Top-Selling Musician and Critically-Acclaimed Filmmaker Rob Zombie Hosts 12th Annual Programming Event
Eight Days and Nights of Non-Stop Horror Flicks Runs October 24 – 31
NEW YORK, NY, October 20, 2008 – For its 12th annual Halloween movie marathon, AMC is re-branding Monsterfest to AMC Fearfest to reflect the broad selection of films from the thriller and horror genre and to honor the craft and vision of artists who have shaped these classic films. AMC has signed popular musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie to host the eight day marathon of films. Zombie provides unscripted and unique commentary along with interviews with some of horror’s favorite stars during the 172-hour, fright-fest. AMC Fearfest runs from Friday, October 24 through Friday, October 31.
"Since 1996, AMC has captured the Halloween spirit by offering the avid horror movie fan a unique programming destination with its horror themed programming," said Tom Halleen, AMC’s SVP of programming and scheduling. "With this year’s festival, the network has re-branded from Monsterfest to AMC Fearfest to reflect the breadth of movies from contemporary and classic from both the horror and thriller genres."
AMC Fearfest begins October 24 with the network’s 30th anniversary celebration of the original Halloween at 8pm ET/PT followed by Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers at 10pm ET/PT. The sequels to these two classics, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, airs at 12am and at 2am ET/PT, respectively.
This year’s festival spotlights a wide variety of films, from classic horror monster flicks to today’s contemporary thrillers, including two AMC Premiere Events, the debut of Constantine (2005) starring Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz and Shia LaBeouf, on Saturday, October 25 at 8pm ET; and Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007) on Monday, October 27 at 10pm ET. Zombie will lend introductions to and special commentary on the following films, which make their AMC premiere during Fearfest: House on Haunted Hill (1999); Jeepers Creepers (2001), Resident Evil (2002); Willard (2003); and Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993). The eight-day marathon encompasses more than 170 hours of fear-inducing and death-defying movies, culminating on Halloween Day with a special "Evil 8 Countdown" of eight horror favorites from 7:30am – 12am ET/PT.
Other films to air during AMC Fearfest include: Panic Room (2002), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943), The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Christine (1983), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Fly (1958), The Mummy’s Hand (1940), Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965), House of Frankenstein (1944), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Pet Semetary (1989), Pet Semetary Two (1992) and House of Dracula (1945).
Online, AMCTV.com, features four exclusive films: Haunted Palace, Pumpkinhead, The Island of Dr. Moreau and House of Usher. The site also features an exclusive interview with the musician/filmmaker, a Top Ten list of his all-time favorite horror and Zombie movies, and autographed DVD set giveaways. In addition, Zombie serves as the judge of AMCTV.com’s horror movie contest, "Your Greatest Fear," for which fans submit short films about what truly scares them.
An auteur filmmaker and music artist, Rob Zombie challenges audiences as he stretches the boundaries of both film and music. Zombie’s latest accomplishment is Dimension Film’s #1 smash reinvention of John Carpenter’s cult horror film Halloween. Zombie’s Halloween broke box office records and grossed 80 million dollars worldwide. In 2005, Zombie assaulted the film world with the critically-acclaimed The Devil’s Rejects, the follow-up to his already cult classic House of 1000 Corpses (2004). Zombie has also just wrapped his next film project – an animated film entitled The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, to be released in 2009. Zombie’s other works include a trailer for a faux film called Werewolf Women of the S.S. for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse and an upcoming feature film Tyrannosaurus Rex. Selling over 15 million albums worldwide, Zombie is one of Geffen Records top-selling and longest running artists. He is also a prolific music video director in his own right having directed over 25 high-profile music videos. In 1995, Zombie won an MTV Music Video Award for "More Human Than Human," becoming the first self-directed artist to win such an award.
About AMC
AMC is a multi-platform network that celebrates classic movies and high-quality scripted series. Among the elite services available in nearly 94 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC defines what it means to be a classic movie network today, creating a distinctive viewing experience that celebrates all that is enduringly cool, personal and powerfully relevant about movies. AMC’s comprehensive library of popular movies strike a meaningful chord with its audience, and its critically-acclaimed slate of originals all have a cinematic quality that allow them to complement and be complemented by some of the best movies of all time. AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, WE tv and Sundance Channel. AMC is THE FUTURE OF CLASSIC.
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world’s most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, Sundance Channel and VOOM HD Networks. Through IFC Entertainment, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a leading distribution company for independent film; IFC Productions, a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects; and IFC Center, a three screen, state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales company; Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company; and 11 Penn TV, a company that manages Rainbow Media’s NYC studios and post-production facilities.