The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival ended its 6th edition last Thursday with the sold-out closing night East Coast Premiere of Rob Jabbaz’s The Sadness at Nitehawk Cinema and announced today its jury and audience award winners. Launching on October 14th with the NY Premiere of Mlungu Wam (Good Madam), Brooklyn Horror is proud to have welcomed back an eager and excited audience who packed the cinemas after a one year pandemic related hiatus and hosted a majority of sold-out screenings, with special highlights being the festival’s 35mm projection of Session 9, presented for its 20th anniversary with lead actor and co-writer Stephen Gevedon in attendance, and the US Premiere of local filmmaker Edoardo Vitaletti’s debut The Last Thing Mary Saw, with Rory Culkin and Vitaletti present for the Q&a.
Further highlights of the festival include the world premieres of Adam Randall’s Netflix Original vampire feature Night Teeth...
Further highlights of the festival include the world premieres of Adam Randall’s Netflix Original vampire feature Night Teeth...
- 10/25/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Underrated indie horror film Session 9 celebrates its 20th anniversary today. Writer/director Brad Anderson and co-writer Stephen Gevedon reminisced on the film’s release and teased at ideas for the future. Released in 2001, Session 9 stood out among other horror films of the early 2000s like Scream and Final Destination. To celebrate its cult status and […]
The post ‘Session 9’ Writers and Director Brad Anderson and Stephen Gevedon Have a Prequel in Mind appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Session 9’ Writers and Director Brad Anderson and Stephen Gevedon Have a Prequel in Mind appeared first on /Film.
- 8/11/2021
- by Marisa Mirabal
- Slash Film
Tony Sokol Oct 21, 2018
The 70s never looks grittier than when it’s seen through the eyes of HBO. The Deuce season 2 confirmed.
Times Square wasn’t always the domain of naked cowboys and groping Elmos. Or was it? HBO’s seventies film industry series The Deuce will “bare” further witness in season 2.
“We are thrilled to continue our creative collaboration with master storytellers David Simon and George Pelecanos,” HBO programming president Casey Bloys, said in a statement. “Their unique gift for immersing the audience in their dark and edgy worlds brings a brilliant verisimilitude unlike any other. With the remarkably talented Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Franco leading an exceptional cast, we look forward to delving deeper as this captivating story evolves.”
The Deuce stars James Franco as twin brothers who are each rising to their new occasions. Forced to peddle flesh on film to pay off battalion of loan sharks,...
The 70s never looks grittier than when it’s seen through the eyes of HBO. The Deuce season 2 confirmed.
Times Square wasn’t always the domain of naked cowboys and groping Elmos. Or was it? HBO’s seventies film industry series The Deuce will “bare” further witness in season 2.
“We are thrilled to continue our creative collaboration with master storytellers David Simon and George Pelecanos,” HBO programming president Casey Bloys, said in a statement. “Their unique gift for immersing the audience in their dark and edgy worlds brings a brilliant verisimilitude unlike any other. With the remarkably talented Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Franco leading an exceptional cast, we look forward to delving deeper as this captivating story evolves.”
The Deuce stars James Franco as twin brothers who are each rising to their new occasions. Forced to peddle flesh on film to pay off battalion of loan sharks,...
- 9/19/2017
- Den of Geek
Scream Factory will give viewers a high-definition tour of Danvers State Mental Hospital with their Blu-ray release of Session 9 on August 16th, and to celebrate, we’ve been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.
————
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Session 9.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Session 9 Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on August 19th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.
————
Session 9 Blu-ray: “It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing… abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital, closed down for 15 years is about to receive 5 new visitors.
————
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Session 9.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Session 9 Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on August 19th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.
————
Session 9 Blu-ray: “It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing… abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital, closed down for 15 years is about to receive 5 new visitors.
- 8/13/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Take a tour of Danvers State Mental Hospital from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you may be) with these Blu-ray clips from Session 9 courtesy of Scream Factory. Directed by Brad Anderson, Session 9 creeps its way onto Blu-ray next Tuesday, August 16th.
From the Press Release: “Fear is a place… A “deft exercise in atmospheric horror” (L.A. Weekly) that takes place in an abandoned mental hospital, Session 9 makes its Blu-ray debut courtesy Scream Factory on August 16, 2016. This release comes packed with new bonus features, including interviews with cast and crew, and Horror’s Hallowed Grounds, a new revisiting of the locations of the film.
It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing… abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital, closed down for 15 years is about to receive 5 new visitors.
Donning protective gear, the men of the Hazmat Elimination Co.
From the Press Release: “Fear is a place… A “deft exercise in atmospheric horror” (L.A. Weekly) that takes place in an abandoned mental hospital, Session 9 makes its Blu-ray debut courtesy Scream Factory on August 16, 2016. This release comes packed with new bonus features, including interviews with cast and crew, and Horror’s Hallowed Grounds, a new revisiting of the locations of the film.
It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing… abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital, closed down for 15 years is about to receive 5 new visitors.
Donning protective gear, the men of the Hazmat Elimination Co.
- 8/12/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Including bonus features such as interviews with the cast and crew and a tour of the film's locations, the Blu-ray of Brad Anderson's Session 9 will debut on August 16th courtesy of Scream Factory. Also: a trailer and poster for Romeo's Distress and a look at Scream Queen Stream's parody of the iconic shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
Session 9 Blu-ray Release Details: Press Release: "Fear is a place… A “deft exercise in atmospheric horror” (L.A. Weekly) that takes place in an abandoned mental hospital, Session 9 makes its Blu-ray debut courtesy Scream Factory on August 16th, 2016. This release comes packed with new bonus features, including interviews with cast and crew, and Horror’s Hallowed Grounds, a new revisiting of the locations of the film.
It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing... abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital,...
Session 9 Blu-ray Release Details: Press Release: "Fear is a place… A “deft exercise in atmospheric horror” (L.A. Weekly) that takes place in an abandoned mental hospital, Session 9 makes its Blu-ray debut courtesy Scream Factory on August 16th, 2016. This release comes packed with new bonus features, including interviews with cast and crew, and Horror’s Hallowed Grounds, a new revisiting of the locations of the film.
It looms up out of the woods like a dormant beast. Grand, imposing... abandoned and deteriorating, the Danvers State Mental Hospital,...
- 7/1/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Scream Factory celebrates over three decades of Dan O'Bannon's graveyard bash at this year's Comic-Con with a special Return of the Living Dead autograph signing, and their annual "Inside Look" panel will feature the eagerly anticipated announcements of future releases
Taking place at Shout! Factory's booth (#4118) on Friday, July 22nd, The Return of the Living Dead autograph signing will feature cast members Thom Mathews (Freddy) and John Philbin (Chuck), as well as Sean Clark, who hosted a new episode of Horror's Hallowed Grounds for the Collector's Edition Blu-ray of the beloved horror comedy.
"An Inside Look at Shout! Factory and Scream Factory" panel, meanwhile, will be held in Room 29Ab at 8:00pm. Below, we have the official press release with full details:
Press Release: Now a mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con International, pop-culture purveyor Shout! Factory returns to the convention in 2016 with a dynamic lineup, featuring captivating panel events,...
Taking place at Shout! Factory's booth (#4118) on Friday, July 22nd, The Return of the Living Dead autograph signing will feature cast members Thom Mathews (Freddy) and John Philbin (Chuck), as well as Sean Clark, who hosted a new episode of Horror's Hallowed Grounds for the Collector's Edition Blu-ray of the beloved horror comedy.
"An Inside Look at Shout! Factory and Scream Factory" panel, meanwhile, will be held in Room 29Ab at 8:00pm. Below, we have the official press release with full details:
Press Release: Now a mainstay at San Diego Comic-Con International, pop-culture purveyor Shout! Factory returns to the convention in 2016 with a dynamic lineup, featuring captivating panel events,...
- 6/30/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Fans of Brad Anderson’s cult horror film Session 9 will be thrilled to know that Scream Factory will release the unsettling movie on Blu-ray this August.
Scream Factory will check into the Danvers State Mental Hospital on August 16th when they release Session 9 on Blu-ray.
Session 9 is admired by many horror fans for its palpable sense of paranoia, spot-on performances, claustrophobic setting, and downright eerie atmosphere.
Bonus features are currently being worked on, and although they haven’t been revealed yet, we’ll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers posted on any updates regarding this anticipated release. Below, we have Scream Factory’s official announcement and a look at the Blu-ray cover art:
From Scream Factory: “Our “Summer of Fear” line-up continues to grow with the announce of Session 9! Directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist) this underrated 2001 chiller will be coming to Blu-ray for...
Scream Factory will check into the Danvers State Mental Hospital on August 16th when they release Session 9 on Blu-ray.
Session 9 is admired by many horror fans for its palpable sense of paranoia, spot-on performances, claustrophobic setting, and downright eerie atmosphere.
Bonus features are currently being worked on, and although they haven’t been revealed yet, we’ll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers posted on any updates regarding this anticipated release. Below, we have Scream Factory’s official announcement and a look at the Blu-ray cover art:
From Scream Factory: “Our “Summer of Fear” line-up continues to grow with the announce of Session 9! Directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist) this underrated 2001 chiller will be coming to Blu-ray for...
- 4/28/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Fear The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy, Emerald City, and other TV productions have made recent TV show casting, TV movie casting, and TV directing news. These shows and movies air on AMC, ABC, and NBC.
Untitled supernatural series (Netflix)
Winona Ryder and David Harbour have been set as leads in Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer’s untitled supernatural series for Netflix
The eight-episode series is set in the 1980s and is about a mystery surrounding a boy who vanishes into thin air and the ever-expanding government conspiracy that unravels in its wake.
Ryder will play the boy’s single mother while Harbour will play the town’s chief of police, tasked with investigating the disappearance.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Martin Henderson (“The Red Road”) has been cast as a series regular on the ABC drama that recently killed off Patrick Dempsey‘s character, Dr. Derek Shepherd.
Paradise Pictures (USA...
Untitled supernatural series (Netflix)
Winona Ryder and David Harbour have been set as leads in Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer’s untitled supernatural series for Netflix
The eight-episode series is set in the 1980s and is about a mystery surrounding a boy who vanishes into thin air and the ever-expanding government conspiracy that unravels in its wake.
Ryder will play the boy’s single mother while Harbour will play the town’s chief of police, tasked with investigating the disappearance.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Martin Henderson (“The Red Road”) has been cast as a series regular on the ABC drama that recently killed off Patrick Dempsey‘s character, Dr. Derek Shepherd.
Paradise Pictures (USA...
- 6/16/2015
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Danny Deferrari and Stephen Gevedon have joined the cast of Madoff, the ABC miniseries starring Richard Dreyfuss as the now-imprisoned swindler. Inspired by ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross' reports and his book The Madoff Chronicles, the mini follows the rise and spectacular fall of Bernie Madoff and the $65 billion Ponzi scheme he concocted. Deferrari will play Madoff’s son, Andrew, who along with his brother alerted the feds to their dad’s scheme…...
- 6/13/2015
- Deadline TV
Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...
- 10/31/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Stars: Clifton Collins, Clancy Brown, Andre Royo, Robyn Rikoon, Macon Blair, Stephen Gevedon, Larry Fessenden, Dan Fogler | Written and Directed by J.T. Petty
Let me begin this review by stating this is most-definitely not your typical horror fare; something audiences will realise a mere five minutes into this raucous, sure-to-be-cult-hit, movie. Written and directed by J.T. Petty, who also penned the graphic novel on which this is based, Hellbenders is a genre-bending horror comedy that is most akin to Don Coscarelli’s recent movie John Dies at the End. If I had to narrow the analogy down I’d say Hellbenders is best described as The Exorcist meets Ghostbusters by way of Don Coscarelli and [early] Kevin Smith…
Sound interesting? Then go out and buy it. Trust me. The rest of you? Let me try and convince you why you should spend your hard-earned cash on this little indie horror that could.
Let me begin this review by stating this is most-definitely not your typical horror fare; something audiences will realise a mere five minutes into this raucous, sure-to-be-cult-hit, movie. Written and directed by J.T. Petty, who also penned the graphic novel on which this is based, Hellbenders is a genre-bending horror comedy that is most akin to Don Coscarelli’s recent movie John Dies at the End. If I had to narrow the analogy down I’d say Hellbenders is best described as The Exorcist meets Ghostbusters by way of Don Coscarelli and [early] Kevin Smith…
Sound interesting? Then go out and buy it. Trust me. The rest of you? Let me try and convince you why you should spend your hard-earned cash on this little indie horror that could.
- 7/21/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
One has to be cautious when describing a scrappy little foul-mouthed indie horror comedy. For example, one could say that the new movie Hellbenders wants to be Ghostbusters meets The Exorcist with some Bad Santa attitude, a dash of Boondock Saints religious irony, and a little Dogma-style blasphemin' on the side. But that'd be overselling Hellbenders in a big way. It's choppy, sometimes sloppy, and even a little chintzy towards Act III -- but there's also an irrepressibly raucous and enthusiastic approach to such crazy material that makes Hellbenders, for all its faults, a little difficult to dislike.
The hook is unarguably amusing: there's a team of exorcists in New York City who must remain knee-deep in sinful behavior at all times so that they will seem especially delicious to any demons they may have to exorcise and then escort back to hell. (Read it twice.) This gives writer/director...
The hook is unarguably amusing: there's a team of exorcists in New York City who must remain knee-deep in sinful behavior at all times so that they will seem especially delicious to any demons they may have to exorcise and then escort back to hell. (Read it twice.) This gives writer/director...
- 10/10/2013
- by Scott Weinberg
- FEARnet
Catch the red band trailer for J.T. Petty's Hellbenders distributed by Lionsgate. The comedic horror thriller stars Clifton Collins Jr., Clancy Brown, Andre Royo, Robyn Rikoon, Macon Blair, Stephen Gevedon, Larry Fessenden and Dan Fogler. Hellbenders is based on Petty's novel, and he also directs from a script he wrote. Admirable. I wish him well with it. Watch the trailer below the synopsis. There are demons so terrible that no mortal man of God could successfully drive them back to Hell. The only option is for the exorcist himself to invite possession and then commit suicide, dragging along the demon to damnation – so the Augustine Interfaith Order of Hellbound Saints – or Hellbenders – was formed. A group of elite, highly-trained exorcists, they live in a constant state of debauchery so they will be ready to go to Hell at any moment. When an...
- 9/19/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.
****
Enjoy!
150: Session 9
Directed by Brad Anderson
Written by Stephen Gevedon and Brad Anderson
2001, USA
If there was ever a perfect setting for a horror movie, it would be the abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital. Built in 1878 on an isolated site in rural Massachusetts, it was a multi-acre, self-contained psychiatric hospital rumoured to have been the birthplace of the pre-frontal lobotomy. The hospital was the setting for the 2001 horror film Session 9, where an asbestos clean-up crew discover a series of nine tapes, which have recorded a patient with multiple personalities, all of which are innocent, except for number nine. With a shoestring budget and no real special effects, Session 9...
****
Enjoy!
150: Session 9
Directed by Brad Anderson
Written by Stephen Gevedon and Brad Anderson
2001, USA
If there was ever a perfect setting for a horror movie, it would be the abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital. Built in 1878 on an isolated site in rural Massachusetts, it was a multi-acre, self-contained psychiatric hospital rumoured to have been the birthplace of the pre-frontal lobotomy. The hospital was the setting for the 2001 horror film Session 9, where an asbestos clean-up crew discover a series of nine tapes, which have recorded a patient with multiple personalities, all of which are innocent, except for number nine. With a shoestring budget and no real special effects, Session 9...
- 10/3/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
“I live in the weak and the wounded”
One of my all-time favorite horror flicks just turned ten last month. Session 9 comes from director Brad Andersen, the man who, since 2001, has directed Christian Bale in The Machinist and Woody Harrelson in Transsiberian, both thrillers that Hitchcock would have loved.
On the weekend of August 10, 2001, I had been planning to go see The Others when this odd newspaper ad caught my eye. The film was called Session 9 and its ad was a simple graphic: a figure in a hazmat suit and a rotted chair in a dark rundown hallway. Based on this ad, I ran to see it the next day at the Criterion 6 theatre in Santa Monica and came out feeling…changed.
Not sure what it was, exactly. Maybe it was the story, told as simple and subtle as the ad I saw: an asbestos removal crew cleans...
One of my all-time favorite horror flicks just turned ten last month. Session 9 comes from director Brad Andersen, the man who, since 2001, has directed Christian Bale in The Machinist and Woody Harrelson in Transsiberian, both thrillers that Hitchcock would have loved.
On the weekend of August 10, 2001, I had been planning to go see The Others when this odd newspaper ad caught my eye. The film was called Session 9 and its ad was a simple graphic: a figure in a hazmat suit and a rotted chair in a dark rundown hallway. Based on this ad, I ran to see it the next day at the Criterion 6 theatre in Santa Monica and came out feeling…changed.
Not sure what it was, exactly. Maybe it was the story, told as simple and subtle as the ad I saw: an asbestos removal crew cleans...
- 10/6/2011
- by Adam Cray
- Killer Films
I have a few reviews I'd written here and there, so I'm posting some in hopes that I can get some lively discussion going! Session 9 (2001) Starring: David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Peter Mullan, Josh Lucas Director: Brad Anderson Writers: Brad Anderson & Steven Gevedon Studio: USA Films / Universal Pictures Rated: R Few things are creepier than the horror-standard abandoned mental institution. While this spooky setting is a common ploy i…...
- 8/3/2011
- Horrorbid
In the spirit of Halloween '09, we're breaking out reviews (some new, some old) of some Fall Frights you may want to work into your monthly viewing.
Originally Published 4/18/2001:
There are three pieces of news attending the release of Session 9:
The Location: Director Brad Anderson, who scripted with Steve Gevedon (who also appears in an acting role) was inspired to make Session 9 by the real, abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital, in which the action is set. Seeing the movie makes one wonder why no one has used the place before; not only is the overall building shaped like a bat (with long "wings" stretching out from the main structure), but it's chockablock with twisty corridors, dark, scary basements and a pretty scary history of patients abused with barbaric "treatments." Anderson and Gevedon have come up with a great starting premise: A group of men arrive at...
Originally Published 4/18/2001:
There are three pieces of news attending the release of Session 9:
The Location: Director Brad Anderson, who scripted with Steve Gevedon (who also appears in an acting role) was inspired to make Session 9 by the real, abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital, in which the action is set. Seeing the movie makes one wonder why no one has used the place before; not only is the overall building shaped like a bat (with long "wings" stretching out from the main structure), but it's chockablock with twisty corridors, dark, scary basements and a pretty scary history of patients abused with barbaric "treatments." Anderson and Gevedon have come up with a great starting premise: A group of men arrive at...
- 10/1/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
"Session 9" is a muddle, unable to decide whether it wants to be a psychological thriller or a horror film. Its main plot elements and characters never coalesce in any coherent way so that one can reliably state the true intentions of filmmaker Brad Anderson. But a guess is that he is after a low-rent version of "The Shining", where an evil building drives people to commit evil deeds.
But nothing is going to drive audiences to see a tale of terror with so few shocks and such pedestrian writing. USA Films should realize a quick theatrical payoff before "Session 9" turns into a more viable video offering.
"Session 9" can boast of one unique twist to the thriller genre: This must be the first such film whose protagonists are asbestos removers. But didn't anyone stop to think that watching a bunch of guys removing asbestos is not a suspense builder, except perhaps for a workers' compensation in-surer?
Scottish immigrant Gordon (Peter Mullan), who owns and operates a Massachusetts as-bestos removal company, makes a low-ball bid on the tricky job of cleaning up the derelict Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned 120-year-old facility. With a new baby and a failing business, Gordon is so desperate to land the gig that he promises the town engineer he'll do the job in a week -- about half the time he truly needs.
Under these circumstances, he does something very strange: He hires a crew almost guaranteed not to get the job done in time.
Why would he hire Phil (David Caruso) and Hank (Josh Lucas), bitter antagonists since Hank stole Phil's girlfriend? Or law school dropout Mike (Stephen Gevedon), who spends much of his time listening to tapes of psychiatric sessions he discovers in a derelict office? Or his untrained nephew, Jeff (Brendan Sexton III), who along with his inexperience suffers from fear of the dark?
As work progresses, things go all too predictably wrong: Gordon gets increasingly stressed over the disintegrating marriage and business. Phil and Hank continually exchange derogatory comments before Hank mysteriously disappears. Mike grows obsessed over a series of tapes involving one Mary Hobbes, a multiple personality whose treatments culminated in a ninth revelatory recorded session (thus, the movie's title). And, of course, Jeff gets caught in the lower bowels of the building during a blackout.
Anderson, who co-wrote the script (with Gevedon) and edits as well, struggles to make the imposing Danvers complex with its crumbling interiors and impervious brick-and-mortar exterior into a major character. But the building simply sits there, a monument to outdated medical practices without ever acquiring the evil demeanor everyone attributes to it.
So Anderson must fall back on cliched musical flourishes by the band Climax Golden Twins to cue viewers to suspense they might otherwise not notice. Uta Briesewitz's hand-held camerawork is somewhat more effective at establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere. But the film never creates any true suspense, and the bloody climax feels forced and phony.
The film does serve as a showcase for Sony's 24P high-definition video camera, which represents a considerable advance in bringing the warmth of film to videography.
SESSION 9
USA Films
Scout Prods.
Producers: David Collins, Dorothy Aufiero, Michael Williams
Director-editor: Brad Anderson
Screenwriters: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
Executive producer: John Sloss
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Sophie Carlhian
Music: Climax Golden Twins
Costume designer: Aimee E. McCue
Color/stereo
Cast:
Phil: David Caruso
Gordon: Peter Mullan
Mike: Stephen Gevedon
Hank: Josh Lucas
Jeff: Brendan Sexton III
Bill: Paul Guilfoyle
Running time -- 100 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
But nothing is going to drive audiences to see a tale of terror with so few shocks and such pedestrian writing. USA Films should realize a quick theatrical payoff before "Session 9" turns into a more viable video offering.
"Session 9" can boast of one unique twist to the thriller genre: This must be the first such film whose protagonists are asbestos removers. But didn't anyone stop to think that watching a bunch of guys removing asbestos is not a suspense builder, except perhaps for a workers' compensation in-surer?
Scottish immigrant Gordon (Peter Mullan), who owns and operates a Massachusetts as-bestos removal company, makes a low-ball bid on the tricky job of cleaning up the derelict Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned 120-year-old facility. With a new baby and a failing business, Gordon is so desperate to land the gig that he promises the town engineer he'll do the job in a week -- about half the time he truly needs.
Under these circumstances, he does something very strange: He hires a crew almost guaranteed not to get the job done in time.
Why would he hire Phil (David Caruso) and Hank (Josh Lucas), bitter antagonists since Hank stole Phil's girlfriend? Or law school dropout Mike (Stephen Gevedon), who spends much of his time listening to tapes of psychiatric sessions he discovers in a derelict office? Or his untrained nephew, Jeff (Brendan Sexton III), who along with his inexperience suffers from fear of the dark?
As work progresses, things go all too predictably wrong: Gordon gets increasingly stressed over the disintegrating marriage and business. Phil and Hank continually exchange derogatory comments before Hank mysteriously disappears. Mike grows obsessed over a series of tapes involving one Mary Hobbes, a multiple personality whose treatments culminated in a ninth revelatory recorded session (thus, the movie's title). And, of course, Jeff gets caught in the lower bowels of the building during a blackout.
Anderson, who co-wrote the script (with Gevedon) and edits as well, struggles to make the imposing Danvers complex with its crumbling interiors and impervious brick-and-mortar exterior into a major character. But the building simply sits there, a monument to outdated medical practices without ever acquiring the evil demeanor everyone attributes to it.
So Anderson must fall back on cliched musical flourishes by the band Climax Golden Twins to cue viewers to suspense they might otherwise not notice. Uta Briesewitz's hand-held camerawork is somewhat more effective at establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere. But the film never creates any true suspense, and the bloody climax feels forced and phony.
The film does serve as a showcase for Sony's 24P high-definition video camera, which represents a considerable advance in bringing the warmth of film to videography.
SESSION 9
USA Films
Scout Prods.
Producers: David Collins, Dorothy Aufiero, Michael Williams
Director-editor: Brad Anderson
Screenwriters: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
Executive producer: John Sloss
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Sophie Carlhian
Music: Climax Golden Twins
Costume designer: Aimee E. McCue
Color/stereo
Cast:
Phil: David Caruso
Gordon: Peter Mullan
Mike: Stephen Gevedon
Hank: Josh Lucas
Jeff: Brendan Sexton III
Bill: Paul Guilfoyle
Running time -- 100 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
"Session 9" is a muddle, unable to decide whether it wants to be a psychological thriller or a horror film. Its main plot elements and characters never coalesce in any coherent way so that one can reliably state the true intentions of filmmaker Brad Anderson. But a guess is that he is after a low-rent version of "The Shining", where an evil building drives people to commit evil deeds.
But nothing is going to drive audiences to see a tale of terror with so few shocks and such pedestrian writing. USA Films should realize a quick theatrical payoff before "Session 9" turns into a more viable video offering.
"Session 9" can boast of one unique twist to the thriller genre: This must be the first such film whose protagonists are asbestos removers. But didn't anyone stop to think that watching a bunch of guys removing asbestos is not a suspense builder, except perhaps for a workers' compensation in-surer?
Scottish immigrant Gordon (Peter Mullan), who owns and operates a Massachusetts as-bestos removal company, makes a low-ball bid on the tricky job of cleaning up the derelict Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned 120-year-old facility. With a new baby and a failing business, Gordon is so desperate to land the gig that he promises the town engineer he'll do the job in a week -- about half the time he truly needs.
Under these circumstances, he does something very strange: He hires a crew almost guaranteed not to get the job done in time.
Why would he hire Phil (David Caruso) and Hank (Josh Lucas), bitter antagonists since Hank stole Phil's girlfriend? Or law school dropout Mike (Stephen Gevedon), who spends much of his time listening to tapes of psychiatric sessions he discovers in a derelict office? Or his untrained nephew, Jeff (Brendan Sexton III), who along with his inexperience suffers from fear of the dark?
As work progresses, things go all too predictably wrong: Gordon gets increasingly stressed over the disintegrating marriage and business. Phil and Hank continually exchange derogatory comments before Hank mysteriously disappears. Mike grows obsessed over a series of tapes involving one Mary Hobbes, a multiple personality whose treatments culminated in a ninth revelatory recorded session (thus, the movie's title). And, of course, Jeff gets caught in the lower bowels of the building during a blackout.
Anderson, who co-wrote the script (with Gevedon) and edits as well, struggles to make the imposing Danvers complex with its crumbling interiors and impervious brick-and-mortar exterior into a major character. But the building simply sits there, a monument to outdated medical practices without ever acquiring the evil demeanor everyone attributes to it.
So Anderson must fall back on cliched musical flourishes by the band Climax Golden Twins to cue viewers to suspense they might otherwise not notice. Uta Briesewitz's hand-held camerawork is somewhat more effective at establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere. But the film never creates any true suspense, and the bloody climax feels forced and phony.
The film does serve as a showcase for Sony's 24P high-definition video camera, which represents a considerable advance in bringing the warmth of film to videography.
SESSION 9
USA Films
Scout Prods.
Producers: David Collins, Dorothy Aufiero, Michael Williams
Director-editor: Brad Anderson
Screenwriters: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
Executive producer: John Sloss
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Sophie Carlhian
Music: Climax Golden Twins
Costume designer: Aimee E. McCue
Color/stereo
Cast:
Phil: David Caruso
Gordon: Peter Mullan
Mike: Stephen Gevedon
Hank: Josh Lucas
Jeff: Brendan Sexton III
Bill: Paul Guilfoyle
Running time -- 100 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
But nothing is going to drive audiences to see a tale of terror with so few shocks and such pedestrian writing. USA Films should realize a quick theatrical payoff before "Session 9" turns into a more viable video offering.
"Session 9" can boast of one unique twist to the thriller genre: This must be the first such film whose protagonists are asbestos removers. But didn't anyone stop to think that watching a bunch of guys removing asbestos is not a suspense builder, except perhaps for a workers' compensation in-surer?
Scottish immigrant Gordon (Peter Mullan), who owns and operates a Massachusetts as-bestos removal company, makes a low-ball bid on the tricky job of cleaning up the derelict Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned 120-year-old facility. With a new baby and a failing business, Gordon is so desperate to land the gig that he promises the town engineer he'll do the job in a week -- about half the time he truly needs.
Under these circumstances, he does something very strange: He hires a crew almost guaranteed not to get the job done in time.
Why would he hire Phil (David Caruso) and Hank (Josh Lucas), bitter antagonists since Hank stole Phil's girlfriend? Or law school dropout Mike (Stephen Gevedon), who spends much of his time listening to tapes of psychiatric sessions he discovers in a derelict office? Or his untrained nephew, Jeff (Brendan Sexton III), who along with his inexperience suffers from fear of the dark?
As work progresses, things go all too predictably wrong: Gordon gets increasingly stressed over the disintegrating marriage and business. Phil and Hank continually exchange derogatory comments before Hank mysteriously disappears. Mike grows obsessed over a series of tapes involving one Mary Hobbes, a multiple personality whose treatments culminated in a ninth revelatory recorded session (thus, the movie's title). And, of course, Jeff gets caught in the lower bowels of the building during a blackout.
Anderson, who co-wrote the script (with Gevedon) and edits as well, struggles to make the imposing Danvers complex with its crumbling interiors and impervious brick-and-mortar exterior into a major character. But the building simply sits there, a monument to outdated medical practices without ever acquiring the evil demeanor everyone attributes to it.
So Anderson must fall back on cliched musical flourishes by the band Climax Golden Twins to cue viewers to suspense they might otherwise not notice. Uta Briesewitz's hand-held camerawork is somewhat more effective at establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere. But the film never creates any true suspense, and the bloody climax feels forced and phony.
The film does serve as a showcase for Sony's 24P high-definition video camera, which represents a considerable advance in bringing the warmth of film to videography.
SESSION 9
USA Films
Scout Prods.
Producers: David Collins, Dorothy Aufiero, Michael Williams
Director-editor: Brad Anderson
Screenwriters: Brad Anderson, Stephen Gevedon
Executive producer: John Sloss
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Sophie Carlhian
Music: Climax Golden Twins
Costume designer: Aimee E. McCue
Color/stereo
Cast:
Phil: David Caruso
Gordon: Peter Mullan
Mike: Stephen Gevedon
Hank: Josh Lucas
Jeff: Brendan Sexton III
Bill: Paul Guilfoyle
Running time -- 100 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
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