CREEPSHOW Details and more!

So it has been a reeedeekulosslee long time since my last blog update. Apparently nothing has happened to me in 2007 worth posting here, but of course that's about as far from the truth as it could possibly be.

It will take some time to really go into the madness of 2007 which has seen an enormous amount of work come my way and some significant releases that have been rewarding in numerous ways.

As I write this, I am but mere days away from attending the world premiere of DIARY OF THE DEAD which will bring to a close (of sorts) one of the most important and wonderful experiences of my life. For anyone attending the Midnight Madness screening this Saturday at the Toronto Film Festival...say hi if you see me.

Now, I have other updates coming in the next few weeks, but the main purpose of this posting is to help clarify some details about the upcoming CREEPSHOW 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD that is coming out this October from Universal in the United Kingdom.

Some information about the DVD has been released on various websites including the cover art (pictured to the right) and it would seem that this cover has not been widely hailed by the fans, which is understandable. It's not exactly the most attractive thing in the world, though I do kinda like the spareness of it all with the old familiar title treatment being used. And could they have more logos at the bottom? What's what that? Anyway...I've gotten off-point. Although, yes, this cover is what you will see on your local shelves, if you live in the U.K. that is, I must make one point very clear.

This is not exactly the cover for the DVD.

We have one of those situations where the outer slipsleeve case is actually quite different that the cover design adorning the DVD case itself. The DVD itself comes in the standard plastic DVD keepcase with its own unique cover design. This isn't going to be one of those situations where the slipcase and DVD insert have the exact same artwork, which is something I've always found bizarre and quite frankly an enormous waste of money. What's the point of having two covers if they are identical? Whatever.

So here's what you will see once the black slipcase has been removed from the package. Now I happen to love this cover, and hopefully you guys will too. Of all the releases I've worked on lately, this is one of the rare times where I have felt the DVD cover art was EXACTLY what I was hoping would be used. Kudos to Universal for deciding on the slipcase/slipsleeve approach...and also to hiring a designer friend of mine for the DVD slipsleeve cover. I think he knocked it out of the park. A little trivia note, this same designer friend also designed the cover for the recent Anchor Bay UK Special Edition of CREEPSHOW 2. They'll look good on the shelf next to each other don't you think?

Anyway on to the disc's contents which have also been a subject of discussion.

Here's what you need to know. This is a two-disc set that contains the following....

A Widescreen transfer of the film that is brand-new, having been downconverted from a new HD master that was completed last year.

An all-new 5.1 Surround Sound track in addition to the original stereo mix.

An audio commentary track with George Romero and Tom Savini, with myself as moderator.
We recorded it in George's living room and it was a very loose and entertaining affair. One funny thing...we tried to point out all the times that the "Father's Day" ashtray appears in the film, but we kept missing it. Provoked multiple discussions.

Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow, which is a seven part 90 minute documentary that goes into virtually all aspects of the film's production and release. Included in the documentary are rare behind-the-scenes photos, footage, and a couple of bloopers for good measure. I am very anxious to hear what people think of this doc. It was a long journey to get this one done, but I feel it was worth it.

Deleted Scenes, of which there were around 12-15 minutes worth. Not the greatest quality, but they are broken down by episode and are pretty entertaining

Tom Savini's Behind-The Scenes Footage. Although I used a lot of it in the documentary, I also compiled almost a half-hours worth of his video footage into this highlight reel which is presented separately. It, like the deleted scenes, is broken down by episode.

Theatrical Trailer & Still Galleries

There you go...hopefully this is a set everyone will consider getting this October, and maybe one day we will see it on these shores. But in the end, at least somewhere there is a DVD of CREEPSHOW that finally treats the movie with some respect. I sincerely thank Universal UK for jumping on board with this project.

See you later kiddies...

MRF

AND SO THE ENGINES OF 2006 BEGIN TO WIND DOWN...

Well once again my efforts at maintaining a regular blog presence have come to roadkill.

Sorry about that.

Basically since the 10/15 update, I've been busy as hell. Which is good, but it leaves me enjoying the current holiday season to a somewhat lesser degree than I normally do. Which is bad, since I tend not to enjoy the holidays anyway.

Well where have I been? In Toronto of course! I spent an incredible (and exhausting) four weeks up in the Great White North working on the set of George Romero's impending zombie film, DIARY OF THE DEAD. I don't normally subscribe the idea of "dream jobs", but how I can view that experience as anything else? It was hard work, but the cast & crew were fantastic folks, and the shoot ran extremely smooth with only a couple of the expected roadbumps encountered along the way.

I think the film is going to surprise people. It's as different from the other Living Dead films as you would expect. George has never made two films in the series that feel even remotely alike in terms of plot or tone, and DIARY will be no exception. It's a very experimental piece and based on the footage I've seen so far...I think we have a winner here.

Basically my job was to supervise all the videotaping of the behind-the-scenes action and conducting formal interviews for the eventual DVD release. I was blessed with a great cameraman, Graeme Potts, who gave it his all and provided me with over 20 plus hours of great footage from the shoot. Also working closely with executive producer John Harrison was a great experience as well. Those of you who read this blog, or know my history, know that my relationship with John has been a very rewarding one both personally and creatively since working on AFTEREFFECTS for him two years ago, and it was great to hang with him on the set and watch his interaction with George and the crew.

That interaction amongst the crew was one of the most rewarding aspects of being there. Everyone felt they were there to work with one of the best filmmakers alive, and the amount of respect everyone had for George was inspiring and very satisfying to see.

So over the next several months look for some short video segments to appear on the MySpace page for DIARY OF THE DEAD that will chronicle some of my time on the set. The first one (uncreatively titled "The First Week") is already up and in just over a week has logged over 11,000 views. That is both encouraging and a little scary. I enjoy doing on-camera work, but it can be a little scary putting yourself out there for the world to comment on. So far the feedback has been 99% positive, so it's looking good so far.

The next DIARY Diary will be up early next year. The film is just now entering post-production and the hunt for a North American distributor will begin soon enough. So there's plenty of time for more of my shennanigans in 2007. Hope you continue to enjoy them.

So what now? Well I have several projects in development at the moment and by Christmas I should have contracts in place, so I will be able to discuss them then. Until that time, have a happy holiday season, and look for another update from me before the year ends. That much I can promise!