Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Midnight Meat Train: I Can't Wait To Get On!


At long last, a glimpse of something wicked this way coming. A horror film made by adults, for adults. And I only have to wait a few more months to see it!

It's been some time since fans of Clive Barker were treated to something so special as a new film based on the writings of the Modern Day Master of Horror. Midnight Meat Train is due to hit theatres August 1, 2008, and it looks like die-hard gorefiends and horrorhounds all over the world will have reason to be very, very happy this summer. The trailer is available on the official website, and from what I could gather from the clips, Midnight Meat Train is a nail-biting combination of a good, old fashioned suspense thriller, and a blood-soaked slasher film. The good folks at Bloody Disgusting have posted a teaser review on their site of an advance screening of the film.

The movie is based on Barker's short story of the same name, from Books of Blood Volume One, about a serial killer who stalks his victims on the subway. An unfortunate, young photographer captures one of the brutal slayings on film by accident. The characters look promising, although the cast is comprised of mostly lesser-known actors. Bradley Cooper (who has mostly worked in television, appearing in Alias, and a number episodes of Nip/Tuck) plays the photog, with Vinnie Jones (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Snatch) assuming the role of the subway-slasher known as "Mahogany." For any celebrity-seekers out there, Brooke Shields appears in this film as an art snob looking for something unique to display in her gallery, and hires Jones to capture the untold stories of New York City.

Are buckets of blood and bone-chilling gore "unique" enough for ya, Brooke?

With many modern-day horror offerings rating high in teenage angst, and low in actual watchability, the fact that this movie looms on the horizon gives me reason to hope that more well-written, well-acted, adult horror films will begin to roll out. I am pleased to report that Midnight Meat Train comes complete with an R rating "for sequences of strong bloody gruesome violence, grisly images involving nudity, sexual content and language."

Those just happen to be a few of my favourite things. Yes, yes, yes!!!

Update (6/14/08): Lionsgate, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to release Midnight Meat Train in a limited number of theatres. Unless you happen to live near the 100-or-so movie houses expected to show the film, a visit to your friendly neighbourhood DVD outlet is in your future.

Update (11/16/08): Read Kitty's review of THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN!!!


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