From the Newsletter:
As part of our mission, the Hudson Valley Film Commission follows projects from pre-production through distribution. Each point along the way has an economic impact for the production team and the region, including local vendors, crew members and cast members… 

THE GOOD ONE
Metrograph Pictures has acquired North American rights to Good One, one of the breakouts of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The indie film had its world premiere in the U.S. Narrative Competition section.Directed by India Donaldson’s, Good One, stars Lily Collias, James Le Gros, and Danny McCarthy. The narrative follows a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills during which 17-year-old Sam (Collias) contends with the competing egos of her father and his oldest friend.  Filming took place in the Mid Hudson Valley in June of 2023 primarily in Kerhonkson, New Paltz, and Samsonville. Producer Diana Irvine wrote; “It was so nice to connect in-person, thanks again for all your support during our shoot in June.”

Le Gros has worked in the Hudson Valley quite a few times, specifically with Glass Eye Pix on productions including Blackout, Foxhole, Stray Bullets, and Bitter Feast.

Thanks to The Hudson Valley Film Commission for years of support!

by Jeanette White
Sure, there are fancy restaurants and impressive bouquets of flowers. However, maybe you’re sick of fighting for reservations and stressing out the local florist. Maybe you’d rather spend Valentine’s Day inside, ordering takeout and watching a movie—preferably a scary one, because what’s more romantic than having an excuse to snuggle up to that special someone?

6. Jakob’s Wife Explores the Good and Bad of Marriage

What happens when you take two horror icons and allow them to embrace their campy genre roots? You get Jakob’s Wife, a horror-comedy with substance. After transforming into a vampire, Anne (Barbara Crampton) begins to question her safe but stale 30-year marriage to the titular Jakob (Larry Fessenden). The movie doesn’t necessarily reinvent vampire lore but focuses on exploring the complexities of marriage and loss of identity instead. The love between Anne and Jakob is still there; it’s just messy, complicated, and clouded by societal constructs.

Read whole list here

From Polygon.com

As we inch ever closer to the season’s finale, you may be wondering: What should I watch after True Detective: Night Country? We’ve been thinking the same thing, which is why we’ve put together a list of the best arctic-themed horror movies and TV to watch after the story of Tsalal has concluded. From eldritch horror and psychological thrillers to nail-biting survival dramas and more, here are the best arctic horror stories to watch after True Detective: Night Country…

THE LAST WINTER
Director: Larry Fessenden
Cast: Ron Perlman, Pato Hoffmann, James LeGros
Where to watch: AMC Plus, Shudder

Practically a movie about Tsalal itself, The Last Winter follows a group of scientists at a remote arctic research base as they study the effects of oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness. Of course, the base itself is mostly run by the oil company looking to drill there, so their findings are heavily monitored. But as the drilling in the area continues, strange things start happening at the base that seem determined to sabotage the greedy company. Steeped in supernatural strangeness and a deep fear of environmental doom, The Last Winter is a fascinating horror movie that does more than most to suggest that people and companies have no business invading the world’s coldest corners.  —AG

Read whole list here

On set in Upstate NY with the crew of James Felix McKenney’s monster movie HYPOTHERMIA.

Noon, Sunday, 2/4/24: After missing the signing event last Saturday due to a positive Covid test, Fessenden today ducks into the Forbidden Planet basement, to add his signature to the cover of the BLACKOUT issue of FANGO, already adorned with autographs from numerous genre notables and pals… Soon to be selling for the big bucks on ebay!

George Riddle, Sara Paxton and Pat Healy on location shooting
Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS, released 3 Feb 2012. Stream it today on Peacock!

Ti West’s new film from A24 MAXXXINE, coming soon!

Until Dawn Remaster

An enhanced version of Until Dawn was announced at the State of Play event. The remastered version of Until Dawn will be developed by Ballistic Moon for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.

The narrative horror game will be completely remastered using Unreal Engine 5, and character performances, environments, and graphics have been upgraded. Until Dawn features an all-star cast that includes Academy Award-winning actor Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, Peter Stormare, Larry Fessenden, etc.

The remastered version of Until Dawn will be released later in 2024.

read all the news from the State of Play event at GameRiv

By Kaj van Zoelen, Schokkend Nieuws, Jan 29 2024

BLACKOUT by Larry Fessenden is a sometimes exciting, but above all tragic variation on the werewolf film, focusing on the traumatic experience of the man behind the werewolf and his dramatic impact on the community around him. 

That in itself is nothing new under the full moon. Fessenden, who directs, writes, edits and produces, clearly draws inspiration from the old Universal films. Lon Chaney Jr. is even mentioned. But Fessenden gives it a modern twist. The comparisons critics make with mumblecore and/or John Sayles’ work about small-town America are understandable. 

BLACKOUT immediately starts as one would expect from a low-budget horror film: with sex, followed by bloody violence. But then the nuance is mainly sought out. Artist Charley experiences strange things around every full moon that he cannot remember, but scary things do appear in his paintings. He worries about being a werewolf who commits gruesome murders every month. He returns to his hometown to put a number of things right, but then it is already a full moon.

BLACKOUT largely consists of a series of conversations between Charley and a number of people in the village. From friends to enemies, exes to priests and lawyers. In this village, the shadow of his respected, deceased father hangs over him, possibly a nod to the fact that he is played by Alex Hurt, the charismatic but unknown son of William Hurt. 

Through these conversations, and others where the likely werewolf is not present, a portrait is created of a small village where relations are on edge. A community in which racism quickly lurks as soon as people become afraid. Sometimes that is much more dangerous or even deadly than a werewolf. 

Among the often somewhat prosaically filmed talking scenes, there are also a few beautifully stylized scenes, sometimes even animated like an oil painting. In the scenes in which the werewolf strikes, Fessenden is nice and bloody, which gets an extra dimension because they are regularly filmed from the perspective of the beast. In addition to the necessary dose of tension, they also sharply portray the sense of guilt that plagues Charley. Because BLACKOUT is at times an effective horror film, but above all a tragedy.

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When Jessica’s friend needs her help performing a dark spell,
she is thrown back into the world of witchcraft and becomes haunted by a cursed spirit. 

Directed by Terence Krey
featuring Christine Nyland, McLean Peterson, Larry Fessenden

available to stream now. Watch it on WatchFreeFlix on Roku.

Time to order your Valentine Advent Calendar!