Black Fawn Films at Fantasia 2015

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Breakthrough!Entertainment!and!Black!Fawn!Films!Presents!

ANTISOCIAL!2!and!BITE! World!Premieres!A!Fantasia!2015!

GAT!PR!Press!Summary!

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Interviews!Completed! !

July!15!! ! ! !

July!16!! ! ! ! !

July!17!! ! ! !

July!22!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

July!23!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

July!26!! ! ! ! ! ( ! ! ! ! ! ! ( ( ( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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CJAD!Aaron!Rand!Show!(Drive!Home)!

Cody!Calahan!!

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The!Film!Reel!

Chad!Archibald!!

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Daily!XY! Elma!Begovic!

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Modern!Horrors! ! !

Elma!Begovic,!Jordan!Gray,!and!!

Chad!Archibald!

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CP24!Breakfast!

Elma!Begovic!and!Michelle!Mylett!

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Global!TV!A!The!Morning!Show!

Elma!Begovic!and!Michelle!Mylett!

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ET!Canada!

Elma!Begovic!and!Michelle!Mylett!

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Digital!Journal!

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!

Cancelled((

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In!the!Seats!

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!

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Really!Awful!Movievs!

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan! !

Twitch!

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!

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The!Evening!Class!

Chad!Archibald!

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Scream!Horror!Magazine!

Elma!Begovic!and!Michelle!Mylett!

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July!27!! ! ! !

July!28!! ! ! !

July!29!! ! ! ! ! ( ( ( ! ! ( ( !

July!30!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

August!6! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

August!13! ! !

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Newstalk!1010!with!David!Eddie!

Elma!Begovic!and!Jordan!Gray!! !

Métro!!

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!

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CHOM!FM! Chad!Archibald!

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CUTV/Sight!on!Sound!

Chad!Archibald!!and!Cody!Calahan!

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Con!Man!Web!Series!

Chad!Archibald!!and!Cody!Calahan!

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Montreal!Rampage!

Chad!Archibald!!and!Cody!Calahan!

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CKUT!–!Upstage!

Denise!Yuen! !

Haddonfield!Horror!

Chad!Archibald!

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Métro!!

Chad!Archibald!

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Indie!Film!Academy! !

Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!

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Interviews! ! ! ! ! !

CP24!Breakfast!A!July!23!–!“Scream!queens!show!off!their!skills!on!CP24”! http://www.cp24.com/video?clipId=663199!

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Global:!The!Morning!Show!AJuly!23!–!“Interview!with!Michelle!Mylett!and!

Elma!Begovic”! ! [online!link!not!available]! ! ! !

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ET!Canada!–!July!23!–!“Canadian!Scream!Queens”!! http://www.etcanada.com/top+stories/canadian+scream+queens/video.htm l?v=493705283767&p=1&s=da#video!! !

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ET!Canada![!Canadian!Scream!Queens! !

The!latest!screamer!to!hit!theatres!is!the!Canadian!“Bite”!–!and!it’s!been!getting!its!buzz! on!thanks!to!the!support!of!notable!celebrities!like!horror!master!Eli!Roth.! ! !

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CJAD:!The!Aaron!Rand!Show!–!July!16!–!“Interview!with!Cody!Calahan”! ! [no!online!link!available]! ! !

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Métro!A!July!27–!«!Cody!Calahan!et!Chad!Archibald:!la!signature!Black!Fawn!

Films!»! http://journalmetro.com/culture/815275/cody[calahan[et[chad[archibald[la[signature[ black[fawn[films/! !

Black!Fawn!Films!a!vu!le!jour!en!2008.!

Derrière!cette!maison!de!production! ontarienne!se!cachent!des!passionnés! absolus!de!cinéma!et!de!films!d’horreur.!

Pas!étonnant!que!ces!disciples!du!gore! soient!devenus!au!fil!des!ans!de! véritables!habitués!de!Fantasia,!où!leurs! œuvres!sont!projetées!devant!un!cercle! grandissant!d’admirateurs.!Chose!qui!ne! cesse!d’étonner!les!principaux!intéressés,! qui!avouent!être!ébahis!chaque!fois!que! quelqu’un!leur!dit!avoir!vu!l’une!de!leurs! créations.! !

Lors!d’une!rencontre!qui!aurait!pu!durer! toute!la!vie!(«On!ne!veut!jamais!arrêter! de!parler!»),!nous!avons!discuté!avec!les! réalisateurs/producteurs/scénaristes!

Cody!Calahan!et!Chad!Archibald,!deux! gars!aussi!sympas!que!mordus.!D’ailleurs,! parlant!de!morsure,!Chad!présente!cette! année!Bite,!une!œuvre!dans!laquelle!la! piqûre!d’un!insecte!transforme!une!jeune! épouse!du!tout!au!tout.!Cody,!lui,!dévoile!la!suite!de!son!succès!de!2013,!Antisocial,!dans!lequel!il!pose! un!regard!critique!horrifique!sur!la!domination!des!réseaux!sociaux.! !

Vous!avez!souvent!dit,!Cody,!que!vous!aimez!le!cinéma!d’horreur,!car,!«pourvu!qu’on!y!crée!un! monde!qui!se!tient,!il!n’y!a!pas!trop!de!règles!à!suivre».!En!réalisant,!avecAntisocial!2,!une!suite!à!l’un! de!vos!films!–!ce!que!vous!n’aviez!jamais!fait!auparavant!–!avezAvous!trouvé!que!les!règles!à!suivre! étaient!plus!nombreuses?! !

Cody:!Ce!qui!est!drôle,!c’est!que,!lorsqu’on!a!commencé!à!imaginer!une!suite!à!Antisocial,!on!a!lu!des! critiques!qui!disaient:!«J’ai!tellement!hâte!de!voir!Sam![l’héroïne]!revenir!et!tuer!plein!de!zombies!»!Et! on!s’est!dit:!«OK.!C’est!ce!qu’on!va!faire!!On!va!faire!un!film!dans!lequel!elle!trucide!des!zombies!»!Mais! très!vite,!on!a!réalisé!que!tout!le!monde!s’attendait!à!voir!ça!!On!a!alors!voulu!sortir!des!sentiers!battus! pour!aller!vers!quelque!chose!de!complètement!différent.!De!manière!à!ce!que!les!spectateurs!fassent:!

«Quoi?!Hein?»!Donc!au!départ,!oui,!il!y!avait!des!règles!auxquelles!on!devait!se!plier.!Mais!on!les!a!vite! balancées!par!la!fenêtre!!(Rires)! !

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À!la!sortie!du!premier!volet!d’Antisocial,!en!2013,!vous!disiez!trouver!que!le!cinéma!d’horreur! n’utilisait!pas!assez!les!réseaux!sociaux!à!des!fins!dramatiques,!alors!qu’ils!sont!pourtant!tellement! présents!dans!nos!vies!!Vous!aviez!donc!décidé!d’en!faire!le!sujet!principal!de!votre!film.!Depuis!ce! temps,!trouvezAvous!que!cela!a!changé?!Facebook!et!Instagram!jouentAils!un!rôle!plus!important! dans!les!films!d’horreur?!! !

Cody:!Oui!!Depuis,!il!y!a!une!tonne!de!films!qui!sont!sortis!qui!sont!inspirés!des!réseaux!sociaux!!

Chad:!En!fait,!le!titre!original!de!Antisocial!était!Unfriended…!et!un!film!portant!le!même!titre![réalisé! par!Leo!Gabriadze]!est!sorti!depuis!!Mais!c’est!normal:!il!y!a!tant!de!choses!à!dire!sur!l’internet!!C’est! quand!même!un!concept!dément!!Je!ne!sais!pas!s’il!y!a!quelque!chose!qui!a!transformé!la!société! autant!que!la!création!de!l’internet!!Ça!a!tout!changé!!Comment!les!gens!grandissent,!comment!ils! apprennent…! !

Cody:!Et!comment!ils!regardent!! !

Chad:!Tout!!

AvezAvous!été!contents!de! ramener!votre!héroïne,!Sam,! une!résistante!et!une! battante,!après!toutes!ces! années?! !

Cody!:!C’était…!intéressant.!

Pour!être!honnête…!je!ne! voulais!pas!faire!une!suite.!

C’est!Chad!qui!m’a! convaincu.!Au!départ,!juste! voir!le!mot!«Antisocial»!écrit! sur!une!feuille!de!route,! m’angoissait.!«Aaaaaah!!Ce! n’est!pas!encore!fini?!»!Parce!qu’on!a!commencé!à!travailler!sur!ce!concept!en…!2011!!Ça!fait!un! moment!! !

Au!fil!de!ces!années,!il!y!a!un!cercle!de!fans!de!votre!maison!de!prod!et!de!vos!films!qui!s’est!créé.!

Des!fidèles!de!Black!Fawn.!Vous!le!sentez,!non?! !

Chad!:!On!ne!le!réalise!jamais!tant!qu’on!ne!sort!pas.!Et!on!sort!rarement!!Mais!quand!on!le!fait,!on!le! fait!comme!il!faut!! !

Cody!:!On!travaille!fort,!on!fait!la!fête!fort!!(Rires)! !

Chad!:!Oui!!Hier,!on!est!allés!à!l’Irish!Embassy![un!pub!situé!sur!la!rue!Bishop!où!se!réunissent!plusieurs! artistes!et!spectateurs!de!Fantasia].!C’est!hal[lu[ci[nant!le!nombre!de!gens!que!nous!ne!connaissons! pas!qui!nous!connaissaient!! !

Cody!:!Il!y!en!a!qui!sont!venus!nous!voir!en!disant!:!«Hey!!Vous!êtes!Chad!et!Cody!de!Black!Fawn!»!et!je! n’en!revenais!pas!!(voix!ébahie)!«VRAIMENT?!Vous!avez!vu!nos!films?!Pour!vrai?!Cool!!!»! ! ÊtesAvous!parfois!fatigués!d’être!contactés!pour!témoigner!des!défis!que!doivent!relever!les! réalisateurs!canadiens!de!films!d’horreur?!Ou!vous!n’êtes!jamaisAjamaisAjamais!tannés?!

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Chad!:!JAMAIS!!!! !

Cody!:!Chaque!fois!que!quelqu’un!veut!s’asseoir!et!discuter!avec!nous,!on!est!stupéfaits.!«Vous!voulez! nous!parler?!Oh!mon!Dieu,!oui!!Parlons!»! !

Chad!:!On!est!des!réalisateurs!amoureux!de!cinéma.!Si!quelqu’un!veut!discuter!de!ça,!on!est!là!! !

Cody!:!Des!fois,!j’ai!l’impression!qu’on! parle!même!trop!!Après!20!minutes,!les! journalistes!terminent!la!discussion!et!on! fait!:!«Attendez!!Ne!partez!pas!!On!a! encore!des!anecdotes!!Quelqu’un!d’autre! veut!entendre!notre!histoire?»! !

Antisocial!2!

Jeudi!à!17:10!

Au!Théâtre!Concordia!Hall! !

Chad,!votre!film!précédent,!The! Drownsman,!mettait!en!scène!une!jeune!femme!ayant!survécu!à!une!noyade.!Cette!idée!vous!avait! été!inspirée!par!«votre!peur!de!l’eau».!Biteraconte!l’histoire!d’une!fiancée!qui!ne!veut!plus!se!marier.!

Le!film!vous!auraitAil!été!inspiré!par!une!peur!du!mariage!et!de!l’engagement?! !

Chad!:!(Rires)!Non!!En!réalité…!je!suis!fiancé!!Bon,!je!le!suis!depuis!déjà!trois!ans,!mais!quand!même!!En! fait,!je!voulais!parler!d’une!chose!qui!est!très!répandue!:!la!peur!de!franchir!un!grand!pas!dans!sa!vie.!Je! voulais!mettre!en!scène!une!fille!qui!surmonte!des!problèmes!somme!toute!communs!:!elle!va!se! marier,!ne!sait!pas!si!elle!est!prête,!si!elle!veut!avoir!des!enfants…! !

Alors!qu’elle!commence!à!ressentir!les!symptômes!inquiétants!d’une!piqûre!d’insecte!bizarre,!votre! héroïne!appelle!son!médecin,!paniquée…!et!tombe!sur!sa!boîte!vocale.!Un!commentaire!sur!le! système!de!santé!ontarien?! !

Chad:!(Rires)!Ça,!c’est!toujours!la!partie!épineuse!quand!on!raconte!une!histoire!de!la!sorte:!comment! faire!pour!qu’un!personnage!atteigne!un!état!aussi!horrible!sans!aller!consulter!un!médecin?!C’était! complexe!à!écrire,!mais!je!me!souviens!avoir!appelé!en!dehors!des!heures!d’ouverture!à!la!clinique!et! m’être!dit:!«Si!je!vais!à!l’urgence,!ça!va!me!prendre!tellement!de!temps!que!le!bureau!du!médecin!sera! ouvert!d’ici!là!!Je!vais!attendre!et!voir!si!ça!va!mieux!»! !

En!plus!d’être!collègues,!vous!êtes!de!super!bons!amis.!Pourtant,!dans!vos!films,!les!amitiés!sont! parfois!complexes.!Dans!Bite,!par! exemple,!elles!sont!plutôt!compliquées…! !

Cody:!En!fait,!NOUS!avons!une!relation! compliquée!aussi!!Nous!sommes!les! meilleurs!potes!du!monde,!mais!nous! devons!être!des!partenaires!d’affaires! aussi!!Nous!devons!faire!une!distinction!!

«OK,!pendant!cette!discussion[là,!on!n’est! pas!amis.!C’est!du!business.!Quelqu’un!a!

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raison,!l’autre!a!tort.!On!règle!ça,!et!ensuite,!on!peut!redevenir!copains!»! !

Chad:!Les!premiers!films!que!nous!avons! faits!ensemble,!honnêtement…!c’était! pénible!!(Rires)!

Cody:!C’est!dur!en!maudit!de!faire!des! films!avec!ton!meilleur!ami!!Parce!que!des! émotions!se!retrouvent!dans!CHAQUE! décision.! !

Un!des!personnages!de!Bite!–!celui!du! voisin!–!remarque!que!«lorsqu’on!est!en! voyage,!on!s’ennuie!des!toutes!petites! choses».!Vous!qui!êtes!toujours!sur!la! route,!affairés!sur!un!plateau!ou!au!loin,! dans!des!festivals,!vous!partagez!ce!point! de!vue?! !

Chad:!Oh,!oui!!Oui!!Hier,!on!était!au!bar!et! tandis!qu’on!allait!prendre!une!photo,!j’ai! regardé!mon!téléphone!et!j’ai!aperçu!une! image!de!moi!et!de!mon!chat.!Tout!de! suite,!j’ai!ressenti!un!pincement!au!cœur:!

«Ooooh!!Mon!petit!buddy!Rico!!Il!est! tellement!cute!!Et!loin!»!(Rires)!C’est!vrai! qu’on!passe!beaucoup!de!temps!sur!le! plateau,!qu’on!tourne!beaucoup,!qu’on! voyage…!Et!c’est!assez!incroyable!à!quel! point…!j’adore!être!à!la!maison!!Avec!ma! fiancée!!Et!nos!chats!! !

Cody:!Pffft.!Maintenant!il!tripe!sur!les!chats…! !

Chad:!Avant!je!préférais!les!chiens.!Mais!je!suis!fier!de!mes!chats.!C’est!comme!des!petits!lions.!Bref,! tout!ça!pour!dire!que!j’ai!souvent!vraiment!hâte!de!revenir!à!la!maison…!Mais!une!fois!que!je!reviens,! je!ne!tiens!jamais!très!longtemps.!J’appelle!Cody!et!je!lui!demande:!«Bon.!Quand!est[ce!qu’on!fait!un! autre!film?»! !

Bite!

Mercredi!à!21:45!

Au!Théâtre!J.A.!De!Sève!

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Scream!Horror!Magazine!–!July!22!–!“Exclusive!Interview:!Elma!Begovic!

Talks!BodyAHorror!Movie!BITE”! http://www.screamhorrormag.com/exclusive[interview[elma[begovic[talks[body[horror[ movie[bite/! !

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Things!are!about!to!get!goopy!as!the!world!premiere!of!Breakthrough!Entertainment!and!Black!Fawn!

Films’!latest!skin[crawler!BITE!is!creeping!exceedingly!close.! !

Hot!off!the!success!of!his!previous!two!features,!The!Drownsman!and!Ejecta,!director!Chad!Archibald! turns!his!hand!to!the!creature[feature/body[horror!genre!with!Bite.!Written!by!Jayme!Laforest!(Gods!of!

Accident)!and!starring!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!Yuen,!Jordan!Gray!and!Lawrene!

Denkers,!Bite!sees!Casey!(Begovic)!–!the!bride!to!be!–!bitten!by!an!unknown!insect!whilst!on!her!hen! party!holiday!in!the!Dominican!Republic.!After!returning!home!with!second!thoughts,!Casey!tries!to!call! off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able!to,! she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!

Between!her!physical!transformation!and! her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to! her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a! hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent! eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As! her!transformation!becomes!complete,!

Casey!discovers!that!everything!can! change!with!a!single!bite.! !

Whilst!the!film!is!all!set!to!premiere!at!

Fantasia!this!July!29!(all!sold!out!by!the!way),!it!has!also!already!been!confirmed!to!screen!at!Film4!

FrightFest!in!London!and!Fantasy!Film!Fest!in!Germany!so!there’s!really!no!escaping!the!infection.!To! celebrate!the!impending!ickiness,!we!caught!up!with!the!film’s!starlet!Elma!Begovic!as!she!tells!us!how!

Chad!Archibald!truly!gave!her!the!opportunity!to!stand!tall!and!proud!behind!her!character:!

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Scream!Horror!Magazine!–!July!22!–“Antisocial!2:!Michelle!Mylett!Talks!Her! Return!to!the!Franchise”! http://www.screamhorrormag.com/antisocial[2[interview[michelle[mylett[talks[her[return[to[the[ franchise/!! !

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A!few!days!back!we!shared!with!you!the!first!official!trailer!for!the!upcoming!sequel!to!

2013’s!sci[fi!shocker!Antisocial!and!we!loved!what!it!had!to!offer!so!much!that!we!just! couldn’t!resist!hopping!onto!Skype!to!speak!with!the!film’s!starlet!Michelle!Mylett.! !

Returning!to!helm!Antisocial!2!is!Cody!Calahan,!who!also!co[wrote!the!script!with!Black!

Fawn!cohorts!Chad!Archibald!(Bite,!The!Drownsman)!and!Jeff!Maher!(the!film’s!DP).!The! film!is!set!a!few!years!after!the!events!in!the!original!movie!with!Sam!(Mylett)!roaming!a! user[infested!world!in!search!of!her!newborn!child!that!was!stolen!from!her.!Whilst! evading!hordes!of!users!she!befriends!a!young!girl!named!Bean!but!it’s!not!long!before!

Sam!is!captured!and!tortured!in!a!facility!run!by!an!unconventional!team!of!medical! experts!intent!on!finding!a!cure!for!the!Redroom!Virus.!With!a!lethal!Redroom!site!update! on!the!verge!of!installing!itself!Sam!strives!to!escape!the!facility!before!the!imminent!final! phase!of!attack.!Mylett!stars!alongside!Stephen!Bogaert!(The!Valley!Below),!Josette!

Halpert,!and!Samuel!Faraci!(Hannibal,!Hemlock!Grove).! !

SCREAM’s!Howard!Gorman!caught!up!with!Michelle!to!talk!all!about!the!film!as!the!

Fantasia!Film!Festival!world!premiere!draws!exceedingly!close!(July!30th).!Below!you!can! enjoy!highlights!of!a!more!extensive!interview!we!conducted!which!we!can’t!wait!to!share! with!you!very!soon.!Keep!watching!this!space!for!updates…! !

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Daily!XY!A!July!31–!“Horror!Films!with!Elma!Begovic”! http://dailyxy.com/article/horror[films[with[elma[begovic/! ! !

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It’s!not!a!spoiler!to!say!that!by!the!end!of!Bite,(in!her!first!major!lead!acting!role,!Elma!Begovic!is! completely!unrecognizable.!Whether!or!not!the!character!is!attractive!and!date[worthy,!well,!that’s!up! for!debate.! !

Begovic!jokes!about!her!character’s!transformation!while!sitting!down!in!a!Queen!West!coffee!shop.!

The!26[year[old!actress!is!awaiting!the!horror!film’s!world!premier!at!Fantasia!International!Film!Fest!in!

Montreal!while!reflecting!on!those!final!days!when!donning!the!‘bug’!attire.! !

“It!was!everything!from!body!paint,!gelatin!pieces!glued!on,!to!foam,!to!a!bald!cap,!fake!hair,!and! contact!lens,”!says!Begovic.!Her!character!Casey,!bitten!during!an!exotic!vacation,!slowly!undergoes! changes!to!her!body!that!eventually!take!a!dramatic!and!grotesque!turn!for!the!worse.!It’s!a!tragic! experience!to!be!sure!for!Casey,!and!a!rather!fascinating!one!for!Begovic,!despite!massive!contacts!that! more!or!less!impaired!her!vision!for!the!better!part!of!two!days.! !

She!also!wonders!about!the!reaction!of!the!cast!and!crew!between!shooting,!walking!around!in!this!get! up,!likely!not!be!well[received!by!those!trying!to!eat.!Her!make[up!team!of!four!seemed!to!enjoy! things,!or!at!least!the!three!women!involved:!“We!blasted!a!whole!lot!of!Beyonce!and!Taylor!Swift,!and! there!was!lots!of!talking!about!boys!and!girl!stuff.”! !

! !

Born!in!Bosnia,!Begovic,!who!has!a!twin!sister,!made!her!way!to!Toronto!two!years!ago!via!Edmonton,! where!she!grew!up!and!studied!at!the!University!of!Alberta.!With!more!opportunity!to!snatch!leading! female!roles!who!aren’t!necessarily!the!girl!next!door,!she!took!to!Toronto,!already!possessive!of!a! disdain!for!the!nine[to[five.! !

“I’ve!been!in!both!worlds,”!she!says.!“I’ve!tried!to!justify!working!in!a!corporate!world,!but!at!the!end!of! the!day,!you!have!to!find!your!passion!and!let!it!kill!you.!Before!I!was!killing!myself!working!but!there! was!no!passion,!so!if!I’m!going!to!be!exhausted,!might!as!well!be!exhausted!with!something!that! motivates!me,!gets!me!excited.”! !

“I’ve!decided!that’s!where!I’m!happiest,”!says!Begovic,!smiling.! !

With!Bite,(which!was!directed!by!Chad!Archibald!and!shot!in!Guelph!with!a!short!trip!to!the!Dominican,!

Begovic!underwent!a!lot!of!firsts;!eagerly!yes,!but!not!without!some!expected!nerves.!

“The!scene!I!was!most!worried!about,!had!the!most!anxiety!about,!was!the!sex!scene,”!she!explains.!

“I’ve!never!done!one!of!those,!and!wasn’t!sure!what!was!going!to!happen.!We!definitely!had!a!skeleton! screw,!eight!to!ten!people!in!room.!Chad,!Jordan![her!partner!on!film],!and!I!got!together,!planned!it! out!to!make!it!as!comfortable!as!it!could!be.!I!don’t!know!any!actor!truly!enjoys!it,!and!it’s!exactly!for! that!reason:!you’re!trying!to!convey!something!super!intimate,!sexy,!and!it’s!everything!but!that.! !

“You!have!a!camera!three!feet!away!from!you,”!she!adds,!“and!as!you’re!simulating,!the!director!is! talking!at!you,!telling!you!to!move!your!hair.!It’s!so!surreal.”! !

Perhaps!her!most!proud!moment,!or!at!least!most!regarded!by!the!cast!and!crew,!was!one!particular! scene!where!Casey!is!snacking.!Bug!Casey,!that!is,!and!she’s!in!the!mood!for!a!cockroach.! !

“I!wanted!to!prove!my!womanhood,”!says!Begovic.!She!opted!instead!of!enjoying!some!insect!facsimile! to!partake!in!a!once[living!cockroach.!“Casey!is!super!bugged[out,!so!I!pick!it!up,!look!at!it,!and!bite! right!in.”!

“It!just!tasted!crunchy!and!dried!up,”!says!Begovic.!“No!dates!were!won!from!that!scene.”!So!she!says.! ! ! !

!

!

Newstalk!1010:!The!Night!Side!with!David!Eddie!–!July!26!–!“Inteview!with!

Elma!Begovic!and!Jordan!Gray”! ! [no!online!link!available]! ! ! ! !

! !

!

!

Twitch!–!July!26!–“Interview!with!Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan”! ! [online!link!not!yet!available]! ! ! !

! !

CHOM!FM!with!Jason!Rockman!–!July!28!–“Interview!with!Chad!Archibald”! ! [no!online!link!available]! ! ! !

! !

Montreal!Rampage!–July!30!–“Interview!with!Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!

Calahan”! ! [online!link!not!yet!available]! ! ! !

! !

! !

The!Evening!Class!A!July!31!–!“Fantasia!2015:!BITE!–!The!Evening!Class!

Interview!with!Chad!Archibald”! http://theeveningclass.blogspot.ca/2015/07/fantasia[2015[bite[evening[class.html! !

Chad!Archibald's!Bite!(2015)!had!its! sold[out!World!Premiere!in!a!one[ off!screening!at!the!19th!edition!of! the!Fantasia!International!Film!

Festival!on!July!29,!2015,!in!

Montréal's!J.A.!DeSève!Theater.!

Aware!that!I!would!be!unable!to! attend!his!premiere,!Archibald! generously!provided!a!streaming! link,!and!agreed!to!sit!down!and! talk!with!me!about!his!latest!effort! before!I!headed!out!of!Montréal.!

We!met!on!the!terrace!of!Le!Nouvel!

Hôtel.!Within!minutes!of!meeting,!

Archibald!struck!me!as!a!no[ nonsense!fanboy!making!films!for!fanboys,!down[to[earth,!friendly,!and!amusingly!candid!about!his! self[taught!filmmaking.! !

Director!and!owner!of!the!Guelph[based!film!studio!Black!Fawn!Films!(established!in!2007),!Chad!

Archibald!is!a!graduate!of!Humber!College's!Multimedia!Design!and!Production!program.!At!22,!he!co[ wrote!and!co[directed!his!first!feature!Desperate!Souls!(2005),!which!was!picked!up!for!distribution!by!

Lionsgate!Films!and!Alliance!Atlantis.!After!a!stint!of!working!on!seven!episodes!of!the!Canadian! television!series!Creepy(Canada!(2006),!he!took!what!he'd!learned!from!that!experience!and!applied!it! to!making!his!next!film!Neverlost!(2010),!which!won!the!Audience!Award!at!that!year's!Fantasia.!In! 2014,!he!returned!to!Fantasia!with!The!Drownsman,!following!up!this!year!with!Bite.! !

As!noted!by!Heather!Buckley!in!her!Fantasia! program!capsule!forBite:!"Within!the!canon!of! contemporary!horror!is!the!woman[body!rot! cycle.!Instead!of!iconic!female!beauty,!the! camera!is!here!to!destroy,!distort!and!decay! this!form.!...Bitereinvents!and!meditates!on!

Cronenberg's!The!Fly,!but!with!a!woman!and! without!the!existential!death!/!AIDS!metaphor! of!its!predecessor.!...Black!Fawn!delivers!on! exquisite!cinematography!and!excellent! acting,!and!treads!in!a!quasi[retro!'80s!space,! creating!something!thoroughly!contemporary! while!rooted!in!cinema's!past."! !

! !

While!talking!to!Archibald,!I!kept!eyeing!and!coveting!his!Black!

Fawn!vest!and!asked!if!they!were!for!sale;!but,!he!made!it!clear! they!were!only!worn!by!key!members!of!the!Black!Fawn!family,! much!like!the!bandanas!that!the!company!parcels!out— different!color!each!film—to!cast!and!crew.!When!one!of!their! films!premieres!at!Fantasia,!it's!not!unusual!for!their!whole!crew! to!attend,!sometimes!up!to!40!people!"coming!from!Toronto! and!whatnot",!and!they!all!wear!their!bandanas!so!they!can! identify!who's!worked!on!what!film,!much!like!they!do!during! production!on!set.!When!I!asked!how!this!tradition!got!started,!

Archibald!recalled!having!an!exclusive!number!of!red!bandanas! made!up!as!thank!you!gifts!to!the!cast!and!crew!of!Neverlost.!

Everyone!on!the!cast!and!crew!was!given!a!red!bandana,!which! they!loved.!Anytime!someone!would!be!seen!wearing!one!of! those!red!bandanas,!it!signified!they'd!worked!on!Neverlost.!

The!gesture!generated!such!good!will!that!Archibald!decided!to! do!it!for!every!film,!but!in!a!different!color.!Towards!the!end!of!a!shoot,!he!gathers!cast!and!crew! together!and!distributes!bandanas.!Some!folks,!he!smiled!proudly,!have!even!framed!them!for!their! walls.!It!represents!the!camaraderie!of!the!Black!Fawn!family.! !

Please!be!forewarned!that!my!conversation!with!Chad!Archibald!is!not!for!the!spoiler<wary!! ! *!*!*! !

Michael!Guillén:!You!consider!your!Black!Fawn!team!to!be!a!family?! !

Chad!Archibald:!Yes.!We!spend!so!much!time!on!set!together!and!are!so!close!with!everyone.!Our!films! are!made!with!pretty!low!budgets,!so!we!rely!on!a!lot!of!people!working!very!hard!for!much!less!than! they!deserve!to!be!paid,!and!with!fewer!resources.!We!really!work!hard!at!treating!everyone!with! respect.!We've!been!on!sets!before!where!we've!seen!people!unhappy!and!how!sour!it!can!get!and! people!being!miserable.!Luckily,!we're!blessed!that!we!haven't! had!many!situations!like!that.! !

Guillén:!You!trained!in!multiAmedia!design?!What!exactly!is! that?! !

Archibald:!Web!design!and!stuff!like!that.!I!went!to!school!for! multi[media!design!and!had!one!film!course.!Basically!all!they! taught!you!to!do!was!how!to!plug!a!video!camera!into!your! computer.!It!wasn't!really!part!of!my!program,!but!I!managed!to! get!in!the!course!so!I!could!use!their!cameras!and!make!movies! on!the!weekends!with!my!buddies.!I'd!always!made!home! videos!and!stupid!little!shorts!and!stuff,!but!that!was!the!first! time!I!could!actually!plug!something!in.!I!had!edited!from!VHS! to!VHS,!trying!to!cut!scenes!together.!They!were!fun!to!do.!I! grew!up!in!the!country!and!had!nothing!better!to!do.!My!folks! got!a!video!camera!so!I!was!like,!"Okay!"!I'd!create!little!movies! to!pass!the!time,!I!guess.! ! !

! !

Guillén:!That!first!video!was!Desperate!Souls,!which—despite!having!a!2.4!IMDbrating—was!picked! up!for!distribution.!What!quality!do!you!think!you!had!in!that!first!piece!that!attracted!distribution?! !

Archibald:!When!we!made!that!movie,!I'd!never!been!on!a!set!before.!I!had!no!knowledge!of!what!to! do.!We!found!a!scriptwriting!program!online!and!me!andPhilip![aka!Gabriel!Carrer]!started!writing!it,! and!we!called!all!our!friends!and!buddies!and!said,!"Let's!go!!We're!making!this!movie!this!weekend!"!

We!didn't!even!know!how!long!it!would!take!to!shoot!stuff.!We!thought!we!could!shoot!a!movie!over! the!weekend,!maybe!a!few!weekends,!something!like!that?!But!it!ended!up!taking!years!to!finally!get!it! done!and!we!made!every!mistake!in!the!book.!We!had!to!re[record!every!piece!of!dialogue!in!the! entire!movie!![Laughs.]!But!it's!those!mistakes!that!make!you!a!better!filmmaker.!Now!I!understand! sound.!Now!I!understand!editing.! !

Guillén:!After!watching!the!streaming!link!of!Bite!you!provided,!

I!rented!The!Drownsman!on!VUDU.!You!have!a!keen!ability!to! rework!tropes.!The!Drownsmanbrought!back!the!idea!of!a!

Freddy!KreugerAlike!supernatural!villain.!Bitecertainly!has! touches!of!body!horror!reminiscent!of!David!Cronenberg's!The! Fly!(1986).!At!what!point!can!you!take!an!idea!that's!been! worked!before!but!somehow!make!it!your!own?! !

Archibald:!It's!so!hard!to!come!up!with!original!ideas.!I!never! really!got!that!until!this!year!because!there!have!been!a!lot!of! comparisons!between!The!Fly!and!Bite.! !

Guillén:!I!hope!that!doesn't!bother!you?!It's!meant!as!a! compliment.! !

Archibald:!No,!no,!no.!I!feel!humbled!by!the!fact!that!it's!being! related!to!such!an!awesome!movie—if!anything,!it!feels!a!little! intimidating—but,!no,!I'm!super[happy!with!it.!I!love!horror!movies!and!there!are!so!many!great!ideas! that!go!one!way,!but!you!think,!"What!if!they!went!a!different!way?"!The!idea!for!Bite!wasn't!to!try!to! do!anything!like!The!Fly.!With!The!Drownsman,!however,!it!was!intentional.!There!were!these!movies! that!I!had!grown!up!that!I!had!loved!watching!that!had!that!supernatural!bad!guy!that!breaks!all!the! rules.!That's!fun!!We!set!out!to!make!the!character!of!the!Drownsman!one!of!those!guys,!for!sure.!

Wewanted!The!Drownsman!to!be!a!throwback.!You!just!don't!see!movies!with!those!characters! anymore;!villains!that!you!can!make!toys!from!!Ry!Barrett,!who!played!The!Drownsman,!was! in!Desperate!Souls,!the!first!movie!we!ever!made.!He!was!my!best[looking!friend!and!I!told!him,!"You! look!like!an!actor;!c'mon!"!We've!been!making!movies!together!ever!since.! !

Guillén:!I'm!intrigued!that!both!The!Drownsman!and!Bite!feature!femaleAcentric!ensembles.!Can!you! speak!to!that?! !

Archibald:!The!story!dictates!it.!With!Bite,!I!wanted!to!write!the!story!about!a!woman!who!isn't!ready!to!be!a! mother;!but,!she's!bitten!by!this!thing!and—as!she!transforms—she's!forced!towards!her!natural!instincts.!

Her!mothering!instincts!start!coming!through.!I!was!excited!to!work!with!Elma!Begovic,!who!plays!the!lead!

Casey!in!Bite,!as!I!enjoyed!working!with!Michelle!Mylett!who!played!Madison!in!The!Drownsman.!We!write! scripts!and!send!them!in!and!work!with!the!studios!to!see!what's!going!to!work!and!what!they!like!or!don't.!

Some!of!our!scripts!are!male[centric!as!well,!so!I!don't!think!it's!on!purpose!that!The! Drownsman!and!Bite!have!female[centric!casts.!I've!been!asked!that!many!times.!Basically,!we!love!strong! female!characters.!I!just!read!an!article!where!they!interviewed!several!of!the!actresses!in!my!films![Jeff!

Fountain's!CGE!piece!"Black!Fawn!Films:!Women!Who!Kick!Ass"].!Gender!equality!is!such!a!major!issue!in!

! ! every!industry!pretty!much,!but!this!article!brought!it!to!the!forefront!and!had!some!great!things!to!say.!

There's!nothing!better!than!a!bad[ass!girl!kicking!ass.!I!don't!think!I!would!naturally!write!female!characters! who!just!run!around!in!bikinis.!I!never!look!at!women!that!way,!so!I!would!never!write!them!that!way.! !

Guillén:!Your!lead!character!Casey!is!refreshingly!complex.!She's!due!to!be!married,!but!she's!not!really! ready!or!committed!to!the!idea,!so!while!vacationing!in!Costa!Rica!she!acts!out!and!fools!around!with! another!guy!and!even!carelessly!loses!her!engagement!ring!in!the!process.!That!sexual!abandon!and! excess!becomes!the!segue!to!her!being!"stung",!with!all!its!horrifying!repercussions,!and!moral! insinuation.! !

Archibald:!There!are!some!characters!who!are!extreme!in!Bite,!like!we!have!one!scene!with!the!mother! before!things!get!out!of!control.! !

Guillén:!She!deserved!everything!she!got.! !

Archibald:!But!that's!it,!we!were!like,!"Good.!Let's!just!make!her!horrible."!Let's!not!beat!around!the!bush! here.!We've!got!this!fun!scene:!let's!make!her!horrible.!People!who!are!going!to!watch!this!are!going!to!say,!

"I!can't!wait!to!see!her!get!her's."! !

Guillén:!I!genuinely!enjoyed!Denise!Yuen's!performance! as!Kirsten,!Casey's!good!friend.!She!was!likeable.!Where! we!could!say!we!wanted!the!mother!to!get!her! comeuppance,!I!really!didn't!want!anything!to!happen! to!Kirsten.! !

Archibald:!That's!important.!People!aren't!good!or!bad.!

People!are!generally!right!in!the!middle,!y'know?!

Nobody's!perfect.!People!make!mistakes.!But!it's!more! relatable!when!it's!someone!that's!real.!Casey!screwed! up,!but!she's!not!a!bad!person.!That's!the!key!with! making!a!character!like!her's.!You!want!to!go!far!enough! to!make!them!real!but!not!so!far!that!the!audience!goes,!

"I!don't!like!her.!No.!I!don't!care!about!her.!I!want!her!to! die."! !

Guillén:!Many!years!ago!Kiyoshi!Kurosawa!attended!the! screening!of!his!filmDoppelganger!(2003)!at!the!San!Francisco!International!Film!Festival.!In!that!film,!the! protagonist's!doppelganger!breaks!the!law,!causes!a!lot!of!trouble,!even!murder,!and!gets!away!with!it.!

During!the!Q&A!after!the!film,!someone!wanted!to!know!where!the!police!were?!How!this!guy!could!get! away!with!all!this?!Kurosawa!seemed!very!bemused!and!admitted!his!movie!was!never!meant!to!be! "real."!Movies!are!not!real,!he!argued,!even!if!they!try!to!appear!real.!His!movie!was!set!in!an!alternate! world,!in!which!there!were!no!cops,!precisely!so!that!the!doppelganger!could!create!chaos.!That!was!the! core!of!his!film.!Ever!since!then,!I've!paid!attention!to!what!directors!leave!out!of!their!narrative!worlds! and!the!conventions!they!ask!audiences!to!accept.! !

In!Bite,!as!Casey!transforms,!she!turns!her!apartment!into!a!webbed!nest!of!eggs.!There's!a!brief! complaint!about!the!smell;!but,!then!that's!never!brought!up!again!and!I!got!the!feeling!that!in!your! movie's!world,!there!were!no!neighbors.!That's!why!nobody!else!was!complaining!about!the!stench!and! why!the!nest!just!keeps!getting!bigger!and!bigger.!Can!you!speak!about!that?! !

Archibald:!Yeah,!sure.!Some!people!have!watched!Bite!and!reviewed!it!as!a!horror!comedy,!while!others! have!watched!it!and!said,!"It's!a!serious!film."!We!were!aiming!for!the!middle.!When!you!make!some!movies! that!are!a!little!more!fun,!there's!more!leeway!with!your!audience.!If!Casey!had!just!gone!to!the!doctor!right!

! ! away,!it'd!be!a!different!film,!she'd!be!in!the!hospital.!That's!not!the!film!we!wanted!to!make.!We!tried!to! play!it!in!a!way!that!these!series!of!events!happened!so!quickly!that!her!instincts!took!over!before!she!could! actually!end!up!in!a!hospital.!Another!example,!when!they!walk!into!the!room,!anyone!who!would!open!that! door!would!go,!"Hell!no,!I'm!not!going!in!there"!and!back!away.!!But!our!characters!have!to!go!in.!Otherwise! we!don't!have!a!movie.! !

Guillén:!It's!the!infamous!"don't"!factor.! !

Archibald:!Exactly.!Why!are!they!running!up!the!stairs?!There's!a!back!door.!It's!just!the!suspension!of! disbelief.!That's!where!the!craft!of!filmmaking!comes!in.!Hopefully!you!make!a!film!where!the!audience!gets! drawn!in!and!they!don't!think!about!those!things!so!much.!They!enjoy!it!as!is.!It's!so!true,!though.!You!can! watch!any!movie!and!ask,!"Where!are! the!cops?!Why!don't!they!do!this?!Why! don't!they!just!call!911?"!Or!it's!the! classic:!"Oh,!all!our!cell!phones!don't! have!reception."!That!problem's!solved.!

It's!so!hard!because!we're!living!in!an! age!where!everyone's!connected!all!the! time!through!cell!phones.!We!talked! about!that!a!lot!with!Antisocial!(2013).!

There's!not!a!moment!when!you!can't! get!help.! ! !

Guillén:!That!reminds!me!of!the!one! movie!that!I've!long!felt!would!be! nearly!impossible!to!remake:!Peter!Bogdonavich's!Targets!(1968)!with!Boris!Karloff.! !

Archibald:!It's!funny!you!bring!that!up!because!so!did!the!studio!when!we!were!making!Antisocial.! !

Guillén:!Well,!the!thing!about!Targets!is!that!it's!about!a!sniper!in!a!driveAin!theater!and!everyone's! trapped!in!their!cars!and!can't!call!for!help.!That!would!be!unheard!of!today!in!a!contemporary!setting! and!who!even!thinks!of!driveAin!theaters!anymore!anyway,!let!alone!not!having!a!cell!phone?! !

Archibald:!It!can!be!interesting!to!play!with!period!pieces,!with!films!that!take!place!in!the!'80s,!when! everyone!wasn't!connected.!I!feel!like!people!are!such!wussies!today,!including!myself.!I!imagine!myself! going!back!to!the!'70s!and!'80s!when!you!had!to!find!a!land!line!to!phone!someone.!Especially!kids!who!are! growing!up!now!have!had!cell!phones!all!their!life,!almost!as!soon!as!they've!learned!to!talk.!They!can't!even! comprehend!the!idea!of!going!on!a!trip!and!not!having!a!phone.!Or!using!a!map!to!find!directions.! !

Guillén:!One!of!the!things!I've!enjoyed!about!my!time!at!Fantasia!is!that!I!don't!have!an!international! calling!plan!so—to!avoid!roaming!charges—I!just!keep!my!iPhone!in!airplane!mode!and!don't!use!it!for! anything!but!a!camera.!It!actually!feels!comforting!to!be!a!little!old!style!and!out!of!touch.! !

Archibald:!You!just!put!it!away?!So!nice.! !

Guillén:!Let's!talk!about!your!makeAup!and!practical!effects.!Who!did!them!for!you?! !

Archibald:!Jason!Derushie,!who!also!didThe!Drownsman,!worked!on!this!with!a!team!of!assistants.!For!her! make[up!effects,!Elma!would!get!in!super!early!before!the!crew!or!anyone.!She'd!show!up!and!basically!have! to!strip!down!and!stand!there!for!six!hours!and!get!covered!in!special!make[up,!and!then!another!two!to! three!hours!to!get!it!all!off.!She!would!be!in!make[up!for!nine!hours!out!of!12[hour!shifts.!Whenever!we!got! her!on!set,!it!would!be,!"Go,!go,!go,!go,!go!"!She!had!some!really!long!days!and!was!such!a!trouper!about!it.!

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She's!very!beautiful!and!it's!interesting!to!watch!the!movie! and!see!her!transform!into!this!creature!at!the!end.!It's!only! when!they're!looking!back!at!found!footage!of!them!in!

Costa!Rica!that!you!remember!how!beautiful!she!is.! !

As!for!the!actual!set,!we!had!buckets!and!buckets! and!buckets!of!goo.!We!had!a!room!that!was!full!of!buckets! of!goo.!Every!day!I!was!like,!"More!goo!!More(goo!"!

[Laughs.]!Because!it!would!dry!out.!We!had!a!very!small! budget!and!one!of!our!biggest!challenges!was,!"How!am!I! going!to!fill!up!this!apartment!with!eggs?"!What!the!hell! would!we!actually!get!that!would!be!like!eggs?!I!was!looking!online!and!found!this!website!that!makes!what! they!call!spitballs.!They're!little!pebbles!that!you!put!in!water!and!they!absorb!the!water!and!turn!into!little! jelly!balls.!Kids!spit!them!at!each!other.!I!bought!a!pack!of!them!and!took!them!into!my!bathroom!and!put! them!in!a!big!bowl!of!water,!went!to!sleep,!and!the!next!day!they!were!overflowing.!I!ordered!like!30,000!of! them!!We!had!buckets!of!them!and!put!them!in!a!mixture!of!coffee!and!maple!syrup.!We!had!endless!eggs! and!had!people!filling!ping!pong!balls!with!silicone,!anything!we!could!to!figure!out!more!and!more!how!to! create!the!illusion!of!all!these!eggs.! ! !

Guillén:!Talk!to!me!about!Black!Fawn.!Why!that!name?! !

Archibald:!A!Black!Fawn!is!a!rare!creature!and!exciting!to!see!!It!started!from!there.!Me!andCody!

Calahan!own!Black!Fawn,!and!then!we!have!Jeff!Maher!andChris!Giroux.!Jeff's!just!directed!Bed!of!the!

Dead!(2016)!for!us,!but!he's!been!our!DP!on!pretty!much!all!our!films,!almost.!Chris!has!been!producing!with! us!for!a!long!time!as!well.!We've!been!in!operation!since!2008.!Right!now!we!have!a!slate!of!films! with!Breakthrough!Entertainment.!We!signed!an!eight[picture!deal!with!them!over!two!years,!which!is!a! challenge.! !

Guillén:!How!did!you!negotiate!such!a!lucrative!opportunity!for!Black!Fawn?!Did!you!go!through!the! market!here!at!Fantasia?! !

Archibald:!No,!we!went!into!the!studio.!They!were!nice!enough! to!sit!down!with!us,!and!Cody!actually!pitched!the!idea!of!what! if!Facebook!started!turning!people!into!zombies?!They!liked!it.!

In!all!honesty,!the!industry!is!looking!for!content,!but!good! content.!For!anyone,!if!you!have!something!good,!you!can!get!it! found.!The!only!real!problem!is!creating!great!ideas.!That's! what!got!our!foot!in!the!door:!a!good!idea!that!they!loved.!Did! it!matter!to!them!all!the!stuff!we'd!done!in!the!past?!We! obviously!brought!that!to!the!table!to!show!them!before!we! made!the!movie!and!started!working!with!them.! ! !

Guillén:!I!was!given!a!piece!of!advice!that!you!should!never! arrive!with!just!one!idea,!but!at!least!15!ideas,!to!broaden! your!chances.! !

Archibald:!Good!advice.!We!have!the!eight[film!deal!with!Breakthrough!but!we!don't!even!know!all!the!films! that!we're!doing!and!people!say,!"Oh,!it!must!be!nice!to!just!go!out!and!make!whatever!you!want";!but,!for! every!30!ideas!that!we!put!into!treatment!and!really!work!on!and!try!to!get!them!in,!only!one!goes!through.!

Content!is!king.!Content!is!currency.! !

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Guillén:!Do!you!depend!on!the!studio!to!handle!distribution!for!you!or!do!you!selfAdistribute?! !

Archibald:!I've!done!a!lot!of!films!over!the!years!and!have!always!worked!closely!with!sales!teams!and! whatnot.!I!also!own!Black!Fawn!Distribution,!which!was!created!(again)!because!we!had!gone!through!the! wringer!with!so!many!films!and!had!been!screwed!by!distributors!in!the!industry.!We'd!give!our!movie!to! people!and!they'd!sell!it!across!a!country!and!we'd!never!see!a!cent!from!it,!which!is!so!common!these!days.!

Back!in!the!day,!like!when!we!sold!Desperate!Souls,!we!sold!it!to!Lionsgate!and!Alliance!Atlantis.!I! couldn't!give!this!film!away,!it!was!so!bad,!but!we!made!a!ton!of!money!off!of!it!because!every!film!is! guaranteed!to!have!those!sales!to!outlets!like!Blockbuster.!You!just!have!to!put!a!cool!cover!on!it!and! get!it!out!there.!But!there!were!a!lot!fewer!movies!being!made!back!then.!Since!the!industry's!gotten! so!saturated,!distributors!have!closed!down.!I!ran!statistics!and!there!are!only!about!13%!of!the! distributors!left!that!were!around! in!2000!that!are!still!around.!All! the!rest!have!either!been!bought! up!or!gone!bankrupt!and!closed! down.! !

Guillén:!Who!distributes!for!you! in!the!U.S.?! !

Archibald:!Breakthrough!is!our! sales!agent!there!as!well.!Tim! Brown!organizes!everything.!We! make!the!films,!hand!them!over! to!Breakthrough,!they!go!to!all! the!markets,!and!sell!them.!

Guillén:!Do!they!also!serve!as!aggegator!to!get!your!films!on!streaming!platforms?! !

Archibald:!Yeah,!the!distributor!usually!does!that.!For!example,!withThe!Drownsman—which!sold!to!

Anchor!Bay,!U.S.!and!Canada—they!put!it!on!iTunes!and!Blu[Ray!/!DVD.! !

Guillén:!How!important,!then,!is!a!theatrical!run!for!you?! !

Archibald:!In!all!honesty,!it's!very!hard!outside!of!festivals!without!a!huge!advertising!budget!for!a!small! film!to!do!well!in!theaters.!We!go!through!the!festival!circuit!and!that's!how!we!get!a!film!out!and!it! gives!people!an!opportunity!to!see!it!on!a!big!screen!as!well.!We've!traveled!all!over!the!world!going!to! festivals!and!pushing!our!films!that!way.!We've!done!short!runs!in!theaters!in!Toronto.!

With!Neverlost!we!actually!traveled!right!across!Canada.!Cody!and!I!went!to!Vancouver!and!from!

Vancouver!to!Montreal!and!just!rented!out!Cineplex!Odeons!for!one!night.! !

Guillén:!That!must!have!been!hard.! !

Archibald:!It!was!very!difficult!to!get!people!in!seats.!Some!places!were!fantastic!and!some!places!were! total!bombs.!Filmmaking!is!a!difficult!industry!to!survive!in,!especially!as!an!indie!filmmaker.!It's!very! saturated;!but,!making!films!is!like!a!drug.!I!love!being!on!set.!I!love!what!I!do.!Every!day!I!wake!up,! there!are!times!when!I'm!like,!"I!can't!wait!for!Monday."! !

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The!Film!Reel!–!August!11!–!“Horrifying!beauty:!Chad!Archibald,!director!of!

Bite”! http://www.the[filmreel.com/2015/08/11/interview[chad[archibald[director[of[bite/ ! !

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It!may!not!be!unusual!to!find!a!horror!film!disgusting,!but!to!also!find!it!to!be!incredibly!beautiful!is! something!unique.!Director!Chad!Archibald!pulled!it!off!though,!and!his!latest!film!Bite!is!a!perfect! blend!of!beauty!and!the!grotesque.! !

The!film!is!about!a!woman!who!is!bitten!by!a!strange!insect!while!on!vacation!for!her!bachelorette! party.!When!she!returns!home,!not!only!is!she!having!cold!feet!about!her!wedding,!but!she’s!also! turning!into!a!monstrous!creature.!That’s!when!the!sticky,!slimy,!gooey!mess!starts!showing!up,!and!it’s! fantastic.! !

Archibald!spoke!with!me!over!the!phone!just!before!heading!to!the!2015!Fantastia!International!Film!

Festival!in!Montreal!about!the!movie,!how!they!pulled!off!some!of!the!effects,!and!some!of!the!projects! that!he’s!currently!working!on.!

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Modern!Horrors!–!August!13!–“Exclusive:!Chad!Archibald!Talks!‘Bite’”! http://modernhorrors.com/exclusive[chad[archibald[talks[bite/! !

We!love!Black!Fawn!Films,!and!we!gushed!about!their!latest! film,!Bite,!which!made!its!debut!at!Fantasia!recently.!!Now!we! have!a!closer!look!at!Bite!with!an!exclusive!conversation!with! director!Chad!Archibald!about!Black!Fawn!Films,!the!sequel!to!

Antisocial!and!more.!!Be!sure!to!tune!in!again!tomorrow!when! we!chat!with!stars!Elma!Begovic!and!Jordan!Gray!!

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Modern!Horrors!–!August!14!–“Exclusive:!Elma!Begovic!and!Jordan!Gray!on!

‘Bite’”! http://modernhorrors.com/exlcusive[elma[begovic[and[jordan[gray[on[bite/! !

Earlier!this!week!we!talked!to!Chad!Archibald,!president!of!

Black!Fawn!Films,!and!director!of!The(Drownsman!about! the!new!festival!hit,!Bite.!!This!month!it!debuted!at!the!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!and!created!a!stir!among!the! attendees,!grossing!out!some!patrons!and!paralyzing! others.!!For!more!insight!into!this!terrifying!new!film,!we!bring! you!two!more!exclusive!interviews!with!lead!actors,!Elma!

Begovic!and!Jordan!Grey!who!play!Casey!and!Jared!respectively!

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CKUT:!Upstage!–!July!30!–!“Interview!with!Denise!Yuen”! ! [no!online!link!available]! !

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Really!Awful!Movies!–!July!26!–“Interviews!with!Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!

Calahan”! http://reallyawfulmovies.blubrry.com/2807182/really[awful[movies[ep[50b[bite/!

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Bite!star!Elma!Begovic!and!director!Chad!Archibald!discuss!the!new! movie,!Bite.! !

After!a!bachelorette!party,!an!infected!bug!bite!causes!Casey!

(Begovic)!to!exhibit!insect[like!symptoms!a!la!Gregor!Samsor!in!

Metamorphosis!but!with!a!twist.! !

According!to!IMDb,!"Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her! new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of! others..."! !

There!was!a!sold!out!screening!in!Montreal!(Fantasia!Fest)!where!barf!bags!were!handed!out!and!two! people!reportedly!fainted.! !

Elma!talks!about!moving!to!Toronto!and!the!unconventional!way!she!scored!the!lead!role!in!this!horror!flick! and!what!inspired her!role's ticks!(physical!ones,!not!the!bugs)!.! !

Director!Chad!Archibald's!fiance's!sister!returned!from!a!Guatemalan!trip!and!was!overcome!with!random! bug!bites.!And!we!learn!that!this!spurred!the!film's!genesis.!We!also!chat!about!how!the!icky!effects!for!Bite! were!created.! !

For!more,!see!this:!http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4264426/! !

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Haddonfield!Horror!–!August!6!–!“Q&A!with!Bite!Director!Chad!Archibald”! http://www.haddonfieldhorror.com/2015/08/q[with[bite[director[chad[archibald.html! !

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Chad!Archibald!interview...! !

Chad!Archibald,!director!of!AntiSocial,!The(Drownsman!and!Bite((our!review!here)!among!so!many!other! things(!),!has!answered!some!questions!for!us!on!his!new!film,!the!gooey,!gross!and!very!good!Bite,!what's! coming!up!in!the!future!and!walking!into!spiderwebs...! !

How!did!Bite!come!about,!what!was!the!inspiration?! !

The!idea!behind!BITE!came!less!from!the!fear!of!bugs!and!more!from!the! fear!of!infections!and!things!growing!inside!of!you.!My!fiancé's!sister! came!back!from!Guatemala!after!spending!a!few!weeks!in!the!jungle.!

She!was!covered!in!bug!bites!and!I!just!thought,!wow!how!do!you!even! know!what!bit!you!down!there?!What!if!one!of!those!bite!just!kept! getting!worse??!From!there,!the!idea!came.! ! !

When!directing!a!film!that!involves!any!effects!for!gooey!or!bloody! incidents!is!it!fun!or!more!technical?! !

When!trying!to!pull!off!a!big!gag,!it!often!becomes!more!technical!but! most!of!the!effects!in!BITE!were!often!set!dressing!more!than!gags!so!it! became!a!lot!of!fun.!Everyone!had!their!turn!sliming!up!the!place.!Grips,!gaffers,!and!cast!all!got!into!it!and! would!slop!eggs!here!and!there.!Once!you!gave!up!trying!to!keep!your!clothes!clean,!it!became!a!good!time.!! !

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Without!giving!too!much!away!what!is!the!creature!that!Casey!takes!on!the!characteristics!of!called?!Do! you!have!a!name!for!it?! !

Originally!I!based!the!insect!on!a!scorpion!fly!which!is!basically!what!it!sounds!like,!a!scorpion!with!wings! that!dwells!near!water.!At!the!same!time!I!didn't!want!it!to!be!based!on!a!bug!that!we've!discovered!already! so!I!did!a!ton!of!research!on!insects!from!around!the!world!and!what!their!breeding!methods!and!instinctual! self[defence!mechanisms!are.!From!there!I!discovered!so!many!insane!(and!disgusting)!characteristics!of! unique!insects!and!how!they!have!evolved,!that!it!was!hard!to!just!pick!a!few!to!apply!to!this!creature.!! !

Emla!Begovic!is!very!good!in!this,!were!you!involved!in!the!casting?! !

Elma!came!in!and!handed!us!a!printed!off!selfie!as!her!headshot.!She!had!never!been!the!lead!in!a!feature! before!but!she!had!such!a!unique!look!and!seemed!to!really!get!the!feel!we!were!going!for!even!in!the! casting!sessions.!From!the!first!day!on!set!we!had!a!great!connection!and!really!worked!well!together! creating!this!evolution!that!parallels!Casey's!current!conflicts!in!life.!I'm! super!proud!of!her!both!on!and!off!screen.!! !

You!worked!with!Jayme!Laforest!in!the!writing!stage,!was!it!a!plan!from! the!start!to!have!this!transformation!happen!in!line!with!what!the! character!of!Casey!was!going!through?! !

Jayme!is!a!great!writer.!I!worked!on!the!treatment!for!the!film!and!created! a!10!page!outline!of!it!all.!The!parallel!between!Casey's!evolution!and!her! struggles!with!marriage!and!kids!was!a!theme!that!came!together!near!the! start.!It!fit!so!well!with!what!we!were!creating!that!it!just!fell!into!place.!

After!the!treatment!was!sent!to!Jayme,!he!worked!his!magic!to!bring!the! characters!to!life!and!give!them!the!depth!needed!to!carry!the!film.! !

Apart!from!AntiSocial!2!what!is!next?! !

We!just!wrapped!on!a!film!called!Bed(of(the(Dead!which!was!directed!by!Jeff!Maher!(who!was!the!DP!for!

BITE!and!the!Antisocial!series).!It's!a!wacky!and!scary!film!about!a!haunted!bed.!Aside!from!that!we!are! about!to!release!the!first!trailer!for!a!film!we!shot!last!year!called!The(Sublet!which!was!directed!by!John!

Ainsle!(one!of!the!writers!from!Jack(Brooks:(Monster(Slayer)!featuring!the!wonderful!Tianna!Nori,!so!weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re! excited!about!that.!Aside!from!those!we!are!on!schedule!to!shoot!another!5!feature!films!with!Breakthrough!

Entertainment!over!the!next!year!and!a!bit!so!we!will!be!keeping!busy!! !

What!things!inspire!you?! !

I!like!to!make!movies!that!effect!me,!in!hopes!that!they!will!effect!others.!I'm!a!big!guy!but!I!walk!into!a! spider!web!and!I'm!instantly!flailing!and!screaming!like!I'm!on!fire!haha.!I!just!really!like!storytelling,!I!like! horror!movies!and!I!like!making!movies!that!excite!me.!Great!concepts!are!always!inspiring.!In!a!world! where!everything's!been!done,!and!has!10!sequels!and!a!remake!and!a!reboot,!it's!exciting!seeing! filmmakers!still!pushing!the!envelope!and!discovering!new!concepts!that!haven't!quite!been!done!before!(or! to!death!lol).!! !

What!scares!you?! !

I!still!get!scared!of!horror!films,!that's!why!I!love!them.!Aside!from!that!I'm!afraid!of!small!water!filled! tunnels,!losing!loved!ones!and!small!bugs!flying!into!my!ears.!That!happened!to!my!buddy,!a!moth!flew!into! his!ear!and!oh!my!god,!I'd!rather!lose!a!finger.!! ! !

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Indie!Film!Academy!–!August!–“IFA!#25:!Bite!and!Antisocial!2!Directors!Chad!

Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan”! http://www.indiefilmacademy.com/ifa[25[bite[antisocial[2[directors[chad[archibald[and[ cody[calahan/! !

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Today!we’re!talking!with!Chad!Archibald!and!Cody!Calahan!of!Black!Fawn!Films.!

Together!Cody!and!Chad!have!been!responsible!for!horror!films!such!as!The! Drownsman,!Ejecta,!and!Antisocial.!They’re!newest!projects,!Bite!and!Antisocial!2,! both!premiered!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!Fest!in!Toronto.!I!sat!down!to!talk!with!the!two! directors/producers/writers!about!how!they!have!managed!to!build!a!successful!career!and!stand!out!in!the! crowded!world!of!horror!filmmaking.!! !

Bite!A!While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,! the!bride!to!be,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an! unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!

Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s! able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between! her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins! creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent! eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her! transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers! that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

Antisocial!2!AYears!after!having!her!newborn!child! stolen!from!her,!Sam!searches!a!world!infested!with! infected!users!from!the!Social!Redroom!website.!

After!befriending!a!young!girl!named!Bean,!Sam!is! captured!and!locked!in!a!facility!dedicated!to!finding! a!cure!for!the!Redroom!Virus.!Trapped!and!tortured,!

Sam!tries!to!escape!the!facility!before!an!impending! update!on!the!Redroom!site!hits!100%!and! unleashed!its!final!phase!of!attack.!

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Métro!–!August!6!–“Évanouissements!à!Fantasia:!le!réalisateur!Chad!

Archibald!n’en!espérait!pas!tant!”! http://journalmetro.com/culture/820704/evanouissements[a[fantasia[le[realisateur[ chad[archibald[nen[esperait[pas[autant/!!

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En!venant!présenter!Bite!en!première!mondiale!à!Fantasia,!le!réalisateur!ontarien!Chad!Archibald!souhaitait! provoquer!de!fortes!réactions.!Mais!il!ne!s’attendait!pas!à!ce!qu’elles!soient!aussi!fortes.!

Tel!que!reporté!par!le!site!Bloody!Disgusting,!une!ambulance!est!arrivée!à!la!Salle!J.A.!de!Sève!–!où!le!film! était!projeté!le!29!juillet!–!après!que!deux!spectateurs!ont!supposément!perdu!connaissance.! !

Chad!Archibald!était!dans!la!salle.!«C’est!drôle!parce!qu’avant!la!première,!plein!de!critiques!ont!dit!que!le! film!était!dégoûtant!et!ignoble.!Ce!qui!est!génial!pour!moi…!mais!absolument!repoussant!pour!quiconque! n’est!pas!un!amateur!de!cinéma!d’horreur!»!rigole!le!réalisateur.!C’est!d’ailleurs!inspiré!par!ces!remarques! qu’il!a!eu!l’idée!de!créer!des!petits!sacs!pour!la!nausée,!communément!distribués!dans!les!avions,!et!de!les! distribuer,!lui,!aux!festivaliers.!«C’est!un!film!amusant.!Il!n’a!rien!de!choquant.!Mais!pour!ceux!qui!ont! l’estomac!fragile…»!

Usant!effectivement!d’effets!qui!peuvent!revirer!un!cœur!sensible!à!l’envers,!Bite!met!en!scène!une!fiancée! qui,!à!quelques!jours!de!l’autre!jour,!le!grand,!commence!à!douter!de!son!désir!de!se!marier.!Histoire!de!se! changer!un!peu!les!idées,!elle!part!au!Costa!Rica!avec!des!copines!pour!un!traditionnel!enterrement!de!vie!

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! ! de!jeune!fille.!Lors!d’une!nuit!arrosée,!un!insecte!la!pique.!Vous!devinez!la!suite:!retour!au!pays,!déferlement! de!symptômes!pour!le!moins!inquiétants…!En!gros:!sa!peau!devient!visqueuse,!et!elle!commence!à! «pondre»!des!petits!œufs!gluants!qui!se!mettent!à!envahir!son!appartement.!

C’est!probablement!la!présence!à!l’écran!de!cette!texture!glumeuse,!accompagnée!de!bruits!de!succion,!ew,! qui!provoque!une!réaction!de!rejet!chez!certains,!croit!Chad!Archibald.!«C’est!assez!dégueu,!mais!comme!j’ai! moi[même!conçu!ces!œufs,!je!sais!que!ce!sont!seulement!d’innocentes!petites!boulettes!en!gelée.!Mais! j’imagine!que!c’était!efficace!»! À!la!grande!première,!le!cinéaste!et!tripeux!de!films!d’horreur,!qui!a!également!cofondé!la!maison!de!prod!

Black!Fawn!Films,!a!pu!constater!à!quel!point.!«J’ai!vu!une!fille!se!lever!et!trébucher!dans!les!marches.!Je!me! suis!senti!vraiment!mal!pour!elle,!car!je!croyais!qu’elle!s’était!enfargée.!Puis!j’ai!réalisé!qu’elle!était!en!train! de!s’évanouir.!J’ai!pensé!que!c’était!une!simple!coïncidence,!mais!lorsque!le!générique!a!commencé!à! défiler,![le!co[directeur!du!festival]!Mitch!Davis,!a!couru!vers!moi!en!criant:!«!DUDE!!Je!suis!sorti!de!la!salle! pour!dix!minutes!et!entre! temps,!plein!de!gens!m’ont! appelé!pour!me!demander!ce! qui!s’était!passé!!».!Puis,!il!m’a! montré!des!photos!de! l’ambulance!qui!était!arrivée! sur!les!lieux.!Une!fois!que!je! me!suis!assuré!que!tout!le! monde!était!hors!de!danger,! j’ai!été!vraiment…!surpris.!

Après!tout,!je!suis!un! maniaque!de!films!d’horreur!!

J’adore!entendre!parler! d’œuvres!auxquelles!les!gens! réagissent!aussi!fortement!»! ! ! !

L’info!peut!sembler!anodine,! mais!elle!a!provoqué!une! petite!secousse!dans!le!monde! des!fidèles!qui!partagent!les! goûts!cinématographiques!de!

Chad.!«C’est!drôle!comment!le! mot!se!passe…!et!se!déforme.!

J’ai!vu!des!billets!de!blogues! européens!qui!clament:!HUIT! personnes!se!sont!évanouies!à! la!projection!de!Bite!!Il!y!avait!

PLEIN!d’ambulances!!TOUT!LE!MONDE!était!malade!»!

Mais!la!rumeur!a!d’autres!impacts!que!seulement!des!histoires!«légèrement»!amplifiées.!Depuis!la!séance! marquée!par!ce!que!Mitch!Davis!surnomme!des!«falling!ovations»!(ou!des!ovations!couchées,!en!traduction! libre),!Chad!Archibald!dit!vivre!«des!montagnes!russes»!d’émotions.!Ses!collègues!de!Black!Fawn!Films!et!lui! seront!en!Allemagne!pour!le!Fantasy!FilmFest,!puis!au!Royaume[Uni,!pour!le!FrightFest,!à!la!fin!du!mois.!

Sans!oublier!que,!depuis!la!fameuse!projection!dans!la!métropole,!«une!vingtaine!de!festivals»!les!ont! contactés!pour!leur!demander!de!présenter!Bite.!«Le!nombre!d’événements!auxquels!nous!participerons!est! en!train!d’exploser!!J’aime!penser!que!c’est!parce!que!mon!film!n’était!pas!si!mal…!mais!je!suis!sûr!que!la! projection!à!Montréal!y!est!pour!quelque!chose!»! !

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Entertainment!Weekly!–!July!8!–“A!bride!becomes!a!bug!in!gruesome!trailer! for!horror!film!Bite”! http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/08/bride[becomes[bug[gruesome[trailer[horror[ film[bite!

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The!new!horror!film!Bite(suggests!that!frazzled!brides[to[be!have!one!more! thing!to!worry!about!ahead!of!their!nuptials:!the!possibility!they!might! transform!into!a!giant!bug.!In!director!Chad!Archibald’s!movie,Elma!

Begovic!plays!a!woman!who!is!bitten!by!insect!while!on!a!pre[wedding! vacation!and!starts!turning!into!something!monstrous!enough!to!ruin!even! the!most!elegantly!shot!group!photos!come!the!happy!day.!! !

Bite!will!receive!its!world!premiere!on!July!29!at!Montreal’s!Fantasia!Festival.!

You!can!check!out!the!film’s!new!trailer!in!the!video!above.! !

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Fangoria!–!June!29!–!“Exclusive!Poster,!Stills:!Fantasia!Selection!“BITE”! http://www.fangoria.com/new/exclusive[poster[stills[fantasia[selection[bite/! !

With!the!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!drawing!closer!in!its! celebration!of!genre!films!from!around!the!globe,!chances!are!that! some!curious!chillers!will!be!making!their!way!onto!FANGORIA’s! radar.!And!one!title!that!looks!to!make!some!waves!even!before!its! world!premiere!at!the!festival!is!BITE,!the!latest!from!THE! DROWNSMAN!director!Chad!Archibald,!as!FANGORIA!has!the!first! exclusive!stills!and!posters!for!the!upcoming!body!horror!flick!!

For!those!unfamiliar,!here’s!the!official!synopsis!for!BITE…! !

While(on(her(bachelorette(party(getaway,(Casey,(the(bride(to(be,( gets(a(seemingly(harmless(bite(from(an(unknown(insect.(After( returning(home(with(cold(feet,(Casey(tries(to(call(off(her(wedding( but(before(she’s(able(go,(she(starts(exhibiting(insect(like(traits.( Between(her(physical(transformation(and(her(wedding(anxiety,( Casey(succumbs(to(her(new(instincts(and(begins(creating(a( hive(that(not(only(houses(her(translucent(eggs,(but(feeds(on(the( flesh(of(others.(As(her(transformation(becomes(complete,(Casey( discovers(that(everything(can(change(with(a(single(bite.( ( Starring!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!Yuen,!Jordan!Gray!and!Lawrene!Denkers,!BITE!will!premiere! at!Fantasia!next!month,!and!you!can!check!out!the!exclusive!stills!and!posters!from!the!film!below.!

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Fangoria!–!July!23!–!“Exclusive!Stills,!Anarchy!goes!viral!in!Antisocial!2”! http://www.fangoria.com/new/exclusive[stills[anarchy[goes[viral[in[antisocial[2/! !

With!the!boom!of!horror!films!to!come!out!of!Canada!over!the!past!several!years,!one!of!the!more! prolific!VOD!successes!was!ANTISOCIAL,!the!psychologically[driven!fright!flick!following!a!a!group! of!people!who!experience!a!pandemic!event!that!supposedly!begins!from!a!virus!that!can! transmitted!from!the!internet.!And!now,!2!years!after!the!first!film!premiered!at!Fantasia!Film!

Festival,!ANTISOCIAL!2!brings!director!Cody!Calahan,!co[writer!Chad!Archibald,!cinematographer! (and!now!co[writer)!Jeff!Maher!and!star!Michelle!Mylett!back!in!action,!and!now!FANGORIA!has! four!exclusive!stills!from!the!film!! !

For!those!unfamiliar,!here’s!the!official!synopsis!for!ANTISOCIAL!2…! !

Years(after(having(her(newborn(child(stolen(from(her,(Sam(searches(a(world(infested(with(infected( users(from(the(Social(Redroom(website.(After(befriending(a(young(girl(named(Bean,(Sam(is( captured(and(locked(in(a(facility(dedicated(to(finding(a(cure(for(the(Redroom(Virus.(Trapped(and( tortured,(Sam(tries(to(escape(the(facility(before(an(impending(update(on(the(Redroom(site(hits( 100%(and(unleashed(its(final(phase(of(attack.( ( ANTISOCIAL!2!is!premiering!at!the!Fantasia!Film!Festival!on!July!30th;!for!more!information!and! tickets,!you!can!visit!it’s!Fantasia!page!here.!And!you!can!check!out!the!exclusive!ANTISOCIAL!2! stills!below!! !

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Bloody!Disgusting!–!July!8!–“Antisocial!2!A!Will!World!Premiere!at!Fantasia”!

(Trailer)! http://bloody[disgusting.com/news/3352057/antisocial[2[will[world[premiere[fantasia[ watch[trailer/! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

It’s!been!announced!that!Cody!Calahan’s!Antisocial!2!will!receive!its!world!premiere!at!the!Fantasia!

Film!Festival!in!Montreal,!Quebec!on!July!30th.!The!film!is!the!sequel!to!the!2013!sci[fi/horror!film,! which!was!also!directed!by!Calahan.!

The!synopsis!for!Antisocial(2!reads:!

Years(after(having(her(newborn(child(stolen(from(her,(Sam(searches(a(world(infested(with(infected(users( from(the(Social(Redroom(website.(After(befriending(a(young(girl(named(Bean,(Sam(is(captured(and( locked(in(a(facility(dedicated(to(finding(a(cure(for(the(Redroom(Virus.(Trapped(and(tortured,(Sam(tries(to( escape(the(facility(before(an(impending(update(on(the(Redroom(site(hits(100%(and(unleashed(its(final( phase(of(attack.( Antisocial(2!stars!Michelle!Mylett!(Antisocial,(Ascension,(The(Drownsman)!Stephen!Bogaert!(The(Valley( Below),!Josette!Halpert,!and!Samuel!Faraci!(“Hannibal”,!“Hemlock!Grove”).! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Twitch!–!July!7!–“Fantasia!2015:!ANTISOCIAL!2!To!Premiere!At!Festival,!

Check!Out!The!New!Trailer”! http://twitchfilm.com/2015/07/fantasia[2015[antisocial[2[to[premiere[at[festival[check[ out[the[new[trailer.html!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Antisocial!2,!the!sequel!to!the!Canadian!indie!horror,!will!have!its!World!Premiere!at!Fantasia!on!July!

30th.!Director!Cody!Calahan!and!writing!partner!Chad!Archibald!return!with!the!next!chapter!in!Sam's! fight!against!the!Redroom!Virus.!! !

Antisocial!cinematographer!Jeff!Maher!also!adds!a!writing!credit!to!this! sequel!along!with!his!help!behind!the!camera!once!again.!Michelle!Mylett! reprises!her!role!as!our!heroine!Sam.!! !

It(has(been(several(years(since(the(events(of(the(first(film,(and(the(Redroom( Virus(has(won.(Spawned(from(a(mysterious(socialTnetworking(website,(it( has(infected(most(of(the(populace,(turning(them(into(mindless(killers;(the( few(survivors(are(divided(between(the(uninfected(and(those(who(have(been( freed(of(the(virus'(influence(via(impromptu(brain(surgery.(These("defects"( include(original(heroine(Sam((Michelle(Mylett),(who(scours(the(countryside( seeking(her(child,(which(was(taken(from(her(following(its(birth(not(long(after( the(world(fell.(Her(search(will(lead(her(to(team(up(with(a(young(girl(named( Bean((Josette(Halpert)(and(then(to(a(makeshift(laboratory(where(a(cure(for( the(virus(is(being(sought(TT(by(any(means(necessary.( ( Along!with!today's!announcement!the!production!also!release!this!new! poster!above!and!a!new!trailer!which!you!can!watch!below.!!

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Twitch!A!July!7!–!“Fantasia!2015:!Everything!Changes!With!a!Single!Bite”! http://twitchfilm.com/2015/07/fantasia[2015[everything[changes[with[a[single[bite.html! !

As!Canadian!horror!film!fans,!we!have!a!strange!affinity!for!body!horror!films,!owing!much!of!course!to! our!forefather!Mr!Cronenberg.!As!such,!there!is!a!crop!of!young!Canadian!horror!filmmakers!out!there! that!just!love!making!us!squirm!uneasily!in!our!seats!as!they!put!their!characters!through!the!genetic! wringer.!! !

Adding!to!that!horrific!chorus!is!filmmaker!Chad!Archibald!(Antisocial,!The!Drownsman)!and!one!of!his! latest!films,!Bite,!which!will!have!its!World!Premiere!at!Fantasia!on!July!29th!in!the!Salle!J.A!de!Sève.! !

While(on(her(bachelorette(party(getaway,(Casey,(the(bride(to(be,(gets(a(seemingly(harmless(bite(from( an(unknown(insect.(After(returning(home(with(cold(feet,(Casey(tries(to(call(off(her(wedding(but(before( she's(able(to,(she(starts(exhibiting(insect(like(traits.(Between(her(physical(transformation(and(her( wedding(anxiety,(Casey(succumbs(to(her(new(instincts(and(begins(creating(a(hive(that(not(only(houses( her(translucent(eggs,(but(feeds(on(the(flesh(of(others.(As(her(transformation(becomes(complete,(Casey( discovers(that(everything(can(change(with(a(single(bite.( ( There!is!a!new!trailer!to!share!with!you!along!with!a!collection!of!stills.!I!tell!you!what,!that!dead!stare! from!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!at!the!end!of!this!trailer!is!enough!for!me.!I'm!creeped!out!already.! !

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Bloody!Disgusting!A!August!4!–!“Ambulance!Arrives!At!Fantasia!After!

Viewers!Experience!A!‘Bite’”! http://bloody[disgusting.com/news/3355622/ambulance[arrives[fantasia[viewers[ experience[bite/! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Working!in!a!cinema!growing!up!I!got!used!to!being!around!movie!theatre!drama.!! !

Getting!soaked!in!piss!when!washrooms!leaked!during!Finding(Nemo!on!opening!weekend,!Kill(Billbeing! shown!instead!of!the!same!fishy!flick!&!projectile!puking!during!the!rib!rip!in!the!Saw!movie!sequel!I! forget!the!digit!of.!!It!seems!Canada!has!it’s!own!share!of!issues!when!presenting!films.!!

Case!in!point!happened!during!the!female!body!horror!Bite!at!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival.!!The! filmmakers!thinking!they!might!cause!a!stir!in!stomachs!were!wise!enough!to!give!out!barf!bags!to! patrons!attending!the!big!screen!debut!but!nothing!could!have!prepared!them!for!this!outcome.!! !

Via!the!festival!co[director:!

I(leave(the(BITE(premiere(for(all(of(ten(minutes(and(the(following(text(lights(up(my(phone:(“2( people,fainted.(One(girl(is(puking(and( another(hit(his(head(on(stairs”.(Truth.( ! !

What!is!the!most!visceral!reaction! you’ve!had!to!a!movie?!!Bite!continues! to!screen!on!the!festival!circuit!playing! in!London!at!the!end!of!the!month! for!Film4!FrightFest!

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HorrorAMovies.ca!–!July!7!–“Will!You!Take!a!‘Bite’!Out!of!This!Official!Trailer! and!Poster?”! http://www.horror[movies.ca/2015/07/will[take[bite[official[trailer[poster/!! !

All!I’ve!got!to!say!is,!body!horror!!Yes!!Am!I!excited?!You! bet!I!am!as!we!have!not!just!scored!the!brand!new!poster! but!we!also!have!the!first!official!trailer!for!Chad!

Archibald’s!Bite,!which!is!full!on!body!horror,!I!mean!this! would!make!Cronenberg!smile,!it!looks!that!good.!So,!do! yourself!a!favor!and!check!out!the!gruesome!goods!below.!

The!film!stars!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!

Yuen,!Jordan!Gray,!and!Lawrene!Denkers.! !

Synopsis:!While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,! the!bride!to!be,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an! unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!

Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able!to,! she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical! transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs! to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not! only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of! others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey! discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

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Legless!Corpse!–!June!30!–“BITE!To!Premiere!At!Fantasia!International!Film!

Festival”! http://leglesscorpse.us/bite[to[premiere[at[fantasia[international[film[festival/!! !

Breakthrough!Entertainment!and!Black!Fawn!Films’!BITE!To! Premiere!At!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival.! !

(Toronto!–!June!30,!2015)!From!Breakthrough!Entertainment! and!Black!Fawn!Films!–!the!team!behind!the!breakaway!indie[ hits!Antisocial!and!The!Drownsman!–!comes!BITE,!directed!by!

Chad!Archibald!(Neverlost,!The!Drownsman)!who!again!returns! to!infect!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!with!a!World!

Premiere!in!Montreal.! !

Directed!by!Chad!Archibald,!written!by!Jayme!Laforest!(Gods!of!

Accident)!and!stars!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!

Yuen,!Jordan!Gray!and!Lawrene!Denkers.!Produced!by!Chad!

Archibald,!Cody!Calahan!(Antisocial,!Antisocial!2),!Christopher!

Giroux!(The!Drownsman,!Antisocial!2),!with!Co[Producer!/!

Director!of!Photography!Jeff!Maher!(Antisocial!2),!Line!Producer!

James!O’Donnell!(Antisocial!2),!Supervising!Producer!Audrey!

Velichka,!and!Executive!Producers!Nat!Abraham,!Tim!Brown,!Ira! Levy,!Michael!McGuigan!and!Peter!Williamson.! !

“We!are!honoured!Fantasia!has!again!invited!a!Breakthrough/!

Black!Fawn!production!to!premiere!at!their!Festival,”!says!

Executive!Producer!Peter!Williamson,!the!most!devoted!and! knowledgeable!genre!fans!anywhere.”! !

“We’re!so!thrilled!at!the!opportunity!to!have!the!world!premiere! of!BITE!at!Fantasia!in!front!of!all!the!amazing!genre!fans!that! flood!Montreal!for!the!Festival,”!says!Director/Producer!Archibald.!“Making!this!film!has!been!an!exciting!ride.!It’s!scary,! sexy,!funny!and!gross,!and!after!seeing!a!small!group!of!people!test!screen!it,!I!can’t!wait!to!see!how!a!theatre!filled!with! genre!fans!are!going!to!react!at!its!world!premiere!in!Montreal!”! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!–!the!bride!to!be!–!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from! an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able!to,!she! starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her! new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As! her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

“This!movie!was!a!wild!adventure!to!film,!and!I!can’t!wait!to!share!it!with!audiences!this!summer!”!says!actor!Elma!

Begovic.!“Working!with!Black!Fawn!Films!has!allowed!me!to!be!part!of!a!scary,!and!at!times!sexy!film,!and!director!Chad!

Archibald!truly!gave!me!the!opportunity!to!stand!tall!and!proud!behind!my!character.”! ! !

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HorrorAMovies.ca!–July!27!–!“Official!Trailer!and!Poster!from!Antisocial!2”! http://www.horror[movies.ca/2015/07/official[trailer[poster[antisocial[2/! !

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How!many!of!you!guys!got!to!witness!Cody!Calahan’s!Antisocial?!I! thought!it!was!a!fun!flick,!but!if!you!haven’t!seen!it!yet!then!I! suggest!you!change!that!as!the!sequel!is!on!the!horizon!and!we! have!scored!the!official!trailer!as!well!as!the!official!poster.!Check! them!out!below!and!let!us!know!what!you!think?! !

The!film!is!directed!by!Cody!Calahan!and!stars!Michelle!Mylett,!

Stephen!Bogaert,!and!Josette!Halpert.! !

Synopsis:!Years(after(having(her(newborn(child(stolen(from(her,( Sam(searches(a(world(infested(with(infected(users(from(the(Social( Redroom(website.(After(befriending(a(young(girl(named(Bean,(Sam( is(captured(and(locked(in(a(facility(dedicated(to(finding(a(cure(for( the(Redroom(Virus.(Trapped(and(tortured,(Sam(tries(to(escape(the( facility(before(an(impending(update(on(the(Redroom(site(hits(100%( and(unleashed(its(final(phase(of(attack.( !

Antisocial!2!is!set!to!have!its!world!premiere!at!the!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!this!July!30th.! !

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28!Days!Later!Analysis!–!July!7!–!“Antisocial!2!Gets!Show!on!the!Road!This!

July!!First!Trailer”!!

http://www.28dayslateranalysis.com/2015/07/antisocial[2[gets[show[on[road[this.html! !

Antisocial!was!social!commentary!on!social!media!and!its!brain! numbing!capabilities.!Now,!Black!Fawn!Films!are!set!to!follow[ up!this!zombie!horror!feature!with!a!sequel.!Aptly!titled!

Antisocial!2,!this!second!film!was!also!shot!in!Ontario!and!the! film!will!premiere!at!Montreal's!Fantasia!International!Film!

Festival.!To!celebrate!its!debut,!a!trailer!has!been!launched!for!

Antisocial!2!and!it!is!chock!full!of!harrowing!situations.! !

Fans!of!the!first!film!will!remember!the!Redroom!Virus.!The! virus!is!transmitted!through!a!social!media!platform;!and!now,! much!of!the!local!populace!has!been!infected.!Sam!(Michelle!

Mylett)!has!saved!herself,!after!some!emergency!surgery.!But,! she!must!survive!in!a!new!world,!in!which!everyone!has!turned! on!everyone!else.! !

The!premiere!date!for!Antisocial!2!has!been!announced.!The!film!will!debut!on!July!30th.!

As!well,!filmmakers!Chad!Archibald!will!be!in!attendance,!along!with!select!cast!members.!

Fans!of!zombie!film!fare!are!encouraged! to!check!out!the!film's!first!disturbing! trailer,!hosted!below.! !

Release!Date:!July!30th,!2015!(World!

Premiere).! !

Director/writer:!Cody!Calahan.! !

Writer:!Chad!Archibald.! !

The!Red!Room!virus!takes!to!the!streets! in!this!clip:! !

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Cinema!Slasher!–!July!7!–““Antisocial!2”!to!Premiere!at!Fantasia!2015;!

Poster,!Trailer!Released”! http://cinemaslasher.com/2015/07/07/antisocial[2[to[premiere[at[fantasia[2015[poster[ trailer[released/! !

When!Cody!Calahan’s!Antisocial!was!released!in!2013,!it!was!widely!considered!to!be!a! different!kind!of!“infection”!movie;!one!that!was!significantly!more!interesting!that!most! of!the!drivel!occupying!store!shelves.!Now,!with!the!release!of!Antisocial!2,!Calahan!is! taking!the!story!in!a!completely!different!direction,!and!we!couldn’t!be!more!excited.! !

Years!after!having!her!newborn!child!stolen!from!her,!Sam!searches!a!world!infested!with! infected!users!from!the!Social!Redroom!website.!After!befriending!a!young!girl!named!

Bean,!Sam!is!captured!and!locked!in!a!facility!dedicated!to!finding!a!cure!for!the!Redroom!

Virus.!Trapped!and!tortured,!Sam!tries!to!escape!the!facility!before!an!impending!update! on!the!Redroom!site!hits!100%!and!unleashed!its!final!phase!of!attack.! !

Directed!by!Calahan!from!a!screenplay!he!co[wrote!with!Chad!Archibald!and!Jeff!Maher,! the!film!stars!the!returning!Michelle!Mylett!alongside!Stephen!Bogaert!and!Josette!

Halpert.! !

Antisocial!2!premieres!on!July!30th!at!Fantasia!2015!in!Montreal.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Dread!Central!–!July!7!–!“Bite!Poster!is!Eggcellent!”!

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/111127/bite[poster[is[eggcellent/! !

There’s!just!something!inherently!nasty!about!the!following!bit!of!artwork!for!the!new!film!

Bite,!and!we!love!every!single!pixel!of!it!!Check!it!out!! !

Bite!comes!to!us!from!Breakthrough!Entertainment.!Chad!Archibald!directs.!Elma!Begovic,!

Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!Gray!star.! !

Synopsis:( While(on(her(bachelorette(party(getaway,(Casey,(the(brideTtoTbe,(gets(a(seemingly( harmless(bite(from(an(unknown(insect.(After(returning(home(with(cold(feet,(Casey(tries(to( call(off(her(wedding,(but(before(she’s(able(to,(she(starts(exhibiting(insectTlike(traits.( Between(her(physical(transformation(and(her(wedding(anxiety,(Casey(succumbs(to(her(new( instincts(and(begins(creating(a(hive(that(not(only(houses(her(translucent(eggs(but(feeds(on( the(flesh(of(others.(As(her(transformation(becomes(complete,(Casey(discovers(that( everything(can(change(with(a(single(bite.( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Dread!Central!–July!8!–“Take!a!Bite!Out!of!This!Nasty!Body!Horror!Trailer”! http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/111354/take[a[bite[out[of[this[nasty[body[horror[ trailer/!! !

Yesterday!we!showed!you!two!fairly!revolting!pieces!of!poster!art!for!Chad!Archibald’s!

Bite,!which!looks!to!be!cut!from!the!same!cloth!as!David!Cronenberg’s!incredible!remake! of!The!Fly.!And!we!didn’t!have!to!wait!long!for!the!trailer,!as!it!has!arrived!today.!Dig!in,!if! you!think!you!can!stomach!it!! !

Bite!comes!to!us!from!Breakthrough!Entertainment.!Chad!Archibald!(The!Drownsman)! directs.!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!Gray!star.! !

Synopsis:!

While(on(her(bachelorette(party(getaway,(Casey,(the(brideTtoTbe,(gets(a(seemingly( harmless(bite(from(an(unknown(insect.(After(returning(home(with(cold(feet,(Casey(tries(to( call(off(her(wedding,(but(before(she’s(able(to,(she(starts(exhibiting(insectTlike(traits.( Between(her(physical(transformation(and(her(wedding(anxiety,(Casey(succumbs(to(her(new( instincts(and(begins(creating(a(hive(that(not(only(houses(her(translucent(eggs(but(feeds(on( the(flesh(of(others.(As(her(transformation(becomes(complete,(Casey(discovers(that( everything(can(change(with(a(single(bite.( !

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Dread!Central!–!July!7!–!“Fantasia!2015!Gets!Antisocial!2”! http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/111199/111199/!! !

It!was!just!announced!that!Antisocial!2!will!be!screening!as!part!of! this!year’s!Fantasia!Film!Festival,!and!right!now!we!have!a!brand! spanking!new!trailer!plus!a!one[sheet!for!you!cats!that’s!bound!to! blow!your!mind.! !

From!the!Press!Release:!

Rather!than!simply!rehash!their!original!ANTISOCIAL!(a!Fantasia!2013! world!premiere)!for!the!sequel,!the!team!at!Black!Fawn!Films!have! taken!their!story!the!next!logical!step!into!a!different,!even!grimmer! scenario.!It!has!been!several!years!since!the!events!of!the!first!film,! and!the!Redroom!Virus!has!won.!Spawned!from!a!mysterious!social! networking!website,!it!has!infected!most!of!the!populace,!turning! them!into!mindless!killers;!the!few!survivors!are!divided!between!the! uninfected!and!those!who!have!been!freed!of!the!virus’!influence!via! impromptu!brain!surgery.!These!“defects”!include!original!heroine!

Sam!(Michelle!Mylett),!who!scours!the!countryside!seeking!her!child,! which!was!taken!from!her!following!its!birth!not!long!after!the!world! fell.!Her!search!will!lead!her!to!team!up!with!a!young!girl!named!

Bean!(Josette!Halpert)!and!then!to!a!makeshift!laboratory!where!a! cure!for!the!virus!is!being!sought!—!by!any!means!necessary.! !

From!ANTISOCIAL’s!confined!siege!scenario,!director!Cody!Calahan,!his!co[writers!Chad!Archibald!and!Jeff!

Maher,!and!co[producers!Archibald!and!Christopher!Giroux!have!expanded!to!a!full[on!post[apocalyptic! vision,!creating!an! evocative!ruined! landscape!on!their!usual! small!budget.!Returning! as!the!sole!survivor!from! the!previous!ensemble,!

Mylett!now!takes!centre! stage!and!provides!a! sympathetic!focus!as!Sam! dodges!attacks!by!the! infected,!bonds!with!

Bean,!and!struggles!to! survive!within!that! torturous!facility’s!walls.!

And!throughout!it!all,!the!

Redroom!Virus!is!slowly,! inexorably!uploading!an!“upgrade”!that!will!take!its!hosts!to!the!next!level…! !

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Geek!Chic!Elite!–!July!1 Festival”!

! ”BITE!To!Premiere!At!Fantasia!International!Film!

http://www.geekchicelite.com/bite[to[premiere[at[fantasia[international[film[festival/!! !

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From!Breakthrough!Entertainment!and!Black!Fawn!Films!–!the!team!behind!the!breakaway!indie[ hits!Antisocial!and!The(Drownsman!–!comes!BITE,!directed!by!Chad!Archibald!(Neverlost,(The( Drownsman)!who!again!returns!to!infect!Fantasia!International!! !

Film!Festival!with!a!World!Premiere!in!Montreal.!

Directed!by!Chad!Archibald,!written!by!Jayme!Laforest!(Gods(of(Accident)!and!stars!Elma!Begovic,!

Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!Yuen,!Jordan!Gray!and!Lawrene!Denkers.!Produced!by!Chad!Archibald,!Cody!

Calahan!(Antisocial,(Antisocial(2),!Christopher!Giroux!(The(Drownsman,(Antisocial(2!),!with!Co[Producer! /!Director!of!Photography!Jeff!Maher!(Antisocial(2),!Line!Producer!James!O’Donnell!(Antisocial(2),!

Supervising!Producer!Audrey!Velichka,!and!Executive!Producers!Nat!Abraham,!Tim!Brown,!Ira!Levy,!

Michael!McGuigan!and!Peter!Williamson.!

“We!are!honoured!Fantasia!has!again!invited!a!Breakthrough/!Black!Fawn!production!to!premiere!at! their!Festival,”!says!Executive!Producer!Peter!Williamson,!the!most!devoted!and!knowledgeable!genre! fans!anywhere.”!

“We’re!so!thrilled!at!the!opportunity!to!have!the!world!premiere!of!BITE!at!Fantasia!in!front!of!all!the! amazing!genre!fans!that!flood!Montreal!for!the!Festival,”!says!Director/Producer!Archibald.!“Making! this!film!has!been!an!exciting!ride.!It’s!scary,!sexy,!funny!and!gross,!and!after!seeing!a!small!group!of! people!test!screen!it,!I!can’t!wait!to!see!how!a!theatre!filled!with!genre!fans!are!going!to!react!at!its! world!premiere!in!Montreal!”!

While!on!her!bachelorette! party!getaway,!Casey!(Elma!

Begovic)!–!the!bride!to!be!–! gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite! from!an!unknown!insect.!After! returning!home!with!cold!feet,!

Casey!tries!to!call!off!her! wedding!but!before!she’s!able!

! !

to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent! eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that! everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

“This!movie!was!a!wild!adventure!to!film,!and!I!can’t!wait!to!share!it!with!audiences!this!summer!”!says! actor!Elma!Begovic.!“Working!with!Black!Fawn!Films!has!allowed!me!to!be!part!of!a!scary,!and!at!times! sexy!film,!and!director!Chad!Archibald!truly!gave!me!the!opportunity!to!stand!tall!and!proud!behind!my! character.”! !

About!Breakthrough!Entertainment!Inc.! ! !

Headquartered!in!Toronto,!Breakthrough!

Entertainment!Inc.!(BEI)!is!a!world[class! studio,!being!a!leading!global!producer! and!distributor!of!acclaimed!primetime! comedy!and!drama!series,!as!well!as! factual!entertainment,!documentaries,! television!movies,!feature!films,!family! entertainment!and!children’s!animation.!

As!one!of!Canada’s!largest!television! production!and!distribution!companies,!

BEI!has!licensed!programs!to!major! broadcasters!in!over!200!territories.!With! a!catalogue!of!over!3000!half[hours!of! programming,!the!company!handles! distribution!as!well!as!worldwide!pre[sales,! co[productions!and!third[party! acquisitions.! www.breakthroughentertainment.com!2! !

About!Black!Fawn!Films!

Black!Fawn!Films!is!an!award[winning!

Canadian!Independent!Film!Production! house!dedicated!to!bringing!together! amazing!Canadian!talent!to!create!films! people!want!to!see.!With!15!features!(The( Drownsman,(Antisocial,(Neverlost)!and! over!125!music!videos!(City(and!Colour,( The(Trews,(Mötley(Crüe,(Theory(of(a( Deadman)!under!their!belt,!Black!Fawn! has!become!a!staple!in!the!Canadian!and!international!film!and!music!video!industry.! www.blackfawnfilms.com! ! ! ! !

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Icons!of!Fright!–!July!8!–“2015!FANTASIA!FILM!FESTIVAL!UNLEASHES!VERY! IMPRESSIVE!LINEUP;!WORLD!PREMIERE!OF!ANTISOCIAL!2!INCLUDED!”! http://iconsoffright.com/2015/07/08/2015[fantasia[film[festival[unleashes[very[ impressive[lineup[world[premiere[of[antisocial[2[included/!

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Always!a!film!festival!that!prides!itself!on!giving!its! audiences!a!hell!of!a!lineup,!filled!to!the!brim!with! standout!titles!every!year!and!world!premieres!for!films! that!are!greatly!anticipated,!the!2015!Fantasia!Film!

Festival!has!now!revealed!its!final!lineup.!Like!we’ve!all! come!to!appreciate,!this!year!is!no!exception,!with!films! such!as!TALES!OF!HALLOWEEN,!ANT[MAN,!the!greatly! anticipated!COP!CAR!(which!will!be!screened!with!Kevin!

Bacon!in!attendance!!)!and!JERUZALEM!all!being! standout!films!to!look!out!for,!along!with!a!pretty!epic!list! of!other!films!that!are!sure!to!leave!viewers!entertained! and!excited!throughout!the!entire!event!(July!14th[August!4th).! !

If!the!full!lineup!wasn’t!already!enough!to!make!your!horror!loving!heads!explode,!the!new!announcement! that!Fanstasia!will!host!the!July!30th!premiere!of!Cody!Calahan’s!sequel!to!2013’s!ANTISOCIAL,!!ANTISOCIAL! 2,!is!news!that!will!definitely!do!the!trick,!and!we’ve!got!the!official!poster!and!trailer!to!go!along!with!the! announcement.!Be!sure!to!take!a!look!at!the!poster!and!trailer,!then!scroll!down!for!the!complete!lineup!to!

2015’s!Fantasia!Film!Festival.! !

Rather!than!simply!rehash!their!original!ANTISOCIAL!(a!Fantasia!2013!world!premiere)!for!the!sequel,!the! team!at!Black!Fawn!Films!have!taken!their!story!the!next!logical!step!into!a!different,!even!grimmer!scenario.!

It!has!been!several!years!since!the!events!of!the!first!film,!and!the!Redroom!Virus!has!won.!Spawned!from!a! mysterious!social[networking!website,!it!has!infected!most!of!the!populace,!turning!them!into!mindless! killers;!the!few!survivors!are!divided!between!the!uninfected!and!those!who!have!been!freed!of!the!virus’! influence!via!impromptu!brain!surgery.!These!“defects”!include!original!heroine!Sam!(Michelle!Mylett),!who! scours!the!countryside!seeking!her!child,!which!was!taken!from!her!following!its!birth!not!long!after!the! world!fell.!Her!search!will!lead!her!to!team!up!with!a!young!girl!named!Bean!(Josette!Halpert)!and!then!to!a! makeshift!laboratory!where!a!cure!for!the!virus!is!being!sought!—!by!any!means!necessary.! !

From!ANTISOCIAL’s!confined!siege!scenario,!director!Cody!

Calahan,!his!co[writers!Chad!Archibald!and!Jeff!Maher,!and! co[producers!Archibald!and!Christopher!Giroux,!have! expanded!to!a!full[on!post[apocalyptic!vision,!creating!an! evocative!ruined!landscape!on!their!usual!small!budget.!

Returning!as!the!sole!survivor!from!the!previous!ensemble,!

Mylett!now!takes!centre!stage!and!provides!a!sympathetic! focus!as!Sam!dodges!attacks!by!the!infected,!bonds!with!

Bean,!and!struggles!to!survive!within!that!torturous! facility’s!walls.!And!throughout!it!all,!the!Redroom!Virus!is!slowly,!inexorably!uploading!an!“upgrade”!that! will!take!its!hosts!to!the!next!level…! !

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Quiet!Earth!–!July!7!–!“Fantasia!2015:!Apocalypse!ViaASocial!Media!Virus!in!

ANTISOCIAL!2!(Trailer)”! http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2015/07/Fantasia[2015[Apocalypse[Via[Social[Media[ Virus[in[ANTISOCIAL[2[Trailer!! !

Writer/director!Cody!Calahan!first!appeared!on!our!radar!a! couple!of!years!ago!with!Antisocial!(trailer),!a!horror!movie! focused!on!a!group!of!college!students!at!a!house!party!who! find!themselves!at!the!centre!of!a!virus!which!is!transmitted! via!social!media!and!which!turns!the!afflicted!into!raging! psychopaths.! !

I!rather!enjoyed!the!movie!which!felt!timely!with!the!rise!in! popularity!of!social!media!but!beyond!that,!it!featured!some! really!creepy!moments!and!introduced!Michelle!Mylett!to!the! world.!Now!Calahan!and!producing!and!writing!partner!Chad!

Archibald!are!back!with!Antisocial!2.!! !

The!sequel!unfolds!years!after!the!collapse!of!the!world!as!we! know!it!and!re[introduces!us!to!Sam!as!she!searches!for!the! baby!that!was!stolen!from!her!at!birth...! !

Years!after!having!her!newborn!child!stolen!from!her,!Sam! searches!a!world!infested!with!infected!users!from!the!Social!Redroom!website.!After!befriending! a!young!girl!named!Bean,!Sam!is!captured!and!locked!in!a!facility!dedicated!to!finding!a!cure!for! the!Redroom!Virus.!Trapped!and!tortured,!Sam!tries!to!escape!the!facility!before!an!impending! update!on!the!Redroom!site!hits!100%!and!unleashed!its!final!phase!of!attack.! !

Ah!yes.!An!apocalypse!brought!on!by!social!media.!Feels!eerily!plausible.! !

Antisocial!2!will!have!its!world!premiere!at!Fantasia.!! ! !

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Hell!Horror!–!July!28!–“Antisocial!2!(2015)”! http://hellhorror.com/video/5370/Antisocial[2[2015[Trailer[Poster.html!

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Cody!Calahan"s!Antisocial!2!(2015)!is!set!to!premiere!at!the!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!2015!(FIFF!2015)!this!July!30,!2015.!The!movie! poster!looks!awesome!and!captivating.!The!trailer!starts!slow!but!builds! into!some!twisted!scenes.!I!still!haven"t!seen!the!firstAntisocial( (2013)!yet!even!though!it!has!been!in!my!Netflix!queue!forever,!time!to! change!that.!Michelle!Mylett,!Stephen!Bogaert,!and!Josette!Halpert!star! in!Antisocial!2.!

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A!Southern!Life!in!Scandalous!Times!–July!27!–“Continuing!The!Spread!Of! Infection!To!Society!With!"Antisocial!2"! http://asouthernlifeinscandaloustimes.blogspot.ca/2015/07/continuing[spread[of[ infection[to.html!

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It!is!scientifically!proven!that!we!are!influenced!by!the!images!and!sounds!that!bombard!us!daily!through! television,!music,!video,!internet,!social!media.!It!is!a!constant!influx!of!media,!messages,!madness,!and! chaos!which!inevitably!will!consume!society!completely!until!we!lay!bleeding!on!the!floor!a!beaten!and! broken!heap!!Okay!I!may!have!went!to!a!psycho!paranoia!delusional!rant,!but!that!is!the!point!of!Cody!

Calahan's!"Antisocial",!a!film!that!had!a!group!hide!out!from!an!outbreak!that!sent!the!world!into!just!such! an!apocalypse.!Unfortunately!the!source!of!their!reasoning!and!information!was!through!tech!devices! connected!to!the!internet.!The!infection!seeps!into!the!sanctuary!and!we!get!some!intense,!thrilling!human! brutality,!madness,!and!carnage.! !

Cody!Calahan!returns!for!some!more!of!that!tech!is!the!killer!mayhem!with!"Antisocial!2".!The!film!will! premiere!at!this!years!Fantasia!on!July!30th.!It!stars!Michelle!Mylett,!Stephen!Bogaert,!and!Josette!Halpert.!

Check!out!the!official!poster!and!trailer!for!the!film.! !

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Years!after!having!her!newborn!child!stolen!from!her,!Sam!searches!a!world!infested!with!infected!users! from!the!Social!Redroom!website.!After!befriending!a!young!girl!named!Bean,!Sam!is!captured!and!locked!in! a!facility!dedicated!to!finding!a!cure!for!the!Redroom!Virus.!Trapped!and!tortured,!Sam!tries!to!escape!the! facility!before!an!impending!update!on!the!Redroom!site!hits!100%!and!unleashed!its!final!phase!of!attack.!

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Halloween!Love!–August!12!–!“I!Think!I’m!Gonna!Be!Sick:!Horror!Movie!

Promotional!Barf!Bags”! http://halloweenlove.com/i[think[im[gonna[be[sick[horror[movie[promotional[barf[bags/!

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Chad!Archibald’s!upcoming!body[horror!film!Bite!recently! caused!quite!a!stir!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!International!Film!

Festival,!after!an!ambulance!had!to!be!called!to!the!screening.!

According!to!reports,!one!member!of!the!audience!fainted! during!the!movie!while!another!vomited,!which!is!just!about!the! best!press!a!horror!movie!could!possibly!receive.!Whether!or! not!it!was!a!marketing!stunt,!well,!we!may!never!know.! !

It’s!interesting!to!note!that!airline[style!barf!bags!were!handed! out!at!the!Fantasia!screening!of!Bite,!and!it’s!certainly!not!the! first!horror!movie!to!spawn!such!a!unique!little!promotional! item.!Perhaps!the!very!first!horror!movie!to!employ!the! attention[grabbing!tactic!was!1970’s!Mark(of(the(Devil,!a!

German!film!that!was!memorably!graphic.!It!was!advertised!as! “the!most!horrifying!film!ever!made,”!a!campaign!that!contributed!greatly!to!its!box!office!success.! !

Read!more:!http://halloweenlove.com/i[think[im[gonna[be[sick[horror[movie[ promotional[barf[bags/!

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Modern!Horrors!A!July!7!–“’ANTISOCIAL!2 FANTASIA.!RELEASES!NEW!TRAILER. !

!SET!FOR!PREMIERE!AT!

http://modernhorrors.com/antisocial[2[set[for[premiere[at[fantasia[releases[new[trailer/! !

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!

It’s!baaack!! !

Antisocial!was!an!unexpected!gem!back!in!2013.!While!it!wasn’t!without!its!faults,!the!film!showed!great! promise!from!the!relatively!unknown!team!of!writer!Chad!Archibald!and!director!Cody!Calahan.!Fast!forward! a!couple!of!years,!and!Chad!Archibald!is!quickly!becoming!one!of!the!more!prominent!figures!in!the!modern! horror!landscape.!Films!like!The!Drownsman,!Ejecta,!Hellmouth,!and!the!upcoming!body!horror!title!Bite!all! have!Archibald!attached!as!either!director!or!producer.!The!man!is!making!moves,!and!now!it’s!time!for!him! to!once!again!team!up!with!Cody!Calahan!for!Antisocial!2.! !

The!film!is!set!to!premiere!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!on!July!30th.!If!you’re!in! attendance,!you!won’t!want!to!miss!it.!Check!out!the!official!trailer!and!plot!synopsis!below:! !

Plot!Synopsis!

Years!after!having!her!newborn!child!stolen! from!her,!Sam!searches!a!world!infested! with!infected!users!from!the!Social!

Redroom!website.!After!befriending!a! young!girl!named!Bean,!Sam!is!captured! and!locked!in!a!facility!dedicated!to!finding! a!cure!for!the!Redroom!Virus.!Trapped!and! tortured,!Sam!tries!to!escape!the!facility! before!an!impending!update!on!the!

Redroom!site!hits!100%!and!unleashed!its! final!phase!of!attach.!

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! iHorror.com!–!July!8!–“Fan!of!The!Fly?!Watch!the!Disgusting!Trailer!for!BITE”! http://ihorror.com/fan[of[the[fly[watch[the[disgusting[trailer[for[bite/!

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!

Back!in!1986,!David!Cronenberg!made!one!of!the!best!horror!remakes!of!all!time,!turning!outdated!50s! classic!The(Fly!into!an!ooey,!gooey!practical!effects!extravaganza!of!gruesomeness.!And!I’m!willing!to!bet!

Chad!Archibald!is!a!fan,!as!his!next!film!looks!to!be!inspired!by!The(Fly.!

The!director!of!The(Drownsman!next!unleashes!Bite,!a!body[horror!film!that!centers!on!a!young!woman!who! is!bitten!by!a!mysterious!insect!while!on!vacation.!And!all!hell!breaks!loose!from!there,!as!she!begins! transforming!into!a!monster!that’s!not!quite!human,!and!not!quite!fully!insect.!

Elma!Begovic!stars!as!Casey,!the!bride[to[be!who!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!

After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding,!but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts! exhibiting!insect[like!traits.! !

Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and! begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her! transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

Sound!like!something!you’d!be!interested!in?!Then!check!out!the!Bite!trailer!below!!

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Flickering!Myth!–!July!9!–“First!trailer!and!poster!for!horror!film!Bite”! ! ! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a! seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home! with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able! to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical! transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new! instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent! eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes! complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

Bite!features!a!cast!that!includes!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!

Yuen,!Jordan!Gray!and!Lawrene!Denkers.!

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The!Last!Exit!to!Horrorville!–!August!4!–“Bite!Screening!Spews!Bodily!Fluids! at!Fantasia”! http://www.thelastexittohorrorville.com/2015/08/04/bite[screening[spews[ bodily[fluids[at[fantasia/!! !

There’s!nothing!like!the!ejection!of!some!bodily! fluids!to!get!our!juices!flowing!around!here,!and! that’s!exactly!what!happened!during!the!Bite! (review)!screening!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!Film!

Festival.! ! ! !

According!to!festival!co[director!Mitch!Davis!on!

Facebook:! !

I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and! the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!“2!people! fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on!stairs”.!Truth.! !

Apparently!Bite[branded!barf!bags!were!also!handed!out!for!the!screening.!Gotta!give!it!to!Mitch!!Always! thinking!!Check!out!an!image!of!said!bag!below!courtesy!of!Bloody!Disgusting.! ! ! !

Bite! !

Bite!comes!to!us!from!Breakthrough!Entertainment.!Chad!

Archibald!directs.!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!

Gray!star.! !

Synopsis:!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride[to[be,! gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After! returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding,! but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect[like!traits.!

Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive! that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of! others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers! that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

!

! !

!

Arrow!in!the!Head!–!July!9!–!“TRAILER!FOR!CHAD!ARCHIBALD'S!BITE! CRAWLS!ONLINE”!

http://www.joblo.com/horror[movies/news/trailer[for[chad[archibalds[bite[crawls[ online[779!

!

Chad!Archibald!is!building!a!very!impressive!filmography!for!himself,!one!which!includes!credits!on!several! horror!movies.!He!has!directed!horror!(DESPERATE!SOULS,!THE!DROWNSMAN)!and!produced!it!

(ANTISOCIAL,!PSYCHO!WARD,!SEPTIC!MAN),!and!has!more!genre!entries!in!store!for!us!in!the!future.! !

His!latest!film!as!director!is!entitled!BITE!and!it's!currently!making!the!festival!rounds,!with!Film4!Frightfest! being!one!of!the!events!it's!scheduled!to!be!shown!at.! !

Starring!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Denise!Yuen,!and!Lawrence!Denkers,!BITE!has!the! following!synopsis:! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride[to[be,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an! unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding,!but!before!she’s! able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect[like!traits.!Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs! but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her! transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey! discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a! single!bite.! !

Ahead!of!the!movie's!festival!premiere,!a! trailer!for!BITE!has!been!released!online,! and!you!can!check!it!out!below.!It!appears! to!be!a!dark,!disturbing,!disgusting!take!on!a! classic!creature!feature!set[up,!and!looks! quite!promising!to!me.!I'm!not!very!familiar! with!Archibald's!work,!but!now!I'm!thinking!

I!should!delve!deeper!into!the!movies!on!his! résumé.!

! !

!

Arrow!in!the!Head!–!August!10!–!“THE!TRAILERS!FOR!GOODNIGHT!MOMMY! AND!BITE!WILL!SCARE!THE!CRAP!OUT!OF!YOU”! http://www.joblo.com/movie[news/the[trailers[for[goodnight[mommy[and[bite[will[ scare[the[crap[out[of[you[226[02!!

! !

There!have!been!some!pretty!damn!good!horror!movies!over!the!last!few!years.!Just!recently,!we!had!the! success!of!IT!FOLLOWS!which!was!preceded!by!the!excellent!THE!BABADOOK.!Now,!we!have!a!look!at!two! more!movies!that!could!be!the!next!buzzed!about!scary!movie!and!each!for!very!different!reasons.! !

First!up,!we!have!BITE.!The!film!is!getting!mixed!reviews,!but!the!real!buzz!is!coming!from!the!Fantasia!Film!

Festival!where!the!movie!recently!premiered.!Audience!members!were!given!barf!bags!before!the!screening! of!the!body!horror!film!that!follows!a!bride[to[be!who!gets!bitten!by!a!bug!during!her!bachelorette!party!and! then!begins!transforming!into!a!monstrous!insect.!It!sounds!like!your!run[of[the[mill!horror!movie,!but!then! the!filmmakers!shared!a!photo!of!an!ambulance!to!Facebook!with!this!comment.!

I(leave(the(BITE(premiere(for(all(of(ten(minutes(and(the(following(text(lights(up(my(phone:("2(people,(fainted.( One(girl(is(puking(and(another(hit(his(head(on(stairs".(Truth."( ( Now,!keep!in!mind!that!the!Fantasia!Film!Festival!features!genre!films,!so!this!isn't!a!bunch!of!prudes!losing! their!lunch.!While!there!is!a!lot!more!to! making!a!movie!good!than!making!people! sick,!but!damn!if!it!doesn't!make!me!want! to!check!this!movie!out.!You!can!see!the! trailer!embedded!below.! ! …

BITE!is!currently!playing!festivals!and!has!no! domestic!release!date.!GOODNIGHT! MOMMY!will!be!released!by!Radius!on!

September!11th.! ! !

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Horror!Cult!Films!–!August!5!–“Fantasia!screening!of!horror!‘Bite’!see’s! audience!faint!and!throw!up”! http://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2015/08/fantasia[screening[of[horror[bite[sees[audience[ faint[and[throw[up/!! !

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The!Fantasia!film!festival!hosted!the!world!premiere!of!director!Chad!Archibald’s!(The!Drownsman)!Bite!over! the!weekend,!and!it!has!been!reported!that!the!film!was!just!too!gruesome!for!some!hardened!horror!fans.! !

Bloody!Disgusting!reported!the!scoop,!stating!the!the!festivals!co[director!announced!the!following!on!

Facebook:! ! ! !

I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!“2!people,fainted.!

One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on!stairs”.!Truth.! !

An!ambulance!was!called!to!the!scene,!but!it!appears!that!Archibald!was!well!aware!his!new!film!would! likely!make!audiences!uneasy.!Before!the!film!began,!special!branded!Bite!sick!bags!were!handed!to!viewers,! and!BD!shared!a!photo!of!one:! !

! ! !

While!it!is!never!a!pleasant!experience!to!become!unwell,!or! witness!someone!become!unwell!in!a!cinema,!it!is!great!publicity! for!the!film,!which!promises!to!be!pretty!intense.!So!well!done!

Archibald,!it!sounds!like!you!have!nailed!it,!and!no!doubt!this! news!will!make!horror!fans!even!more!excited!to!see!the!film.! !

Bite!will!play!at!the!UK’s!FrightFest!in!a!few!weeks.! !

Bite!is!written!and!directed!by!Chad!Archibald,!and!the!cast! includes!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!Gray.! !

Synopsis:! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,! gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After! returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding! but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!

Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,! but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything! can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

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!

Horror!Film!Central!–!July!8!–“‘BITE’!TRAILER!TRANSFORMS!INTO!A!BIG! DEAL”! http://horrorfilmcentral.com/2015/07/08/bite[trailer[transforms[into[a[big[deal/!

!

It’s!just!a!little!bite.! !

Chad!Archibald’s!Bite!has!just!released!a! trailer,!and!the!resemblance!to!David!

Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!are,!shall!we!say,! more!than!bug[sized.! !

The!synopsis:! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!

Casey,!the!bride[to[be,!gets!a!seemingly! harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her! wedding,!but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect[like!traits.!Between!her!physical! transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive! that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes! complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

Breakthrough!Entertainment’s!Bite!stars!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!Gray.!

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Horror!Film!Central!–!August!5!–“‘BITE’!PREMIERE!HAS!PEOPLE!BARFING”! http://horrorfilmcentral.com/2015/08/05/bite[premiere[has[people[barfing/!!

!

Maybe!a!bug!was!going!around.! ! !

At!the!premiere!of!the!new!horror!movie!Bite!branded!“barf!bags”! were!distributed!to!viewers!to!up!the!film’s!marketing!game.!!

Even!though!the!bags!were!undoubtedly!meant!to!be!a!novelty! keepsake,!a!few!audience!members!actually!ended!up!using!them.! !

Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!in!Montréal!screened!the! latest!flick!by!Chad!Archibald!(“Neverlost”)!to!an!audience!that! apparently!overestimated!their!gross[out!threshold.!!The!movie,! which!follows!a!young!woman,!Casey,!who!is!bitten!by!a!bug!on! vacation!and!then!begins!to!transform!into!a!bug,!was!reportedly! so!gruesome!and!disgusting!that!it!caused!two!people!to!faint! during!the!viewing,!while!others!put!their!Bite!barf!bags!to!good! use.!!In!an!early!review!of!the!film,!Rob!Hunter,!from!Film!School!

Rejects,!said!“Pus,!bile!and!other!bodily!fluids!leak!from![Casey’s]! body,!and!Archibald!ensures!that!we!see!the!discharge!happening! in!such!detail!that!we!can!smell!it!as!well.”! !

Body!horror!isn’t!anything!new,!and!neither!are!visceral!reactions!to!films.!!But!this!is!the!age!of!the!

Internet,!where!graphic!and!disturbing!videos!are!being!uploaded!and!watched!every!hour.!!That!being!said,! exactly!how!disgusting!is!this!movie!that!it!can!have!such!an!effect!on!modern!viewers?!!Guess!we’ll!have!to! wait!for!the!theatrical!release!to!find!out.!

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Film!Deviant!–!August!5!–“DEVIANT!TRAILER:!Bite!(2015)”! http://www.filmdeviant.com/2015/08/deviant[trailer[bite[2015.html! !

Some!films!promise!all!kinds!of!crazy,!tough[ to[watch!stuff!and!end!up!being! middling...at!best.!Some!don't!ever!promise! a!thing...and!manage!to!wallop!the!viewer!in! the!gut!due!to!lack!of!expectation.!

Then...there!are!those!films!that!just!don't! fuck!around.!Bite!!looks!to!be!the!kind!that! doesn't!fuck!around.! !

Honestly!speaking...I've!been!a!little!tired!of! the!genre!lately.!After!our!short!film!Gelato!

Giallo!!has!wrapped...all!I've!been!doing! lately!is!just!diving!deeper!into!my!ever[ growing!collection!of!vintage!gialli!and!ignoring!whatever!hits!the!multiplex!every!other!week.!Hell...I!haven't!even! bothered!to!play!catch!up!on!the!genre!stuff!that!I've!missed!over!the!past!few!months.!If!I!were!to!really!place! blame!for!my!lack!of!enthusiasm!for!the!genre!as!of!late...it!was!probably!due!to!me!being!so!let!down!by!It! Follows!!after!all!of!the!mammoth!expectations!that!I!had!for!that!film.!It's!not!that!it!was!bad,!mind!you...just! disappointing![!for!me,!at!least.!Then!I!watched!the!trailer!for!Bite,!a!new!film!by!Chad!Archibald!that!has!been! causing!quite!a!stir!at!recent!screenings.!Apparently,!some!people!fainted!and!puked!during!a!screening!at!this! year's!Fantasia!Film!Festival...or!something!of!that!nature.!I!was!too!lazy!to!verify! the!facts...sorry.!But,!still...the!trailer!looks!really!cool.! !

Check!it!out...! !

Here's!the!official!Plot!Summary!(which!you!could!probably!surmise!from!the! trailer):!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a! seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold! feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she's!able!to,!she!starts! exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her! wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive! that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her! transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change! with!a!single!bite.! !

Who!knows!when!the!film!will!see!any!kind!of!distribution!on!this!side!of!the!

Canadian!border?!And,!frankly,!we're!very!much!used!to!marketing!tactics!and!propaganda!used!to!inflate!hype! into!a!film!around!these!parts.!However,!on!the!less!cynical!other!hand,!this!gives!me!such!a!Starry!

Eyes/Croneberg's!The!Fly!!kinda!vibe...and!I!FUCKING!LOVED!me!some!Starry!Eyes.!So,!who!knows...maybe!this! will!deliver!the!disgusting!goods.!I'll!keep!you!Deviants!posted!on!the!particular!when!and!where!of!the!film...as! they!become!available.!In!the!meantime...here's!a!cool!poster...! !

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!

Boomstick!Comics!–!August!10!–“HERE’S!THE!TRAILER!FOR!‘BITE’,!THE!FILM! THAT’S!CAUSING!PEOPLE!TO!FAINT!AND!VOMIT!IN!THEATERS!!!”! http://boomstickcomics.com/2015/08/bite[the[film[causing[fainting[and[vomiting[in[ theaters/!

!

Hey!guys,!Jana!here,! !

What!do!you!get!when!you!take!‘The!Fly‘,!heap!a!ton!of!new! technology!on!top,!and!finish!it!off!with!massive!amounts!of!life[ changing!fluids?!!You!get!the!movie’Bite‘,!which!is!supposedly!a! movie!so!gross!and!awesome,!it’s!making!people!puke!and!pass!out! in!the!theaters.! ! !

The!film!was!shown!at!Montreal’s!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival! and!maybe!some!of!those!in!attendance!should!have!taken!it! seriously!when!novelty!barf!bags!were!given!out!as!they!filed!into! the!theater.!During!the!viewing,!there!was!plenty!of!disgust,!from!

Chad!Archibald’s!directing!prowess,!resulting!in!the!need!of!the!bags! for!those!of!the!queasy!stomached!and!with!a!few!film[goers!passing! out,!ambulances!were!called!to!the!scene.!Even!without!any!other! information,!I!have!to!see!this! movie!right!now!!For!the!rest!of! you,!here’s!a!little!more!info!and!a!trailer.!Watch!it!if!you!dare.! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a! seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home! with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able! to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical! transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new! instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent! eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes! complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! ! !

! ! ! !

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!

Hit!Fix!–!August!4!–“Why!Are!They!Handing!Out!Barf!Bags!for!this!Movie?”! http://www.hitfix.com/the[dartboard/why[are[they[handing[out[barf[bags[for[this[ horror[movie!

!

Handing!out!barf!bags!at!your!movie!screening!is!a! publicity!trick!right!out!of!legendary!film!director!

William!Castle's!storied!playbook,!but!in!the!case!of!

"Bite"![[!a!new!"body!horror"!flick!screening!at!this! year's!Fantasia!Film!Festival![[!the!bags!may!have! been!warranted.! !

According!to!a!report!over!at!Bloody[Disgusting,!at! least!one!ambulance!was!called!after!two!patrons! experienced!adverse!reactions!while!watching!the! film.!From!festival!co[director!Mitch!Davis:! !

"I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!'2!people,fainted.!

One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on!stairs.'!Truth."! !

Written!and!directed!by!Chad!Archibald,!"Bite"!centers!on!a!young!woman!

(Elma!Begovic)!who!suffers!from!a!strange!bite!during!a!bachelorette!party! getaway!and!begins!to!transform!into!an!insect[like!creature.!Sounds!not!a! little!bit!like!David!Cronenberg's!famed!1986!version!of!"The!Fly,"!which!itself! featured!some!revolting!effects!work.! !

So!is!"Bite"!really!that!extreme,!or!is!this!some!kind!of!elaborate!publicity! stunt?!A!review!by!Film!School!Rejects!critic!Rob!Hunter!indicates!that!the! film!may!well!be!gross!enough!to!warrant!that!kind!of!reaction!from!weaker[ stomached!viewers:! !

"Pus,!bile!and!other!bodily!fluids!leak!from!her!body,!and!Archibald!ensures! that!we!see!the!discharge!happening!in!such!detail!that!we!can!almost!smell! it!as!well.!Viewers!with!weak!gag!reflexes!have!been!warned."! ! !

And!from!horror!blog!28!Days!Later!Analysis:! !

"The!contrasts!between!dark!and!light!set!the! tone!perfectly!and!the!shots,!particularly!during! the!most!gory!scenes,!are!stunning.!It's!hard!to! shake!that!icky!feeling!after!watching!the! copious!amounts!of!puss!and!blood!and!mucus! and!goo—it's!disgusting,!and!amazing!"! !

You!have!been!warned.!Watch!the!official!trailer! below.!

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!

LAist!–!August!4!–“This!Horror!Film!Is!So!Gross!That!2!People!Fainted!During!

A!Screening”! http://laist.com/2015/08/04/bite_horror_film_ew.php!

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While!some!of!us!like!to!torture!ourselves!with!ridiculously!gross!films!(we're!looking!at!you!

Human!Centipede),!there's!a!new!horror!movie!that's!so!disgusting!that!two!people!apparently! fainted!during!a!recent!screening!and!an!ambulance!was!called.!

Horror!flick!Bite!recently!screened!at!Montreal's!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival,!and!let's!just! say!it!was!an!explosive!premiere—in!the!projectile!vomiting!sense.!Bloody!Disgusting!writer!Jonny!

Bunning!reports!that!as!part!of!the!movie's!marketing,!the!filmmakers!handed!out!branded!barf! bags!during!the!showing,!but!it!turned!out!people!really!needed!them.! !

Mitch!Davis,!the!festival's!co[director!wrote!on!his!Facebook:!

I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!"2! people,fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on!stairs".!Truth.!

He!also!included!this!photo!of!the!ambulance,!though!his!post!is!only!viewable!by!friends,!not!the! public.!Bite's!Facebook!page!reposted!the!image:! !

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Who!knows:!this!could!all!be!part!of!a!publicity!stunt,!but!film!critics!have!compared!Bite!to!David!

Cronenberg's!1986!film,!The!Fly,!where!we!got!to!see!Jeff!Goldblum!transform!into!an!insect.!It! was!disturbing!to!say!the!least.!Bite!follows!the!story!of!Casey,!a!bride[to[be!who!goes!on!a! bachelorette!getaway!trip!to!an!island!where!she!gets!bitten!by!an!insect!and!transforms!into!a! gnarly!bug!herself.!Scream!

Horror!Mag,!which!reviewed!the! film,!writes,!"Casey!succumbs!to! her!new!instincts!and!begins! creating!a!hive!that!not!only! houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but! feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others."! !

Scream!Horror!Mag!adds,!"Jason!

Derushie's!icky!and! shuddersome!makeup!effects! really! ramp!up!the!suspense!tenfold! and!what!starts!out!as!a! severely!infected!pus[oozing! insect!bite!is!a!mere!harbinger! of!the!gooey!gore!galore!in! store."! !

There!must!be!A!LOT!of!pus! because!Film!School!Rejects!also! described!Bite!as:!"Pus,!bile!and! other!bodily!fluids!leak!from!her! body,!and!Archibald!ensures! that!we!see!the!discharge! happening!in!such!detail!that!we! can!almost!smell!it!as!well.!

Viewers!with!weak!gag!reflexes! have!been!warned."!

And!just!in!case!you're!curious,!here's!the!trailer:! ( Eds.(note:(An(earlier(version(of(this(story(said(that(it(appeared(that(Mitch(Davis(took(down(his( Facebook(post,(but(it's(actually(only(viewable(by(his(friends(on(the(social(media(platform.(It's(since( been(corrected.(LAist(regrets(this(error.( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Fast!Company!Co.!Create!–!August!6!–“MAYBE!DON'T!WATCH!THIS!TRAILER! FOR!A!HORROR!MOVIE!SO!GROSS,!IT'S!MAKING!PEOPLE!FAINT!AND!PUKE”! http://www.fastcocreate.com/3049573/maybe[dont[watch[this[trailer[for[a[horror[ movie[so[gross[its[making[people[faint[and[puke!! !

The!upcoming!horror!movie,!Bite,!is!so! gruesome!that!early!viewers!have!had! extreme!visceral!reactions.!Watch!the! trailer!now,!if!you!dare.! !

I!was!like!you!once.!Whenever!I!heard! murmurs!about!some!entertainment! being!so!disgusting!that!audiences!had! extreme!physical!reactions,!I!chalked!it! up!to!machinations!from!the!media! hype!cycle,!in!which!I!am!now!a!cog.!

Then,!in!2005,!came!word!that!people! were!fainting!during!Chuck!Palahniuk's!live!readings!of!his!latest!collection,!Haunted.!Scoffing!at!these! stories!as!too[perfect!publicity!fabrications,!I!read!the!short!story!"Guts"!on!a!subway!ride!from!Queens!to!

Manhattan!that!summer,!and!emerged!in!Penn!Station!a!changed!man,!thoroughly!rattled.!I!hadn't!fainted! or!thrown!up,!but!only!because!once!the!urge!to!do!both!simultaneously!enveloped!me!like!a!fog,!I!quit! reading!and!tried!to!think!about!not!being!stuck!on!a!tin!caterpillar!trying!not!to! puke.! !

This!preamble!is!all!to!say!that!when!I!hear!the!kind!of!hype!that!the!movie!Bite! is!currently!generating,!I've!learned!to!respect!and!fear!it!as!a!real!thing!that! might!harm!me.! !

Apparently,!when!novelty!barf!bags!were!distributed!during!the!film's!premiere! at!Montreal's!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival,!nobody!expected!to!actually! use!them.!Reports!from!the!festival!claim!that!at!least!one!person!did!need!it,! and!two!others!passed!out,!prompting!an!ambulance!dispatch.! !

What!movie!could!possibly!generate!such!a!response?!How!about!one!by!a! filmmaker!who!seems!to!have!seen!The!Fly!and!decided!that!Cronenberg!didn't! go!hard!enough.!In!the!movie,!Bite,!a!young!woman!gets!bit!by!a!mysterious! bug!and!experiences!a!certain!transformation.!According!to!reviews,!the!attention!to!detail!director!Chad!

Archibald!lavishes!on!the!various!...!fluids!involved!in!this!metamorphosis!is!enough!to!jack!up!even!the!most! durable!stomachs.! !

Watch!the!trailer!below,!if!you!feel!confident!that!you're!up!to!it.! ! !

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Latin!Post!–!August!11!–!“New!Horror!Film!'Bite'!Caused!Audience!Vomiting! and!Anxiety![Watch]”! http://www.latinpost.com/articles/71401/20150811/new[horror[film[bite[caused[ audience[vomiting[and[anxiety[watch.htm!! !

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Apparently,!the!audience!at!the!Fantasia!Film!Festival!got!a! little!more!than!they!expected!when!they!showed!up!for! the!premiere!of!the!new!horror!film!"Bite."!!

Even!before!they!entered!the!cinema,!they!were!given! "barf!bags"!that!seemed!to!be!somewhat!promotional!for! the!film.!But!as!it!turned!out,!they!were!very!much! needed,!according!to!an!article!on!Bloody!Disgusting.!

As!if!that!wasn't!bad!enough,!there!were!also!reports!of! people!fainting!at!the!film!and!an!ambulance!had!to!be! called!in!for!one!person,!who!hurt!his!head!when!he! reacted!to!the!film.!

So!what!was!so!bad!about!the!movie!that!it!got!that! reaction?!

SHARE!THIS!STORY! !!!!!!! !

Well,!to!start!off,!the!trailer!for!the!movie!is!enough!to! make!you!cringe.!It!began!with!what!appeared!to!be!a! found!footage!film!where!a!woman!and!her!friends! appeared!to!be!swimming!in!a!remote!area!of!the! wilderness.!The!woman!gets!bitten!by!a!bug,!but!she! initially!blows!it!off.!

The!story!then!morphs!into!a!classic!horror!tale.!Just!like! with!most!horror!movie!monsters,!a!bite!from!a!creature! unleashes!a!curse!on!the!person!to!adapt!the!monster's!features.!That!is!exactly!what!happens!in!the!movie,! except!this!woman!slowly!turns!into!a!treacherous!bug.!

Can!you!just!imagine!the!kind!of!characteristics!a!bug!has!when!it!needs!to!feed!and!protect!its!eggs,!or! larvae?!

The!rest!you!can!probably!figure!out!for! yourself.!

The!festival!co[director!Mitch!Davis! took!to!social!media!and!made!a! comment!about!the!situation.!

"I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten! minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up! my!phone:!'2!people,!fainted.!One!girl! is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on! stairs'.!Truth,"!Davis!wrote.!

Take!a!look!at!the!trailer!below!to!see! what!the!hype!is!about.! ! !

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Geek.com!–!August!6!–!“Body!horror!film!Bite!is!making!audience! members!faint”! http://www.geek.com/geek[cetera/bite[the[body[horror[film[that[is[making[audience[ members[faint[1630319/!!

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If!you’re!a!fan!of!special!effects!makeup,!you!are!probably!a!fan!of!the!body!horror!genre.!That!is,!unless!you!are!also! predisposed!to!nausea!when!you!see!gore.!Thanks!to!the!power!of!storytelling,!scoring!and!editing,!there!must!be! people!who!work!on!graphic!special!effects!makeup!jobs!that!wouldn’t!be!able!to!take!watching!it!on!screen,!but!they! are!few!and!far!between.!Usually,!it!seems!to!go!the!other!way:!once!you’ve!had!a!taste!of!body!horror,!the!end!justifies! the!means!as!far!as!cinema!goes.!

Director!David!Cronenberg!gets!body!horror.!It!could!be!unnecessary!surgery,!a!skin!port,!or!a!monster!effect!makeup,! and!Cronenberg!has!probably!already!found!a!way! to!effectively!portray!it!on!screen.!His!1986!film!The! Fly!starring!Jeff!Goldblum!is!the!perfect!example!of! groundbreaking!makeup!and,!eventually,! animatronics!to!portray!the!lead!character’s! transformation.!

In!the!original!Vincent!Price!1958!film,!the!main! character’s!fly!transformation!ends!with!his!head! and!an!arm!becoming!that!of!an!oversized!fly.!In! Cronenberg’s!re[imagining,!the!teleportation! experiment!slowly!transforms!Goldblum!into!a! giant!fly[human!hybrid,!stopping!along!the!way!for! flaking!skin!and!the!vomiting!of!digestive!bile.! !

There!are!scenes!in!the!1986!The!Fly!that!are!outright!disgusting,!even!if!you!pause!the!movie!and!stop!to!think!about! the!behind!the!scenes!makeup!process!involved.!Audiences!who!knew!what!a!R[rated!body!horror!film!was!likely!to! include!were!delighted.!The!film!won!the!Academy!Award!for!makeup!that!year.!What!it!didn’t!do!was!make!people!in! the!theater!vomit!and!pass!out.!Physically!effecting!the!audience!might!be!the!new!bar!to!clear!with!body!horror!cinema!

! ! in!the!time!of!computer[assisted!post!production,!and!it!looks!like!the!upcoming! independent!film!Bite!wants!to!be!the!one!that!clears!it.!

Up!in!Montreal,!Bite!had!its!world!premiere!at!the!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival.!

The!movie!is!about!a!bachelorette!party!vacation!in!the!tropics!where!the!bride[to[be!

Casey!gets!bitten!on!the!leg!by!an!unidentified!insect.!Once!she!goes!home!she!begins! her!transformation.!She!starts!laying!eggs,!her!skin!starts!to!change,!and!her! apartment!becomes!her!nest.!If!it!sounds!like!it!could!be!a!new!version!of!The!Fly,! that’s!good,!the!filmmakers!are!shooting!for!that!level!of!body!horror.!They!were! promoting!the!film!with!special!Bite!barf!bags:! !

Fantaisa’s!co[director!Mitch!Davis!attended!the!BITE!world!premiere!and!posted!to!

Facebook!that!same!night:!“I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the! following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!‘2!people!fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit! his!head!on!stairs.’!Truth.”!

Here’s!the!photo!he!posted:! !

Yes,!an!ambulance!had!to!be!called!for!two!audience! members!during!Bite!because!it!was!so!gross.! !

Early!reviews!of!the!film!are!mixed!on!the!plot!but!pretty! unified!that!this!movie!is!gross!in!the!puss,!transformation,! human[eggs!type!of!way.!If!you’re!the!type!of!person!who!is! into!being!grossed!out,!keep!an!eye!on!Bite!A!movie!that! made!two!people!pass!out!at!its!world!premiere!has!a!good! shot!at!getting!distribution!as!an!endurance!test!if!nothing! else.!! !

Think!you!can!handle!Bite?! ! !

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Dread!Central!–!August!4!–“Bite!Screening!Spews!Bodily!Fluids!at!Fantasia”! http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/117170/bite[screening[spews[bodily[fluids[at[ fantasia/! !

There’s!nothing!like!the!ejection!of!some!bodily!fluids!to!get!our!juices! flowing!around!here,!and!that’s!exactly!what!happened!during!the!Bite! (review)!screening!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!Film!Festival.! !

According!to!festival!co[director!Mitch!Davis!on!Facebook:! !

I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the!following!text!lights! up!my!phone:!“2!people!fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head! on!stairs”.!Truth.! !

Bite! !

Apparently!Bite[branded!barf!bags!were!also!handed!out!for!the!screening.!!

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Gotta!give!it!to!Mitch!!Always!thinking!!Check!out!an!image!of!said!bag!below!courtesy!of!Bloody!Disgusting.! !

Bite!comes!to!us!from!Breakthrough!

Entertainment.!Chad!Archibald!directs.!

Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!

Jordan!Gray!star.! !

Synopsis:!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party! getaway,!Casey,!the!bride[to[be,!gets!a! seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an! unknown!insect.!After!returning!home! with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her! wedding,!but!before!sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!able!to,!she! starts!exhibiting!insect[like!traits.!

Between!her!physical!transformation! and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey! succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and! begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only! houses!her!translucent!eggs!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!

Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

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! iHorror!–!August!5!–“Audience!Members!Faint!and!Vomit!During!

Screening!of!New!Horror!Film”! http://ihorror.com/audience[members[faint[and[vomit[during[screening[of[new[horror[ film/! !

We!recently!shared!the!trailer!for!an!upcoming!horror! film!called!Bite,!about!a!young!woman!who!is!bitten!by!a! strange!insect!and!then!begins!literally!turning!into!one.!

It!looks!to!be!a!modern!day!take!on!The!Fly,!and! audiences!are!being!properly!grossed!out!by!the!body[ horror!extravaganza.! !

Director!Chad!Archibald’s!latest!just!played!at!this!year’s!

Fantasia!International!Film!Festival,!and!you!simply!can’t! buy!the!sort!of!press!the!film!received!following!its! world!premiere.!Promotional!barf!bags!were!handed!out! at!the!event,!and!as!it!turns!out,!they!were!very!much! needed.! !

According!to!Fantasia!co[director!Mitch!Davis,!a!hospital! had!to!be!called!to!the!scene!after!several!audience!members!completely!lost!their!shit! during!the!movie.! ! !

“I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all! of!ten!minutes!and!the!following! text!lights!up!my!phone:!2!people! fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and! another!hit!his!head!on!stairs,”!

Davis!wrote!on!Facebook.!“Truth.”! !

Now!this!sounds!like!our!kind!of! movie.!Read!on!for!everything!you! need!to!know!about!Bite,!along! with!the!trailer!! !

Elma!Begovic!stars!as!Casey,!the!bride[to[be!who!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an! unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding,! but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect[like!traits.!

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Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her! new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs!but! feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers! that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

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Some!Entertainment!–!August!6!–!“This!horror!film!is!so!gross!that!people! are!vomiting,!because!apparently!that's!what!we!do!for!fun.”! http://www.someecards.com/entertainment/movies/thebite[horror[film[fainting[ vomiting/!! !

'Bite'!is!a!new!horror!film!about!a!woman!who!transforms!into!an!insect!after!getting!bitten!by! one,!and!it's!supposed!to!be!as!nasty!as!it!sounds.! !

The!filmmakers!gave!audiences!members!barf!bags! during!its!premiere!at!Montreal's!Fantasia!International!

Film!Festival,!which!would've!been!a!cheesy! promotional!stunt!if!people!didn't!actually!need!them.!

Soon!after!the!premiere,!the!movie's!official!Facebook! page!posted!the!following:! !

A!picture!during!the!world!premiere!of!BITE!at!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!!

MITCH!DAVIS![the!festival's!co[director]!said!this!on!his!Facebook!while!posting!this!picture!"I! leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten!minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!"2! people,!fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his!head!on!stairs.!Truth."!

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The!film!was!so!gross!that!people!were!vomiting,!fainting,!and!uh,!purposefully!hitting!their!head! on!the!stairs?!According!to!a!review!on!Scream!Horror!Magazine,!the!film!tells!the!following!story:!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite! from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding! but!before!she's!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts! and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not! only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but! feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!

Why!would!anybody!want!to!watch! this?!Well,!according!to!science,!we! human!beings!will!do!anything!as!long! as!it!heightens!brain!activity,!whether! it!involves!pleasure!or!fear.!It!sure! looks!like!The!Bite!has!a!lot!of!the! latter.!! ! !

According!to!Film!School!Rejects:!

Pus,!bile!and!other!bodily!fluids!leak! from![Casey's]!body,!and!Archibald! [the!director]!ensures!that!we!see!the! discharge!happening!in!such!detail! that!we!can!almost!smell!it!as!well.!

Viewers!with!weak!gag!reflexes!have! been!warned.!

Delicious!!You!can!watch!the!trailer! below...!If!you!dare!!

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Dirty!Horror!–!August!12!–“Anticipation!Alert:!Bite!(2015)”! http://dirtyhorror.com/2015/08/12/anticipation[alert[bite[2015/!

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If!barf!bags!are!involved!in!the!screening!of!a!horror!movie,!you!know!that!can!only!be!a!good!sign.!!Trust! me,!I’m!not!a!vomit!fiend!or!anything!like!that!at!all!–!but!there’s!something!“special”!about!getting!handed! a!barf!bag!before!viewing!time.!!Publicity!stunt?!!Maybe.!!Over[the[top!promotional!gag?!!Most!definitely.!!

But!when!you!see!the!trailer!for!the!new! gooey!insect!horror!flick!called!Bite,!you!might! understand!the!marketing!ploy:! !

I!can!admit!that!I’ve!always!had!a!fear!of! getting!bitten!by!an!insect!and!having!it’s!eggs! be!laid!inside!the!wound!and!inside!me.!!I!still! get!creeped!out!by!the!spider!scene!from!the! movie!The!Believers.!!So!naturally!when!I! watched!the!trailer!for!Bite,!I!got!the!willies.!!

Overall,!it!seems!it!won’t!win!any!major!points! for!originality!as!it!looks!to!heavily!borrow! from!David!Cronenberg’s!version!of!The!Fly.!!Not!that!that’s!a!bad!thing!mind!you,!but!we’ve!kind!of!seen! the!whole!‘person!transforms!into!an!insect’!done!before.!!I’m!looking!at!you!Ticks.!!But!it’s!hard!to!argue! with!the!fact!that!Bite!is!already!being!praised!for!using!grotesque!gooey!practical!effects!to!enhance!the! infected!girl’s!transformation!after!she’s!bitten!on!a!Bachelorette!retreat.! !

Yes,!we’ve!talked!barf!bags!–!but!what!about!the!news!that!people!were!fainting!and!actually!vomiting!after! watching!Bite!on!the!big!screen!during!the!Fantasia!Film!Festival?!!I!actually!do!believe!it,!and!hopefully!I’m! not!getting!roped!into!some!devious!and!elaborate!marketing!scheme!that!will!make!me!wake!up!one! morning!with!egg!on!my!face.!!I!do!love!eggs,!but!not!enough!to!be!humiliated.!!I!would!assume!that!Bite!will! be!making!more!festival!rounds,!especially!after!the!buzz!it’s!generating!(positive!reviews!are!coming!in!as!I! type!this)!and!considering!that!Halloween!is!coming!up!soon!as!well.!!Stay!tuned!for!more!info!and!keep!the!

Pepto[Bismol!close!by!!

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KLAQ!–!August!14!–!“New!Horror!Movie!Is!Making!People!Throw!up!and!

Faint”! http://klaq.com/new[horror[movie[is[making[people[throw[up[and[faint/! ! !

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A!new!indie!horror!movie!is!not!only!impressing!critics!with!it’s!unique!story,!but!is!making!people!literally! faint!and!puke.!During!the!premiere!of!Bite!at!the!Fantasia!International!Film!Fest,!two!people!fainted,!one! person!hit!their!head!on!the!stairs!and!one!girl!puked!her!heart!out!during!the!exclusive!movie!showing.!

The!image!above!was!posted!to!the!Bite’s!official!Facebook!page!to!show!the!madness!that!was!happening! at!the!premiere.!Little!barf!bags!were!handed!out!before!the!premiere!started!but!no!one!was!prepared!for! just!how!intense!this!movie!really!is.!

So!what’s!making!everyone!react!in!such!strange!ways?!Well!according!to!Complex,!Bite!is!a!movie!about!a! woman!who!gets!a!strange!bug!bite!while!out!at!a!bachelorette!party.!The!bite!begins!to!infect!the!woman! by!transforming!her!into!a!bug!covered!in! pus[filled!scabs.!I!am!guessing!the!gross!factor! comes!from!the!woman!starting!to!be! consumed!by!the!bug!bite.!

She!begins!to!make!a!hive,!eat!people,!you! know!bug!stuff.!All!I!know!is!the!trailer!looks! amazing!!Hopefully,!at!least!one!El!Paso! theater!will!be!showing!this!movie!and!be! giving!people!bags!to!barf!in.! ! !

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Complex!–!August!13!–“What!the!Hell!Is!This!Horror!Movie!That's!Making!

People!Literally!Puke!and!Faint?”! http://ca.complex.com/pop[culture/2015/08/bite[movie[people[fainting[puking!!

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People!having!visceral!reactions!to!horror!movies!is! nothing!new!(see:!The!Exorcist;!also!see!non[horror!but! disturbing!new!movie!The!Tribe!from!this!year!that!made! people!faint).!But!it!might!be!safe!to!say!that!Bite!is!the! most!horrifying!movie!of!the!year.! !

At!the!world!premiere!of!the!new!film!at!Fantasia!

International!Film!Fest!a!couple!weeks!ago,!people!were! scared!so!out!of!their!minds!that!an!ambulance!had!to!be! called.!Bite's!Facebook!page!posted!the!below!photo!of! the!scene!outside!the!screening,!and!this!dispatch!from!an!attendee:!"I!leave!the!BITE!premiere!for!all!of!ten! minutes!and!the!following!text!lights!up!my!phone:!"2!people,fainted.!One!girl!is!puking!and!another!hit!his! head!on!stairs".!Truth."!Apparently!they!were!also!handing!out!barf!bags!at!the!screening,!which!clearly! came!in!handy!for!at!least!one!audience!member.! !

SO!WHAT!THE!FUCK!IS!THIS!MOVIE!ABOUT?! !

AND!WHY!IS!IT!SO!GODDAMN!HORRIFYING?! !

Bite!is!about!a!bride[to[be!who!goes!on!a!bachelorette! getaway!with!her!friends!when!she!gets!what!she!thinks!is!an! innocuous!bug!bite.!Instead,!she!comes!home!and!starts! transforming!into!a!bug,!with!pus[filled!scabs!covering!her! body.!Ewwwww.!She!starts!showing!other!terrifying!insect[ like!tendencies!as!well,!like!hive[making!and!feeding!on! others.!This!sounds!gross!as!hell!(thinking!there!will!be!a!lot! of!bodily!fluid!!stuff),!but!now!it!feels!like!a!dare—there's!NO! WAY!I!won't!watch!this!movie!now.! !

Think!you!can!stomach!it??!Start!with!the!terrifying!trailer!first:! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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First!to!Know!A!August!7!–“Horror!Movie!Premiere!Leaves!Audience!Puking,!

Fainting!and!Rushing!to!the!Hospital”! http://firsttoknow.com/bite[movie[has[viewers[puking[fainting[and[rushing[to[hospital/! [

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WARNING:!This!trailer!may!be!not!be!suitable!for!all! viewers.! !

A!horror!flick!that!premiered!at!Montreal’s!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!has!caused!a!ruckus.! !

The!premise!of!Bite!revolves!around!a!woman!who! turns!into!an!insect!after!being!bitten!by!one.!In!true! horror!form,!things!only!get!worse!from!there.! !

In!fact!the!movie!is!apparently!so!graphic!that!when!it! premiered,!audience!members!were!given! promotional!barf!bags,!just!in!case.! !

What!seemed!like!a!simple!promotional!gag!to!get!the!crowd!excited,!turned!out!to!be!very!necessary.! !

During!the!viewing,!a!few!people!passed!out!due!to!the!film’s!extreme!gross!factor.!One!of!the!barf!bags!reportedly!had! to!be!used!during!the!viewing!as!well.!Even!an!ambulance!was!called!for!some!of!the!sick!viewers.! !

It!has!definitely!gotten!the!attention!of!the!Internet!and!will!probably!challenge!some!brave!souls!to!test!their! endurance.! !

Do!you!think!you!could!watch!Bite!without!getting!squeamish?!Watch!the!trailer!above!and!tell!us!what!you!think.!

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Gurgle!Gurgle!–!August!–!“Bite!–!Will!You!Fill!Your!Barf!Bag?”! http://gurglegurgle.com/bite[will[you[fill[your[barf[bag/!! !

WARNING:!Due!to!the!graphic!nature!of!the!clip,!viewer!discretion!is!advised.!And!may!not!be!suitable!to!all!viewers.! !

Grab!your!complimentary!barf!bag!on!the!way!in!!Wait,!what?!Premiering!at!the!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!in!

Montreal!was!Bite!from!Chad!Archibald,!producer!and!director,!known!for!The!Drownsman!(2014),!Desperate!Souls!

(2005)!and!Neverlost!(2010).! !

At!the!viewings!of!the!movie!people!were!getting!ill!due!to!the!extremely!graphic!nature!of!the!movie.!Am!ambulance! was!reported!to!have!arrived!for!one!viewer!! !

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!bride!to!be,!Casey,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!

When!she!returns!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding.!Before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting! insect!like!traits.! !

Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating! a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes! complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.!

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Uproxx!–!August!13!–“‘Bite’!Reportedly!Made!People!Puke!And!Pass!Out,!So! Ease!Yourself!In!With!The!Trailer”! http://uproxx.com/movies/2015/08/bite[trailer/!!

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Bite,!from!Black!Fawn!Films,!is!a!new!horror!movie!about!a!bug!bite!that!goes!awry!that!was!screened!at!Montreal’s!

Fantasia!International!Film!Festival.!It!started!stirring!the!squeamish!pot!by!handing!out!barf!bags!to!audience!members! and!when!people!finally!sat!down!to!watch!the!thing,!they!ended!up!needing!medical!attention.!According!to!reports,! one!person!made!good!use!of!their!barf!bag,!two!more!people!passed!out,!and!one!more!person!fell!and!hit!their! head.!Bite!is,!apparently,!that!insane!with!exceptionally!delicate! sensibilities.! !

Here!is!the!synopsis:!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,! gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After! returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding! but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!

Between!her!physical!transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive! that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh! of!others.!As!her!transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

So!it’s!The(Fly!meets!Runaway(Bride!!Cute!!Seems!like!the!next!adorable!bachelorette!party!theme,!doesn’t!it?!I’m! starting!my!Pinterest!board,!like,!yesterday.!Swarovsky[crystal[encrusted!barf!bags!for!all!! ! !

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Zombie!Apocalypse!–!August!5!–“Viewers!Faint!And!Vomit!At!The!Screening!

Of!‘Bite’”! http://zombieapocalypse.net/horror/reviews[horror/viewers[faint[and[vomit[at[the[ screening[of[bite!!

Viewers!were!fainting!in!the!aisles!and!vomiting!during!the!recent! premier!of!a!new!horror!movie.!The!new!film!‘Bite’!had!their!debut! screening!at!the!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!in!Montreal.!

People!assumed!that!the!barf!bags!given!out!were!all!for!show,!like! the!advertising!ploy!used!for!many!horror!movies!in!the!1970’s!and! early!1980’s!,!but!it!didn’t!take!long!for!the!bags!to!come!in!handy.!

‘Bite’!is!already!being!compared!to!the!1986!classic!‘The!Fly’,!only!more!vile!and!graphic.!The!word!is,!‘Bite’!is! even!harder!to!stomach!than!‘The!Human!Centipede’.!If!you!are!wondering!what!mind!created!this!twisted! tale,!that!would!be!writer[director!Chad!Archibald,who!also!wrote!and!directed!‘The!Drownsman’.! !

‘Bite’!follows!Casey,!played!by!Elm!Begovic,!a!bride[to[be.!When!she!joins!her!bridesmaids!and!friends!for!a! bachelorette!trip!to!an!island,!she!is!bitten!by!a!strange!insect!and!soon!starts!to!transform!into!an!insect! herself.!Casey!begins!to!act!on!her!strange!new!impulses!and!create!a!hive!that!holds!her!eggs.!She!also!has! a!new!hunger,!for!flesh.!The!once!beautiful!woman!is!transformed!into!a!grotesque,!oozing!creature.!

Consider!this!your!warning.!This!movie!is!only!for!the!most!daring!of!horror!fans.!

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Flick!Sided!–!August!17!–“Did!'Bite'!Make!People!Puke!at!its!Premier?! http://flicksided.com/2015/08/17/did[bite[make[people[puke[at[its[premier/!!

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What!kind!of!films!are!we!making!now?!At!a!film!premier!at!Montreal’s!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival! theater!attendees!left!the!theater!throwing!up.!According!to!Complex,!premier!attendees!were!throwing!up! due!to!the!graphic!nature!of!the!film!“Bite“.!Is!this!a!true!tale,!or!an!elaborate!hoax!spun!by!a!production! company!trying!to!build!a!buzz!for!one!of!their!films?!

There!is!no!doubt!that!“Bite”!will!make!you!cringe,!but!will!it!go!as!far!as!to!make!you!throw!up?!The! premise!of!“Bite”!is!a!simple!one:!A!woman!transforms!into!an!insect!after!being!bitten!by!one.!This!is!a!film! that!follows!in!the!same!vein!of!Cronenberg’s!“The!Fly”,!!and!more!recently!“Contracted”!(On!Netflix)!and!

“Thanatomorphos”,!all!of!which!are!cringe[worth!films.!The!moral!in!all!of!these!films!(except!“The!Fly”)!are! simple:!You!have!unprotected!sex,!horribly!bad!things!will!happen!to!you.!(In!“The!Fly”!it!wasn’t!sex,!it!was!

Cancer.)! !

When!festival!goers!walked!into!the!theater!that!day!they!were!handed!barf!bags!that!had!the!logo!of!the! film!on!it.!This!is!why!I!think!that!this!bit!of!news!may!be!a!bit!fishy.!Was!this!a!rumor!perpetuated!by!the! film!company,!or!were!they!aware!that!this!film!could!potentially!have!this!effect?!

According!to!those!in!attendance,!at!least!one!person!used!the!promotional!barf!bag!the!way!it!was!initially! meant,!and!several!people!passed!out.!An!ambulance!was!even!called!to!the!scene!to!assist!the!sick!movie[ goers.!

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Reviews! !

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Nerdist!–August!7!–“REVIEW:!BITE!IS!A!BADAASS!PIECE!OF!INDIE!BIOA HORROR”! http://nerdist.com/review[bite[is[a[bad[ass[piece[of[indie[bio[horror/!! !

“THREE!FREE[SPIRITED!YOUNG!WOMEN! SPEND!A!WILD!WEEKEND!OVERSEAS,! !

ONLY!TO!STUMBLE!ACROSS!A! HORRIFIC…”! !

Already!you’re!probably!tuning!out,! simply!because!you’ve!already!seen! eight!or!nine!horror!movies!that!kick!off! with!a!plot!description!just!like!that! one.!But!every!once!in!a!while!you! come!across!a!crafty,!creepy,!clever! independent!horror!flick!that!takes!a!familiar!set[up!and!spins!it!into!something!appreciably!novel.!Such!is! the!case!with!Chad!Archibald’s!Bite,!a!gritty,!gruesome,!and!unexpectedly!engaging!Canadian!export!that! could!be!best!described!as!“Contracted!meets!The!Fly.”!And!I!mean!the!brilliant!David!Cronenberg! nightmare,!not!the!old!Fly.!(Also:!check!out!Contracted.)! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic),!Kristen!(Denise!Yuen),!and!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak)!are!partying!it!up!in!Costa!Rica!in! honor!of!Casey’s!impending!wedding.!The!ladies!make!an!unwise!decision,!take!a!detour!toward!an!isolated! hot!spring,!and!promptly!jump!in!for!a!swim.!Bad!move,!girls.!Casey!suffers!a!nasty!bite!from!an!unseen! creature;!the!ladies!head!out!for!one!last!night!of!debauchery,!and!then!fly!back!home.!And!that’s!when!

Casey!starts!acting!really!weird.!At!first!it!just!seems!like!Casey!is!nervous!about!her!wedding!day!—!and!the! fact!that!her!soon[to[be!mother[in[law!is!a!rotten!scold!doesn’t!seem!to!help!her!state!of!mind!either!—!but! pretty!soon!Casey!is!dealing!with!A)!freaky!nightmares,!B)!a!horrific!skin!condition,!and!C)!an!insatiable!urge! to!stalk!and!kill!whatever!prey!happens!to!wander!into!her!lair.! !

Jayme!Laforest’s!clever!screenplay!draws!interesting!parallels!between!Casey’s!personal!issues!and!the! unwelcome!biological!transformations!with!which!she!struggles.!This,!of!course,!is!another!way!of!saying! that!while!Bite!is!definitely!gory,!gross,!and!darkly!entertaining,!it!also!offers!some!compelling!subtext!to!go! along!with!the!chills,!kills,!and!frankly!disturbing!sequences!of!full[bore!body!horror.!Ms.!Begovic’s! performance!is!simply!fantastic;!she!pulls!off!the!early!“party!girl”!stuff!very!well,!but!her!performance!kicks! into!high!gear!once!Casey!starts!transforming!into!a!repulsive,!giant!insect[o[woman.! !

Bite!is!a!full[bore,!bad[ass!horror!flick!through!and!through,!but!what!elevates!it!beyond!that!is!a!confident! balance!between!dark!humor,!legitimate!character!beats,!and,!well,!tons!of!super[sticky!splatter!sequences! and!harrowing!scenes!of!bug[woman[on[human!violence.!So!if!you!want!lots!of!creative!carnage,!cringe[

! ! worthy!bio[horrors,!and!plain!old!visual!creepiness,!Bite!has!plenty!of!those!things!—!but!it!also!has!a!little! something!to!say!about!love,!loyalty,!betrayal,!and!revenge.!I’d!be!able!to!recommend!Bite!to!horror!fans! solely!on!its!more!gruesome!assets,!but!it!also!boasts!a!strong!screenplay,!a!great!lead!performance,!a!fast[ paced!editorial!approach,!a!fantastic!score,!and!some!truly!impressive!visual!effects…! !

So!basically,!Bite!is!one!of!the!best!indie!horror!films!I’ve!seen!all!year.! !

RATING:!4.5!OUT!OF!5!FRANKLY!DISGUSTING,!BUGAINFESTED!BURRITOS!

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Sean!Kelly!on!Movies!A!July!29!–!“Fantasia!2015:!Bite”! http://www.skonmovies.com/2015/07/fantasia[2015[bite.html! !

A!young!women!undergoes!a!horrifying!transformation!in!the!body!horror!film!Bite.!!Shortly!before!her! wedding!to!her!fiance!Jared!(Jordan!Gray),!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!goes!on!a!bachelorette!holiday!to!Costa!

Rica!with!her!friends!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak)!and!Kirsten!

(Denise!Yuen).!!While!swimming!in!an!off[path!spring,!

Casey!gets!bitten!by!something!under!the!water.!!After! returning!home,!Casey!begins!to!worry!about!whether! she!is!ready!for!her!upcoming!wedding.!!At!the!same! time,!her!bite!becomes!infected!and!she!undergoes! some!increasingly!grotesque!changes.! !

Directed!by!Chad!Archibald!(The(Drownsman),!Bite!is!a! body!horror!film!that!is!obviously!trying!to!be!a! homage!to!David!Cronenberg's!The(Fly.!!At!the!same!time,!the!film!is!being!used!as!a!visual!metaphor!of!

Casey's!uncertainty!about!her!upcoming!nuptials.!!Even!though!the!film!initially!appears!to!be!a!found[ footage!film,!it!quickly!switches!to!a!more!conventional!format!after!the!opening!title.!!Bite!is!practically!a! single[location!story,!with!the!bulk!of!the!plot!taking!place!in!and!around!Casey's!apartment.! !

In!addition!to!some!pretty!impressive!and!grotesque!prosthetic!make[up,!Elma!Begovic!illustrates!Casey's! transformation!through!the!development!of!various!insect[like!ticks,!the!effect!of!which!is!quite! effective.!!Ironically,!even!though!Casey!turns!quite!monstrous!and!violent,!she!remains!the!most! sympathetic!character!in!the!film.!!The!other!characters!are!either!cartoonishly!wicked!(i.e.!Jared's!"old! fashioned"!mother),!have!hidden!agendas,!or!lose!the!audience's!favour!with!dumb!decisions.!!However,! that!is!not!really!a!major!fault!of!Bite,!which!still!ends!up!being!a!pretty!effective!piece!of!body!horror.! ! ! ! ! ! !|!LIKED!IT!!!

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Digital!Journal!–August!6!–“Review:!Best!to!watch!‘Bite’!on!an!empty! stomach”! http://www.digitaljournal.com/a[and[e/entertainment/review[best[to[ watch[bite[on[an[empty[stomach/article/440382!! !

Fantasia!Film!Festival!favourite!‘Bite’!is!the!story!of!a!young!woman!who!transforms!into!a! repulsive!monster!after!returning!from!her!tropical!bachelorette!party.! !

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There!are!so!many!things!that!could!go!wrong!on!a!vacation,!it’s!impossible!to!prepare!against! everything.!But!returning!home!is!generally!supposed!to!bring!a!sigh!of!relief.!Even!though!it! means!coming!back!to!the!everyday!stresses!of!life,!the!familiarity!of!these!issues!is!a!comfort.!But! the!bliss!of!resuming!a!daily!routine!can!be!shattered!by!the!lingering!repercussions!of!any!holiday! mishaps.!In!Bite,!those!consequences!are!both!emotional!and!physical,!and!well!beyond!anything! for!which!anyone!could!have!planned.!

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!and!her!two!best!friends!(Annette!Wozniak!and!Denise!Yuen)!are!celebrating! her!bachelorette!party!in!Costa!Rica,!though!they!may!have!chosen!too!exotic!a!destination.!In! addition!to!being!stung!by!some!unknown!water!bug,!Casey!wakes!up!on!the!beach!with!no! memory!of!what!happened!the!night!before.!Going!home!only!results!in!further!confusion!as!she! struggles!to!decide!whether!to!tell!her!fiancé!(Jordan!Gray)!about!her!blackout!or!worse,!her! doubts!about!their!pending!nuptials.!To!make!matters!worse,!the!small!bite!is!growing!and! festering!into!an!unmanageable!infection!threatening!to!take!control!of!Casey’s!already!spiralling! life.! !

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Body!horror!and!gross[out!horror!are!sometimes!interchangeable!concepts.!The!horrible!and! disgusting!things!one!can!conceive!to!happen!to!a!person,!or!to!come!out!of!them,!is!only!limited! by!one’s!imagination.!Though!the!logic!of!this!story’s!transformation!may!not!be!detailed,!it!is! undeniably!disturbing.!Casey’s!physical!alteration!is!extraordinarily!unsettling!as!her!body!begins! to!secrete!various!vile!substances!before!drastically!evolving.!The!origins!of!her!new!appendages! are!unknown!as!they!appear!to!be!a!mishmash!of!whatever!seems!to!work!best!in!a!given!situation! versus!imitating!some!other!existing!creature.!Moreover,!it’s!difficult!to!overlook!the!fact!that!

Casey!never!considers!going!to!a!doctor!about!even!the!initial!infection,!which!clearly!needed! medical!attention;!instead!she!relies!on!the!advice!of!friends!and!a!helpline.! !

Yet!once!she’s!in!the!throes!of!the!transformation!and!there’s!no!turning!back,!it’s!impossible!not! to!be!absorbed!by!the!repellant!minutiae!of!her!new!form!and!the!foul!domicile!into!which!it!turns! her!apartment.!By!the!end!neither!Casey!nor!her!former!home!are!recognizable,!both!evolving!into! the!nesting!grounds!for!this!foreign!organism.!As!a!metaphor!for!her!emotions,!it!personifies!how! terrible!she!feels!about!everything!and!gives!her!further!reason!to!shut!out!her!loved!ones!and!the! rest!of!the!world.!

Director!Chad!Archibald!appears!to!have!a!solid!grasp!on!how!to!make!his!audience!uncomfortable! and!possibly!nauseated;!however!they’re!unlikely!to!care!about!the!fates!of!most!of!the!characters! since!almost!none!of!them!has!any!agreeable!qualities,!including!Casey.!Unfortunately!this!means! the!viewers!are!left!to!go!through!the!motions!with!the!main!character!while!never!becoming! invested!in!the!tale’s!outcome.! !

The!film!tied!for!the!audience!award’s!silver!prize!for!best!Canadian!feature!at!the!2015!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival,!sharing!the!honour!with!The!Demolisher.! !

Director:!Chad!Archibald!

Starring:!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak!and!Jordan!Gray!

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Ain’t!It!Cool!News!–!August!6!–“BITE!(2015)”!! http://www.aintitcool.com/node/72592!! !

Directed!by!Chad!Archibald!

Written!by!Chad!Archibald,!Jayme!Laforest!

Starring!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Lawrene!Denkers,!Denise!Yuen,!

Tianna!Nori,!Barry!Birnberg! !

Find!out!more!about!this!film!here!and!on!Facebook!here!

Reviewed!by!Ambush!Bug! !

The!structure!of!BITE!is!a!familiar!one,!reminding!me!of! body!horror!films!of!note!over!the!last!few!years!

(CONTRACTED!and!THANATOMORPHOSE,!to!be!precise),! but!the!insectoid!lens!in!which!this!film!is!cast!through! makes!it!feel!more!akin!with!Cronenberg’s!THE!FLY!than! anything!else.!This!is!good!company!to!be!in!as!all!of!these! films!made!me!squiggle!and!squirm.!BITE!will!make!you!feel! that!way!too,!I!guarantee!it.! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!goes!on!a!bachelorette!vacation!on!a! tropical!locale.!The!found!footage!handheld!opening! minutes!of!this!film!(don’t!worry,!it’s!not!for!the!whole!film)!establishes!that!Casey!has! some!doubts!about!marrying!her!beau!Jared!(Jordan!Gray),!Jared!has!a!domineering! mother!in!law,!and!Jared!is!waiting!to!have!sex!until!marriage.!All!of!this!proves!to!be!too! much!for!the!party!girl!who!gets!drunk!and!sleeps!with!a!random!guy!at!a!bar.!The!next! day,!as!Casey!and!her!two!friends!are!swimming!in!a!secluded!pond,!something!under!the! water!bites!her.!Ignoring!the!pain!and!brushing!the!whole!thing!off!as!simple!bite,!Casey! comes!home!to!America!and!plans!on!having!whatever!happened!on!vacation!stay!on! vacation.!But!these!sins!of!the!past!come!back!to!haunt!Casey!as!the!bite!on!her!leg! becomes!infected!and!she!begins!metamorphosizing!into!some!kind!of!monster.!Holing! herself!up!in!her!apartment,!Casey!is!changing!into!some!kind!of!creature!and!woe!to!the! friend!or!lover!who!crosses!her!doorstep!to!see!if!she!is!ok.!

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As!with!THANATOMORPHOSE!and!CONTRACTED,!the!message!here!is,!quite!plainly,! unprotected!and!reckless!sex!will!kill!you.!All!three!films!play!with!the!metaphor!of!the! horror!of!picking!up!an!STD!from!a!one!night!stand!and!what!that!does!to!a!woman,!her! relationships,!and!her!life.!Not!only!is!there!a!physical!transformation,!but!there’s!also!the! shame!in!receiving!this!disease!that!hurts!and!looks!horrible,!making!you!feel!like!a! monster.!It’s!a!metaphor!that!is!ripe!with!potential!and!just!as!THE!FLY!did!this!with! cancer,!BITE!does!the!same!for!STD’s!as!Casey!is!guilt[ridden!first!at!what!she!did!behind!

Jared’s!back,!but!instead!of!telling!him,!she!decides!to!keep!it!a!secret.!Later,!the!inner! guilt!evolves!into!Casey!literally!turning!into!a!monster!and!makes!her!adulterous!behavior! impossible!to!hide!for!long.!While!the!metaphor!isn’t!subtle,!it!speaks!volumes!and!makes! for!some!fantastic!moments!throughout!the!film!that!end!up!being!very!real,!despite!the! fact!that!Casey!is!turning!into!a!giant!bug!monster.! !

The!effects!in!BITE!is!over!the!top!gross!and!amazing!to!witness.!Just!when!you!think! things!can’t!get!more!disgusting,!it!does!as!Casey!is!vomiting!up!little!see!thru!eggs! housing!larvae,!sprouting!a!tail,!and!losing!all!of!her!hair.!The!effects!look!to!be!pretty! practical!(though!the!prehensile!stinger!tail!is!definitely!CG),!so!to!see!actress!Begovic!go! through!this!transformation!is!pretty!gnarly.!The!effects!crew!really!makes!not!only!Casey! look!horrific,!but!make!her!entire!apartment!a!disgusting!nest!covered!with!egg!sacs,! mucous,!webs,!and!other!sticky!secretions.!This!looks!like!an!absolutely!disgusting!movie! to!make!with!all!of!the!actors!having!to!slosh!around!in!slime,!ooze,!and!what!looks!to!be!

KY!jelly!for!most!of!the!latter!half!of!the!film.! !

Begovic!does!a!fantastic!job!of!convincingly!turning!from!a!beautiful!guilt[ridden!girl!who! made!a!mistake!to!a!cold[blooded!monster!by!the!final!act.!Every!step!of!the!way!she! straddles!the!line!of!being!both!sympathetic!and!menacing.!Director!Chad!Archibald! continues!to!evolve!in!a!positive!direction!as!a!filmmaker.!While!I!found!flaws!in!his!last! two!films!(THE!DROWNSMAN!and!EJECTA),!there!is!an!undeniable!talent!to!both!films!and!

I!feel!it!has!come!together!much!more!successfully!in!BITE!by!telling!a!simple!allegory! focusing!on!a!common!predicament!and!taking!it!to!monstrous!proportions.!BITE!is! disgusting,!depraved,!disturbing,!and!diabolical…in!a!way!that!will!please!gore[ appreciative!horror!fans!in!the!fullest!!

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Dread!Central!–!July!28!–“Bite!(2015)”! http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/115542/bite[2015/!! !

After!all!this!time,!I!was!fairly! resigned!to!think!that!Jeff!Goldblum’s! man[to[insect!metamorphosis!in!

Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!was!one!of!the! queasiest!body!transformations!I’d! seen.!However,!after!laying!eyes! upon!Chad!Archibald’s!Bite,!I’d!have! to!say!that!Mr.!Goldblum!might!have! a!run!for!his!money.! !

Coming!off!of!two!lackluster! directorial!entries!(The!Drownsman,!

Ejecta),!Archibald!reloads!and!this! time!delivers!heavily!with!his!look!at! a!nubile!young!woman!whose! bachelorette!party/vacation!proves! to!be!a!real!itch…!see!what!I!did! there?!Anyway,!the!bride[to[be!is!

Casey!(Begovic),!and!she!is!whisked! off!to!Costa!Rica!by!some!alcohol[ deprived!bridesmaids!for!a!little!R&R,! and!from!the!film’s!opening!scenes,!I! was!immediately!getting!that!sick! feeling!in!my!gut.!Was!it!from!some! unrelenting!gore!splashed!across!the! screen?!No!!It!was!from!my!true[to[life!arch[nemesis:!first[person!camera!usage!(a!la! found!footage).!At!this!point,!the!urge!to!dropkick!my!laptop!across!the!room!overcame! me,!but!with!some!patented!Lamaze!breathing!techniques,!I!simmered!down!and!let!the! movie!play!on.! !

Thankfully,!the!shaky[cam!vision!was!merely!a!tool!to!illustrate!the!ignorance!of!one!of!

Casey’s!bridal!party!members!–!shoot!as!much!footage!of!inebriated,!uncoordinated! chicks!attempting!to!dance!in!a!club,!while!being!pawed!by!some!douchenozzles!that!

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probably!have!the!words!“dude”!and!“bro”!tattooed!somewhere!on!their!persons.!Movin! on!–!after!Casey!is!roofied!and!raped!by!some!sleazy!club[goer,!then!robbed!of!her! possessions!(including!her!very!impressive!engagement!rock),!the!group!decides!to!go!for! a!little!dip!in!a!remote!quarry!the!next!day,!and!that’s!where!our!story!gets!very! interesting.!Never!mind!the!fact!that!Casey!was!sexually!assaulted!and!had!her!booty! burgled!(in!more!ways!than!one)!–!good!friends!don’t!let!you!sulk!over!a!traumatic!crime,! at!least!not!when!there’s!the!opportunity!to!wade!in!some!murky,!disease[infested!water! in!a!third[world!swimmin’!hole!! !

While!floating!about!in!the!scummy!lagoon,!Casey!is!bitten!on!the!leg!by!some! unexplained!critter,!and!after!the!vacation!has!come!to!a!close,!she!realizes!that!this!isn’t! any!old!nip!on!the!stem!–!this!thing!is!throbbing,!growing!in!size,!and!leaking!fluid!faster! than!a!cracked!radiator…!silly!me,!not!fluid!–!PUS.!Large,!discolored!quantities!of!pus!–!it! trickles,!it!seeps,!it!collects!on!the!floor!–!and!during!one!romantic!rendezvous!in!the!sack! with!her!momma’s!boy!of!a!fiancé!(Gray)!–!it!literally!gushes!all!over!her!lover’s!hand!and! ceases!coital!activity!immediately.!As!if!Casey’s!fiancé!needed!any!more!cause!to!stay! away!from!his!future!bride,!his!incredibly!venomous!mother!(Lawrene!Denkers!in!a! fantastically!evil!role)!seems!to!bristle!at!the!sight!of!his!forthcoming!mate!–!this!woman!is! plain!nasty,!right!down!to!her!two[ply!panties.! !

As!the!film!rolls!along,!whatever!the!hell!is!overtaking!Casey’s!body!composition!is! working!overtime,!and!every!time!the!poor!woman!shifts!her!legs,!she!seems!to!gush!a! cascading,!orange[tinted!crystalline!gathering!of!globules!out!of!her…!fish!shack,!if!you!will!

–!it!covers!the!walls!of!her!apartment!and!the!floor,!turning!her!entire!crash[pad!into! some!kind!of!cocoon.! !

I’ll!simply!leave!the!rest!of!this!ultra[hygienic!antiseptic[fest!to!your!viewing!pleasure,!as! the!utter!grotesqueness!must!be!seen!to!be!truly!enjoyed!–!imagine!Goldblum!melting! faces!in!The!Fly!times!10.!Archibald!takes!a!somewhat!slow!route!to!the!golden!ticket!in! the!first!half!of!the!film,!but!after!Casey’s!bite!has!had!its!chance!to!infest!the! bloodstream,!that’s!when!we!shift!out!of!first!gear!and!into!a!very!slippery!overdrive.!

Performances!are!routine!for!those!attempting!to!nail!down!a!typical!drunk!young!adult!or! a!molting!insect[type!lady.! !

In!all!seriousness,!Bite!definitely!has!the!chops!to!be!the!Fly!of!the!new!age!and!simply! shouldn’t!be!missed,!especially!if!you’re!a!gorehound!on!the!prowl.!Chew!on,!brothers…! chew!on.! !

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Thy!Critic!Man!–!August!12!–“Bite!(Fantasia!2015)”! http://thycriticman.com/2015/08/12/bite[fantasia[2015/! !

Directed!By:!Chad!Archibald! !

Vacations!will!become!a!whole!lot!scarier!for!anybody!who!views!

Bite.!! ! …and!it’s!not!like!vacations!are!already!horror!story!free.!Whether! it’s!getting!a!bunch!of!needles!to!prevent!diseases!or!coming! home!to!take!a!bunch!of!tests!after!a!week!of!doing!things!you! may!regret!or!the!fear!of!not!coming!home!based!on!the!tragic! stories!of!murder!that!happen!to!vacationers!each!year,!ultimate! relaxation!isn’t!as!easy!as!purchasing!a!plane!ticket!anymore.!

Unfortunately,!Chad!Archibald’s!latest!horror!story!also!adds!the! wildlife!of!vacation!locations!to!this!growing!list!of!concerns.! !

A!bite!is!not!something!you!can!prepare!for.!It!can!happen!riding! your!bike.!It!can!happen!taking!a!hike.!It!can!happen!in!your!sleep.!

Hell,!Google!has!shown!me!that!it!can!even!happen!while!sitting! on!the!toilet!in!different!countries.!Shit!down!for!a!shit!and!get!up! bit,!courtesy!of!a!gigantic!snake!curled!up!in!the!toilet.! !

Casey!(Begovic)!goes!on!vacation!with!her!two!best!friends,!Jill!(Wozniak)!and!Denise!(Yuen),!right!before!her! wedding.!She!isn’t!particularly!ready!to!get!married.!She’s!even!less!prepared!after!she!randomly!gets!bit!by! something.!Looking!good!at!your!wedding!is!important!after!all.!Imagine!rocking!a!dress!or!a!suit!while! sporting!a!gross!infection!that!continuously!gets!worse!instead!of!better!as!time!goes!on.unnamed! !

Bite!is!gross.!It’s!gross!enough!to!make!people!throw!up.!That!statement!is!fact!(as!it!actually!happened!to! some!folks!who!caught!the!world!premier!at!Fantasia!2015).!The!special!effects!are!incredible!and! comparisons!are!already!being!made!to!David!Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!and!Eric!England’s!Contracted.! !

This!is!a!body!transformation!flick!that!pits!the!bitten!Casey!against!those!she!loves!the!most.!It!features! great!acting!from!Begovic,!fantastic!set!design,!and!enough!gore!to!please!anyone!who!seeks!it.!However,! the!drama!might!not!work!for!everybody!as!it’s!very!in!your!face.!Nothing!is!left!to!the!mind.!Another!slight! issue!is!that!most!of!the!side!characters!react!unnaturally!towards!certain!things.!I!understand!that!it’s!done! to!advance!the!plot!and!all,!but!I!can!see!some!viewers!finding!an!issue!with!it.! !

Bite!is!certainly!worth!a!viewing!for!those!who!can!handle!it.! !

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The!Film!Corner!AJuly!18!–!“Review:!Bite”!

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http://klymkiwfilmcorner.blogspot.ca/2015/07/bite[review[by[greg[klymkiw[zesty.html! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Bite!(2014)!

Dir.!Chad!Archibald!

Scr.!Jayme!Laforest!

Starring:!Elma!Begovic,!

Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!Yuen,!Jordan!

Gray,!Lawrene!Denkers! !

Review!By!Greg!Klymkiw!

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Director!Chad!Archibald!finally!delivers!the!picture!I!suspected!he!had!in!him!to!serve!up.!After!his! competently[directed!The(Drownsman,!which!mostly!suffered!from!a!dreadful!script!and!ludicrous! premise,!he!moved!on!to!co[direct!the!brilliant!science!fiction!thriller!Ejecta.!Now!he's!back!behind! the!camera!all!on!his!lonesome,!with!a!terrific!cast,!stunning!special!effects!and!most!importantly,! a!cool!premise!from!his!original!story!which!has!made!for!a!solid!screenplay!written!by!Jayme!

Laforest.! !

It's!safe!to!say!that!Bite!claims!its!rightful!(and!deserved)!position!amongst!the!thrilling!explosion! of!original!Canadian!horror!films!taking!the!world!by!storm.!This!enchantingly!vile,!sick!and! grotesque!B[movie!melange,!resides!in!a!magical!place!twixt!the!hot[babe[going[bunyip!antics!of!

Roman!Polanski's!Repulsion!and!David!Cronenberg's!body[decimation!gymnastics!from!The(Fly.! !

Almost!needless!to!say,!but!I'll!say!it!anyway,!Bite!is!gloriously!replete!with!truck[loads!of!pus,! vomit,!gooey!sores,!icky!vaginal!discharge!and!plenty!o'!viscous!ooze!(much!of!it!resembling!caviar! and!glass!eyes!swimming!oh[so!succulently!in!deliquescent!pools!of!upchuck)![!all!of!which!has! been!designed!to!tantalize!genre!geeks!the!world!over.!

Oh,!and!of!course,!the!movie!has!plenty!of!babes!in!it.!Alas,!they're!never!nekkid,!but!at!least!we! see!'em!in!bikinis!and!underwear.!(These!are!tender!mercies,!but!we'll!take!what!we!can!get.)!

Nudity!or!no!nudity,!this!is!one!solid!horror!picture.! !

It's!ultimately!rooted!in!good!writing!which!Bite!is!nicely!blessed!with.!Good!movies!will!almost!

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always!have!a!nice!simple!narrative!to!allow!for!all!manner!of!layering!and!shading!to!adorn!it!and!

I'm!delighted!to!report!that!much!of!what!leaps!from!the!page!allows!Archibald!as!a!director!to! gussy!things!up!as!much!as!he!likes!with!all!manner!of!perverse!touches.! !

The!film!opens!by!telling!its!twisted!tale!via!home!movie!footage.!This!briefly!gave!me!a!sinking! feeling,!but!as!the!subjects!were!babes!who!also!delivered!good!performances!and!uttered!some! decent!dialogue!in!a!relatively!realistic!setting,!I!perked!myself!up!and!decided!to!settle!in!despite! my!feelings!of,!"Oh!Christ,!not!another!found!footage!horror!film."!Cleverly,!this!stuff!doesn't!last! too!long!and!is,!in!fact,!a!stylish!manner!in!which!to!begin!the!story!which!eventually!slams!into! full[on!classical!visual!storytelling!mode.!(The!footage!is!used!later!to!only!move!the!story!forward! in!realistic!contexts!to!which!I!was!also!grateful!for.)! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic,!a!striking!exotic!beauty!with!talent!to!burn)!is!about!to!get!married.!She!and! her!girlfriends!Jill!(Denise!Wozniak)!and!Kirsten!(Denise!Yuen)!head!to!a!vacation!resort!paradise! carved!out!of!the!jungles!of!an!otherwise!foul!Central!American!Third!World!Hell[Hole.!It!is!here! where!two!nasty!things!happen!to!our!heroine.! !

Firstly,!she!gets!herself!juiced[up!and!Rohip[nolled!by!a!handsome!scumbag!who!takes!her!out! onto!the!beach,!delivers!a!solid!ploughing!to!her!limp!body,!steals!all!her!stuff!(including!her! engagement!ring)!and!leaves!our!lithe!lassie!lying!alone!on!the!sand,!dazed!and!confused.! !

Secondly,!she!and!her!lady!friends!veer!off!the!beaten!track!for!some!fun!and!frolic.!Uh,!gals,!this!is! a!loathsome!Third!World!jungle;!shouldn't!you!hang!back!at!the!resort?!Well,!if!they!did,!there! might!not!be!a!movie!(or!any!horror!movie!for!that!matter).!When!our!comely!damsels!take!a!dip! in!a!jungle!watering!hole,!our!already[beleagured!heroine!gets!a!painful!bite!by!some!unseen!bug! (or!pond!creature)!in!the!murky!slough!they!go!splashing!about!in.! ! ! ! ! ! !

Upon!returning!to!Canada,!Casey!begins!to!suffer!some!mighty!perplexing!and!disturbing! symptoms.!In!addition!to!developing!a!very!heightened!sense!of!hearing,!a!nasty!rash!and!almost! perpetual!nausea,!the!bite!on!her!thigh!starts!to!fester!into!weird!mini[cauliflowered[skin[tag[like! globules!full!of!pus.!

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Adding!insult!to!injury,!she!discovers!she's!pregnant.! !

At!this!point,!the!likelihood!of!her!spawning!something!truly!horrific!is!pretty!much!going!to!be!a! given!and!slowly,!but!surely!(and!disgustingly)!she!begins!to!.!.!.!shall!we!say,!transform.! !

As!a!creepily!painful!biological!decimation!roils!within!her,!she!ironically!begins!to!see!clearly!how! so!many!things!in!her!life!are!not!as!peachy[keen!as!they!once!seemed.!Her!friends!appear!well[ meaning!to!a!fault,!almost!callous.!One!of!them!even!has!designs!upon!her!fiancé.! !

(Now,!if!you!want,!I!can!get!a!tad!egg[headed!here!and!say!there's!plenty!of!noggin[stimulating! thematic!stuff!to!chew!on![!you!know,!a!woman!experiences!painful!physical!transformation!to! yield!terrible!truths!about!herself!and!the!world!around!her,!but!I'll!leave!this!to!all!the!Women's!

Studies!PhD!candidates!in!the!audience!to!flesh!out.)! !

Speaking!of!terrible!truths,!Jared!(Jordan!Grey),!Casey's!hubby[to[be,!is!a!self[absorbed! knob!and!Mama's!Boy!who!complains!that!his!night!of!nookie!is!coming!to!an!abrupt! end!after!they've!attempted!to!boink!and!he!grabs!a!fistful!of!pus!from!the!festering!bite!on!her! thigh!and!she!runs!to!the!can!in!order!to!woof!her!guts!out.! !

As!for!Jared's!Mama!(Lawrene!Denkers!in!an!especially!creepy!performance),!this!is!one!foul,! nasty,!over[protective!harridan.!Not!only!does!she!question!Casey's!suitability!as!a!wife!to!her! precious!sonny[boy,!but!does!so!with!all!manner!of!grotesquely!over[the[top!viciousness!that!gives!

Piper!Laurie!in!Carrie!a!nice!run!for!her!money.! !

Folks,!this!movie's!not!about!to!get!pleasant![!ever!! !

Will!things!take!a!turn!for!the!worst?! !

Will!murder!be!on!the!menu?! !

Uh,!ya!think?! !

And!whatever!you!do,!try!not!eat!anything!before!seeing!this!movie.!Oh,!and!as!a!courtesy!to!the! cinema!management,!consider!bringing!a!receptacle!along!in!case!you!need!to!join!Casey's!vomit! party!and!eject!your!own!manner!of!bilious!globs!of!puke.! !

Because!you!know,!it's!that!kind!of!movie.! !

Bon!appétit!!!! !

THE!FILM!CORNER!RATING:!***½!Three=and=a=half=<Stars! !

Bite(enjoys(its(World(Premiere(at(the(2015(Fantasia(International(Film(Festival(in(Montreal.(For(tix,( times(and(venues,(visit(the(Fest's(website(HERE.( ! !

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Cut!Print!Film!A!July!31!!–!“Fantasia!2015:!Bite”! http://www.cutprintfilm.com/reviews/fantasia[2015[bite/ ! ! !

The!familiar!strains!of!found!footage!unceremoniously! kick!off!director!Chad!Archibald’s!body!horror! flick!Bite,!and!across!the!universe,!eyeballs!begin!to! roll.!Even!the!most!ardent!defenders/apologists!of!the! found!footage!motif!(at!times!I’ve!counted!myself! among!them)!have!to!admit!the!style!is!getting!awfully! tiresome,!and!at!its!worst!has!been!utilized!as!an! attempt!to!keep!audiences!from!noticing!how!low!a! budget!the!filmmakers!were!working!with.! !

Mercifully,!the!found!footage!angle!is!dropped!after!the!prologue!ends,!and!traditional!cinema!arrives! to!save!the!day.!But!here’s!the!problem:!there’s!another!drawback!to!using!found!footage,!even!as!just! a!short!introduction!as!Bite!does.!In!exchange!for!the!verité!realism!afforded!by!first[person!camcorder! photography,!your!actors!better!be!bringing!their!damn!A(game.!This!is!why!so!many!found!footage! scripts!are!a!series!of!threadbare!“beats”,!encouraging!ample!improvisation.!Any!deficiencies!in!the! naturalism!of!the!acting!become!glaring!when!shown!in!this!light.! !

Unfortunately!for!Bite’s!case,!that!seven!or!so!minutes!of!found!footage!is!more!than!enough!to! highlight!the!ham[fisted!dialogue!and!unconvincing!acting!performances!of!the!leads.!I!feel!bad!saying! that,!because!the!actors!here!are!clearly!doing!the!best!they!can!with!what!they!have,!but!too!often! the!dialogue!and!line!delivery!took!me!out!of!the!film.!More!on!that!later.! !

As!the!story!goes,!three!women!embark!on!a!bachelorette!party!in!Costa!Rica,!and!find!their!way!to!a! secluded,!mysterious!lagoon,!where!the!bachelorette!herself,!Casey,!(Elma!Begovic)!sustains!a! seemingly!minor!bite!from!an!unseen!underwater!creature.!Upon!returning!home!to!reconcile!with! some!unpleasant!personal!issues!dredged!up!during!the!trip,!Casey!begins!to!notice!disturbing!changes! to!her!body.! !

Bite!draws!very!clear!inspiration!from!David!Cronenberg’s!body!horror!classic!The(Fly,!all!the!way!down! to!certain,!ahem,!“abilities”!that!manifest!as!the!mutation!takes!hold.!This,!obviously,!is!a!female[ driven!version!of!that!story,!which!invites!plenty!of!obligatory!pregnancy!anxiety!metaphors.!This!also! has!been!touched!upon!in!the!body!horror!subgenre!before,!and!it’s!really!in!your!face!here.! !

Where!1986’s!The(Fly!goes!all!the!way!to!the!logical!end,!cranking!it!up!to!11!in!both!disgust!and! tragedy,!and!2006’s!Slither(uses!the!concept!to!wacky,!comedic!effect,!Bite!more!or!less!plays!it!down! the!middle,!leaning!towards!the!tragic!side.!Yes,!ultimately!things!do!get!very,!very!out!of!hand,!mostly! having!to!do!with!the!sheer!amount!of!translucent!slime!Casey!secretes!as!her!bite!worsens,!but!the! actors!have!some!difficulty!selling!the!horror.! !

Again,!that’s!the!main!issue!with!Bite!–!the!actors!(and!their!dialogue;!let’s!be!fair)!just!can’t!sell!this! material.!There’s!so!little!chemistry!between!Casey!and!her!fiancé!that!the!numerous!challenges!they! face!(of!which!the!titular!bite!is!just!one)!don’t!really!register.!Lines!of!dialogue!like!“he!wants!kids!

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more!than!anything,!and!you!don’t!”!make!you!wish!they!had!left!some!of!these!details!to!be! discovered!in!subtext,!which!would!have!been!perfectly!adequate!and!more!satisfying!as!a!viewer.! !

And!all!that’s!unfortunate,!because!the!makeup!and!special!effects!department!knocked!it!out!of!the! park!here.!The!film!feels!pretty!low!budget!throughout,!but!it’s!clear!most!of!what!budget!they!had! went!into!the!effects.!Casey’s!later!stages!of!transformation!are!a!sight!to!behold,!as!is!the!state!of!her! apartment,!which!takes!on!kind!of!a!yellow,!fungus[y!lair!type!of!appearance!reminiscent!of!the!Super( Mario(Bros!movie!(sorry,!it’s!the!first!immediate!comparison!that!came!to!mind).!What!little!CGI!there! is!is!glaringly!obvious,!but!fortunately!the!practical!effects!far!outweigh!it,!and!there’s!still!time!for!a! last!coat!of!polish!before!wide!release.! !

With!a!tighter!script!and!slightly!better!acting,!I!could!see!Bite!becoming!a!minor!body!horror!classic.!As! is,!it’s!a!solid,!sincere!effort,!but!a!bit!of!a!missed!opportunity.! !

Bite(is(playing(at(the(2015(Fantasia(International(Film(Festival.( 4/10! !

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Unseen!Films!AJuly!30!–!“Fantasia!2015!Capsule!reviews:!BITE!(2015)”! http://unseenfilms.blogspot.ca/2015/07/fantasia[2015[capsule[reviews[bite[2015.html! !

BITE! Girl!on!a!bachelorette!party!trip!gets!bitten! by!something!and!begins!to!mutate.! !

Okay!horror!film!is!cursed!with!a!couple!of! things!working!against!it.! !

First!it's!similar!to!any!number!of!other! horror!films!(say!BLOOD!GLACIER)!with!the! result!that!there!is!very!little!here!that!we!

haven't!seen!before.! !

Second!the!way!the!film!is!told!isn't!all!that!compelling.!The!film!starts!off!as!some!kind!of!found! footage!tale!and!the!changes!to!a!traditional!story!as!we!see!life!after!the!girls!get!home!and!the! changes!come.The!craft!of!the!filmmaking!is!adequate!but!never!compelling.!It!looks!like!a!so!may! independent!dramas!that!there!is!nothing!to!excite.!Worse!the!pacing!is!off.!It!doesn't!move!the!way!it! should!with!the!result!that!it!seems!to!take!forever!to!get!to!the!good!stuff!!in!the!second!half!.Bythat! point!things!seem!a!bit!jumbled.! !

I'm!going!to!say!something!I!probably!shouldn't!but!I!know!my!reaction!to!the!film!was!influenced!by!all! of!the!films!I!saw!previously!at!Fantasia.!There!are!so!many!other!good!films!playing!at!the!festival,!that! by!the!time!I!saw!this,!somewhere!around!the!25!film!mark,!this!film!this!film!was!going!to!have!to! knock!it!out!of!the!park.!It!had!to!do!something!to!stand!out,!and!it!didn't!quite!to!that.!(And!before!the! producers!and!director!hunt!me!down!I!promise!to!try!this!film!again!when!it!gets!a!regular!release)! !

BITE!isn't!a!bad!film.!Its!just!nothing!we!haven't!seen!before.!

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HorrorAMovies.ca!A!August!1,!2015!–!“Antisocial!2!Movie!Review”! http://www.horror[movies.ca/2015/08/antisocial[2[movie[ review/! !

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After!“Antisocial”!made!its!world!premiere!at!Montreal’s!Fantasia!

International!Film!Festival!in!2013,!it!was!only!logical!that!its!sequel,!

“Antisocial!2”,!made!another!world!premiere!at!the!same!festival.!

However,!contrary!to!its!predecessor,!the!follow[up!film!failed!to! impress!and!entertain!me.!

“Antisocial!2”!takes!place!a!few!months!after!the!events!of!the!first!part! of!the!series.!The!Red!Room!website!has!infected,!or!“connected”!is!the! term!used!in!the!movie,!most!of!the!world,!making!it!a!typical!post[ apocalyptic!one.!We!discovered!that!Sam!(Michelle!Mylett)!was! pregnant!during!the!previous!film,!and!only!4!months!later,!she!gives! birth!to!her!baby!boy,!only!to!have!him!ripped!from!her!grasp!by!a! stranger!before!fainting!from!the!pain.!Two!years!later,!Sam!is! desperately!searching!for!her!kidnapped!son!while!the!Red!Room!has!a! mysterious!“update”!progressing!to!100%,!and!no!one!knows!what!will!happen!when!it!reaches!completion.!

People!who!have!not!been!“connected”!fear!“defects:!people!who,!like!Sam,!have!conducted!a!DIY!surgery! to!remove!any!chance!of!becoming!one!of!the!crazies.!Defects!have!the!virus!in!them,!yet!it!has!not!engaged! in!its!process,!but!there!are!still!chances!that!it!could,!despite!the!neurosurgery.!Our!protagonist!is!then! kidnapped!by!a!scientist!who!wants!to!experiment!on!Sam!to!find!a!cure,!while!also!being!the!one!who!is! detaining!Sam’s!son;!son!who!has!some!special,!peculiar!powers!connected!to!the!Red!Room.! !

The!sequel!to!the!hit!“Antisocial”!focuses!much!more!on!the!scientific!aspect!of!the!virus!and!the!technical! connection!it!gives!“users”!of!the!Red!Room.!Do!not!go!into!the!movie!expecting!ravaging,!rabid!maniacs! constantly!roaming!the!scenery!and!being!a!constant,!worrying!threat.!You!seldom!see!them,!mostly!at!the! beginning!of!the!film.!I!understand!that!the!point!of!the!director,!Cody!Calahan,!was!to!focus!on!the!Red! Room’s!connection!aspect!and!the!medical!facet!of!the!“infection”,!but!there!are!some!really!long!and! tedious!scenes!and!a!tremendous!lull!in!the!middle!of!the!movie.! !

The!CGI!in!the!movie!is!rather!obvious,!and!personally,!that’s!always!a!letdown!when!you!can!point!out!that! certain!aspects!were!clearly!computer[animated.!Michelle!Mylett!still!plays!her!role!of!Sam!very!well,! however,!in!addition!to!Stephen!Bogaert!(“American!Psycho”)!who!interprets!Max,!the!desperate!scientist.! !

Numerous!details!of!the!storyline,!in!addition!to!its!conclusion,!left!me!scratching!my!head!as!to!why!certain! things!occurred.!I!won’t!mention!them!as!to!not!give!any!detail!away!and!let!you!discover!(and!perhaps! understand,!more!than!myself)!on!your!own.! !

All!in!all,!“Antisocial!2”!is!far!inferior!than!its!preceding!chapter!and!merits!only!3!stars!out!of!5.

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IX!Daily!–July!31!–“Antisocial!2:!This!Isnt’!the!Sequel!You’re!Looking!For”! http://www.ixdaily.com/the[grind/antisocial[2[isnt[sequel[youre[looking! !

If!you're!searching!for!something!thrilling!to!have!your!eyes!glued!to,!this…!probably!isn't!it.!Picking!up! where!the!ingenious!and!new!take!on!zombie!flick!ANTISOCIAL!left!off,!the!sequel!is!just!another!one!of! those!that!didn't!need!to!happen.!There!is!no!thrill,!no!excitement,!and!a!lot!of!sighs!as!we!ask! ourselves!for!sequences!throughout!to!simply!move!on.! !

What!exactly!happened?!What!went!wrong?!Sam,!played!by!the!wonderful!Michelle!Mylett,!was! pregnant!at!the!time!of!infection,!and!gave!birth!(a!little!early)!to!a!baby!boy.!The!child!was!stolen!from! her.!Okay.!Sam!meets!a!teen! girl,!Bean!(Josette!Halpert)! and!they!bond.!Sam!learns! that!Bean!can!control!the! infected!with!an!app,!and! that!she's!getting!away!from! her!father,!who!has!never! been!infected,!and!who's! an!asshole.!Good.!Sam!and!

Bean!are!captured!by!the! latter's!father!Max!(Stephen!

Bogaert)![!he!wants!to!experiment!on!Sam.!He!also!happens!to!be!detaining!Sam's!son,!who!has!been! growing!at!an!alarming!rate.!How!does!that!play!out?!The!two!are!obviously!reunited.!The!end.!

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Where!is!the!buildup?!Where!is!the!excitement?!Where!are!the!epic!zombie!battles?!The!drama?!The! chaos?!The!majority!of!the!film!left!us!waiting…!waiting!for!nothing.!The!only!scare!we!got!out!of!this! was!in!one!of!Sam's!nightmares,!but!even!when!we!think!of!that!we!should!have!seen!it!coming.!We! expected!so!much,!and!got!so!little.!This!seems!to!be!the!fate!of!sequels.! !

Although!Calahan!and!team!are! brilliant,!this!one!didn't!show! off!their!true!ability.!They!did! manage!to!once!again!put! together!a!visually!stunning! film!with!their!low!budget,!but! the!story!wasn’t!enough.!If! ANTISOCIAL!turns!into!a!trilogy,! we'll!cross!our!fingers!and!pray! to!the!film!gods!that!one!will! actually!turn!out.! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Way!Too!Indie!A!July!22!!–!“Bite!(Fantasia!Review)”! http://waytooindie.com/review/movie/bite[fantasia[review/ ! !

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I!am!by!no!means!a!horror!movie!junkie.!That!said,!having!hit!my!stride!as!a!teen!in!the!’80s,!the! era!that!ushered!in!the!multiplex!boom,!VHS!rentals,!and!more!cable!channels!than!anyone!could! possibly!need!(okay,!we!needed!them!all),!I!watched!a!fair!share!of!horror!movies!as!a!kid.!This! included!the!Holy!Slasher!Trinity!(Michael,!Jason,!and!Freddy)!on!VHS,!Universal!and!Hammer!films! on!UHF,!and!every!B[movie!on!every!channel!I!could!get!my!hands!on,!long!before!the!MST3K!guys! came!along.!Fortunately,!there!were!more!than!enough!movies!around!that!I!could!avoid!watching! those!with!bugs!at!their!core.!I!hate!bugs.!It’s!a!thing!with!me.!From!my!youth!to!yesterday,!I!deftly! avoided!watching!bug!horror.!Today,!the!streak!is!over!thanks!to!Chad!Archibald’s!Bite.! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!is!a!pretty!20[something!bride[to[be!who,!not!too!long!before!her!nuptials!to!

Jared!(Jordan!Gray),!takes!a!bachelorette!party!trip!to!Costa!Rica!with!her!two!best!friends!Jill!and!

Kirsten!(Annette!Wozniak!and!Denise!Yuen,!respectively).!While!there,!three!major!things!occur:! she!reveals!she’s!not!too!sure!she’s!ready!for!marriage!(for!several!reasons),!she!makes!some!poor! decisions!after!partying!too!hard,!and!she!gets!bitten!by!a!bug!while!swimming.! !

Upon!returning!home,!Casey!decides!she!is!going!to!postpone!the!wedding.!As!she!musters!up!the! courage!to!have!that!talk!with!Jared,!she!takes!ill,!and!that!illness!has!some!serious!symptoms,! including!a!heightened!sense!of!hearing,!a!festering!lesion!on!her!leg,!and!an!inability!to!keep! down!any!food.!As!the!days!pass,!Casey’s!physical!condition!worsens,!and!her!psychological!

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condition!suffers!as!a!result.!Eventually,!she!wonders!exactly!what!it!was!that!bit!her!and!what! that!bite!still!has!in!store.!

The!good!news!(at!least!for!me)!is!that,!while!Bite!has!a!plot!driven!by!bugginess,!there!is!very!little! about!it!that’s!buggy.!The!better!news!is!that,!overall,!this!is!a!pretty!good!film.!

I!was!concerned!at!first,!as!the!opening!minutes!of!Bite!give!the!impression!it!is!a!“found!footage”! horror!film,!a!tired!sub[genre!on!its!last!legs.!Jill!films!the!better!part!of!the!Costa!Rica!trip!for! posterity,!and!their!time!at!the!resort!is!only!ever!presented!through!her!lens,!but!once!the!girls! get!home,!that!video!is!used!for!reference!or!flashback!purposes!only.!Amen!to!that.! !

Abandoning!the!homemade!footage!and!moving!to!a!traditional!presentation!also!allows!the! viewer!to!be!mesmerized!by!Jeff!Maher’s!gorgeous!cinematography.!Horror!is!a!genre!that!trades! in!shadows,!and!getting!the!right!look!is!key!to!setting!the!proper!mood.!From!the!beginning!of!

Casey’s!demise,!there’s!a!wonderful!haze!that!looms!like!a!pall!over!the!film.!As!her!condition! worsens,!Maher!shifts!his!grey/blue/green!hues!to!mostly!gold.!It’s!an!unsettling!juxtaposition! between!the!warm!color!scheme!and!the!cold!events.! !

The!film!also!relies!on!the!strength!of!Begovic,!who!makes!her!big[screen!debut!here.!Her! performance!is!terrific.!Casey!is!a!character!dealing!with!stressors!at!multiple!levels:!a!mystery! illness,!an!engagement!in!doubt,!and!a!suffocating!future!mother[in[law!(who!also!happens!to!be! her!landlord)!to!name!a!few.!Then!there!is!the!added!complication!of!going!through!a!horrific! physical!transformation!as!a!result!of!that!bite.!Begovic!manages!it!all!wonderfully,!but!it’s!the! physical!aspects!of!her!performance!that!show!off!her!talents!the!most.!It’s!something!that!could! easily!be!overplayed,!but!her!physicality!is!wonderfully!subtle.!(What’s!most!noticeable!is!how!well!

Begovic!performs!when!she’s!alone;!she!has!great!skill!at!conveying!thought!and!emotion!through! simple!but!effective!facial!and!body!movements.)! !

Other!than!the!landlord[in[law!(Lawrene!Denkers)!being!far!too!much!the!caricature,!the!first!half! of!the!film!is!truly!suspenseful!stuff.!The!set[up!works,!Casey’s!multi[layered!emotional!decline!is! gripping,!and!her!early!physical!transformation!is!perfectly!measured.!I!had!memories! of!Honeymoon!and!Spring!while!watching!the!first!half!of!Bite.! !

That!second!half,!though,!is!rough.!While!Maher!and!Begovic’s!respective!work!shines,!the! screenplay!unravels!at!a!dizzying!pace.!Dialogue!is!stilted,!small!scenes!are!either!unnecessary!or! inexplicable,!and!character!behavior!goes!from!straining!credulity!to!shattering!that!credulity! completely.!Director!Archibald,!who!co[wrote!the!film!with!Jayme!Laforest,!abandons!everything! that!made!the!first!half!work!so!well,!spending!the!second!half!making!plenty!of!amateur!horror! movie!mistakes.!It!dampens!the!overall!film,!like!when!a!clever!little!twist!in!the!second!half!gets! lost!in!all!the!madness!and!gore.! !

Bite!might!suffer!from!a!shaky!second!half,!but!don’t!hold!that!against!the!entire!film.!!This!is!a! very!good!horror!movie!with!enough!overall!strength—both!in!the!first!half!as!a!whole!and!in!

Maher!and!Begovic’s!contributions!to!the!second!half—to!make!it!very!much!worth!seeking!out.! !

Bite(makes(its(World(Premiere(on(July(29th(at(Montreal’s(Fantasia(International(Film(Festival.( !

Bite!(Fantasia!Review)!Movie!review!

6.5/10! !

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Wylie!Writes!A!July!29!!–!“Fantasia!Fest:!“BITE”! http://wyliewrites.com/fantasia[15[bite/!! !

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Horror!works!best!in!extremes:!if!you!can’t!make!a!film!that!is!legitimately!bone[chilling,!then!you!better! make!it!so!over[the[top!that!the!value!comes!from!its!absurdity!rather!than!its!potential!to! fear.!!Unfortunately,!non[camp!horror!is!a!hard!beast!to!tame:!you!need!a!plot!and!a!cast!that!can!effectively! scare!people.!!Bite(is!a!campy!horror!film!at!heart!that!tried!to!go!full[out!scare!mode,!and!found!itself! stranded!in!a!no!man’s!land!of!horror.! !

Casey!is!getting!married,!and!takes!some!friends!with!her!on!a!destination!bachelorette!party!at!some!sleazy! beach!resort.!!While!there,!she!is!taken!advantage!of,!robbed!of!her!engagement!ring!and!money!and!left!on! a!beach,!and!bitten!by!an!unseen!insect.!!She!returns!to!her!fiancée!with!cold!feet,!lies!about!what! happened,!and!a!sappy!discharge!coming!from!her!bite.!!From!there,!things!get!worse:!as!she!undergoes!a! metamorphosis!into!a!bug[like!creature,!she!looses!her!grip!on!reality,!pushing!her!friends!and!her!fiancée! away.! !

Bite(is!a!lot!of!build!up!with!no!pay[off.!!Casey!finds!out!she’s!pregnant!just!days!after!returning!home;!soon! after!Casey!lays!thousands!of!insect!eggs!around!her!apartment.!!The!camera!is!very!interested!in!these! eggs,!but!don’t!let!it!get!your!hopes!up:!they!don’t!actually!do!anything,!beyond!the!implication!that!they’ve! hatched!and!have!made!it!into!public!spaces.!!The!set!of!particularly!unlikable!and!clichéd!characters!seem! to!only!be!around!for!interspersed!attempts!at!“casual”!dialogue!and!no[context!emotional!plot!points:!it! was!Casey’s!friend!who!robbed!her!–!then!sleeps!with!her!fiancée!for!a!reason!that!can!only!be!assumed!as! “because!it!seemed!like!it!should!happen.”! !

The!pacing!of(Bite!is!choppy,!tripping!over!its!own!clunky!writing!as!if!the!characters!themselves!are!just! waiting!for!the!next!scene.!!Exposition!is!the!go[to!device!in!Bite,!where!the!characters!will!come!out!and!tell! you!what’s!going!on!in!favour!of!the!director!showing!you.!!This!feeds!into!Bite’s(largest!flaw,!its!lack!of! subtlety.!!Casey!expresses!to!her!friends!her!uncertainty!about!having!children,!and!with!what!does!her! fiancée!surprise!her!immediately!after?!!A!baby!chair.!!And!don’t!overlook!the!super[powers!she!gets!from! turning!into!a!bug[person:!super!hearing!that!activates!only!when!her!fiancée!is!doing!something!plot[ relevant,!and!the!confusing!ability!to!scream!so!loud!that!people!vomit.! !

“Must!have!caught!a!bug!or!something”!is!a!ridiculous!pun!that!has!no!place!in!a!film!that!is!trying!to!give! the!audience!a!scare.!!Bite!should!have!been!a!fun,!ridiculous,!over[the[top!story!of!a!woman!who!mutates!

! ! into!a!human[insect!hybrid!births!thousands!of!evil!monster!bugs.!!Instead,!it’s!a!slow,!go[nowhere!story! with!tame!horror!effects.! !

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Flick!Hunter!A!July!30!–!“Fantasia!2015!Film!Review!:!Bite”! http://flickhunter.blogspot.ca/2015/07/fantasia[2015[film[festival.html! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!is!a!couple!of!weeks!away!from!getting!married!and!away!at!her! bachelorette!party!in!Costa!Rica!with!best!friends!Kristen!(Denise!Yeun)!and!Jill!(Annette!Wozinak).!

You!would!except!that!this!would!be!a!happy!occasion!but!it's!not!for!Casey.!She!loves!her!fiancé!

Jared!(Jordan!Gray)!but! is!not!ready!for! marriage.!While!on! vacation!she!gets! carried!away!partying! and!makes!some!poor! decisions.!The!girls!also! find!of!a!hidden!natural! swimming!hole!where!

Casey!is!bit!by!an! unseen!insect.! !

Upon!returning!home! our!protagonist!begins! to!feel!sick!plus!she!has! to!deal!with!all!of!the!final!!wedding!plans!and!being!belittled!by!her!future!mother[in[law!

(Laurene!Denkers).!She!develops!a!large!blistering!infected!bite!on!her!right!hip!and!puncture! marks!on!the!right!side!of!her!neck.!Casey!also!becomes!turned!off!by!food!unable!to!keep! anything!down.!The!transformation!really!begins!to!take!place!shortly!after!she!discovers!that!

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she's!pregnant.!After!coming!too!in!the!bathtub!following!a!disturbing!dream!she!survey's!the! apartment!to!find!piles!of!small!gel!like!dripping!eggs.!A!quick!look!in!the!mirror!reveals!sores!on! both!temples!and!a!change!in!the!texture!of!her!skin.! !

The!film!is!the!vision!of!the!director!Chad!Archibald!who!also!shares!a!writing!credit!with!Jayme!

Laforest.!The!spark!originated!from!a!conversation!with!a!friend!that!had!recent!returned!from!a! trip!covered!in!bites!of!different!shapes!and!sizes!not!likely!knowing!what!caused!each!bite.!!The! director!also!knew!how!he!wanted!Casey!to!move!physically!after!the!transformation!and!how!he! wanted!her!gooey,!sticky!apartment!turned!nest!to!look!on!screen.! !

Elma!Begovic!plays!a!physically!engrossing!character!in!her!feature!film!debut.!Her!performance! picks!up!steam!when!she!attempts!to!treat!the!bite!herself!by!pressing!on!it!causing!it!to!rip!and! ooze!then!frantically!trying!to!scratch!at!it.!As!her!transformation!continues!she!moves!on!to!white! liquid!and!eggs!dripping!from!her!mouth!ending!as!a!crouched!neck!twitching!human!reptilian! hybrid.! !

The!set!design!and!make!up!teams!both!contribute!greatly!to!the!production.!The!dripping!slime! filled!nest!is!so!realistic!that!the!viewer!can!almost!smell!the!oder!that!illicit's!a!gag!reflex!for! anyone!who!enters!the!apartment.!Amanda!Wood!and!Jason!Derushie!make!up!effects!work!to! transform!Casey!into!a!frightening!presence!especially!their!work!on!her!eyes,!skin!tone!and!facial! prosthetics.! !

Bite(is!a!film!that!takes!a!different!angle!on!the!horror!transformation!formula.!The!process!stops! at!an!early!enough!point!to!allow!the!protagonist!to!keep!a!humanoid!form!and!mental!abilities.!

Allowing!the!story!to!explore!how!she!reacts!differently!to!friends!as!opposed!to!foes!and! betrayers.!The!narrative!has!more!meat!that!expected!for!films!of!this!ilk!making!it!a!film!that!I!can! recommend.! ! ***!1/2!Out!of!4! !

Bite!|!Chad!Archibald!|!Canada!|!2015!|!90!Minutes.!

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Cinema!Slasher!–August!1!–!“Fantasia!2015:!“Bite”!Review”! http://cinemaslasher.com/2015/08/01/bite[review! !

Insects!are!inherently!frightening.!Most!people!are!at!least!slightly! creeped!out!by!mosquitos,!spiders,!and!other!creatures!with! similar!aesthetics,!even!though!they’re!all!relatively!small.!They’re! gross,!often!slimy,!and!have!abilities!that!make!humans! uncomfortable.!In!Chad!Archibald’s!latest!directorial!effort,Bite,!a! young!woman!discovers!firsthand!what!it’s!like!to!be!an!insect!at! the!worst!possible!time.! !

While!vacationing!out!of!the!country!for!her!bachelorette!party,!

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!is!bitten!by!a!bug.!After!returning!home!to! her!fiancé,!Jared!(Jordan!Grey),!Casey!discovers!that!the!small!bug! bite!has!grown!into!a!larger,!puss[filled!wound.!While!struggling! to!overcome!her!second[thoughts!about!getting!married,!Casey! slowly!begins!to!transform!into!an!insectile!creature.!As!her! friends!and!her!fiancé!try!to!intervene,!Casey!turns!her!apartment! into!a!cocoon[like!nest,!resulting!in!an!unimaginable!horror!as!her! primal!instincts!begin!to!take!over.! !

After!kicking!things!off!with!a!lighthearted,!found!footage! opening,!Bite!transitions!into!a!bleak,!traditional!narrative.!Much!like!Archibald’s!previous!effort,!Ejecta,!the! film!is!played!completely!straight!from!start!to!finish,!never!allowing!the!audience!to!catch!their!breath.!The! serious!tone!works!in!the!film’s!favor,!as!the!transformation!Casey!goes!through!is!quite!creepy.!

Thanks!to!some!incredible!practical!effects,!it’s!easy!to!get!sucked!into!the!disgusting!setting.!While!the! creature!design!is!spectacular!and!genuinely!gross,!the!production!design!of!Casey’s!“nest”!is!absolutely! incredible.!Like!a!section!of!a!world[class!haunted!attraction,!the!attention!to!detail!is!stunning,!and!the! modified!apartment!looks!exactly!how!you’d!imagine!a!giant!insect!nest!would!appear.! !

Filled!to!its!brim!with!vomit,!puss,!and!other!forms!of!goo,!Bite!is!a!downright!nauseating!monster!movie.!

Make!no!mistake,!though,!Archibald!refuses!to!let!it!ever!feel!silly!or!cheap.!Bite!is!actually!pretty!clever!at! times,!and!is!much!more!in!the!vein!of!David!Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!than,!say,!The!Human!Centipede.!With! themes!of!infidelity!and!societal!pressure,!there!are!plenty!of!human!moments!tucked!away!behind!the! film’s!slimy!exterior,!which!raises!the!stakes!significantly.!All!of!the!characters!are!wildly!flawed,!but!still! relatable;!perhaps!a!bit!too!relatable!for!some!of!us.! !

It’s!quite!misleading!to!refer!to!Bite!as!a!fun!movie.!It’s!an!entertaining!movie,!definitely,!but!it’s!far!too!grim! and!hopeless!to!constitute!as!fun,!and!that!is!a!major!element!to!what!makes!the!film!work!so!well.!There! are!no!moments!of!levity.!Casey!doesn’t!find!any!sort!of!humor!in!turning!into!a!bug!monster—she’s! absolutely!terrified,!and!as!a!result,!so!is!the!audience.!

With!Bite,!Archibald!has!delivered!his!best!film!to!date;!a!creature!feature!that!is!as!much!about!struggling! relationships!as!it!is!about!nightmarish!monsters.! !

Bite(recently(premiered(at(the(2015(Fantasia(International(Film(Festival(in(Montreal.!

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28!Days!Later!Analysis!–!August!8!–“You!Will!Not!Connect!with!Antisocial!2”! http://www.28dayslateranalysis.com/2015/08/you[will[not[connect[with[ antisocial[2.html!! !

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Director:!Cody!Calahan.!

Writers:!Cody!Calahan,!Chad!Archibald,!Jeff!Maher.!

Cast:!Michelle!Mylett,!Josette!Halpert,!Stephen!Bogaert.! !

Cody!Calahan!and!Chad!Archibald!of!Black!Fawn!Films!reunite!in!the! sequel!to!2013's!Antisocial.!This!viewer!is!not!a!fan!of!the!first!film,!so! we!already!got!off!on!the!wrong!foot!but,!having!enjoyed!Black!Fawn's! recent!release,!Bite,!there!was!still!hope!for!redemption.!

Unfortunately,!even!with!some!great!atmospheric!shots!and!some! decent!gore,!Antisocial!2,!much!like!the!first,!is!simply!uninteresting.!

While!the!message!that!social!media!turns!people!into!zombies!has! potential,!the!concept!is!overthought!and!under[executed!thus! rendering!it!powerless.!! !

The!plot!in!the!second!film!is!driven!by!an!update!being!installed!on!the! social!media!site,!The!Social!Redroom.!The!update!will!supposedly!force! everyone!to!become!users—to!connect.!Suffice!it!to!say,!watching!the! film!is!about!as!exciting!as!waiting!for!an!update!to!complete.!The!characters!are!flat,!the!acting!is! uninspired,!the!script!is!riddled!with!exposition,!and!the!story!is!dull!enough!to!make!you!want!to!check!your!

Facebook!feed.!So!much!for!establishing!a!connection.!! !

The!sequel!does!not!pick!up!where!the!original!left!off,!and!that's!unfortunate.!The!ending!of!the!first!film! was!arguably!the!best!part,!because!Sam's!character!was!finally!starting!to!have!agency.!The!final!scene! instills!some!excitement,!then!cuts!you!off.!Surprisingly,!the!first!half!hour!of!the!second!film!is!much!better! than!the!original,!and!even!carries!the!action!forward.!Calahan!and!his!team!manage!to!create!a!somber,! desolate!atmosphere!that!builds!tension!and!an!overall!feeling!of!unease.!This!is!exactly!what!you!want!in!a! zombie!film.!In!the!first!scenes,!Sam!is!isolated,!appearing!further!removed!from!society,!adding!to!the! antisocial!vibe.!Unfortunately,!the!film's!decline!begins!shortly!thereafter.!! !

Sam!gives!birth!to!her!baby,!and!the!newborn!is!immediately!stolen!from!her.!The!character!then!shifts! gears!from!survival!to!retrieving!her!son.!Along!the!way,!she!meets!a!young!runaway!called!Bean!who!has! escaped!from!her!father!and!the!military!base!she!once!called!home.!The!two!loners!seem!to!form!a!bond! partly!based!on!the!fact!that!they're!both!classed!as!“defects”!(they've!had!the!operation!to!remove!the! tumour!caused!by!The!Social!Redroom!virus).!It!appears!that!most!people!have!turned!on!the!“defects,”! which!could!have!made!for!a!compelling!aspect!of!the!story,!but!it!never!lives!up!to!expectations.!! !

Rather!than!exploiting!the!disturbing!discriminatory!side!of!humanity!in!an!interesting!way,!the!story!gets! too!caught!up!in!the!countdown!to!installation,!and!an!equally!underwhelming!facet!involving!Sam!and!her!

! ! son.!Sam!and!Bean!are!kidnapped!by!military!personnel!and!taken!back!to!the!base!where!Bean's!father!is! conducting!experiments!on!Sam's!son.!He!seems!to!have!developed!at!an!alarming!rate!and!possesses! supernatural!powers,!presumably!as!a!result!of!the!virus.!Apparently,!three!years!have!passed!since!his! disappearance.!Time!sure!elapses!strangely!in!this!film!and!is!libel!to!catch!you!off!guard.!Shifting!the!plot!to!

Sam's!son!and!his!higher!powers!is!a!miscue;!the!story!becomes!even!less!believable,!and!moving!the!setting! from!the!barren!wastelands!to!the!confines!of!the!military!testing!facility!takes!away!from!the!outside! tension,!rendering!it!less!scary.! !

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This!haunting!image!serves!as!a!gruesome!warning.! !

In!addition!to!the!story!being!lacklustre,!the!acting!and!character!depth!leave!much!to!be!desired.!With!the! exception!of!Bean,!the!film!is!plagued!with!flat,!unlikable!characters.!It's!hard!to!tell!whether!the!actors!are! in!fact!unskilled!or!if!the!script!was!the!bigger!problem.!The!characters!are!indeed!poorly!written,!with!many! one[sided!conversations!and!story!exposition!as!the!meat!of!the!dialogue.!There!is!an!overwhelming!feeling! of!indifference!toward!the!characters!in!this!film,!particularly!with!the!protagonist,!Sam.!If!a!story!produces! a!general!feeling!of!apathy!toward!its!lead!character,!it!is!ultimately!doomed.!! !

Luckily,!the!film!is!not!a!total!wash;!visually,!it!is!fairly!satisfying.!Calahan!and!his!team!do!a!nice!job!of! maintaining!a!dark,!eerie!atmosphere!throughout!the!story,!particularly!in!the!scenes!on!the!military!base.!

The!lighting!is!manipulated!well,!creating!a!dream[like!quality.!The!special!effects!are!also!on[point;!the!crew! even!throws!in!some!tricky!effects!that,!while!not!necessary,!are!certainly!entertaining.!That!said,!the!visual! appeal!is!not!nearly!enough!to!catapult!this!film!into!the!category!of!enjoyable,!or!even!tolerable.!! !

Antisocial!2,!much!like!the!first!instalment!of!the!series,!had!the!potential!to!be!a!successful!commentary!on! society's!unhealthy!preoccupation!with!the!internet!and!social!media.!Unfortunately,!a!poor!script!with!dull! characters!and!a!story!that!goes!off!in!too!many!directions!makes!this!film!unenjoyable,!and!almost! unwatchable.!Great!directing!and!special!effects!can!only!take!a!film!so!far,!and!this!film!barely!made!it!off! the!starting!line.!More!work!and!more!money!would!have!best!been!put!into!the!writing!department!in! order!to!create!a!more!believable!and!enjoyable!story.!Antisocial!2!tries!to!do!too!much!and,!in!doing!so,!is! successful!at!very!little.!If!ever!you've!been!considering!disconnecting,!this!would!be!the!time.!It!will!be! interesting!to!see!where!Black!Fawn!goes!from!here.!Hopefully!in!another,!more!sophisticated!direction.!! !

Rating:!4.75/10!

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Montreal!Rampage!–!July!22!–!“Bite:!It’s!just!a!little!bug!bite…”! http://montrealrampage.com/bite[its[just[a[little[bug[bite/!! ! !

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How!bad!can!a!bug!bite!be?!Well,!pretty!horrifying!if!Chad!Archibald!is!your!friend.!In!the!director’s!new!film,!Bite,! a!stereotypical!bachelorette!party!down!south!goes!awfully!wrong!when!Casey,!our!story’s!protagonist,!is!bitten! by!a!bug.! !

With!cold!feet,!there’s!only!one!place!to!go:!Costa!Rica,!right?!The!movie’s!visuals!begin!as!a!handheld!operation! but!smoothly!transition!to!a!cinematic!look,!which!gives!us!an!intimate!relationship!with!these!three!gorgeous! women!right!from!the!start.! !

Chad!Archibald!yet!again!creates!a!horrifying!experience!that!makes!us!hold!onto!our!seats.!Archibald!has!been! able!to!create!villains!that!we!would!love!to!see!made!into!figurines!and!sold!everywhere.!He!has!been!paying! homage!to!’80s!type!villains!like!his!characters!Freddy!and!Jason!with!every!new!creation!he!comes!up!with.! !

Bite!Bite!

From!beautiful!beach[body!women!to!disturbing!insects,!Archibald!clearly!finds!pleasure!in!deforming!and! distorting!the!female!body!as!we!follow!the!transformation!of!the!protagonist.!Casey!is!a!seemingly!boring! individual!who!has!no!job!other!than!to!cook!for!her!workaholic!fiancee!and!take!baths,!but!she!turns!into!a! creature!that!words!can’t!quite!describe!—!and!I!must!take!a!moment!here!to!say!how!brilliant!the!special!effects! and!makeup!are!in!this!film.! !

The!transformation!of!the!main!character!into!a!bug!is!credible!and!simply!terrifying.!From!just!a!little!bug!bite,!to! an!infection,!to!pus!—!and!a!lot!of!pus!by!the!way!—!to!hair!loss,!her!appearance!completely!changes.!And!not! only!does!she!go!through!the!metamorphosis,!but!we!also!get!to!see!a!different!side!of!her!friends!as!their!loyalty! and!friendship!are!put!to!the!test.! !

Don’t!hate!me!for!this!Chad!!The!only!issues!I!had!concerning!this!film!were!small!plot!points.!Whenever!someone! is!concerned!about!Casey!they!seem!to!just!not!do!much!for!her.!I!get!that!the!fiancee!is!a!workaholic,!but!he!lives! two!doors!away!from!her,!so!why!does!he!wait!a!week!before!confronting!the!silence,!especially!if!they!are! supposed!to!be!getting!married?!It!is!only!when!it!is!convenient!that!he!goes!storming!across!the!short!hallway!to! the!next!apartment.!Small!details!like!this!were!my!only!concerns.!Other!than!that,!I!couldn’t!take!my!eyes!off!the! screen!! !

Bite!screened!as!part!of!the!Fantasia!Film!Festival,!running!until!August!4th.!

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Wylie!Writes!A!July!30! ”Fantasia!Fest!2015:!“Antisocial!2”! http://wyliewrites.com/fantasia[15[antisocial[2/! !

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My!experience!with!Cody!Calahan’s!Antisocial(2(started!with!a!surprise.!!Antisocial!offered!some!squeamishly!great! effects!but!was!by!no!means!“one!for!the!books”.!!While!ultimately!forgettable,!it!did!leave!on!enough!of!a!cliff[hanger! to!provoke!thoughts!of!a!sequel.!!However,!it!was!a!small!production!and!the!chances!of!seeing!another!Antisocial(were! slim.! !

For!Calahan!to!push!himself!to!continue!the!story!of!Sam!–!the!Social!Redroom!survivor!–!had!me!excited.!!How!was!the! filmmaker!going!to!expand!on!his!own!material!about!this!killer!technological!virus!and!his!badass!heroine?!!I’m! disappointed!to!report!thatAntisocial(2!is!a!flakey!anticlimactic!drag!that’s!light!on!gripping!action!and!scares,!but!goes! even!heavier!on!a!story!that’s!all!too!on!the!nose!for!its!own!good.! !

After!her!previous!adventures,!Sam!(played!by!Michelle!Mylett)!travels!through!apocalyptical!ruins,!trying!to!locate!her! newborn!son.!!On!her!search,!she!meets!a!technologically!savvy!survivor!named!Bean!(played!by!Josette!Halpert)!and!is! soon!captured!by!a!team!of!hardened!theorists!who!are!looking!for!a!cure!to!end!the!Social!Redroom!virus.!

Calahan’s!sequel!is!no!different!from!a!cash[in!from! the!Resident(Evil!series.!!Resident(Evil,!while!incompetent!and! shallow,!at!least!desires!to!give!the!audience! entertainment.!!AllAntisocial(2’s!screenplay!wants!to!do!is! convince!movie!goers!its!intelligent!by!comparing!critical! end[of[the[world!details!to!how!modern!technology!controls! us.!!Screenwriters!Chad!Archibald,!Jeff!Maher,!and!Calahan! are!far!too!serious!about!this!whole!thing,!although!making!

Bean!a!crucial!role!in!finding!a!cure!is!a!clever!way!to!hint! that!young!people!are!still!the!only!ones!who!know!how!to! navigate!through!inexplicable!online!media.! !

Antisocial(2!is!all!work!and!no!play,!and!made!me!a!dull! boy.!!Most!of!the!exposition!diatribes!reminded!me!of!the!overcooked!interrogation!scenes!from!Chad!Archibald!and!

Matt!Wiele’s!sci[fi!flick!Ejecta!–!a!film!Calahan!also!produced.!!Michelle!Mylett’s!performance!and!the!set!design!are!the! only!areas!that!show!effort!in!a!film!solely!interested!in!encouraging!movie!goers!to!pat!the!movie!on!the!back!for!being! timely.! !

If!news!of!a!third!Antisocial!come!creeping!down!my!news!feed,!this!sequel!has!put!a!damper!on!any!sort!of!curiosity!I! may!feel!towards!it.!

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28!Days!Later!Analysis!–!July!14!–“No!Bark,!All!Bite:!A!Film!Review”! http://www.28dayslateranalysis.com/2015/07/no[bark[all[bite[film[ review.html!! !

Director:!Chad!Archibald.!

Writers:!Jayme!Laforest,!Chad!Archibald.!

Cast:!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Denise!

Yuen.! !

Director!Chad!Archibald!(The!Drownsman)!is!guaranteed!to! make!your!skin!crawl!in!his!icky!entertaining!horror!film,Bite!!

What!begins!as!a!seemingly!banal!scenario!with!stereotypical! females!on!a!bachelorette!party!vacation,!turns!out!to!be!a! gripping!grim!tale!of!transformation,!betrayal!and!revenge.!

Archibald!is!clever!in!setting!his!audience!up!with!a!potential! snore!fest,!then!creeping!in!to!deliver!a!strong!story!with!good! characters!and!a!healthy!dose!of!gooey!gore.!Somewhat! reminiscent!of!Cronenberg's!The!Fly(1986),!though!revolving! around!infection!not!experiment,!this!film!belongs!inside!the! category!of!“body!horror.”!That!said,!it!nearly!crosses!over!into! a!creature[feature,!and!dips!its!feet!into!the!realm!of!horror! comedy.!Whatever!you!want!to!call!it,!Bite!serves!up!an!incredibly!enjoyable!horrifying!experience! that!is!sure!to!infest!your!mind!for!quite!some!time.!! !

The!film!begins!with!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!and!a!couple!friends!on!a!fairly!tame!Costa!Rican! stagette!adventure;!they!drink!girly!drinks,!dance!at!bars!and!take!advantage!of!the!beautiful! beaches.!Questions!about!the!bride[to[be's!relationship!arise!early!on!as!drunken!Casey!complains! of!problems!with!her!fiance's!overbearing!mother,!among!other!things.!Her!friends!try!to!convince! her!to!relax!and!enjoy!their!time!away,!and!the!three!go!off!to!a!secluded!swimming!spot!that! most!tourists!cannot!access.!While!playfully!splashing!around,!Casey!gets!bitten!by!something! under!the!water.!Upon!returning!home,!the!bite!on!Casey's!leg!becomes!grossly!infected!and!she! begins!experiencing!strange!symptoms.!As!the!bite!festers,!tension!mounts!between!Casey,!her! fiance!and!his!mother,!and!Casey!decides!to!postpone!the!wedding.!Too!bad!the!virus!has!other! plans.!As!the!infection!spreads!and!her!body!deteriorates,!Casey!endures!a!gruesome! transformation.!! !

What!begins!with!flu[like!symptoms,!escalates!into!constant!twitching!and!a!heightened!sense!of! awareness,!particularly!in!hearing.!Her!discoloured!skin!bubbles!up,!eyes!bulge!out,!and!she! continues!to!throw!up!a!disgusting!yellow!gelatinous!substance!that!is!the!stuff!of!nightmares.!In! contrast!to!a!film!like!An!American!Werewolf!in!London!(1981)!where!the!grisly!shift!takes!place!in! one!scene,!Bite!is!more!like!The!Fly!where!the!protagonist!mutates!slowly,!over!the!course!of!the!

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film.!This!chilling,!horrific!transformation!extends!to!Casey's!apartment!where!we!see!a!nasty,! sticky!mess!of!what!appears!to!be!webs!and!eggs!that!look!more!akin!to!a!fish!than!a!bug.!

Although!her!twitching!and!heightened!senses!are!certainly!likened!to!an!insect,!her!eyes!conjure! up!an!image!of!The!Creature!from!the!Black!Lagoon!(1954).!Either!way,!it!is!exciting!witnessing! the!once!tormented!bride[to[be!emerge!as!a!badass,!bug[like!broad!with!an!appetite!for! vengeance.!! !

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Casey's!transformation!isn't!the!only!awesome!element!in!this!film;!the!cinematography!is! brilliant,!the!effects!are!fantastic,!the!acting!(for!the!most!part)!is!superb,!and!the!story!moves! along!at!a!steady!pace.!It!may!sound!weird,!but!this!movie!is!visually!beautiful.!The!contrasts! between!dark!and!light!set!the!tone!perfectly!and!the!shots,!particularly!during!the!most!gory! scenes,!are!stunning.!It's!hard!to!shake!that!icky!feeling!after!watching!the!copious!amounts!of! puss!and!blood!and!mucus!and!gooâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it's!disgusting,!and!amazing!!The!writers!do!an!excellent!job! mixing!humour!into!these!scenes!as!well,!creating!an!homage!of!sorts!to!films!like!The!Evil!

Dead!(1981)!trilogy.!Although!some!of!the!acting!is!lacklustre,!Elma!Begovic's!portrayal!of!the! protagonist,!Casey,!is!captivating,!especially!during!the!metamorphosis.!Her!performance!is! impressive!to!say!the!least,!capturing!the!perfect!essence!of!the!film's!marriage!of!dark!creep! factor!and!humour.!! !

All[in[all,!Chad!Archibald's!Bite!is!sure!to!satisfy!the!appetite!of!any!horror!hound.!It!has!the!ideal! blend!of!splatter!and!story,!and!trucks!along!at!the!perfect!pace.!While!the!film!certainly!throws! back!to!its!horror!predecessors!and!steers!in!the!direction!of!a!a!typical!revenge!plot,!there!is!a! freshness!about!it.!Perhaps!it!has!to!do!with!the!new!faces!of!the!cast,!and!the!fact!that!a!strong! female!lead!is!hard!to!come!by!(though!seemingly!emerging!as!a!popular!entity!in!the!horror! genre).!Or!maybe!it!has!to!do!with!Archibald's!styleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;he!seems!to!have!a!knack!for!creating!an! ambiance!of!sinister!darkness!mixed!with!good[time!gore!that!oozes!its!way!through!the!film,! giving!viewers!an!ultimate!feeling!of!yuck!(in!a!good!way).!This!film!is!fun!to!watch,!like!a!B!movie! from!the!Golden!Age!of!the!1950s!(perhaps!that's!why!The!Creature!From!the!Black!

Lagoon!comes!to!mind).!If!that's!not!your!thing,!don't!be!deterred!as!this!film!still!manages!to!hold! onto!its!creepiness.!Perhaps!if!the!film!leaned!even!more!toward!horror!comedy,!it!would!have! been!even!more!enjoyable!for!this!viewer.!Regardless!of!a!few!weaknesses,!this!clan!of!Canadian! filmmakers!at!Black!Fawn!Films!successfully!construct!a!horrific!yet!fun!film!that!is!sure!to!create! lot!of!buzz.!

Rating:!7.75/10.!

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Wylie!Writes!A!July!29!!–!“Fantasia!Fest:!“BITE”’! http://wyliewrites.com/fantasia[15[bite/!! ! !

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Horror!works!best!in!extremes:!if!you!can’t! make!a!film!that!is!legitimately!bone[chilling,! then!you!better!make!it!so!over[the[top!that! the!value!comes!from!its!absurdity!rather!than! its!potential!to!fear.!!Unfortunately,!non[camp! horror!is!a!hard!beast!to!tame:!you!need!a!plot! and!a!cast!that!can!effectively!scare! people.!!Bite(is!a!campy!horror!film!at!heart!that!tried!to!go!full[out!scare!mode,!and!found!itself!stranded!in! a!no!man’s!land!of!horror.! !

Casey!is!getting!married,!and!takes!some!friends!with!her!on!a!destination!bachelorette!party!at!some!sleazy! beach!resort.!!While!there,!she!is!taken!advantage!of,!robbed!of!her!engagement!ring!and!money!and!left!on! a!beach,!and!bitten!by!an!unseen!insect.!!She!returns!to!her!fiancée!with!cold!feet,!lies!about!what! happened,!and!a!sappy!discharge!coming!from!her!bite.!!From!there,!things!get!worse:!as!she!undergoes!a! metamorphosis!into!a!bug[like!creature,!she!looses!her!grip!on!reality,!pushing!her!friends!and!her!fiancée! away.! !

Bite(is!a!lot!of!build!up!with!no!pay[off.!!Casey!finds!out!she’s!pregnant!just!days!after!returning!home;!soon! after!Casey!lays!thousands!of!insect!eggs!around!her!apartment.!!The!camera!is!very!interested!in!these! eggs,!but!don’t!let!it!get!your!hopes!up:!they!don’t!actually!do!anything,!beyond!the!implication!that!they’ve! hatched!and!have!made!it!into!public!spaces.!!The!set!of!particularly!unlikable!and!clichéd!characters!seem! to!only!be!around!for!interspersed!attempts!at!“casual”!dialogue!and!no[context!emotional!plot!points:!it! was!Casey’s!friend!who!robbed!her!–!then!sleeps!with!her!fiancée!for!a!reason!that!can!only!be!assumed!as! “because!it!seemed!like!it!should!happen.”! !

The!pacing!of(Bite!is!choppy,!tripping!over!its!own!clunky!writing!as!if!the!characters!themselves!are!just! waiting!for!the!next!scene.!!Exposition!is!the!go[to!device!in!Bite,!where!the!characters!will!come!out!and!tell! you!what’s!going!on!in!favour!of!the!director!showing!you.!!This!feeds!into!Bite’s(largest!flaw,!its!lack!of! subtlety.!!Casey!expresses!to!her!friends!her!uncertainty! about!having!children,!and!with!what!does!her!fiancée! surprise!her!immediately!after?!!A!baby!chair.!!And!don’t! overlook!the!super[powers!she!gets!from!turning!into!a! bug[person:!super!hearing!that!activates!only!when!her! fiancée!is!doing!something!plot[relevant,!and!the!confusing! ability!to!scream!so!loud!that!people!vomit.! !

“Must!have!caught!a!bug!or!something”!is!a!ridiculous!pun! that!has!no!place!in!a!film!that!is!trying!to!give!the!audience!a!scare.!!Bite!should!have!been!a!fun,!ridiculous,! over[the[top!story!of!a!woman!who!mutates!into!a!human[insect!hybrid!births!thousands!of!evil!monster! bugs.!!Instead,!it’s!a!slow,!go[nowhere!story!with!tame!horror!effects.! ! !

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Film!School!Rejects!A!August!3!–!“Fantasia!2015!Review:!Bite!Fills!Your!

Eyeballs!With!Bodily!Fluids”! http://filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/bite.php! !

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Three!friends!head!to!the!tropical!paradise!of!Costa!Rica!for!an!extended!bachelorette!party,! but!after!one!of!the!girls!is!bitten!by!an!unseen!creature!they!realize!too!late!that!they!should! have!gone!to!Las!Vegas!instead!—!because!what!happens!in!the!jungle!is!about!to!follow!them! home.! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!and!her!two!best!friends,!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak)!and!Kirsten!(Denise!

Yuen),!are!celebrating!Casey’s!impending!nuptials!with!an!exotic!vacation.!Drinks,!dancing!and! exploring!the!wonders!of!nature!are!all!on!the!schedule,!but!their!last!day!and!night!there!end! the!trip!on!a!less!than!thrilling!note.!Casey!is!bitten!on!her!thigh!while!cooling!off!in!a!milky! spring,!and!by!the!time!they!return!home!the!bite!appears!nearly!infected.! !

She!has!more!pressing!concerns!though!as!growing!doubts!about!the!wedding!and!the! unspoken!fact!that!she!and!Jared!(Jordan!Grey)!don’t!share!the!same!plans!for!a!family!leave! her!stressed!and!frazzled.!Mother[in[law!issues!along!with!worries!that!she!may!not!have! been!faithful!on!the!vacation!fracture!her!nerves!further,!but!as!Casey’s!body!begins!to!change!

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her!abilities!and!desires!follow!suit.!Casey!was!bitten,!but!those!around!her!are!about!to!feel! the!bite.! !

Writer/director!Chad!Archibald!(The(Drownsman,!Ejecta)!opens!his!new!film!Bite!with!video! footage!of!the!girls’!vacation,!but!thankfully!he!chooses!not!to!burden!the!movie!and!audience! by!being!yet!another!found!footage!horror!film.!It’s!appreciated!on!the!face!of!it,!but!that! decision!also!benefits!the!dual!power!of!the!film’s!gory,!gross!and!emotionally!palpable!third! act.! !

Threat!of!found!footage!aside,!the!film!starts!a!bit!rough!for!other!reasons!too.!The! performances!feel!a!bit!wooden!and!artificial!due!in!part!to!dialogue!that!feels!too! orchestrated!in!it!efforts!to!be!both!spontaneous!and!expositional.!The!snippets!we’re!made! witness!to!try!too!hard!to!make!us!aware!of!Casey’s!issues!instead!of!simply!allowing!viewers! to!discover!them!naturally,!and!they!never!feel!as!if!they’re!part!of!a!bigger!whole.!

Casey’s!return!introduces!us!to!the!somewhat!unconvincing!apartment!building!she!calls! home!—!exterior!shots!resemble!more!of!a!warehouse!and!it’s!curiously!devoid!of!other! tenants!—!and!we!settle!in!to!watch!her!life!and!body!deteriorate.!Her!loss!is!our!gain!as! she!tries!to!settle!back!into!her!life!only!to!find!guilt,!fear!and!something!else!eating!her!up! inside.!Pus,!bile!and!other!bodily!fluids!leak!from!her!body,!and!Archibald!ensures!that!we!see! the!discharge!happening!in!such!detail!that!we!can!almost!smell!it!as!well.!Viewers!with!weak! gag!reflexes!have!been!warned.! !

Fans!of!David!Cronenberg’s!The(Fly!may!land!on!this!film!for!its!“body!horror”!element,!but!it! shares!more!in!common!with!2013’s!Contracted!as!a!young!woman’s!body!seemingly!pays!a! physical!price!for!a!fun!but!ill[advised!excursion.!A!bite!is!immediately!to!blame!here,!but!the! connection!between!sexual!activity!and!her!body’s!subsequent!physical!devolution!are!clear.!

The!effects!work!here!does!a!fantastic,!cringe[worthy!job!of!of!depicting!the!things!that! happen!to!Casey’s!body!as!well!as!the!things!her!body!does!to!others.!Equally!effective!is!her! apartment’s!transition!into!a!lair!befitting!a!human[sized!creature!with!messy!eating!habits.! !

The!gore!and!biologically[themed!set!design!will!be!the!film’s!main!draw,!but!its!power!—!and! what!helps!it!overcome!the!rough!first!half!—!is!the!drama!of!Casey’s!condition.!She!doesn’t! simply!become!a!monster!or!a!carrier!for!some!kind!of!deadly!tropical!malady.!She’s!a!woman! suffering!from!real!human!feelings!of!doubt,!guilt!and!fear!that!her!past!has!destroyed!her! future.!Begovic!sells!her!pain,!both!physical!and!emotional,!and!the!result!is!a!human!being! whose!suffering!affects!us!even!as!it!revolts!and!terrifies!too.!It!doesn’t!reach!Brundlefly[levels! of!pathos,!but!her!struggle!to!remain!in!control!gives!weight!to!the!mess!surrounding!her.! !

Bite!bites!off!more!than!it!can!chew!early!on,!but!fun,!gory!visuals!and!an!increasingly! affecting!lead!performance!leave!us!craving!more.! !

Grade:!B[!!

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Icons!of!Fright!A!July!29!–!“Fantasia!Fest!Film!Review:!Bite”! http://iconsoffright.com/2015/07/29/fantasia[film[fest[review[bite/! !

Within!the!last!few!years,!the!body[horror/”we!make!poor!decisions!and!our!bodies!begin!to!fall! apart”!subgenre!has!seen!somewhat!of!a!boom,!with!films!like!CONTRACTED!and!ANTIVIRAL!really! doing!great!jobs!at!putting!our!bodies!under!the!microscope.!Like!most!genre!hits!(whether!critical! or!fan[loved)!though,!when!you!get!one!or!two!fresh!and!original!takes!on!an!idea,!you!typically! tend!to!get!a!few!that!after!watching,!just!seem!like!a! highlight!reel!of!films!you’ve!already!seen.!It’s!that! unfortunate!reality!that!Chad!Archibald’s!BITE!falls! into.!!A!film!that!fails!to!get!the!viewer!interested!and! ultimately!pays!the!price,!with!giving!its!audience! more!of!the!same.! !

The!film!opens!with!a!trio!of!women!vacationing!in!

Costa!Rica,!with!the!intent!to!party!it!up!one!last!time! before!one!of!them!gets!married.!Casey!(Elma!

Begovic)!has!cold!feet,!is!unsure!of!what!the!future! holds,!and!doesn’t!quite!know!what!she!wants!in!life,! even!at!the!nudging!of!friends!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak)! and!Kirsten!(Denise!Yuen).!It’s!obvious!from!the!first! scene!of!them!together!that!Jill!has!a!secret!thing!for!

Casey’s!back!at!home!fiance!Jared!(Jordan!Gray),!and! the!fact!that!she!insists!on!filming!the!entire! bachelorette!partying!just!screams!“this!will!backfire! later!in!the!film”.! !

After!flirting!with!a!local!and!having!him!tell!the!trio!of! girls!about!a!special!spot!full!of!white!sand!and!a!beautiful!locale,!they!find!themselves!swimming! in!some!waters!that!seem!a!little!iffy!at!best,!and!Casey!is!bitten!by!something…and!then!it’s!time! to!vomit.!Not!because!of!the!film,!I!just!mean!there’s!enough!vomiting!in!the!film!from!here!on!out! to!last!twenty!more!films.!Upon!returning!home!to!the!U.S.,!Casey’s!body!begins!to!exhibit!some! gnarly!sores,!and!as!viewers!we’re!given!enough!pus!oozing!gross!out!scenes!to!pretty!much!carry! the!film!from!there!on!out.!From!this!point,!the!film’s!story!really!takes!a!backseat!to!its!special! effects,!and!they!are!quite!impressive.!! !

Unfortunately!though,!you!can!rely!on!great!cinematography!and!impressive!effects!and!set!design! to!carry!a!film,!and!the!somewhat!soap!opera[filled!drama!of!Casey!not!knowing!if!she!wants!to! get!married,!Jared’s!over[protective!mother!trying!to!break!the!two!up,!and!Jill!trying!to!get!Jared! for!her!own!instead,!just!becomes!somewhat!annoying,!with!none!of!the!acting!being!committing! enough!to!really!engage!us!or!even!make!us!feel!sorry!for!Casey.!As!the!infertile!Casey!begins!to! lay!eggs,!and!transform!into!a!vomit,!puss!and!acid[spewing!creature,!it’s!impossible!to!really!pay!

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attention!to!much,!because!we’re!just!reminded!of!the!many!films!over!the!years!that!this!one! relies!on!so!much,!everything!form!Cronenberg’s!THE!FLY,!the!previously! mentioned!CONTRACTED!and!hell,!there’s!even!a!bit!of!STARRY!EYES!in!there!for!good!measure.! !

What’s!frustrating!at!times,!is!the!fact!that!Archibald!is!a!very!capable!director,!with!his!previous! work!EJECTA!and!THE!DROWNSMAN!being!two!films!that!really!did!a!good!job!or!bringing! something!original!and!interesting!to!the!table,!but!BITE!just!relies!TOO!much!on!the!VERY! impressive!set!design!and!effects!work!to!carry!the!film,!and!it’s!never!able!to!stand!on!its!own!as! a!powerful!or!even!entertaining!film,!instead!just!being!a!rehash!of!what!we’ve!already!seen! before.! ! !

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Cinema!Slasher!A!August!1!!–!“Fantasia!2015:!“Bite”!Review”! http://cinemaslasher.com/2015/08/01/bite[review!

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Insects!are!inherently!frightening.!Most!people!are!at!least!slightly!creeped!out!by!mosquitos,! spiders,!and!other!creatures!with!similar!aesthetics,!even!though!they’re!all!relatively!small.!

They’re!gross,!often!slimy,!and!have!abilities!that!make!humans!uncomfortable.!In!Chad!

Archibald’s!latest!directorial!effort,Bite,!a!young!woman!discovers!firsthand!what!it’s!like!to!be!an! insect!at!the!worst!possible!time.! !

While!vacationing!out!of!the!country!for!her!bachelorette!party,!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!is!bitten!by!a! bug.!After!returning!home!to!her!fiancé,!Jared!(Jordan!Grey),!Casey!discovers!that!the!small!bug!

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bite!has!grown!into!a!larger,!puss[filled!wound.!While!struggling!to!overcome!her!second[thoughts! about!getting!married,!Casey!slowly!begins!to!transform!into!an!insectile!creature.!As!her!friends! and!her!fiancé!try!to!intervene,!Casey!turns!her!apartment!into!a!cocoon[like!nest,!resulting!in!an! unimaginable!horror!as!her!primal!instincts!begin!to!take!over.! !

After!kicking!things!off!with!a!lighthearted,!found!footage!opening,!Bite!transitions!into!a!bleak,! traditional!narrative.!Much!like!Archibald’s!previous!effort,!Ejecta,!the!film!is!played!completely! straight!from!start!to!finish,!never!allowing!the!audience!to!catch!their!breath.!The!serious!tone! works!in!the!film’s!favor,!as!the!transformation!Casey!goes!through!is!quite!creepy.!

Thanks!to!some!incredible!practical!effects,!it’s!easy!to!get!sucked!into!the!disgusting!setting.!

While!the!creature!design!is!spectacular!and!genuinely!gross,!the!production!design!of!Casey’s! “nest”!is!absolutely!incredible.!Like!a!section!of!a!world[class!haunted!attraction,!the!attention!to! detail!is!stunning,!and!the!modified!apartment!looks!exactly!how!you’d!imagine!a!giant!insect! nest!would!appear.! !

Filled!to!its!brim!with!vomit,!puss,!and!other!forms!of!goo,!Bite!is!a!downright!nauseating!monster! movie.!Make!no!mistake,!though,!

Archibald!refuses!to!let!it!ever!feel!silly!or! cheap.!Bite!is!actually!pretty!clever!at! times,!and!is!much!more!in!the!vein!of!

David!Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!than,!say,!The! Human!Centipede.!With!themes!of! infidelity!and!societal!pressure,!there!are! plenty!of!human!moments!tucked!away! behind!the!film’s!slimy!exterior,!which! raises!the!stakes!significantly.!All!of!the! characters!are!wildly!flawed,!but!still! relatable;!perhaps!a!bit!too!relatable!for! some!of!us.! !

It’s!quite!misleading!to!refer!to!Bite!as!a! fun!movie.!It’s!an!entertaining!movie,! definitely,!but!it’s!far!too!grim!and! hopeless!to!constitute!as!fun,!and!that!is! a!major!element!to!what!makes!the!film! work!so!well.!There!are!no!moments!of! levity.!Casey!doesn’t!find!any!sort!of! humor!in!turning!into!a!bug!monster— she’s!absolutely!terrified,!and!as!a!result,! so!is!the!audience.!

With!Bite,!Archibald!has!delivered!his! best!film!to!date;!a!creature!feature!that! is!as!much!about!struggling!relationships! as!it!is!about!nightmarish!monsters.! !

Bite(recently(premiered(at(the(2015(Fantasia(International(Film(Festival(in(Montreal.!

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The!Film!Reel!–!August!10!–“Review:!Bite!(2015)!–!or!–!Gorgeous!goop”! http://www.the[filmreel.com/2015/08/11/review[bite[2015/ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!is!about!to!get!married,!so!she!and!a!few!friends!head!off!for!a!tropical! bachelorette!getaway.!While!on!vacation,!Casey!is!bitten!by!a!strange!bug!and!starts!to!feel!ill!when! she!returns!home.!To!make!matters!worse,!she’s!having!cold!feet!about!her!wedding.!With!her! relationship!on!the!rocks,!Casey!starts!to!react!to!the!bug!bite,!slowly!transforming!into!a!disturbing! creature.! !

Everything!outside!of!Casey’s!transformation!in!Bite!is!secondary.!It!doesn’t!matter!what!happens!with! her!wedding,!relationship,!or!what!her!friends!might!be!up!to.!This!film!exists!simply!to!gross!you!out,! and!it!does!that!in!the!most!beautiful!way!possible.! !

With!shades!of!The!Fly,!Bite!takes!gruesome!to!a!level!that!it!seldom!reaches.!Casey’s!transformation!is! much!more!subtle!than!some!may!be!hoping!for,!but!it!works!perfectly!by!keeping!Casey!looking!as! human!as!possible.!The!lower!budget!may!have!played!a!bit!of!a!role!in!this!as!well,!but!it!would!be! hard!to!justify!that!when!you!witness!what!the!rest!of!the!film!has!in!store.! !

Casey!begins!laying!translucent!eggs!all!over!her!apartment.!We’re!not!talking!about!here!and!there! though.!The!entire!apartment!is!dripping!with!these!gooey!eggs.!The!golden!lighting!boosts!the!beauty! of!the!oozing!eggs,!as!well!as!creating!a!look!that!doesn’t!wind!up!in!many!horror!films.! !

There’s!actually!a!surprisingly!small!amount!of!bloody!violence!in!the!film,!but!it’s!still!one!of!the!most! disgusting!movies!you!may!ever!watch.!First,!Casey’s!apartment!is!dripping!with!eggs,!followed!up!by! all!kinds!of!odd!webbing!sticking!to!everything.!Finally,!there’s!Casey!herself,!who!keeps!growing!more! dry!and!burnt!looking!as!the!film!progresses.! !

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Elma!Begovic!has!to!be!applauded!for!her!great!performance,!and!willingness!to!allow!so!much!gooey! mess!to!be!applied!to!her.!One!can!only!imagine!what!it!must!be!like!to!be!covered!in!slime!for!days!on! end.! !

What!winds!up!being!so!amazing!is!just!how!gorgeous!all!this!slimy!ooze!looks.!DirectorChad!

Archibald!and!his!crew!manage!to!make!something!so!beautiful,!while!at!the!same!time!creating! something!that!is!liable!to!leave!you!feeling!a!little!queasy!in!the!end.!Bitealso!managed!to!walk!away! with!a!Silver!Prize!for!Best!Canadian!or!Quebec!Feature!at!the!2015!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival,! finishing!alongside!The!Demolisher.! !

Is!Bite!Worth!Watching?!

Absolutely!a!must!see!horror!film.!Bite!manages!to!perfectly!merge!the!disgusting!with!the!beautiful,! creating!an!incredibly!unique!viewing!experience.!Keep!an!eye!open!for!this!one!as!it!runs!the!festival! circuit.

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Tranquil!Dreams!A!August!1!–!“Fantasia!Fest!2015:!Bite!(2015)”! https://klling.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/fantasia[fest[2015[bite[2015/! !

Black!Fawn!Films!has!been!on!fire!with!tons!of!horror.!!The! year!before!last,!it!was!Antisocial.!!Last!year,!it!was! responsible!for!The!Drownsman.!!This!year,!other!than!

Antisocial!2!(which!I!will!review!next),!its!Bite.!!The!love! and!passion!for!horror!is!fully!apparent!in!the!producers! and!directors!at!Black!Fawn!Films.!!The!Drownsman!aimed! to!bring!in!a!new!memorable!figure!just!like!how!Jason!and!

Michael!Myers!was!supposed!to!do!and!for!Bite,!it!is!at!the! level!of!David!Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!(which!I!haven’t! seen).!!Regardless,!I!chose!this!film!because!despite!having! a!little!issue!with!The!Drownsman,!there!is!no!doubt!that! director!Chad!Archibald!is!really!great!at!doing!horror!and! for!all!that!passion!I!see!during!last!year’s!Q&A,!I!would!go! see!whatever!other!projects!him!and!his!company!will! release.!!So!there!I!was,!lining!up!super!early,!because!I! had!nothing!else!to!do,!at!the!world!premiere!of!Bite.!

Right!before!the!movie,!we!get!a!little!gift!handed!out!to! us!and!I!tweeted!about!it.!

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That!was!a!thing!and!it!made!me!a!little!worried!about!what!to!expect.!!I!usually!can!stomach!pretty! gruesome!things!but!really?!A!barf!bag?!At!least!it!got!me!mentally!prepared!;)! !

Bite!(2015)!AWorld!premiere!A!Director:!Chad!Archibald!

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Cast:!Elma!Begovic,!Denise!Yuen,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Lawrene!Denkers!

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!going!away!with!her!two!girl!friends!Kirsten!(Denise!Yuen)!and!Jill!(Annette!

Wozniak)!to!Costa!Rica!for!her!bachelorette!party.!!While!exploring!there,!she!gets!bitten!by!something!

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in!the!water.!!When!she!gets!home,!what!seemed!like!a!small!bite!starts!to!get!infected!and! worsen.!!Soon,!she!starts!feeling!a!change.!!These!changes!intensifies!as!her!fear!for!getting!married! with!her!fiance!Jared!(Jordan!Gray)!shadow!over!her.! !

I’m!sure!that!whole!disgusting!thing!is!looming!in!the!background! of!your!heads!after!the!whole!barf!bag!gift!so!I’m!going!to!start! with!that.!!While!I!don’t!know!if!it!was!related!to!the!movie!or!just! the!massive!heat!wave!we!had!last!week,!I!do!know!that!one!girl! seemed!like!she!wasn’t!doing!well!as!she!exited!the!theatre!after! the!first!scene!or!two!that!was!pretty!stomach[turning.!!At!the!end! of!the!show,!they!were!saying!that!3!people!left!and!paramedics! had!to!come.!!I!sure!hope!they!are!doing!alright!but!yes,!while!I! didn’t!need!to!use!my!barf!bag,!there!were!a!few!scenes!that!it!was! so!revolting!that!I!resulted!to!taking!off!my!glasses!for!one!or!two! scenes!and!turned!away!for!a!few!seconds!in!the!earlier!ones.!!If! that!was!their!goal,!applause!to!them,!hell,!even!standing!ovation! to!a!phenomenal!job!! !

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Consider!that!part!more!of!a!warning!of!what!to!expect!than!my! criticizing!it!because!Bite!was!a!very!good!horror!movie.!!It!starts! off!in!a!pretty!mellow!way!to!set!up!the!situation!of!how!Casey!and!her!feelings!towards!her!upcoming! wedding!and!her!dynamics!with!her!friends!and!their!personality.!!It!gives!us!hints!of!what!will! happen.!!Being!away!only!took!a!little!bit!of!time!but!being!back!in!her!place,!it!doesn’t!have!a!lot!of! places!that!it!moves!around!from.!!Casey!and!her!apartment!building!is!where!mostly!everything! happens!and!that!location!has!a!really!nice!atmosphere!to!it!(even!though!the!exterior!of!that!building! makes!me!question!its!believability!as!a!residential!building).!!The!atmosphere!is!what!I!love!the!most! about!Chad!Archibald’s!work,!even!in!The!Drownsman!last!year.!!This!one!has!a!rather!sombre!texture! to!every!scene,!especially!when!Casey!starts!her!transformation.!!That!whole!set!of!her!apartment!is!a! work!of!art!in!the!third!act!in!all!its!super!nauseating!and!creepy!way.! !

I!guess!the!only!thing!I!can!rag!on!about!Bite!is!the!dialogue.!!Its!not!exactly!engaging!and!it!can!be!too! much.!!The!opening! sequence!was!a!little! bit!of!burden!and!I!got! a!little!worried!we!had! entered!into!the!found! footage!film!which! only!applied!to!that! first!little!bit!in!the! exotic!getaway!part! where!they!were! setting!up!the!stage.! !

While,!the!best!parts!is! in!some!very!good! performances!from! the!cast.!!The!very! successfully!mean!future!mother!in!law!was!done!in!the!most!convincingly!nasty!way!that!you!will!hate!

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everything!about!her.!!Casey!was!portrayed!very!well!by!Elma!Begovic.!!The!whole!physical! transformation!and!the!things!she!does,!her!reactions!are!really!awesome.!!She!was!able!to!embrace! the!character!from!emotional!fear!to!the!physical!changes.!As!for!the!other!characters,!the!best!friends! have!this!balance!of!good!and!bad!while!the!fiance,!and!I!honestly!believe!his!character!was!meant!to! be!like!this,!a!little!frustrating!and!kind!of!a!jerk.!But!that!is!the!character!and!everyone!fit!well!in!their! spots!so!Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m!happy!with!it.! !

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Overall,!Bite!is!a!very!good!horror!film.!The!cast!was!great!at!letting!us!know!the!characters!in!this!story! especially!Elma!Begovic!as!the!main!character!Casey.!While!the!first!act!isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t!quite!as!solid,!it!picks!itself! up!in!the!second!act!and!excels!in!the!third!act.!!The!atmosphere!and!particularly!the!set!is!done!very! well.!!One!of!the!most!outstanding!features!is!in!the!incredible!set!transformation!and!also!Caseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s! transformation!from!the!after!effects!of!the!bite.!!Its!a!slimy,!gooey!and!very!disgusting!movie!but!if! you!can!stomach!it,!you!definitely!should!give!this!a!go!!:)! !

Thoughts!on!Bite?! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Tranquil!Dreams!–!August!5!–“Fantasia!Fest!2015:!Antisocial!2!(2015)!&!

What!Doesn’t!Kill!You!(Short!2014)”! https://klling.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/fantasia[fest[2015[antisocial[2[2015[what[ doesnt[kill[you[short[2014/!

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Back!to!back!Black!Fawn!Films!!Yay!! !

I’m!going!to!level!with!you!on!this!one.!!Antisocial!2!was!one!that!I!was!pretty!much!debating!to!see.!!Mostly! because!the!time!was!bad!like!I!would!need!to!see!if!I!could!arrange!work!schedules!and!what!not.!!But,!I!did! manage!after!a!few!later!nights!at!work.!!Antisocial!wasn’t!exactly!a!mindblowing!experience.!!You!can!see! my!review!HERE!!!But!while!some!may!not!have!liked!it!much,!I!thought!it!was!decent!plus!the!ending!was! absolutely!great.!!The!sequel!had!the!possibility!of!being!amazing.!!!I!was!a!little!baffled!why!Antisocial!2! would!have!their!world!premiere!in!Fantasia!because!it!does!kind!of!limit!your!audience.!!But!still,!I!was! there!:)!

Before!the!movie!started,!it!was!opened!with!a!short!called!

What!Doesn’t!Kill!You.! !

What!Doesn't!Kill!You! !

After!dying!in!a!horrific!car!crash,!two!bullied!teens!reappear! completely!healed!and!must!decide!the!fate!of!their!paralyzed! friend.[IMDB! !

This!was!a!really!good!short.!!The!young!actors!here!are!quite!familiar!although!I!can’t!pinpoint!where!I!saw! them!initially,!and!they!are!very!good.!!The!story!was!great!and!the!whole!premise!of!it!was!intriguing.! !

Now!for!the!main!feature…! !

Director:!Cody!Calahan!

Cast:!Michelle!Mylette,!Josette!Halpert,!Stephen!Bogaert,!Samuel!Faraci,!Jake!Michaels,!Kassandra!Santos,!

Kristina!Nicoll! !

A!few!months!after!the!Redroom!virus!takes!over!the!world,!Sam!is!on!the!run!and!pregnant.!!After!meeting! a!lady,!she!gives!birth!and!her!baby!is!taken!away!from!her.!!Three!years!later!(I!think),!she!is!trying!to!track! down!where!her!child!is!while!trying!to!avoid!being!killed!by!the!infected!and!now!the!normal!people!who! regard!people!who!had!done!the!surgery!early!on!to!stop!the!virus!as!Defects!and!also!want!to!get!rid!of! them.!When!she!runs!into!a!little!girl!called!Bean,!her!father!orders!the!return!and!captures!and!tortures!her! in!hopes!of!finding!a!cure!through!her!believing!that!she!is!special.!!All!this!however!has!a!time!limit.!The! Redroom!Virus!is!having!an!update!and!Sam!must!escape!as!the!facility!hopes!to!find!the!cure!before!it! reaches!100%.! !

I!needed!these!few!days!to!kind!of!put!Antisocial!2!into!perspective.!!So!let’s!start!from!the! beginning.!!Expectations…you!really!shouldn’t!have!those!going!into!movies.!!What!I!expected!from!

Antisocial!2!was!a!zombie!apocalypse!movie.!!What!I!got!was!a!drama/virus!apocalypse!movie!with!a!little!bit! of!zombies!and!a!lot!of!talking.!!I!mean,!I!like!talking.!!I!love!movies!that!get!all!talky!and!psychological!and! crazy!and!all!that!stuff.!!I!gobble!that!stuff!up.!!I!guess!what!bothers!me!is!that!Antisocial!2!didn’t!feel!like!a! horror.!!Or!like!its!!generously!50%!horror.!The!first!act!had!a!few!very!effective!jump!scares!and!there!was!a!

! ! decent!amount!of!zombies.!!They!were!done!well.!The!second!act!of!Antisocial!2!is!where!it!drags!out!a! bit.!!It!goes!into!this!facility,!trying!to!find!a!cure,!knowing!the!Redroom!virus!a!little!more.!Its!a!lot!of!talk! between!Bean’s!dad,!Max!and!Sam!and!these!ominous!scenes!in!the!background!while!torture!and!whatnot! goes!on.!!It!gets!a!little!dramatic!more!than!scary!even!if!the!Redroom!virus!is!slowly!getting!more!revealed! and!the!whole!reasoning!of!threats!and!what!makes!Sam!so!special.!The!third!act!is!when!things!amp!up! a!!little!more.!!While!its!not!exactly!in!the!horror!zone,!there!is!more!blood!and!it!picks!up!the!intensity!for! the!final!scene!that!adds!a!little!twist!to!things!and!makes!you!contemplate!what!that!ending!was! about.!!The!movie!ended!at!7pm!but!I!think!I!made!sense!of!it!when!I!was!in!line!waiting!to!get!in!for!Dark!

Places!later!that!night.! !

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Is!Antisocial!2!a!bad!movie?!No.!Its!not.!!It!may!be!decently!average.!Its!a!little!disappointing!because!of!the! direction!it!took.!!In!its!defense,!I!get!the!approach!to!let!us!use!another!angle!to!tackle!this!movie,!not!what! the!expectations!would!be!and!let!us!get!to!know!the!virus!and!build!a!story!with!it.!!The!story!works!for!the! most!part!but!the!middle!was!just!so!slow!that!it!was!a!little!boring.!!The!story!was!good.!!It!was!really!the! execution!of!it!that!I!questioned!a!little.!!Even!the!atmosphere!works!well!for!the!most!part!making!it! mysterious!and!setting!up!questions.!Especially!related!to!the!scene!below!;)! !

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Antisocial!2!does!have!pros!despite!looking!like!I’m!ragging!on!it!a!lot.!!The!characters!and!the!cast.!!Michelle!

Mylett!is!fantastic!resuming!her!role!as!Sam.!!She!is!a!complete!badass!just!like!we!left!her!at!the!end!of!

Antisocial.!!Bean,!played!by!Josette!Halpert!is!also!a!nice!young!character!that!steps!in!and!she!brings!in!a! nice!dynamic!to!the!story.!!While!our!obvious!bad!guy!is!Bean’s!dad,!Max!(played!by!Stephen!Bogaert)!is! despicably!villainous!and!you!just!can’t!help!to!hate!this!character!(as!you!are!meant!to).!!I!wanted!to!punch!

Max!in!the!face!a!lot.!His!intentions!were!noble!(I!guess)!because!he!really!just!wants!to!protect!the!few! “normal”!people!still!alive!in!the!world!and!find!the!cure!but!the!means!and!the!ethics!behind!his!decisions! are!horrible.!This!cast!is!simply!awesome.!!Mostly!because!of!them,!the!story!is!carried!well.! !

! ! !Overall,!Antisocial!2!didn’t!quite!go!in!the!direction!of!my!expectations!and!the!second!act!does!fall!flat! because!it!gets!a!little!wordy!and!drags!out!but!the!opening!and!finale!is!done!well.!!It!has!some!nice!jump! scares!and!the!cast!is!very!great!at!bringing!the!characters!alive!and!carry!the!story.!!Although!I!didn’t!dive! into!a!lot!of!detail,!there!are!some!very!well!done!scenes!that!kept!Antisocial!2!going.!!If!the!ending!suggests! a!third!one,!I!do!wonder!what!direction!it!will!take.!!I!would!look!forward!to!it!with!an!open!mind.!!My! suggestion:!if!you!did!enjoy!Antisocial,!is!to!give!this!a!go!but!toss!out!those!expectations!and!let!Cody!

Calahan!take!you!on!a!very!different!approach!to!the!sequel!;)!

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Scream!Magazine!–!July!28!–“BITE:!Film!Review”! http://www.screamhorrormag.com/bite[film[review/!! !

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Synopsis:!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a!seemingly! harmless!bite!from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries! to!call!off!her!wedding!but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!

Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating!a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her! translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!

Essential!body!horror!movies!certainly!haven’t!been!lacking!of!late!with!scenes!from!the! beautifully!brutal!Starry!Eyes!or!the!rancidly!vulgar!Thanatamorphose!still!tormenting!my! mind.!The!most!recent!film!to!join!these!ranks!is!Chad!Archibald’s!Bite,!a!repulsively! entertaining!showcase!of!grotesquerie.!Blending!body!horror!with!romantic!tragedy!and! boasting!an!absolutely!blinding!performance!from!newcomer!Elma!Begovic,!the!incessant!

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urge!to!scratch!each!and!every!part!of!your!anatomy!is!guaranteed!as!the!gorgeous! leading!lady!gradually!metamorphoses!into!the!creepiest!of!insect[like!creatures!after!a! fateful!dip!in!Dominican!Republic!waters.!

Similarities!to!The!Fly!are!immediate!and!despite!such!obvious!influences!from!

Cronenberg’s!ultimate!body!horror!Bite!remains!its!own!unique!beast!as!Archibald’s! inventiveness!squeezes!out!so!much!extra!mileage.!What!could!have!been!just!another! goopy!gorefest!becomes!so!much!more!thanks!to!deviously!constructed!emotional!plot! twists!rather!than!just!putting!Casey’s!gradual!physical!decay!under!the!microscope.!

Having!said!that,!Jason!Derushie’s!icky!and!shuddersome!makeup!effects!really! ramp!up!the!suspense!tenfold!and!what!starts!out!as!a!severely!infected!pus[oozing!insect! bite!is!a!mere!harbinger!of!the!gooey!gore!galore!in!store.!Like!I!said!though,!it’s!not!all! about!grossing!out!and!Archibald!astutely!packs!in!plenty!of!emotional!bite!amidst!the! gruesomeness!to!ensure!the!audience!remains!wholly!invested!in!Casey!and!those!close! (and!not!so!close)!to!her.!

Tightening!the!film’s!vicelike!grip!is!the!leading!lady!herself!and!there’s!not!a!doubt!in!my! mind!that!Bite!wouldn’t!have!worked!anywhere!near!as!well!as!it!does!had!the!casting! crew!failed!to!come!across!this!little!gem!of!an!actress.!Put!short,!Elma!Begovic!is! disgustingly!talented,!in!the!best!possible!sense!of!the!word.!Playing!the!role!of!Casey! must!have!been!such!an!emotionally!and!physically!demanding!task!and!she!totally!nails! her!metamorphosis!into!the!ground!like!a!hammer.!Her!prenuptial!apprehensions!and! concerns!early!on!in!the!film!certainly!help!you!warm!to!the!character!and!as!a! consequence!her!ultimate!demise!resonates!all!the!more!deeply!and!you’ll!find!yourself! empathising!with!a!creature!who!scares!you!shitless!at!the!same!time.!

The!supporting!cast!also!packs!in!plenty!of!punch,!especially!Jordan!Grey!as!Casey’s! fiancée!and!Lawrene!Denkers!as!the!cantankerous!intermeddling!mother[in[law!to!be.!

Annette!Wozniak!also!deserves!much!credit!as!she!shines!as!Casey’s!excessively!zealous!

BFF!Jill!

Extra!kudos!to!the!ever[brilliant!Steph!Copeland.!One!of!the!highlights!of!the!first!

Antisocial!movie!was!her!pitch!perfect!score!and!she’s!only!gone!and!pulled!it!off!again,! perfectly!complementing!the!film’s!mood!swings.!

If!gross[out!movies!have!you!drooling!with!anticipation!then!Bite!is!a!film!you!should!be! itching!to!see!already.!Archibald’s!unashamedly!icky!feature!is!easily!one!of!the!best!the! body!horror!sub[genre!has!to!offer!and!is!his!best!piece!of!work!to!date.! ! ! !

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!

Movie!Buzzers!–!August!6!–“Fantasia!Film!Festival!2015:!‘Bite’!Movie!

Review”! !!

Back!in!2013,!I!attended!Denver,!Colorado’s!Mile!High!Horror!Film!Festival,!and!sat!down!to!watch! the!film!Septic!Man.!With!a!storyline!that!surrounded!one!sewage!system!worker’s!journey!into!a! septic!tank!filled!with!disease[riddled!water!and!‘becoming’!a!man,!covered!in!feces,!turning!into! some!sort!of!putrid!underground!sewer!creature,!I!have!to!say!I!was!disgusted.!!After!the!lights! came!up,!my!lunch!that!day!almost!did!as!well,!and!I!vowed!to!steer!clear!from!any!body!morphing! horror!creature!features.!However,!this!year’s!2015!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!is! premiering!the!horror!film!Bite!and,!although!I!was!hesitant!to!screen!this!one,!I!made!sure!my! stomach!was!empty,!got!cozy!in!my!seat,!and!was!ready!to!hide!my!eyes!with!my!hands!(which!I!did! several!times!throughout!this!flick).!

The!film!centers!around!a!young!girl!named!Casey,!played!fantastically!by!newbie!Elma!Begovic.!She’s!on!vacation!with! two!other!girls:!best!friend!Kirsten!(Denise!Yeun)!and!fake!friend!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak).!They!drink,!they!flirt!with!the! locals,!and,!just!like!most!people!who!are!about!to!get!married,!Casey!is!having!second!thoughts!about!her!impending! marriage.!Not!only!will!she!gain!one!hell!of!a!bitchy!mother[in[law,!but!her!fiancé!Jared!(Jordan!Gray)!already!has!a! pregnancy!plan!for!Casey.!Sounds!like!a!good!deal,!doesn’t!it?!Yeah,!Casey!doesn’t!think!so!either.!So,!away!she!goes! with!her!friends,!in!search!for!some!adventure!and,!when!a!local!points!them!towards!a!non[touristy!lagoon!(referencing! the!Sea!of!Stars,!which!is!actually!located!on!the!Vaadhoo!Island!in!the!Maldives).!They!splash,!they!joke,!and! (eventually)!Casey!is!bit!by!something!in!the!water!(get!it?!Bite!).!

Thus!begins!our!poor!protagonist’s!spiral!into!insect!hell!and!this!also!signaled!my!time!to!cover!my!eyes!throughout!the! remainder!of!the!film!because!things!start!to!get!kinda!groody.!You!would!think!with!an!86!minute!running!time,!Bite! would!drag!just!a!bit!with!such!a!simplistic!plot!outline.!You!would!be!wrong.!

By!the!20!minute!mark,!we!see!Casey!vomiting!clear!sticky!mucus!after!watching!(and!hearing)!her!fiancé!engulf!his! dinner.!Which,!side!note:!his!table!manners!were!atrocious!and!made!me!sick.!

By!38!minutes:!Casey!has!developed!a!heightened!sense!of!hearing!and!begins!sleeping!in!a!bathtub!(filled!with!some! sort!of!brown!goo!that’s!secreting!from!her!body).!As!with!many!of!the!other!critics!who!reviewed!this!film,!I!have!to! agree!that!this!film!evokes!Cronenberg’s!The!Fly.!However,!I!am!willing!to!go!out!on!a!limb!to!say!that!Mr.!Archibald’s! direction!on!Casey’s!metamorphosis!is!eerily!entrancing.!Combined!with!Ms.!Begovic’s!performance!(the!head!ticks,!the! seemingly!inability!to!blink,!the!animalistic!hunger!in!her!eyes),!Bite!tugs!together!the!film’s!sickest!disturbances!and!it’s! storytelling!of,!what!is!really,!a!scared!girl,!needing!to!finally! emote.!

This!film!honestly!has!everything!a!thriller/suspense/horror! person!could!EVER!want!and!I!really!hope!Chad!Archibald!doesn’t! make!a!sequel!(please!do!not!make!a!sequel!to!this).!This!film! “bit”!me!in!the!best!way.!I!cannot!tell!you!how!much!I!loved!this! film.!This!is!EXACTLY!what!horror!is!supposed!to!be.!If! Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!mated!with!Phillipe!Mora’s!The!Beast!Within,!

Archibald’s!Casey!would!be!their!love!child.! !

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Quiet!Earth!–!August!4!–“Fantasia!2015:!ANTISOCIAL!2!is!a!Mostly!

Unnecessary!Sequel”! http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2015/08/Fantasia[2015[ANTISOCIAL[2[is[ a[Mostly[Unnecessary[Sequel!! !

When!is!a!sequel!unnecessary?!Most!of!the!time,!actually,!and! unfortunately!Antisocial!2!happens!to!be!one!of!those!times.!What! starts!out!as!a!promising!post[apocalyptic!film!about!the!first!film’s! survivor,!Sam!(Michelle!Mylett),!struggling!to!avoid!"the!connected"!

–!those!who!were!irreversibly!infected!by!the!Social!Redroom’s! computer!virus!from!the!first!film!–!quickly!turns!into!a!somewhat! uneventful!treatise!on!the!so[called!evils!of!technology!and!the! youth!of!today,!who!somehow!seem!to!be!the!only!ones!who!know! how!to!use!a!computer!and!navigate!social!media!adequately.! !

Antisocial!2!picks!up!shortly!after!the!events!of!the!first!film,!with!

Sam!experiencing!labor!pains!while!running!from!some!of!the! infected.!She’s!saved!by!a!seemingly!benevolent!stranger!and!we! quickly!learn!that!she’s!only!four!months!pregnant!but!that!she!has! to!have!that!baby!now.!As!soon!as!she!gives!birth!to!an!apparently! quite!healthy!baby!boy,!though,!the!stranger!takes!him!and!leaves!

Sam!to!bleed!out.!Fast!forward!three!years!and!Sam!is!desperately! searching!for!her!son!across!a!barren!landscape!populated!by! infected!people!as!well!as!those!who!have!never!been!infected!and! are!afraid!of!those!they!call!"defects."! !

While!Antisocial!was!a!tight,!if!not!wholly!original,!horror!film!with!a!bad[ass!heroine,!the!only!thing!ported! over!from!the!original!to!Antisocial!2!is!said!heroine.!That’s!not!to!say!that!director!Cody!Callahan!(who!co[ wrote!the!film!with!his!Black!Fawn!Films!brethren!Chad!Archibald!and!Jeff!Maher)!messes!things!up! completely.!The!scenes!of!Sam!alone,!and!later!with!Bean,!surviving!out!in!the!wild!are!beautifully!shot!and! fraught!with!tension.!On!a!limited!budget,!Callahan!easily!conveys!the!feeling!of!a!desolate!world!that’s! been!overrun!by!zombie[like!creatures.!Mylett!and!Halpert!turn!in!fine!performances!as!well,!but!as!soon!as! the!setting!switches!to!the!laboratory,!things!go!south.!! !

Bogaert’s!Max!is!a!weak!one[note!character!who!seems!hell[bent!on!destroying!humanity!rather!than!saving! it,!and!too!many!questions!are!left!unanswered,!like!why!Sam’s!son!is!aging!so!quickly!and!why!he!seems!to! have!a!special!power!that!pretty!much!trumps!anything!the!Redroom!Virus!can!throw!at!our!protagonists.! !

Antisocial!2!ultimately!falls!prey!to!not!knowing!what!type!of!film!it!wants!to!be.!Is!it!a!survival!horror!film! set!in!a!barren!world!populated!by!infected!mutants!or!is!it!a!scientific!horror!film!set!in!a!lab!where! ominous!experiments!are!being!conducted!on!innocent!humans?!It!could!have!been!either!and!been!wildly! successful!with!the!appropriate!focus!placed!on!it.!! !

Unfortunately,!in!this!case!both!aspects!are!presented!and!there!was!just!not!enough!of!the!superior! survival!horror!portion!of!the!film!and!too!much!of!the!subpar!lab!experiment!portion.!An!interesting! concept,!inexpertly!executed.!

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Bloody!Good!Horror!–!July!27!–!“Review:!Bite”! !

At!this!point!it!seems!that!people!contracting!strange! diseases!in!exotic!locations!is!about!as!old!as!the!horror! genre!itself.!In!very!much!the!same!vein!as!Afflicted!and!

Contracted,!Bite!looks!to!take!a!bite!out!of!the!body! horror/transformation!subgenre;!unfortunately!it! struggles!to!ever!be!more!than!a!poorly!acted!gross!out! flick!with!very!little!in!way!of!entertainment.!

While!out!partying!with!her!gals!for!her!bachelorette! party,!Casey!(Elma!Begovic),!is!bitten!by!an!unseen!insect! in!a!hidden!tourist!swimming!hole!recommended!by!a! local.!When!she!returns!home!she's!stricken!with!cold!feet!and!a!growing!number!of!bizarre!side!effects! from!her!bite.!Before!long!Casey!cuts!herself!off!from!the!world!as!she!continues!to!develop!bug[like! symptoms!and!her!apartment!is!covered!in!slime!and!baby!larva.!Can!her!friends!and!fiance!figure!out! what's!wrong!with!Casey!before!it's!too!late?!Probably!not.!

Bite!is!just!another!in!a!long!line!of!movies!that!wants!to!do!very!little!but!test!audience's!gag!reflex.!Quite! frankly,!if!you!can!stick!around!long!enough!to!stomach!the!god!awful!acting!and!terribly!dubbed!found[ footage!angle!of!the!first!10!minutes!or!so!you!deserve!a!pat!on!the!back.!Luckily,!once!the!footage!shifts! from!the!first[person!perspective!the!quality!hikes!up!if!only!by!a!little!bit.!The!acting!never!really!hits!stride! and!our!"heroine"!Begovic!(making!her!feature!debut)!feels!woefully!out!of!place!in!front!of!the!camera!(in! spite!of!her!"easy!on!the!eyes"!appearance).!Once!Begovic!has!to!drop!the!pretty!girl!act!and!into!the!primal! bug[esque!performance!she!actually!puts!in!some!of!her!better!work[!but!her!co[stars!remain!tough!to! stomach.!

Speaking!of!tough!to!stomach,!it's!not!hard!to!see!where!the!budget!of!Bite!was!spent[!slime...and!lots!of!it.!

It!takes!a!bit!to!really!get!into!the!juicy!moments!of!the!film,!but!once!the!first!egg!oozes!out!and!into!the! frame!they!don't!stop.!There!are!squishy!slimy!bug!eggs!as!far!as!the!eye!can!see[!including!a!vomit!inducing! dream!sequence!featuring!lots!of!egg!dropping!and!squashing!of!the!dropping!eggs.!Sadly!though,!director!

Chad!Archibald!seems!to!have!little!interest!in!anything!but!experimenting!with!people's!limits!of!keeping! their!lunch!down[!unless!you!buy!into!the!thinly!veiled!and!sloppy!hints!at!themes!of!motherhood!and!what! not.!!

Bite,!for!all!its!solid!gross!out!effects!is!little!more!than!a!badly!scripted!porno[!but! instead!of!sex!it's!body!horror!and!wall!to!wall!insect!larva!spewing!out!of!every! crevice!imaginable.!Archibald!seems!to!have!a!knack!for!what!gets!people's!skin! crawling,!but!needs!something!with!a!little!more!teeth!to!it.!Bite!is!a!creature! transformation!flick!with!loads!of!potential,!but!fails!to!fully!develop!in!its!cocoon!

Note:!Screened!as!part!of!the!2015!Fantasia!Film!Festival.!!! !

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Bloodbath!and!Beyond!–August!15!–!“BITE!(2015)!–!Horror!Movie!Review”! ! !

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Bloodbath!and!Beyond!reviews!the!horror!movie!BITE!directed!by!Chad!Archibald!and!starring!

Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!and!Jordan!Gray.! !

Synopsis!

While!on!her!bachelorette!party!getaway,!Casey,!the!bride!to!be,!gets!a!seemingly!harmless!bite! from!an!unknown!insect.!After!returning!home!with!cold!feet,!Casey!tries!to!call!off!her!wedding! but!before!she’s!able!to,!she!starts!exhibiting!insect!like!traits.!Between!her!physical! transformation!and!her!wedding!anxiety,!Casey!succumbs!to!her!new!instincts!and!begins!creating! a!hive!that!not!only!houses!her!translucent!eggs,!but!feeds!on!the!flesh!of!others.!As!her! transformation!becomes!complete,!Casey!discovers!that!everything!can!change!with!a!single!bite.! !

BITE!SOCIAL!MEDIA:!

Black!Fawn!Films:!http://blackfawnfilms.com/!

Breakthrough!Entertainment:!http://www.breakthroughentertainment.com/!

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Film!Bizarro!–!August!–!“Review:!Bite”! http://www.filmbizarro.com/view_review.php?review=bite[fantasia2015.php!

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Title:!Bite!(Fantasia!2015!review)! !

Year:!2015!

Genre:!Horror!

Language:!English!

Runtime:!87!min!

Director:!Chad!Archibald!

Writer:!Chad!Archibald,!Jayme!Laforest! !

IMDb:!http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4264426/! ! ! !

Plot:!

Before!her!wedding,!Casey!and!her!friends!leave!for!a!bachelorette!party.!On!the! trip,!Casey!is!bitten!by!something!in!the!water.!When!she!comes!back!home,!what! she!expected!to!just!a!bug!bite!is!starting!to!grow!and!she!seems!to!lose!more!of!her!past!self!by!the!day.!Before!too!long! her!apartment!has!turned!into!a!hive...! !

Our!thoughts:!

Chad!Archibald!has!a!number!of!notable!titles!under!his!belt!as!a!producer!with!titles!such!as!"Sweet!Karma",!"In!the!

House!of!Flies",!"Antisocial"!and!"Septic!Man"!to!just!name!a!few.!While!his!filmography!as!a!director!is!significantly! smaller,!there's!enough!there!for!some!of!our!readers!to!have!seen!his!work!even!though!I!have!not.!Going!by!his! producer!credits,!I!was!excited!to!dig!into!his!new!body!horror!movie!"Bite".! !

Casey!comes!home!from!a!bachelorette!trip!only!a!few!days!prior!to!the!wedding.!Some!things!that!happened!on!the! trip!are!still!lingering!on!her!mind,!making!her!anxious!and!giving!her!cold!feet!before!the!wedding.!But!worst!of!all!is!a! seemingly!harmless!bite!that!she!got!while!in!the!water.!The!bug!bite!starts!to!grow.!Soon!she!has!a!big!boil!of!pus!on! her!leg,!and!things!about!to!get!even!worse.!She!hears!things!as!if!they!are!just!beside!her.!She's!spewing!out!translucent! eggs.!Yes,!it!escalates!from!here.! !

You've!likely!heard!about!"Bite"!from!the!articles!about!the!people!who!puked!and!fainted.!I!have!no!plans!to!make!my! review!a!comment!on!someone's!article![!but!while!"Bite"!definitely!has!gross!things!going!on,!it's!unlikely!to!affect! anyone!but!those!with!pretty!weak!stomachs.!What!we!see!in!"Bite"!is!nothing!new,!especially!now!as!we!have!gotten!a! few!too!many!body!horrors!involving!women!who!start!to!transform.!But!most!of!all,!"Bite"!is!a!movie!about!a!woman! turning!into!something!insect[like,!and!it!is!still!miles!away!from!the!grossness!portrayed!in!Cronenberg's!"The!Fly".! !

If!we!leave!the!comparisons!for!a!second!and!just!look!at!what!this!movie!has!to!offer,!there!are!certainly!some!gross! scenes!involving!puke,!pus!and!slimey!eggs!coming!out!of!orifices.!Unfortunately!the!transformation!that!Casey!is!about! to!experience!never!really!goes!beyond!some!layers!or!slime!and!bruises![!at!the!very!most!looking!like!a!burn!victim.!

The!apartment!which!essentially!turns!into!her!hive!is!an!interesting!addition!that!the!other!body!horrors!didn't!really! have,!mostly!because!Casey!does!indeed!turn!into!an!insect!being.!However,!the!"hive"!looks!more!like!a!haunted!house! attraction.!In!fact!there!are!just!a!few!scenes!in!the!movie!where!the!effects!are!really!effective.! !

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Normally!decent!effects!that!would!be!just!fine,!but!the!recent!trend!of!body!horrors!has!seemed!more!like!show!reels! of!effects,!or!competitions!between!each!other.!"Bite"!doesn't!have!much!more!to!offer!than!its!goo!and!pus,!which! certainly!puts!it!far!below!a!classic!like!the!"The!Fly".!More!recently!I'd!put!it!up!against!"Thanatomorphose",!which! didn't!have!too!much!going!on!outside!of!its!effects!either![!but!that!one!actually!felt!disgusting.! !

Okay,!let's!put!the!effects! to!the!side!for!a!moment.!

The!reason!I!am!so!harsh! against!this!movie!is!that!it! simply!doesn't!stand!out.!

From!the!beginning!I!had!a! hard!time!feeling! sympathy!for!any!of!the! characters,!let!alone!

Casey.!There!were!no! reasons!for!us!to!really! care!for!the!majority!of!the! movie,!and!when!reasons!were!given!it!sort!of!felt!like!it!was!too!late.!Her!fiancĂŠ!was!okay!but!due!to!his!annoying! mother!and!the!relationship!they!had!he!got!dragged!down!with!it.!So!right!there!we!have!two!characters!with!a!tragedy! between!them!(her!transformation),!and!yet!I!feel!incredibly!untouched!by!it.!I!don't!really!have!any!grudge!again!the! actors,!there!were!certainly!fine,!but!the!direction!they!were!given!was!often!very!underwhelming.!Scenes!like!them! stumbling!into!Casey's!hive!of!an!apartment!show!some!severe!underreacting!to!what!is!going!on.!It's!a!horror!movie,!I! get!it![!they!need!to!walk!into!her!apartment!and!have!some!stuff!happen!to!them,!but!their!reactions!threw!me!out!of! the!movie!entirely.!Going!by!the!fact!that!it!happened!to!most!characters!and!not!just!one,!I!will!say!it's!the!fault!of!the! direction!and!not!the!actors.! !

There!are!some!smaller!things!that!I!could!dive!into,!but!I!don't!want!anyone!to!confuse!my!criticism!with!hate.!Fact!is,!

"Bite"!is!a!pretty!innocent!horror!movie.!It!seems!to!have!the!attitude!that!it!wants!to!gross!you!out,!but!beyond!that!it! doesn't!step!outside!of!many!boundaries.!It's!a!decent!enough!horror!movie!for!the!general!fan!to!check!out,!especially! if!you!haven't!watched!that!many!body!horror!movies.!As!a!fan!of!the!subgenre!I!will!continue!to!watch!what!will!come! my!way,!but!perhaps!it!is!time!to!retire!the!transforming!women!for!a!while?!The!best!body!horror!movies!are!rather! complex!and!show!a!wide!variety!of!talents.!David!Cronenberg!built!much!of!his!fan!base!on!the!fact!that!he!could! deliver!something!incredibly!gross,!but!at!the!same!time!very!thought[provoking.!We!live!in!a!time!where!everything!has! to!be!fast!and!over[the[top!to!satisfy!this!ADD!generation,!so!it!makes!sense!that!the!majority!of!new!body!horror! movies!focus!solely!on!the!disturbing!effects.!Personally!I!hope!we!can!go!back!to!when!body!and!mind!were!equally! imporant!in!the!matter.! ! !

Positive!things:! [!The!insect!aspect!of!the!transformation!added!some!variety.! [!Could!be!quite!fun!for!those!who!haven't!watched!many!recent!body!horror!movies.!! !

Negative!things:! [!Never!cared!about!the!characters.! [!Some!strange!underreactions!from!the!characters.! [!Doesn't!offer!more!than!a!typical!horror!movies!beyond!its!goo!and!pus.! [!A!few!hints!at!something!supernatural!was!weird.!Stuff!like!door!closing!by!themselves!felt!very!confusing.!

Rating:!

Gore:!3/5!

Nudity:!1/5!

Story:!2/5!

Effects:!2.5/5!

Comedy:!0/5! !

We!watched!this!movie!thanks!to:!

Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!2015! !

Reviewed!by:!

Ronny!

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Movie!Hooker!–!August!8!–“Bite!–!Fantasia!Festival!Review”! http://moviehooker.com/movies/bite[fantasia[festival[review/!! !

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Bite!starts!with!Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!and!a!couple!of!friends!that!are!off!on!holidays!on!a!hens!party! (bachelorette)!!Of!course!we!have!the!camera!that!is!recording!every!single!minute!of!the!day!to!document! the!fun!memories!and!her!last!days!as!a!single!woman.! !

When!they!to!go!swimming!in!some!tropical!waters!,!the!bride[to[be!gets!bitten!by!some!sort!of!bug.!When! this!happens!one!of!the!girls!goes!under!(I!was!expecting!them!to),!when!Casey!starts!screaming!for!her,!she! surfaces!from!underneath!the!water,!laughing!at!her,!and!the!look!of!fear!on!her!face.They!think!nothing! more!of!the!small!bite!and!prepare!for!more!partying.! !

When!they!arrive!home!from!their!holidays!the!film!quickly!changes!from!a!found[footage!into!a!normal! feature!film.!That’s!when!I!realised!that!even!though!I!wasn’t!a!fan!of!the!first!part!of!the!movie!and!the! approach!to!the!found[footage.!I!actually!think!it!was!deliberate!and!was!a!necessary!part!of!the!story!to! show!us!a!bit!about!each!character,!and!some!cracks!in!Casey’s!relationship!with!her!fiancée.! !

Casey!isn’t!feeling!too!good,!the!seemingly!harmless!bite!on!her!leg!is!starting!irritate!her!and!has!become! infected!lumps!of!puss.!Not!long!after!she!start’s!to!notice!new!hearing!abilities,!she!starts!to!twitch,!her! eyes!change,!her!nails!fall!off!–!she!is!slowly!transforming!into!some!sort!of!bug[like!creature.!As!well!as!her! transformation,!she!has!been!laying!eggs,!which!look!like!red!fish[eggs.!Her!once!beautiful!!apartment!has! now!become!her!hive,!her!layer,!her!breeding,!and!feeding!ground.! !

Rhather!than!trying!to!find!a!cure!for!what!is!happening!to!her,!she!starts!to!embrace!her!slow! transformation,!and!her!new!bug[like!abilities,!which!include!spitting!green!acid!and!melting!faces.!The!once! beautiful!bride[to[be!quickly!becomes!a!protective!mother[to[be,!protecting!her!eggs,!her!new!babies.!she! has!gone!full[Brundle,!if!you!go!into!her!hive,!I!wouldn’t!expect!you!to!come!out!there!alive.! !

Very!original!horror!movie!full!of!good!old!practical!FX.!I!haven’t!seen!anything!like!this!since!David!

Cronenberg’s!The!Fly!and!that!is!one!of!the!highest!compliments!you!can!say!to!any!genre!film[maker! making!a!horror!movie.! !

As!a!huge!horror!fan!I!welcome!Bite!with!open!arms!(well,!maybe!not!with!open!arms…from!a!distance,!and! with!full!protective!clothing).!Director!Chad!Archibald!done!a!really!good!fucking!job!at!tricking!the!viewer! into!thinking!we’re!in!for!another!piece!of!mediocre!horror.!Then!he!shows!us!what!he!really!has!planned,! and!it!is!just!fucking!awesome!!

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Horror!Underground!–!August!9!–“Bite”! http://horrorunderground.org/2015/08/09/bite[2015/! !

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Bite!(2015)! !

Breakthrough!Entertainment/Black!Fawn!Films! !

Director:!Chad!Archibald! !

Bite!has!caused!quite!the!stir!since!making!its!premiere!at!this!year’s!Fantasia!2015.!With!reports!of!people! passing!out,!vomiting,!and!even!an!ambulance!being!called!out,!there!is!a!high!level!of!hype!surrounding!the! film!and!its!gross[out!effects.!Does!the!film!live!up!to!the!hype?!Is!it!the!grossest!film!of!the!year?!Is!it!even! good?! !

With!heavy!body[horror!effects!and!a!visual!nod!to!The!Fly,!Bite!is!drawing!a!lot!of!comparison!to!the!work! of!David!Cronenberg!as!well!as!Kafka.!!While!visually,!it!is!easy!to!agree,!I!would!argue!that!both!Cronenberg! and!Kafka!tell!much!deeper!stories!that!reflect!social!political!issues!of!the!time.!That!is!not!to!say!that!Bite!is! a!dumb!film,!it!is!quite!smart!at!the!story!that!it!sets!out!to!tell.!There!is!some!social!commentary!sprinkled! throughout!the!film,!but!nothing!on!the!level!of!those!two!maestros.! !

! !

Celebrating!a!bachelorette!destination!getaway,!three!friends,!Casey!(Elma!Begovic),!Jill!(Annette!Wozniak),! and!Kirsten!(Denise!Yuen)!party!their!way!to!a!beautiful!grotto!that!a!handsome!man!draws!them!a!map!to.!

Once!there,!the!girls!begin!to!swim!in!the!clear!waters.!While!swimming,!Casey!is!bit!by!an!unseen/unknown! bug.!Paying!little!attention!to!it,!the!three!head!back!to!the!city!to!resume!their!normal!lives!and!prepare!for!

Casey’s!wedding.! !

Once!the!film!started!playing,!I!was!worried.!The! opening!sequence!is!found!footage,!shot!on!a! camera.!Luckily,!it!is!only!about!the!first!10! minutes!of!the!film.!After!Casey!gets!bit,!a!very!

Drag!Me!to!Hell!inspired!title!card!displays!and!the! film!switches!to!normal!cinematic!camerawork.!

Shot!on!a!red!camera,!it!looks!outstanding.!The! cinematography!from!Jeff!Maher!is!gorgeous!and! grotesque.!The!camerawork!and!gore!complement!each!other!in!a!beautiful!dance!for!the!viewer.! !

Speaking!of!the!gore,!yes,!there!is!plenty.!Not!your!typical!blood!and!guts,!this!is!a!very!slimy,!wet!gore.!The! film!feels!wet!and!gross!with!each!passing!scene.!As!Casey!begins!to!transform!into!the!carrier/mother!of! the!bug,!things!get!even!gooier.!The!eggs,!egg!sacks!and!bile!are!stomach!turning.!Elma!Begovic’s! performance!elevates!the!gags!to!a!whole!new!level.!Balancing!stomach!turning!effects!and!emotional!heft! is!no!easy!feat!and!she!accomplishes!this!with!ease.! ! !

As!Casey!enters!her!transformation,!she!has!to! deal!with!the!real!world!and!the!repercussions! of!events!that!took!place!during!the!getaway!as! well!as!existing!issues!with!her!fiancé.!Elma!

Begovic!makes!everything!frustrating!to!watch.!

The!transformation!isn’t!as!simple!as!slapping! gore!and!goop!on!her,!she!puts!on!a! tremendous!physical!performance!that!makes! you!squirm!just!as!much!as!the!effects!will.! !

By!the!time!the!film!wraps,!it!goes!straight!to!expected!territory.!This!isn’t!a!fault!of!the!film,!where!else! would!you!go!with!the!subject!matter?!While!being!a!bit!easy!to!predict,!there!are!some!really!good!scenes! that!take!place!towards!the!finale!that!will!keep!you!interested.!However,!there!seemed!to!be!more!to!

Jared’s!(Jordan!Gray)!story,!given!a!scene!with!him!in!his!apartment!towards!the!beginning!of!the!third!act.!

I’d!be!interested!to!see!if!there!was!something!left!on!the!cutting!room!floor!involving!his!character.! !

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Bite!is!a!fun,!disgusting!body[horror!film!that!can!be!added!to!some!of!the!greats!that!have!popping!up!the! last!few!years,!such!as!Eat,!Starry!Eyes!and!Contracted.!A!little!predictability!towards!the!end!isn’t!enough!to! stop!me!from!having!fun!with!this!gross[out!film.!The!set!design!and!production!are!something!that!will!not! be!soon!forgotten.!I!certainly!won’t!look!at!grotto’s!the!same!after!seeing!this!one.!

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Blood!Brothers!Reviews!–!August!14!–“Bite!(2015)”! http://bloodbrothersfilmreviews.blogspot.ca/2015/08/bite[2015.html!!

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Director:!Chad!Archibald!

Notable!Cast:!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Denise!Yuen,!Jordan!

Gray,!Lawrene!Denkers! !

Black!Fawn!Films!are!in!full!drive!right!now!after!acquiring!a!new!deal! and!they!show!no!signs!of!stopping.!Based!in!Guelph!and!Toronto,!

Ontario,!the!company!with!multiple!directors!and!features!under!its!belt! has!been!representing!the!Canadian!horror!scene!lately!throughout!the! years!at!the!festival.!Bite!saw!its!world!premiere!at!Fantasia!this!year!to! a!sold!out!crowd!including!the!film’s!cast!and!crew!and!hosted!by!none! other!than!the!festival’s!director!Mitch!Davis.!The!feature!is!directed!by!

Black!Fawn’s!Chad!Archibald!(Neverlost,!The!Drownsman)!who!was!to! present!his!own!film.!With!barf!bags!handed!out!at!the!screening,!I’d! say!that!was!a!good!idea!because!Bite!is!a!NOT!for!the!faint!of!heart!or! squeamish.!If!you!are!though!then!it’s!best!to!keep!your!barf!bag!on! hand!because!this!movie!is!ready!to!take!a!bite!out!of!you!! !

!

Bite!follows!Casey!(played!by!Elma!Begovic)!who!decides!to!take!a!vacation!to!Costa!Rica!with!her!two! friends!Jill!and!Kirsten!(played!by!Annette!Wozniak!and!Denise!Yuen!respectively)!before!her!upcoming! wedding!to!her!fiancé!Jared!(played!by!Jordan!Gray).!!The!vacation!ends!up!being!an!indulgence!in!partying! and!booze,!leaving!Casey!to!forget!about!the!stresses!of!Jared’s!religious!and!controlling!mother!(played!by!

Lawrene!Denkers),!the!wedding,!and!Jared’s!desire!to!have!children.!Upon!veering!off!the!path!of!the! beaches!of!Costa!Rica!due!to!a!recommendation!by!a!local,!the!trio!find!a!quite!an!unusual!!site!where!the! water!is!super!clear!and!the!wildlife!is!strange.!Casey!gets!bitten!under!the!water!and!simply!waves!it!off! until!she!is!back!home!and!the!bite!starts!to!get!worse...! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Much!like!many!of!Black!Fawn’s!features,!our!cast!here!are!mostly!Canadian!newcomers!and!for!some!this!is! their!first!feature!film!including!our!lead!Elma!Begovic!whose!performance!is!pretty!good!for!someone!who! seemed!to!spend!almost!half!of!the!film!covered!in!goop!!Bite!instantly!reminded!me!of!recent!films!such!as!

! !

Contracted!and!Starry!Eyes!except!this!time!the!victim! is!turning!into!something!way!more!cunning!and! dangerous.!I!will!admit,!the!amount!of!sticky,!thick,!and! discolored!bodily!fluids!was!enough!to!make!an! average!movie!goer's!stomach!curl,!but!if!you’re!a! horror!veteran!then!you!probably!don’t!need!your!own! barf!bag.!Other!than!the!main!attraction,!the!film! focuses!on!Casey’s!own!problems!with!her!fiancé!and! his!mother!from!hell!which!fuels!her!decisions,! emotions,!and!instinct!as!she!slowly!turns!into!a! monster!both!physically!and!mentally.!It!was!actually! quite!apparent!during!the!Q!and!A!that!both!the!cast! and!Archibald!were!very!passionate!about!the!film,! especially!when!it!came!to!the!effects!which!are!by!far! the!film’s!strong!point.!I!hadn’t!been!so!disgusted!by!a!film!like!this!in!years.!Even!two!of!the!film’s! attendants!had!actually!rushed!to!the!public!washrooms!during!the!screening!of!Bite!which!speaks!a!lot!for! the!film!itself.!Another!thing!that!wowed!me!was!the!set!design.!It!truly!looks!like!they!ruined!an!apartment! with!the!icky!stuff!that!we!see!throughout!the!film!oozes!out!of!our!lead.!Other!than!the!special!effects,!the! plot!is!very!standard!and!the!characters!are!quite!unlikable.!Our!curiosity!is!more!invested!in!what!will! become!of!Casey!and!what!will!happen!next.!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Would!I!herald!Bite!to!be!a!cinematic!masterpiece?!Not!even!close.!But!as!a!horror!film,!it!does!exactly!what! it!sets!out!to!do;!disgust!the!hell!out!of!the!audience!and!deliver!on!the!special!makeup!effects.!Normally!a! horror!film!goes!great!with!popcorn!and!your!choice!of!your!favorite!soda!but!this!is!one!movie!that!you! might!prefer!to!watch!on!an!empty!stomach.!Bite!feeds!on!our!fears!of!what!we!might!experience!after! encountering!the!unknown!because!nature!can!be!just!as!frightening!as!the!killers!on!the!street!and!ghosts! that!go!bump!in!the!night.! !

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Haddonfield!Horror!–!July!–!“Movie!Review:!Bite”!

http://www.haddonfieldhorror.com/2015/07/movie[review[bite.html! !

Director:!Chad!Archibald!

Writer:!Jayme!Laforest!

Stars:!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Denise!Yuen! !

Review:! !

It!has!been!quite!some!time!since!a!body!horror!film!has!been!played!as!straight!out! horror!and!not!a!comedy/horror!(for!the!first!in!I!don’t!know!how!many!films,! maybe!The!Fly)!and!the!result!is!bleak,!black!and!gooey.!! !

Chad!Archibald!(Antisocial,!The!Drownsman)!directs!this!tale!of!Casey!who!goes!for! a!Hens!getaway!and!gets!bitten!by!an!unknown!bug,!when!she!returns!not!only! does!she!have!cold!feet!but!big!pus!oozing!sore.!From!here!things!go!from!bad!to! gross.!The!film!starts!as!a!found!footage!montage!(don’t!worry!FF!haters,!it!doesn’t! last!long)!where!we!see!Casey!and!her!(mostly!terrible)!friends!partying,!drinking! and!doing!all!the!stuff!you!do!when!celebrating!your!final!single!days.!When!they!all! get!back!home,!Casey!is!starting!to!show!some!signs!that!something!is!wrong.!! !

Bite’s!acting!is!decent!with!Elma!Begovic!being!the!standout!she!does!well!in!the!emotional!scenes!and!manages!to!bring! some!humanity!to!the!thing!she!eventually!becomes.!Her!scenes!in!which!she!is!battling!internally!against!the!foreign! virus!are!really!great.!Annette!Wozniak!is!also!pretty!good!as!Jill,!Casey’s!unfriendly!friend.!Casey’s!role!however!is!the! most!difficult!of!all!being!that!the!character!is!dealing!with!wedding!jitters,!a!nasty!mother!in!law!and!that!pesky!turning! into!a!monster!thing.!Which!brings!me!to!the!writing,!the!film!is!written!by!Jayme!Laforest!and!for!the!most!part!Jayme! constructs!a!nicely!paced!story!that!packs!a!lot!more!into!than!you!would!believe!a!body!horror!film!could.!However!I! have!a!small!issue!with!the!film,!in!the!way!a!revelation!is!made!which!feels!a!bit!tacked!on!however!it’s!a!small!gripe! from!me!as!it!still!fits!into!the!story!arc.! !

Archibald’s!direction!is!swift!moving!the!story!along!(despite!the!fact!it!takes!a!while!to!really!get!going)!and!giving!us! small!teases!of!pus!filled!sores,!mucus!filled!vomit!and!sticky!saliva,!until!he!gets!to!unleash!the!full!range!of!horrors,!all! of!them!which!reside!as!metaphors!of!what!Casey!is!going!through.!Utilising!the!one!apartment!as!the!majority!of!the! setting!helps!gives!you!that!feeling!of!claustrophobia!and!perhaps!even!agoraphobia,!making!you!live!inside!Casey’s!ever! growing!hell.!Casey’s!make!up!is!quite!good!as!facially!she!looks!like!a!nightmare!come!to!life!and!in!fact!the!whole!set!is! really!well!done.!There!was!one!exception!and!it!involves!the!extra!something!that!Casey!gains.!For!the!most!part!it!is! kept!out!of!full!view!which!was!the!right!decision!because!it!doesn’t!look!good!at!all!in!full!view.!! !

Bite!certainly!makes!you!question!a!few!things!like!should!you!go!overseas!and!should!you!trust!your!friends?!In!Bite’s! case!the!answer!is!probably!no.!However!Bite!is!refreshing!in!that!it!takes!the!body!horror!sub[genre!back!to!its!roots,!it! doesn’t!treat!it!like!a!joke!and!plays!it!dead!straight.!A!horror!film!that!is!actually!horrific,!when!you!look!at!the! consequences!for!everyone!who!is!connected!to!Casey...!How!about!that?! !

Well!worth!your!time.!!! !

Bite!makes!its!world!premiere!on!Fantasia!International!Film!Festival!on!July!29.! ! !

!

Ryan!Morrissey[Smith!!|!!!Twitter:!@TigersMS78!! !

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Flicks!from!the!Past!–!August!5!–“AICN!HORROR!checks!out!some!of!the! best!horrors!from!Fantasia!Fest!2015;!THE!EDITOR!!BITE!...”! http://www.flicksfromthepast.com/article/aicn[horror[checks[out[some[of[the[best[ horrors[from[fantasia[fest[2015[[the[editor[[bite[[we[are[still[here[[ludo[[nina[forever[[ slumlord[[extinction[[[[bunny[the[killer[thing[#5!!

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BITE!(2015)!

Directed!by!Chad!Archibald!

Written!by!Chad!Archibald,!Jayme!Laforest!

Starring!Elma!Begovic,!Annette!Wozniak,!Jordan!Gray,!Lawrene!Denkers,!Denise!Yuen,!Tianna!Nori,!Barry!

Birnberg!

Find!out!more!about!this!film!here!and!on!Facebook!here!

Reviewed!by!Ambush!Bug! !

The!structure!of!BITE!is!a!familiar!one,!reminding!me!of!body!horror!films!of!note!over!the!last!few!years!

(CONTRACTED!and!THANATOMORPHOSE,!to!be!precise),!but!the!insectoid!lens!in!which!this!film!is!cast! through!makes!it!feel!more!akin!with!Cronenberg’s!THE!FLY!than!anything!else.!This!is!good!company!to!be! in!as!all!of!these!films!made!me!squiggle!and!squirm.!BITE!will!make!you!feel!that!way!too,!I!guarantee!it.! !

Casey!(Elma!Begovic)!goes!on!a!bachelorette!vacation!on!a!tropical!locale.!The!found!footage!handheld! opening!minutes!of!this!film!(don’t!worry,!it’s!not!for!the!whole!film)!establishes!that!Casey!has!some!doubts! about!marrying!her!beau!Jared!(Jordan!Gray),!Jared!has!a!domineering!mother!in!law,!and!Jared!is!waiting!to! have!sex!until!marriage.!All!of!this!proves!to!be!too!much!for!the!party!girl!who!gets!drunk!and!sleeps!with!a! random!guy!at!a!bar.!The!next!day,!as!Casey!and!her!two!friends!are!swimming!in!a!secluded!pond,! something!under!the!water!bites!her.!Ignoring!the!pain!and!brushing!the!whole!thing!off!as!simple!bite,!

Casey!comes!home!to!America!and!plans!on!having!whatever!happened!on!vacation!stay!on!vacation.!But! these!sins!of!the!past!come!back!to!haunt!Casey!as!the!bite!on!her!leg!becomes!infected!and!she!begins! metamorphosizing!into!some!kind!of!monster.!Holing!herself!up!in!her!apartment,!Casey!is!changing!into! some!kind!of!creature!and!woe!to!the!friend!or!lover!who!crosses!her!doorstep!to!see!if!she!is!ok.! !

As!with!THANATOMORPHOSE!and!CONTRACTED,!the!message!here!is,!quite!plainly,!unprotected!and! reckless!sex!will!kill!you.!All!three!films!play!with!the!metaphor!of!the!horror!of!picking!up!an!STD!from!a!one! night!stand!and!what!that!does!to!a!woman,!her!relationships,!and!her!life.!Not!only!is!there!a!physical! transformation,!but!there’s!also!the!shame!in!receiving!this!disease!that!hurts!and!looks!horrible,!making! you!feel!like!a!monster.!It’s!a!metaphor!that!is!ripe!with!potential!and!just!as!THE!FLY!did!this!with!cancer,!

BITE!does!the!same!for!STD’s!as!Casey!is!guilt[ridden!first!at!what!she!did!behind!Jared’s!back,!but!instead!of! telling!him,!she!decides!to!keep!it!a!secret.!Later,!the!inner!guilt!evolves!into!Casey!literally!turning!into!a! monster!and!makes!her!adulterous!behavior!impossible!to!hide!for!long.!While!the!metaphor!isn’t!subtle,!it! speaks!volumes!and!makes!for!some!fantastic!moments!throughout!the!film!that!end!up!being!very!real,! despite!the!fact!that!Casey!is!turning!into!a!giant!bug!monster.! !

The!effects!in!BITE!is!over!the!top!gross!and!amazing!to!witness.!Just!when!you!think!things!can’t!get!more! disgusting,!it!does!as!Casey!is!vomiting!up!little!see!thru!eggs!housing!larvae,!sprouting!a!tail,!and!losing!all!of! her!hair.!The!effects!look!to!be!pretty!practical!(though!the!prehensile!stinger!tail!is!definitely!CG),!so!to!see! actress!Begovic!go!through!this!transformation!is!pretty!gnarly.!The!effects!crew!really!makes!not!only!Casey! look!horrific,!but!make!her!entire!apartment!a!disgusting!nest!covered!with!egg!sacs,!mucous,!webs,!and! other!sticky!secretions.!This!looks!like!an!absolutely!disgusting!movie!to!make!with!all!of!the!actors!having!to! slosh!around!in!slime,!ooze,!and!what!looks!to!be!KY!jelly!for!most!of!the!latter!half!of!the!film.!

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Begovic!does!a!fantastic!job!of!convincingly!turning!from!a!beautiful!guilt[ridden!girl!who!made!a!mistake!to! a!cold[blooded!monster!by!the!final!act.!Every!step!of!the!way!she!straddles!the!line!of!being!both! sympathetic!and!menacing.!Director!Chad!Archibald!continues!to!evolve!in!a!positive!direction!as!a! filmmaker.!While!I!found!flaws!in!his!last!two!films!(THE!DROWNSMAN!and!EJECTA),!there!is!an!undeniable! talent!to!both!films!and!I!feel!it!has!come!together!much!more!successfully!in!BITE!by!telling!a!simple! allegory!focusing!on!a!common!predicament!and!taking!it!to!monstrous!proportions.!BITE!is!disgusting,! depraved,!disturbing,!and!diabolical…in!a!way!that!will!please!gore[appreciative!horror!fans!in!the!fullest!! !

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Horror!Talk!–!August!7!–!“Bite!Movie!Review”!

http://www.horrortalk.com/reviews/movie[reviews/5777[bite[movie[review.html!

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Written!and!directed!by!Chad!Archibald!

2015,!90!minutes,!Not!Rated!!

Showed!at!Fantasia!2015!on!July!29th,!2015! !

Starring:!

Elma!Begovic!as!Casey!

Annette!Wozniak!as!Jill!

Jordan!Gray!as!Jared!

Lawrene!Denkers!as!Mrs.!Kennedy! !

Review:! !

I’m!making!a!new!rule.!Nobody!is!allowed!to!call!a!body!horror!movie!to!

“Cronenberg[esque”!anymore.!Although!Bite!is!not!without!its!stomach[ churning!moments!and!supreme!gross[outs!(apparently!more!than!one! person!vomited!and!passed!out!during!the!world!premiere!at!Fantasia!

Festival,!which!is!an!image!that!fills!my!morbid!heart!with!joy),!it!is!a!far! cry!from!The!Berg’s!output.!In!spite!of!there!being!fairly!obvious!

! ! reflections!to!The!Fly!in!that!Bite’s!main!character!also!turns!into!an!insect[human!hybrid,!it!has!about!as! much!to!do!with!the!Goldblum/Davis!classic!as!it!does!with!‘Metamorphosis’!by!Franz!Kafka.!There’s!a!bug! person!in!it.!

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Bite!opens!with!Casey!on!her!exotic!bachelorette!getaway!with!a!group!of!her!closest!girlfriends.!The!girls! drink!heavily!and!party!often,!and!on!one!day!after!a!handsome!stranger!tells!them!about!a!beautiful!grotto! close!by,!they!go!swimming!and!indulge!in!the!gorgeous!sites!that!the!landscape!has!to!offer.!Unfortunately! for!Casey,!she!gets!bit!by!a!bug,!and!although!it!hurts!her!badly,!she!naturally!assumes!that!she’ll!be!fine.!

Casey!and!the!girls!get!home!to!the!city!and!return!to!their!normal!lives,!and!within!a!few!days,!Casey!begins! to!notice!that!her!bug[bite!is!getting!far!worse.!Added!onto!her!concerns!is!that!her!fiancé!is!laying!on! pressure!to!have!children,!and!she!can’t!bring!herself!to!tell!him!that!she!has!no!plans!for!childbearing.!

Casey’s!condition!gets!far!worse,!her!pus[filled!scabs!begin!to!cover!her!whole!body,!a!tail!starts!to!push! through!her!skin,!and!she!begins!her!transformation!into!an!insect.! ! !

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This!is!a!very!hard!film!to!read![!it!has!a!very!minimalist!plot!with!a!lot!of!weight!placed!on!its!practical! effects,!which!would!work!fine!as!a!schlock!picture,!but!there!are!moments!that!suggest!that!it!is!trying!to! express!some!deeper!symbolism.!Is!Casey’s!transformation!representative!of!the!pressure!placed!on!her!as! woman?!Why!does!she!attack!the!ones!that!are!closest!to!her?!Is!it!loneliness?!Misanthropy?!Or!is!she!just! supposed!to!be!a!freaky!looking!bug!monster!that!vomits!a!bunch!of!gross!goop!with!the!single!purpose!of! entertaining!the!audience?!It’s!possible!that!because!the!characters!and!plot!are!so!open!and!vague!that!it! allows!the!viewer!to!assign!whatever!deeper!meaning!they!want!to!it,!but!there!is!an!overall!feel!to!the!story! that!it!is!trying!to!be!a!lot!more!than!what’s!on!the!surface,!but!is!unsuccessful!and!confusing!instead.!Bite! doesn’t!have!much!to!offer!for!someone!seeking!a!memorable!viewing,!but!is!likely!to!entertain!viewers! seeking!a!few!dry[heaves!from!its!spectacular!([ly!disgusting)!practical!effects.!

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All!pictures!taken!by!GAT!during!the!festival!are!available!here:!

Antisocial!2: https://www.flickr.com/photos/97627695@N03/sets/72157654256179023!

Bite: https://www.flickr.com/photos/97627695@N03/sets/72157656488999446!

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve!gathered!social!media!reactions!generated!at!Fantasia!2015!here:!

Antisocial!2:!https://storify.com/gatpr/antisocial2[world[premiere[fantasiafest!

Bite:!https://storify.com/gatpr/bitethemovie[world[premiere[fantasiafest!

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Publicity!handled!by!GAT!PR! !