Death House is a 2017 American horror film written by Gunnar Hansen , who has a cameo in the film, and directed by Harrison Smith. The film features an ensemble cast of horror icons including Kane Hodder , Barbara Crampton , Bill Moseley , Dee Wallace , Tony Todd and Camille Keaton . Originally written by Hansen, the film started as a concept intended to bring as many well known horror actors together as possible. This is Hansen's final film performance, as it was released two years after his death. The film is also the final film performance of Cody Longo before his death in 2023.
25-534: FBI agent Toria Boon arrives at Death House, a federal prison and research center where prisoners are confined to virtual environments whose crime simulations allow their behavior to be studied. Upon arrival, Boon is taunted by neo-Nazi criminal Alois Sieg, who she went undercover to capture, but killed a mother and her son to keep her cover. Captain Victor Galan greets Boon before introducing her to Dr. Eileen Fletcher and fellow agent Jae Novak. Galan escorts Boon to
50-539: A broad focus, and it covers both mainstream and fringe topics that range from horror films to comics to toys. Besides reviews and news, they also host several podcasts. Steve Persall of the Tampa Bay Times states, "if it gushes blood or desecrates flesh, Dread Central covers it." The site is oriented toward a male demographic and favors edgy, exploitative films. After 10 years, Dread Central became reader-supported via Patreon . This would make Dread Central
75-505: A holographic cell where she confronts and executes the serial killer who murdered her mother, after watching a live re-enactment of her mother's death. Fletcher introduces Novak and Boon to her colleague, Dr. Karen Redmane, who explains that Death House uses drugs, machines, and simulations to keep inmates such as "Leatherlace" and "the Icicle Killer" docile. Boon and Novak then take a virtual tour of Death House, where they learn that
100-658: A horror-themed auction to raise money for the Entertainment Industry Foundation . In 2013, they partnered with Gas Lamp Museum and the San Diego Ghost Hunters to organize a ghost hunt at the William Heath Davis House . The proceeds went toward upkeep for the historic site. Also in 2013, they began offering the "Box of Dread", a random package full of merchandise delivered monthly to subscribers, one of whom
125-414: A video gaming website with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP turned to video game publishing with the release of Dread X Collection , an anthology of horror video games created by several indie developers. In early 2024, it was announced that Hunter Bond and Brian Clarke would be taking charge at DreadXP. Dread Central was chosen as AMC 's Site of
150-555: Is an American website founded in 2006 that is dedicated to horror news, interviews, and reviews. It covers horror films , comics, novels, and toys. Dread Central has won the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Website four times and was selected as AMC 's Site of the Week in 2008. Dread Central was founded on July 4, 2006. When a venture to create a horror-themed cable television channel stalled,
175-548: Is randomly chosen to receive a "special edition" valued at $ 250. CineMayhem, a film festival for independent genre films , was founded by Heather Wixson in association with Dread Central's Indie Horror Month. The festival, whose inaugural date was March 2–3, 2013, is presented in Thousand Oaks, California . The festival is backed by Scream Factory , Sideshow Collectibles , Magnet Releasing , and Breaking Glass Pictures. Dread Central and Home Media Magazine present
200-582: The Reaper Awards annually for the best home video releases and direct-to-video features. It is held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and is hosted by Steve Barton, co-founder of Dread Central. In 2017, Dread Central Media was acquired by Epic Pictures Group . The independent studio announced it would be launching a new distribution label specializing in horror films released in theaters and on demand. On January 29, 2019,
225-507: The balance of good and evil in the world. Sieg interrupts their meeting and reveals that he has followed the Five Evils to become immortal like them, but Giger replies that Sieg is only a pawn in the Five Evils' escape plan. Gas releases throughout Death House, causing inmates to collapse and Sieg to disintegrate. Boon and Novak escape as the facility comes back online. Outside, the two decide to go find out their true identities. The film
250-414: The dying guard's stomach. A doctor discovers the electronic device while performing surgery on the injured guard. Removing the device triggers a power failure throughout the facility, trapping Boon and Novak in an elevator with Dr. Fletcher. Sieg and other Death House inmates break loose and begin slaughtering guards. Despite being shot and gutted, Sieg survives and rallies the inmates together to go down to
275-509: The facility consists of nine levels. The lowest level houses the facility's most dangerous prisoners, the Five Evils, who are supposedly immortal. While showering together, Boon and Novak realize they don't remember details of their lives outside of their work. They later learn that homeless people are used as sacrifices in Death House's murder studies. Outside, a mysterious boy attacks a perimeter guard and plants an electronic device inside
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#1732783034870300-497: The facility's lowest level. When confronted, prisoner Hirace Giger explains that there are multiple Death Houses being used to breed a new race that is neither good nor evil with technology as their new god. Boon and Novak realize that their memories are false, and they were former prisoners and subjects of Death House's experiments. Giger tells the agents that the Evils need to be released so the agents can pursue them in order to maintain
325-427: The film's look and story, saying that "the horror content consists largely of poorly shot action that is sometimes so underlit that you can’t tell what’s going on" and " Death House ’s only value is as a game of Spot-the-Celebrity - which at least provides a distraction from the tackiness of the plotting and filmmaking." In contrast, Michelle Swope of Dread Central rated the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, admitting "Not all of
350-414: The first genre news site to switch from being ad-supported to being crowd supported. Celebrity supporters include John Carpenter , Gale Anne Hurd , Sid Haig , Adam Green , and Darren Lynn Bousman . In 2007, Dread Central and VersusMedia announced Horror D'Oeuvres , a competition for independent short films . In 2008, the site partnered with several other prominent horror sites and studios in
375-521: The horror spoof Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers . He acted in 20 films thereafter, including Texas Chainsaw 3D as one of the Sawyers. He state that he considered his later acting as a side project and continued to write books. He also wrote film scripts and wrote and directed documentary films. His final film project was a cameo in Death House , which he co-wrote with Harrison Smith. Hansen
400-466: The label was renamed DREAD . Their first in-house produced film, The Golem , will be the first film under the DREAD Originals banner. The DREAD Podcast Network consists of a variety of diverse, free audio series celebrating all things horror. Podcasts on the network include: DreadXP was founded in 2019 by Dread Central founder Jon Condit and overseen by editor in chief Ted Hentschke as
425-448: The ninth level and gain freedom through the Five Evils; the inmates kill Dr. Redmane on their way. Boon, Novak, and Dr. Fletcher escape the elevator and fight their way through rioting prisoners, hiding from Sieg by clinging to bodies hanging in a staging room of homeless victims, but Fletcher loses her grip and falls to her death. Reasoning that the Five Evils offer the best chance of escape, Boon and Novak descend down an elevator shaft to
450-480: The performances are standout, but the bloody pandemonium and creative writing make this a damn good movie worthy of becoming a cult favorite." Gunnar Hansen Gunnar Milton Hansen (March 4, 1947 – November 7, 2015) was an Icelandic-born American actor and author best known for playing the mentally impaired cannibal Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Hansen
475-470: The web team left and established their own news site. In 2012, a negative review posted by Scott Foy attracted controversy when Foy and the film's director, Jim Wynorski , engaged in a verbal altercation online. On September 30, 2019, Jonathan Barkan announced he was stepping down as editor-in-chief. As of December 2021, Mary Beth McAndrews is now Editor-in-Chief and Josh Korngut is managing editor. The site's staff use horror-themed aliases. The website has
500-687: Was also an author; his nonfiction travel memoir, Islands at the Edge of Time; A Journey to America's Barrier Islands , was published in 1993. In 2013 he wrote the nonfiction book Chain Saw Confidential about the making of and reception for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre . Hansen died at his home in Northeast Harbor, Maine , of pancreatic cancer on November 7, 2015, at the age of 68. Dread Central Dread Central
525-545: Was as a computer operator before he began theater work during college. He was also a football player during high school and for a while a bar bouncer. In 1973, just after finishing graduate school, Hansen heard that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was being filmed in Austin and decided to audition. He got the part of Leatherface, the masked killer in the movie. After writing (and occasionally editing) for magazines and writing books, Hansen returned to acting in 1988, appearing in
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#1732783034870550-928: Was born in Reykjavík , Iceland, to Icelander Skúli Hansen, a dentist, and Norwegian Sigrid Hansen. He moved to the United States with his mother and brother when he was five years old. He lived in Maine until age eleven, when his family moved to Austin, Texas , where he attended Austin High School and the University of Texas at Austin . He majored in English and mathematics as an undergraduate and then went to graduate school in Scandinavian Studies and English. His first job out of high school
575-538: Was never given the script: "I’ve heard about the project but I’ve never been given a script. I don’t know other than Kane Hodder and Tony Todd from Candyman that’s involved. Obviously without Gunnar, I’m not so sure what’s going to happen with it". The trailer premiered on September 3, 2016, at the Days of the Dead Convention. Shortly after the premier, horror website Bloody Disgusting hosted the trailer. The film
600-414: Was originally written by Gunnar Hansen and he intended for it to feature as many horror legends as possible. The most notable horror icons confirmed include Kane Hodder , Barbara Crampton , Bill Moseley , Dee Wallace , Camille Keaton , Sid Haig , Felissa Rose , Tony Todd , Adrienne Barbeau , and Michael Berryman . It was originally speculated that Robert Englund would have a role but he said he
625-406: Was released on video on demand on November 6, 2018 with a release on disc following on December 11, 2018. On January 31, 2017, it was announced that the soundtrack for the film will feature songs from Deron Miller , Hatebreed and rap group Twiztid . Death House received primarily negative reviews, currently holding a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes . Michael Gingold of Rue Morgue Digital criticized
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