In the last few years, several unique documentaries have come to my attention. This could be the beginning of a new trend: behind-the-scenes examinations of existing movies produced without studio involvement. These are feature length docs, similar to what you’d see packaged with a “special edition” DVD, but done without distribution set up ahead of time. Does this mean there’s a whole subset of documentary filmmakers inspired by the likes of Laurent Bouzereau?

What these projects have in common is their grass-roots marketing. The filmmakers have gone out to fan conventions to promote while still in production. They show scenes, get feedback, and even arrange to interview specific actors at these events.

Here are the movies that have sparked my interest:

The Shark is Still Working
This doc about Jaws has been in the works for years. There was already a wealth of material available about the Spielberg’s movie, including The Jaws Log and an admirable doc on the current special edition. That didn’t stop these filmmakers from talking to everyone who ever touched Jaws or was inspired by it. I’m afraid the final product is going to take a week to watch!

http://www.sharkisstillworking.com/

Beware the Moon: Remembering ‘An American Werewolf in London’
John Landis’ American Werewolf in London is one of my favorite films, so I can’t wait to see this doc by Britain’s “Tall Paul” Davis. He’s had screenings at a few horror cons in the USA, and the response has been stellar.

http://www.myspace.com/kesslerboy

Indy Fans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory
This one I just discovered, and it looks like the focus is more on Indiana Jones fans than the films’ production. There are plenty of fans (and hot models, apparently) in costume on the project’s MySpace page.

http://myspace.com/indyfans

Every once in a while, I check in on the Four Eyed Monsters movie project. It’s an Indie film project with a capital I. A little too mellow for my sensibilities, but I find it admirable, the non-traditional approach these two artists are taking towards filmmaking and distribution.

So tonight I find out I missed the online premiere screening of the film by about four hours. Not just any online streaming, but the first ever(?) movie premiere to take place in Second Life.

I signed up for Second Life about a month ago — I was intrigued by all the jawing Warren Ellis has been doing about it. After a couple days of wandering around, I found it a bit of a head scratcher. I’m not big into “chat” (I prefer message boards) so I couldn’t figure out what to do with myself.

But it did occur to me that using Second Life would be a cool way to promote a film or even set up a virtual theater. Well, Sundance and others were way ahead of me. Sundance was a sponsor of the Four Eyed screening, and hosted it for virtual people in a virtual theater. I assume there was a virtual question and answer period after the show. Cool.

(Instead, how did I spend my evening? Watching Steve Jobs talk about the iPhone, of course. So time wasn’t wasted.)

Ryan Rotten (who currently writes for Fangoria) is helping out us horror fans by giving a run-down of genre titles for 2007.

LOOKING FORWARD TO…

1.) Grindhouse
2.) Rob Zombie’s Halloween
3.) The Mist
4.) 30 Days of Night
5.) 28 Weeks Later
6.) Diary of the Dead
7.) Trick ‘r Treat
8.) Rogue/Primeval
9.) Doomsday
10.) Saw IV/Hostel: Part II
11.) Dario Argento’s The Third Mother

Check out the full blog entry here: http://blog.myspace.com/ryanrotten

Behold, the teaser for Live Free or Die Hard:

http://www.jurassicpunk.com/movies/livefreeordiehard.shtml

I’ve had my eye on the After Dark Horrorfest site for a couple months. They said they’d be unrolling a national film fest for one weekend only in hundreds of theaters. And now that their website has been updated, it looks like a crazy good time.

The Horrorfest website (at http://www.horrorfestonline.com ) has been updated with a promo video (slick!), descriptions of 7 of the 8 films to be shown, and a huge list of theaters taking part in the event. (In Rochester, the Regal Cinema 18 in Henrietta is playing host.)

It looks like mostly independent product, including Mike Mendez’s Grave Dancers. There’s also one from Takashi Shimizu of The Grudge movies.

They’ve also been conducting a search for “Miss Horrorfest,” a sort of scream queen representative. Voting takes place on YouTube at http://youtube.com/horrorfest

After Dark Horrorfest: 8 films to Die For

http://www.horrorfestonline.com/

Each year, there are movies produced that are never seen by the public. Their content is considered too graphic, too disturbing, and too shocking for general audiences.

The festival, After Dark Horrorfest: 8 Films to Die For, is an exciting way of getting real, quality horror movies back to true horror fans . Tickets go on sale Oct 31, and the festival is scheduled to run from November 17th to the 19th. After Dark Horrorfest features 8 independent films (featuring Chloe Sevigny and Jamie Lynn Sigler amongst others), giveaways and parties.

THE FILMS:

Unrest

http://www.unrestfulmovie.com

Alison Blanchard begins her journey to become a physician in her Gross Anatomy class, where she must confront rows of cadavers and her own fearof mortality. When the sheets are drawn back revealing her cadaver, Alison senses a presence in the lab. Her jaded professor chalks it up to first year “jitters” but her worries increase when a friend is found dead in the basement. Alison must find out the truth behind her cadaver before its angered spirit can wreak further vengance on those who dared to disturb the body.

Directed by:
Jason Todd Ipson, director of the award winning short film “Peeping Tom” and “The First Vampire”.

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Penny Dreadful

http://www.pennydreadfulthemovie.com/

Penny, (Rachel Miner: “The Black Dahlia”, “Bully”, “The Memory Thief”), a young woman traumatized by a childhood auto accident that killed her parents, accompanies her therapist, (Mimi Rogers: “Austin Powers”, “Someone To Watch Over Me”), on a road trip back to the scene of the accident as part of her therapy to overcome her fear of cars. But, when the two women accidentally cross paths with a dark and mysterious Hitch Hiker on a lonely stretch of mountain highway an attempt at healing suddenly takes a terrifying detour into a horrorific life and death struggle with a ruthless, deranged killer bent on preying upon Penny’s worst fears.

Directed by:
Richard Brandes (“Out For Blood”, “Devil In The Flesh”)

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The Grave Dancers

http://gravedancers.com/

“Old-school terror the way it should be.” Winner of rave reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival. A group of friends’ lives are invaded by a trio of hostile ghosts after they engage in a drunken bout of gravedancing during a wake for an old chum.

Directed by:
Mike Mendez (The Convent, Killers)

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The Hamiltons

http://www.sffilms.tv/thehamiltons/

The highly-acclaimed winner of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Malibu Film Festival. The Hamiltons seem to be the picture-perfect American family. They are hardworking community members; giving to their local charities, attending town hall meetings and always respectful of their neighbors… except for the fact that they usually end up killing them.

Directed by:
The Butcher Brothers

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Reincarnation (Rinne)

http://www.j-horror.com/rinne/index.html

From the director of “The Grudge” and “The Grudge 2″ comes Reincarnation,a suspenseful psychological horror film that deals with the topic of reincarnation.

Directed by:
Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge, The Grudge 2)

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Dark Ride

http://www.darkridethemovie.com/

Ten years after he brutally murdered two girls, a killer escapes from a mental institution and returns to his turf, the theme park attraction called “Dark Ride”. About to crash his path are a group of college kids on a road trip who stumble across the park, unaware that this thrill ride is the last one they’re ever going to take.

Directed by:
Craig Singer (Kill Charlie, A Good Night to Die)

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The Abandoned

Called “Truly frightening and Original”. A film producer who was adopted as a baby and sent to America, returns to her native Russia and the family farm. Once there, strange things begin to happen including the disappearance of her guide, the manifestation of ghosts (including her own!) and the appearance of another man who has been drawn to the farm for the same reasons. Directed by Spanish Director Nacho Cerda (Ataudes de Luz, Genesis).

Directed by:
Nacho Cerda (Ataudes de Luz, Genesis)

10/29/06 EDITED TO ADD:
There are no longer any New York State locations listed on the website. Does this mean no screenings in Rochester after all?