I’ll say this for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise: the title tells you exactly what you’re getting.  It’s exactly like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles except in Massacre, they wear people for faces.  The latest installment in the franchise is on the way with Texas Chainsaw 3D, and we have five prize packs to giveaway to our Atlanta readers.  Each prize pack will contain a mini poster and t-shirt, and one person will win a grand prize of the t-shirt, mini poster, and a Lionsgate Horror 3-pack of DVDs (Scream, Saw: The Final Chapter, and My Bloody Valentine).  Leatherface would be proud.  He’d murder you, but he’d be proud.

Hit the jump for details.  Texas Chainsaw 3D opens January 4, 2013.

One of the actors I had the privilege of interviewing during my visit to the set of Texas Chainsaw 3D last August is Louisana’s own Paul Rae. While his name may not immediately standout to those in the peanut gallery, Rae’s previous work includes turns in a number of films including Joel Coen and Ethan Coen‘s True Grit remake and Oliver Stone‘s W. just to name a few.

During the interview, the ultra down-to-earth Rae discussed a number of topics including his excitement in playing a character that “nobody will like very much”, how he expects fans of the franchise to react to this latest iteration, how one of the scenes is “the most disturbing thing” he’s ever seen, and more. Check out the full interview after the jump.

In the spirit of the Halloween season, last night I watched The Cabin in the Woods again for the first time since catching it in theaters back in April. After a second viewing, my feelings on the film haven’t really changed. I love it. I love it with the passion of an army of “Mermen”. It’s just a brilliant blend of satire, horror and comedy and I’ll argue all day/all night with anyone who tells me differently (in all fairness, it’s okay if you don’t like the movie…you’re wrong, but it’s okay). If you’re like me and enjoy taking in horror classics around good ol’ All Hallows’ Eve, I ask that you do yourself a favor and include The Cabin in the Woods in your classic programming slate. You’ll either (A) love it or (B) have the opportunity to argue with me all day/all night. It’s a win-win.

With my Halloween viewing recommendation in hand, I’ll now present to you this week’s edition of our Top 5. In this week’s iteration is our coverage of New York Comic-Con 2012, yours truly’s Texas Chainsaw 3D set visit, Wally Pfister using the words “appalling” and The Avengers in the same sentence and all hell breaking loose shortly thereafter, the first teaser trailer for director Kimberly Peirce‘s Carrie remake, and Hugo Weaving vs. Transformers. A brief recap and link to each patiently awaits your attention after the jump.

Anytime you have the opportunity to sit down with Leatherface himself in full, bloody costume (save for the mask & chainsaw) on the set of a Texas Chainsaw movie it’s a pretty good day. That’s exactly the situation I found myself in last August while visiting the Louisiana set of Texas Chainsaw 3D. The man behind the mask, Dan Yeager, is physically imposing to say the least. Even now, I’m having a hard time believing that the clean cut guy pictured above is the same blood/dirt covered man I met over a year ago.

All of this in mind, Yeager was undoubtedly a great interview. Soft-spoken, eloquent, and personable, he is the antithesis of everything his chainsaw-wielding character embodies. During the sit down, Yeager covered a range of topics including how he initially landed the iconic role, the undeniable power associated with wearing the mask, the influence Gunnar Hansen‘s original performance has on his own, avoiding his fellow cast mates when the cameras aren’t rolling, and more. Hit the jump for the full interview.

I remember being completely mystified by Tobe Hooper’s original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a kid. Although now I can look back and really appreciate the timeless, unsettling aesthetic that he and his crew created in grueling conditions, with limited resources, at that point in time my interest was completely vested in one thing: Leatherface. Here was this crazy looking, chainsaw-wielding dude who was dispatching people in horrific ways and yet I couldn’t help but think to myself “Man, this guy’s life sucks…”. The sense of sympathy I had for him was something that I had never felt for other similarly iconic “monsters” (I’m looking at you, Jason, Michael, and Freddy). For me, the inexcusable sense of pity he evokes is what sets Leatherface and the Chainsaw franchise apart from others of its ilk. Conceived literally of blood and sweat, I see Hooper’s original as the great American horror film that never got the direct sequel that it probably didn’t need, but definitely deserved.

Enter director John Luessenhop’s (Takers) Texas Chainsaw 3D. While time and the final cut may eventually prove my inclination false, based on what I seen of the film from its Shreveport, Louisiana set on August 12th, 2011, I believe that January, 4th, 2013 could finally bring fans new and old a true sequel that is worthy of the Hooper’s original. My set visit recap, including 10 things to know about the film and an exclusive new image, awaits on the other side of the jump.

In Texas Chainsaw 3D, Alexandra Daddario stars as Heather Miller, a young woman who unexpectedly learns that she has inherited a house/estate in Texas from a recently deceased grandmother she’s never met. When she and a group of friends travel to claim her inheritance, though, things take a turn for the worst as she discovers that beneath the veneer of a Victorian mansion lies a grizzly secret that involves a chainsaw and masks made of detached human faces.

During my visit to the Shreveport, Louisiana set of Texas Chainsaw 3D, a group of journalists and I had the opportunity to talk with the young actress about working in the unforgiving Louisiana heat in August, the pressures of starring in an iconic franchise, how this film differs from Tobe Hooper‘s original and more. Check out all Daddario had to say in the full interview after the jump.

Taking over the reigns of a franchise the stature of Texas Chainsaw requires a unique combination of confidence and thick skin. Irrespective of your own creative vision, your film will inevitably be compared against Tobe Hooper‘s classic original. For director John Luessenhop, several have come before him and, in the eyes of most, several have fallen woefully short of capturing the magic of the original.

All of this said, Luessenhop doesn’t seem to carry the weight of someone tasked with creating the first direct sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In fact, during my set visit interview with the director, I felt a sense of excitement. Both astutely aware of the standard his film will be judged by and confident in the direction of his own take, Luessenhop seems intent on creating something that is, in part, homage and, in larger part, his own extension of the original Chainsaw story. To read what the filmmaker had to say about Texas Chainsaw 3D including the process of shooting the film in 3D, picking out his favorites scenes from the original, and more, continue reading for the full interview.

Producer Carl Mazzocone‘s name is often associated with the work he performed on the Saw franchise as part of Twisted Pictures. In fact, it’s probably not a stretch to say that, to this point, it’s his crowning cinematic achievement. For now, that is. After talking with him on the Louisiana set of Texas Chainsaw 3D, I get the impression that Chainsaw is the type of project he’s spent his entire career prepping for. This isn’t just another film for the producer. This is a longtime dream brought to fruition for which his passion and excitement is palpable.

Build up aside, during my on set interview with Mazzocone, the producer talked at length about his passion for the project, the film’s use of RED Epic 3D cameras, his role in the day-to-day operations of the film, how his goal is to “deliver the best 3D monster movie of modern day”, and much more. In all honesty, everyone I interacted with during my visit was incredibly inviting and willing to answer questions. That said, this interview has to be one of my favorites if for no other reason than Mazzocone’s willingness to lay it all out there without any reservation. Read on for the full interview.

Last August, on the Shreveport, Louisiana set of director John Luessenhop‘s Texas Chainsaw 3D, I had the opportunity to participate in interviews with several members of the cast including up-and-comer Scott Eastwood. While his last name alone may be enough to garner the attention of many moviegoers, the 26-year old actor (and, yes, son of the legendary Clint Eastwood) came across as someone who is dead set on blazing his own path in Hollywood.

During the interview, Eastwood talked about the excitement that comes with being part of an iconic film franchise, his character, the horror genre in general, future projects, and more. Hit the jump for all that Eastwood had to say in the full interview.

The first trailer for Texas Chainsaw 3D has been released.  Fans of the franchise will probably be happy as they look to get exactly what they expect from this new installment.  The trailer is quick to establish who is probably going to be the first to die (a half-naked girl who appears to enjoy drugs), but doesn’t do much else to establish why this film was warranted.  Expect a lot of chainsaw-centric 3D gimmicks and a rehashing of the original storyline.  If that’s all you’re really looking for in a Texas Chainsaw movie, this trailer should be enough to whet your appetite.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  Directed by John Luessenhop (Takers), the film stars Alexandra Daddario, Tania Raymonde, Dan Yeager, and Scott Eastwood.  Texas Chainsaw 3D opens on January 4th, 2013.

The latest entry in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is due in theaters this January, and on the heels of the film’s incredibly creepy first poster, the first Leatherface-enhanced image from Texas Chainsaw 3D has now landed online.  The film is a direct sequel to the 1974 original and picks up where that film left off: a young woman has escaped the horrors of the Sawyer family and alerted authorities.  The townspeople descend on the Sawyer household and burn it to the ground, seemingly putting an end to the family’s reign of terror.  The story then jumps forward to present day where a young woman has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she didn’t know she had.  Naturally, she discovers unspeakable horrors in the home’s underbelly, as the townspeople may not have gotten rid of the entire Sawyer family.

Hit the jump to check out the image.  Directed by John Luessenhop (Takers), the film stars Alexandra Daddario and Scott Eastwood.  Texas Chainsaw 3D opens on January 4th, 2013.

The first poster for Texas Chainsaw 3D has landed online and it’s decidedly eerie.  The film, previously titled Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, picks up where the 1974 original left off, as a young woman has escaped the horrors of the Sawyer family and alerted authorities.  The townspeople descend on the Sawyer household and burn it to the ground, seemingly putting an end to the family’s reign of terror (or so they think).  The film jumps forward to present day where a young woman has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she didn’t know she had.  Naturally, she discovers unspeakable horrors in the home’s underbelly, as the townspeople may not have gotten rid of the entire Sawyer family.  This poster is a just as tease as we know very little about the actual film, but the variety of headwear for old Leatherface is disturbingly great.

Hit the jump to check out the full poster.  Directed by John Luessenhop (Takers), the film stars Alexandra Daddario, Tania Raymonde, and Scott Eastwood.  Texas Chainsaw 3D opens on January 4th, 2013.

New release dates, y’all:

• Safety Not Guaranteed – The Sundance hit sparked by a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel hits theaters on June 8.
  
• Sinister – The supernatural thriller starring Ethan Hawke has moved from August 24 to October 5
• Fun Size – The Halloween comedy led by Victoria Justice opens the Friday before the holiday on October 26
• Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away – James Cameron presents the acrobatics of the famed Montreal circus in glorious 3D on December 21
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D – Lionsgate pushed the horror reboot from October 5 to January 4, 2013

Hit the jump for more on each project.

New posters have been released for the family holiday flick Arthur Christmas (click here for Steve’s recent footage recap/interview), the men-vs-wolves survival thriller The Grey, the crime drama Contraband, and the horror sequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D.  Today’s a busy day so let me just break down the respective posters: bad puns, Neeson’s mug sells tickets, Wahlberg is fake scratching an itch so he can show off his sweet new moneybelt, and slightly better pun.

Hit the jump to check out the posters.  Arthur Christmas opens November 23rd, The Grey opens January 27th, Contraband opens January 13th, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D opens October 5, 2012.

MTV’s dark comedy series Death Valley follows the cops of the newly formed Undead Task Force, who dedicate their lives to capturing the zombies, vampires and werewolves that mysteriously descended upon the streets of California’s San Fernando Valley a year ago. Documenting each case, as well as their horrific yet comedic exploits is a daring camera crew that are as much in danger as the cops bent on keeping the streets safe from the presence of the paranormal.

During a recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actress Tania Raymonde (who played Alex Rousseau on Lost) talked about how much she enjoys playing the kick-ass Officer Carla Rinaldi, how fun all the hardcore gore of the show is, the difficulty in keeping a straight face while filming with such funny actors, and that she would definitely love to explore the character more, for a second season. She also talked about her role in the upcoming The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, that she was a fan of the original film, and how cool it was to get to work with some of the original cast members, who return for the first time in the history of the franchise. Check out what she had to say after the jump.