New Movie News: The Horde (2009)
original poster for The Horde
Near the end of 2009 I started reading very vague articles about another kickass movie coming from France that does a great job of re-defining the genre. Even better, it’s a zombie flick!! Now readers of this blog know by now how I feel about the recent tsunami of French horror flicks … they are FUCKING amazing. For example 2008’s Martyrs is the best horror film of the decade and 2007’s Inside is a close 2nd (but please don’t get me started on Frontier(s). I hated that movie; it captured none of that over-the-top French spirit and felt like your typical uninspired Texas Chainsaw Massacre rehash). So when I hear the French are tackling the zombie sub-genre I got excited. The basic story is that a group of crooked cops go to a warehouse to settle the score against some gangsters who killed one of their own. Just as the cops, who are now trapped in the warehouse, are about to be blown away a vicious horde of zombies come outta nowhere and start attacking everyone. Now the cops and gangsters must team up and put their differences aside if they want to survive. Kind of like Attack of Precinct 13 meets Dawn of the Dead. I was hooked.
I anxiously waited and waited to find out more about this movie and a release date, but heard nothing.
A more recent poster for The Horde
It was almost as if the movie disappeared. Then I started seeing articles popping up online about how the film’s first 10 minutes were getting a re-edit prior to its February 10th release in France (on 200 screens). Again, very vague reports. But I can tell you that MrDisgusting from the excellent genre website bloody-disgusting.com is saying that “reviews and word of mouth have been highly negative [for The Horde]. I can confirm (ugh).” He apparently saw an early screening of the movie. Who knows, maybe it was TOO early a version? (And I must point out that MrDisgusting did give the dreadful Frontier(s) 5 out of 5 stars!!!).
love this shot
The Horde is directed by Benjamin Rocher and Yannick Dahan (who was also a writer. Interesting to note is that Dahan also had an uncredited role in Frontier(s)). Xavier Gens, the director of Frontier(s), served as executive producer. But best yet is that one of the special f/x guys, Olivier Afonso, also did work on 2007’s gory Inside. There is a lot to be excited about here.
pretty good make up!!
IFC Films picked up the North American distribution rights and will be releasing it sometime this year. I for one am still very excited about this project and encourage and urge everyone to keep their eye out for it. If you see it pop up in the theaters (most likely at an Alamo Drafthouse kind of theater) go and support it. Even if it isn’t the next Martyrs or Inside I bet there’s gonna be plenty of blood and gore. And let’s face it; even a bad French movie is 90% better than good U.S.-made horror movies lately!!
Check out the trailer for The Horde at http://www.lahorde-lefilm.com/ and decide for yourself. There’s lots of info on the website and a bunch of stills as well.
I’ll keep ya posted as soon as I hear something about its release date!!
looks pretty nightmarish to me!!
Horror Movies, Horror News, Horror Reviews | AnythingHorror.com 
Hot off the trailer posts comes a potential add to the worst remake thread once it comes out but I hope not. Unfortunately this will be coming from the exact same team that remade “Friday the 13th remake” (2009)……..A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010 film)…..Noooooooooooooo!….and here is little taste of how it evolved….”On January 29, 2008, Variety reported that Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes production company would be rebooting the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with a remake of the original 1984 film.[2] In an interview, producer Brad Fuller initially explained that they are following the same line they did with their Friday the 13th remake, by abandoning the things that made the character less scary—the film’s antagonist, Freddy Krueger, will not be “cracking jokes” as had become a staple of his character in later films—and focusing more on trying to craft a “horrifying movie”. Fuller expresses how everyone at the studio loved the concept of being killed if you fell asleep. The producer stated that the film would be a remake of the 1984 film, but clarified that they would be borrowing certain character deaths and dream sequences from the entire Nightmare series.[7]
In February 2009, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Samuel Bayer was hired to direct the film.[8] According to New Line production chief Toby Emmerich, Michael Bay advocated heavily for Bayer’s hiring, as Bay, Bayer, and director David Fincher came up as commercial directors together. It is Bay’s opinion that Bayer has the “the ability to capture the kind of seductive and unsettling imagery that would make Nightmare feel like a fresh, visually arresting moviegoing experience”.[1] In a June 9, 2009 interview, Craven expressed his displeasure in the remaking of his 1984 film, primarily because the filmmakers chose not to have him as a consultant to the film, unlike with the 2009 remake The Last House on the Left where he “shepherd[ed] it towards production”.[9] In contrast, Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy throughout the film series, feels it is time for A Nightmare on Elm Street to be remade; Englund likes the idea of being able to “exploit the dreamscape” with CGI and other technologies that did not exist when Craven was making the original Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984.[10]
Fuller and Form likened the new Nightmare film to their 2003 remake of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and retracted an earlier statement when they said they did not plan to “cherry pick” the best elements of the franchise, like they did with the reboot of the Friday the 13th franchise they released in 2009. Instead, the 2010 film will be more of a reimagining.[11] The pair also explained that A Nightmare on Elm Street would have a different tone than the Friday the 13th remake. Form states, “I think a Friday the 13th movie like we made was really fun. You know, sex, drugs and rock and roll, and I think a Nightmare movie is not that.”[12] When asked why New Line was rebooting the Nightmare on Elm Street film series, Emmerich explained, “The Nightmare films are profoundly disturbing on a deep, human level because they’re about our dreams. It’s why we thought that we could reach an especially broad audience with a new film, since the feeling of having your dreams being invaded was something that would translate to any country and any culture.”[1]”…..Is this a train wreck waiting to happen or a new twist?….Better yet Freddie will be portrayed by “Moocher” from “Breaking Away” -Jackie Earle Haley- This will be either disaster or an inspiring rebirth for the series….I see no middle ground for this one.
http://www.nightmareonelmstreet.com/
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They can justify the Elm Street remake all they want. If Bay is attached to it its gonna suck sweaty ballz. Craven must be PISSED. Of course I’m gonna go see it … we all have that little part of us that loves to see train wrecks!! 🙂
How’s this one for ya Bill: I read they are going to remake Jaws with Tracy Morgan in the Roy Scheider role!!! My guts tells me they will remake Jaws, but I really can’t see Morgan in the starring role. How fucking pathetic would that be??? Just close you eyes and imagine Tracy Morgan with his big, bulging eyes screaming out, “I think we gonna need a bigger boat … DAMN that a big ass shark.” Blech!!!
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That is craaaaaaaaazy! No frickin way! I at least give Elmstreet a chance. Tracy Morgan is no Jamie Foxx or Robin Williams or Bill Murray for that matter. I just can not see it and I do not believe Morgan has the range to pull that off. Comedy is most difficult but there are some just born only to be funny and he is one of those people. Same thing with Chris Tucker, comedy only. Now if they made it a spoof horror comedy then I would line up to see that but that would mean they had remade Jaws III in 3-D. That was a great unintended horror comedy!
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Tracy Morgan has never made me laugh and I don’t think he ever will. This new movie he’s in with Bruce Willis (I think its called either Beverley Hills Cop or 48 Hours) looks horrendous. I’m pissed at Willis for making such a flick (I’m a diehard Willis fan … pun intended).
And Jaws 3-D KICKS ASS … yet another one from Dennis Quaid!! Like you said, it’s an unintentional comedy-horror that for some reason is just friggin’ entertaining. I’m actually looking forward to the remake Piranha 3-D!!
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