Cannes World Premiere of "RABID" - Reimagining of Cronenberg Cult-Hit Stirs Sales and Audiences

Film Mode Entertainment And 101 Films
Shock Cannes with World Market Premiere of "RABID"

The reimagining of David Cronenberg’s Cult Classic
starring LAURA VANDERVOORT (JIGSAW, Smallville) and
BEN HOLLINGSWORTH (Code Black, Cult) 

Garners Multiple Screenings And a Slew of Sales Offers in Cannes


CANNES (May 16, 2019) -- Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment, alongside 101 Films is thrilled to announce the World Market Premiere of RABID,a remake of the 1977 David Cronenberg film of the same name. Directed by the highly sought after “Twisted Twins” aka, the Soska Sisters (AMERICAN MARY, DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK), RABIDwas named one of the most anticipated horror films of 2019, according to Flick.com.au.

Screenings take place on May 15 at 12 p.m. at Lerins 3 and May 17 at 1:30 p.m. at Lerins 4.

The film stars LAURA VANDERVOORT (JIGSAW, Smallville, Bitten, SAW V) and BEN HOLLINGSWORTH(Code Black, Cult), and is further enhanced by CM PUNK(THE GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR, QUEENS OF THE RING, TALKING DEAD), STEPHEN MCHATTIE (WATCHMEN) and GREG BRYK(SAW V).

"We're extremely excited to show RABID for the first time to buyers in Cannes,” said Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment. “The film is a powerful reimagining of a beloved classic with a unique twist to the story. Its commercial approach will enthrall audiences with a modern and relevant spin from the woman’s perspective.”

RABID is written by Jen and Sylvia Soska and John Serge, and led by the twin sister horror-movie directors who established a huge following with the 2012 slasher film AMERICAN MARYand have recently gained momentum from additional roles from writer to actor to director in films like FANTASTIC FOUR.

The Soska Sisters said they love their fans and have been blown away by the outstanding support from every corner of the globe. They know audiences will be ravenous to see their uniquely captivating vision of the film.

Drawing influence from the original movie, the remake will follow Rose, a young woman who, after an accident leaves her scarred beyond recognition, undergoes a radical untested stem-cell treatment. While turning Rose into the belle of the ball, the experimental transformation comes at a price.

A fresh take on the cult classic is evident through the addition of the visual F/X company, MastersFX, known for their award-winning work on STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, The Good Doctor and The Handmaid’s Tale.

SALES
RABID has been sold to 101 FILMS in the UK, Eagle in the Middle East, A71 in Canada, Fox Asia in Pan Asia, Splendid Film in Germany as well as Benelux and Vertex Partners in CIS. 101 Films and Film Mode Entertainment are co- representing the rest of the world and have been fielding offers from other territories.


Film Mode Entertainment is a leading worldwide sales agent, production entity and distribution company, focusing on commercially driven feature films of all genres and budget sizes. Film Mode represents projects at all stages of the filmmaking process, often as Executive Producer, with the aim of helping producers and distributors achieve maximum exposure for their films. Film Mode’s recent titles include CRYPTO starring Kurt Russell, Luke Hemsworth and Alexis Bledel, BAILEY AND DARLA starring Brittany Snow, Sam Richardson and Vivica A. Fox, STAGE MOTHER starring Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver, Lucy Liu and Adrian Grenier, BURN starring Josh Hutcherson and Suki Waterhouse, and RABID, a reimagining of David Cronenberg’s 1977 cult horror classic, directed by the Soska Sisters.  Previous releases include SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa, and THE GOOD NEIGHBOR starring Academy Award nominee James Caan.  In 2019, Film Mode accelerated its growth and expanded its capabilities by entering into a partnership with SCREEN MEDIA, representing their catalogue of over 600 titles, including WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE starring Leonardo DiCaprio, who was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance, and MONSTER, starring Charlize Theron who won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for the film.  The company also has its own distribution arm, as well as a documentary label, DocMode. Film Mode is based in Beverly Hills, CA.

Cannes World Premiere of "RABID" - Reimagining of Cronenberg Cult-Hit Stirs Sales and Audiences

THE UNCANNY -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

It's no wonder I was predisposed to like THE UNCANNY (Severin Films, 1977), being a fan of both those old Amicus anthologies such as TALES FROM THE CRYPT and ASYLUM and early Cronenberg classics like SCANNERS.  This British-Canadian horror anthology comes to us via co-producers Milton Subotsky, one of the founders of Amicus, and Cronenberg producer Claude Héroux (SCANNERS, VIDEODROME), giving this production quite a nice pedigree right from the start.

Having an absolutely stellar cast doesn't hurt at all, either. The wraparound segment stars Amicus veteran and all-around horror legend Peter Cushing and Old Hollywood genre icon Ray Milland (PANIC IN YEAR ZERO!, X:THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES, THE THING WITH TWO HEADS) as an author with a deadly fear of cats (Cushing) trying to convince a skeptical publisher (Milland) that his manuscript about how cats are secretly controlling the human race must be shared with the world at once.

As their fireside exchange is quietly observed by Milland's watchful cat, Cushing relates his first cautionary cat tale, "London 1912", which stars venerable actress Joan Greenwood as dying millionairess Miss Malkin and genre sweetheart Susan Penhaligon (PATRICK) as her maidservant Janet. 

Miss Malkin, it turns out, is a cat fancier about to will her entire fortune to her many feline friends, something which Janet and her boyfriend, Miss Malkin's ne'er-do-well nephew, cannot allow.

But when Janet attempts to steal Miss Malkin's will from a hidden wall safe, the old woman is awakened by her vigilant cats and pandemonium ensues, with Janet being viciously attacked in a whirlwind of fangs and claws.  Trapped inside a storage closet guarded by mewling cats, the situation grows more desperate for her even as it gets more and more fun for us.  A well-acted and nicely-mounted period terror tale, "London 1912" gets THE UNCANNY off to a delightful start.

Cushing's next strident narrative, "Quebec Province 1975", concerns a recently-orphaned little girl named Lucy (Katrina Holden) sent to live with her unloving aunt Mrs. Blake (Alexandra Stewart, GOODBYE EMMANUELLE) and hateful cousin Angela (Chloe Franks), both of whom strongly disapprove of Lucy's last friend in the world, a cat named Wellington. 

It's an effectively emotional tale as poor Lucy suffers the callous treatment of Mrs. Blake and cruel bullying from the loathesome Angela, but the last straw comes when Wellington himself is threatened with euthanasia.  This sets off a thrilling finale involving some witchcraft books left to Lucy by her mother, and we're treated to a wealth of wonderful practical effects that aren't always totally realistic but offer loads of giddy, vengeful fun. 

"Hollywood 1936", Cushing's frantic final tale, has a cast to die for--Donald Pleasance (HALLOWEEN, PHENOMENA, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK) as Valentine De'ath, a ham actor emoting his way through a lurid horror production, John Vernon (ANIMAL HOUSE, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES) as his harried director, and Samantha Eggar (THE BROOD) as a young actress groomed to replace Valentine's wife after she dies during filming in an "accident" of his own device.

With poor Madeleine gone, Valentine is free to romance his mistress and new co-star--until Madeleine's cat becomes the instrument of her revenge from the grave. This sets the stage, so to speak, for another frightful yet enjoyably tongue-in-cheek tale in which the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes get foiled by a bewhiskered hairball with a mind for murder. 

Director Denis Héroux (NAKED MASSACRE, JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS) capably brings the script by Michel Parry (XTRO) to life and the production values are sufficiently eye-pleasing.

Severin Films' print, scanned from an inter-negative recently discovered in a London vault, looks very good despite a few imperfections here and there which, for me, give it character and only add to its appeal.  On a side note, my initial qualms about possible animal abuse were, thankfully, largely unfounded, as the cast of kitties don't appear to have suffered too much discomfort during filming.

As you might guess, the wraparound segment itself is ultimately resolved in cat-astrophic style as Peter Cushing and Ray Milland each play out their string to its horrific and comfortably inevitable conclusion.  It all adds up to a deliciously good time in the Amicus style, and whether or not you're a cat fancier, THE UNCANNY is catnip for fans of good old-fashioned 70s horror. 


Pre-order the Blu-ray or DVD from Severin Films

Street date: May 28, 2019

Special Features:
    The Cat’s Victim – Interview with actress Susan Penhaligon
    Trailer

THE UNCANNY -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

JIGSAW Star gets "RABID" in Cronenberg Remake

JIGSAW Star gets RABID in Cronenberg Remake

Film Mode Entertainment Announces
LAURA VANDERVOORT will lead the cast for the
Remake of David Cronenberg’s 1977 Cult Classic, RABID

Directed by the Highly Sought After “Twisted Twins” aka, the Soska Sisters

CANNES (May 11, 2018) -- Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment is thrilled to announce that LAURA VANDERVOORT (JIGSAW, Smallville, Bitten, V) will lead the cast on their newest feature, RABID, a remake of the 1977 David Cronenberg film of the same name.  The remake of the 1977 cult classic will star LAURA VANDERVOORT and be directed by the highly sought after “Twisted Twins” aka, the Soska Sisters (AMERICAN MARY, DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK).

RABID is written by Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska and John Serge, and led by the twin sister horror-movie directors that established a huge following with the 2012 slasher film AMERICAN MARY. With a modern and relevant spin from the woman’s perspective, and the addition of LAURA VANDERVOORT, the new RABID is going to be a uniquely chilling, and captivating film.

Film Mode Entertainment President Clay Epstein says, “This terrifying and brilliant script has already proven its market appeal and now with the casting of LAURA VANDERVOORT, we are another step closer to bringing RABID to audiences worldwide. VANDERVOORT has built a loyal, international fan-base of both men and women, of all ages, and her addition to the film will certainly entice buyers in Cannes.”

RABID has already been sold to 101 FILMS in the UK, Shout! Studios in the US and A71 in Canada. Film Mode Entertainment is representing the rest of the world.

“We are thrilled to be working with LAURA VANDERVOORT on RABID who is the perfect fit for the role of Rose. She is an incredibly versatile actress who is quick to take on characters in all genres, and effectively tackles every role she plays.” Said producer Michael Walker.

Drawing influence from the original movie, the remake will follow Rose,  a young woman who, after an accident leaves her scarred beyond recognition, undergoes a radical untested stem-cell treatment. While turning Rose into the belle of the ball, the experimental transformation comes at a price.

Michael Walker, Paul Lalonde and John Vidette of Back 40 Pictures are producing.

RABID is financed in participation by London based Media Finance Capital, with it’s founders David Gilbery & Charles Dorfman serving as Executive Producers, Telefilm Canada, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

Laura Vandervoort is co-managed by Norbert Abrams, Noble Caplan Abrams and by Adam Levine, Industry Films. Sharon Paz, Abrams Artists, is her Agent.


AboutFilm Mode Entertainment
Film Mode Entertainment is a leading worldwide sales agent, production entity and distribution company, focusing on commercially driven feature films of all genres and budget sizes. Film Mode represents projects at all stages of the filmmaking process, often as Executive Producer, with the aim of helping producers and distributors achieve maximum exposure for their films. Film Mode’s recent successes include SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa, LITTLE PINK HOUSE starring Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener and THE ESCAPE OF PRISONER 614 starring Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman.  Upcoming releases include BURN starring Josh Hutcherson and Suki Waterhouse, and VIKING DESTINY starring Academy Award nominee Terence Stamp. Additional titles include THE GOOD NEIGHBOR starring Academy Award nominee James Caan, and GANGSTER LAND starring Milo Gibson, Sean Faris, Jason Patric, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.  DocMode, Film Mode’s Documentary label was launched to focus on award-winning Documentaries that impact the world.  BALLERINA, the first film under the label had its American debut in 2018.   Film Mode is based in Beverly Hills, CA.

About Media Finance Capital
Established in 2018 by film financier David Gilbery and Charles Dorfman, Media Finance Capital provides production financing worldwide for independent Film and TV productions. Media Finance Capital has recently wrapped on the Fred Durst directed thriller ‘Moose’ starring John Travolta. Based in London, Media Finance Capital is co-owned and exclusively backed by Dorfman Media Holdings.

About Shout! Studios
Shout! Studios is the filmed entertainment production and distribution arm of Shout! Factory, specializing in all aspects of distribution, including theatrical, VOD, digital, and broadcast. Reflecting Shout! Factory’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence, Shout! Studios champions and supports like-minded filmmakers and creators at the forefront of pop culture, driving creative expression and diversity in independent storytelling. Shout! Studios finances, produces, acquires and distributes an eclectic slate of movies, award-winning animated features, specialty films and series from rising and established talent, filmmakers and producers.

JIGSAW Star gets "RABID" in Cronenberg Remake