DEE SNIDER's 'Strangeland' Horror Film Gets A Reboot

Emaji, Inc. has announced that its entertainment division, Emaji Entertainment, has acquired the rights to reboot Dee Snider's "Strangeland", the 1998 horror film written by and starring Snider, the frontman of heavy metal giant TWISTED SISTER.

Dee Snider's portrayal of Carlton Hendricks (a.k.a. Captain Howdy) in the original film created a character that has become a cult horror legend. Emaji Entertainment will accompany the singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality and actor back into the dark underground world of ritualistic body modification where victims are lured via an ever pervasive world of social media.

The 1998 soundtrack included an incredible array of bands — SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SEVENDUST, SOULFLY, SLIPKNOT, KID ROCK, COAL CHAMBER, TWISTED SISTER, MEGADETH, MARILYN MANSON and PANTERA — handpicked by Snider.

"Music was intrinsic to me in the first one," said Snider. "We really tried to create the ultimate heavy soundtrack. Music will be important to me again for this film."

The project has the working title "Strangeland: Disciple" and is the second film production announced by the company based on a well established horror property.

Emaji Entertainment recently announced a reboot of "The Howling" and plans two further projects as part of its initial branded horror slate.

In a February 2009 interview with FlickDirect, Snider stated about "Strangeland: Disciple", the proposed follow-up to "Strangeland", "'Hostel' and 'Saw' are children of 'Strangeland'. Before that, there was no torture genre; everyone was still beating the dead horse being chased and dying of 'Halloween'. The idea of being torn into had not been developed yet.

"I did a Fangoria radio show, dedicated to the world of horror; and the makers of 'Hostel' and 'Saw' would talk about how they loved 'Strangeland'. With 'Strangeland: Disciple', I'm going to take my crown back. That calls for a really intense effort on the part of the script.

"It is the graphic nature of 'Strangeland: Disciple'. It will be NC-17. We can allow ourselves to focus more on things happening to the subjects. We don't have to cut away so rapidly — so rabidly. 'R' leaves a lot to the imagination. I tend to leave a lot less to the imagination."

Regarding his decision to shoot for an NC-17 rating NC-17 from the MPAA's ratings board for "Strangeland: Disciple", Snider said, "I wanted to make the first one NC-17, but the company making the picture said, 'No, you can't. You won't get any screens. When did you last see an NC-17 movie at the multiplex?'

"There is a conservative undercurrent in this country that won't allow [this type of movie] to be seen. Their view is that the rating is to protect the public, not educate them.

"I know, from experience, that kids are buying tickets to 'Snow White' or whatever and sneaking in to see R-rated films. So we toned down 'Strangeland'. With 'Strangeland: Disciple', we are doing the reverse of what is going on today — which is to release the R-rated movie in the theaters and then do the unrated director's cut on DVD.

"When 'The Exorcist' came out, it only showed in New York and L.A. The word spread about this insane movie. The first cut was a lot more intense, with more subliminal cuts and things like the spider-walk that got taken out of the release version. People were passing out in the theater.

"We're going to do the initial screenings with NC-17, and then a wider release at 'R.' People will be going, 'You have to see the original.'

"I'm not making an intense picture for the purpose of making an intense picture. It's reality-based. The first one was also; when I wrote it, Internet crime didn't exist. In the last movie, Captain Howdy appears to burn to death — he is on fire. When you see how he survives, people will go, 'Oh crap, I get that!' It is reality-based."