Movie idea of sorts...

[Blindrift]

Had this idea for sometime, it's still a work in progress, but I figured I see if it's worth putting serious effort into.

Oh, and the idea is inspired by this very website.

Basically the story is this:

Dr. Gore aka Doug Burke, runs the internets most popular horror review destination. Even Hollywood takes notice of his site. Doug himself is a self proclaimed horror expert. He's funny, to the point, and not afraid to cross the line at times in his reviews. His unique critic style has earned him a fan base, which have been very supportive and friendly, until now....

Doug begins getting emails from a fan detailing horrific murders, murders that Doug learns are real. The emails keep coming, some even have pics of the victim before and after. The fan tells Doug he's making a horror movie, and he wants Doug to review it. When he refuse's, his life turns into a nightmare as the killer begins to invade his personal life. Meanwhile, the body count continoues and the murders get more horrific, despite police efforts. Doug realizes that he is the only one able to stop this and he must somehow use his horror knowledge to figure out the killer's next move, as he close's in on the identity of the killer, thing's take a turn for the worse when Doug's girlfriend is kidnapped. Doug recieves an email directing him to a webpage where the killer has a live feed, via web cam of his girlfriend, hysterical, but alive. The killer assure's Doug that will change unless he promise's to write a review of his "movie". Doug agree's but is worried the killer may go back on his word. The clock is ticking. Can Doug end this or will his girlfriend's murder be the final act of the killer's sick movie?

That's the meat and potatoes. Nothing fancy. Any potential guy's?

-Rift

[Pestilence]

It needs a lot of work but I don't think it's a bad idea at all.

Obviously you only have a brief outline at work, so it's time to get into the real development. The main worry with this kind of thing is how are you going to make it different to all the other "person tormented by serial killer" movies out there? Nothing so far really breaks the mould.

The idea itself is a good one and deserves to be done justice. Lazily done I could see it as some straight-to-video dreck, or dumbed down with flashy images for a PG-13 theatrical release.

I'd certainly be interested in hearing more of the guts of the film, and as I've said before, how it's going to be different.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Not really a bad idea, but tell me this:

-Why did Doug refuse to review the movie in the first place?
-Once the horror has started, why doesn't he just review the stupid movie and stop the killing?

If you find a way to get through that, I like the whole "use his horror knowledge to figure out the killer."

[Blindrift]

You guy's bring up good points. I've been toying with the plotline and I think I may have fixed some holes.

Instead of an email, Doug recieves a video in the mail. The video has a young girl being murdered. Doug just thinks it's a fan's sad attempt at making a flick and hoping Doug can help them get to hollywood. He believes this until he see's the same girls picture on the news, reporting that her body was found. He goes to the police with it, but little can be done. Eventually more tapes come in and a stranger begins emailing him, taking credit for the tapes and murders. He tells doug he is making a movie, and he wanted to know what he thought so far. Doug is forced to witness each grisly murder as new tapes role in. Plus the killer begins to toy with him. Working with a police detective, they both descend into the horror culture. Soon the killer tells Doug the movie is almost done. But the final kill is Doug's girlfriend. As Doug figures out where the killer is he soon learns that the killer was watching him all along, filming him going to the police, his reaction to the tapes, etc. Doug is the star of the film. But the ending is yet to be said, and in some horror movies, the star doesn't always live....

Doug has made a living watching horror movies, but what will he do when he's in one?

[Pestilence]

It's starting to come together a bit better now, and I liked your style of wrapping up the synopsis at the end. Nice tagline in the making.

I have this image in my head of a bloodied and shackled Doug spitting his extremely negative review at the killer during a possible climax.

Shades of 8MM coming through as well, as Doug and the detective descend into the (no doubt extreme) horror culture, including the myth of snuff movies. I think the film would probably rely mostly on the kill scenes and how disturbing the video tapes could be made for the viewer (see Evil Dead Trap for an example), but with good characterisation this could all come together into an interesting and tense slasher/thriller.