Universal Studios Hollywood Invites Filmmakers to Imagine 'Where Nightmares Come Alive' for Short Film Competition Coinciding With Launch of Annual Halloween Horror Nights

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., July 24, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- "Where Nightmares Come Alive" is the theme for Universal Studios Hollywood's first Halloween short film competition, a virtual film festival timed to coincide with the launch of the annual Halloween Horror Nights event that will invade the Entertainment Capital of L.A. for 13 nights this October.

Prospective filmmakers are invited to submit 90 seconds to three minute film shorts on DVD that support the theme, "Where Nightmares Come Alive." Selected films will be judged by a panel of horror industry professionals including director Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) and actor Bill Moseley (Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Devil's Rejects) as well as Universal Studios Hollywood executives. Criteria will be suspense, relevance to theme and overall "chill" factor. The top 10 shorts will be posted online from September 10 - 22 for public voting. Additional information on rules and regulations is available online at http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Nightmares. All entries must be received by September 3, 2008.

The winning "Where Nightmares Come Alive" film will be announced on September 25th and the filmmaker(s) will enjoy a screening at Halloween Horror Nights "Eyegore Awards" ceremony in front of celebrities, studio executives and media, tickets to the event and a $1,000.00 cash prize. The "Eyegore Awards" salute actors, directors, writers and musicians for their significant contributions to the horror and sci-fi genre. Past recipients have included: Janet Leigh, Roger Corman, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Clive Barker, Patricia Arquette, Jennifer Tilly, Stephen Sommers, Joss Whedon, Karen Black, Corey Feldman and Shawnee Smith.

This year's "Halloween Horror Nights" kicks off on Friday, October 3rd and will breath life into the horror classics "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Friday the 13th" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." It will redefine the "Terror Tram" as guests navigate an interactive environment within the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and a haunted backlot amid the Psycho House, Bates Motel and "War of the Worlds" film set.

"Halloween Horror Nights" will continue on consecutive weekends through Saturday, November 1st. More information is available at http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Hollywood.

Universal Studios Hollywood (http://www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com), The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex; the Universal CityWalk Cinemas; and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features such groundbreaking attractions as "The Simpsons Ride," "Revenge of the Mummy(TM) -- The Ride," "Shrek 4-D(TM)," "Jurassic Park(R) -- The Ride," and the world-renowned Studio Tour, which takes guests behind-the-scenes of such landmark TV and movie locations and sets as Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds."

Universal CityWalk features over 60 entertainment-themed restaurants, nightclubs, shops and dynamic entertainment options. Universal CityWalk Cinemas, offering the best movie-going experience in Los Angeles, features 19 screens including one of Southern California's largest IMAX(R) venues and newly renovated stadium-style seating.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

Universal Studios Hollywood Media Website: http://media.universalstudioshollywood.com

SOURCE Universal Studios Hollywood

http://www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com

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