By now, the outcome of 1986’s April Fool’s Day is well known: an heiress’ guests are misled to believe their party is being picked off by a killer among them. However, had the producers not requested a last-minute change, the film would have turned the tables on the elaborate prank’s orchestrator; she would have died for real. Fans had hoped to see footage from this shot-but-unused ending on Shout! Factory’s Blu-ray. No such luck, unfortunately. And it was likely not for a lack of trying on the distributor’s part, either. Although the final cut of Fred Walton’s film features no actual deaths, Jeff Rovin’s novelization was based on an earlier draft of Danilo Bach’s script. Which means this now out-of-print adaptation used that sought-after “lost” ending.
Before taking a deadly turn, the novelization is not all that different from its cinematic counterpart: Muffy St. John...
Before taking a deadly turn, the novelization is not all that different from its cinematic counterpart: Muffy St. John...
- 4/1/2024
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
The Toxic Avenger Collection 4K Uhd Box Set from Troma
Troma will release The Toxic Avenger Collection on August 29. The box set collects the unrated director’s cuts of all four films in the cult classic franchise on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, newly restored in 4K from the original film negatives with Hdr and English DTS 2.0 Stereo audio.
Created by Lloyd Kaufman, the superhero horror-comedy series consists of 1984’s The Toxic Avenger, 1989’s The Toxic Avenger Part II, 1989’s The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie, and 2000’s Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
Kaufman recorded new introductions for all four films. Existing special features – audio commentaries for each film, cast interviews,...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
The Toxic Avenger Collection 4K Uhd Box Set from Troma
Troma will release The Toxic Avenger Collection on August 29. The box set collects the unrated director’s cuts of all four films in the cult classic franchise on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, newly restored in 4K from the original film negatives with Hdr and English DTS 2.0 Stereo audio.
Created by Lloyd Kaufman, the superhero horror-comedy series consists of 1984’s The Toxic Avenger, 1989’s The Toxic Avenger Part II, 1989’s The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie, and 2000’s Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
Kaufman recorded new introductions for all four films. Existing special features – audio commentaries for each film, cast interviews,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
A new episode of our Best Horror Party Movies video series has just been released, and with this one we’re looking back at the 1986 classic April Fool’s Day (watch it Here). We may be a few days beyond the day the movie is named after, but any time is a good time to watch April Fool’s Day. And to find out how we party to this movie, check out the video embedded above!
Directed by Fred Walton from a screenplay by Danilo Bach, April Fool’s Day has the following synopsis: When a group of college students decides to spend spring break at the secluded island estate of their wealthy classmate, Muffy St. John, what starts out as a fun, hedonistic weekend turns into something more sinister. Muffy is very fond of practical jokes, and sets up numerous gags throughout her mansion. But, when friends begin going missing and turn up dead,...
Directed by Fred Walton from a screenplay by Danilo Bach, April Fool’s Day has the following synopsis: When a group of college students decides to spend spring break at the secluded island estate of their wealthy classmate, Muffy St. John, what starts out as a fun, hedonistic weekend turns into something more sinister. Muffy is very fond of practical jokes, and sets up numerous gags throughout her mansion. But, when friends begin going missing and turn up dead,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Ken Olandt is another one of those classically handsome types that you tend to see in movies and on TV and wonder where they’ve gone to when their fame dwindles after a while. Some of those actors will tend to age well and retain their looks as they become even more dignified and handsome as the years go on, with a bit of grey and some wrinkles to go with the experience and wisdom of course. But despite being listed as active, Ken hasn’t really been seen in much more than an Entertainment Tonight episode a few years ago, and
Whatever Happened to Ken Olandt?...
Whatever Happened to Ken Olandt?...
- 1/17/2021
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
A film I’ve talked about ad nauseam for like decades now, Fred Walton’s April Fool’s Day has been a favorite of mine ever since I discovered it on VHS during the summer of 1987.
[Spoiler warning if you haven't seen April Fool's Day.] To me, it’s always been the perfect anti-slasher, where no one in the film really dies (unless you count the film’s missing ending), and instead leans into the whodunit aspects that are driving the mystery of just who exactly is terrorizing Muffy St. John (played by Deborah Foreman) and her friends during what’s supposed to be their idyllic lakeside weekend away from the stresses of college life.
What it may lack in an official body count, April Fool’s Day more than makes up for with its whip-smart script, charismatic performances, and a whopper of an ending that I certainly wasn’t expecting at all the first time I saw it.
[Spoiler warning if you haven't seen April Fool's Day.] To me, it’s always been the perfect anti-slasher, where no one in the film really dies (unless you count the film’s missing ending), and instead leans into the whodunit aspects that are driving the mystery of just who exactly is terrorizing Muffy St. John (played by Deborah Foreman) and her friends during what’s supposed to be their idyllic lakeside weekend away from the stresses of college life.
What it may lack in an official body count, April Fool’s Day more than makes up for with its whip-smart script, charismatic performances, and a whopper of an ending that I certainly wasn’t expecting at all the first time I saw it.
- 3/23/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
A film that has been a longtime favorite of mine ever since I discovered it on VHS as a kid decades (and decades) ago, April Fool’s Day recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, I was fortunate enough to round up several cast members, as well as director Fred Walton, to chat about the horror comedy that dared to turn the slasher subgenre on its head back in 1986.
April Fool’s Day brought together a talented crew of young actors, including Deborah Foreman, Amy Steel, Tom Wilson, Deborah Goodrich, Ken Olandt, Clayton Rohner, Leah Pinsent, Jay Baker, and Griffin O’Neal, who all gathered on Victoria Island in British Columbia to create a mystery-fueled horror comedy that’s hugely underrated and was certainly ahead of its time.
For many of the cast, the twists and turns of April Fool’s Day were part of the film’s...
April Fool’s Day brought together a talented crew of young actors, including Deborah Foreman, Amy Steel, Tom Wilson, Deborah Goodrich, Ken Olandt, Clayton Rohner, Leah Pinsent, Jay Baker, and Griffin O’Neal, who all gathered on Victoria Island in British Columbia to create a mystery-fueled horror comedy that’s hugely underrated and was certainly ahead of its time.
For many of the cast, the twists and turns of April Fool’s Day were part of the film’s...
- 3/31/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Creating a slasher movie in 1986 wasn’t a monumental feat, as the horror genre had seen its fair share of cinematic killers over the years, but it was a culmination of many elements that made April Fool’s Day one of the best of its era. With a focused and experienced director at the helm, a clever script filled with laughs and unexpected thrills, and an affable ensemble of actors who were infectiously likeable and endlessly talented, April Fool’s Day is an underappreciated gem and is truly unlike any other genre film of its, or any, time.
Written by Danilo Bach and directed by Fred Walton, April Fool’s Day follows a group of college students—Kit (Amy Steel), Rob (Ken Olandt), Nikki (Deborah Goodrich), Chaz (Clayton Rohner), Arch (Tom Wilson), Harvey (Jay Baker), Skip (Griffin O’Neal), and Nan (Leah Pinsent)—who head out to their pal Muffy...
Written by Danilo Bach and directed by Fred Walton, April Fool’s Day follows a group of college students—Kit (Amy Steel), Rob (Ken Olandt), Nikki (Deborah Goodrich), Chaz (Clayton Rohner), Arch (Tom Wilson), Harvey (Jay Baker), Skip (Griffin O’Neal), and Nan (Leah Pinsent)—who head out to their pal Muffy...
- 3/30/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
The final season of SyFy’s Haven is coming to Blu-ray on April 19th. Also in this round-up: early access details for Free Range Games’ Labyrinth, a clip from You’re Killing Me, a new Model Hunger trailer, and details on Nitehawk Cinema’s St. Patrick’s Day screening of Leprechaun.
Haven: The Final Season: Press Release: “This April, The Town Of Haven Hurtles Towards A Cataclysmic Showdown In The Startling Final Episodes Of Syfy’S Popular Series
Haven: The Final Season
Street Date: April 19, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD Srp: $49.98/$39.98
The Loaded 4-Disc Set Features the Final 13 Broadcast Episodes, and Hours of Bonus Features Including a Mythology Refresher, 13″Inside Haven” Featurettes, Livestream Segments with the Cast & Crew,13 Commentary Tracks, Interviews with Eric Balfour, Lucas Bryant, William Shatner, Adam Copeland and More!
Program Description
For five eye-opening seasons, fans tuned into the hit Syfy series “Haven”, based on Stephen King’s...
Haven: The Final Season: Press Release: “This April, The Town Of Haven Hurtles Towards A Cataclysmic Showdown In The Startling Final Episodes Of Syfy’S Popular Series
Haven: The Final Season
Street Date: April 19, 2016
Blu-ray/DVD Srp: $49.98/$39.98
The Loaded 4-Disc Set Features the Final 13 Broadcast Episodes, and Hours of Bonus Features Including a Mythology Refresher, 13″Inside Haven” Featurettes, Livestream Segments with the Cast & Crew,13 Commentary Tracks, Interviews with Eric Balfour, Lucas Bryant, William Shatner, Adam Copeland and More!
Program Description
For five eye-opening seasons, fans tuned into the hit Syfy series “Haven”, based on Stephen King’s...
- 3/9/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Hey Everyone! Thanks for coming back for Part Two of my 14 Favorite Horror Couples countdown. With Valentine’s Day just a day away now, I thought I’d celebrate the occasion the best way I know how- by paying homage to some of my very favorite lovers I’ve enjoyed in the horror genre throughout the years.
Now, let’s dim the lights, queue up the Barry White, relax and get ready to get romantic with the final seven of my Favorite Horror Couples ever! And if you happened to miss part one earlier this week, you can catch up here first.
Once again, in no particular order…
Buffy & Angel- Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel
Forget Dawson and Joey- my favorite star-crossed lovers on The WB in the late 90’s were Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz). I think I may have gone through about four boxes...
Now, let’s dim the lights, queue up the Barry White, relax and get ready to get romantic with the final seven of my Favorite Horror Couples ever! And if you happened to miss part one earlier this week, you can catch up here first.
Once again, in no particular order…
Buffy & Angel- Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel
Forget Dawson and Joey- my favorite star-crossed lovers on The WB in the late 90’s were Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz). I think I may have gone through about four boxes...
- 2/14/2014
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Jennifer Aniston starred in the original Leprechaun, and now a remake has is spawning for Harris Wilkinson as scribe, reports Deadline. Lionsgate and WWE Films are going ahead with the reboot of the 1993 horror flick with WWE wrestler Hornswaggie set to play the creature. In the Mark Jones-directed-and-written original film, Warwick Davis, known for Willow starring Val Kilmer, and for playing Griphook / Professor Filius Flitwick in Harry Potter, starred as the title character, with other cast including Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, Robert Hy Gorman and Shay Duffin. The story told of a sadistic Leprechaun who goes on a killing spree while hunting for his pot of gold.
- 5/31/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Jennifer Aniston starred in the original Leprechaun, and now a remake has is spawning for Harris Wilkinson as scribe, reports Deadline. Lionsgate and WWE Films are going ahead with the reboot of the 1993 horror flick with WWE wrestler Hornswaggie set to play the creature. In the Mark Jones-directed-and-written original film, Warwick Davis, known for Willow starring Val Kilmer, and for playing Griphook / Professor Filius Flitwick in Harry Potter, starred as the title character, with other cast including Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, Robert Hy Gorman and Shay Duffin. The story told of a sadistic Leprechaun who goes on a killing spree while hunting for his pot of gold.
- 5/31/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
NEW YORK -- At the end of this rainbow lies a pot of fool's gold.
''Leprechaun'' is neither scary enough to appeal to the horror crowd nor funny enough to be labeled a comedy. It is, however, laughable. No need for Freddy or Chucky to start worrying. Their respective horror thrones are quite safe for now.
Considering the childishness of the story line, it seems surprising that Trimark would opt for an R rating. Young kids are The Only Ones who might not be offended by the lameness of this film, yet the R rating will keep them out. And it's not too likely that mom and dad will be anxious to take them anyway.
A horror movie about a scary leprechaun is not a bad idea, but as executed here it never comes to glorious life. A ton of Irish luck will be needed for this film to scare up any business, though it might do a wee bit better on video.
After a trip to Ireland, Dan O'Grady (Shay Duffin) returns to his wife in North Dakota, loaded with booze and gold. It seems while Over There he caught a leprechaun and forced the little creature to give him his gold. Those are the rules, after all.
This particular leprechaun (Warwick Davis), however, is overly attached to his gold and stows away in O'Grady's suitcase.
When the wife discovers him, it seems the magical elf is not so tiny nor friendly. After a skirmish, the wife is killed, the husband has a stroke and the leprechaun is imprisoned in a crate.
Cut to 10 years later, and we find J.D. (John Sanderford) and his displaced L.A. daughter Tory (Jennifer Aniston) moving into the same house where the leprechaun has been resting. Can you guess the rest?
Predictably, the 600-year-old lep gets loose and wreaks havoc on dad, Tory and three other potential victims. Though it's an established -- and, for the most part, accepted -- fact that people have to act somewhat stupid in horror films, there are limits.
Let's start with dad shoving his arm all the way up into a tree trying to help what he thinks is a cat. We know it's Lep, but even if it WAS a cat, it would be a pretty dumb move.
Then there's hunk hero Nathan (Ken Olandt), who shoots the lep six times with a shotgun. Naturally, it doesn't kill him, but later when he shoots the little pain again, just once, this time he figures he killed him. Talk about short-term memory.
Mark Holton, who played Pee-wee's rich friend in ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure, '' here supplies the only intentional humor. He plays slightly mentally impaired Ozzie, who has trouble convincing everyone that there is an evil leprechaun about.
His 11-year-old friend Alex (Robert Gorman) promises to use Lep's gold to pay for an operation to make Ozzie smart. Yet Ozzie's about the only one involved with this production who DOESN'T need this operation.
There are several mildly frightening moments, a lot of cobwebs, plus a genuine laugh or two, but mostly there is a lot of running away from the leprechaun, which becomes boring. And worst of all, there aren't even any marshmallow treats.
LEPRECHAUN
Trimark Pictures
Director, writer Mark Jones
Director of photography Levie Isaacks
Editor Christopher Roth
Music composer and conductor Kevin Kiner
Producer Jeffrey B. Mallian
Color
Cast:
Leprechaun Warwick Davis
Tory Jennifer Aniston
Nathan Ken Olandt
Ozzie Mark Holton
Alex Robert Gorman
J.D. John Sanderford
Running time -- 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
''Leprechaun'' is neither scary enough to appeal to the horror crowd nor funny enough to be labeled a comedy. It is, however, laughable. No need for Freddy or Chucky to start worrying. Their respective horror thrones are quite safe for now.
Considering the childishness of the story line, it seems surprising that Trimark would opt for an R rating. Young kids are The Only Ones who might not be offended by the lameness of this film, yet the R rating will keep them out. And it's not too likely that mom and dad will be anxious to take them anyway.
A horror movie about a scary leprechaun is not a bad idea, but as executed here it never comes to glorious life. A ton of Irish luck will be needed for this film to scare up any business, though it might do a wee bit better on video.
After a trip to Ireland, Dan O'Grady (Shay Duffin) returns to his wife in North Dakota, loaded with booze and gold. It seems while Over There he caught a leprechaun and forced the little creature to give him his gold. Those are the rules, after all.
This particular leprechaun (Warwick Davis), however, is overly attached to his gold and stows away in O'Grady's suitcase.
When the wife discovers him, it seems the magical elf is not so tiny nor friendly. After a skirmish, the wife is killed, the husband has a stroke and the leprechaun is imprisoned in a crate.
Cut to 10 years later, and we find J.D. (John Sanderford) and his displaced L.A. daughter Tory (Jennifer Aniston) moving into the same house where the leprechaun has been resting. Can you guess the rest?
Predictably, the 600-year-old lep gets loose and wreaks havoc on dad, Tory and three other potential victims. Though it's an established -- and, for the most part, accepted -- fact that people have to act somewhat stupid in horror films, there are limits.
Let's start with dad shoving his arm all the way up into a tree trying to help what he thinks is a cat. We know it's Lep, but even if it WAS a cat, it would be a pretty dumb move.
Then there's hunk hero Nathan (Ken Olandt), who shoots the lep six times with a shotgun. Naturally, it doesn't kill him, but later when he shoots the little pain again, just once, this time he figures he killed him. Talk about short-term memory.
Mark Holton, who played Pee-wee's rich friend in ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure, '' here supplies the only intentional humor. He plays slightly mentally impaired Ozzie, who has trouble convincing everyone that there is an evil leprechaun about.
His 11-year-old friend Alex (Robert Gorman) promises to use Lep's gold to pay for an operation to make Ozzie smart. Yet Ozzie's about the only one involved with this production who DOESN'T need this operation.
There are several mildly frightening moments, a lot of cobwebs, plus a genuine laugh or two, but mostly there is a lot of running away from the leprechaun, which becomes boring. And worst of all, there aren't even any marshmallow treats.
LEPRECHAUN
Trimark Pictures
Director, writer Mark Jones
Director of photography Levie Isaacks
Editor Christopher Roth
Music composer and conductor Kevin Kiner
Producer Jeffrey B. Mallian
Color
Cast:
Leprechaun Warwick Davis
Tory Jennifer Aniston
Nathan Ken Olandt
Ozzie Mark Holton
Alex Robert Gorman
J.D. John Sanderford
Running time -- 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 1/11/1993
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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