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Following the one-two punch of 1986’s Witchboard and 1988’s Night of the Demons — both of which yielded sizable profits in the video store market — filmmaker Kevin Tenney was eager to return to his independent roots and make a movie without interference. He and his team managed to raise $400,000 with the caveat that it had to be used within a short time frame. As a result, Tenney wrote the script in a mere six days.

The result is 1989’s Witchtrap, so named in a thinly-veiled effort to capitalize on his previous success. (The feature was preceded on VHS with a forthright notice to viewers: “This motion picture is not a sequel to Witchboard.”) The rushed script turned out to be only the first of several issues that would haunt the production.

Tenney populated the cast with amateur actors who had appeared in his early student films as a show of gratitude.

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

House of 1000 Corpses Figures from Neca

Neca is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses with a set of Little Big Head stylized figures. Otis Driftwood, Captain Spaulding, and Baby Firefly each measure between 5″ and 6″ tall and come packaged together in a window box. Due out in September, the set can be pre-ordered for $59.99.

David Cronenberg Print from Vanessa McKee

David Cronenberg celebrated his 80th birthday this week, and he’s still churning out provocative and though-provoking movies with no signs of slowing down. From The Brood to Crimes of the Future, Vanessa McKee pays tribute to his legacy with a gorgeous illustration. 9×12 prints come signed by the artist for...

Well, March is definitely “going out like a lamb” (as the old saying goes) when it comes to horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases, as there are only several different titles coming home this Tuesday.

Universal Studios is releasing J.A. Bayona’s heartbreaking modern fable, A Monster Calls, to both Blu-ray and DVD this week, and if you're a cult film fan, then you have a few fun movies to look forward to adding to your home collections: Witchtrap, Venom, and the four-film collection for Wishmaster, a new addition to the Vestron Video Collector’s Series.

Other notable releases for March 28th include Mortuary Massacre, The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson, Park Chan-Wook's The Handmaiden (which finally gets the Blu-ray treatment), and for the little monster fans, Monster High: Electrified.

A Monster Calls (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu/DVD/Digital HD & DVD)

Liam Neeson, Felicity Jones, and Sigourney Weaver...

Witness the evil in the Lauder House in Kevin Tenney's supernatural horror film Witchtrap (1989), starring James Quinn and Linnea Quigley, and coming out on Blu-ray / DVD courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome this March.

Witchtrap Blu-ray / DVD: "This item will be released on March 28, 2017.

For years, the Lauder House has been plagued by strange and violent occurrences. Unexplained deaths and seemingly supernatural activities have scared away all prospective tenants and buyers, but now its owners have decided to turn the old mansion into a bed and breakfast. Follow a team of paranormal experts as they attempt to remove the demonic forces and cleanse the property of all evil, through the use of a special device designed to lure in and trap evil spirits. But as soon as they arrive the violence begins again, as members of the team begin to meet increasingly bloody fates…

Director Kevin Tenney’s (Night Of The Demons...

How do you make a haunted inn safe enough to ensure that guests will check in and out? An eclectic team of paranormal investigators are assembled to find the answer to that question in Witchtrap. Fans of the 1989 horror film from Kevin Tenney (Night of the Demons) will be pleased to know that Vinegar Syndrome has plans to release the movie on Blu-ray next year.

According to Blu-ray.com, Vinegar Syndrome will release Witchtrap sometime in early 2017. Although a release date, special features, and cover art have yet to be revealed, we'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on further details. In the meantime, we have the film's official synopsis (via Blu-ray.com) and a look at the movie's German trailer below.

Synopsis: "An old mansion on a seclude spot of prime real estate is inherited by a man from his long deceased uncle who died brutally on the premises. The...

Stars: Amelia Kinkade, Linnea Quigley, Cathy Podewell, Alvin Alexis, Hal Havins, Billy Gallo, Allison Barron, Lance Fenton, Donnie Jeffcoat, Jill Terashita, Philip Tanzini | Written by Joe Augustyn | Directed by Kevin Tenney

My discovery of Night of the Demons is one I’d consider the fondest of memories. It was back in my skuzzy VHS youth, whereupon I would scour my local mom and pop video store (Rip Video Express), placing the tags you’d need to procure said videotapes for rental. My mother would patronize the store every Friday, and my sister and I would be tasked by the friendly clerks with putting the tags out for returned tapes. I remember my curiosity being peaked by the horror section, because this was where the real gold lay within the store. The box art of these tapes showcased images that couldn’t even dream of being seen in a standard retail...

Many horror fans are familiar with Night of the Demons, but before he directed that, Kevin Tenney brought us Witchboard in 1986. Both movies will be released to Blu-ray by Scream Factory on February 4th and we’ve already given you a look at the original trailer for Night of the Demons. Here’s the original trailer for Witchboard:

“It’s called a Ouija Board and it’s been used for thousands of years to communicate with the souls of the afterworld. For beautiful Linda Brewster (Tawny Kitaen), it brings the playful ghost of a dead ten-year-old boy. But when the friendly spirit develops a sudden taste for violent murder and demonic possession, Linda’s boyfriend (Todd Allen) and her former lover (Stephen Nichols) must race to destroy the ferocious portal of the damned.”

Bonus Features:

New Audio commentary with Writer/Director Kevin Tenney and actors Stephen Nichols, James W. Quinn,...

If there's any company we expected Halloween excitement from today, it's Scream Factory, which delivers treats all year long. Today they've got a trio of tasty offerings to drop in our pails, and you can find details about all of it below - beginning with an exciting new short film contest!

From the Press Release

Scream Factory™, the premiere horror genre home entertainment provider, announced today the launch of its Mini-movie Massacre horror short film and video contest to be held on Scream Factory’s official YouTube channel Scream Factory TV. The call for entries is now open starting today, October 31, through the deadline of November 17. Please visit the Mini-Movie-Massacre site for in-depth details, submission guidelines, and forms.

Presented by Scream Factory™, the 2013 Mini-movie Massacre was created to shine the spotlight on some of today’s best independent horror short films and videos, emerging masters of horror, storytellers, and budding scream queens.

On February 4th, 2014, we’ll see a Blu-ray and DVD release of Night of the Demons and Witchboard. We’ve already given you a look at the cover art, but we now have details on new bonus features straight from Scream Factory:

“Horror movie enthusiasts and loyal fans are invited to join the magic circle and journey into the world filled with ancient dark rituals, spine-chilling suspense and blood-curdling terror when Scream Factory™ unleashes two of Director Kevin S. Tenney’s creepy supernatural ‘80s cult hits Night Of The Demons Collector’s Edition and Witchboard on home entertainment shelves everywhere February 4, 2014. Featuring a generous dose of gore and violence, Night Of The Demons stars William Gallo (Crash), Hal Havins (Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama), Mimi Kinkade (Night of the Demons II & III), Cathy Podewell (Dallas), scream queen Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead) and Jill Terashita (Sleepaway Camp...