to all kinds of business, while Hell Courtesan dozes (Kyosai, 1874).

Bored now.

But Hell's never boring with Midnight Madness! See more visions of Hell in Baskin and some more hellish art in The Devil's Candy



BASKIN Final Screening:
Thu, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

The Devil’s Candy Final Screening:
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE DEVIL'S CANDY: Video World Premiere Interviews with Sean Byrne, Ethan Embry

Sean Byrne made his long awaited return to Midnight Madness with The Devil's Candy. Sean's first film, The Loved Ones, won the 2009 Midnight Madness People's Choice Award. Robert A. Mitchell had the opportunity to speak to Sean and actor Ethan Embry mere moments before the world premiere of The Devil's Candy.

 

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE DEVIL'S CANDY: Paintings of EVIL!

Evil painting targeting its next victim.

With The Devil's Candy premiering tonight, we thought it would be a good time to profile evil paintings. Well, mostly evil. Some trap people forever or foreshadow some doom. But Some of these are portraits that possessed men or obsessed men use as references when trying to restore their lost loves.

I myself would like a creepy ancestral portrait painted in a Modern or Expressionist style above my fireplace or in the vestibule of my home when I greet weary travelers candelabra in hand.

"No, I hadn't noticed the resemblance before, but now that you mention it," I'll say. "Yes, Remarkable. Quite uncanny."

And perhaps you will be that poor traveler whose car veered off the road in the storm. And perhaps you'll be unsettled by the portrait, how much it resembles you or me or your partner--any of which always turn out to be bad in these films.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

This is Albert Lewin's adaption of Oscar Wilde's story of a man who remains young and handsome, unmarked by his sins as long as portrait carries them. Meanwhile, chickenhawk Lord Henry Wotton tries to seduce Dorian (Hurd Hatfield).  into a life of sin and pleasure, though it's mostly drinking and jerkitude on the screen. Cause 1945. There's also a "love interest" played by Donna Reed, but, you know. 1945. Shot in black and white, Lewin used the most lurid color in revealing the portrait Dorian keeps in his attic to hide the vileness of his soul.

Incidentally, you can see the picture at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Certainly not an evil portrait. Nope, not evil at all.

The Haunted Palace (1963)

In Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe's H.P. Lovecraft's The Haunted Palace, Charles Dexter Ward is struck by the similarity a portrait of his great-great-grandfather above the fireplace in the ancestral castle he has inherited. The more he stares at the portrait, the more familiar the place seems and the jerkier he is to his wife, Anne, who, understandably would like to live anywhere but in the creepy house where her husband is becoming possessed by the soul of his ancestor and the entire town of mutant Lovecraftian townsfolk despise them both for a past injustice. Really more of a supernatural/interdimensional atrocity than in injustice.

The Raven (1963)

So this isn't really an evil painting. And The Raven is far more light-hearted than The Haunted Palace. But I really love the Modigliani-inspired painting of the lost Lenore. I am very fond of all the charmingly anachronistic paintings and portraits American International Pictures used in their films with Vincent Price.

Glower.

Manos the Hands of Fate (1966)

While the painting of the Master and his hell hounds doesn't play a central role in the plot, it certainly plays a central role in the set design. And it is a pretty remarkable piece of work in a film that is at best probably understood as a fever dream. Look at that glower. That is a fine glower.


Portrait de l'enfer - Shirô Toyoda - Trailer by k-chan
Portrait of Hell (1969)

Tatsuya Nakadai plays a Korean painter named, Yoshihide, who's been hired by the jerkiest of lords, Horikawa (Kinnosuke Nakamura), to paint screens for a temple Horikawa has commissioned. Yoshihide agrees provided he can paint one screen that depicts Hell, since basically that's all he sees in Yoshihide's domain. Yoshihide is such a great painter that they seem to capture life--and death--and hell.

Yeah, that's totally it. Got it in one. Jerk.

And there is of course, Night Gallery, Rod Serlings' 1970s horror anthology show, in which each storyline was represented by a painting in Rod's gallery of twisted tales. Several involved paintings. In the pilot, Roddy MacDowells inherits his uncle's house and is haunted by a painting that seems to change. In fact, it seems so show, in stages, Roddy's uncle crawling out of his grave and walking toward the house. (This episode also stars Midnight Madness alumnus Ossie Davis (Bubba Ho-tep)). In that same pilot episode, a Nazi war criminal tries to take refuge in a painting of a lovely fishing scene, but unfortunately enters the wrong painting. And it turns out to be a pretty good punishment, I don't know if it would satisfy the Hague, but it's pretty good.

Who would've thought the Devil preferred a pencil 'stache?

In Boris Karloff's Thriller, there are a couple of episodes about paintings where no one enters or is possessed by a painting. In the episode, "The Devil's Ticket,"* an artist makes a deal with the devil. He pawns his soul for success and all he has to do is paint a portrait of the person whose soul he'll give the Devil to get his own out of hawk. In the "Grim Reaper," a woman buys a lovely painting of Death looking all stylish, but notices people are dying and for some reason there is blood on Death's scythe. Oh, and "Grim Reaper" just happens to star William Shatner, who I am declaring an Honorary Midnight Madness Alumnus. Also, Tatsuya Nakadai. Because, Seriously.

*Remember, the Devil's Ticket is redeemable for your choice of the Devil's candy, popcorn and one 16oz beverage of your choice. [The Midnight Madness Blog would like to remind you that there are no food or beverages allowed in Ryerson. Also, don't exchange people's souls for candy, popcorn and your choice of beverage. ~ Ed.]

Incidentally, we've found a collection of the paintings from the television show, Night Gallery. (Including the painting at the beginning of this post. Please enjoy while you wait for The Devil's Candy to bring the Madness tonight! Just, you know, don't walk into the movie or the painting in the movie. Just be cautious with art. Enjoy responsibly.

Vincent Price, demonstrating the proper way to appreciate art.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY Screening Times:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14

THE DEVIL'S CANDY: Profile of Director Sean Byrne

If the name Sean Byrne, director of The Devil's Candy, sounds familiar, there's a reason why.

Byrne's first feature, The Loved Ones, screened at Midnight Madness back in 2009 where it won the People's Choice Award. It was also a huge critical success, both with horror fans and more highbrow critics like Variety's Dennis Harvey who said it "transcends mere torture porn in its deftly controlled mix of empathy, grotesquerie and sardonic humor."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Dennis. For those who don't already know, here's the plot of The Loved Ones.

That's gotta hurt.

High school student Brent has become super emo since his dad was killed in a car crash. When classmate Lola asks him to the prom, he politely declines, since he's already going with his girlfriend Holly. Bad idea, Brent. Taking the events of Carrie one step further, all of the truly terrible things that happen to people in The Loved Ones don't even take place at the actual prom. See, Lola and her dad have a way to ensure sure the word "rejection" isn't a part of her would-be boyfriends' vocabularies... literally. They kidnap, torture, and disable the vocal cords (syringe + bleach = silent screaming) of every guy who says no to her and then keep the poor fellows locked up in the basement.

With such an auspicious debut, the horror community has been salivating for another taste of Sean Byrne's particular flavor of cinematic psychosis. (Not like we were going to kidnap him and keep him in our basements or anything, mind you.) So it's great that he's back at the Festival this year with The Devil's Candy. Here's the scoop on what this movie is about:

A struggling painter is possessed by satanic forces after he and his young family move into their dream home in rural Texas, in this creepy haunted-house tale.

"Why yes I do look like Franco Nero in The Visitor!"

It's a short and (not-so) sweet synopsis, but as Byrne explained to Midnight Madness blogger Robert A. Mitchell, "the fun is in not knowing!" (If you haven't read that interview, you can do so here.)

My fave quote? " I hope it creeps like death, sends chills then attacks the throat. I hope it feels like hell has risen."

Prepare your throats to be attacked when The Devil's Candy hits the screen!

THE DEVIL'S CANDY Screening Times:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14

THE DEVIL'S CANDY Premieres Tonight!!

One of the most hotly anticipated films at this year’s Midnight Madness is the new film from the director of The Loved Ones, The Devil’s Candy. To make it even more exciting, the film is produced by Snoot Entertainment, who were behind films like You’re Next, and The Guest.

If you saw The Loved Ones at TIFF in 2009, I trust you already have your ticket to see The Devil’s Candy. But if you don’t, you’re only going to have yourself to blame if you miss what feels like it has all the elements to be a truly legendary Midnight Madness screening.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

Producer Profile: Snoot Entertainment

Snoot Entertainment is a production company established by Jessica Wu and Keith Calder, and alongside the highly anticipated The Devil's Candy coming to Midnight Madness this September, Snoot has some well-loved genre flicks on its resume. These are just a few of our favourites!

Dude Bro Party Massacre III 
Cited as an example of "machismo feminism," which is a term that still makes me giggle with joy, this film is a love-letter to 80's movies, following a group of frat-brothers who are hunted by the malevolent Motherface.

V/H/S/2 - Segments "Tape 49" and "Phase I Clinical Trials"
Tape 49 is the framed story throughout this second instalment in the anthology series V/H/S, which follows two private investigators who search for a missing boy named Kyle. The next segment "Phase 1 Clinical Trials" follows Herman, who after a car accident underwent experimental ocular trials, but his robotic eye begins to malfunction and he is exposed to a terrifying supernatural world, not visible to human eyes alone.

The Guest 
This Midnight Madness alumni film closed the series last year, following a soldier who appears on the doorstep of the Peterson family and claims that he is a friend of their deceased son. After he arrives, several deaths begin to occur that all link back to him.

You're Next 
Family get-togethers can sometimes be a bit of a hassle - but nothing is quite as stressful as the Davison family gets together and soon after finds themselves under attack of animal-masked
assailants.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane 
Although it's not a Snoot film per se, Keith Calder produced this film following the sweet-as-sugar orphan named Mandy, who on one night where she follows her newfound friends to a party, is the prize of all the boys who compete among themselves to try and sleep with her. That night, a hooded stranger attacks someone, and it is just one of several depraved attacks on the party-goers.

Anomalisa 
If The Devil's Candy leaves you wanting much more Snoot in your life, be sure to check out the latest from Charlie Kaufman, playing during this festival season at TIFF. This film is a stop-motion style story about a man who is consumed by monotony.


THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

ANOMALISA screens:
Tue, Sept 15, 9:30 PM PRINCESS OF WALES
Wed, Sept. 16, 11:00 AM ELGIN/WINTER GARDEN THEATRE VISA SCREENING ROOM
Sat, Sept. 19, 6:15 PM ELGIN/WINTER GARDEN THEATRE VISA SCREENING ROOM

THE DEVIL'S CANDY: Interview with Director Sean Byrne

The Devil's Candy marks director Sean Byrne return to the Midnight Madness program. His first feature The Loved Ones was so beloved that it won the 2009 Midnight Madness People's Choice Winner. I recently spoke with Sean about his eagerly awaited sophomore film. -- Robert A. Mitchell

Your first film The Loved Ones had an amazing world premiere in 2009 at Midnight Madness. Could you share some of your memories from that night? How did that screening change your life?

It began as a blur of jet-lag and sleep deprivation and ended as one of the most vivid memories of my life. Making a film is a marathon. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is hopefully getting it in front of a big audience like at the Ryerson. The nerve-racking part is there’s no guarantee the audience will like it and all those thousands of hours that go into creating a film end up amounting to nothing more than egg on your face. So the way the audience embraced the film - screaming, cheering, wearing their heart on their sleeve - was so satisfying it’s hard to put into words. So much so I’ve been fighting to get back to Midnight Madness ever since.

As far as changing my life, the fact we won the Audience Choice award opened a lot of doors. It got me an Agent, countless meetings, and meant scripts were sent to me for the first time in my life. After flirting with various projects I ended up coming back to my own material because in the end I wanted to retain some sort of voice but thanks to Midnight Madness I suddenly had more than one avenue open to me.

I'm eagerly anticipating The Devil's Candy. What is the basic premise of the story? Where did the idea come from?

I don’t want to say too much because half the fun is in the not knowing! And The Devil’s Candy definitely has an air of mystery to it. I guess all I can say is it’s a haunted house movie about a father desperately trying to protect his daughter from the darkness in disguise. As for where the idea came from, I started wondering what’s the greatest disparity of power, the ultimate David versus Goliath battle in a horror context, and it seemed like child versus monster. After that the challenge became how to create a monster we haven’t seen before. There’s echoes of The Shining in terms of how a location can wreak havoc on the mind and also a hint of the Crossroads mythology: would you sell your soul for personal gain even if it meant jeopardizing the lives of those around you? 

What are some things you learned about film making from The Loved Ones? How did you apply this knowledge to your second film?

Prepare as much as you can then once the train leaves the station just hang on. Tackle one obstacle at a time and eventually you’ll reach the finish line. Surrounding yourself with the right producers and heads of department who not only share your sensibility but are also decent, passionate, supportive and great at what they do is also crucial. If you’ve got a good script or blue print, understand the tone of the film, do your best to communicate it clearly and work with the right people then you’ve at least got half a chance!

You have teamed up with producers Keith Calder and Jessica Wu of Snoot Films who  has a history with the Midnight Madness program producing You're Next and The Guest to name a few. How did their experience producing genre films aid the production of The Devil's Candy?

Keith and Jess have made sixteen films. I think The Devil’s Candy is their eighth film at TIFF. You can’t buy that kind of experience. You have to earn it and they have. So in a practical sense I felt in very safe hands. Everything is handled in a calm, methodical manner. But what was perhaps most rewarding was their ability to creatively align themselves with the film. We were all striving to make the same movie. As a writer/director I end up living with the material for an unhealthy length of time and to have producers who are able to remind you what was so exciting about the story in the first place is invaluable. They have strong commercial instincts but aren’t afraid to take risks because they understand horror, to avoid being predictable, sometimes needs to be dangerous, even taboo. And that’s where I live as a filmmaker so to share that ethos and have that kind of faith and support was incredibly helpful.

What kind of cinematic experience awaits the audience?

I wanted to pay homage to the classics of the supernatural genre - Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, The Omen, The Shining - but with a distinctly modern sensibility. Like The Loved Ones, metal plays its part. In a perfect world The Devil’s Candy would lift the underground into the mainstream. We’ve been calling it a Doom Opera. I hope it creeps like death, sends chills then attacks the throat. I hope it feels like hell has risen.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

What MM Movies Rue Morgue Editor-in-Chief Dave Alexander Can't Wait For

I got the chance to chat with Dave Alexander, editor-in-chief of the world's leading horror magazine, Rue Morgue, and naturally, had to ask him what Midnight Madness movies he's most looking forward to.

Baskin

If Can Evrenol’s Baskin is as creepy as the short film of the same name that it’s based on, it’ll be the kind of hard horror hellride perfect for midnight audiences in need of a genuine creep out. I love movies in which the protagonists must investigate large buildings that reveal a multitude of horrors – think the original Dawn of the Dead, the remake of The Toolbox Murders or Silent Hill – and the chilling occult angle offered here drives things in a particularly harrowing direction. The official description of Baskin being inspired by Quest for Fire, Apocalypse Now and Hellraiser, but also the paintings of Caravaggio, Bosch, and Giger” seals the deal.

Final Girls 

If you watch a lot of horror movies, like I do, films that cleverly deconstruct the genre tropes we’re so familiar with – and sometimes tired of – are cathartic. When they also deliver all the fun in those formulas, all the better. Todd Strauss-Schulson’s Final Girls promises the same amount of laughs and lacerations found in slasher-savvy titles such as Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and Cabin in the Woods. That it was co-written by actor-turned-screenwriter Joshua John Miller – of Near Dark, River’s Edge and Halloween III fame – is a bonus for us genre geeks.

The Devil’s Candy

The Loved Ones (2009) is one of my all-time favourite Midnight Madness movies, and six years is too long of a wait for a follow up from Aussie writer/director Sean Byrne. The premise for The Devil’s Candy (a painter in Texas is possessed after moving his family into their dream home) is as simple as the set up for The Loved Ones (a high school boy is kidnapped and tortured by a deranged classmate on prom night) but you can bet Byrne has some nasty surprises in store, as well as some very strong visuals. All that aside, seeing as it comes from the same producers as popular Midnight Madness films The Guest and You’re Next, it’s a no-brainer.

Thank you for your time, Dave! 

BASKIN screens:

Fri, Sept 11, 11:59 PM RYERSON 

Sun, Sept 13, 4:00 PM SCOTIABANK

Thurs, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

FINAL GIRLS screens:

Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens: 

Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON

Tues, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK

Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

Midnight Madness Flashback: THE LOVED ONES

In  2009, when Sean Byrne’s The Loved Ones had its world premiere at Midnight Madness, the audience was delighted and thrilled by the story of Lola’s DIY prom. Dressed in a blindingly pink dress, Lola and her father kidnapped the boy who wouldn't go to prom with her, and tied him in his bloodied tuxedo, to a chair in their school dance decorated kitchen. The scenes that followed had the crowd eating out of the palm of writer/director, Byrne’s hand, and when the week was over, The Loved Ones was named the Cadillac Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award winner.

The Loved Ones seemed like it was about to take the world by storm, but that didn’t really happen. It wasn’t released theatrically in North America until 2012, and without the promotional push it deserved. Its premiere in 2009 remains one of the best Midnight Madness screenings I’ve attended, and it would be an understatement to say that I’m excited that Sean Byrne is back this year with his new film, The Devil’s Candy.

Will it win the twisted hearts of the Midnight Madness audience in the same way, The Loved Ones did? I can’t wait to find out!

 THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:

Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

Five Reasons Why We Love Ethan Embry

Beloved actor Ethan Embry is coming back to our big-screens this September in The Devil's Candy, where he plays a struggling painter who becomes possessed by a demonic force, soon after him and his family move to their dream home. Embry's portrayal of a patriarch fully at the end of his rope works as a perfect compliment to writer-director Sean Byne's graphic, jolting style, who is perhaps best known for his horrifying teenage flick The Loved Ones, which begs the question, "You thought your prom night was bad?"

Wrapped in the excitement of The Devil's Candy, we thought we'd take a look at five reasons why we love Ethan Embry:

5) He is fantastic in any dramatic role - RE: Brotherhood 

Embry arguably is most recognized for his character in the Showtime series Brotherhood, where he plays the Rhode Island state detective Declan Giggs. Brotherhood had only three seasons, but effectively captivated critics everywhere.

4) He steals the scene, even when he's a tertiary character - RE: That Thing You Do!

In this movie about fictional band The Oneders (now that's One-ders, not Oh-need-ers), Embry has a small part as the bass player of the band (or T.B. Player as per his credit). Although Ethan barely has any lines at all, his adorable presence is felt in any scene he's in as the doe-eyed, sweetheart bassist. Also, is there anything funnier than when he totally abandons the band to go to Disney?

3) He very effectively plays extremely sympathetic characters - RE: Late Phases: Night of the Lone Wolf 

In this smart and subtle werewolf flick, Embry plays Will, the son of the stubborn, blind, war veteran Ambrose (played by Nick Damici). Will puts his father into a retirement community because he fears for his safety if he were to continue living totally alone, and although the audience sees Ambrose's anger about his liberties being taken away due to age - we still sympathize with Will because his actions are out of a place of love.

2) He can do comedic and light roles just as well as drama - RE: Can't Hardly Wait 

Starring as Preston Meyers in this quintessential 90's teen romp, Embry is funny and lovable as the artistic Preston, who vows that on graduation night, he will finally tell Amanda Beckett (Jennifer Love-Hewitt) that he loves her.

1) He is clearly going to crush being a main character in a horror movie - RE: The Devil's Candy

We have absolutely no doubts that Embry's portrayal of the tortured (in more ways than one) painter is going to be thrilling and chilling, even just seeing him in official stills, the kind-faced actor is barely recognizable in his dishevelment.

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

Tweeting #MidnightMadness #TIFF15

 "Twitter actually feels like the street. You can bump into anybody on Twitter." -- William Gibson 

For all of you folks on twitter I've compiled a handy roundup of the various directors and cast that have films in the 2015 Midnight Madness program. -- @RobertAMitchell

THE CHICKENING

Co-Director: Nick DenBoer @Smearballz
Cast: Kenny Hotz @kennyhotz

GREEN ROOM

Director: Jeremy Saulnier @saulnier_jeremy
Cast: Sir Patrick Stewart @SirPatStew
Imogen Poots @imogenpoots
Alia Shawkat @ShawkatAlia
Mark Webber @likemark

BASKIN

Director: Can Evrenol @canevrenol #FiveCopsGoToHell

HARDCORE

Director: IIya Naishuller @Naishuller
Cast: Sharlto Copley @sharlto

THE DEVIL’S CANDY

Cast: Ethan Embry @EmbryEthan
Shiri Appleby @ShiriAppleby
Producer: Keith Calder @keithcalder

 THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Director Nick Simon @Simon367
Cast: Kal Penn @kalpenn
Claudia Lee @ClaudiaLeeLive
Kenny Wormald @KennyWormald
Luke Baines @LukeBaines

THE MIND’S EYE

Director Joe Begos @joebegos
Cast: Graham Skipper @GrahamSkipper
Josh Ethier @josh_ethier
Lauren Ashley Carter @LAC_voyager
Jeremy Gardner @TheBATTERYmovie

SOUTHBOUND

Directors: Roxanne Benjamin @roxanne73
David Bruckner @bruckmachina
Radio Silence @HiRadioSilence
Patrick Horvath @PatrickHorvath
Producer: Brad Miska @bradmiska
Cast: Susan Burke @ThatSusanBurke
Davey Johnson @DrDavey
Maria Olsen @mariaolsen66

SPL 2 - A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES

Cast: Tony Jaa @tonyjaaofficial

YAKUZA APOCALYPSE

Cast: Yayan Ruhian @YayanRuhian

 THE FINAL GIRLS

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson @strussschulson
Screenwriters M.A. Fortin @SeniorTeenager
Joshua John Miller @JoshJohnMiller
Cast: Taissa Farmiga @t_farmiga
Malin Akerman @MalinAkerman
Alexander Ludwig @alexanderludwig
Chloe Bridges @chloebridges
Angela Trimbur @angelatrimbur

And be sure to follow @mmadnesstiff and Programmer Colin Geddes @colingeddes

THE CHICKENING screens with GREEN ROOM:
Thu, Sept 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 11th, 8:45 AM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 12, 2:15 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS

BASKIN screens:
Fri, Sept 11, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun, Sept 13, 4:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Thu, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

HARDCORE screens:
Sat, Sept 12, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS screens:
Mon, Sept 14, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed, Sept 16, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE MIND'S EYE screens:
Tue, Sept 15, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thu, Sept 17, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sat, Sept 19, 7:00 PM SCOTIABANK

SOUTHBOUND screens:
Wed, Sept 16, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK

SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES screens:
Thu, Sept 17, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sun, Sept 20, 6:30 PM SCOTIABANK

YAKUZA APOCALYPSE screens:
Fri, Sept 18, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat, Sept 19, 3:00 PM SCOTIABANK

THE FINAL GIRLS screens:
Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK