deadgirl

You Never Forget Your First Tee

2010-07-23T11:22:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the fine folks at Cryptic Cotton, you can now purchase the first Official Deadgirl T-Shirt. Click here to see the sweet-ass model these guys "dug up" ... and while you're there, make sure to check out their other designs too!

Moore Thoughts

2010-07-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

We never tire of seeing Deadgirl pop up on Twitter ... the good ("That DeadGirl movie was a trip..that movie is crazy as hell..but good" - Asali14; the bad ("Deadgirl is the shittiest thing ever" - CaptFunk) and the uncertain ("Just watched Deadgirl. Wtf was that!?" - Scarielley). But this was an especially exciting morning, seeing that Tony Moore, illustrator and co-creator of the phenomenal The Walking Dead (soon to be a kick-ass AMC series), watched the movie and dug it enough to share his thoughts. Very, very cool.

2010-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Well it's been quite a few months, so it's time for some assorted updating. As always, links included.

COMPLEX MAGAZINE / 10 Grossest Movies of All Time
"Fucking disturbed."

TOTALLY TOP 10 / Top 10 Horror of '09
"It’s morally and visually the most disturbing movie I think I have ever seen. "

HORROR VILLA / Top 10 Zombie Movies
"While not a traditional end of the world flesh eating saga, Deadgirl is more of an intimate look at the detachment of male teens and the objectification of the female body. More akin to River’s Edge than Night of the Living Dead."

Also, it was nice to see Eva Tushnet, a rather Conservative journalist who's written for the National Catholic Register and National Review, stick up for our little movie: "I defended Deadgirl for being about misogyny, and said it wasn't itself misogynistic. No women really have agency in the movie. And yet it still seemed to me to be a movie I could understand, enter into, relate to as a woman, because it never once presented the dead girl's violation as anything other than a horrific encroachment by human monsters. When she was simply touched, the camerawork and color control and acting made it clearly a desecration--if you're Catholic, a desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit, this creature's body. In the end I didn't think Deadgirl, despite its advertising, presented rape as titillating or deserved or natural."

And while we're quoting:

"This shocking film builds organically, stacking on the tension scene after scene in a dark and frightening experience that will haunt you for days after watching." - CINCENTRAL

"This movie also projects a side of sexuality we are not commonly confronted with. A must-see film." - ODE TO HORROR

"To zombie movies what Unbreakable is to comic book films." - COOL SHITE

"It is the central message of the film which trumps all else. The casual acceptance by several otherwise 'normal' people of a warped situation in which they can forget all social boundaries and norms, regressing into a demi-monde of their own making. This is what packs the punch, and - although the film plays this out in an admittedly grotesque fashion - it's not quite as fantastical a phenomenon as we'd like to think. " - FLOWERS OF FLESH AND BLOOD

"I hated this movie. Most films that feature necrophilia are tongue-in-cheek. This one isn’t. My distaste for damn near everything in the film aside, I can’t help but admire the unique spin the obviously fucked-in-the-head filmmakers put on a common trope." - I LOVE HORROR

Did we just sell out?

2010-02-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

We've been hearing from fans all over the country that Deadgirl is now available in Walmart stores. The unrated version, no less! It's pretty cool news and this awesome new video review says it all...

V-Day

2010-02-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

Austin 360's list of Worst Date Movies Ever.

Turkey Day

2010-02-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

According to Google Analytics, we've had 3 site visits from Turkey within the last fews weeks. So whether that means there's one, two, or three of you out there, this post's for you ...

Deadgirl has a couple of surprise midnight screenings this week at the Istanbul International Independent Film Festival. The first is tonight (2/12) and there's another next week (2/19). More info here.

Last Lists

2010-01-10T21:26:00.001-08:00

It's 1/10/10, so these could be the actual final 2009 mentions.

JADED VIEWER / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"Deadgirl is like a depraved, warped up horror version of Stand by Me... when a movie like this comes along, you have to give it a standing O."

HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE / Top Ten Movies You May Have Missed
"Yes, this is eww-gross horror at its grossest, but it’s also a horror film that actually deals with its insane subject — a zombie woman tied in a basement who is sexually abused by adolescent boys — and the psychological dirt it digs up. And, despite the resurgence of quality horror in 2009 (Drag Me to Hell, Paranormal Activity, The House of the Dead), this is one of the few that took real chances."

DVD SPIN DOCTOR / Top DVDs of 2009
"In a mostly lame year for new horror films, "Deadgirl" returns us to the days when viewers could be equally repulsed and fascinated... Directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel belong on any horror fan's watch list."

FILM STALKER / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"If you can get past the nasty subject matter, it's really highly recommended; horror should make you feel uncomfortable and push boundaries."

HORROR DOSE / Top Ten DVD Releases of 2009
"Dark, chilling, intense... a good revisit to twisted, macabre roots of horror."

SHOOT FOR THE HEAD / Best Zombie Movies of 2009
"Dead Girl will turn your stomach but its strong writing and deep moral message will have you transfixed."

DAILY ATHENAEUM / Top Five Underrated Films
West Virginia University's student paper calls Deadgirl "The best independent horror film I’ve seen in years."

And ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT put together it's "Five Brutal Horror Scenes" of the year... but unlike the others on the list, included ALL of Deadgirl. "The whole movie."

Still closing out '09 ...

2010-01-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Seems a few people are frantically trying to clear their desks of the past year before moving on to '10...

ROUGH CUT REVIEWS / Top Five Movies of '09

EXAMINER.COM / Best DVD of the Year
At #1, Deadgirl "definitely takes the home-viewing horror cake!"

TRUST MOVIES / Year's Most Special
"This genre-jumper takes misogyny to new heights/depths -- and knows it -- forcing you to think, as well as wince."

EXPLOITATION NATION / Best of the Year
"Ugly, unpleasant, filthy, smart, sad, and at times really beautiful, this is what independent horror should be aspiring to. When most independent zombie films play for laughs, this plays for keeps."

and some other mentions ...

Posters of the Year
Best Films from Cats and Dogs
Exploding Heads Top Ten
Three "WTF" Movies of the '00s
Honorable Mention from Seattle Gay News
No Room In Hell's Decade of Horror

2009 Top Tens (part 6)

2009-12-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

It's New Years Eve, but there still may just be a Part 7 to this series. We'll see. But for now...

E-SPLATTER / Top Ten Horror of 2009
The granddaddy of online horror sites keeps it brief: "Deadgirl. A really disturbing, edgy horror film -- the kind they should make more of."

WFMU / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"Since political correctness has fallen hard from fashion, I guess it's okay to praise a movie like Deadgirl." We consider WFMU one of the best radio stations in the country, so this was a particularly nice find.

MOVIES ONLINE / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"One of those genre defining films... Deadgirl is not for the faint of heart but its fantastic story is what makes this movie worth seeing if you can overcome the stomach turning scenes in it."

LARRY RATFLIFF / MOVIES & MORE / Ten Best of 2009
This is one of those lists where we find Deadgirl among Avatar, Up in the Air, Inglorious Basterds, and other movies more often recognized as the year's best. As the site explains: "Some critics drool when they can include something obscure on their Top 10 list. That's not the case here. I just think this sometimes comic tale of bad boys who meet their macabre match is the finest of the genre I've seen in some time."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009 Top Tens (part 5)

2009-12-29T06:39:00.000-08:00

With just a few days left in the year, here are links to some recent additions ...

HORROR YEARBOOK / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"Deadgirl really gives us something completely different... The film is really about what horrible things one can be tempted to do and how lack of acceptance and belittlement can make you turn to find power and control in dark, twisted places."

HORROR-MOVIES / Top Ten Horror of 2009
"Truly one of the most disturbing movies I have seen in a long time and equally a truly well written and fascinating experience."

ALL THINGS HORROR / Top Eleven Horror of 2009
"Some say it's vile, unwatchable garbage, others laud it with praise for its unwavering horror... a film that horrified me, made me think, and made me want to watch again immediately with a scrutinizing eye."

WILDSIDE CINEMA / The Best of 2009

DEAD LANTERN / The Best Horror of 2009
"A well made, original flick in a sea of unoriginal zombie films... the performances are outstanding but it was this weird morally ambiguous narrative going on throughout the film that really succeeded in creating a reaction in viewers, be it positive or negative."

THE SCREAMSTRESS / The Best of the Decade

UPDATE: And already a few more have trickled in. So there'll probably be one more post before New Years. Huge thanks to everyone who continues to champion the movie.

2009 Top Tens (part 4)

2009-12-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

Bloody-Disgusting, the web's no. 1 source for horror, has delivered a couple of year-end wrap-ups worth checking out.

Ryan Daley's list is here.
And Tex Massacre's is here.

Deadgirl was also a "runner up" on multi-hyphenate Luke Y. Thompson's site, which is here, and mostly worth pointing out because of the other honorable mentions. Sometimes it really is about the company you keep.

2009 Top Tens (part 3)

2009-12-22T06:59:00.000-08:00

STYD's Ryan Rotten put together his list, which you can find here. It was a surprise to see Deadgirl listed since we thought for some reason he didn't dig the movie all that much. Nice to be wrong.

2009 Top Tens (part 2)

2009-12-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

"Controversial, uncompromising and strikingly original" ... Deadgirl makes it onto About.com's end of the year horror list.

And thanks to Awkward Press for putting Deadgirl at the top of its list. While it's actually the 'Best Horror Movies You Probably Didn't See', it includes some that got pretty descent releases, including Paranormal Activity which grossed over $100 million. So not sure how much that distinction really holds true. But it's great being included. Either way.

"The level of ambition on the filmmakers’ part, along with some brave performances from its cast, permits this movie to transcend its own morally reprehensible story-line to probe something much darker, much more disturbing, and much more real… which is what the best metaphor-laden horror movies do: Allow the audience to explore the horror within themselves." - Awkward Press

2009 Top Tens (Part 1)

2009-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

"First-timers proved that a great idea and a little ingenuity could transcend low-budget limitations and leave jaded fans shivering in their socks."

Okay, the writer may have been thinking Paranormal Activity when she wrote those words in her intro, but nonetheless, we're happy to see Deadgirl included in AMC's "Top Ten Horror of the Year" list. Here's the link.

We also got some notice in the Women Film Critics Circle's 2008 Awards, popping up in their "Top Ten Hall of Shame" ... placing us proudly amongst some sure-to-be Oscar-winners like Up in the Air, and Precious.

xoloitzcuintle

2009-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

At every q & a about the movie, someone would invariably ask about the dog. As in, what the hell was that thing? The answer is pronounced "sho-lo-skwink-le", spelled "Xoloitzcuintle", and abbreviated as a "Xolo" ... and you can read all about it here.

Halloween Recommendations

2009-10-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl — From newcomer directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel and screenwriter Trent Haaga comes the most original and disturbing take on alienated youth and teenage peer pressure the horror genre has ever produced... The film’s brooding, stylized physical and psychological atmospherics are reminiscent of David Cronenberg’s most nightmarish work, yet it yields some hauntingly poignant moments." — The Oklahoman [OK's "most trusted news"]

Bonus recommendation from The Scope, St. John's arts and entertainment paper. Click here for a long, spoiler-heavy review that features some fairly astute observations.

UPDATE: The Philadelphia Inquirer suggests Deadgirl as well for this weekend.

Get the 411

2009-10-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

"You might love Deadgirl; you might hate Deadgirl. But I don't think you'll feel ambivalent about Deadgirl... In the end, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about what happened in the movie, but the very fact that I couldn't stop trying to decide tells me all I need to know about its strength as a film." — 411mania

Also this week...

We were surprised to see a great review in West Virginia University's paper, The Daily Athenaeum: "While there have been countless movies that have analyzed the troubles of adolescence and sexual development, it’s doubtful any had the same twisted spin... I spent most of the 100-minute run time in a state of severe anxiety – though for a film like this, that’s definitely a good thing."

And BlogCritics kicked off its long, very favorable review with a thought that's been increasingly common: "Deadgirl, a film that is so much better than I was expecting..." We love it when that happens.

Btw, now that the movie is out, we'll be posting behind-the-scenes photos semi-regularly. Up top's the first one: Nicest-guy-in-the-world Andrew DiPalma (Johnny) takes a moment to prepare for his big scene. If you've seen the flick, you know what we're talking about...

Attention Tech Geeks:

2009-10-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl premiered at Toronto International Film Festival as the first independent production to use a completely tapeless digital production method. Pomfort SilverStack helped the filmmakers to realize a flexible, professional workflow with the best image quality..."

Click here to read the entire case study, courtesy of Pomfort SilverStack.

Scream King & Queen

2009-10-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Spike TV's Scream Awards will air next week, but here's a sneak peek at the red carpet...
While Dave Navarro does point out his date, the lovely Jenny Spain, you'll have to look pretty carefully for a glimpse. But it's worth it, as always.

Consider yourself warned

2009-10-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

"Consider yourself warned. This is strong stuff, especially if you start thinking about it afterwards. Deadgirl takes the concept of coming-of-age and attaches it to a narrative that can only be described as stomach churning... There is undoubtedly a strong statement being made about class here and the struggle we all feel as teenagers to look beyond the momentary heartbreaks that seem to utterly define our nascent sexuality. Plenty of fodder for thoughtful discussion but not for the weak of heart." — Twitch

30 Days

2009-10-15T08:17:00.001-07:00

The plan was to do a comprehensive summary of the last month, since that's how long Deadgirl has been out on DVD. But time does not permit a comprehensive summary.

So instead, here's a half-assed one:

We're at 40,000 ratings on Netflix, which really blew away our expectations. As previously noted, since not everyone rates the movies they've watched, it's hard to know exactly how many more people have Netflixed the movie.

And it's been neat seeing the empty Deadgirl spaces in Blockbuster (at least our local one, where it's rarely been back on the shelf).

For some reason, Best Buy has it in the Sci-Fi section, so that's probably something to be aware of, just in case.

Dave Navarro was a big fan of the movie and invited Jenny Spain on his radio show, where he described the movie as "terrifying" and "compelling" and added "Not only have I seen fucked-up stuff, but I've seen really fucked-up stuff ... and this disturbed me more." Then he took Jenny out to dinner.

Universal Studios and the Chiller/Eyegore Awards gave Deadgirl a prize for "2009 Best Villain of the Year" ... that would be JT (Noah Segan).

The media response has been enormous. Lots of great reviews, from larger newspapers (Boston Globe, Washington Post), to more local ones (Tampa Tribune, Kansas City Star) to all types of blogs and websites (DVD Talk, Cinematical) and everything in between. Most of them quoted below, so won't bother re-quoting here.

The Boston Globe even placed the movie high on its list of 20 Best Zombie Movies of All Time (#6).

Because it's October, many people are doing some sort of 31-day horror movie countdown till Halloween, and many of these lists include Deadgirl. Thanks to everyone who has made it part of the festivities.

Deadgirl continues to split reactions almost right down the middle, as it's done from day one. On IMDB we're at 60% positive. Same with Amazon. On Netflix it's 56%. On Rotten Tomatoes, the T-Meter Critics are at 31%, but the Rotten Tomato Community is at 66%.

And easily the coolest part of the last few weeks is reading real-time reactions on Twitter. Good, bad, confused, angry, surprised, curious, and genuinely thrilled, tweets have covered it all and have come from everywhere.

Needless to say, it's been a really exciting first month for us.

Win your own dead girl

2009-10-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

Our Canadian distributor, E1 Entertainment, is holding a FrightFest Contest, so click here while there's still a chance to win a copy of Deadgirl (each of the five winners also picks up a free dvd of Dead Snow, too!).

[note: Only open to Canadian residents. Here are all the rules.]

Innocence Lost

2009-10-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

"An unbelievably taunt, surprisingly poignant and harrowingly bleak picture of innocence lost... Deadgirl gets under your skin. It bothers you. It challenges you. It does things that more experienced filmmakers with more experienced actors aren’t always able to do in much-bigger-budget movies." - The Tampa Tribune (online)

2009-10-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Deadgirl's Nolan Gerard Funk... front page of the New York Times' Arts & Leisure section! Ok, it's not exactly The Tampa Tribune, but still.

2009-10-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of Zombieland, The Boston Globe made its list of the "Top 20 Zombie Movies of All Time." In the top spots were the expected ones: Dawn of the Dead, Braindead, Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead... but coming in at No. 7 (and ahead of a bunch of other classics) is Deadgirl! "By far the most disturbing zombie film on the list, Deadgirl is a completely different and original take..."

The Perfect Intro

2009-10-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the Deadgirl UK DVD main menu, designed by London-based graphic designer David Byrne. As the menu plays out, you'll see he did a phenomenal job capturing the essence of beauty and decay. Thanks David for putting some real thought into this. It's a great lead-in to our movie.

We have a winner

2009-10-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

Universal Studios kicks off the Halloween season tomorrow night with the Chiller Awards, honoring just five people. Among the winners are Rob Zombie ("Filmmaker of the Year"), SAW's Tobin Bell ("Best Villain in a Film Series"), legendary make-up effects artist Rick Baker ("Lifetime Achievement Award") and – wtf? – Deadgirl's Noah Segan for "Best Villain"! We have no idea how that happened. We're just glad it did. The kid deserves it.

Click here for the press release, via CNBC.

Your Daily Dose of Deadgirl

2009-09-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl definitely has its disturbing moments. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s just as much a story about friendship, young love and loneliness... The two directors have done an excellent job of working with their actors to portray teenagers so numb and beyond moral reproach; I was reminded of a Larry Clark film, with a touch of George Romero thrown in to make it unique... Dark Sky Films have the making of a real cult classic on their hands. Obviously the subject matter is going to scare off a lot of people, but for those of you who like intelligent horror movies that have some substance, but still make you squirm, check out Deadgirl." — PopDose

"A dark, violent satire"

2009-09-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

On the Washington Post entertainment blog, Paul Stelter makes some great observations about Deadgirl — and calls it a "dark, violent satire" (click the quote below for the whole thing)...

"While the taut 2008 indie horror flick boasts a supremely disturbing premise and some obligatory gore, the new director's cut DVD makes clear it's primarily a fable about male peer pressure and relationships." — Washington Post

A delight!

2009-09-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Fest is kicking off Austin, so congrats to Tim League and everyone else involved on what looks like another great lineup. FF is where Deadgirl had its U.S. Premiere last September and we vividly remember seeing Harry Knowles come in for our first screening at the Drafthouse. Aint-It-Cool has had a lot of great things to say about the movie over the last year, but we always wondered what Harry thought. Until now.

In today's DVD roundup, he begins his mention of Deadgirl with "One of last year’s delights from FANTASTIC FEST..."

So there you go. And it was worth the wait. Thanks, Harry, and enjoy FF '09.

A common reaction

2009-09-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

"I fully expected to despise this film, but it’s eerily intriguing."
— Real Detroit Weekly

Unrated vs R-Rated

2009-09-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

In answer to the question: The reason both the Unrated and the R-rated versions of Deadgirl are listed at 101 minutes is that nothing was simply cut out to get the R. Not surprisingly, the MPAA felt a couple of scenes went too far. But instead of just removing the shots in question, we worked to either replace with alternate footage or digitally tweak the the original material. It was important to us that the scenes play out as intended, hopefully without feeling different.

The other difference is the bonus material. I don't believe the R version has the commentary, the fx photo gallery, the deleted scenes, etc.

Deadgirl, Live at 10

2009-09-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

The great Dave Navarro will be talking to the deadgirl, Jenny Spain, tomorrow on his INDIE 103.1 show, Dark Matters (Wednesdays, 10pm-midnight). Can't wait to hear their conversation, as well as just finding out if the guy liked the movie or not. He tweeted a lot about getting ready to see it, but afterwards only went so far as writing: "After watching @jennyspain in DEADGIRL, I am relieved she is CALLING into the studio on Wednesday and not actually coming in! WOW!"

Hmmm...

Go Jenny! Click here for the indie103.1 site to listen live, or here for the Dark Matters homepage to catch the podcast later. And if you want to sign in to join the chatroom during the broadcast, click right here.

2009-09-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

"What really stands out about the film isn't the shock value component, but the more tragic side of the story. The film's take on peer pressure and on standing your own moral ground makes some sense in the context of the story but underneath all of the bizarre plot elements there is a very real and very effective human element...one of those rare films that defies expectations and comes as a true surprise." — DVDtalk

And mothers, too

2009-09-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to see that the audience for this movie is as difficult to define and predict as we imagined, and certainly not as narrow as some had predicted.

[Not to mention the 12,000* people who have rated the movie on Netflix in just its first week of release. Thanks to everyone who's rented or bought the movie, or tweeted, or asked for it, or blogged, or whatever. New movies are released all the time. But you all made this release feel very special.] * UPDATE: One day later, it jumped to about 14,500. Wow.

DVD Review

2009-09-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Fangoria reviews the DVD release of Deadgirl, including an nice look at all the extras included. Click here to read the whole thing.

"There’s no denying that screenwriter Trent Haaga and directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel have ventured into more ambitious territory than most youth-oriented fright cinema, which tends to take more simplistic views on relationships between boys and girls and sex and violence." — Fangoria

2009-09-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

A "nihilistic teen horror film that plays as both grim morality tale and insane dark comedy." - MSN Movies

Second Impressions

2009-09-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl is a deceptive film in that it seems like a horror movie, but there are bigger issues lurking beneath the surface... The fears include loneliness, intimacy, growing up, and the realization that your dreams for your future might not be all that you imagine them to be. Though I’ll have to admit that on first viewing none of that came to me. I was just repulsed by the subject matter."
— Monsters and Critics

Monsters and Critics is one of the larger independent web-only news & review publications.

Jersey Pride!

2009-09-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see some smaller, more regional papers review the Deadgirl DVD release. Here's what the Bergen County Record had to say (link to its online version, via newjersey.com here):

"This one-of-a-kind shocker takes a look at two high school misfits (excellent Shiloh Fernandez, Noah Segan) who encounter a not-quite-dead, not-quite-alive girl tied up in the bowels of an abandoned mental hospital. Surprisingly, directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel are less interested in spilling blood — though a lot is spilled — than in probing the adolescent male psyche. Smartly directed, the flick takes twists you won't see coming."

High School Horror They Love

2009-09-17T23:26:00.000-07:00

There aren't many movie sites bigger than Cinematical. So it was pretty awesome to see Deadgirl (described here as "creepy, challenging stuff") as No. 2 on its list of "High School Horror We Love." Check out the whole list here.

Hard to shake

2009-09-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

IGN didn't love the movie, but at least the reviewer added this honest tag on the end:

"Days after seeing Deadgirl, I find myself considering it, which even I can't yet determine speaks positively or negatively about the movie. It is the subject, not the quality, that's in question, and some will no doubt feel that the filmmakers have hit their mark. And if nothing else, it'll keep you talking for days to come."

2009-09-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

A "seriously perverse twist on River’s Edge ... and it would be nice to dismiss Deadgirl as the worst sort of exploitation. Except that it’s been so well-written, well-made —walking a fine line between horror and satire— and well-acted, that you find yourself glued to the screen. It’s sick. It’s gross. It’s lurid. But you can’t say it doesn’t work." — Kansas City Star

2009-09-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

"A conclusion that's as spectacular and revolting as one would hope and/or fear." – McClatchy-Tribune

The verdict is in

2009-09-15T08:02:00.001-07:00

"Not only sufficiently gory and suspenseful, but funny, perceptive, and moving, to boot. It deftly blends elements of horror with a story of coming-of-age and all its attendant angst, and gives us something unique, surprising, and wholly satisfying." - DVD Verdict

"Long Live Deadgirl" – on DVD!

2009-09-15T07:58:00.001-07:00

So says Paper Magazine... "Trust me, it will unhinge your jaw...."

D-Day

2009-09-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Finally here!

Sexual Danger

2009-09-14T18:25:00.001-07:00

"A well-executed horror film with a perverse kind of sexual danger."
- MSN Entertainment

"Absolutely bat-shit insane"

2009-09-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

"In its conception, Deadgirl plays like a long lost Twilight Zone episode, revolving around the perfect kind of conflicted fall guys who make questionable moral choices as influenced by certain dark forces. The difference, of course, is that Deadgirl is fucking perverted... At a certain point Deadgirl finds its footing and spins itself into an absolutely bat-shit insane, yet alarmingly compelling and intelligent study of the male's uneasy relationship to its Id, peering into a certain dark corner of a 17 year old's sexual angst with open eyes..." - LAist

2009-09-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

"It’s Stand by Me for a new, and waaay sicker, generation."
- Salt Lake City Weekly

Shining a light into the dark

2009-09-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

"Randy adolescents open for a thinly veiled skin flick will be largely disappointed. Similarly, those sick to the back teeth of torture porn would do well not to dismiss this as just another bandwagoner, as co-directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel have far more on their minds here than simply mining a gimmick for the purposes of titillation... Succinct, intelligent and to the point, Deadgirl exhibits an intelligence far beyond that of your average genre shocker, ably given form by a superbly committed ensemble of talented up and comers. Shining a light into the dark, perverted corners of the mind it is occasionally unpleasant but mostly because, as an exercise in human nature run amok, its oddly, eerily plausible. You will never look at the creepy dead-eyed kid in the back row of chem lab quite the same way ever again." - JustPressPlay.com

"Sick, twisted and delightful"

2009-09-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

"An interesting examination of classism, misogyny and high school cliques along with some blurred boundaries around necrophilia, Deadgirl brims with unpleasant moments that are sure to polarize audiences — either utterly repulsing them or making them laugh with discomfort ... Sick, twisted and delightful - Detroit Metro Times

There's something to it.

2009-09-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

"Directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel lend adolescent emotional cred to taboo horror, taking the uncomfortable satire of, say, 'Teeth', and dragging it to an even gnarlier level. Shiloh Fernandez and Noah Segan are high-school outcasts who make a gruesome discovery while ditching – the nude body of a seemingly lifeless woman chained up in an abandoned mental hospital. Turns out she’s not exactly dead, and they’re not exactly good Samaritans. Extras: The unrated cut of the film includes commentary and a featurette. You’ll snort at the word choice when the filmmakers characterize this as a relationship story, but there is something to it." – The Boston Globe

BUSTed!

2009-09-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's Deadgirl's Candice Accola on the very left, in what is probably the most gorgeous mugshot we've ever seen [click to enlarge]. Clearly, living in Georgia during the shooting of the new hit show Vampire Diaries is not keeping her out of trouble.

Three Days...

2009-09-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

... till the release. As we turn the corner, a few more responses trickle in.

A SCREWED-UP WINNER

"The film belongs to Segan, who captures every nuance of J.T.’s steady descent into utter depravity, sinisterly posing moral questions to excuse his own indiscretions and touching on underlying themes of suburban isolation and homoerotic longing. Co-directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel, both relative newcomers, as well as camp horror writer Trent Haaga have a screwed-up winner on their hands with Deadgirl. It cuts deeper than expected... Buoyed by excellent performances and a cool soundtrack, Deadgirl is a thoroughly twisted ride." - Home Media Magazine

WITH A WARNING

"It’s hard not to reveal everything about the movie. If you can get through the sex with a corpse part, you’re really gonna enjoy this one... This one is gonna make people feel uncomfortable and someone may end up cursing me that I suggested they watch it but I enjoyed it enough to recommend it…..with a warning of course!" - The Film Reel

GUILTY THRILL

The Orlando Weekly highlights the "guilty thrill" of Deadgirl in its list of "OW-approved titles" out on DVD this week.

"Seek this one out."

2009-09-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

"This movie serves as a bit of a twisted form of social commentary in a way, and is a bit of a coming of age tale. This one's about storytelling, mixed with good acting. It's hard to watch at times, violent and somewhat unexpected. I absolutely recommend it!"

JoBlo.com gives Deadgirl another great review today, and we especially appreciate the spoiler-free ending: "If you can dig a plot that is a little out there (and I'm dying to tell you about it, believe me), you should seek this one out."

Awesome. Also, here's JoBlo's first (and perhaps slightly less spoiler-free) review from July.

Synergy!

2009-09-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Make sure to check out Candice Accola's new show Vampire Diaries, debuting tonight on the CW. Here's a quick 411 interview about the show in which Deadgirl actually gets a mention. Thanks!

Back from Lisbon

2009-09-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

Here we are with two living legends — Stuart Gordon and John Landis — after the screening of Deadgirl at MotelX (Lisbon's International Film Festival of Terror) this past weekend. On Friday, the four of us went to see Re-Animator on the big screen, and having them check out our flick the next night was even more of a ridiculous thrill.

As it happens, the screening was exactly one year to the day we premiered Deadgirl in Toronto, and – with the movie coming out on DVD on the 15th - also marked what will probably be our final screening with a festival audience. What an unbelievable experience it's been.. and ending in Lisbon with some of the coolest people around was the perfect way to go. Thanks to everyone who was there.

A Country Divided

2009-08-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Go figure...

The Republican defends Deadgirl and
The Liberal wants it destroyed.

[warning: spoilers at every link]

Dead & Loving It

2009-08-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Make sure to pick up the new issue of Scars or just go to the website and get one (order the issue or download it there). Some great coverage about Deadgirl including the standout piece, an insightful two page interview with the dead girl herself, Jenny Spain.

"Spain's role of the Dead Girl has risen above normal zombie cinema, and opened up the sort of debates horror movies were first meant to invoke." - Scars Magazine

To sleep with a dead girl

2009-08-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

The price some people are willing to pay to spend eternity laying on top (somewhat suggestively) a pile of bones that were once called Marilyn... [LA Times]

And according to this Reuters article, the man currently buried there is positioned face-down. Nothing perverse about that!

"Spectacular"

2009-08-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

That's what Buried.com calls the unrated DVD of Deadgirl, complete with "a raft of must-see extras." You can pre-order it now by clicking here.

"Bored teens looking for trouble, an abandoned building and a naked woman. These are the ingredients that combine to form one of the most terrifying and disturbing American movies in years." - Buried.com

Makes us want to believe in Heaven

2009-08-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

While Wisconsin has only recently decided that rape laws should apply to the dead, we were surprised to learn that a few remaining states still haven't quite come to that conclusion.

2009-08-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Found these online, from a Moving Pictures magazine photoshoot right after our Toronto premiere. Left to right: Candice Accola, Noah Segan, and Shiloh Fernandez. [click pic to enlarge]

2009-08-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

Just by their names alone, these all sound like people we're glad to have on our side:

Necrotic Cinema
Liar's Society
Exploitation Nation
Wildside Cinema
Horror Society

Plus-Sized Praise from the U.K.

2009-08-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

FOUR STAR REVIEW / DVD OF THE MONTH!
Deadgirl is "a rare beast... an intriguing coming-of-age movie... so deliciously dark and unsettling, you may have trouble scrubbing it from your head."
(DVD on sale in the U.S. on 9/15)

Women vs. Women

2009-08-12T12:52:00.001-07:00

As with every demographic or group, Deadgirl splits Feminists right down the middle (wow, didn't mean that to sound so gruesome). Over at Feministing.com, an interesting debate is taking place – but there are massive spoilers within, so be aware and read carefully.

Click to read "Deadgirl" (Or, The Most Feminist Horror Movie I've Seen This Side of 'Teeth')

"The best horror film of the year"

2009-08-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

That's from the Seattle Post Globe.

It goes on to say that Deadgirl was "so despised and reviled at SIFF that few of the festival revelers dared speak its name lest they be shunned by the sophisticated elite. I won’t tell the plot of Deadgirl, because such things are not spoken of in polite company and I don’t want to put any bad pictures into anybody’s head, but I can say, without fear of reprisal, that the title is a half-truth. The picture is reminiscent of erotic horror films such as Jean Rollin’s 1982 La Morte Vivante. Entwining sexuality and mortality with the poetic revulsion of a vision from Edgar Allan Poe, directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel explore adolescent desire in a way that is almost unheard of in American movies. It is a truly frightening and disturbing movie that offers pictorial evidence of William Shakespeare’s weary desire that 'this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew.'"

"Horror Of the Modern Male"

2009-08-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dayle McClintock of Tor.com kicks off a review of Deadgirl with this doozy: "Horror, like pornography, often focuses on violations of the body."

Want more? Click to read.

2009-08-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

"I truly had to mentally prepare myself because this kind of role can mess someone up." So says Jenny Spain in the new issue of Fangoria, which features a 4 page article about Deadgirl. On newsstands now...

2009-08-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

This month's Nylon features Deadgirl-star Shiloh Fernandez – "From American Apparel model to one of Hollywood's most promising actors." Pick up a copy and learn how he was discovered, what he did to screw up his on-screen kiss with Brittany Snow, and why the role of Rickie in Deadgirl was not the kind he normally gets to play.

Our Green Screen

2009-07-30T19:01:00.001-07:00

At a recent Q & A, we were asked about digital effects in the movie. There are probably three or four very minor moments, things that needed smoothing out but hopefully go unnoticed... but we did have one green screen shot, which sorta makes it Deadgirl's most complex digital effect.

Here's the hospital we needed to show the boys approaching.
But it was the last day of production, and we were out in the middle of nowhere. So we filmed Shiloh and Noah against a green screen.
A quick test showed us that this might actually work.
Then it just took some time to finesse, including making the building look even crappier. Voila, a much-needed establishing shot.

As seen in Chicago

2009-07-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Jenny Spain at the Music Box Theater screening.
The Horror Society caught the Chicago screening and reports about it here.

Also, a couple of other reviews from this weekend:
"If there weren't some poisonous kernel of truth in Deadgirl's grotesque, testosterone-poisoned 'what if?' premise, no-one would be squirming." - Miss Flick Chick
"Twisted and unpredictable." - We Are Movie Geeks
"Sickly fascinating." - Critic's Notebook

Thanks

2009-07-28T07:23:00.001-07:00

We had an overwhelming turnout to our cross-country screenings this weekend, so to everyone who came out to see the movie -- THANK YOU.

As seen in LA

2009-07-28T07:19:00.001-07:00

As seen in New York

2009-07-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

As seen in Austin

2009-07-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

2009-07-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

This new Fangoria review has some nice things to say, though this paragraph is our standout:

"While providing a wealth of subtext to ponder, the movie also delivers a heaping helping of graphic gore and sexual material, though the former can’t be enjoyed on the level of traditional splatter and the latter is anything but arousing. DEADGIRL intends to crawl deep under your skin and stay there awhile, and its creators’ refusal to frame the violence in a manner where it can serve as vicarious entertainment may be part of the reason some genre fans have complained that it doesn’t go far enough—itself a comment on how certain people (expect to) view women."

"Read this review carefully..."

2009-07-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Staten Island Advance begins its review with those words, and what follows is nothing short of brilliant: "It's entirely possible that this movie couldn't be for you, and should you wander into it by mistake it could leave you irreparably damaged, unable to have a healthy sexual relationship, to experience love, to make friends. And nobody wants their life ruined by a movie."

"Expect Deadgirl to Raise Hell"

2009-07-23T21:25:00.001-07:00

The release of this movie has introduced us to some new (for us, but probably not for everyone else) blogs and websites and magazines. Buzzine is just the latest example of this. Here's their take on the movie.

Scared of the Truth

2009-07-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while we get a review where it's pretty clear the writer actually loves the movie but is either unable to admit it to themselves or to others. This is such a review.

"Seriously F-ed Up"

2009-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

- Paper Magazine

"Don't Frack with the Undead"

2009-07-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

Dan Persons' Might Movie Podcast takes on Deadgirl in this week's edition: "Directors Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel suggest that this be looked at as a kind of twisted coming-of-age story. I suspect midnight audiences will be too busy having their buttons pushed to get too far down to the subtext. In any case, it's obvious that Sarmiento and Harel (working from a script by Trent Haaga) can mount a stylish, daring nightmare, whatever the theme. It's a helluva way to greet the new day."

Click here for the podcast interview with the directors – definitely worth the listen.

2009-07-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl reaps a sense of substantial, twisted alienation..."
- Metromix

National screenings begin tomorrow
in a city near you.
Click here for details.

More Salon

2009-07-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

Salon's Andrew O'Hehir just filed a new piece that seems to be mostly about the aura of Deadgirl, but also manages to make a few nice observations about the movie, too. (Sorry, it's going to be a long excerpt, but it's worth it)

"Deadgirl is a much better-crafted and subtler film than it sounds like... Its horrifying ideas and images -- I should make clear that very little of the violence is actually shown on screen -- serve as a symbolic lure, meant to draw you into a dark, compelling tale of teenage male bonding and high-school class warfare. Its two protagonists, weak-willed pretty boy Rickie (Shiloh Fernandez) and dead-end greaseball JT (Noah Segan), are classic teen outsiders, tormented by the jocks and staring at a long future of low-paying service jobs, alcoholism and chronic disappointment. If you consider the story as psychoanalytic drama, the dead girl not only isn't human, she isn't real at all -- she's nothing more than the fantasy projection of their masturbatory and perhaps homoerotic desire.

The writing-directing team of Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel capture the sublimated violence of JT and Rickie's banter in unusually convincing detail; in fact, the movie's best scenes have nothing to do with the slowly decaying undead chick in the basement. (Although the violence quotient is relatively low, the squirm-inducing makeup effects are highly effective.) Try as you may to squeeze "Deadgirl" into some pseudo-feminist frame, it doesn't quite fit. This is a movie about youthful male alienation -- that venerable American-cinema topic -- and its tragicomic consequences."

"Don't Say I Didn't Warn You..."

2009-07-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

So says Red Reed in his hilarious and loving review of Deadgirl, in which he describes the movie as "part S&M porno, part supernatural chiller, and worthy only if you’re interested in how far movies can go before the police arrive."

At a theater near you

2009-07-17T22:29:00.000-07:00

Everything you need to know about our upcoming Midnight Roadshow can be found right here at the...

new Deadgirl website

Remember to check back for updates. We already know Denver and Tacoma are being adding in August.

All About Deadgirl

2009-07-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl ventures into the dark, terrifyingly real recesses of the human mind in a story that explores the social and sexual dynamics of adolescence... it's strikingly original for a genre in which originality hasn't been a strong suit of late. Despite the supernatural aspect, it's a stunningly real and insightful character study."

[Click here to read the entire About.com review]

"Unnerving and Surprisingly Poignant"

2009-07-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

"Every now and then a low budget horror movie comes along that not only surprises you, but also turns out to be one of the strongest movies you’ve seen in a while. Don’t get me wrong, Deadgirl will offend as many viewers as it entices, if not a little more, but there’s something about this twisted little tale that will keep you hooked..."
– 24 Frames Per Second

And while we're at it:
[links embedded]

"A grim and scary story about coming of age in a messed up world. Original, daring and extremely haunting." - JoBlo.com

"A dark fairytale about necrophelia and taboo love as well... a rather unique yet definitely very unpleasant experience." – Lowdown Magazine (uk)

Also here's a beautifully written review from the blog Cereal Nocturnal, that includes thoughts like "Deadgirl does explore the unnerving progression from the dull normality of our everyday life to the excitement of human confrontation produced by total mayhem" and "Love is presented as an inevitable psychosis" and finishes with this: "Who wouldn’t fall in love with a dead girl when heaven is a dark damp basement with absolute sexual freedom, and hell is an open blue skied piece of shit lonely world, full of jocks and their pretty girlfriends?"

And also:
Slashing the Seats has some nice things to say.
Cinema Suicide reviews the flick, too.

"Crappy"

2009-07-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

"Deadgirl is one of those films that I am afraid to tell you about..."
- Dr. Joy Browne

But keep in mind, her entire review for Eagle Eye reads: "This is one fascinating, fun movie! This is probably the best-edited movie you’ve ever seen. This has probably got the best car chase you have ever seen! It’s really fun.”

2009-07-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

"As much as I'm inclined to rant about the sickness and depravity of this stuff, I'm not sure I can write off this film outright." - salon.com

Salon has jumped into the debate.

Theatrical Roadshow

2009-07-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

Screen Daily ran a story today about our upcoming theatrical plan, "a simultaneous one-weekend, midnight-only, roadshow-style theatrical event in 9 major markets, starting July 24." Click here for the article. We'll be posting more details about all this pretty soon...

In the meantime, some advance domestic reviews as we get closer (click a quote to link to the whole thing).

"Kind of a nightmare version of 'The Last American Virgin'. One of the best horror movies of the year so far." -eSplatter

"Genre bending, weird, gruesome and one of the most interesting films I have seen in years." - Horror-Movies

"I urge you to seek out the closest theater near you that'll be showing it."- The Vault of Horror

"Disturbing, sadistic and over the top insane but also easily one of the most imaginative films I have seen in a very very long time." - ShootForTheHead

"Once in a while a film comes along that jars you out of your cinematic slumber. For die hard genre fans it’s tough to find that one gem that really cuts through the muck and raises the bar. This year Deadgirl has become that film." - BrutalAsHell

Where few have dared to go

2009-06-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

"An indie winner. Goes places few horror movies have dared to go before in its frank and disturbing depiction of necrophilia (combined with a surprisingly effective coming-of-age story!") - Fangoria

The August issue features a page about Deadgirl-star Noah Segan, but there's a more comprehensive piece in the September issue which we're anxiously awaiting. Perfect for our 9/15 DVD release...

Some reactions from over there

2009-06-28T20:23:00.001-07:00

Deadgirl (or as they're writing it, Dead Girl) was released in the UK this month and we've gathered some online reactions:

"A film that will no doubt stay with you for a long time to come." - World of Film

"Delightfully dark and thought provoking. Could not recommend this any higher." - Rough Cut Reviews

"It is a deeply troubling feature, but also, perhaps oddly for a film steeped in the supernatural, utterly honest and believable – and its capacity to haunt will never die." - Eye For Film

"A great change of pace, hitting on the horrific potential inside everyone. Deadgirl is really about how the freedom of being outside of society can make you power hungry, vicious, and obsessed with the alternate world where you have control." - Horror Yearbook

"A mini-masterpiece. And, in an age where audiences seem near impervious to trauma, it manages a rare feat: to genuinely shock." - Den of Geek

[click each quote for full review]

Official Poster

2009-06-27T12:10:00.001-07:00

Deadgirl screenwriter Trent Haaga called to tell us to get back to this blog and start updating since there have been a lot of reviews and write-ups and new developments about our upcoming release. As always, he's right. So here's to a new beginning...

[click to enlarge]

"Fascinating and Vaguely DIstasteful"

2009-06-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Total Sci-Fi previews Deadgirl for the UK release next week. We'll save you a few minutes by giving you the highlights here:

"Fascinating and vaguely distasteful"'
"An interesting blend on coming of age and horror themes"
"Deadgirl is at least a film that provokes debate."
"An original, if vaguely sleazy, twist on the undead"

Free Deadgirl!

2009-05-31T08:30:00.001-07:00

You have to be 18 and living in England... but otherwise, there's no catch. Deadgirl will be screening for free in five Vue Cinema theaters in and around London on June 5, and you can click here for more info (you'll have to sign in to get the exact screening times).

First and Foremost

2009-05-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

"The thing you need to know first and foremost about Deadgirl is that it is a film about the limits of loyalty and the struggle to do right when you’re not even sure what that means. More importantly, though, Deadgirl is simply a very disturbing movie... definitely one of the more disturbing films I’ve ever seen." - Seattle Metblog

2009-05-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Seattlest just put Deadgirl on its list of SIFF movies to consider this week. Here's the link for tickets and information. We'll be there for the Thursday and Friday night screenings so come by if you can.

Seattle International Film Festival

2009-05-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Seattle International Film Festival may very well turn out to be Deadgirl's last U.S. festival (we have our theatrical thing in July - more about that soon - and the DVD release in September). Ever since our Toronto premiere, the festival route has been amazing — every screening, audience, conversation, q&a, staff member and volunteer — so it's a weird knowing it will soon be over.

The only thing that makes it a little easier to accept is the fact that the end of the line is going to be such an awesome festival. Seattle is going to be great.

Thursday May 28, 9:30pm
Friday May 29, Midnight
Friday, June 5, 9:30pm

Tickets here.

2009-04-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

With our three screenings at the Amsterdam International Fantastic Film Festival now over, we took a look over the blogs scene to see what the reactions were... and it looks like things went over pretty well.

Zone 5300, a hipster mag that's big in the Netherlands, had nice things to say. Here's the link to the whole review. It says, more or less (here, translated), "Deadgirl is an intelligent film... On genre-components as gore and special effects is not reduced, but the heart of the film is on a totally different place, and zombie clichés are largely to tread - no apocalyptic situation, but drama on the square meter. This zombie has a moral sense, and that makes her plight all the more painful." You can't argue with that.

Also, here's a blog which seems to be the festival's most comprehensive source for reviews, and they had three different people check out Deadgirl:

Reaction 1
Reaction 2
Reaction 3