After over a year of waiting, I'm very happy to say that my film Claustrophobia is now available across the United States and Canada. I'm less happy to say that it's being called Serial Slayer, but I'm proud all the same. My editor Marc Wade got an advance copy (before I did!) and reassured me that Lions Gate did not recut the film or alter the soundtrack. Other than changing the title and creating highly misleading cover art, they've left the film alone. It may look a little too much like video for my tastes, but, well, it is video, so there you go.
Now, I've said it before, but my main concern is that the cheesy title and cover art will: a) keep away the people who might actually like the film, and b) attract the people who probably won't like it: hardcore horror geeks. Although there's been a handful of decent reviews in the online horror community, I came across my first "zero stars" rating yesterday. It was given by a moron, but nevertheless, it was disheartening. So on a friend's advice, from this point forward I'm not reading any more reviews, unless somebody tells me in advance that it's a glowing one. Call me sensitive. But it's hard enough just getting a film made - I don't want to see some random idiot trashing it on his web site.
Gee, there's so much to say today. First of all, Fangoria didn't have a review of the film in this month's issue. Maybe next month (but now I can't read it, as per my pledge). Also, my producer's reps Integration Entertainment are stepping away from the foreign sales arena, so I need to find new foreign sales reps. And I am still slaving away on Dial 9 to Get Out. I didn't finish the first draft today, as I'd hoped, but then I often miss my self-appointed deadlines. Blame the holidays. At least I'm up to page 72.