10 Essential Vincent Price Films

The late, great Vincent Price was many things: an actor, a chef, a patron of the arts, a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and above all a horror legend through and through. Prices career was defined by his roles in countless horror films over the years, making him one of the most prolific faces of the genre even after his death. I'm a huge Vincent Price fan, so in honor of what would have been his 107th birthday, here are ten of his essential films.

10. Tales of Terror (Roger Corman, 1962)

This anthology film borrowing from the works of Edgar Allan Poe saw Price take on three different roles, one for each segment. From a depressed widower, to a sophisticated wine connoisseur, and finally an elderly man dying from a fatal disease, Price displays his range of acting abilities here in each different role. His portrayal of Fortunato Luchresi in the 'Black Cat' segment is the true highlight however, with Price putting that ever expressive face of his to use during a rather comedic wine tasting scene. With its gothic imagery and darkly comedic tone, Tales of Terror is an entertaining watch and a fine example of Prices range as an actor as well.

9. Madhouse (Jim Clark, 1974)

By the time Mad House was released Price was already a highly established horror icon, and this British horror film acts as a tribute of sorts to his extensive career. Here, Price plays horror actor Paul Toombes, best known for playing the villainous Dr. Death onscreen. However Toombes becomes convinced that his sanity is slipping when he becomes linked to a string of grizzly murders, believing that Dr. Death is to blame. The film uses archive footage from a variety of Prices earlier pictures and takes a somewhat meta approach to both his career and the horror genre itself. There's even a scene where he goes for an interview with Michael Parkinson, playing himself of course. As well as that, fellow horror icon and Prices longtime friend Peter Cushing co-stars as Toombes' screenwriter friend Herbert Flay. While it's not often considered Prices best film, I think it's a fitting tribute to the actors colourful career and a must see for fans of his. 

8. The Raven (Roger Corman, 1963)

Another of the many Edgar Allan Poe adaptations starring Price and directed by Roger Corman, The Raven expands upon Poe's iconic poem in the most bizarre way possible. Price takes on the role of Dr. Erasmus Craven, a sorcerer who encounters a man transformed into the titular bird (played by Peter Lorre). Craven and Dr. Bedlo (Lorre) then join forces to defeat the evil wizard Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff) who transformed Bedlo into a raven in the first place. This is a true clash of the horror titans, with Peter Lorre and an elderly Boris Karloff starring alongside Price, along with a young Jack Nicholson. It's a bonkers film altogether, culminating in an epic wizard duel between Price and Karloff's characters, and while it lacks the moodiness of its source material it's certainly an entertaining entry into Prices filmography. The wizard duel makes it all worth it, trust me.

7. House on Haunted Hill (William Castle, 1959)

In this William Castle classic Price plays eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren, who invites a group of people to stay in a supposedly haunted house while offering $10,000 to anyone who lasts the entire night. This moody piece of late 50's horror cinema plays out like a cross between a classic ghost story and an Agatha Christie mystery. It begins as a haunted house-type situation but soon develops into something much more interesting, keeping the audience guessing whether the house is actually haunted or not. Price is on full form here and appears to have a lot of fun in the role of Frederick Loren, especially during some of his later scenes when the plot begins to unravel. When House on Haunted Hill was eventually remade 40 years later, the millionaire character (now played by Geoffrey Rush) was renamed Stephen Price, and his appearance was even modeled after Vincent Price himself. A fitting tribute to the star of the original film.

6. House of Wax (Andre DeToth, 1953)

While this wasn't Prices first horror picture, it was arguably the one that established him as a master of the macabre for the rest of his career. In this remake of Mystery of the Wax Museum, Price plays Professor Henry Jarrod, the proprietor of a wax museum full of hyper-realistic sculptures. Of course, it doesn't take a genius to understand what's really going on, but it's incredibly fun to see how it all plays out. Price manages to bring a strange sense of pathos to the sinister Professor Jarrod, while succeeding in bringing out his eerie and imposing side at the same time. The final revelation of Jarrod's true face remains one of horror cinema's most iconic moments, in a career-defining film for Vincent Price. After House of Wax, Prices career in the horror genre would really kick off before fully flourishing in the following two decades.

5. The Pit and the Pendulum (Roger Corman, 1961)

Yet another Price/Corman collab working off an Edgar Allan Poe story, Pit follows the ghoulish series of events that take place within a Spanish castle once used by the inquisition. Price takes on the role of Nicholas Medina, the troubled owner of the castle who recently lost his wife. As well as that, he also suffered an earlier childhood trauma when he witnessed his father use inquisitorial torture devices on his mother and uncle. Price is initially more reserved than usual in the role, and he convincingly portrays the grieving and troubled Nicholas. However, in the films final act after things take a massive twist, he reverts to a much more sinister state and has a lot of fun with the role from thereon. When it finally reaches the climax involving the titular pit and pendulum, Price shines through as always. 

4. The Masque of the Red Death (Roger Corman, 1964)

Arguably the best of Price's collaborations with Roger Corman, The Masque of the Red Death expands upon Edgar Allan Poe's original story about a deadly plague spreading across a medieval land. Price takes on the role of the tyrannical Prince Prospero, a satanist who resides in a massive castle along with members of the nobility and several prisoners. The film is an incredibly surreal experience in comparison to some of Corman's other Poe adaptations, and the final scenes in particular play out like some sort of nightmarish fever dream. Price is darkly comical as the sadistic Prince Prospero, managing to bring some of his trademark campy qualities to the villainous royal. He's the type of villain you love to hate, and he certainly gets what's coming to him when he comes face to face with the eponymous red death. Fun fact as well: The director of photography on this film was Nicolas Roeg, who would go onto direct Don't Look Now around a decade later. He must have a thing for red hoods.

3. Witchfinder General (Michael Reeves, 1968)

While Price was no stranger to playing the villain, they were usually darkly comical or campy at least, however, Matthew Hopkins is neither of those things. A real life witch hunter in Cromwellian England, Hopkins was brought to life by Price for this classic British folk horror, and he is arguably his most sadistic role to date. Spending the duration of the film torturing women and putting them to death, Prices Hopkins is not a man to be trifled with. He is a stern and sadistic villain who appears to take great pleasure in torturing innocent women, under the pretense of them being witches. While Price was always sinister when he played the villain, this was a new level of evil altogether and is something of a refreshing performance from him. The fact that Hopkins was also a real life figure makes it all the more unsettling as well.

2. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (Robert Fuest, 1971)

Onto a more lighthearted antagonist now, Dr. Phibes is arguably one of Price's most iconic characters, even gaining himself a sequel the following year. In this darkly-comical horror, Dr. Anton Phibes sets out to take revenge on the surgeons who failed to save his wife after a fatal car accident. He slowly picks off each of his victims one by one, basing each murder on one of the ten plagues of Egypt. Colourful, campy, and macabre, Dr. Phibes is a definitive Price film. From its art-deco sets, to its inventive murder sequences and its overall tongue-in-cheek attitude, the film is widely enjoyable and incredibly unique in both its visuals and story. Phibes is perhaps the strangest character that Price has ever brought to life, using a gramophone-type device plugged into his neck in order to speak, and amusing himself with his bizarre clockwork band. Price is at his best here, and you can tell he loved every minute of it.

1. Theater of Blood (Douglas Hickox, 1973)

Vincent Price had always expressed interest in doing Shakespeare, but his association with the horror genre left him typecast as more of a horror villain. Theatre of Blood however, allowed Price to fulfill his dream of performing Shakespeare, as he takes on the role of vengeful actor Edward Lionheart. In a similar formula to Phibes, this film sees Lionheart murdering several theater critics who humiliated him two years beforehand. Each murder is based on an event from one of Shakespeare's plays, while Lionheart recites a quotation from the bard during each of them. It's a bizarre film but strangely captivating, and Price is particularly impressive in his role as Edward Lionheart. As always however, it doesn't take itself too seriously and allows Price to have a lot of fun with each death scene in particular. For example, there's one moment where he dons a fake afro and disco garments to disguise himself before one of the murders, it's arguably one of the strangest, yet most hilarious scenes I've ever witnessed in a horror film. Theater of Blood is the definitive Vincent Price film as it allows him to really stretch his acting chops to their fullest extent. If you're a horror fan, or even just a Shakespeare fan, then it's definitely a must watch. 

Nevermore: Jodorowsky's 'Dune

Welcome back to Nevermore, where I look at some of the most intriguing films that never quite made it to the big screen. This week, I look at one of the most infamous cases of a film that came close to being made, but ultimately fell through before production could begin. Yes ladies and gents, I am talking about Alejandro Jodorowsky's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. This is perhaps the big daddy of interesting films that were never made, and was even the subject of a 2014 documentary entitled Jodorowsky's Dune. Why is it so important then, I hear you ask? Well, read on if you want to find out..

Background

By 1975, Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky had already made a name for himself with films such as El Topo and The Holy Mountain. His ambition was already evident in his surreal and psychedelic filmmaking style, but it would become even more clear after he was hired by a French consortium to direct an adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. Dune was already one of the most renowned sci-fi novels of the 20th century at this stage, so Jodorowsky had a lot to handle when he took on the project.

After a lengthy script was written, Jodorowsky set out to assemble his cast and crew. Swiss painter H.R. Giger and acclaimed French artist Moebius were among those chosen for set and character design, with Giger's design for Baron Harkonnen's castle seen below. Dan O'Bannon was in charge of special effects, while the likes of Pink Floyd and Magma were chosen for the music department. As for the cast, well, it would have included the likes of Orson Welles, Udo Kier, Mick Jagger, Jodorowsky's own son Brontis, and strangely enough, Salvador Dalí himself. Dalí was reportedly offered $100,000 per minute of screentime for his role as the emperor, could you imagine? With such a momentous production in mind, it's easy to see how the project eventually fell through, but we'll come to that in a minute..

Plot Details

Now I haven't read Frank Herbert's novel so I can't really give a fully blown synopsis, but I have enough knowledge of it to give a bare bones summary so bare with me. Basically, Dune is set in a complex, interstellar feudal society in the future, where different noble houses control different planets while owing allegiance to the Padishah Emperor. The young Paul Atreides lives with his family on the planet Arrakis after they accept stewardship of it. Arrakis is extremely important due to it being the only source of melange, the galaxies most important resource. Dune essentially follows the struggle for control of Arrakis and deals with various socio-political and religious themes in the process. 

Now Jodorowski had never read Dune before pre-production, I'm not sure how much of the novel he eventually read but it's clear that he would only use it as a skeleton for his own project. In actual fact, his vision of Dune would have been, what he describes as, both a religious experience and an LSD trip. The ending in particular would have been vastly different to that of the novel, which ends with the protagonist becoming the new emperor and so on. Jodorowsky's ending would have been vastly different, with the character of Paul Atreides dying before being resurrected in the minds of those who knew him. On top of that, the planet of Arrakis would then morph into some sort of garden-like planet that would then hurl itself across the galaxy, spreading enlightenment on the way. It's a far cry from Herbert's novel, but if Jodorowsky was aiming for an LSD trip than that sounds about right.

So What Happened?

To put a long story short the project failed due to financial reasons, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Frank Herbert himself stated in 1976 that $2 million of the $9.5 million budget had already been spent in pre-production, and that the script was about "the size of a phone book". It is estimated that the script would have resulted in a 14-hour-long film, so you can see why things didn't pull through. The rights to the film expired in 1982 before being purchased by producer Dino De Laurentiis, who then hired David Lynch to direct and the rest is history. Lynches Dune was then released in 1984, but even Lynch himself wasn't a fan of that iteration.

Despite the disastrous events of Dune, Jodorowski would go on to continue his career with films like Santa Sangre. Several members of the creative team would also go on to have successful careers as well, with Dan O'Bannon famously writing films such as Alien as well as directing Return of the Living Dead. H.R. Giger would also work on Alien, famously designing the films eponymous creature, and his artistic style has become highly influential ever since.

Chances of it Ever Happening:

Jodorowsky's Dune is dead and buried, it will never happen. However, a new adaptation of Dune is currently in the works at Legendary Entertainment, with Forrest Gump screenwriter Eric Roth penning the project and French Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve set to direct. After Villeneuve's work on Blade Runner 2049, I think it's safe to say the project is in good hands.

Jodorowsky's Dune certainly sounded ambitious, but perhaps it was for the best that it never happened. Herbert's work has an extensive fanbase, so if a film adaptation of Dune is to be done, then it should rightly do the novel justice. If you want to know more about Jodorowsky's Dune, then there's a whole documentary on it so I'd suggest checking that out. 

Next time on Nevermore, the time that Nic Cage almost became Superman..

Cinema Psychedelia: 10 Psychedelic Films to Heighten the Senses

Experimentation, distorted camera angles, and a shit ton of hallucinatory imagery, welcome to the world of psychedelic cinema. Generally psychedelic films attempt to target the audiences senses to replicate the effects of hallucinogenic drugs and whatnot, often in the form of dreamlike narratives and warped imagery. The following ten films are just some of the many psychedelic films out there from over the years, using these methods in order to create a unique cinematic experience for their respective audiences. Without further ado, here are ten psychedelic films worth watching if you're looking for something a little bit different.

The Wicker Man (Robin Hardy, 1973)

This classic folk horror follows the strict Catholic Sergeant Howie as he investigates the disappearance of a young girl on the isolated island of Summerisle. While it is a horror at its core, director Robin Hardy approaches the genre with a more fluid approach, incorporating both humor and musical numbers within the film. The musical numbers particularly make the film stand out, with their folky sound and relevance to the narrative itself, they make for an unusual contrast with the films more darker subject matter. Along with its strong themes of sexual expression and frequent pagan imagery, The Wicker Man is a thoroughly unique film that feels both grounded in reality, and simultaneously out of this world. 

Requiem For A Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)

Darren Aronofsky has proved time and time again that he has a talent for targeting the senses, but nowhere is this better exemplified than in Requiem For A Dream. Following a number of closely connected characters, the film explores each of their experiences with drug addiction and the insidious effect it begins to have on their lives. Using warped cinematography and harrowing performances from the likes of Ellen Burstyn and Jennifer Connelly, Aronofksy creates this nightmarish version of reality that demonstrates the negative effects of narcotics. It's twisted, it's nasty, and at times just downright bleak, but Requiem For A Dream is a fantastic example of a film that portrays the grim reality of drug addiction instead of glorifying it. It's the type of film that makes you want to curl up into a bawl and cry.

Suspiria (Dario Argento, 1977)

This candy-coloured nightmare from the mind of Dario Argento follows a young ballet dancer who uncovers dark forces at work in a prestigious German dance academy. Full of colourful imagery and awe-inspiring production design, the film itself feels as though it exists in a world of its own. It's almost like Alice in Wonderland, if wonderland was inhabited by a coven of homicidal witches. As if the dreamlike imagery wasn't enough, the film is topped off with a terrifying score from Italian prog band Goblin. The baroque sound and whispering vocals are enough to send shivers down ones spine, even if you close your eyes you can't escape the terror. A true assault on all of the senses, Suspiria is a walking nightmare through and through, and with a remake set to be released later this year, there is no better time to watch it if you haven't already. 

A Field in England (Ben Wheatley, 2013)

Set during the English Civil-War, A Field in England follows a group of men who find themselves in the service of a cruel alchemist, searching for fabled treasure in a field with mysterious properties. Shot entirely in black and white, the film is consistently moody and has a very avante-garde tone right from the beginning. Drawing from themes such as alchemy and the supernatural, A Field in England blurs the lines between reality, and the world beyond ours. However, things really kick off in the final act thanks to a large helping of magic mushrooms consumed by our protagonist, resulting in a kaleidoscopic standoff between good and evil. Full of bizarre imagery and a fantastic use of sound, A Field in England is a hypnotic time-warp that will grab right onto your senses and struggle to let go.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Terry Gilliam, 1998)

Directed by Terry Gilliam and based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing has become something of a cult classic in the psychedelic genre. The film follows journalist Raoul Duke and his partner Dr. Gonzo on a drug-fuelled trip through Sin City, encountering swarms of giant bats, lizard people, and an unusual hitchhiker along the way. With its increasingly distorted perception of reality and dark sense of humour, it's no wonder the film has become such a cult classic. While it does meander a fair bit, Fear and Loathing never compromises its trippy tone and rages on right up until the head-melting finale. So if you're up for a different type of road trip full of bizarre hallucinations and druggy lexicon, then Fear and Loathing should be right up your street.

Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, 1969)

Speaking of drug-fuelled road movies, here is the original and the best. Starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda as a duo of bikers, the film follows their journey across the American South, encountering a variety of characters and situations along the way. One of the most important of the American counter-culture movies, Easy Rider deals with themes such as free love and drug use and is often considered one of the defining films of the late 60's. The films most iconic scene involves the bikers and two women experiment with LSD in a cemetery, resulting in a lengthy trip sequence that plays with the senses. Not only is Easy Rider a landmark in psychedelic cinema, but it carries an immense amount of cultural and historical importance as well, making it worth watching for anyone with an interest in either cinema of hallucinogens.

Tommy (Ken Russell, 1975)

Directed by Ken Russell and based on the rock opera album by The Who, Tommy follows the life of the titular character (played by frontman Roger Daltry), a young man left deaf, dumb, and blind following a traumatic childhood experience. Despite his disabilities however, Tommy miraculously becomes a world renowned pinball champion before ascending to the ranks of cult leader as well. Carried by the iconic sound of The Who, the film boasts appearances from the band members themselves as well as fellow musicians such as Elton John, Eric Clapton, and Tina Turner. As well as that, the film is also full of bizarre moments such as a church that worships a Marilyn-Monroe-esque deity, and Tina Turner's iconic Acid Queen sequence. Tommy is a fantastic journey born out of the combined creative geniuses of Ken Russell and The Who themselves, it's a must see for both fans of the band and film fans in general.

The Holy Mountain (Alejandro Jodorowski, 1973)

To be fair you could put any Jodorowski film on this list, but I think The Holy Mountain perfectly embodies his filmography as a whole. Produced by Beatles manager Allen Klein, the film follows a Jesus Christ lookalike who joins an enigmatic alchemist on his journey to a fables sacred mountain. Full of religious imagery, allusions to alchemy, and production design colourful enough to make Wes Anderson weep, The Holy Mountain is a different type of cinematic experience altogether. Jodorowski crafts this outlandish world not too detached from our own, before setting us off on a psychedelic odyssey to the eponymous Holy Mountain. To even make an attempt at describing the films plot would be futile, and to try and comprehend it would be even more pointless. To truly experience The Holy Mountain, don't think too much, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip.

Altered States (Ken Russell, 1980)

The second Ken Russell film on the list, Altered States explores the concept of using sensory deprivation and hallucinatory drugs to reach altered states of consciousness. William Hurt stars in his debut role as Dr. Edward Jessup, the man partaking in these experiments, and we watch as his own sense of reality gradually begins to break down around him. In typical Ken Russell fashion, the film is full of hallucinatory dream sequences, religious imagery, and uncensored sexuality, making for a full on sensory assault. Visually and technically speaking the film is incredibly ambitious, but narratively it makes for an highly unique experience as well, putting its own spin on the body horror genre. Using both sight and sound to uniquely engage with the audience, Altered States is sure to heighten all of the senses. 

2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)

Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi classic is groundbreaking for numerous reasons, but most notably for how it experiments with the narrative in the films final act. The film begins at the dawn of man and subsequently follows an expedition to Jupiter many years later, after a mysterious monolith is discovered there. In the final act of the film, astronaut Dr. David Bowman leaves his ship in a pod to investigate one of the monoliths before being pulled into a strange vortex. What follows is a mind-bending sequence bursting with colour, shapes, and haunting sounds. Flashing between this mysterious vortex and shots of Bowman's perplexed expression, the sequence is incredibly hypnotic and culminates in an even stranger finale where time itself appears to have no authority. 2001 would influence countless other films, homages, and parodies, as well as some of the other entries on this list. They don't call it 'the ultimate trip' for nothing.

10 Sitcoms That Could Work as Horror Films

Everyone loves a good sitcom. Conversely, everyone loves to hate a bad sitcom (looking at you Big Bang Theory). Let's take a moment however, to think about what if some of those sitcoms were never actually sitcoms, but horror films instead. Yep, that's right, this is what it has come to.

To be fair I genuinely think some of these shows could work really well in the horror genre, but some of them are just here because I thought it would be amusing to imagine them as such. So buckle up boys and ghouls, because these sitcoms are about to get spooky..

That's So Raven

This Disney channel classic is a good one to start with as it already had some supernatural elements in the first place. As you will remember, the show followed the wacky exploits of Raven Baxter who possessed psychic abilities that allowed her to see into the future. As a horror film, That's so Raven could be something along the lines of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, with Raven's visions predicting crimes and murders around San Francisco, forcing her to attempt to stop them. I mean come on, a character called Raven with the power of foresight, which she uses to stop bad things from happening, it's a no-brainer really. It could also leave plenty of room for Edgar Allan Poe references too, maybe it could be called Nevermore instead. 

The Big Bang Theory

Some would argue that this show is scary enough as it is, lasting 11 seasons so far and becoming progressively worse over time. The show follows the simple premise of budding actress Penny moving into a new apartment where she befriends a group of middle-aged nerds. If it were a horror film however, it would most likely play out like a Rosemary's Baby-type scenario. Penny would befriend Sheldon and co. only to discover that the seemingly innocent quartet of geeks are actually part of a satanic cult that wish to use her for their own means. Sheldon would of course be the leader of said cult, while Leonard would be the reluctant member who ultimately attempts to aid our heroine. Also, maybe, just maybe, the demon worshiped by the cult could be named Bazinga. Juts imagine how terrifying it would be as Penny tries to hide in her apartment while Sheldon repeatedly knocks on her door, calling her name as he does so. Knock, knock, knock.. Penny.. knock, knock, knock..Penny.. that could be the tagline.

The Office

David Brent was always something of a creep, remember that time he conducted a job interview and spent the whole time trying to chat up the poor woman? In this horror version of The Office, possibly entitled The Boss From Hell, David Brent would be a stalker/serial-killer type who preys upon young women working at Wernham Hogg. Just imagine him chasing one of his victims through the winding halls of Wernham Hogg while gleefully singing along to Des'ree's Crazy Maze as he once did before, now that would be something really scary. This British psychological slasher would then spawn an American remake several years later, with Steve Carell taking on Gervais' role from the original. It too would gain something of a cult following among contemporary audiences, with some cinemagoers even preferring it to the original. However, there would be those who remained loyal to the original even despite the remakes success.

The Inbetweeners

This cult British sitcom that followed four teenage boys navigating their way through their final school years could easily work as a slasher film. Each character is essentially a stereotype much like the kinds we've seen in countless slashers over the years. Jay is the cocky one who dies a lot later on than he should have, Neil is the funny one who nobody wants to die, Simon probably dies first before he can have sex with Carly, while Will is the logical one who most likely makes it to the end. Naturally the killer would have to be Mr. Gilbert, with his hulking frame and imposing persona, he could easily stand among slasher greats such as Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. After years of dealing with unruly school children, Gilbert would finally be pushed over the edge after having 'bus wanker' shouted at him, leading him into a murderous frenzy. Jesus, after thinking about this one I have now realised how much Greg Davies needs to become a horror film villain, that's something I'd definitely watch. 

Malcolm in the Middle

The horror genre has a thing for wild and dangerous children, and no sitcom kids were as wild and dangerous as Malcolm and his brothers. I think Malcolm in the Middle would be a film very much in the vein of Village of the Damned, with the children possessing supernatural abilities and causing straight up havoc in their small town. Reese and Dewey would be the more unhinged and homicidal ones, while Malcolm would be their hyper-intelligent leader much like David from Village of the Damned. Their parents would have to fight for their own survival, with Lois constantly having to protect poor Hal throughout. Meanwhile, Francis could be a Dick Halloran-type character who spends the film racing to the rescue, only to be killed off in the final act. Let's face it, Lois would be a fantastic horror movie heroine with her hard-as-nails attitude and all round resourcefulness, while Hal would act as the perfect comic relief. The film could even end in Funny Games style, with Malcolm breaking the fourth wall as he so often did. If one thing is clear however, you're not the boss of them now.. could be the perfect tagline.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

In The Fresh Prince, Will always felt a bit different compared to Uncle Phil and the family, due to their upper-class lifestyle. As a horror film, The Fresh Prince could expand on what was really going on with the Banks family, acting as a sort of spiritual successor to Get Out in a way. What if Carlton and co. actually suffered the same fate as Lakeith Stanfield's character in Get Out, with old, white people walking around in their bodies after a grizzly brain surgery? It would make sense, the way Carlton talks sounds exactly like the way in which the victims of the Coagula speak in Get Out, so who's to say that it's not actually some old white man bopping around in his head? It would certainly explain the Carlton dance. Of course, Will would survive in the end and escape from Bel-Air once and for all, with the help of his friend Jazzy Jeff, but the horror at that house in Bel-Air would continue to haunt him for the rest of his life. I mean, once we could keep the theme song at some stage then it could definitely work.

Peep Show

With its POV format, Peep Show could actually work really well as a found-footage horror film. If you've seen Adam Wingard's Blair Witch then you'll most likely agree. In this iteration, Mark and Jez decide to start wearing body cams in order to catch the supernatural phenomena happening at Apollo House on video. The paranormal activity would start with small things like plates flying or iPad's being thrown out windows, before moving onto bigger stuff like snakes in the salad spinner or no turkey on Christmas. The increasing supernatural events combined with the natural tension between Jez and Mark would eventually lead both of them to insanity, to the point where they even attempt to kill each other. Mark and Jez have certainly lashed out plenty of times before, but never quite in this manner. This could be the type of film to breathe new life into the found-footage subgenre, and once Super Hans, Johnson, and co. made appearances, then it would definitely be something to remember. 

That 70's Show

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Black Christmas, many of the best slasher films hailed from the 70's. That 70's Show could act as a throwback to those type of slasher flicks, in the way that Stranger Things pays homage to 80's pop culture. Picture it as a sort of Dazed and Confused meets Texas Chainsaw type film, with this group of stoned teenagers being hacked to pieces one by one by an unseen killer. The film could have a grainy, retro aesthetic much like Planet Terror, so that it actually looks like it could have been made in the 70's. As well as that, it could throw in numerous pop-culture references and act as a sort of tongue-in-cheek approach to the slasher genre. With throwbacks to the 80's becoming increasingly popular in the media, who's to say that 70's throwbacks couldn't work just as easy? One thing's for certain however, Red Forman would definitely make it to the sequel.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 

Fans of It's Always Sunny will know that Dennis Reynolds already has the makings of a serial killer, with his charming yet manipulative demeanor often compared to that of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman. As a horror film, It's Always Sunny would follow Dennis' life from his own perspective, tending bar by day, killing people by night, while constantly blurring the lines between what's real and what's inside his head. Glenn Howerton could easily fit into the role of a serial killer, while the rest of the gang could act as supporting characters with whom he interacts throughout the film, going about their own bizarre lives at the same time. Seeing Dennis go full Patrick Bateman on strangers and his colleagues is something that any fan of It's Always Sunny would kill to see. Mix that with some trashy vibes akin to early John Waters films and you've got yourself a horror film that is both strange and unique, just like It's Always Sunny itself.

Father Ted

With its isolated location and religious satire, Father Ted could easily work as a possession-style film in the vein of The Exorcist. Set in the secluded Craggy Island Parochial House, it would follow Ted and his inexperienced colleague Father Dougal, as they attempt to exorcise a demon from Father Jack. Father Jack's violent nature and consistent spewing of profanity are very similar to those of a possessed person, and who knows, demonic possession could even act as a metaphor for Jack's drinking problem. As well as that, the critiques the show made of organised religion could easily be translated to the horror genre, making for a very subversive and potentially controversial horror film. Of course, Mrs. Doyle would break the tension every so often by asking if anyone wants a bit of tea, but overall I think that Father Ted could work as a deadly serious psychological horror about demonic possession, alcoholism, and the struggle with ones faith. Of course, 'My Lovely Horse' would still have to feature at some point, but in the context of horror the song could take on an eerie new meaning instead.

So what sitcoms do you think could work as horror films? I'm sure there's plenty of others out there so let me know if you come up with some!

Nevermore: Friday the 13th 3D

Welcome back once again to Nevermore, where I look at some of the most interesting films that were never actually made. This week I bring your attention to Mr. Jason Voorhees and some Camp Crystal Lake shenanigans that unfortunately never came to be, in an unmade film entitled Friday the 13th 3D. We've seen 3D used in the Friday the 13th franchise before in part 3, and while that was nothing more than a fun romp in all its gimmicky glory, this project actually sounded like it could have been something really special. Let us take a look..

Background:

Another Friday the 13th film had been somewhat in development ever since the release of the 2009 remake. Things looked promising in 2013 however, when Warner Bros. gave the full rights of the franchise to Platinum Dunes and Paramount in return for the rights to Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. David Bruckner (The Ritual) was quickly brought on to direct and ideas were thrown around for a found-footage Friday the 13th film. However, when writer Nick Antosca (Hannibal, Channel Zero) was brought on board in 2015, the found-footage concept was scrapped in favour of something much more interesting..

Plot Details:

For once on Nevermore, we actually have a lot of plot details as Antosca released the first draft of his script following the projects cancellation. The film would not have been found-footage, but would have been set in the summer of 1988 instead, with Antosca citing Dazed and Confused and the films of John Hughes as inspiration. This would have been an interesting take and in a way, a throwback to the days of the original Friday the 13th franchise. 

The film would have followed a group of young counsellors at the new camp across from old Camp Crystal Lake. These would have included stoner guy Weezer, cynical girl Sloane, the shy and nerdy Kevin, and his popular, yet likable brother Brad. One thing that stands out about Antosca's script is how much attention he pays to his characters in order to make them likeable. These characters are ones that we definitely could have cared about, making the emotional stakes much higher. While they might sound like your usual genre stereotypes however, Antosca subverts our expectations with the ways in which he develops them and/or kills them off. He also pays a significant attention to dialogue as well, with plenty of memorable quotes throughout.

The film would have begun on the last day of camp, with the counsellors and camp groundskeeper Frank Booth (Blue Velvet reference?) canoeing over to the old Camp Crystal Lake to explore it. After unknowingly grabbing the attention of Jason, the counsellors return to camp and prepare for the coming days after the campers leave. Once the young campers have all left, the counsellors are free to indulge in all the drinking, smoking, and sex they desire, but as always, Jason is never too far behind..

Antosca has no problem keeping us waiting for Jason to arrive. The script is about 105 pages but its not until about 65 pages in that we get a full look at out hockey-mask-wearing killer. As well as that, we don't get any major onscreen kills for a good portion of the film, giving Antosca time to build suspense before his cathartic finale. There are some really memorable death scenes from the script, such as one involving a water slide and another in which Jason walks underwater, very much in the style of Jaws. Yep, this Jason would have also had supernatural abilities much like the Hodder-era Jason, and there is one point in the script where a character witnesses water literally dripping from his flesh. He definitely would have been one of the more memorable versions of the character, and it's a shame we never got a look at him onscreen.

Also, did I mention one of the death scenes plays out to a Talking Heads song?

So What Happened?

Antosca mentions how the people at Platinum Dunes were very enthusiastic about his script, but that a number of other factors got in the way. First of all, the people at Paramount apparently weren't too sold on the 80's setting and wanted more mythology surrounding the character, as opposed to the more mysterious version in his script. Secondly, he also mentions some 'corporate changeover' that happened, after which the new powers that be wanted something different from the script. Ultimately his idea was scrapped and a brand new script was penned by Prisoners screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski. That film however, is for another day, as it too never came to be. Following the failure of Rings at the box-office, Paramount ultimately pulled the plug on Friday the 13th for good, leaving us to wait for some other studio to eventually pick it up.

Chances of it Ever Happening:

Like Jason himself at the end of parts 6 and 7, Antosca's project is dead in the water. However as we know, that never stopped Jason before and it's difficult to imagine him not returning to our screens ever again. As most of you know, a new Halloween film is set to be released this October marking the return of Michael Myers to the big screen. If this is successful, then something tells me Jason will then have much more of a chance at getting another film in the foreseeable future. While it probably won't be Antosca's version we get however, it could take inspiration from his script, who knows? Until then, all we can do is wait. 

Also, if you want you can read Antosca's original first draft here and I'd highly recommend it, it's a fun read and a bittersweet look at what never was.