Asylum Found-Footage Checklist

In honor of Alien Origin, a found-footage film that marks The Asylum's next release - this Tuesday, June 12th - I thought to put together a list of Asylum found-footage films to date, just to make sure you've seen them all. Enjoy.

Monster

2008

"After a massive earthquake in Tokyo, two American filmmakers document the true cause of the destruction."

Paranormal Entity

2009

"Actual footage of the events leading to the 2008 "murder" of Samantha Finley. This DVD, released against the wishes of the authorities, proves that nothing human caused Samantha's death."  

8213: Gacy House

2010

"John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in suburban Chicago. 26 bodies were found in a crawl space beneath his house and 3 others were buried in the backyard. Although the house was completely demolished during the exhumation of the bodies, on May 15, 2004 a group of paranormal investigators wired the home that was built in its place with paranormal detection and surveillance equipment. The outcome of the investigation was grisly, terrifying and disturbing. "

Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes

2011

"The shocking account of history's most infamous case of demonic possession, compiled from the actual videotape and film recordings from over 76 exorcisms. "

The Amityville Haunting

2011

"Actual found footage that documents the horrifying experience of a family that moved into the infamous haunted house."         

ALIEN ORIGIN has a Trailer and a Poster

The Asylum's next found-footage documentary, Alien Origin, won't be released for a couple weeks, but now we have a look at the trailer:

The footage comes courtesy of an Adventure Journalist accompanying a Special Forces team in Belize back in 2010. This, to anyone's knowledge, will be the first time the footage has been made available to the general public. 

What world-shattering secrets has The Asylum unlocked this time? Find out Tuesday, June 12th, when Alien Origin hits DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD.

Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies on DVD Today!

The film destined to be one of the biggest - if not the biggest - Asylum films of the year, Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies, is at last on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD as of the instant you read this sentence.

The film - whose plot the title pretty much sums up - comes from writer/director Richard Schenkman and stars the great and talented Bill Oberst Jr. (A Haunting in Salem, Born Bad) as the 16th President of the United States, who slings a wicked scythe.

For a more in-depth analysis of what I thought of the film, just scroll down a couple inches. Otherwise, go now and procure your copy of truly one of the most-unique zombie films to date; you won't be sorry, guaranteed.

New Details on The Asylum's Theatrical Release

A few days ago, Dread Central broke the news that The Asylum has a picture in production that will enjoy a limited theatrical release before hitting DVD; at the time, that film was called You Didn't Hold Your Breath.

Well, now Dread Central is again reporting on the film, revealing a name change as well as a few other actors. What was You Didn't Hold Your Breath is now Hold Your Breath. Jared Cohn (Born Bad, Bikini Spring Break) is still directing from a script by Geoff Meed (I Am Omega, 6 Guns), and "30 Rock's" resident beauty Katrina Bowden is still set to grace the screen, but now we have word on a few of her co-stars.

Webb

Wayne

Hogan

Slaughter

Asylum staple Gerald Webb (A Haunting in Salem, 2 Headed Shark Attack, Battle of Los Angeles, 2012 Ice Age, Zombie Apocalypse, Air Collision and scores more) has secured a role, as has Asylum vet Erin Marie Hogan (6 Guns, Paranormal Entity). Then there are newcomers (to the studio, not the profession) Randy Wayne (Grizzly Park, Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, The Haunting of Molly Hartley, To Save a Life) and actor/model Brad Slaughter (1313: UFO Invasion).

Still no release date or detailed plot on this one as of yet, but rest assured as soon as it is known - or Dread Central reports it - I'll have info on it here.

 

BRACE YOURSELVES: The Asylum's Going Theatrical!!!

The venerable Foywonder over at Dread Central is reporting that The Asylum is currently shooting what is intended to be their first theatrical release, Don't Hold Your Breath, written by Geoff Meed (I Am Omega, 6 Guns) and directed by Looney-Award winner Jared Cohn (Born Bad, upcoming Bikini Spring Break)

It's Dread Central's story so I'll let them break it at the link above, but not before sharing one little tidbit: the film, an original horror story, stars 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden, also of the awesome horror-comedy Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. If you don't know who she is, this is who she is:

Yeah, this is gonna be awesome...

observation notes: ABRAHAM LINCOLN vs ZOMBIES

As the title would indicate, the plot of The Asylum's latest offering, Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies, is pretty straightforward:

"While the Civil War rages on, President Abraham Lincoln must undertake an even more daunting task: Destroying the Confederate Undead."


The results? Extraordinary. ABvZ is a nice, thick slice of revisionist history madness, a gore-weltering, zombie-emancipating, president-bolstering piece of cinematic magnificence, and to miss it would be to give up on all fun in your life.


As always, Committed's notes are spoiler-free, but certain aspects of this tour-de-force must be acknowledged, beginning with the performance by Bill Oberst Jr. (A Haunting in Salem, Princess and the Pony) as our 16th President. Holy crap. Oberst is dead-on (pun totally intended) as Lincoln, giving as textured and encompassing a portrayal as Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain, only, you know, with hella more killing. The cadence of the man, his stature, his stern resolve, moral tenderness and his limitless sense of duty; all are layered into Oberst's towering on-screen persona. There is no other actor who could have pulled this off, period. Oberst is the star here in every sense of the word, the film is his, and he carries it proudly, defiantly, and with expertise.


It is a zombie movie, after all, so something must be said of the effects, which I found to be appropriately for the era and its available kill technology. This isn't the messiest zombie flick of the year, but it is perhaps the most nuanced, and certainly the only one featuring two American Presidents (you're gonna love when you find out who the second one is, trust me).

Overall, I found ABvZ to be a glorious mash-up of Night of the Living Dead and Munich, shot kinda like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, seriously. Writer/Director Richard Schenkman has turned in a well-researched, well-integrated film that achieves perfect pitch as a period horror film, a burgeoning sub-genre sure to flood the market in the next few years.* Schenkman did his homework, and it shows. This is a smart, exciting, thrilling and ultimately righteous film-going experience. And, as a Southerner, it's possibly the best we've ever been represented in a Civil War movie - as brain-hungry, mindlessly-violent zombies. Enjoy!




* a reminder that I have called dibs on Robert E. Lee vs Bigfoot, or really any concept that involves Rebel troops fighting one or more Sasquatch.

Zombie Lit From an Asylum Screenwriter

Word came this week that writer Brooks Peck, half of the screenwriting team (with Craig Engler) that produced last year's most excellent Zombie Apocalypse - the same team that wrote the SyFy original film Rage of the Yeti with the always-fun Yancy Butler - has released a novelette that sounds like a story right up The Asylum's alley: Zombies on a Plane. Check out the press release below.

"From the writer of Syfy's No. 1 film of 2011:  Zombie Apocalypse

Comes the next great undead adventure: ZOMBIES ON A PLANE

Despite every precaution, despite all the rules and safeguards, a zombie infestation breaks out on board flight 1219. It spreads, row by row, victim by victim, relentlessly converting passengers. The few remaining survivors are trapped 38,000 feet in the air with an army of the undead. 

What readers are saying:

'…a gruesome and anxiety-filled read that tightly recounts an insane struggle against the undead in the confines of an airplane. I'm still pondering what I would do in this situation.'

'This was a fantastic read! Hooks you from the start….'

'I came for the zombies on a plane, sure. But I stayed for the well-observed details that make for an all-too-believable glimpse of how it will be when the Infection comes, spiked with the type of authentic funny that seeps through only when everything goes utterly to hell.'

'3oz of shampoo will not be enough to save you.'

ZOMBIES ON A PLANE is an original novelette, available on Kindle and Nook. Read an excerpt online:

http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-on-a-Plane-ebook/dp/B007OLY78O/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zombies-on-a-plane-brooks-peck/1109719388

About the Author:

Brooks Peck is a museum curator who specializes in film and popular culture. He wrote two feature films that aired on the Syfy Channel: RAGE OF THE YETI and ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, which garnered the highest rating for a Syfy original film in 2011."

Zombie Apocalypse was pure perfection, and I also saw Rage of the Yeti a few weeks later, and that there was another dunk in the awesome sauce. So stands to reason, then, that this novelette's probably a pretty righteous read. Hit up the links above and support your local screenwriter.

Whaley House Teaser Trailer!

The first trailer for The Asylum's Haunting of Whaley House is out and can be seen here.

One word...WOW. On DVD July 31st...

inmate profile: Thunder Levin

With the World Premiere of American Warships occurring this Saturday night at 9 p.m. on SyFy (DVD to follow the next Tuesday), for the last few days we here at Committed have been spotlighting the talent behind this upcoming Naval/Alien clash of the titans. Already we've profiled the film's incredible stars, Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, and now we turn to the talent behind the camera, the man responsible for American Warships, writer/director Thunder Levin.

Levin with star Mario Van Peebles

Though he's been in the industry for more than 20 years, Levin didn't come to The Asylum until just last year, when he penned the script for the street-racing actioner 200MPH. Before his work with The Asylum, Levin also wrote and directed the film Mutant Vampire Zombies From the 'Hood, a horror-comedy (obviously) starring 5-time Asylum-alum C. Thomas Howell (War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, The Da Vinci Treasure, The Day the Earth Stopped, The Land That Time Forgot). Levin has also worked as an editor and a still photographer.

American Warships marks Levin's first trip behind the camera for The Asylum, but I'd be willing to bet it won't be his last. Check out Levin's masterpiece-to-date, American Warships, this Saturday, May 19th on SyFy at 9 p.m., then on DVD and Blu-Ray the Tuesday after that, May 22nd.

inmate profile: Carl Weathers

Continuing Committed's spotlighting of the talent behind the next Asylum release, American Warships - on SyFy May 19th at 9 p.m. and then on DVD May 22nd - we turn now to the film's other star, the royally awesome Carl Weathers.

A one-time linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, Weathers' first love was always acting, a passion he turned into a career in the mid-1970's, starting out with small roles in various TV shows and films. But then 1976 happened, and Rocky came along.

Carl Weathers was Apollo Creed, the flashy and charming super-athelete with the confidence of Muhammad Ali and the showmanship of James Brown. Weathers would reprise his iconic role in three sequels before being killed off in part four, a.k.a. one of the most devastating moments of my childhood. 

But Apollo was just the beginning. Weathers parlayed a supporting role here into bigger roles like those he played in Semi-Tough, Death Hunt with Bronson and Lee Marvin, Predator, of course, numerous television programs including a series based on Academy Award Winning film In The Heat of the Night, and the explosive action flick Action Jackson, in which he played the titular man of action. And then there was a little comedy called Happy Gilmore in the mid-90's.

Weathers has been working regularly for nearly 40 years now, and with each passing decade he gets a little more badass. Why Stallone hasn't put this guy in an Expendables movie is beyond me. However, Sly's loss is The Asylum's gain. Watch the culmination of a lifetime's awesomeness when Carl Weathers takes over the screen in The Asylum's American Warships, on SyFy May 19th and DVD May 22nd.

inmate profile: Mario Van Peebles

With a mere ten days before American Warships premieres on the SyFy channel, it's time to turn the Committed spotlight on the film's talent, starting with one of the biggest stars to ever grace an Asylum film, the one and only Mario Van Peebles. 

Van Peebles was born into movies, being the son of famed director/writer Melvin Van Peebles, and as such, there isn't much he hasn't done in the industry: dude can not only act, but write, direct, produce and even pen some of the soundtrack. As an actor, Van Peebles' first role was in his father's landmark film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, when he was only 14. Taking a decade to mature and hone his craft, MVP emerged again in the early 80's with notable roles in Coppola's The Cotton Club, Clint Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge and, of course, Jaws 4: The Revenge. 

It was the 1990's, however, in which MVP started really kicking ass, beginning with my personal favorite of his films, New Jack City in 1991, which also marked his big-screen directorial debut. I love this movie, always have; shit, I had the poster in my room as a teenager, it's probably still rolled up in a closet somewhere at my folks' house. If you haven't seen New Jack City since the early 90's, check it out again stat, that movie holds up in a major way, all Color Me Badd aside.

From New Jack City, it was on: the action-packed western Posse, which he also directed, historical drama Panther, which he also directed, Highlander: The Final Dimension, in which he had awesome hair (to the left), Solo, in which he had no hair (to the right), Michael Mann's Ali, in which he played Malcolm X, Baadasssss! which he also wrote and directed, based on the making of his father's blaxploitation classic, and about a trillion other projects, including 43 episodes of All My Children and this year, We The Party, his latest directorial effort. Then, of course, there's American Warships, in which he plays Captain Winston, commander of an American battleship. Warship, sorry, Warship.

Needless to say, and all pun intended, Mario Van Peebles is a badass. Watch him doing what he does best - kickin' ass - next Saturday, May 19th, at 9 p.m. on the SyFy Channel when The Asylum's American Warships makes its World Premiere.

American Battleship is now American Warships

As you may or may not have heard, a week or so ago Universal decided to sue The Asylum based on their upcoming mockbuster American Battleship, saying it was infringing on the publicity they shelled out for their upcoming disastrous disaster debacle, Battleship. You know, the one based on the board game. Yeah. 

Well, now those cry-babies can mop up their tears with their precious money, because The Asylum has switched the title of their film to American Warships. They even changed the poster as well. 

Bottom line, Universal seems to be projecting their anger at The Asylum, because initial reviews of their $200-million-film are that it's utter and complete shite. But who cares? As The Asylum themselves pointed out, the whole thing has been AWESOME publicity for the film: mainstream outlets internet-wide have been abuzz and The Asylum was the number 1 most-visited Company Page on IMDB - as opposed to Universal's 14 ranking.

The Asylum film - starring the truly dynamic duo of Carl Weathers and Mario Van Peebles, and written and directed by Thunder Levin (writer 200MPH) - hits DVD on May 22nd, following a World Television premiere on SyFy the Saturday before, May 19th.

The Asylum's BIGFOOT Gets a SyFy Premiere Date

Buzz has been building for a while about The Asylum's next SyFy Original Movie, Bigfoot, mostly because of its AMAZING cast: Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch, Mega Piranha), Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family), Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks, my dreams beginning in 1989), Howard Hesseman (WKRP in Cincinnati, Head of the Class), Andre Royo (The Wire, Super), Alice Cooper (duh) and Billy Idol (double-duh). Whew; it's gonna be like the wackiest episode of Hollywood Squares ever all up on your television screen. And as if all this star power wasn't enough, the film is being directed by Academy-Award nominated actor and Asylum vet Bruce Davison (MegaFault, Titanic II) from a script by Micho Rutare and Brian Brinkman, the team behind Meteor Apocalypse. This could sincerely be the biggest project yet from The Asylum.


And now we know when we get to lay our greedy little eyes on it: Saturday, June 30th, 9 pm on SyFy. No word on a DVD release as of yet - my guess would be by the end of the year - but have no fear, this being an instant classic, I'm sure SyFy will rerun the shit out of it for decades to come.
 

2 Headed Shirt Attack

As a 34 year old video store manager/burgeoning screenwriter, I have a lot of movie-themed T-shirts, the majority of them, oddly enough, revolving around Gremlins, but that's neither here nor there; the point is, I know an awesome movie T-shirt when I see one, and this, my friends, is the most awesome movie T-shirt ever, in my heavily-biased opinion:

That's right, y'all, that there's a one-of-a-kind original design inspired by the Asylum smash-hit, 2 Headed Shark Attack, for which I was lucky enough to write the screenplay. The shirt comes to us from the combined efforts of two excellent blogs and friends of Committed's, Guts and Grog, and Critters and Gods, and what's even more amazing than the shirt itself, is that it can be yours for the minor pittance of $15!!! 

Fifteen bucks, what you spend on coffee in a few days, or a night of beers, fifteen measly dollars, and that beauty above shows up at your front door all ready to snuggle against your skin like a Remora. (dibs on Mega Remora, that one just popped up.)

So don't delay owning your piece of cinema history, click here to order your shirt right this very instant, because I have it on good authority that supplies are limited and moving quite rapidly. Don't put off today what you can never get back tomorrow.

A Few New Posters From Upcoming Asylum Flicks

Now, while these posters for upcoming Asylum projects Super Cyclone, Haunting of Whaley House and Golden Winter (yep, we finally know what this one is about...wait for it) haven't been officially released on The Asylum's site, they have turned up on the various DVD-distribution sites my other job - video store ninja - has me frequent. Check 'em out:

Super Cyclone stars AnnaMaria DeMara, Ming Na Wen and Nick Turturro, and is currently slated for an August 28 release.

This one - from Netflix - is a little small, but belongs to The Haunting of Whaley House from writer/director Jose Prendes. The film is out July 31st.

And now the coup de grace, the revelation of the oh-so mysteriously-titled Golden Winter. Regular Committed readers might remember my earlier speculations that the film could be some sort of solar-disaster flick, or perhaps a raunchy sex farce, but once again, The Asylum has defied expectations:

 Aw yeah, The Asylum's mockbusting Snow Buddies. This is gonna be AWESOME. Still no cast or crew details for this one, but it looks like we can expect this one in time for the holidays.
 

Lovely Ladies of the Asylum vol. 9

I'm not a fool, gentlemen. I know what brings you here, what lures you in, coaxes your hits, some of you at least. It isn't the snarky commentary, or the breaking news, the hard-hitting interviews or deep-digging profiles, no, it's not me at all, is it? I see the keywords from my Google hits, and I know a picture of a pretty lady brings in more readers than the phrase "observation notes." 

Not that I can blame you: The Asylum employs a score of attractive and - more importantly - capable, intelligent and talented actresses well worth your search engine adoration. So, to gives my readers something I know they want and would never ask for, I tastefully present a pictorial tribute to some of The Asylum's beautiful leading ladies, this time the stars of the studio's remaining 2012 productions. Enjoy.

Johanna Watts

American Battleship


out 5.22.12

Baby Norman


Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies

out 5.29.12

L - R: Erin O'Brien, Jamie Noel, Samantha Stewart, Rachel Alig, Virginia Peturcci
Bikini Spring Break
out 6.26.12

Stephanie Greco


Haunting of Whaley House

out 7.31.12

AnnaMaria DeMara


Super Cyclone

out 8.24.12

Ming Na


Super Cyclone

still out 8.24.12

Time to Give Back to The Asylum

It isn't that often at all that The Asylum - instead of giving us countless of hours of entertainment every year for the last fifteen years - asks for we committed to give something back; and when they do, it's always for a great cause. For example, take their annual toy drive for Toys For Tots. Thanks to Asylum fans all over the place, last year's drive was the biggest ever for the company, and now it's time to duplicate that success for another incredibly worthy cause. To explain, I'll hand the post over to Asylum Co-Founder and Producer David Michael Latt:

"The whole Latt Family will be braving the beautiful Southern California weather to walk in this year’s Relay For Life Cancer fund raiser on May 19.

This charity hits me straight in the heart. Our family walks for my mom, sister, uncles, cousins and friends. Some lost the battle, some kicked it in the nuts. Either way, it’s a toughie. 

So every year my family walks. We remember. And we raise money – so we don’t have to walk anymore.

Please contribute. Even just $5.00. It’s tax deducible.

Just click here:

The Latt Donation Page

Oh! And the person that donates the most $$$ will receive my personally autographed script cover of BIGFOOT -- the upcoming Syfy premiere I produced at The Asylum that stars BARRY WILLIAMS, DANNY BONADUCE, SHERILYN FENN, ANDRE ROYO, HOWARD HESSEMAN, ALICE COOPER and directed by Academy Award nominee BRUCE DAVISON. Yes it's signed by all of them. 

THANK YOU!!!!

Sincerely,

David Latt  (Plus Kim, Audrey, Brady, Moise!)

P.S.: Please pass this email around! Post it, Facebook it, Tweet it, etc. I want to raise a lot of money this year!"

Once again, a truly worthy cause, one that surely has effected or will effect each of us. And though contributing is its own reward, the incentive Latt's providing - a script cover from Bigfoot autographed by the entire star-studded cast - is super motivating. Stars like that? Together? Priceless, utterly priceless, just like the gift of life, which cancer research can help provide. 

Everyone is the world wins with this one, so stop reading me and get over to the donation page and help make a difference. Then share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, MySpace, your blogs, websites and neighborhood telephone poles so that all your friends, family, ex-lovers, co-workers and casual acquaintances can join the drive.

Your Next Chance to Catch ADOPTING TERROR This Saturday

If you missed the world premiere earlier this month of The Asylum's latest thriller, Adopting Terror, you're in luck, because the ratings-topper is being re-aired this weekend.

That's right, the film - starring Sean Astin, Brendan Fehr and Samaire Armstrong, directed by Micho Rutare from a script he wrote with Nik Frank-Lehrer - about a couple who adopt the wrong dude's baby, will play again on Lifetime, Saturday night, April 28th, at 6 p.m.

I really enjoyed this one - big shock, I know - but objectively, it isn't often The Asylum does a straight-up, so-called "real-life" thriller; Born Bad was an awesome example that dominated this year's Looney Awards. I have a suspicion Adopting Terror's name could come up a few times at year's end. Good acting, good writing, good movie. See for yourself this Saturday night.

Nazis at the Center of the Earth on DVD TODAY!!!

In the coming century, B-film fans will increasingly look back to this date, April 24th, 2012, as the day their worlds were rocked forever. For today, The Asylum releases it's masterpiece to date, Nazis at the Center of the Earth.

Starring Jake Busey, Dominique Swain, Christopher Karl Johnson and a score of other talented actors and actresses, and directed by Joseph J. Lawson from a script by Paul Bales, NATCOTE is a can't-miss flick, a barn-burner of cinematic lunacy and wicked brilliance. I've already given my very vocal approval of the film, which can be read by simply scrolling down a few inches, but you shouldn't take my word for it, you shouldn't take anyone's, in fact, you should get your hands on a copy toot suite and judge for yourself.

By "toot suite" I mean now, go, go!!!!

observation notes: NAZIS AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

Every now and again, a movie comes along whose very concept generates hype the instant it is heard. So rarely do the films live up to that hype, so rarely do the filmmakers manage to not only fulfill but eclipse that promise, that when a film actually does manage these things, we call it nothing less than a classic. Ladies(?) and gentlemen, Nazis at the Center of the Earth is that film. For real.

Whatever you're expecting, throw it out the window. You're not predicting this one, and I'm not going to spoil a single damn second of it for you. I will say, however, that if you're expecting some sort of throwback camp-fest, you're watching the wrong movie: NATCOTE is a truly tense, gruesome, and disturbing thriller mixing history, perverted science, sci-fi, adventure and that good old Asylum sense of insanity all rolled up into perhaps the most mind-bending 90 minutes the studio has ever produced. And I know I'm biased, cuz I love these guys and everything, but for real, FOR REAL, you owe it to yourself to watch one of the most ingenious B-movies ever set to celluloid.

Again, in the interest of not spoiling a single thing, I won't go into great details about the individual characters, but our celebrity leads here, Dominique Swain (Lolita, New Best Friend) and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, The Frighteners) bring the heat, Ms. Swain playing with emotional aplomb a hyper-intelligent yet vulnerable doctor, and Mr. Busey reeling in a pensive and conflicted performance. Other standouts include Christopher Karl Johnson as the reprehensibly vile Doctor Mengele, and Adam Burch, Marlene Okner and Lilan Bowden as other scientists.

The film, the first directorial effort from Asylum VFX Supervisor Joseph J. Lawson, does not skimp on the visuals and does not fail to deliver. My expectations in this specific arena were pretty high, especially as I really believe Asylum VFX have improved a hundred-fold in the last couple of years, but the things these guys pulled off in this one? Some of the most memorable visuals of the year. And you'd never know it was Lawson's first time at the helm; there's a very keen sense of control over the picture, for as crazy and labyrinthine a mystery as this film is, it moves at an expert pace, doling out the goods like breadcrumbs leading to a wholly satisfying and thoroughly unexpected climax.

The story comes courtesy of Paul Bales (Sherlock Holmes, 2010 Moby Dick) and is smart, steeped in scientific and historical details that only enrich the suspense and horror, and wickedly brutal. Seriously, I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how surreally awesome this film is, while at the same time being starkly scary, wildly inventive and all-too possible. The last 35 minutes of this film is a masterclass in WOW. Plus, I learned a lot of useful German.

So have I beamed enough? Have I spit enough hyperbole to convince you that Nazis at the Center of the Earth is a tent-pole Asylum project, certain to be one of the first three anyone mentions 100 years from now? This one's a game-changer, folks; the bar has been raised. This isn't what you were hoping for, this isn't what you were expecting: it's sooooo much better. Out Tuesday on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD. Whatever else you thought you were doing, scrap it. Trust me.

inmate profile: Lilan Bowden

For the last couple of weeks, Committed has been spotlighting various cast and crew members of the next Asylum release, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, now only a week away. That spotlight shines now on actress Lilan Bowden, an up-and-coming actress/writer/host making her third appearance in an Asylum film.

After working in a couple of shorts, Ms. Bowden made her feature debut as a television reporter in Princess and the Pony. Her second feature was the polar opposite of her first, Zombie Apocalypse, in which she played arrow-wielding badass "Myrah." And now, she plays the character "May Yun" in NATCOTE. Pretty impressive couple of years she's had, I'd say; sounds like The Asylum's taken a shine to her, and who can blame them. On screen Ms. Bowden is that delicate combination of strong and fragile, a real person in unreal situations, making her terror and resolve palpable things that resonate with any viewer. And with the spattering of Asylum films yet to come this year - at least 9 as of this posting - it could be that we haven't seen the last of Ms. Bowden this year. If that isn't enough to tide you over, though, you can always catch her as a host of "Short Notice," a talk show "featuring Asian American short films, wrapped around candid & eye-opening conversations with the filmmakers behind them."

As for the immediate future, however, line up now (cuz there will be lines for this one, at least at your local Redbox depository) to see her shine in the year's most highly- and hotly-anticipated film, as well as a contender for greatest film title ever, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, out next Tuesday, April 24th everywhere people enjoy entertainment.

inmate profile: Jake Busey

Continuing to look at the creative talent behind The Asylum's next release, the hotly-anticipated Nazis at the Center of the Earth, we turn now to actor Jake Busey.

A true child of Hollywood (his father is actor Gary Busey), Busey got his start at the ripe young age of seven, playing the son to his father's character in Straight Time, which starred Dustin Hoffman. Though he turned up here and there over the next decade, it wasn't until the 1990's and his 20's that Busey really started making a name for himself. What began as bit roles in smaller, more indie features like PCU, S.F.W., and The Stoned Age, metamorphosed into larger roles in larger films come the middle of that decade, including memorable turns in Peter Jackson's The Frighteners, and then also Twister, Contact, Starship Troopers and Enemy of the State. 

For the last decade, Busey has continued to stay busy on a variety of projects both on television and the big screen, and now he's bringing that culmination of talent and experience to The Asylum and Nazis at the Center of the Earth, in which he plays"Adrian Reistad." Sounds German. Find out for yourself on Aprl 24th, when Nazis at the Center of the Earth hits DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD.

inmate profile: Dominique Swain

Actress Dominique Swain - who plays "Paige Morgan" in The Asylum's upcoming Nazis at the Center of the Earth, out April 24th - burst onto the acting scene in 1997 with her controversial turn as perhaps the most controversial female in cinema, the title character in director Adiran Lyne's Lolita. Despite critical acclaim, the film was initially banned from American cinemas because of its lurid content and Ms. Swain's age at the time, which was less than 18. However, wherever people fell on the film's subject, there was no denying a bold new talent had appeared in Hollywood in the form of Dominique Swain. 

That same year she turned in another memorable performance as the daughter of Nic Cage, or maybe John Travolta, in John Woo's Face/Off. Quickly typecast as the bad girl, Swain became a fixture in teen cult favorites like The Smokers, Tart, Happy Campers and New Best Friend. 

In recent years, however, Ms. Swain has taken on more varied and adult roles, continuing to turn in impassioned performances. Her recent standouts include Dead Mary, Stiletto, Toxic and Monte Hellman's Road to Nowhere. 

No doubt her role to remember, though, will be as whatever sort of scientist her character Paige Morgan turns out to be in Nazis at the Center of the Earth. Watch with the world when the film is made available on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD on April 24th.

inmate profile: Paul Bales

Continuing to shine the Committed spotlight on the talent behind The Asylum's upcoming masterpiece Nazis at the Center of the Earth, we turn now to the imagination behind it all, the film's screenwriter (and one of The Asylum's 3 producers) Paul Bales.

NATCOTE marks Mr. Bales 8th script for the studio, and the list is pretty impressive: Killers 2, Legion of the Dead (which he also directed), The Da Vinci Treasure, 100 Million B.C., Mega Fault, Sherlock Homes and 2010 Moby Dick. All good films, but for my money, Sherlock and Moby are among the best the studio's ever put out; the former managed to mockbust not only the Holmes character, but also Robert Downey Jr.'s recent filmography, and the latter put a convincing modern twist on an established tale, plus gave Barry Bostwick reason to make his own whale-killin' gun.

Add all this together and what you get is one more reason to be super-psyched for the film event of 2012. Catch Nazis at the Center of the Earth on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD on April 24th.

inmate profile: Joseph Lawson

With only a few blessed weeks sitting between we committed and the film event of 2012 - Nazis at the Center of the Earth, of course - it's time to start taking a look at the talent behind this destined-to-be instant classic, and who better to shine the spotlight on first than the film's director, one Joseph Lawson.

Though NATCOTE is his first directorial effort, Lawson has made an indelible stamp on scores of Asylum films as a visual effects artist and supervisor. Consider his resume: The 7 Adventures of Sinbad, Titanic II, Airline Disaster, Moby Dick, Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus, Mega Python vs Gatoroid, Battle of Los Angeles, Almighty Thor, 2012 Ice Age, Born Bad, A Haunting in Salem, Dragon Crusaders, 11/11/11, 3 Musketeers, Zombie Apocalypse, Amityville Haunting, 2 Headed Shark Attack, Grimm's Snow White and the upcoming Bigfoot, plus probably everything else The Asylum will put out this year. 

It's been under Lawson's supervision that Asylum VFX have taken a HUGE stride forward, seemingly getting more spectacular with each new release, so we should all be sitting on pins and needles to see what he's done his first time in the director's chair for NATCOTE.

See for yourself when Nazis at the Center of the Earth, directed by Joseph Lawson, comes out on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD April 24th.

Details on Two Upcoming Asylum Flicks, Photos From One!

Lots of info spilling out of The Asylum today, including cast and plot details on Supercyclone and details plus production stills from The Haunting of Whaley House.

Let's start with the scary. We already new Whaley House was written and directed by Jose Prendes, writer of Haunting of Winchester House, The Terminators and Countdown: Jerusalem, but now we know the actors who will bring it to life: Stephanie Greco (Day the Earth Stopped), scream-queen Lynn Lowry (Crazies - old and new -  Cat People), Leigh Davis and Howard McNair. Check out the plot: "When a tour guide breaks into America’s Most Haunted House, a bit of amateur ghost hunting with friends turns into more horror than they could have ever imagined." Pretty scary stuff, especially when you consider the production stills. Haunting of Whaley House - totally based on a true locale - street on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD on July 31st.

Then there's Supercyclone, which I reported on earlier in the week when it was leaked that one of the female leads was to be played by fan-favorite AnnaMaria DeMara (200MPH). Well, now we know a couple other cast members, including Ming Na (ER, Eureka, Stargate: Universe), Nick Turturro (NYPD Blue) and returning president Andy Clemence (Air Collision, 3 Musketeers). The plot: "When a super cyclone threatens the entire American eastern seaboard, a lone meteorologist and a petroleum engineer must battle the elements to stop the threat."

Supercyclone is set for an August 28 release. Liz Adams directs.

So there you have it, all the latest on upcoming Asylum flicks. We still have details to learn for Golden Winter and Shark Week, but now this is more than enough to satiate our appetities... 

Asylum UK Distribution Deal Hints at Another New Title...

So today this article came out in which it was revealed that The Asylum has struck a deal with Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment UK to distribute at least 10 films abroad in the next year. While this is awesome, spectacular news - The Asylum's going worldwide! - the juiciest morsel here comes at the end of the article, when they say that The Asylum next goes into production in July, on a film called...wait for it...

AGE OF THE HOBBITS.

I don't even know how this is possible, licensing-wise, and frankly I don't care. Asylum's mockbusting Peter Jackson (for the second time, counting King of the Lost World) and the results should be assuredly spectacular. No word on who's involved, but as soon as I know (i.e. as soon as The Asylum posts something somewhere) you'll know...

observation notes: ADOPTING TERROR

This past Saturday night marked the second time The Asylum premiered a film on the Lifetime network; last year it was Jared Cohn's Born Bad, and this time around it was Adopting Terror from writer - along with Nik Frank-Lehrer - and director Micho Rutare (Meteor Apocalypse). Like Born Bad, Adopting Terror was a thriller without creatures, aliens, natural disasters or pending global cataclysms, just a straight-up look at the evil men can do when properly motivated.

The film centers around Tim and Cheryl Broadbent, played by Sean Astin (Goonies, Lord of the Rings) and Samaire Armstrong (The O.C., Entourage) respectively - and their adoption of a lovely little baby girl, Mona. Only trouble is, Mona's biological father has just been released from prison and now he'll stop at nothing to be reunited with his daughter. What follows is a psychological game of cat-and-mouse, manipulations and intimidation, violence and the different degrees different people will go to in order to preserve and protect their families.

Adopting Terror is laden with powerful performances that elevate the film. The seemingly ageless Sean Astin is a loving father and husband, a sensible protector who as the film progresses, struggles to keep himself together amid the mounting strain to his family. Astin is a perfect Everyfather - if you'll allow the term - and thus when he finds himself pushed to the brink, the experience is tangible and resonant.

Samaire Armstrong also turns in a convincing performance as a first-time mother already a little unsure of her own abilities, an emotional subplot that only compounds once the real trouble starts popping off. Actress Monet Mazur plays the sleek yet wary, helpful but watchful social worker in charge of the Broadbent's case, and Michael Gross (Family Ties, Tremors 1-4) plays her boss. This marks Mr. Gross's second outing with The Asylum, 100 Million B.C. being the first time. This go-round, he brought his sister Mary Gross (Saturday Night Live, Troop Beverly Hills, FEDS), who has a one-scene cameo early on.

But for my money, the real scene-stealer here is Brendan Fehr (Final Destination, Ice Quake) as Mona's birth father, Kevin. He's the scariest kind of sociopath - the coolly vicious, stoically sadistic, stone-faced type. Fehr is a pure menace, a vibrant and brutally focused man blind to everything beyond his own agenda. Dude's got real chops, and they're on full display here. I want to see Fehr as Adopting Terror's Kevin fight Michael Welch as Born Bad's Denny; now there's a mega match-up.


Bottom line, Adopting Terror is a taut, well-paced, uncomfortably realistic thriller from set-up to payoff. It comes across simultaneously heartfelt, vicious, tense and suspenseful, and manages to mix in a few awesome, totally unexpected twists along the way to its pulse-pounding conclusion.

As of now, there is only one remaining scheduled broadcast of Adopting Terror on Lifetime: Saturday, April 28th at 6pm. After that, you might have to wait until the film's official DVD release on September 11th of this year.

Super Cyclone Just Got a Lot More SUPER!!! Casting News!!!

While there's nothing up on their site as of yet, according to The Asylum's Facebook and Twitter feed, there's a bit of news about their upcoming disaster flick, Super Cyclone, and believe me when I tell you guys, you're gonna love this.

Cast as one of the two female leads is the lovely and talented AnnaMaria Demara, the very same lovely and talented actress you voted as last year's Best Supporting Actress in the 2011 Loonies for her star-making turn in 200MPH. No word on who the other lead will be, or what exactly the plot is, but does it matter? This one's already made it's money back. 

More info, as always, when it becomes available...

Enter to Win an One-of-a-Kind 2 Headed Shark Print

So, my fellow-faithfully Committed Asylum fan Tromeric, originator and administrator of the lovely horror blog Guts and Grog, is sponsoring a contest where someone's gonna win a completely original, one-of-a-kind print inspired by The Asylum classic 2 Headed Shark Attack,  which I wrote the screenplay for.

Pretty rad, if you ask me, it's got a real Jaws vibe going on, which you guys know I love. So if you want this gorgeous monstrosity for your very own, click through to the link above to enter. The winner is drawn on April 17th, and if it's you, send me a pic of where you put it and I'll publish it here for all the world - and by "world" I mean the limited population of my blogosphere - to see and envy. 

Thanks to Tromeric, Guts and Grog and artist Jeremy Gaulkenstein for a truly rad contest!

Adopting Terror Premieres on Lifetime THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

Don't forget, Asylum fans, that this Saturday night marks the next release from our favorite independent studio, as the thriller Adopting Terror makes its world premiere on the Lifetime network.

The films stars Sean Astin (Goonies, Lord of the Rings, Toy Soldiers) and Samaire Armstrong (The O.C., Entourage) as a married couple longing to adopt. When their prayers are answered in the form of a beautiful baby girl, they think their lives are complete. Wrong. Because that beautiful baby girl comes with a psycho biological father, Brendan Fehr (Roswell, Ice Quake, The Forsaken) who wants his baby back (insert your own Chili's joke here, if you like.). As if all this wasn't a draw, the cast also boast Michael Gross (I shouldn't have to tell you). 

So the time is 8 p.m., the place is the Lifetime network, and the event is the world premiere of the latest Asylum offering, Adopting Terror, from writer/director Micho Rutare and writer Nik Frank-Lehrer. Catch it now, because the DVD release doesn't come until September, and you don't want to be the last one of your block to see it!