THE MIND'S EYE: Steve Moore Musician Profile

Steve Moore wonders if he has what it takes to be a Vanguard Mascot.

When you hear the name Zombi, what does it bring to mind? Does it make you think of the alternate title of George A. Romero's 1978 film Dawn of the Dead? Or Lucio Fulci's 1979 film Zombie, a.k.a. Zombi 2? Or do you think about the guy in the above photo?

Steven R. Moore is one half of instrumental duo Zombi, along with Anthony Paterra (a.k.a. Maserati). Together they've been making retro-inspired yet utterly modern (and frequently futuristic) music since first part of the current millennium. Their music is influenced by (what else?) the soundtracks of films by Romero, Fulci, and horror maestro John Carpenter... meaning the soundtrack work of bands like Goblin and Fabio Frizzi, as well as Carpenter's own film scores. He's also provided the score to The Mind's Eye.

Moore is nothing if not prolific and like the movies mentioned above, he also goes by the alias Gianni Rossi (pretty inspired, if you ask us), and is a member of the bands Lovelock and Titan.

You might also recall Moore's score for last year's Midnight Madness fave, The Guest.

Click this link to hear samples from the score on Soundcloud!

Or you might remember his score for another MM movie from last year, Cub (Murder Scouts FTW!)

Moore's music can currently be found in The Mind's Eye, which has one last screening on Saturday.

Still need more Moore? You're in luck! Zombi's upcoming release Shape Shift will be out on October 16 from Relapse Records.

THE MIND'S EYE Screening Times:
Sat, Sept 19, 7:00 PM SCOTIABANK 10

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

Midnight Madness Movies Coming To A Theater Near You!

So the Festival is over, and that means so is Midnight Madness... at least for another year. But many of the films were picked up for distribution, which means you'll still get the chance to see them. Here's a list.

If you want to see Samuel L. Jackson as an ass-kicking US President, you're in luck! Big Game was picked up by Elevation Pictures, a Canadian distribution company, and will be released in the US by RED/Relativity.

The whole world is going full walrus. A24 films picked up Tusk and will release it in the US this fall, while Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will be handling distribution for the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Portugal, Spain and Greece.

It Follows was picked up by Icon Film Distribution for the UK and Radius Films for the US. P.S. Make sure no ghosts are lurking in the cinema when you attend a screening.

Screen Gems holds the rights for US distribution of the latest and last installment in Jaume Balaguero's zombie found footage franchise, [REC]4, but no firm release dates have been set. It opens in Spain on October 31.

If you want to enjoy a nice room temperature plate of busghetti worms bushgetti, you'll be able to when What We Do In The Shadows hits US and Canadian theaters and home video, thanks Unison Films, The Orchard, and Video Services Corp.

The Guest opened in US theaters on September 17 through Picturehouse and D Films will release it in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal on September 26, with nationwide expansion the next week. UPDATE: The Guest will be opening in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal on October 10, with further Canadian dates following after.

Midnight Madness 2014 Playlist!

MM Interviewer Rob Mitchell has put together a playlist of all his interviews, the introductions and post-screening question and answer business for all the films that played Midnight Madness this year. Twenty-two videos and just under five hours of content!

Video: THE GUEST Complete Midnight Madness Premiere Intro/Q&A With Adam Wingard Simon Barrett Dan Stevens Maika Monroe

The Guest the new film from the directing, writing team Adam Wingard & Simon Barrett You're Next was the 2014 closing night film of the midnight madness programme of the Toronto International Film Festival. Actor Dan Steven and actress Maika Monroe -- who was also in the David Robert Mitchell film It Follows which premiered at this year's midnight madness -- joined Mr. Wingard & Mr. Barrett on stage. Here is the complete introduction and post-screening Q&A moderated by programmer Colin Geddes.

Social Media Buzz for THE GUEST!

When you're like Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett and you throw a bloody, gun-crazy, astounding action film up at Midnight Madness like THE GUEST, people are gonna talk.  And talk they did, on Twitter and Instagram after the Midnight Madness closer sent the Ryerson audience home happy.  Check out what folks were saying about the Dan Stevens thriller!

Sadly THE GUEST has finally packed his bags and left TIFF, but you'll be able to see Dan Stevens in all his cold-blooded glory starting September 17th in a theatre near you!

Video: THE GUEST Interviews With Adam Wingard Maika Monroe Simon Barrett Midnight Madness Canadian Premiere

The Guest was the 2014 closing night film at midnight madness. Adam Wingard & Simon Barrett returned to the Ryerson stage (You're Next). Here is Robert A. Mitchell's red carpet interviews with Mr. Wingard, Mr. Barrett and actress Maika Monroe who was also on the red carpet earlier in the week for her film It Follows which was the first time Robert had talked to the same actress twice for different films playing at Midnight Madness in the same year.

 

Pics From the Premiere of THE GUEST!

It's never been Midnight Madness' style to go out, Jason style, without one more kill and last night's screening of THE GUEST joins Festival closers like L'INTERIEUR, KILL LIST, and the original HOSTEL as the latest to end Midnight Madness with a bang (and several knife wounds). Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard's latest sent cheers through the Ryerson audience and it was pretty clear that a couple of people were excited to see THE GUEST himself, Dan Stevens, as well.  Ian Goring was, as always, there to capture the mayhem!

The most dedicated audience at TIFF lines up one last time for 2014!

The lovely Maika Monroe braves the cold for THE GUEST!

THE GUEST himself, Dan Stevens!

Spooooky!

Representing Canada in the cast, Brendan Meyer!

What what, director Adam Wingard throws it up!

Never let it be said that ten days of TIFF doesn't bring out the wacky in directors and stars alike.

I don't know what Adam Wingard is doing here other than 'beer'.  Simon Barrett seems equally perplexed.

What a charming pair - Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe.

The whole crew from THE GUEST!

Adam Wingard jumpkicks the invisible spooky mango tree that grows outside the Ryerson.

That did not end well.

Simon Barrett, Colin Geddes, and Adam Wingard in a rare moment of calm.

...which didn't last long.

I don't know why Adam Wingard was intent on killing his cast with jumpkicks.

Dan Stevens displays his superhuman genetically-superior strength in restraining Adam onstage.

The charming Dan Stevens takes questions from the audience.

And that's all folks!

TIFF is over, so you'll have to wait until THE GUEST drops in theatres to see it! Thankfully, that's two days from now if you're lucky enough to live in the US!

THE GUEST Final Screening!

Yes, Anna. Yes, we would.

The last Midnight Madness screening of Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett's The Guest is tonight. Still not sure if you want to see it? Maybe we should just let the poster art do the talking.

 

THE GUEST's Big, Bold Badass and All Kinds of Awesome Final Screening:
Sun. Sept. 14th 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

THE GUEST: The Music of TIFF14

Midnighteer Sachin wrote a little about Steve Moore's contribution to The Guest and Cub soundtracks here. And Film Music Reporter goes into more detail about the soundtrack. Meanwhile, Cineplex News has a look at the music of The Guest and put together this sweet TIFF14 Playlist. (Thanks, guys!)

THE GUEST screening times:

Sat., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON

Sun., Sept. 14th, 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

THE GUEST: A Look At Bob Clark's Deathdream

If you've read the synopsis for The Guest, you already know what it's about. But if not, here it is:

Shortly after soldier Caleb Peterson dies in Afghanistan, his army buddy David arrives in New Mexico to deliver a farewell message to Caleb's family. The Petersons have never previously heard of the mysterious and devastatingly charming David, but they quickly warm to him - all, that is, except Caleb's sister Anna. Of course, it wouldn't be a Midnight Madness film if David were exactly who he appeared to be.

That got us thinking about another movie about war and a soldier who returns home: Canadian director Bob Clark's Deathdream!

Loosely based on W.W. Jacobs's 1902 short story "The Monkey's Paw," Deathdream is also known as Dead of Night. This 1972 creeper stars Richard Backus as Andy Brooks, a soldier who is killed in Vietnam. At least that's what his parents are led to believe when they receive a telegram stating as much.

It's a little strange then, when Andy shows up at their doorstep in full uniform. Only he's not exactly the Andy they remember. He spends an awful lot of time in a rocking chair staring at the wall. He essentially refuses all human contact and when he is finally persuaded to go on a drive-in date with his girlfriend things don't end well. Then there's that whole "killing the dog" thing and breaking into medical facilities to steal blood and inject himself with it. With his mother in denial and his father terrified of his own son, things don't go very well for the Brooks family.

One of the earliest movies to comment on the horrors of the Vietnam War and even PTSD, Deathdream is genuinely eerie and unsettling, with an ambiguous, yet tragic ending.

Is David from The Guest a reanimated, blood-ingesting, dog-killer like Andy? Well, you'll have to go see the movie to find out.

For more on Deathdream, check out the article on the film from the Canuxploitation blog.

THE GUEST screening times:
Sat., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 14th, 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

THE GUEST Premieres Tonight!

The Guest the latest film from Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett (A Horrible Way To Die; You're Next) premieres tonight! It has been getting great buzz: "Adam Wingard's The Guest feels like a lost [John] Carpenter film from the director's golden age. The picture effortlessly moves between a nerve-wracking mystery to a gleefully dark comedy, and at its best it even mixes the two together." --Collider

You can read more reviews from fellow blogger Leslie's post here.



THE GUEST screening times:
Sat., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 14th, 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

The Music of Steve Moore in CUB and THE GUEST!

Midnight Madness selections Cub and The Guest are both set to stun the audiences at the Ryerson, and they have one important thing in common--the music of Steve Moore, one half of the duo known as Zombi.

If it’s not clear that Moore is a big horror/genre fan from the fact has thrown his musical weight behind not one but two Midnight Madness selections this year, you need only to look at his band’s name, Zombi. Horror heads will recognize the name as the Italian release title of George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, the score of which was a big influence on Zombi’s work.

While you’ll have to wait for the Midnight Madness premiere to hear any specific cuts from the scores for Cub, you can check out this clip from The Guest that features some of Moore’s work:

Check out Moore's tumblr, linked up there in the post, for more samples of his work. Or better yet, attend one of the screenings of these two awesome films to get the full experience!

CUB screening times:

Wed., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON

Thu., Sept. 11th, 8:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 8

Sat., Sept. 13th, 12:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 13

THE GUEST screening times:

Sat., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON

Sun., Sept. 14th, 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

THE GUEST: Sundance Film Festival Buzz

I'M BY UR MANTELPIECE PLOTTING UR DESTRUCTION

For those of us who are big fans of Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, but were not able to attend Sundance this year (ahem), it was kind of a bummer because their new movie The Guest screened at the festival.

But wait! All is not lost. The Guest will be screening at this year's Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness programme!

What is The Guest about anyway? After Caleb Peterson dies in Afghanistan, his army pal David pays Caleb's family a visit. Sounds tender and heartbreaking, right? WRONG. David is not who he appears to be and things turn creepy with a quickness.

Now why should you care? That's where this blog comes in. Here are some juicy tidbits from the Sundance reviews of The Guest that will leave you hungry for more.

"A concept hatched after an accidental double-feature of The Terminator and Halloween, The Guest is the perfect synthesis of Cameron, Carpenter and Cannon [Films] and one of the most fun films at this year's Sundance Film Festival."
--Indiewire

"Played in a key of macabre black comedy that's deadpan save whenever all hell breaks loose," The Guest is "nasty fun."
--Variety

"Barrett and Wingard haven't lost their ironically humorous touch, as most of the film's uneasy laughs revolve around upending typical thriller expectations."
--The Hollywood Reporter

"Adam Wingard's The Guest feels like a lost [John] Carpenter film from the director's golden age. The picture effortlessly moves between a nerve-wracking mystery to a gleefully dark comedy, and at its best it even mixes the two together."
--Collider

"The Guest is a modern movie, but one that has a sensibility that feels a bit like a return to a lost form. It's tight and smart and often very funny..."
--Badass Digest

"The Guest is genuinely great filmmaking... a crafty crowdpleaser that's still intelligent enough to warrant real consideration about what it's saying about the contemporary culture that gave birth to it, through both style and substance."
--Crave Online

"Equal parts creepy, slow-burn horror and bloody, balls-out actioner, Wingard and Barrett again prove that best kind of genre movie is the one with which you can have the most outright fun."
--Twitch

"This is a ninety-minute thrill-ride that fits right in with the very best genre fare of that era. Big thrills, big laughs, and tons of carnage--The Guest has it all and deserves to be a real crossover hit for both Wingard and [actor Dan] Stevens."
--JoBlo.com

So let's review: John Carpenter, retro yet modern, black comedy, and creepy slow-burn horror. I think I'm in love with The Guest. Don't forget to get tickets to a screening.

THE GUEST screening times:
Sat., Sept. 13th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 14th, 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

THE GUEST: First Look Poster and Trailer

This Ain't Downton Abbey, People!

Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, the powerhouse creative team behind genre favorites: A Horrible Way to Die and You're Next are back with THE GUEST. Check out Dan Steven's creepy stare in the poster as well as the recently released trailer below.



THE GUEST screening times
Sat. Sept. 13th,11:59 PM, RYERSON
Sun. Sept. 14th 6:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3