The Ouija Files: 'Witchboard' & Ouija-stitions

Editor's Note: Bob Murch is the world's foremost authority on Ouija and spirit boards. His full bio is below but he joins us today to uncover his recent discoveries about the origin of the people behind the board.

BY ROBERT MURCH

Every now and then a movie comes along that does more than make you laugh, cry or simply scare the crap out of you; one that gives you direction and calls to you. For me, that movie was Kevin Tenney’s "Witchboard."

No joke. No single movie affected me the way "Witchboard" has. It originally debuted in selected theaters nearly 30 years ago in  December 1986, and had its wide release in 1987. Since then it has become an '80s cult classic and one of the best-known B-horror movies out there. It also spawned two sequels, “Witchboard 2: The Devil’s Doorway” and “Witchboard 3: The Possession.”

Kevin Tenney made his mark as a visionary and pioneer by being the first to cast the board as the main character. Moreover, the 80s hair, Tawney Kitaen and Stephen Nichols (Patch from "Days of Our Live") created the movie that inspired me to collect and research the Mystifying Oracle. In fact, I own the board used in the third movie (shown here).

So what's the big deal about "Witchboard"? Tenney skillfully mixed urban legends and superstitions

creating what we affectionately call today, Ouijastitions. Only "The Exorcist" could rival "Witchboard"’s impact on Ouija and its perception in pop culture.

Scream Factory Summer of Fear Drive-In Presents "Night of the Demons"

In the spirit of Friday the 13th, Scream Factory's Summer of Fear Drive-In will be presenting the cult classic "Night of the Demons." The film will be streaming live via the Scream Factory YouTube channel and the Summer of Fear Drive-In site, and will feature exclusive interviews with the films director, Kevin S. Tenney and star Amelia Kinkade.

For those unfamiliar with "Night of the Demons," here is a synopsis of the film: "It’s Halloween night and Angela is throwing a party…but this is no ordinary Halloween party. Everybody’s headed to Hull House, a deserted funeral home, formerly the home of a mass murderer. But when the partygoers decide to have a séance, they awaken something evil...and these party crashers have a thirst for blood. Now it’s a battle for who can survive the night in Hull House."

Viewers will be allowed to interact with Scream Factory and other fans during the broadcast by posting comments on the YouTube channel and using #summeroffear on Twitter. The Summer of Fear Drive-In is a special presentation by Scream Factory, taking place over 3 consecutive Fridays in June, and features live online screenings of certain films with special behind the scenes looks and insights from actors and filmmakers. All the fun of a drive-in movie without the hassle of leaving your home!

Be sure to log-in and catch "Night of the Demons" tonight at 10PM (EST) and stay tuned for "Witchboard" on June 20. In the meantime, here's a little trailer of what you can expect during your virtual "drive-in" experience!

-Nowal Massari

Scream! Factory Launches 31 Days Of Screams

It only makes sense that the most frightful company in horror would take over this Halloween season. Scream! Factory is bringing you a full October, all 31 days, worth of scares, dedicated to the fans!

Launching a new YouTube channel specifically for this event, Scream! Factory will showcase the genre’s top gurus discussing interesting little factoids about films in the Daily "Bloody Countdown." On the YouTube channel, viewers viewers can subscribe to view exclusive clips and original content, such as Scream’s “Tastemaker Interviews” covering themes by horror film aficionados such as Ryan Turek (Managing Editor, ShockTillYouDrop), Robert Galluzzo (FEARnet, Co-Creator of Icons of Fright, Director of "The Psycho Legacy"), Sean Clark (Host, "Horror’s Hallowed Grounds"), Rebekah McKendry (Marketing Director, "Fangoria") and Brian Collins (Writer, Badass Digest and Horror Movie a Day).

Not only that, but fans are invited to enter the “Year of Fear” contest where one lucky ghoul will win a year’s worth of Scream! Factory DVDs or Blu-rays! Also, be sure to check out the “Price is Fright” Sale, where you can snatch up some devilishly good titles for low, low prices… if you act within 24 hours of the sale.

The celebration of Samhain has already begun at Scream! Factory’s official YouTube Channel, so be sure to check it out every day and drop by their official site to check out those spooky deals.

Below, check out Sean Clark talking about Michael Myers

-Andrew Peters

Scream Factory to Release 'Night of the Comet' with Special Features on Blu-Ray/DVD

Courtesy IMDB

Fans of the underrated 1984 zombie flick "Night of the Comet" get ready to party! Scream Factory just released the details for the upcoming Blu-ray release and they're TOTALLY out of this world!

From the official ScreamFactory Facebook page, the extras will include:
-Commentary with writer/director Thom Eberhardt
-Commentary with stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart
-Commentary with production designer John Muto
-Valley Girls at the End of the World: interviews with stars Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart
-The Last Man on Earth?: interview with actor Robert Beltran
-Curse of the Comet: interview with special makeup effects creator David B. Miller
-Still Galleries (Behind the scenes and official stills)
-Original theatrical trailer

The release is a two-disc set, with both Blu-ray and DVD. You can preorder it from the Scream Factory site for $21.95 and receive an exclusive 18x24 poster of the new artwork (limited to 200 prints). The set will be available on November 19.

-Nowal Massari

Mother, they're home! 'Psycho 2' and 3 coming to Blu-ray

More good news from Scream! Factory. They announced recently that coming this fall, Psycho II and III will coming to DVD and Blu-ray! Excited? You know we are!

Unfortunately, no artwork or exact release date are available yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as it’s announced!

-Andrew Peters

Scream! Factory offers Vincent Price boxset

Scream! Factory, why don’t we just go ahead and give you our credit card? Seriously, is there anything they do that isn’t awesome?

According to their Facebook page last week, they will be releasing a Blu-ray collection box set before Halloween that showcases some of Vincent Price's greatest films, including Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunted Palace, The Masque of the Red Death, The Pit and the Pendulum, Witchfinder General (and its alternate U.S. version The Conqueror Worm) and The Abominable Dr. Phibes.

More details (artwork, exact street date, pricing, extras, etc.) will be revealed in June or July, so stay tuned.

-Andrew Peters

Scream Factory announces 'From Beyond' extras

Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna are responsible for adapting two HP Lovecraft stories during the mid-'80s, Re-Animator and From Beyond. But while Re-Animator has had a number of releases, From Beyond is finally getting an HD transfer from the original negatives along with a boat load of bonus features from the good chaps at Scream! Factory. In a press release, we got the details on all the disc features and extra goodies!

This spring 2013, Scream Factory further invites horror enthusiasts and movie collectors to feast their eyes on more gory goodness and spark their senses when Don Coscarelli’s PHANTASM II Collector’s Edition unleashes on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5, 2013; and H.P. Lovecraft’s FROM BEYOND Collector’s Edition – Unrated Director’s Cut Blu-ray + DVD combo pack hits home entertainment shelves everywhere on March 26, 2013. 

Scream Factory to release 'From Beyond' on Blu-ray

From the same people that made Re-Animator, comes another well-told H.P. Lovecraft adaptation!

Scream Factory has announced that they will release this 1986 flick next year. This is actually one of my favorite Sci-Fi/Horror films, so I can’t wait for it!

Here’s what Scream Factory said on their Facebook page:

From the Director of Re-Animator- will be coming out as a Collector's Edition Bluray & DVD combo next year! There will be new extras along with the older ones which were on theprior 2007 DVD release.

So expect the usual amazing artwork, spectacular transfer and loaded with bonus features!

(via Dread Central)

-Andrew Peters