Telluride Horror Show 2019: First Wave Unveils MUTANT BLAST, VFW, TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL Rep Screening, And More
Every horror film festival has something different to offer. For one, it might be the enormous amount of films playing during its run. For another, it might be the culture that has been cultivated and fostered over the years. For the Telluride Horror Show, it’s great movies in one of the most picturesque locations I’ve ever been to in my life.
Situated nearly 9,000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains, Telluride is a town so small that it doesn’t have a single traffic light. Seemingly everyone knows everyone else in a community that is warm and welcoming. The smell of delicious pastries waft out of Baked in Telluride while cheap – and plentiful – beverages can be purchased at the Last Dollar Saloon. All of this as majestic snow-capped peaks loom, coniferous trees as far as the eye can see. It’s the only place I’ve ever visited where time felt like it actually slowed down, my three days there feeling more like five.
I say all of this in the hopes that I convince even one more person to make it their mission in life to attend the Telluride Horror Show. Rarely does a horror festival mix with the beauty of the area but it does here and it’s nothing short of magical.
Today, the first wave of films from the fest has been announced and we’re here to tell you what to expect, from Troma’s Mutant Blast to a special presentation of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil hosted by Joe Bob Briggs with director Eli Craig in attendance and much, much more!
Head on below to see everything lined up so far and get ready for more announcements in the coming weeks! Also, make sure to get your tickets through the fest’s official website.
FEATURE FILMS / First Wave
1BR
USA | 2019 | 90 min | Director: David Marmor
COLORADO PREMIERE
After leaving behind a painful past to follow her dreams, Sarah scores the perfect Hollywood apartment. But something is not right. Unable to sleep, tormented by strange noises and threatening notes, her new life quickly starts to unravel. By the time she learns the horrifying truth, it’s too late. Caught in a waking nightmare, Sarah must find the strength to hold onto her crumbling sanity…or be trapped forever in an existential hell.
Girl on the Third Floor
USA | 2019 | 93 min | Director: Travis Stevens
COLORADO PREMIEREBursting pipes, rotting walls, and unidentifiable slime were not what Don Koch (WWE legend Phil “CM Punk” Brooks) expected when he convinced his wife Liz (Trieste Kelly Dunn) that he could rehab their new Victorian home himself. In over his head, under duress, and tempted by his old weaknesses, Don soon discovers that the house has its own dark, sordid history and won’t be so easy to renovate after all….
Making Monsters
Canada | 2019 | 82 min | Directors: Justin Harding & Rob Brunner
COLORADO PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Justin Harding (Director) and Alana Elmer (Lead Actor)
When a celebrity couple famed for their YouTube scare-prank channel are invited to a friend’s converted church in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of startling events unfold that spiral them into an inexplicable nightmare. Festival alum Justin Harding returns with his first feature film. His short films Point of View, Kookie, and Latched were all official Telluride Horror Show selections.
Mutant Blast
Portugal | 2019 | 83 min | Director: Fernando Alle
COLORADO PREMIERE From Troma Entertainment: After a scientific experiment goes horribly wrong and results in a zombie apocalypse, a fearless soldier named Maria has to partner up with TS-347, a man with superhuman strength and Pedro, a survivor who battles zombies as hard as he’s battling his hangover. It’s up to Maria to lead a quest to a safe place before a nuclear bomb threatens to wipe out the entire city!
Sator
USA | 2019 | 85 min | Director: Jordan Graham
U.S. PREMIERE
Secluded in a desolate forest, a broken family is observed by Sator, a supernatural entity who is attempting to claim them.
She Never Died
Canada | 2019 | 90 min | Director: Audrey Cummings
COLORADO PREMIERE
Lacey, a socially detached loner is cursed with immortality and a never-ending tedium of existence. In her attempts to keep her compulsions in check, she seeks out the darkest souls humanity has to offer. Lacey must now face her own inner demons while simultaneously finding her next meal. The female-driven follow-up to He Never Died, an official selection at the 2015 Telluride Horror Show.
The Wretched
USA | 2019 | 95 min | Directors: Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce
COLORADO PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Brett & Drew Pierce (Directors)
A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parents’ imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand-year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door. From the directors of Deadheads. Their short film Smush! A DeadHeads Short was an official Telluride Horror Show selection.
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
USA | 2010 | 89 min | Director: Eli Craig
SPECIAL PRESENTATION WITH DIRECTOR ELI CRAIG AND JOE BOB BRIGGS!
Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was the closing night film at the inaugural Telluride Horror Show in 2010. In 2011, the film still hadn’t been released, so we showed it again at our 2nd Telluride Horror Show, simultaneously at two venues, to sold-out crowds. Tucker & Dale was a big part of our early years, so we had to bring it back to celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary. But this time, director Eli Craig will join us for a special conversation following the film, hosted by the ultimate horror buff and redneck expert Joe Bob Briggs!
VFW
USA | 2019 | 92 min | Director: Joe Begos
COLORADO PREMIERE
Pitched as THE WILD BUNCH meets NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the story follows Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local V.F.W. post – and an innocent teen – against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. These Vietnam vets have been to hell and back, but this will be the longest night of their lives. VFW is the fourth feature from festival alum Joe Begos and his first collaboration with FANGORIA. The cast of genre legends includes Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson, Martin Kove, David Patrick Kelly, George Wendt, Sierra McCormick, Travis Hammer, and Tom Williamson. Begos was previously at the Telluride Horror Show with The Mind’s Eye.
Z
Canada | 2019 | 83 min | Director: Brandon Christensen
COLORADO PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Brandon Christensen (Director)
A family find themselves terrorized by their eight-year-old son’s imaginary friend.
SHORT FILMS / First Wave
Abyssus
Finland | 2019 | 9 min | Director: Kim Westerlund
COLORADO PREMIERE
A man regains consciousness as he is being buried alive. Overwhelmed by panic he tries to force his way out of the box he finds himself in, without success. Equipped with nothing but a single lighter he wallows in hopelessness until strange sounds approaches, and with it, true fear.
Bad Hair
Estonia | 2019 | 15 min | Director: Oskar Lehemaa
COLORADO PREMIERE
Insecure and balding Leo has closed himself in his apartment. A mysterious hair growth liquid arrives at his doorstep and Leo uses it to fix up his looks. The liquid causes a series of grotesque metamorphoses as Leo tries desperately to get bodily changes under control as the events of the evening quickly turn into chaos.
Bedtime Story
Spain | 2019 | 9 min | Directors: Lucas Paulino & Ángel Torres
U.S. PREMIERE
A witch that is observing from the apartment across the street and a story no child should ever hear…
Call for a Good Time
USA | 2019 | 5 min | Directors: Jon Rhoads & Mike Marrero
COLORADO PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Jon Rhoads
A stoner finds out why you never call the numbers scrawled on the bathroom stall.
Hellevate
USA | 2019 | 4 min | Director: Dusty Brown
WORLD PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Dusty Brown
A man must deal with an elevator company’s incompetent customer service while stuck between floors.
Hopes
Spain | 2019 | 10 min | Director: Raúl Monge
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
An unexpected story of a little homeless girl and her hooded companion.
In Sound, We Live Forever
USA | 2019 | 12 min | Director: Joshua Giuliano
COLORADO PREMIERE
Something bad has(is) happened(happening).
It Crawled in Through the Window
USA | 2019 | 2 min | Directors: Isaac Ruth & Ali Petre
COLORADO PREMIERE
A couple has horrifying pillow-talk.
La Noria
Spain | 2018 | 13 min | Director: Carlos Baena
COLORADO PREMIERE
Darkness isn’t always what it seems.
Lili
The Netherlands | 2019 | 9 min | Director: Yfke van Berckelaer
COLORADO PREMIERE
A young actress’ (Lisa Smit) audition for an older man (Derek de Lint) grows increasingly less comfortable with every line read in this single-take horror for the #metoo era.
Most Steps Ever
USA | 2019 | 4 min | Directors: Nesib (CB) Shamah & James Allen Smith
COLORADO PREMIERE
A hiker, a smart watch and a maniac with a lawnmower blade.
Nest
USA | 2019 | 14 min | Director: Mike Fontaine COLORADO PREMIERE IN PERSON: Mike Fontaine & Lukas Hassel (Lead Actor)A genre author becomes obsessed with the vivid nightmares of his young son and turns to them for inspiration.
Night Crawl
USA | 2019 | 9 min | Director: Gregory Shultz
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Two inmates tunnel through the walls of a hellish prison, only to find something more terrifying than death row.
O.I.
Canada | 2018 | 19 min | Director: N’cee van Heerden
COLORADO PREMIERE
Barry has a unique problem. He came up with a truly original idea. And sharing it has consequences.
Spasms
USA | 2018 | 5 min | Director: Todd Redenius
In a small town where not much happens a barrel of toxic waste is found leaking into a creek. No one notices that people everywhere are having uncontrollable spasms resulting in people dying in gory and outlandish ways due to the drinking water being contaminated.
The Burden
The Netherlands | 2019 | 17 min | Director: Nico van den Brink
COLORADO PREMIERE
A young woman visits her boyfriend’s family home and learns about a sinister history with his creepy neighbor. Soon, all kinds of skeletons come out of the closet.
The Dreamer
Norway | 2018 | 14 min | Director: Kenneth Karlstad
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
A mother struggles with her daughter’s violent sleeping disorder.
The Fortune Teller
USA | 2019 | 4 min | Director: David Ferino
WORLD PREMIERE
IN PERSON: David Ferino
Things get freaky when a little girl finds an origami fortune teller.
The Procedure 2
USA | 2019 | 3 min | Director: Calvin Reeder
COLORADO PREMIERE
A man is forced to endure another strange experiment.
Toe
USA | 2019 | 7 min | Directors: Neal O’Bryan & Chad Thurman
COLORADO PREMIERE
IN PERSON: Neal O’Bryan & Chad Thurman
A starving boy eats a rotting toe he finds sticking out of the ground. Later that night, something dead comes to his bedroom wanting it back.
Wash
Sweden | 2019 | 7 min | Director: Kiggs
WORLD PREMIERE
A short horror film about the worst fear a parent can have.
Wild Love
France | 2018 | 7 min
Directors: Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Léa Georges, Maryka Laudet, Zoé Sottiaux, Corentin Yvergniaux
While on a romantic getaway, Alan and Beverly cause a fatal accident. This crime won’t remain unpunished…
Wither
UK | 2019 | 4 min | Director: Ethan Evans
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
In a town acclaimed for honoring ancient folklore, a young girl finds herself vulnerable to a sinister mythological farmer after failing to contribute to the annual tradition.
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