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Featured, Hell Motel, Slasher

Hollywood Suite invites you to check in to Hell Motel, from Slasher creators Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter

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From a media release:

Hollywood Suite invites you to stay awhile this June with the exclusive broadcast premiere of Hell Motel, the highly anticipated new eight-episode limited horror series from Slasher creators Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter. Featuring Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack (Will & Grace, Departure), Paula Brancati (Slasher), Shaun Benson (The Boys), Atticus Mitchell (The Hardy Boys), Emmanuel Kabongo (Murdoch Mysteries), Jim Watson (Slasher) and Genevieve DeGraves (Slasher), the first episode of the Shudder original series, Hell Motel, will premiere in Canada on June 13 at 9pm ET. Additional episodes will then premiere weekly on Tuesdays beginning June 17, and will be available on Hollywood Suite On Demand.

Watch the trailer!

Horror fans are also invited to attend a FREE advance screening of the first episode of Hell Motel on June 13 at Revue Cinema in Toronto, featuring scary surprises and a special Q&A with select cast and crew. Tickets are first come, first served, so follow @hollywoodsuite and @revuecinema for updates in the coming days.

The new series follows a group of 10 true crime obsessives, who are invited to the opening weekend of the newly renovated Cold River Motel. The site of a 30-year-old unsolved satanic mass murder, history soon repeats itself at the motel when the guests are stranded and start getting knocked off one by one, in increasingly gruesome ways.

“We are thrilled to be the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of Hell Motel,” said Suzanne Marshall, Hollywood Suite Senior Manager, Programming. “With a chilling new setting and story, Aaron and Ian have delivered all of the terrifying scares and gore that genre fans have come to expect. We can’t wait for viewers to discover it this June!”

“Our ongoing partnership with Hollywood Suite means that we get to keep bringing Canadian-made horror to fans who love something fresh and fearless,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury. “Hell Motel is another great example of what we can do together – creating bold, genre-pushing horror that builds on our past successes and takes things in exciting new directions.”

Eric McCormack leads the cast in the role of Hemmingway, a chef with a wickedly sinister flair. He’s joined by fellow motel guests Paige (Paula Brancati), a former actress and scream queen looking to revive her career; Crow (Shaun Benson), a new-age medium with an apparent connection to the massacre’s victims; Blake (Atticus Mitchell), a true crime writer; Kawayan (Emmanuel Kabongo), a talented artist with a dark focus on murder; Andy (Jim Watson), an academic at the forefront of contemporary true crime studies; and Adriana (Genevieve DeGraves), a flight attendant with several notorious serial killer notches on her bedpost.

Canadian drag superstar and winner of Canada’s Drag Race Season 2, Icesis Couture, makes a guest appearance as Magenta, a stylish real estate agent who sells the Coldwater Motel to new owners Ruby (Brynn Godenir) and Portia (Michelle Nolden).

Hell Motel is a Shudder Original Series, developed and produced by Shaftesbury, in association with Hollywood Suite, with the financial participation of the Bell Fund. The series is created and executive produced by Aaron Martin and showrunner Ian Carpenter. Additional executive producers include Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie and director Adam MacDonald. AMC Networks holds distribution rights.

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Featured

Preview: Hollywood Suite’s Creepy Bits return with perfect bite-sized horror

I’m a massive fan of Stephen King and his body of work. The first novel I read of his (at around the age of 12) was Cujo, and I quickly backtracked to read Carrie, The Shining and Salem’s Lot. But it was the short story collection, Night Shift, that truly enthralled me. Jam-packed with horrors about huge, hungry rats, a monstrous therapist and a demon-possessed industrial laundry folder, I was amazed at how King could create whole worlds and tell compelling stories on a handful of paper.

Creepy Bits reminds me of that. Returning Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern—and available to stream now via Hollywood Suite’s on demand option—Creepy Bits are tales of terror told in 15 minutes or less.

Created by David J. Fernandes, each of the 10 episodes delves deep into the unknown, drawing inspiration from contemporary issues and venturing into uncharted territories of fear. A diverse range of filmmakers directs each, and the stories are equally unsettling.

Every one of the stories is noteworthy, but my favourites include the first instalment, “The Massacurra Man,” written and directed by Adrian Bobb; and “Bonded,” written and directed by Ashlea Wessel. While the former is straight-up creepy and cool, the latter builds with music and atmosphere until the final, horrific moments. Honourable mentions go to “Hors d’Oeuvre,” written and directed by Fernandes; and “Route 17,” written and directed by Kelly Paoli.

Check them out if you like being scared at things that go bump in the night.

Creepy Bits airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on Hollywood Suite and on demand.

Image courtesy of Hollywood Suite.

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Slasher

Hollywood Suite slices into spring with the Canadian premiere of Slasher: Ripper

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From a media release:

Hollywood Suite is ready to slice and dice into spring with the exclusive Canadian premiere of the fifth season of horror anthology series Slasher, with back-to-back episodes on April 6. The highly anticipated new season of Slasher: Ripper starring Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), will roll out new episodes airing Thursdays at 9pm ET on Hollywood Suite. Episodes will be available exclusively on Hollywood Suite On Demand following their premiere.

“Basil Garvey is the most evil character I’ve ever played… and I loved him! Can’t wait for Canada to see Slasher: Ripper in April!” said Eric McCormack.

“We are thrilled to be the exclusive Canadian home of the Slasher franchise,” said Sharon Stevens, Vice President, Programming at Hollywood Suite. “Horror fans won’t be disappointed, with Slasher: Ripper delivering all the terrifying scares and gore they’ve come to expect from the anthology, along with a chilling new setting.”

“It’s fantastic that the Slasher franchise has found such a strong fanbase here in Canada,” added Christina Jennings, Chairman & President, Shaftesbury. “We were delighted to be working with the brilliant Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter again this season, along with the newest member of the Slasher family, the talented Eric McCormack.”

The new season takes the Slasher franchise back in time to the late 19th century with Eric McCormack as Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood. There’s a killer on the loose, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful. The only person standing in the way of this killer is the newly promoted detective, Kenneth Rijkers, whose ironclad belief in justice may wind up being yet another victim of The Widow.

Produced by Shaftesbury, the new season of Slasher is executive produced by Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Thomas P. Vitale, Aaron Martin, Ian Carpenter and Adam Macdonald.

Canadian Slasher fans can currently stream Slasher: Flesh & Blood, which was released last fall and stars horror icon David Cronenberg, exclusively on Hollywood Suite On Demand.

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Featured, Slasher

Slasher: Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter preview Flesh & Blood

There are several new faces added to the cast of the new season of Slasher. Dubbed Flesh & Blood for Season 4, the blood-soaked horror anthology series created by Aaron Martin boasts perhaps the biggest name in the genre: David Cronenberg.

The actor and director jumped at the chance to play Spencer Galloway, a manipulative businessman who gathers his family together to compete in a deadly game, with the winner to be declared sole inheritor of his fortune.

Alongside familiar Slasher faces playing different characters fighting for Spencer’s fortune are Paula Brancati, Jefferson Brown, Patrice Goodman, Sabrina Grdevich and Christopher Jacot are new faces in Rachael Crawford, Jeananne Goosen and Alex Ozerov. We spoke to creator Aaron Martin and showrunner Ian Carpenter about how the new season—kicking off Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Hollywood Suite—came about.

Ian, how did the writing room work for Slasher: Flesh & Blood?
Ian Carpenter: Aaron and I were in the writing room, and we did all of that on my porch. When we started the show, we were in the heart of [the pandemic]. One of the very first [times writing] was when I took one of the last flights around when I visited him in Vancouver to kind of gestate all of this. We did it all in person, and I don’t know of a writer that doesn’t think that’s essential. There is something about a Zoom meeting that puts pregnancy on every single second and all of this pressure for it to be loaded. Aaron and I are very productive, and I bet 50 percent of [writing] it is us being idiots and cracking jokes. I just feel so strange via Zoom.

Aaron, did you have multiple seasons in mind when Season 1 of Slasher was conceived or was it more organic?
AM: It’s been more organic. There have been ideas for locations or settings or backgrounds for seasons. Every season is a new thing and, usually, it starts with a theme or an issue. [Flesh & Blood] came about because Shaftesbury and, I think Shudder had already come on board, said we could develop it. I had just spent the Christmas holidays with my family. I love them, but by the time I was done, I wanted to kill a few of them. I think that’s when I said to Ian, ‘What if we did a family reunion where they actually get to kill each other?’ That’s how we approach every season. Season 3, Solstice, [was inspired by Justine Sacco] who tweeted something she thought was funny and was horribly offensive, and by the time she landed 12 hours later, it had blown up and ruined her life.

Because the show isn’t killings every five minutes, we need the stuff to build around, the thematic stuff and dramatic stuff is how we do that.

One of the things I love about Slasher is the dialogue is so believable. Aaron, is it difficult to write dialogue?
AM: I don’t think so. I think, in my scripts if you go back to Degrassi and definitely Being Erica, I never try to do dialogue that is cool and flippant. I write how I think people talk. And then, when I’ve finished a script I’ll go back and read it and if I’m stumbling over words or it doesn’t seem real, I’ll change it.

Ian, Adam MacDonald returned to direct Slasher: Flesh & Blood. You have known each other for years. Do you two have a shorthand, where there’s not a lot of discussions? Do you each know what the other is thinking?
IC: I’m really fortunate that Adam and I were close friends before Slasher started. Incredibly, we were both hired within weeks of each other on Solstice. This season, we felt absolute confidence in each other, what we were going to do, what we were strong at, what we needed to talk about. It is shorthand with him, just as it is shorthand with Aaron. It lets you focus on what matters, which is also important when it comes to hiring key creatives on a crew. We’re so lucky to have so many of ours come back.

Aaron, having so many cast and crew return to the Slasher family season to season must be very fulfilling.
AM: The great thing about working in Canada is that it’s a small community, and that’s great because it’s of that. I love actors and I love bringing back actors, for this show especially, because it’s a great opportunity for them to show different facets of themselves. It is a great feeling to have them respond that way, and you want them to.

Ian, what was it like to have David Cronenberg as part of the cast this season?
IC: He was amazing. He was so complimentary, so excited about the material and really saw the depth in it. He is so crucial to the story, so it was exciting to hear how he was connecting to that. And then, as much as we are this scrappy little show, David Cronenberg has said, ‘Yes, I want to be on this show.’

Slasher: Flesh & Blood airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Hollywood Suite.

Images courtesy of Cole Burston.

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Industry News

Hollywood Suite and WIFT Toronto launch Indigenous writer program

From a media release:

Today, Hollywood Suite is pleased to announce a partnership with Women in Film & Television Toronto (WIFT Toronto) to launch the WIFT Indigenous Writers Program. This career accelerator program is designed specifically for Indigenous writers at the mid-stage of their careers to provide them with networking, industry insight training and mentorship opportunities.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with WIFT Toronto on this important initiative to support and amplify Indigenous creators as they take the next steps in their careers,” said Julie Kumaria, SVP, Marketing & Content Distribution at Hollywood Suite. “We are proud to support Indigenous storytellers and help them bring their unique perspectives to the screen.”

“Over the past number of months, we have been listening and learning in dialogue with our Indigenous colleagues and collaborators to identify ways to be a further ally to champion Indigenous voices”, said Karen Bruce, Executive Director, WIFT Toronto. “We are grateful to Hollywood Suite for their support in the creation of this crucial program and are thrilled that this new initiative will support our ongoing commitment to identifying and supporting Indigenous artists in Canada.”

The free, intensive four-day program will include two full-time mentors, industry guest speakers, case studies, writing and pitching workshops, and peer-to-peer mentorship. By engaging key partners including industry leaders, experienced creators, writers, broadcasters, funders and more, the program aims to bring the best education and career opportunities to Indigenous creators whose stories need to be heard.

The application portal will open on August 9, 2021, and all WIFT Toronto members who are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit are encouraged to apply. Applicants who are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit who do not currently have a WIFT Toronto membership may still apply. Anyone chosen for the program that is not a member will be granted a one-year complimentary membership thanks to donations made to the Foundation for WIFT Toronto.

Detailed information on the program including the application process and deadlines will be available shortly.

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