Watch the Trailer for The Theatre Bizarre

Playing at Fantasia

Video first and details below!

Severin Films today announced the release of the first official theatrical trailer for the eagerly anticipated feature The Theatre Bizarre – a modern horror omnibus inspired by the over-the-top shocks of Paris’ early 20th century ‘Theatre du Grand Guignol’ – which will have its Gala World Premiere at the 2011 Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal on July 16th at 9:20pm.

The Theatre Bizarrefeatures horror icon and Hollywood character staple Udo Kier (BLOOD FOR DRACULA, SUSPIRIA, MELANCHOLIA) as the master of ceremonies in the framing story, set in a sinister old theatre, of six films by “horror’s most adventurous minds,” (Fangoria). The Theatre Bizarre will also have its European Premiere at London’s acclaimed FrightFest on opening night, August 25th. The trailer can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/26085661 and fans can connect with The Theatre Bizarre on right here on Facebook.

The project’s seven filmmakers, who were granted total creative freedom, have all made at least one modestly budgeted and internationally acclaimed movie in the horror field. The films of Douglas Buck include the 2003 Sitges sensation FAMILY PORTRAITS: A TRILOGY OF AMERICA and the recent remake of Brian DePalma’s SISTERS. Buddy Giovinazzo exploded onto the genre scene with 1986’s COMBAT SHOCK and went on to write and direct such features as the Tim Roth-starrer NO WAY HOME and last year’s acclaimed ensemble drama LIFE IS HOT IN CRACKTOWN (adapted from his novel), as well as numerous works for German television. UK native David Gregory is the industry’s foremost documentarian of horror films on DVD, and his 2008 feature debut PLAGUE TOWN was hailed as “a nightmare captured on celluloid” by Fangoria. In addition to writing and directing SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY and LA BELLE BÊTE, Karim Hussain is also an accomplished cinematographer whose features include HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN. Arguably horror’s best-known special effects wizard for his landmark work on classics that include the original FRIDAY THE 13TH and DAWN OF THE DEAD – as well as a popular actor in such films as FROM DUSK TIL DAWN and MACHETE – Tom Savini directed the 1990 remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. South African born Richard Stanley is one of the genre’s most distinctive talents, whose visionary cult classics include HARDWARE and DUST DEVIL. THE THEATRE BIZARRE marks his triumphant return to horror for the first time in 18 years. Directing Kier in the film’s framing segments, writer/director Jeremy Kasten was the filmmaker behind the very Guignol-esque remake of Herschel Gordon Lewis’ THE WIZARD OF GORE.

“The idea for The Theatre Bizarre was hatched when I was editing a DVD featurette for the 1990 art-house portmanteau ARIA, directed by Jean Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Nicolas Roeg, Ken Russell and others,” explains producer and Severin Films CEO David Gregory. “Horror anthologies have a rich history dating back to the silent era, and include classics like DEAD OF NIGHT, BLACK SABBATH, SPIRITS OF THE DEAD, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, CREEPSHOW and more. I felt that the notion of giving filmmakers a general concept, the same budget and complete creative control would lend itself perfectly to a modern horror film. In my opinion, there is no other genre where unleashing the unrestrained creative ideas of filmmakers could redeem such an outlandish array of stories and images.”

Source: Press Release