a Tales from Beyond the Pale Reading
of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death
Nominated for “best adaptation” Award

Visit TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE
for All your Seasonal chills

Fessenden and Jim Jarmusch on the set of THE DEAD DON’T DIE

Depraved

Depraved is Larry Fessenden’s modern retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Like many of Fessenden’s films, it remains an intricate New York artifact (our lead gets stabbed to death in DUMBO, a flashback between he and his girlfriend takes place at the Strand Bookstore, she works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) and the choice was appreciated by this New York native. Fessenden’s city that never sleeps is forever dark and dreary—never put to better use than in 1995’s Habit—and the filmmaker loves casting himself as the biggest creep in the room. Here, he’s a barfly at a local watering hole where the Frankenstein monster flirts with a woman before murdering her. [TUBI]—EL

Most Beautiful Island

It takes a herculean effort to produce a first film that’s accepted to festivals and showered with praise (and prizes – SXSW handed it the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award), but first-time director Ana Asensio pulled it off in her debut Most Beautiful Island, a grounded-in-reality genre film following a Spanish immigrant who moves to New York City to start a new life. Emotionally distraught over the death of her child, Luciana (played by Asensio) works dead-end jobs—in one scene, dressing up as a chicken to promote a local poultry joint—trying to make ends meet and keep the growing guilt at bay. One afternoon, her co-worker informs of a well-paying gig requiring minimal effort: dress sexy and be gawked at at an undisclosed location for rich party guests who need something to fantasize over. She agrees to attend (the money is solid), and, after a series of unfortunate and nagging hiccups, arrives in a decrepit basement under circumstances she never could’ve anticipated. [TUBI]—EL

Read Whole list at Filmmaker Magazine

Interview with writer / director Chris Skotchdopole. Aired Sept 20, 2023

The cast of CRUMB CATCHER wishes you a Spooktacular Season
John Speredakos, Ella Rae Peck, Lorraine Farris, Rigo Garay

The cast of BLACKOUT wishes you chills all month
Rigo Garay, Alex Hurt, James Le Gros, Cody Kostro

Rigo Garay, Ella Rae Peck, Lorraine Farris and John Speredakos star

3:45 Tinker Street Cinema, Woodstock, NY

Book author David Grann, Marty, Casting director Ellen Lewis with editor Thelma Schoonmaker and DP Rodrigo Prieto, Fessenden sneaks a shot with fellow cast member Gene Jones (Ti West’s THE SACRAMENT). Scorsese ends his intro with: “Leo, Bob, Lilly and the rest say ‘hi.'”

Nightshoot 9/27/23 (clockwise from top): Fessenden on set with long-time collaborator, makeup man Brian Spears, favorite monster pal from yester-year, DEPRAVED star David Call and new pal Toby Poser from DIY horror maestros The Adams Family. Look forward to sharing more about the project when the time comes…

“one of the most uncomfortable and cringe-inducing films to screen this year…
Crumb Catcher is an insanely impressive directorial feature debut for Skotchdopole.
It’s funny, bizarre, uncomfortable,
and an absolute cringe-fest for all the best reasons.
Skotchdopole has secured himself as a writer-director to keep an eye on,
as he continues to refine his skill and explore the depths of depravity
with a clever, humorous voice.”
—Maggie Lovitt, COLIDER

“Deliciously Devious…
there’s plenty to fall head over heels for in the satisfying thriller.”
—Stephen Saito, Moveable Feast

“begins as a cringe comedy and becomes a truly suspenseful thriller.
It is equally relentless at both.”
—Fred Topel, UPI

pictured: Chris Skotchdopole and producer Chadd Harbold