Last week, we shared the first look at Black as Night, one of four new horror movies arriving on Amazon Prime in October as part of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” series. Today, there’s a very fun trailer showing footage from all of the films, which also include Bingo Hell, Madres, and The Manor. Check out the trailer right here, and then read on for descriptions of each movie.
Gigi Saul Guerrero directed Bingo Hell, which arrives October 1. Here’s the description: “When a sinister figure threatens the residents of a low-income community, a feisty senior citizen tries to stop him in Bingo Hell, a wickedly original horror movie with a fiendishly funny twist.
After 60-something neighbourhood activist Lupita (Adriana Barraza) discovers that her beloved local bingo hall has been taken over by a mysterious businessman named Mr. Big (Richard Brake), she rallies her elderly friends to fight back against the enigmatic entrepreneur. But when her longtime neighbours begin turning up dead under grisly circumstances, Lupita suddenly discovers that gentrification is the least of her problems.
Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of ‘Bingo!’ another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realisation that this game is truly winner-takes-all.”
Maritte Lee Go’s Black as Night also arrives October 1; you can read our interview with the director here. “A resourceful teenage girl leaves childhood behind when she battles a group of deadly vampires in Black as Night, an action-horror hybrid with a strong social conscience and a biting sense of humour. Fifteen years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, a new threat leaves its mark on the Big Easy in the form of puncture wounds on the throats of the city’s vulnerable displaced population.
When her drug-addicted mum becomes the latest victim of the undead, 15-year old Shawna (Asjha Cooper) vows to even the score. Along with three trusted friends, Shawna hatches a bold plan to infiltrate the vampire’s mansion in the historic French Quarter, destroy their leader, and turn his fanged disciples back to their human form. But killing monsters is no easy task, and soon Shawna and her crew find themselves caught in a centuries-old conflict between warring vampire factions, each fighting to claim New Orleans as their permanent home.”
Next up, Madres, directed by Ryan Zaragoza, arrives October 8. “Beto (Tenoch Huerta) and Diana (Ariana Guerra), a young Mexican-American couple expecting their first child, move to a small town in 1970’s California where Beto has been offered a job managing a farm. Isolated from the community and plagued by confusing nightmares, Diana explores the rundown company ranch where they reside, finding a grisly talisman and a box containing the belongings of the previous residents. Her discoveries will lead her to a truth much stranger and more terrifying than she could have possibly imagined.”
Finally, Axelle Carolyn’s The Manor, starring the always excellent Barbara Hershey, arrives October 8. “A malevolent force preys upon the residents of a sleepy nursing home in The Manor, a gothic tale of terror with a modern twist.
When a mild stroke diminishes her ability to care for herself, Judith Albright (Barbara Hershey) moves to Golden Sun Manor, an assisted living facility with a sterling reputation. But despite the best efforts of the staff, and a budding friendship with fellow senior Roland (Bruce Davidson), strange occurrences and nightmarish visions convince Judith that a sinister presence is haunting the massive estate. As residents begin to die mysteriously, Judith’s frantic warnings are dismissed as fantasy.
Even her devoted grandson Josh (Nicholas Alexander) thinks her fears are the result of dementia, not demons. With no one willing to believe her, Judith must either escape the confines of the manor, or fall victim to the evil that dwells within it.”
Last year’s “Welcome to the Blumhouse” was kind of a mixed bag, with just one clear standout (Zu Quirke’s Nocturne). This year’s selection looks even better, spotlighting characters you wouldn’t normally see taking centre stage in any movie, much less a horror film — and speaking of, it looks like all different types of horror are represented here, from comedy to stark terror.