It’s always a feeling of euphoria featuring hot, talented women and STACEY STOREY is both a beauty and creative force. She is of course Miss Alaska 2011, stunning with a cherubic sweetness that will have us wishing she was our BFF in a hurry. In fact she’s 1/3 of the gorgeous producing team with Brea Grant and Vera Miao who collectively are bringing a fresh spin on apocalyptic fiction. Their feature “Best Friends Forever” is a micro budget indie yet the visuals throughout are beautifully arresting. Check out the fascinating interview (above) as STACEY, Brea and Vera give us details of their visionary film which brings together the genres of horror,sci-fi as well as intimacy in one experiential storytelling. I’m hoping this gets a huge following around the world and that “Best Friends Forever” screens in Asia!
STACEY is an exotic mix of Thai/German/Irish, making her one of the most exquisite faces in the industry today. Her precious smile and personality would already ensure perennial interest as will her commendable endeavors offscreen. Keep updated on her ventures in the bright lights of LA at the STACEY STOREY OFFICIAL SITE and you’ll find her colorful lifestyle is definitely an enthralling read. Don’t you just love it when actresses have a bountiful of assets and we are so lucky to be wowed by the inspirational STACEY STOREY.
Future stars are so often unearthed on the independent scene and ALICIA ANTHONY could very well be the newest with a debut that has aroused keen interest. Some like Amy Adams had to slog for years to get to where she is while others like Jennifer Lawrence struck big thanks to a resonating performance (Winter’s Bone) and the winsome ALICIA has more than shown her enchanting credibility onscreen at the first time of asking. She’s the leading lady of “Wuss” in the skin of Maddie, a student with an undesirable past who by the hand of fate crosses path with her teacher Mitch. Let’s just say she’s the polar opposite of most high school students with an inherently dim view towards teachers, an anti Tracy Flick if you will. Not the type to join in the bandwagon of ridicule on her weakling of a teacher, she uses her infamy that’s seeming striking fear on all sides of the school population to shade him from the abuse. Wanton bullying in institutions has been around for ages but to have it happening to an educator with such brutal fashion as in “Wuss” is an eye-opener. Inevitably. revenge is set in motion by the inappropriately attached teacher-student duo, each with their own demons to purge. ALICIA impeccably handles every bit of the darkly humorous material courtesy of Writer/director Clay Liford. Audiences can catch the movie’s run from November 6-7 at the AFI Fest 2011.
For ALICIA, it must have been a moment of serendipity as she was discovered by the film’s producers at a Taco stand where she used to worked. Mesmerizing as the reticently complex Maddie, they were spot on their choice of ALICIA in the integral role. I’ve read that she has an aura and a smile that’s saliently captivating…ahhh….more reasons to love her. It’s also great to see Arianne Martin (a fav actress of mine) in the cast of “Wuss” and I can foresee ALICIA becoming an indie sweetheart in her own right.
With “Madison County” making its World Premiere at ScreamFest 2011, it’s an opportune time to start an infatuation for KATIE STEGEMAN, one of the stars of the gritty 70s-styled horror flick. It’s not just about Rose McGowan and the offsprings of luminaries at ScreamFest as there’s a host of upcoming starlets that we’re sure to have the hots for! KATIE will be there in the flesh to promote “Madison County” where already the promotional teaser sees her scantily clad character Kristen bloodied and scampering for her life in one of the more harrowing sequences. While we can’t get enough of the visceral violence, we can say the same of the young women of horror who over the years should be lauded for their physicality. So often, their contribution is overlooked and KATIE conjures as much intrigue as the Pig-Masked serial killer especially since the backstory on her role has never been revealed.
One thing is certain, it’s a debut to remember for KATIE as she’s an absolute babe! But by no means is she all about being titillating as the filmmakers have promised a return to the nerve-wrecking chills of old school terror….a contender for this generation’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” anyone!! In her next feature “Roadside”, KATIE gets even more riveting as a pregnant wife whose only form of safety is a car as a mad gunman rain bullets on her. With an obscene amount of fans on her Facebook Page, it’s apparent that we’re going to be entranced by more than just her drop dead gorgeousness. News just in that “Madison County” is the first film to become a sell-out at Scream Fest….hmm…I reckon it might have something to do with the spellbinding KATIE…:)
Barcelona FC is not the only addiction for many around the world as Sexy Basque Stunner CRISTINA BRONDO can likewise incite some serious fandom. The cleavage teasing poster of her movie “Penumbra” should see to that, having previously gone topless in the psychological thriller “Hipnos” as well as partaking in a saucily wet FHM (Spain) spread further fueling her sex appeal! If the late 90s/early to mid 2000 were the years Penelope Cruz announced her sultry arrival and 2007-2010 was when Belén Rueda enchanted us in “The Orphanage” as well as “Julia’s Eyes”, then 2011 and beyond could be CRISTINA’s turn to make waves. Expertly ratcheting up the tension in “Penumbra”, her performance was recently well-received by audiences at Fantastic Fest 2011. There’s a luridly Giallo vibe to the film with CRISTINA playing a lawyer who’s targeted by loonies with a nefarious agenda amidst an impending eclipse in Argentina. In fact she’s been a muse of Dario Argento, being the leading lady in “Do You Like Hitchcock”, a homage to Hitchcock’s amazing suspense-filled filmography.
The measure of her allure is clear when even in the frightening imagery of the stuff she’s done, Cristina’s beauty never loses its luster. Even as I write this, I find myself having designs on that “Penumbra” poster which is a keeper indeed, Cristina’s fragile sensuality being such a deal clincher. This leggy, Mediterranean Goddess does provoke the kind of response that can border on the obsession and she’s not even step onto the glitzy Hollywood turf yet like some of her peers. When she does, we’ll be intoxicated with the wonders of this heart-stopping Spanish actress.
She’s in one of the most brutal home invasion movies ever seen and Audrey Walker delivers a roller-coaster of emotions as Crystal, the wife of a man targeted by a dude called ‘The Biker’. The physical and mental torture dished out by the nasty invader on her will be one of the most talked about scenes and in my opinion the most intense she’s ever done. This could indeed be the role that puts her on the map thanks to its unsettling tone. Be it the darker subject matter or otherwise, she’s glowingly relatable on every level and one will find that she’s just as wonderful doing comedies. She once said she never feels more at home than she does on set and that’s precisely why she has the ability to connect with viewers. I feel blessed that she sent me her autograph as Audrey could very well be a gem of an actress in our midst.
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Barbara Nedeljakova in “Isle Of Dogs” & “The Hike
Euro Vixen Barbara Nedeljakova has seen her star on a meteoric rise ever since she burst onto the horror scene back in 2005. This year alone, we have seen the Slovak cutie in “Children Of The Corn:Genesis” and is primed to thrill audiences in two features screening at Shriekfest. Well we may always remember her as duplicitous temptress from Hostel, her turns in “Isle Of Dogs” and “The Hike” will see her as a victim of circumstance. Whether she’s a trophy wife of a cuckolded husband or a hiker whose vacation in the woods turn deadly, she’ll be enticing every step of the way! I believe her husky voice may have something to do with her sensuality and with her appearing alongside Robert Englund in “Strippers vs Werewolves”, there’s talk that she’s garnered a cult following.
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Sarah Lassez in “The Dead Inside”
We crave our quirky yet saucy characters in the independent scene and Canadian cutie Sarah Lassez certainly thrives in the horror-musical of “The Dead Inside”. She’s actually an author in real life having penned the acclaimed memoir, ‘Psychic Junkie’ and Sarah does indeed play one, a writer of a series of zombie novellas called, The Dead Survive, who slowly descends into a state of mental illness. Eating her from the inside, possession never look this eccentric until now! Known for being an excellent multi-dimensional actress, Sarah was once said to resemble a better-looking version of Julia Roberts. Anchoring some of the more thought-provoking roles, an enigmatic performer would be my choice of praise to describe her onscreen work. Her dedication to making everything she does authentic while in character is also praiseworthy.
One of the sexiest legends to ever grace horror, Lynn Lowry continues to be a dazzler of the big screen, seeing how she’s widely revered as a cult star. Pivotal in exploitation classics such as “I Drink Your Blood”, “The Crazies and “Score”, her nubile innocence yet uninhibited eroticism was perfect for some of the more steamy moments and she has always maintained her comfort with nudity. She’s someone who owns her role, treating it like an art form, hence her many polished performances over the years. In the creepy short film “Divination”, Lynn is a bogus psychic running fraudulent seances until a young woman becomes her latest client and threatens to expose her in deathly fashion. A scene stealer of her generation and many more after, now is the time to hold in high regard the exceptional Lynn Lowry.
Michelle Tomlinson has a special place in our hearts and it seems that watching her in Zombie movies is equally intoxicating. All three flesh-eating dead features she’s been in couldn’t be more thrilling for the very reason that we get to enjoy Michelle’s hypnotizing presence. She was all sassy as the touch chick in the award-winning gorefest “Brain Dead” and was a standout in “George’s Intervention”, delving into comedic territory as part of a Zombie Help Group. In her latest tale “My Undeadly”, Michelle is a woman who unfortunately becomes the food of choice for a hungry, brain snacking reanimated corpse. She projects a real fear as the victim or is she one at all! There lies one of her many charms; threading between vulnerability and strength in many of her roles. She’s also a most genial Scream Queen, well-loved by both fans and peers alike.
Watching those behind-the-scenes clips of Ginger Pullman discussing prosthetic vaginas and third nipples from her movie “The Millenium Bug” should be of intrigue to any horror fan. I was instantly hooked on how funny she can be. It really didn’t matter that those boobs on display were of a body double as she’s a bombshell nonetheless, although in this film, she’s rather creepy! As hillbilly clan member, Pearlene Crawford, she shows her villainous side under some macabre makeup and all this right before a humongous, bad-ass freak of nature starts chowing down on the unfortunate in this maniacal creature feature. For all the effects and gore, a monster movie does indeed depend on a talented cast and we get a taste of Ginger ably handling a stirring character. Aside from acting, we should also note that Ginger’s a mesmerizing fashion model.
Keiko Agena may not be your traditional horror starlet having captured the hearts of so many as Lane Kim from “Gilmore Girls” but we’re still passionate for her no matter the genre. She stars in the short film “Road Rage” as a female driver with temperamental issues who gets more than she bargained for after crossing paths with a stranger. Seeing her bruise-covered face in an on-set photo, expect her to fans the flames of trouble and promptly dismiss the belief that Asians are a patient, sentient lot. All i can say, Keiko is an ageless beauty who has thus far shone in everything she’s done. In fact, I was disappointed that her stint on “House M.D.” was a guest starrer; Imagine the witty banter that could have gone on between her Dr Cheng and Dr House. Never one to be pigeon-holed, she’s proving to be wildly popular on her own terms.
Sumptuous as a peach, CAROLYN JANIA is more than capable of creating an instant connection with viewers. This lissome cutie with the eye-skimming bangs that effortlessly accentuates her photogenic cheekbones also has an illuminating, heart-melting smile. If you’ve made your way to Shriekfest 2011, then the twisted thriller “Opus” has to be high on your watch list as CAROLYN will also be since she’s one of the female leads. A recognized improv comedienne, she uses those very skills in the improv-driven “Opus”, only this time however it’s no laughing matter. Playing Sandy, the wide-eyed aspiring indie horror starlet, her dreams of making it big might end in tatters when she unknowingly falls victim to a deranged director as will seven others. It’s a privilege to be in contact with CAROLYN as well as Miss Kandice Melonakos (whom i’ve already blogged about), co-stars of such a unique film that dispenses with scripts instead allowing the actors to flesh out their characters naturally.
Have a look at this graceful actress in some of the features she’s done including the tease of her short film “The Diary Of Eloise Painter” at the CAROLYN JANIA OFFICIAL SITE. Industry insiders are noticing how astute she is as a talent, able to convey a fearless depth whenever and wherever she’s called to perform. CAROLYN has already dazzled on stage and it won’t be long before she propers on the independent scene.
Adorning labels on upcoming actresses is one of the sincerest form of flattery and KANDICE MELONAKOS does indeed have an abundance of prodigious talents. With a sultriness very much like a young Rose McGowan, her cool voguish looks ensure this Greek Hottie is set for plenty of attention. We’ll get to know her more intimately as KANDICE appears in the disturbing “Opus” scaring up Shriekfest 2011 this weekend. Effectively her debut in horror, the film’s distinctive concept that banks on the improvisation skills of the cast will have KANDICE portray the fear in her character on a deeper scale. She plays Summer, an aspiring actress who has no idea she’s the star of a slasher where you really die on camera! KANDICE is also a fixture in the music world, recognizable as Lola Blanc, blossoming singer/songwriter whose dance tune ‘I’m Alive’ was featured in Kristin Cavallari’s comedy “Wild Cherry”.
On top of being in my fav band Lifehouse’s music video “Halfway Gone’” she goes all video vixen in gothic glory for Interpol’s “Lights” as well as the ‘Let The Right One In’ inspired “If You Let Me” by Chrissie Hynde. Swedish novelist John Ajvide Lindqvist would be proud of such a bold interpretation by her culminating in the dismemberment of bodies amidst the snowy bleakness. It’s easy to see why she cites Fiona Apple as her musical influence as her song writing comes from personal experiences be they dark or otherwise. In fact, she’s quite the fascinating figure, having been raised in a Mormon family and involved in a wrangle with a cult leader before relocating to Hollywood. We’re very much ready for KANDICE, the raven-haired vamp to invite us into her bewitching world.
It’s a Carnival of Horror this weekend as the 11th Edition of Shriekfest which runs from September 29th till 2nd October returns to put the fear in you. Shriekfest founder DENISE GOSSETT has promised a Screaming Good Time as audiences will be treated to the best in independent horror and sci-fi from the world over in all its unrated glory! There’s the opening night screening of Troma Legend Lloyd Kaufman’s “The Feed”, the world premiere of retro thriller “Isle Of Dogs” and a host of bloodcurdling shorts to make your skin crawl.
Plaudits have to be bestowed upon Miss DENISE GOSSETT for generating such buzz for Shriekfest over the years and which now thrives as LA’s Most Successful & Entertaining Horror Film Festival! She’s the original ‘Kickstarter’ who celebrated horror at a time when festivals were few and far between back in 2001. As a Horror devotee, I feel blessed to be touched by such an influential figure in the genre and it’s with great pleasure to present this interview with the vivacious DENISE, a gorgeous visionary hugely deserving of the moniker as a FIRST LADY OF HORROR.
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Q & A WITH HIGH PRIESTESS OF HORROR DENISE GOSSETT
1. Hi Denise. First off, Congrats on the the 11th Edition of Shriekfest Film Fest. What can audiences expect this time around and how has Shriekfest contributed to the horror scene over the years?
A: They can expect more of the same, awesome indie films from around the world…we have US film, films from Australia, England, France, Germany, Brazil, New Zealand, etc. I think Shriekfest has contributed by helping get the word out about indie horror and we’ve helped people get their projects made, distribution, agents, etc.
2. There’s an intriguing list of films guaranteed to make us Scream at Shriekfest 2011. What’s the selection process like and would it help if we were chummy with you (truthfully now!)?
A: Does not help to be chummy….actually many of my friends were rejected this year…we have over 40 judges and it’s a long, thought out process.
3. It’s amazing to see sci-fi as well as comedy features scheduled for our viewing pleasure. Why do u think it’s important to maintain that diversity even at an established horror festival?
A: It helps break up the gore, plus there are talented filmmakers in all genres.
4. Everyone adores you for your gregariously warm nature and for being an awesome Scream Queen. Tell us who have been your favorite actors and how have they inspired you?
A: Aww, you are very sweet, but I don’t really consider myself a scream queen…haven’t done enough horror for that. I love lots of actors, all your typical oscar winner actors, but I also love the indie actors as well. I’ve made some amazing friends over the years.
5. I also read that you’re also been anointed as an Indie Sex Symbol. How did that come about and in your opinion, what is the true meaning of Being Sexy?
A: Ah, Haren, that was appointed by you my friend! The true meaning of being sexy is: loving life, loving yourself, and doing what you love.
6. You are in the book “Hot & Horryifying: The First Ladies Of Horror” which is absolutely amazing. What does it mean to be held in admiration for being a mover and a shaker?
A: It blows me away, b/c I just feel like this person who wants to help and I can’t believe the love I get on a daily basis….it’s wonderful!
7. Tell us some of your most memorable moments throughout your career.
A: Working with Mel Gibson, he’s amazing, being a gun slinger in A Chestful of Blood, working with Julia Louis Dreyfus & Christina Applegate…both so great with comedic timing….I could go on and on.
And of course running Shriekfest…for all of it’s hard work, there has been lots of joy too.
8. You’re revered as one of the hardest working women and a genuine maven of horror. When Miss Denise Gossett is not drenched in blood on screen, what does she do for fun?
A: Awww…Haren, you have a way of making me feel so good….thank you! I have a 3 year old little girl and I enjoy playing with her, we go swimming, work in our garden, I also love hiking and spending time with my family and friends.
9. What are your thoughts on the impact of Social Media on entertainment and how has that impacted on the horror genre?
A: Wow…social media still blows me away….it’s allowing indie filmmakers to reach wider audiences and get their talents seen…it’s truly wonderful!
10. To end this interview on a chilling note, what is the one thing that truly scares you?
