Universal Studios made it but then rejected it. Universal Exec Stacy Snider said it was an uber-celebration of depravity. MGM gave in to the parental group controlled masses and shunned it. The world of horror watched and waited. Finally, after almost two years of waiting, director Rob Zombie has found a home in Lions Gate Films for his bloody baby, "House of 1000 Corpses." The film Zombie has put his blood and sweat into will finally come to the screen in select theaters April 11th and horror fans are ecstatic. Stacy Snider can join a convent and try to make the world like the "Sound of Music," but nothing is stopping the beast called "House" from hitting the silver screen.
"House of 1000 Corpses" follows two young couples on a road trip through a rural part of America on the search for evidence of a legendary serial killer called Dr. Satan. They stop at a gas station that doubles as a sick museum about killers and madmen. The couples then meet the owner of the museum: a clown with attitude named Captain Spaulding. Upon meeting him the couples are then thrown into the world of the sick and macabre as they are captured and tortured by a sick and twisted family led by an albino freak named Otis (played by Bill Moseley from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2).
"House" has had an interesting history to it. It is the child of Rob Zombie. Zombie is best known as the front man of the now disbanded metal machine known as White Zombie and currently is leading an outstanding singles' career. Zombie is also a well-known artist and horror fan. One year Universal Studios Theme Parks had Zombie help design a haunted house for their Halloween celebration and all who attended agreed it was spectacular. So when Zombie approached Universal Pictures with a pitch for a horror movie he wrote, Universal excitedly granted Zombie the millions of dollars for his production. Everything went well for the partnership between Universal and Zombie until the last screening in front of execs. At the screening Universal Exec Stacy Snider was completely disgusted by the film and said Universal was not releasing "House" due to the film not being based on our mainstream culture and the film has no major stars that I will see next week on the cover of People magazine. Angry but not beaten, Zombie bought almost all the rights to "House" back from Universal and went looking for a new production house to distribute his film.
Enter MGM. MGM optioned the film, very happy to relieve a potential box office moneymaker from their competitors. However, MGM denies to this day that this even happened. During an MTV interview between Zombie and Ben Affleck, Zombie jokingly said that MGM optioned his film because they had no morals. MGM, not wanting to appear bad in anyones eyes, cut all ties with Zombie and "House" and deny any involvement. Zombie says they are lying. Zombie needed to reshoot the end of "House," and the name on the check was MGM.
So "House" sat for almost a year without a house. Finally, like an angel from heaven or a bat out of hell, Lions Gate Films, a film company specializing in controversial films, said yes to Zombie and finally after two years, "House of 1000 Corpses" will finally come to a screen near you. Hopefully. On April 11 "House" will be limited to about 300 movie screens across the nation. Depending on whether it does well, more theaters will then carry it not long afterward.
There is much excitement for "House." From teasers and previews it looks completely different than the usual horror movie trips that have been coming out recently. "House" proudly holds the rating of R and before cuts and retooling, held an NC-17 rating at one point. Fans say that "House" will finally bring horror out of the WB Network, cheap screams phase that was started by the "Scream" movie series in the '90s. Director Rob Zombie says that he feels people will be absolutely terrified of the movie but will be missing part of the experience because he made "House" with drive-in theaters in mind rather than movie houses. However, by looking at previews, magazine articles and websites online, "House" is gearing up to be something unique. Terror is returning to the screen in darkened movie theaters. The storm is on the horizon. The clouds are forming. The lights are dimming. And the screaming is about to begin...
Responses:
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Name: Shaggy
Comments:
I am a member of the Fangoria Online Horror Board and some of those pirates have downloaded the movie to their computers already somehow. Some hate it, some love it, but they all agree it will problably be a cult classic one day. All I have to say is this:
In Zombie I Trust.
Name: b.faust
Comments:
Excellent article, Mr. Kinback. I certainly look forward to watching this movie with my significant other...who will be screaming her lungs out, I'm sure. :)
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