A horror film-maker sparked a full-scale murder alert after burying a torso in a remote wood.
A shocked teenager found the fake corpse hidden in bushes as he walked his dog.
He called 999 and three police cars plus forensic experts rushed to the copse – only to find the body was a dummy.
Film-maker Geoff Searle, 29, returned from a lunch break to find his corpse had gone. He said: “We couldn’t believe it had just vanished into thin air.
“It was only when my mum asked in the pub that we realised what had happened.”
He was rapped over the knuckles by furious police after triggering the drama while shooting a short horror film, Meat After School in Aston End, near Stevenage, Herts.
The police said: “We had no prior knowledge of the production, which presented a challenge in the initial response.”
Weta Workshop, the special effects company based in Miramar, New Zealand, has acquired a new license from Warner Bros. Consumer Products to create a new line of fine art collectibles and memorabilia based on The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
It has been four years since Weta last released new collectibles from The Lord of the Rings.
The new high-end collectibles will designed and created by the same Academy Award-winning artists who worked on the movie trilogy.
Four of the new items were announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con:
A limited-edition run of authentic swords from movie trilogy. Each sword is individually hand-crafted by Peter Lyon, the Master Swordsmith from Weta Workshop, who created the original swords used in the movies. The first sword to be released is Anduril, in a limited-edition of only 10 worldwide.
A full scale replica of Gollum, cast in bronze or in faux bronze fiberglass, and sculpted by the original artists.
A new range of cast metal miniature shields, built by Weta’s senior model maker, Dave Tremont, who built Grond (the orcs’ giant battering ram at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields) and many of the miniatures used in filming the trilogy.
An exact replica of the Gandalf the Grey’s original cloak worn by Ian McKellen in the movie trilogy, using the same woollen material, produced from the same farm in New Zealand, and woven on the same 19th century looms.
The new items will be available from WetaNZ.com.
Weta Workshop was founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and others, to produce creatures and makeup effects for the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, and effects for films such as Peter Jackson’s Meet The Feebles and Heavenly Creatures. A digital division, Weta Digital, was formed in 1993.
District 9 is an upcoming science fiction film produced by Peter Jackson, set for an August 14th release date and will be distributed by Sony’s Tristar Pictures.
It takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa; aliens made first contact with Earth twenty-eight years prior while humanity waited for the hostile attack or for giant advances in technology, though neither came. Instead, the aliens that arrived were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s District 9 as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them. Patience over the alien situation ran out and control over them was contracted out to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the aliens’ welfare.
MNU stands to receive tremendous profits if they can make the aliens’ advanced weaponry work, but have failed because it requires alien DNA. Tension between the aliens and the humans comes to a head when an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. Wikus quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable, for he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. Van der Merwe becomes ostracized and friendless and hides amongst the creatures locked within District 9.
Make Up Department
Donald Brooker … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Daniel Cockersell … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Joe Dunckley … prosthetics effects supervisor
Ben Hawker … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Thebe Malatse … assistant makeup artist
Antony McMullen … prosthetic artist: WETA Workshop
Matt Patte … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Frances Richardson … makeup effects supervisor: WETA Workshop
Sarah Rubano … prosthetics makeup supervisor
Charlie Runge … assistant makeup artist
Eden Small … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Greg Tozer … makeup effects & prosthetics: WETA Workshop
Leon von Solms … makeup/hair supervisor
Special Effects Department
David Barkes … special effects coordinator: additional photography
Doug Falconer … special effects technician: New Zealand
Steve Ingram … special effects supervisor: New Zealand
Gareth J. Jensen … creature painter
Joel McGowan … special effects technician: additional photography
Phil McLaren … special effects technician: New Zealand
Carlos Slater … special effects technician
It appears another sequel to the once popular horror franchise is coming together, that is at least according to actor David Arquette.
“We are going to be doing ‘Scream 4′,” Arquette told E!’s Marc Malkin, indicating that both himself and wife, Courteney Cox, will be returning to the roles that brought them together.
Rumors of a fourth “Scream” film have been stabbed before over the last few years, but Arquette’s comment seems to suggest it may actually happen. He went on to say that screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who penned the original films, was working on the script.
“Hopefully Wes Craven is going to direct,” he added. Arquette and Cox met while making the first “Scream” film in 1996.
Williamson suggested last month via Twitter that Neve Campbell, who starred in the original “Scream” fright flicks, had already said no to returning to the franchise.
“Trying to figure out a Sid-less scenario. She won’t do it. This sucks,” he reportedly wrote, although this “tweet” has since been removed.
Since then, all Williamson – who is presently working on the upcoming series, “The Vampire Diaries,” for the CW – has only “tweeted” the following about “Scream 4″:
“Thanks to all for their S4 support. Nothing new to report. Still writing away. Forgot how much I loved these characters.”
GoreMaster’s Editor note:
The earlier Scream entries featured the work of some of the giants in the Makeup Effects industry like Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman and Greg Nicotero.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a change in the Academy Award® for Achievement in Makeup. The Board of Governors has agreed to a change in the wording so that there may now be a maximum of three nominees, and statuettes awarded, per film. The change takes effect this year.
According to Leonard Engelman, the academy’s make-up branch governor, nominations may now include “the names of the primary individuals—not to exceed three in number—directly involved with, and principally responsible for, the make-up and hairstyling achieved. No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the make-up category. On occasion, a third statuette may be awarded when there are three primary and essential contributors to the achievement(s).”
The change in academy rules is “tremendously important” for make-up artists and hairstylists working in the film industry, Engelman said.
“These few choice words give the branch and the academy an opportunity to better recognize the great achievements seen on screen today. We know that what is accomplished for an Oscar®-nominated film in most cases is not solely accomplished by one, two or even three artists, but by a group of artists working together.”
The Academy Awards® will air March 7, 2010 on ABC. Check your local listings for times
Quaffles, Bludgers, Golden Snitchs, Beaters, Seekers, Chasers … to some this is utter gibberish, but to “Harry Potter” fans these are the beloved elements of Quidditch, the premier witch-and-wizard sporting event in the world. The terminology is peculiar, the rules are myriad and the history stretches back centuries, but all you need to know is that Harry and his pals play by riding around on broomsticks, competing for points and trying to capture that elusive Snitch.
Yet in 2007′s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” the Quidditch chronicles present in J.K. Rowling’s book were cut from the film. On July 15, the game will make a glorious return to the big screen in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” When MTV News had a chance to visit the U.K. set and talk to the stars about the sport, they revealed the difficulties of filming Quidditch and how the game can sometimes become a divisive issue between the competitive classmates (reader beware: Spoilers exist below).
Emma Watson, who plays the brainy Hermione Granger, told us about a scene in the film in which her character believes Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) has slipped a magical good-luck potion, called Felix Felicis, into Ron’s (Rupert Grint) drink before an important match.
Watchmen (Director's Cut)
“She definitely disagrees with Harry putting the Felix Felicis in Ron’s drink because it’s the equivalent of taking steroids before a match or for athletics,” Watson explained. “She really disagrees with it, but then she finds out that Harry’s actually been smarter than her and it’s all a psychological thing.”
That’s because Harry doesn’t actually put the potion in his drink — Ron just assumes he’s been dosed and thus plays spectacularly. “It’s kind of like a placebo drink,” Watson said. “So it’s all OK in the end.”
For Grint, who plays Harry’s buddy Ron, “Half-Blood Prince” gave the actor his first opportunity to engage in some cinematic Quidditch. “I was actually really gutted last year because that is sort of Ron’s big Quidditch moment and I was really upset they didn’t have that in ['Order of the Phoenix'],” he said. “I was really looking forward to doing it this time, but it’s actually sort of an anticlimax because it’s really hard work.
“You’re on a broom for a long time, like a few hours at a go,” Grint grinned. “You’re literally sitting on a broom and it gets a little bit sore down under a bit. It’s been fun, but it’s quite hard work.”
Lionsgate and Nu Image/Millennium, the two companies behind the Conan reboot, might have found their new Conan — and he bears striking similarities to the old Conan.
The companies are in talks with a 41-year-old Austrian actor named Roland Kickinger to play the title role that Arnold Schwarzenegger made famous in the 1982 classic “Conan the Barbarian.”
There are more than a few eerie parallels between the personalities.
Like Schwarzenegger, Kickinger is a bodybuilder- turned-actor from the Central European country.
Like the California governor, he also had a role as a T-800 in the “Terminator” franchise (in Warner Bros.’ current “Terminator Salvation”).
And in a you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up turn, Kickinger actually played a Conan-era version of Schwarzenegger in “See Arnold Run,” the 2005 A&E biopic about the actor-turned-politician.
Universal’s original “Conan,” which vaulted Schwarzenegger to fame and a slew of action tentpoles, follows a man who seeks revenge on the person who sold him into slavery.
Few details on the new pic have been revealed, though the character is expected to be given a polish, with the filmmakers drawing influences from more recent action pics. Shooting will begin in the fall at Avi Lerner’s Bulgaria-based studio. Marcus Nispel, who helmed New Line’s “Friday the 13th” reboot, is set to direct.
No word on whether Arnold will make a cameo — or on whether Kickinger will run for governor.
A brand new, restored print of John Landis’ classic comedy-horror An American Werewolf in London will screen at this year’s Film4 FrightFest, taking place at The Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London, 27 – 31 August 2009
A brand spanking new, fabulous looking restoration of John Landis’ classic 1981 comedy horror An American Werewolf In London will show at Film4 FrightFest on the afternoon of Friday 28 August
A brilliant meld of side-splitting laughs, hair-raising terror and Rick Baker’s Oscar-winning man-into-wolf prosthetic special effects, Landis’ lycanthropic masterpiece has never been bettered and set the standard for the modern werewolf movie.
Now it’s back where it belongs. See the restored An American Werewolf In London on the biggest screen in the UK at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London (just round the corner from where the stunning action climax was filmed in Picadilly Circus) at the Film4 FrightFest on 28 August.
There will also be a screening of writer-director Paul Davis’ film Beware The Moon, a terrific Making Of documentary featuring unseen and unused test footage.
And there’s more! Film4 FrightFest will be assembling as many of the cast and crew as (in)-humanly possible on the Empire stage for you to meet and greet in the lobby signing afterwards. Director John Landis and star Jenny Agutter are already confirmed so it really will be a stellar and memorable event not to be missed.
Cal McDonald is a mess of a man… and that’s the way fans like him. Created by renowned horror scribe Steve Niles, the drug-infused anti-hero’s publishing history is as varied as his nearly 20 years of “Criminal Macabre” adventures with Dark Horse Comics.
Between several comic book series, novels, and online content, McDonald has killed a monster in almost every medium. Now with the possibility of a film adaptation on the way, the paranormal detective could be poised for a jump from self-imposed obscurity to mainstream monster hunting.
The filmmaking process is nothing new to Niles. Between the success of “30 Days of Night” and plans to adapt many of his other works (including “City of Dust,” “Wake the Dead” and “Freaks of the Heartland“) to film, the writer has seen enough of Hollywood to understand why it’s taken a while to get Cal McDonald on the big screen.
“We had it set up at MGM years ago, and it just didn’t quite take,” Niles told MTV News. “['Criminal Macabre'] went through a lot. The first instance, everyone was like, ‘Clean him up, we can’t have a character like this.’ And then they realized I’m not trying to do ‘Cheech and Chong’ here. This is to me, a modern Philip Marlowe. He has all the same problems, but they’re modernized because hard drinking just doesn’t cut it anymore.”
Despite the project’s initial rough start, Niles is optimistic that a new deal with Dark Horse could help bear cinematic fruit while maintaining his creative vision — and hinted at an announcement on the matter soon.
Until then, fans can expect a more new “Criminal Macabre” series in the future, including self-published prose, comics, music and more. Essentially, he’s hoping to spend as much time as possible with the character down the road.
“I’m doing limited edition books of short stories, at least six a year, straight from a website,” explained Niles. “I’m thinking about serializing the next novel — like what [Stephen] King did with ‘The Green Mile — but we’re doing it all very DIY. The only distribution will be available through the website.”
Niles added that a “music/sound component” would also be made available for the novels, allowing readers to “pop in a little Cal McDonald CD while they read.” According to Niles, an announcement will be coming soon regarding the musician who will contribute to the audio add-on. “I’m constantly pushing on and Cal is my favorite character to write, so [releasing material is] really important for me,” said Niles.
Jay A. Fernandez and Borys Kit – The Hollywood Reporter
Mike Mitchell has been hired to direct the MGM fantasy-adventure “Once Upon a Time.”
The live-action feature fiddles with fairy-tale conventions the way the “Shrek” movies and “Enchanted” did. Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty must join together to go in search of their missing husbands, the Charming Brothers, and save the kingdom in the process.
MGM picked up the original screenplay written by Jerry Bruckheimer Films exec Charles Vignola and tyro scribes Kevin Marcus and Bradley Marcus in March.
Vignola’s manager Darryl Taja is attached to produce through his Epidemic Pictures (“New in Town”). Vignola will exec produce. MGM execs Cale Boyter and Pam Silverstein are overseeing for the studio.
The CAA-repped Mitchell has directed “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo,” “Surviving Christmas” and “Sky High” and worked on DreamWorks Animation films such as “Kung Fu Panda,” “Monsters vs. Aliens” and “Shrek the Third.”
He is now directing “Shrek Forever After,” the fourth installment of the “Shrek” franchise that DWA will release in May.
