Becoming Eduardo, a classic New Mexico coming-of-age story will be shown at the prestigious Burbank International Film Festival on Saturday, September 11 and Thursday September 16...
Even though the mountain community of Hillsboro, New Mexico, has but a few hundred residents, it is a locale of central importance to Becoming Eduardo, an independent drama screening Thursday, September 16th at the Burbank International Film Festival...
Japanese horror movies have had a profound influence on modern horror cinema, particularly through their unique use of atmospheric tension, psychological depth, and culturally specific storytelling. American remakes of Japanese classics, such as “The Ring” (“Ringu”) and “The Grudge” (“Ju-On”), have drawn in wider audiences by adapting these eerie narratives for American horror fans, all while introducing viewers to the original’s haunting charm. These horror remakes often draw interest and fandom for the original Japanese versions, elevating their status as cult classics. They even have had a great way of inspiring directors worldwide to adopt similar themes of dread, supernatural folklore, and minimalist scares. This terrifying cross-cultural exchange has shaped a large chunk of contemporary horror by blending unique styles and broadening the genre’s appeal. This hybrid of horror and culture has kept horror fans on the edge of their seats for years and will for many years to come.
We here at Macabre Daily recently learned of a new horror movie remake from an original Japanese horror movie that has our attention as we anticipate what is planned next for it. That movie is “Late Bloomer”, which is an upcoming American remake of the 2004 Japanese psychological horror film Osoi Hito (translated as Late Bloomer). Produced by Brad Littlefield and Randy Klinenberg, who acquired the rights to the popular Japanese IP, the film reimagines the original story for a modern American audience while preserving its chilling psychological core. The synopsis for this movie is as follows:
“Patricia, a fiercely independent, differently abled woman, spends her days living it up with her wild and carefree best friend, Bunny. The two women thrive on drinking, partying, and avoiding responsibility, embracing a life of fun and excess. But everything changes when Dean, Patricia’s handsome new caregiver, enters their lives. As a love triangle begins to form between Patricia, Bunny, and Dean, jealousy, lust, and desire quickly complicate their once carefree bond. Patricia’s dark, long-suppressed impulses, supported by her compulsive drinking and drug abuse, start to surface. Beneath her vibrant exterior, a deep rage is ignited, and the thrill of acting out begins to overtake her. With each step down this dangerous path, Patricia succumbs to her violent urges, committing chilling acts that none of them can escape. What began as harmless fun turns into a nightmare of obsession and bloodshed, leaving Patricia to face the consequences of her lethal actions.”
Directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, who also wrote the movie with Chynna Shurts, this remake with a fresh perspective to the source material. McCarthy, a seasoned horror filmmaker with over a decade of experience is known for his work in the genre (such as great horror movies like “Conjuring the Beyond” and “Pillow Party Massacre”). Some of his work within the world of horror movies has even received critical acclaim from The New York Times. McCarthy had this to say about why he is passionate about getting this movie to the horror fans everywhere:
“As both the writer and director of this American remake of Osoi Hito, I am deeply honored to bring this haunting story to life. Growing up as a dedicated J-horror fan, I have always been captivated by the unique ways Japanese cinema explores psychological terror and the human condition. Being 1/4 Japanese adds a personal layer to my connection with this material, allowing me to approach it with both reverence and a fresh perspective.
Osoi Hito speaks powerfully to themes of isolation and loneliness, emotions that can often spiral into violence and destruction. In our increasingly disconnected world, these themes are more relevant than ever. I aim to explore how solitude can warp our realities, leading us down dark paths that reveal both our vulnerabilities and our capacity for horror.”
With “Late Bloomer”, McCarthy aims to explore universal themes of isolation, desire, and emotional unraveling, all while recontextualizing the original film’s psychological depth for contemporary American horror audiences. With its focus on the darker side of human nature and the consequences of repressed emotions, “Late Bloomer” promises to be a tense, thought-provoking journey into the human psyche.
Stay tuned to Macabre Daily for more news on this movie, horror movie reviews and more as we continue to report on all things terrifying.
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Your upcoming movie Late Bloomer - in a few words, what's it going to be about?
A physically disabled woman grappling with society’s ableism ispummeled by violent visions, drawing her towards utter insanity. This English-language remake of the cult J-horror classic Osoi Hito, originally directed by Go Shibata, reimagines the story with a female lead, delivering a fresh, chilling take on the original’s dark themes of isolation and violence. With incredible sensitivity to the original film, writer/director Calvin Morie McCarthy and co-writer Chynna Rae Shurts [Chynna Rae Shurts interview - click here] provide a fresh interpretation of this powerful story. With a sharp mind and ruthless intent, she embarks on a chilling spree of violence, leaving terror in her wake.
With Late Bloomer being a remake of the Japanese movie Osoi Hito, how did you happen upon that film in the first place, what made you want to remake it, and how closely are you intending to remain to the original?
One of our producers Brad Littlefield acquired the rights to do a remake last year. It has been a project that he has been looking forward to doing for some time now. As fate would have it, he produced my film Conjuring the Cult, and we set off on a journey (along with producer Randy Klinenberg and writer Chynna Rae Shurts) to bring this project to life. The film will retain most of the same elements, just with some modern twists to keep it fresh and new.
Other sources of inspiration when scripting Late Bloomer?
As a longtime fan of J-horror, I feel I can bring a personal connection to the material, being 1/4 Japanese. I have a deep respect and fondness for J-horror films, so my biggest inspirations are the films of Takashi Shimizu and Ishiro Honda. But I also plan to give it a stylistic flare, reminiscent of Eurohorror epics from the 70s and 80s.
You've written Late Bloomer together with Chynna Rae Shurts - so what was your collaboration like?
Our collaboration is very easy and natural. Chynna and I have worked extremely closely for the last four years. Chynna usually acts as my editor, so it was really easy for us to collaborate on the script. With a film like this, I think it's important to have a female voice in the scripting process.
Late Bloomer isn't the first time you've worked with Chynna Rae Shurts (if not necessarily as co-writers), so do talk about your previous collaborations, and how did the two of you first meet even?
Chynna and I actually met on the set of a film called The Last Slay Ride. We were both the leads of that little horror film. Been together ever since.
What can you tell us about the film's intended look and feel?
The visual style of Late Bloomer will draw heavily from the works of Lucio Fulci [Lucio Fulci bio - click here] and Dario Argento, with a focus on creating an immersive, atmospheric experience. I want the film to feel unsettling, using stark contrasts of light and shadow, bold color choices, and tight, claustrophobic spaces to reflect the themes of isolation, loneliness, and dark desire. The slow-burn tension, along with long, lingering shots, will help build a sense of dread, mirroring the characters’ psychological descent. Ultimately, I want the audience to feel not just the emotional weight of the story, but the haunting, surreal world that these characters inhabit.
Anything you can tell us about Late Bloomer's cast, however tentative, yet?
We have not started casting yet. Still in the stage of looking for additional investors.
At what stage of pre-production of Late Bloomer are you at the moment, and is there any schedule in place yet? And even if it's way too early to ask, any idea when and where Late Bloomer might be released?
It's too early to tell. The script has made it through it's final revisions, and we started raising the money to get the film made. We are welcoming anyone who might be interested in jumping on board to get the film made. It's a popular IP, and a great story, so I am anticipating a lot of interest in the film.
Any future projects beyond Late Bloomer?
Conjuring the Cult, Revenge of the Boogeyman, and The Lizzie Borden Game are all set to release sometime this year!
Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?
For any information about Late Bloomer you can contact Brad Littlefield at Open Range Pictures: [email protected]
Starting in 1936, Victor Hugo Green, a letter carrier who lived in Manhattan, published the “Negro Motorist Green Book,” listing hotels, restaurants and other businesses where African-Americans would not only be welcome but also safe. The “Green Book” series rather diplomatically described Jim Crow-era experiences with racist business owners as “painful embarrassments suffered which ruined a vacation or business trip.”
Filmmakers, photographers, writers and curators are now documenting Mr. Green’s legacy.
This weekend a film crew led by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Becky Wible Searles will interview some of Mr. Green’s relatives for their documentary, “The Green Book Chronicles,” at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.
Ms. Wible Searles, an animation professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta campus, and Mr. Ramsey, a writer who has developed theater and musical versions of “Green Book” stories, have tracked down families who owned sites mentioned in the books or who relied on it for travel suggestions.
At times during interviews, Mr. Ramsey said, “People start crying, because they remember things.” Some had been told protective lies as children about why particular tourist routes were off limits to their families.
One contributor to his books described Mr. Green, who died in 1960, as “tall, well-built, always impeccably groomed, with an easy, affable manner.” He lived in Harlem, near his “Green Book” publishing office, and commuted to a day job delivering mail in Hackensack, N.J. He modeled his listings after Jewish publishers’ guidebooks for avoiding restricted places, where only gentiles could stay, and his Postal Service colleagues across the country helped him research.
“The mailmen would ask around on their routes” to find black and white business owners amenable to being listed in the “Green Book,” Mr. Ramsey said, adding that Mr. Green “had great leadership ability.”
Mr. Green published photographs of African-American entrepreneurs, including owners of Esso gas stations. His books advised readers to serve as “good-will ambassadors of our race among those who perhaps are unfamiliar with us.” He recommended New Mexico as a state where most motel keepers accepted “guests on the basis of ‘cash rather than color.’ ”
Ephemera like postcards and brochures for “Green Book” sites has been turning up, for modest prices. “We’ve been chipping away at that,” Ms. Wible Searles said.
Candacy Taylor, a photographer and cultural historian in Los Angeles, is documenting architecture at addresses listed in “Green Book” guides in collaboration with the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The books, she pointed out, saved lives by steering travelers away from sundown towns, all-white areas where blacks and other minorities risked being attacked after dark.
Ms. Taylor is planning to adapt roadside images and collected stories for publications, exhibitions, films and apps. Next year Avalon Travel will publish her Route 66 tourism guide with “Green Book” locations. She said that she could also envision sites known for tolerance being commemorated with plaques. White and black business owners, she said, “should be celebrated for not accepting the status quo of the time.”
Preservationists are calling attention to neglected buildings recorded in the guides. (The University of South Carolina’s website has a map of various sites, and digitized books are available on a number of websites.) This year a motel in Birmingham, Ala., built in the 1950s by the insurance magnate Arthur G. Gaston, a grandson of slaves, appeared on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of the 11 most endangered historic places.
Next Friday, “100 Miles to Lordsburg,” a short film about a black couple crossing New Mexico in 1961 and anxiously searching for “Green Book”-approved lodging, will be shown at the Plaza Classic Film Festival in El Paso. Karen Borger, its director, and Brad Littlefield, who wrote the script with Philip Lewis, are also working on “The Green Book Project,” a series of fact-based short narrative films.
The California African American Museum in Los Angeles will host a public discussion in April about the memories and memorabilia associated with “Green Book” travel. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, scheduled to open in the fall of 2016, will display a tattered copy of a “Green Book” from 1941 that it bought for about $22,500 at Swann Auction Galleries in Manhattan.
Hollywood Producers Brad Littlefield and Anne Marie Gillen are working with famous celebrity film star Meiyang Chang who has lent his support in providing outreach to the Hakka Community both in India and across the world in order to bring to the screen the cross-cultural novel One Amazing Thing. Written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, award-winning author, poet and teacher who was born in Kolkata, India.
Set in present day San Francisco, the novel follows the stories of nine strangers brought together by a unforeseen disaster. As each person shares their story, they find comfort in the face of adversity. A large part of the screenplay centers on a faithful depiction of the experiences from the perspective of an Indo-Chinese family and the impact the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962 has upon them and future generations.
The Producers have adapted the book to screenplay format to make a feature film and are currently in the process of attaching star-level director and actors. One of the largest talent and literary agencies in the world with offices in Hollywood and Mumbai, is involved in talent identification and assisting in securing the director. The Producers have also garnered the support of many successful organizations including Indian film companies and production finance entities.
Currently the Producers are seeking powerful and influential community members whose lives may have been impacted by these events and wish to see this important story brought to life in order to bring this significant issue onto the world stage.
Those who feel strongly this story needs to be told and want to assist the production, are invited to contact the producers for more information at: [email protected]
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