Fearnet.com – the online VOD service that launched last year – has picked up its first orignal feature film, CATACOMBS. The film follows a young woman (Alecia Moore, a.k.a. Pink) who gets lost in the famous Paris catacombs. The premier is set for October 1; on Halloween it will become available for as a Video on Demand (meaning you can watch it whenever you want). The film was written and directed by Tomm Coker and David Elliot, for Twisted Pictures (the company behind the SAW franchise).
Until now, Fearnet’s catalogue has consisted of old titles from the vaults of its two partners, Sony and Lionsgate. Its first original programming consisted of two mini-series, DEVIL’S TRADE and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOOD TRAILS (the latter tied in with the upcoming feature film release). Fearnet also features trailers and exclusive video interviews.
Because it is supported by ad revenues, Fearnet offers films for free on its main website – rather like a feature-length version of YouTube.Com. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim, and the navigation is confusing. Browsing through the alphabetical listings of Free Movies shows that most letters contain not a single title. The catalogue features mostly second-tier titles like the Full Moon production LURKERS and the mostly forgotten exploitation schlock like NIGHTMARE IN WAX (with the late Cameron Mitchell as a maniac who kills his victims and – you guessed it – uses them as wax figures).
You will find many more, higher profile titles under the “Horror A-Z” section, but clicking on these links brings you to a page of cast-and-crew info about the film, not a Video on Demand. There is also a Fearnet.Com store where you can purchase videos for download. You are more like to recognize the titles here, but there are still not that many (120).
In short, Fearnet is a pretty good idea, but it could really use a Frequently Asked Questions page and/or an About Us page to help the uninitiated vistor find his way.