got hooked up with some info. on the long awaited,
2001 TALES FROM THE CRYPT film that has yet to be released entitled
RITUAL.
Apparently Dimension bought this story of Voodoo and, er, ritual way
back in 2001 from Universal, stripping away the TALES FROM THE CRYPT
header, with plans to release it as a stand alone movie. Don’t see the
logic there, but OK.
The flick stars 80s icon Jennifer Grey, Craig Sheffer, and Tim Curry,
directed by Avi Nesher (RAW NERVE) and written by Nesher and Rob Cohen
(director of xXx and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS).
Check out this detailed synopsis:
Inspired by director Jacques Tourneur’s 1943 classic
“I Walked with a Zombie,” this new offering explores the mystical and
sensual, yet often times terrifying world of Voodoo spirituality. A
dedicated oncologist, Dr. Alice Dodgson (Grey), must compromise her strict
belief in western medicine when she encounters the mysterious Obeah
culture on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Hired by wealthy American Paul
Clayborne (Sheffer), Alice travels to the exotic locale to treat a
cancer patient, Paul’s brother Wesley. Upon her arrival, Alice finds
herself immersed in the rhythm and harmony of this foreign civilization.
Immediately, Alice is besieged by the locals with tales of zombies and
possession. Though she dismisses the fantastical yarns as tropical ghost
stories, what she is about to experience will change her point of view.
Gradually, Alice learns about the magical and musical native culture
while she attempts to treat the despondent Wesley with her proven
scientific methods. Wesley reluctantly buys into Alice’s enduring optimism.
Making her job much more difficult, the emotional attachment that Alice
and Wesley share as doctor and patient gradually develops into stronger
feelings of love and desire. Alice finally comes to the realization that
Wesley is not only suffering from a unique strand of cancer, but is
also a victim of a powerful Voodoo Priest! Her first move is to figure out
who on the island wants Wesley dead, and why. Alice must ultimately
submit to the strange and sensual native culture to save her beloved
Wesley’s life, facing off against a seductive Voodoo queen as she fights
fire with fire.
Um, hmmm. Ok. No wonder they sat on this bitch of a flick for 4 years!
Since it’s already been released overseas, the word of mouth for RITUAL
is pretty bad- but Dimension figures they have to release sometime
before they split from Disney. So it’s time to empty their bag, along with
the long awaited DVD releases of the latest HELLRAISER flicks, THE CROW: WICKED PRAYER, PROPHECY: UPRISING, PROPHECY: FORESAKEN, DRACULA 3: LEGACY, and CYPHER. I’m surprised they’re
not releasing the HELLRAISER franchise in the theater over RITUAL, but
I’m sure there’s a reason in there somewhere that I can’t quite make out.
Be sure to look for RITUAL in theaters September 22nd.