At the beginning of August, several of the major horror web publications all received a mysterious video spot hinting at something called 5 OR DIE. It turns out that “5 OR DIE” is actually the new short film from writer/director Tom Holland (Child's Play), which debuts exclusively on-line at the STRIKE TV website this September. STRIKE.TV is the new internet platform for Hollywood talent that was created during the Writer’s Guild Strike. Holland says the purpose is to give professionals a creative outlet other than the studios and networks. Read on for the skinny.
Holland is no stranger to the horror genre, having penned the screenplays for PSYCHO 2, THE BEAST WITHIN and later writing and directing horror classics FRIGHT NIGHT, CHILD’S PLAY and the Stephen King adaptations for THINNER and THE LANGOLIERS. “5 OR DIE” marks Holland’s grand return to the genre and introduces genre fans to a brand new killer unlike anyone you’ve ever seen cinematically thus far.
The short (shot in Studio City earlier this year) is about three high school friends who get caught in the middle of deadly chain email that instructs them to forward the letter in 5 minutes or die. As two of the friends watch the third get slashed and brutally murdered by a mysterious man in black, they desperately search for a way to protect themselves as they watch their time quickly run out.
Holland says one of the great things about the net is that there are no rules, and he intends to walk the edge in both horror and violence, hopefully falling over into the abyss of bad taste from time to time. There will be a message board on Strike.TV’s “5 OR DIE” page where fans can communicate with him and let him know if he has succeeded or not.
He hopes regardless, the show will be great fun for the fans and newcomers to the horror genre.
While STRIKE TV preps to premiere the short exclusively on their website in September, the My Space page is officially live now at: www.myspace.com/5ordie. Fans are encouraged to log in to their My Space page and add the profile to your friends list. You will have access to exclusive production stills, screen grabs and teaser trailers for “5 OR DIE”, and anyone that adds the profile will receive a code on August 18th to watch the short a full month before everyone else!
5 OR DIE was written & directed by Tom Holland and produced by Dennis DeFrehn, special effects by Vince Guastini and stars Brandon Fobbs (The Wire), Madeline Zima (Californication), James Snyder (Crybaby on Broadway) and Kevin Daniels (Their Eye were Watching God).
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