Snider wrote and co-produced the original film in 1994, pre-dating the cinematic vogue for torture film franchises like Saw and Hostel. "At the time, I really wanted to re-invent the wheel of horror. Horror, traditionally, plays on people's fears of being chased and dying. That's totally played out. When you're being chased, there's the chance of escape. When you die, there's peace. What's much worse than being chased and dying is being helpless and suffering."
Strangeland is the story of a schizophrenic sexual sadist who lures victims via the Internet, forcing them to submit to ancient tribal rituals. "I came up with the idea of Internet crime before anybody had ever committed Internet crime," says Snider. "And if I am the father of torture films, I've got to come back like a sledgehammer to reclaim my crown!" To that end, Strangeland: Disciple will come complete with an NC-17 rating right out of the box. Obviously, Snider ain't kidding around. Strangeland: Disciple promises to be ultra-intense, taking place in the underworld of body modification fetishists, amid the secret sado-masochistic freak societies of perverted pleasures that lurk just underneath the veneer of respectable society.
Strangeland was produced in conjunction with The Shooting Gallery, the studio for Sling Blade and Croupier. Larry Meistrich, formerly of The Shooting Gallery, now operates Nehst Pictures and says, "I am very excited to be back in business with Dee Snider again! Strangeland was a great experience and I know the sequel is going to be better than the original. In these days of various platforms merging, it is great to be able to work with someone like Dee who is so multi-faceted."
The 1998 soundtrack included an incredible array of bands-System Of A Down, Sevendust, Soulfly, Slipknot, Kid Rock, Coal Chamber, Twisted Sister, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson and Pantera-handpicked by Snider. The success of the soundtrack led to a Strangeland tour, which Snider hopes to resurrect once again for Strangeland: Disciple, in an effort to grace the contours of his demented vision. "Music was intrinsic to me in the first one. We really tried to create the ultimate heavy soundtrack. Music will be important to me again for the sequel," adds Snider.
Returning for revenge in the sequel is Robert Englund (Nightmare On Elm Street's Freddie Krueger), who called Strangeland a "bona-fide cult hit." In the original, he played Jackson Roth, one of Captain's Howdy's victims.
When originally released, Fangoria magazine called Captain Howdy "a horror icon for the next millennium!" Just wait ‘til you see what he has planned this time around...
