There are times when running a horror site can get you down. You wonder if enough people are reading your stuff, if all the blood, sweat and tears (not to mention other fluids) you dump into everything you do is really worth it. You question if what you’re doing has any real value or effect on people.
I mean, really, how many studios do you know of that would have that kind of foresight, that kind of confidence in their movies to pay for the huge undertaking of getting not one or two, but five reporters from the U.S. to England to Africa and back again? To me it proved that not only does Fox Atomic understand the power of the online world and the people who work in it but that they respect and embrace our little corner of the fanboy universe.
So what, exactly, did we see? Some breathtaking sets that were built in a studio in Ourazazette, Morocco for The Hills Have Eyes 2, created by production designer Keith Wilson. Amazing makeup applied to stunt man/actor Derek Mears (who also happens to be one of the biggest horror geeks you could want to meet) created by the masters at KNB. Sketches and storyboards that showed how much of Hills 2 would play out (with nary a spoiler, too!). We saw enough things on the Hills Have Eyes 2 set to convince us that this wasn’t just some studio cash-in; Fox Atomic really believes in the film they’re making and wants it to be just as striking and memorable as the remake.
In the coming weeks expect to see a full set report, new images, videos, interviews and a whole lot more from The Hills Have Eyes 2, both here and on the other sites who were on-hand (namely IGN, Bloody Disgusting, Horror Movies.ca and JoBlo). Each of us will have a different perspective on all the things we saw and did, and you can bet your ass it’s going to be a great read. Stay tuned for the goods!