Michael Michael Grais (Poltergeist) completes new horror scripts THE CHITTERING and THE KINDRED

LOS ANGELES - Dec. 10, 2013 - PRLog -- What has one of the most famous horror writers of the 20^th century been up to in the 21^st century? Michael Grais, co-writer on POLTERGEIST, with Steven Spielberg, and co-writer/producer of POLTERGIEST II, recently took a break from producing and executive producing and left Hollywood for a sabbatical in Mexico.  What emerged from this creative meditation is what may be Michael’s best work-to-date,  with 13 projects in development, including THE CHITTERING, a horror script that is possibly the most terrifying story yet told, so scary that Michael was genuinely afraid, and “The Kindred” a vampire script which is now the first ever e-screenplay available for download from Amazon Kindle.

Michael Grais has completed his latest horror feature script, THE CHITTERING, an action/adventure/horror story, that he is producing and in negotiations for a co-production deal with major Hollywood entities.  Fellow horror colleague Tom Holland (FRIGHT NIGHT/CHILD’S PLAY) has signed on to direct. The story is about a squad of young U.S. military men and women that are being stalked through the forests of Eastern Europe by a 15^th Century Weapon of Mass Destruction, accidentally released from its internment, designed to wreak havoc on the world.  The tagline teases, “And you thought the most terrifying thing on the battlefield was the enemy.” View the sizzle reel here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrg6L9UkuuI).



Grais remarks on the philosophy of his story, “THE CHITTERING monster is based on a mythological creature known as a Manticore – half-man - half-beast, with a lion body, human head and scorpion tale.  Originally intended for use in a video game concept as the Manticore is a commonplace character amongst the gaming, graphic novel and fantasy worlds, it became apparent that this ancient beast known in cultures across the world, would make a terrifying foe for the large screen.”

When asked what is the secret of being a successful screenplay writer, Grais describes, “Story writing, in addition to being highly creative, must be strategic and practical.  The writing should translate into a film that is economical to produce, has a built-in audience, and is relatable to the current demographic audience. If possible it should also have something to say about the world around us, as THE CHITTERING does.”

Grais elaborates, “THE CHITTERING takes place in the forest, one setting, and is easy to produce.  The evil foe is based on a mythological character from fairytales known the world over and used in popular culture (games, graphic novels), so has a built-in audience. The story is based in a war-torn country where young people are sent off to war to fight an unknown enemy – a simile to today. Overall, the message is a cautionary tale about war and politics.”

Grais spoke calmly about the deeper meaning of THE CHITTERING, “As a horror writer, who has witnessed paranormal first-hand, I can personally attest that there is nothing more terrifying than man himself.  This story goes deeper than just a paranormal beast in the night.  It breaks down barriers of what humans will do to one another and shows how our world is so fragile in the midst of weapons of mass destruction and the whim of one government to take control.”  When asked about the writing process, Grais stated, “Writing THE CHITTERING actually scared me.  I have actually never experienced fear before while writing a script. This story terrified me so I didn’t want to write at night.”

As an industry trailblazer, acclaimed horror screenwriter Michael Grais has launched the first-ever e-screenplay, THE KINDRED (action/adventure/occult), available on Amazon Kindle (http://www.amazon.com/KINDRED-screenplay-Michael-Grais-eb...).

For $.99 you can download the entire 134-page script giving many readers the first glimpse of the Hollywood process of movie making.

THE KINDRED is a fun, sexy, vampire movie. Unlike other genre films, it’s not dark, but a bright neon action adventure story with a group of female protagonists.

Why put the screenplay on Kindle?  So it can be seen. For years, Hollywood has kept these unproduced gems to themselves - hidden from the public eye where only a select few people would actually get to read the script. Grais decided to do things a little differently and put his screenplay directly into the hands of the audience.   “Security is actually not an issue as the publication date is evidently displayed and any stealing of the idea could easily be arbitrated in my favor,” claims Grais.

According to the 5-star reviews on Amazon, the e-book audience is enjoying the  new and different experience of reading a formatted script and potential future movie. “It’s just a matter of time until this trend catches on among screenwriters,” says Grais. “Screenplays are works of art in and of themselves and I encourage fellow screenwriters to share their work with the world.”

About Michael Grais:  MICHAEL GRAIS  has written and produced movies and television shows of domestic and international acclaim, whose gross revenues have exceeded five hundred million dollars.  Michael has written everything from horror, to romantic comedies, to thrillers for seven Academy Award winning producers/directors. Grais is best known for his association with Steven Spielberg as co-writer for the mega hit POLTERGEIST. Other credits include co-writing and producing  POLTERGEIST II,  the Steven Seagal thriller MARKED FOR DEATH,  as well as COOL WORLD starring Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger.  His producing credits include Steven King’s SLEEPWALKER, GREAT BALLS OF FIRE with Dennis Quaid, Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder, and several television shows.  Michael continues to write and produce feature films, television and web series,  and has even co-written a novel.  View his full list of credits on imdb (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0334457/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1).

Hi res images downloadable via DropBox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yb6wfa5awz167n8/BDNV4mZKG1