I meant to mention this last week, but I forgot. Anyway, the Sci Fi channel published a bit of nonsense about zombies and why they are ace, written by yours truly in the wake of the rather wonderful Dead Set, and you can see it here:
http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/11/why-we-love-zombies.php
Then hot of the presses, this week I've waxed lyrical about why a certain Mr Herbert should be better represented in the world of Brit horror. You can see it here:
http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/11/chris-wood-wwwbritishhorrorfil.php
Monday, 17 November 2008
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Please Hammer, don't hurt me
The second of my articles about British horror is now available to view on the Sci Fi channel website. This time it's about Hammer films, and it may be a tad harsh...
You can see it here: http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/11/-as-a-fan-when.php
You can see it here: http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/11/-as-a-fan-when.php
Youtubery jiggery pokery
Whilst mucking about on YouTube this evening, I noticed the "annotations" tab, so had a play with a clip from "The Mutations". I think my additions make it far more "BHF website" than just a boring old clip... what do you think?
Sunday, 2 November 2008
The Sci Fi's the limit!
The BHF has branched out a bit, and is now connected to the mighty Sci Fi Channel (sort of).
Don't worry, I've not gone all telly, although given the shenanigans this week I believe there's an opening on the BBC's film programme - perhaps I should put my name forward...
Anyway, I am now writing the occasional story for the channel's website. Given the fact that what I know about science fiction itself lies somewhere between "fuck" and "all", it's a good job they've asked me to write about British horror. Which is what I'm doing. The first effort is now on the Sci Fi channel's website, and there will be more soon (until they get bored with me banging on about Peter Csuhing and Robin Askwith, anyway).
You can see it here: http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/10/a-beginners-guide-to-british-c.php
Don't worry, I've not gone all telly, although given the shenanigans this week I believe there's an opening on the BBC's film programme - perhaps I should put my name forward...
Anyway, I am now writing the occasional story for the channel's website. Given the fact that what I know about science fiction itself lies somewhere between "fuck" and "all", it's a good job they've asked me to write about British horror. Which is what I'm doing. The first effort is now on the Sci Fi channel's website, and there will be more soon (until they get bored with me banging on about Peter Csuhing and Robin Askwith, anyway).
You can see it here: http://www.scifi.co.uk/articles/2008/10/a-beginners-guide-to-british-c.php
Got a tenner?
British Indie producer Tom Atkinson writes to tell the BHF about his latest project...
The 10 Pound Horror Film -www.the10poundhorrorfilm.com has already had support for the project from names like Nicholas Roeg (/Don’t Look Now/), John Landis (/American Werewolf in London/; the Michael Jackson /Thriller/ music video), Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (both from /Spaced, Hot Fuzz/ and /Shaun of the Dead/) as well as Kane Hodder (Jason from the /Friday the 13th/ series).
The aim of the project is to create a truly 21st century British Horror film and open up the production process to horror fans worldwide on the internet.
I feel the time is right for a project that aims to bring the British Horror Film back to international prominence.
A video teaser for the 10 Pound Horror Film posted on YouTube one month ago to test people’s interest has already received over 70,000 views and shows no sign of stopping and the first Video Blog for the production is attracting a lot of interest.
Check it out at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg2pPnypYa8
The 10 Pound Horror Film -www.the10poundhorrorfilm.com has already had support for the project from names like Nicholas Roeg (/Don’t Look Now/), John Landis (/American Werewolf in London/; the Michael Jackson /Thriller/ music video), Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (both from /Spaced, Hot Fuzz/ and /Shaun of the Dead/) as well as Kane Hodder (Jason from the /Friday the 13th/ series).
The aim of the project is to create a truly 21st century British Horror film and open up the production process to horror fans worldwide on the internet.
I feel the time is right for a project that aims to bring the British Horror Film back to international prominence.
A video teaser for the 10 Pound Horror Film posted on YouTube one month ago to test people’s interest has already received over 70,000 views and shows no sign of stopping and the first Video Blog for the production is attracting a lot of interest.
Check it out at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg2pPnypYa8
8ight Limbs gets award
Jamie Rae writes to tell me about his new horror film:
'8ight Limbs' was written, produced and directed by Daniel Anscombe and myself this year.
We recently have been IMDb credited.On Monday 13th October '08, '8ight Limbs' won the Total Film Award For Best Trailer, at the Quarterly IceWhole.com Awards, which was held at Everyman Cinema in London.
Personalities attended includes Jon Hurt and Charles Dance.We are aiming to self distribute the DVD through Cupsogue Pictures on 1st December this year, and will be available through amazon.co.uk.
You can see the trailer here: http://www.icewhole.com/site/films/film.cfm?filid=1682
Ooh, that looks grim. But highly accomplished, n'all!
Let's hope Jamie and Daniel got legless after getting the award (ba-dum-bish).
'8ight Limbs' was written, produced and directed by Daniel Anscombe and myself this year.
We recently have been IMDb credited.On Monday 13th October '08, '8ight Limbs' won the Total Film Award For Best Trailer, at the Quarterly IceWhole.com Awards, which was held at Everyman Cinema in London.
Personalities attended includes Jon Hurt and Charles Dance.We are aiming to self distribute the DVD through Cupsogue Pictures on 1st December this year, and will be available through amazon.co.uk.
You can see the trailer here: http://www.icewhole.com/site/films/film.cfm?filid=1682
Ooh, that looks grim. But highly accomplished, n'all!
Let's hope Jamie and Daniel got legless after getting the award (ba-dum-bish).
Fancy a Brazilian
The jokes about "close shaves" end here. But I was contacted (ages ago... oops) by the organisers of the Fantasy Short Film Festival, a Brazilian festival focused on fantasy, horror and sci-fi short films.
A nice man called Vivi writes:
Our screening sessions take place in São Paulo, one of the most cultural cities.
This year we are going to promote the third edition of this festival and, so far, we have selected more than 100 films, to be screened throughout a whole week in 6 different theaters, including short films and special screenings of feature films.
Our site is: www.cinefantastico.com.br
Apparently, two months ago they were looking for some British entries - let's hope they found some (without my help).
A nice man called Vivi writes:
Our screening sessions take place in São Paulo, one of the most cultural cities.
This year we are going to promote the third edition of this festival and, so far, we have selected more than 100 films, to be screened throughout a whole week in 6 different theaters, including short films and special screenings of feature films.
Our site is: www.cinefantastico.com.br
Apparently, two months ago they were looking for some British entries - let's hope they found some (without my help).
Nice website, by the way!
Aber Dabba doo!
Wales, eh? Lovely place, if a tad scary (well, bits of it).
And now it's set to be even scarier, with the third appearance of the Abertoir Horror Festival in Aberystwyth (see what they did there?)
Sounds like it should be well worth a visit, especially because they're making a big deal of all-time Brit horror fave DEATH LINE!
Here's the details...
HORROR AWAITS IN ABERYSTWYTH!
Abertoir Horror Festival 12 – 16 November 2008
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Information begins......
Wales' only horror festival is back for a third terrifying year, and this year its bigger and more horrifying than ever before! Abertoir will run at Aberystwyth Arts Centre from the 12th – 16th November, and this year the programme includes screenings of over twenty horror films from around the world, including UK premieres, cult screenings and classics. Plus as a new strand a whole host of special events will give fans of horror something truly memorable. Films, music, theatre, book signings, and special guests from the horror genre will turn the peaceful seaside town of Aberystwyth into a haven for lovers of the macabre - so lock up your grannies, Abertoir is coming. Be afraid. Be very afraid.....
Special events for 2008 include:
Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) who will talk about his latest book ‘Black Butterfly’, sign copies and answer questions from fans.
Doug Bradley, most widely known for his role as Pinhead in the Hellraiser films, performs his one-man show and present his new range of visual talking books.
Claudio Simonetti’s band GOBLIN was responsible for some of the most stunning examples of film music, and his work is legendary. His new band DAEMONIA are flying over from Italy for a live concert of his unforgettable horror themes.
Gary Sherman is the director responsible for the classic British horror Death Line, Dead and Buried and many more. He is flying over from Chicago with a new print of Death Line to talk about his work and to give a very special filmmaking masterclass.
Adele Hartley, Curator of ‘Dead By Dawn’, Scotland’s premiere horror festival, will talk about her series of books ‘Read By Dawn’, a collection of modern horror writing.
Axelle Carolyn presents a fascinating talk about her book ‘It Lives Again!’, a comprehensive analysis and overview of the state of horror cinema at the start of the 21st Century.
Dan Abnett has contributed to the greatest graphic novels, including Warhammer, 2000AD, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. Dan will be signing books and is happy to chat with fans!
Jim Groom, director, will host a Q&A after his latest film “Room 36”.
Stefan Jakubowski, Horror writer, will be here over the weekend to sign his latest book, Miscreation.
The film schedule is a packed one, with many horror aficionadas seeing over 20 films in non stop screenings over the weekend. The films include:
· John Carpenter’s terrifying Halloween (18) on a rare 35 mm print
· A mystery late night Grindhouse Screening (18)
· Donald Pleasance stars in ‘Death Line’ , screened on a new 35 mm print, followed by a Q&A with director Gary Sherman
· Daddy’s Girl (18) a new Welsh psychological horror feature
· Examples of the Japanese horror genre including Machine Girl (18), Tokyo Gore Police (18)
· Suspiria (18) Dario Argento’s Italian masterpiece, followed by a Q&A With Claudio Simonetti, composer of the memorable score
· The Phantom of the Opera (PG) with Live Accompaniment from composer Paul Shallcross
· Make Your Own Damn Movie! A selection of some of the amazingly talented independent filmmakers that the festival has discovered.
· Short Film Competition with a £500 Prize!
· Plus screenings of: Hush (18); Midnight Meat Train (18); 39: A Film By Carroll McKane (18) (European Premier); Witchfinder General (18); Martyrs (18); The Innocents (PG); Doug Bradley’s Spinechillers; My Name is Bruce (15) and more.
So all in all it promises to be a packed weekend of events and activities. Bookings are open now for the weekend and are already selling well, with many fans opting for the ‘Festival Pass’ which gives entry to every event of the weekend. Alternatively tickets can be bought for individual events. Bookings can be made either online at www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre or by calling 01970 62 32 32. Full news of all the latest Abertoir acticvities can be found on the festival website www.abertoir.co.uk.
Abertoir is an initiative of Aberystwyth Arts Centre and is supported by the Film Agency of Wales.
END/
For more information please contact Louise Amery on 01970 622889 or email lla@aber.ac.uk ABERTOIR HORROR FESTIVAL 2008 Nov 12th – 16th
GUESTS & BOOK EVENTS:
Doug Bradley, most widely known for his role as Pinhead in the Hellraiser films, performs his one-man show and present his new range of visual talking books.
Claudio Simonetti’s band GOBLIN was responsible for some of the most stunning examples of film music, and his work is legendary. His new band DAEMONIA are flying over from Italy for a live concert of his unforgettable horror themes.
Gary Sherman is the director responsible for the classic British horror Death Line, Dead and Buried and many more. He is flying over from Chicago with a new print of Death Line to talk about his work and to give a very special filmmaking masterclass.
Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) will be here to talk about his latest book ‘Black Butterfly’, sign copies and answer questions from the fans. (Tickets £1, redeemable off book purchase)
Adele Hartley, Curator of ‘Dead By Dawn’, Scotland’s premiere horror festival, will talk about her series of books ‘Read By Dawn’, a collection of modern horror writing.
Axelle Carolyn presents a fascinating talk about her book ‘It Lives Again!’, a comprehensive analysis and overview of the state of horror cinema at the start of the 21st Century.
Dan Abnett has contributed to the greatest graphic novels, including Warhammer, 2000AD, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. Dan will be signing books and is happy to chat with fans!
Jim Groom, director, will host a Q&A after his latest film “Room 36”.
Stefan Jakubowski, Horror writer, will be here over the weekend to sign his latest book, Miscreation.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES:
Thurs 13 Nov – 4pm Gary Sherman Masterclass
Director Gary Sherman will present a very special masterclass in filmmaking.
Friday 14 November – 9.30pm Tickets £10 ( or included in the Abertoir Festival pass)
Claudio Simonetti's DAEMONIA Live in Concert
From world renowned group GOBLIN, Claudio Simonetti’s band Daemonia is the culmination of a lifetime of work on some of the genre's most revered and important films. Touring as far as America, Japan and Europe, Claudio’s fantastic credits include the scores to such films as Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria, Profondo Rosso, Demons, Opera and Tenebre. For this very rare UK performance, this is a perfect opportunity to hear these magnificent tracks played live on stage, breathing new life into horror's most legendary music.
Sat 15 Nov - 7.30pm Tickets £10 (or included in Abertoir festival package)
DOUG BRADLEY: AN EVENING WITH DEATH
UK PERFORMANCE PREMIERE
Join horror screen legend Doug Bradley on a journey into the depths of dread! With the help of a handful of writers such as Ray Bradbury and Clive Barker, Bradley’s world-touring show presents us with a stellar collection of classic and modern tales of horror.
FILMS:
15th Nov – 4pm, 16th Nov - 2pm
Short Film Competition - £500 Prize!
Over two sessions, we will be determining the best short film from some of the splendid professional shorts sent to us, with a prize of £500 for the winner!
12th Nov – 5pm
John Carpenter’s Halloween (18)
(John Carpenter, USA 1978, 91mins)
John Carpenter’s terrifying movie is still as powerful today as it was when first released. For its 30th anniversary, we’ve done some digging and managed to find a rare 35mm print!
+ SHORT FILM “RED LINES”
12th Nov – 7.30pm
Hush (18)Adv
(Mark Tonderai, UK 2008)
Driving home along the M1, a couple, Zakes and Beth, stop for a rest at a service station. But when Beth is kidnapped by the driver of a white van, Zakes finds himself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse along the empty motorway…..
12th Nov – 9.30pm
Midnight Meat Train (18)
(Ryuhei Kitamura, USA 2008, 100mins)
Clive Barker’s tale of terror comes as the first adaptation from his
Books of Blood series and follows a photographer who gets drawn into the nightmarish world of a subway murderer who stalks late-night commuters.
12th Nov – 11.45pm
Mystery Grindhouse Screening (18)
We’ve managed to find a beat-up, scratchy and falling apart film from the glorious Grindhouse era that’ll be winding it’s way through our poor projector for this late night mystery screening. We encourage heckling and raucous inappropriate laughter….
13th Nov – 1.45pm
Daddy’s Girl (18) (Screening sponsored by Contender)
(D J Evans, UK 2007, 85mins)
"Daddy's Girl" is a chilling psychological horror feature made by Welsh talent and filmed in Wales. A psychiatrist struggling to hold his life together meets a troubled teenage girl whose sinister behaviour and obsession for cutting herself starts to push the boundaries of teenage angst to a frightening new level. + SHORT FILM “CAM2CAM”
13th Nov – 6pm
Death Line + Q&A With Director Gary Sherman (18)
(Gary Sherman, UK 1972, 87mins)
At the end of the 19th century, a group of workers are trapped and abandoned after a cave-in while working on the construction of the London Underground. A hundred years later, the cannibalistic and mutated descendent of this group is poaching passengers from the busy subway system, and it’s up to investigator Donald Pleasance to discover the true extent of the atrocities. Brand new 35mm print straight from the USA!
13th Nov – 9.30pm
39: A Film By Carroll McKane (18)adv
(Gary Sherman, USA 2007, 90mins)
Carroll McKane's DVcams have recorded the deaths of his 36 past victims. His killing room, a makeshift studio, is the set for the murders of two more victims and the torture of a forensic psychiatrist. European premiere!
13th Nov – 11.45pm
Machine Girl (18)adv
(Noboru Iguchi, Japan 2008, 96mins, Subtitled)
Absurd. Ridiculous. Offensive. Shocking. Ninjas. Sushi. Gore. Tempura.
Guillotine Bra… A Japanese schoolgirl loses her arm while protecting her brother from third-rate Yakuza; replacing it with a machine gun she sets about her revenge in this gloriously over-the-top late night splatter fest!
14th Nov – 6.30pm
Suspiria (18) + Q&A With Claudio Simonetti
(Dario Argento, Italy 1977, 97mins)
An assault on the senses from start to finish, Dario Argento’s masterpiece bombards the viewer with such a visual and aural onslaught that Suspiria remains one of the most prominent and talked about films in horror movie history. Printed using the obsolete three-strip Technicolor process, the film is bathed in a fabulous sea of reds, greens and blues; a remarkable achievement in visual style that is enhanced by Simonetti’s pounding score.
+ Short Film “The Dirt” With Introduction By Simona & Claudio Simonetti. UK Premiere!
15th Nov – 2pm
Witchfinder General (18)
(Michael Reeves, UK 1968, 86mins)
Vincent Price gives the performance of his career as Matthew Hopkins, the 17th century witchfinder who travelled the country extracting confessions from innocent young women. He finds a nemesis in the form of Ian Ogilvy, a soldier in Cromwell’s army whose fiancée falls foul to Hopkins’ treachery. What follows is a campaign of revenge by the soldier destined to put an end to Hopkins’ reign of terror.
15th Nov – 10pm
Martyrs (18)
(Pascal Laugier, France 2008, 97mins, Subtitled)
Given a harsh 18+ rating in France, this extremely controversial shocker follows a young girl who survived a horrific kidnapping and abuse the hands of a sadistic family. 15 years later, she joins forces with another survivor of abuse to track down the people who made her suffer.
15th Nov – Midnight
Tokyo Gore Police (18)adv
(Yoshihiro Nishimura, Japan 2008, 110mins, Subtitled)
Set in near-future Tokyo, a new breed of genetically modified humans are starting to take over, with the ability to sprout new limbs in the form of biological weapons. The literally eye-popping special effects are out of this world; it’s an insane, violent, bizarre, over-the-top and brilliantly subversive film.
16th Nov – 12pm
The Innocents (PG)
(Jack Clayton, UK 1961, 100mins)
An adaptation of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, the film is set in Victorian England and follows governess Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) who is assigned to look after two orphans at a bleak country estate. Gradually, she becomes convinced that the children are not who they pretend to be, and begins to find herself fighting for her own sanity as the horrible secrets of the house reveal themselves one by one….
16th Nov – 4.30pm
The Phantom of the Opera with Live Accompaniment (PG)
(Rupert Julian, USA 1925, 100mins)
We’re delighted that this particular screening will featuring a live piano accompaniment by composer Paul Shallcross, who has spent this summer creating a brand new score for Lon Chaney’s classic film.
16th Nov – 6.30pm
Doug Bradley’s Spinechillers
An exciting new concept in visual audio books, Doug Bradley will present two examples, HP Lovecraft's: The Outsider, and Edgar Allen Poe's: The Tell-Tale Heart.
16th Nov – 9.30pm
My Name is Bruce (15) adv
(Bruce Campbell, USA 2008)
When threatened by a vengeful monster, a small village decides the only person who can possibly help is ass-kicking hero Bruce Campbell (playing himself). Convinced that it’s all an elaborate birthday present from his agent, Bruce begins to enjoy the spoils of being a movie hero, including free liquor, but is quite unprepared when his target turns out to be far from the usual guy in a rubber suit….
Make Your Own Damn Movie!
In honour of last year’s special guest Lloyd Kaufman, this strand highlights some of the amazingly talented independent filmmakers that we’ve discovered.
13th Nov – 12.00pm Strange Angel (15)Adv (Graham Rich, USA 2006, 71mins)
On the anniversary of their childhood friend's death, Sadie & Camilla discover they are heirs to Helena's fortune. An evening meal in Helena's home is filled with memories but soon spirals into an unexpected nightmare. INTRODUCTION BY WELSH SCREENWRITER NIA EDWARDS-BEHI. + SHORT FILM “THE UNINVITED”.
14th Nov – 12.30pm I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer 18adv (Doug Turner, Stacey Edmonds, AUS 2008, 75mins)
A cricket team are dismissed by a moustachioed serial killer with a razor sharp cricket glove and an arsenal of sharpened stumps. Mass Murder... it's just not cricket.
14th Nov – 2.15pm Bane 18adv (James Eaves, UK 2008, 115mins)
Katherine awakes in an underground cell with three other women. With complete amnesia Katherine and the other women have little time to wonder where they are before the arrival of the sadistic Dr Murdoch. What is the purpose of the experiment and who, or what, is screaming every time the lights go out?
14th Nov – 4.45pm Maldito Bastardo! 18adv (Javi Camino, Spain 2007, 82mins, Subtitled)
"Maldito Bastardo is a gut-devouring virus. Maldito Bastardo is a human distill. Maldito Bastardo is a gratuitous massacre. Maldito Bastardo is a plush God toy. Maldito Bastardo is LOVE." Understand? Neither did we, but we still loved this insanely funny film!
15th Nov – 11am Room 36 (15) (Jim Groom, UK 2005, 90mins)
ROOM 36 is a quirky, black-comedy / noir-thriller, set in the dated, seedy décor of the Midlothian Hotel. Double crossings, assassins, prostitutes, mistaken identity, guns, deaths and perverts all are part of this funny and unique film. Q&A WITH DIRECTOR JIM GROOM.
15th Nov – 5pm Colin (18)Adv (Marc Price, UK 2008, 100mins)
From Welsh director Marc Price comes Colin, one of the first Zombie
movies told entirely from a Zombie’s perspective. Our hero Colin is bitten by a Zombie, returning from the dead we follow him as he wanders through suburbia during the throes of a cadaverous apocalypse. INTRODUCTION BY MARC PRICE
16th Nov – 7.45pm On Evil Grounds (15) adv (Peter Koller, Austria 2008, Subtitled)
House-hunters Romeo and Juliet are a uniquely strange couple whose estate agent turns out to be a serial killer – too bad Romeo and Juliet are anything but docile victims. A dead body and a few shovels of dirt later, Romeo is stuck in trouble virtually up to his neck. Even worse, Juliet is forced to postpone her house-decorating plans to rescue her boyfriend. Very funny film, think Tom and Jerry meets Sergio Leone!
ABERTOIR SCHEDULE
WED 12th Nov
17:00 Red Lines + Halloween (18)
19:30 Hush (18) adv
21:30 Midnight Meat Train (18)
23:45 Mystery Grindhouse Screening (18)
THURS 13th Nov
12:00 Strange Angel + The Uninvited (15) adv
13:45 Daddy's Girl + Cam2Cam (18) SPONSORED BY CONTENDER
16:00 GARY SHERMAN Masterclass
18:00 Death Line + Q&A with Gary Sherman (18)
20:15 Mark Gatiss book event – “Black Butterfly” (Tickets £1, redeemable against book)
21:3039: A Film by Caroll McKane (18) adv
23:45 Machine Girl (18) adv
FRI 14th Nov
12:30 I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer (18) adv
14:15 Bane (18) adv
16:45 Maldito Bastardo! (18) adv
17:30 Dan Abnett book signing (no ticket required, note: concurrent with film screening)
18:30 Suspiria + The Dirt + Q&A with Claudio Simonetti (18)
21:30 DAEMONIA Live in Concert
SAT 15th Nov
11:00 Room 36 + Q&A (15)
12:00 DAN ABNETT book signing (no ticket required, note: concurrent with film screening)
13:00 ADELE HARTLEY book event – “Read By Dawn” (free)
14:00 Witchfinder General (18)
16:00 Short Film Competition part 1 (free)
17:00 Colin (18) adv
19:30 DOUG BRADLEY: An Evening With Death
22:00 Martyrs (18) adv
00:00 Tokyo Gore Police (18) adv
SUN 16th Nov
12:00 The Innocents (12A)
14:00 Short Film Competition part 2 (free)
15:30 AXELLE CAROLYN book event – “It Lives Again!” (free)
16:30 Phantom of the Opera - with live accompaniment (PG)
18:30 Doug Bradley's Spinechillers (free)
19:45 On Evil Grounds (15) adv
21:30 My Name is Bruce (15) adv
SEE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.
www.abertoir.co.uk
And now it's set to be even scarier, with the third appearance of the Abertoir Horror Festival in Aberystwyth (see what they did there?)
Sounds like it should be well worth a visit, especially because they're making a big deal of all-time Brit horror fave DEATH LINE!
Here's the details...
HORROR AWAITS IN ABERYSTWYTH!
Abertoir Horror Festival 12 – 16 November 2008
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Information begins......
Wales' only horror festival is back for a third terrifying year, and this year its bigger and more horrifying than ever before! Abertoir will run at Aberystwyth Arts Centre from the 12th – 16th November, and this year the programme includes screenings of over twenty horror films from around the world, including UK premieres, cult screenings and classics. Plus as a new strand a whole host of special events will give fans of horror something truly memorable. Films, music, theatre, book signings, and special guests from the horror genre will turn the peaceful seaside town of Aberystwyth into a haven for lovers of the macabre - so lock up your grannies, Abertoir is coming. Be afraid. Be very afraid.....
Special events for 2008 include:
Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) who will talk about his latest book ‘Black Butterfly’, sign copies and answer questions from fans.
Doug Bradley, most widely known for his role as Pinhead in the Hellraiser films, performs his one-man show and present his new range of visual talking books.
Claudio Simonetti’s band GOBLIN was responsible for some of the most stunning examples of film music, and his work is legendary. His new band DAEMONIA are flying over from Italy for a live concert of his unforgettable horror themes.
Gary Sherman is the director responsible for the classic British horror Death Line, Dead and Buried and many more. He is flying over from Chicago with a new print of Death Line to talk about his work and to give a very special filmmaking masterclass.
Adele Hartley, Curator of ‘Dead By Dawn’, Scotland’s premiere horror festival, will talk about her series of books ‘Read By Dawn’, a collection of modern horror writing.
Axelle Carolyn presents a fascinating talk about her book ‘It Lives Again!’, a comprehensive analysis and overview of the state of horror cinema at the start of the 21st Century.
Dan Abnett has contributed to the greatest graphic novels, including Warhammer, 2000AD, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. Dan will be signing books and is happy to chat with fans!
Jim Groom, director, will host a Q&A after his latest film “Room 36”.
Stefan Jakubowski, Horror writer, will be here over the weekend to sign his latest book, Miscreation.
The film schedule is a packed one, with many horror aficionadas seeing over 20 films in non stop screenings over the weekend. The films include:
· John Carpenter’s terrifying Halloween (18) on a rare 35 mm print
· A mystery late night Grindhouse Screening (18)
· Donald Pleasance stars in ‘Death Line’ , screened on a new 35 mm print, followed by a Q&A with director Gary Sherman
· Daddy’s Girl (18) a new Welsh psychological horror feature
· Examples of the Japanese horror genre including Machine Girl (18), Tokyo Gore Police (18)
· Suspiria (18) Dario Argento’s Italian masterpiece, followed by a Q&A With Claudio Simonetti, composer of the memorable score
· The Phantom of the Opera (PG) with Live Accompaniment from composer Paul Shallcross
· Make Your Own Damn Movie! A selection of some of the amazingly talented independent filmmakers that the festival has discovered.
· Short Film Competition with a £500 Prize!
· Plus screenings of: Hush (18); Midnight Meat Train (18); 39: A Film By Carroll McKane (18) (European Premier); Witchfinder General (18); Martyrs (18); The Innocents (PG); Doug Bradley’s Spinechillers; My Name is Bruce (15) and more.
So all in all it promises to be a packed weekend of events and activities. Bookings are open now for the weekend and are already selling well, with many fans opting for the ‘Festival Pass’ which gives entry to every event of the weekend. Alternatively tickets can be bought for individual events. Bookings can be made either online at www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre or by calling 01970 62 32 32. Full news of all the latest Abertoir acticvities can be found on the festival website www.abertoir.co.uk.
Abertoir is an initiative of Aberystwyth Arts Centre and is supported by the Film Agency of Wales.
END/
For more information please contact Louise Amery on 01970 622889 or email lla@aber.ac.uk ABERTOIR HORROR FESTIVAL 2008 Nov 12th – 16th
GUESTS & BOOK EVENTS:
Doug Bradley, most widely known for his role as Pinhead in the Hellraiser films, performs his one-man show and present his new range of visual talking books.
Claudio Simonetti’s band GOBLIN was responsible for some of the most stunning examples of film music, and his work is legendary. His new band DAEMONIA are flying over from Italy for a live concert of his unforgettable horror themes.
Gary Sherman is the director responsible for the classic British horror Death Line, Dead and Buried and many more. He is flying over from Chicago with a new print of Death Line to talk about his work and to give a very special filmmaking masterclass.
Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) will be here to talk about his latest book ‘Black Butterfly’, sign copies and answer questions from the fans. (Tickets £1, redeemable off book purchase)
Adele Hartley, Curator of ‘Dead By Dawn’, Scotland’s premiere horror festival, will talk about her series of books ‘Read By Dawn’, a collection of modern horror writing.
Axelle Carolyn presents a fascinating talk about her book ‘It Lives Again!’, a comprehensive analysis and overview of the state of horror cinema at the start of the 21st Century.
Dan Abnett has contributed to the greatest graphic novels, including Warhammer, 2000AD, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. Dan will be signing books and is happy to chat with fans!
Jim Groom, director, will host a Q&A after his latest film “Room 36”.
Stefan Jakubowski, Horror writer, will be here over the weekend to sign his latest book, Miscreation.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES:
Thurs 13 Nov – 4pm Gary Sherman Masterclass
Director Gary Sherman will present a very special masterclass in filmmaking.
Friday 14 November – 9.30pm Tickets £10 ( or included in the Abertoir Festival pass)
Claudio Simonetti's DAEMONIA Live in Concert
From world renowned group GOBLIN, Claudio Simonetti’s band Daemonia is the culmination of a lifetime of work on some of the genre's most revered and important films. Touring as far as America, Japan and Europe, Claudio’s fantastic credits include the scores to such films as Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria, Profondo Rosso, Demons, Opera and Tenebre. For this very rare UK performance, this is a perfect opportunity to hear these magnificent tracks played live on stage, breathing new life into horror's most legendary music.
Sat 15 Nov - 7.30pm Tickets £10 (or included in Abertoir festival package)
DOUG BRADLEY: AN EVENING WITH DEATH
UK PERFORMANCE PREMIERE
Join horror screen legend Doug Bradley on a journey into the depths of dread! With the help of a handful of writers such as Ray Bradbury and Clive Barker, Bradley’s world-touring show presents us with a stellar collection of classic and modern tales of horror.
FILMS:
15th Nov – 4pm, 16th Nov - 2pm
Short Film Competition - £500 Prize!
Over two sessions, we will be determining the best short film from some of the splendid professional shorts sent to us, with a prize of £500 for the winner!
12th Nov – 5pm
John Carpenter’s Halloween (18)
(John Carpenter, USA 1978, 91mins)
John Carpenter’s terrifying movie is still as powerful today as it was when first released. For its 30th anniversary, we’ve done some digging and managed to find a rare 35mm print!
+ SHORT FILM “RED LINES”
12th Nov – 7.30pm
Hush (18)Adv
(Mark Tonderai, UK 2008)
Driving home along the M1, a couple, Zakes and Beth, stop for a rest at a service station. But when Beth is kidnapped by the driver of a white van, Zakes finds himself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse along the empty motorway…..
12th Nov – 9.30pm
Midnight Meat Train (18)
(Ryuhei Kitamura, USA 2008, 100mins)
Clive Barker’s tale of terror comes as the first adaptation from his
Books of Blood series and follows a photographer who gets drawn into the nightmarish world of a subway murderer who stalks late-night commuters.
12th Nov – 11.45pm
Mystery Grindhouse Screening (18)
We’ve managed to find a beat-up, scratchy and falling apart film from the glorious Grindhouse era that’ll be winding it’s way through our poor projector for this late night mystery screening. We encourage heckling and raucous inappropriate laughter….
13th Nov – 1.45pm
Daddy’s Girl (18) (Screening sponsored by Contender)
(D J Evans, UK 2007, 85mins)
"Daddy's Girl" is a chilling psychological horror feature made by Welsh talent and filmed in Wales. A psychiatrist struggling to hold his life together meets a troubled teenage girl whose sinister behaviour and obsession for cutting herself starts to push the boundaries of teenage angst to a frightening new level. + SHORT FILM “CAM2CAM”
13th Nov – 6pm
Death Line + Q&A With Director Gary Sherman (18)
(Gary Sherman, UK 1972, 87mins)
At the end of the 19th century, a group of workers are trapped and abandoned after a cave-in while working on the construction of the London Underground. A hundred years later, the cannibalistic and mutated descendent of this group is poaching passengers from the busy subway system, and it’s up to investigator Donald Pleasance to discover the true extent of the atrocities. Brand new 35mm print straight from the USA!
13th Nov – 9.30pm
39: A Film By Carroll McKane (18)adv
(Gary Sherman, USA 2007, 90mins)
Carroll McKane's DVcams have recorded the deaths of his 36 past victims. His killing room, a makeshift studio, is the set for the murders of two more victims and the torture of a forensic psychiatrist. European premiere!
13th Nov – 11.45pm
Machine Girl (18)adv
(Noboru Iguchi, Japan 2008, 96mins, Subtitled)
Absurd. Ridiculous. Offensive. Shocking. Ninjas. Sushi. Gore. Tempura.
Guillotine Bra… A Japanese schoolgirl loses her arm while protecting her brother from third-rate Yakuza; replacing it with a machine gun she sets about her revenge in this gloriously over-the-top late night splatter fest!
14th Nov – 6.30pm
Suspiria (18) + Q&A With Claudio Simonetti
(Dario Argento, Italy 1977, 97mins)
An assault on the senses from start to finish, Dario Argento’s masterpiece bombards the viewer with such a visual and aural onslaught that Suspiria remains one of the most prominent and talked about films in horror movie history. Printed using the obsolete three-strip Technicolor process, the film is bathed in a fabulous sea of reds, greens and blues; a remarkable achievement in visual style that is enhanced by Simonetti’s pounding score.
+ Short Film “The Dirt” With Introduction By Simona & Claudio Simonetti. UK Premiere!
15th Nov – 2pm
Witchfinder General (18)
(Michael Reeves, UK 1968, 86mins)
Vincent Price gives the performance of his career as Matthew Hopkins, the 17th century witchfinder who travelled the country extracting confessions from innocent young women. He finds a nemesis in the form of Ian Ogilvy, a soldier in Cromwell’s army whose fiancée falls foul to Hopkins’ treachery. What follows is a campaign of revenge by the soldier destined to put an end to Hopkins’ reign of terror.
15th Nov – 10pm
Martyrs (18)
(Pascal Laugier, France 2008, 97mins, Subtitled)
Given a harsh 18+ rating in France, this extremely controversial shocker follows a young girl who survived a horrific kidnapping and abuse the hands of a sadistic family. 15 years later, she joins forces with another survivor of abuse to track down the people who made her suffer.
15th Nov – Midnight
Tokyo Gore Police (18)adv
(Yoshihiro Nishimura, Japan 2008, 110mins, Subtitled)
Set in near-future Tokyo, a new breed of genetically modified humans are starting to take over, with the ability to sprout new limbs in the form of biological weapons. The literally eye-popping special effects are out of this world; it’s an insane, violent, bizarre, over-the-top and brilliantly subversive film.
16th Nov – 12pm
The Innocents (PG)
(Jack Clayton, UK 1961, 100mins)
An adaptation of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, the film is set in Victorian England and follows governess Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) who is assigned to look after two orphans at a bleak country estate. Gradually, she becomes convinced that the children are not who they pretend to be, and begins to find herself fighting for her own sanity as the horrible secrets of the house reveal themselves one by one….
16th Nov – 4.30pm
The Phantom of the Opera with Live Accompaniment (PG)
(Rupert Julian, USA 1925, 100mins)
We’re delighted that this particular screening will featuring a live piano accompaniment by composer Paul Shallcross, who has spent this summer creating a brand new score for Lon Chaney’s classic film.
16th Nov – 6.30pm
Doug Bradley’s Spinechillers
An exciting new concept in visual audio books, Doug Bradley will present two examples, HP Lovecraft's: The Outsider, and Edgar Allen Poe's: The Tell-Tale Heart.
16th Nov – 9.30pm
My Name is Bruce (15) adv
(Bruce Campbell, USA 2008)
When threatened by a vengeful monster, a small village decides the only person who can possibly help is ass-kicking hero Bruce Campbell (playing himself). Convinced that it’s all an elaborate birthday present from his agent, Bruce begins to enjoy the spoils of being a movie hero, including free liquor, but is quite unprepared when his target turns out to be far from the usual guy in a rubber suit….
Make Your Own Damn Movie!
In honour of last year’s special guest Lloyd Kaufman, this strand highlights some of the amazingly talented independent filmmakers that we’ve discovered.
13th Nov – 12.00pm Strange Angel (15)Adv (Graham Rich, USA 2006, 71mins)
On the anniversary of their childhood friend's death, Sadie & Camilla discover they are heirs to Helena's fortune. An evening meal in Helena's home is filled with memories but soon spirals into an unexpected nightmare. INTRODUCTION BY WELSH SCREENWRITER NIA EDWARDS-BEHI. + SHORT FILM “THE UNINVITED”.
14th Nov – 12.30pm I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer 18adv (Doug Turner, Stacey Edmonds, AUS 2008, 75mins)
A cricket team are dismissed by a moustachioed serial killer with a razor sharp cricket glove and an arsenal of sharpened stumps. Mass Murder... it's just not cricket.
14th Nov – 2.15pm Bane 18adv (James Eaves, UK 2008, 115mins)
Katherine awakes in an underground cell with three other women. With complete amnesia Katherine and the other women have little time to wonder where they are before the arrival of the sadistic Dr Murdoch. What is the purpose of the experiment and who, or what, is screaming every time the lights go out?
14th Nov – 4.45pm Maldito Bastardo! 18adv (Javi Camino, Spain 2007, 82mins, Subtitled)
"Maldito Bastardo is a gut-devouring virus. Maldito Bastardo is a human distill. Maldito Bastardo is a gratuitous massacre. Maldito Bastardo is a plush God toy. Maldito Bastardo is LOVE." Understand? Neither did we, but we still loved this insanely funny film!
15th Nov – 11am Room 36 (15) (Jim Groom, UK 2005, 90mins)
ROOM 36 is a quirky, black-comedy / noir-thriller, set in the dated, seedy décor of the Midlothian Hotel. Double crossings, assassins, prostitutes, mistaken identity, guns, deaths and perverts all are part of this funny and unique film. Q&A WITH DIRECTOR JIM GROOM.
15th Nov – 5pm Colin (18)Adv (Marc Price, UK 2008, 100mins)
From Welsh director Marc Price comes Colin, one of the first Zombie
movies told entirely from a Zombie’s perspective. Our hero Colin is bitten by a Zombie, returning from the dead we follow him as he wanders through suburbia during the throes of a cadaverous apocalypse. INTRODUCTION BY MARC PRICE
16th Nov – 7.45pm On Evil Grounds (15) adv (Peter Koller, Austria 2008, Subtitled)
House-hunters Romeo and Juliet are a uniquely strange couple whose estate agent turns out to be a serial killer – too bad Romeo and Juliet are anything but docile victims. A dead body and a few shovels of dirt later, Romeo is stuck in trouble virtually up to his neck. Even worse, Juliet is forced to postpone her house-decorating plans to rescue her boyfriend. Very funny film, think Tom and Jerry meets Sergio Leone!
ABERTOIR SCHEDULE
WED 12th Nov
17:00 Red Lines + Halloween (18)
19:30 Hush (18) adv
21:30 Midnight Meat Train (18)
23:45 Mystery Grindhouse Screening (18)
THURS 13th Nov
12:00 Strange Angel + The Uninvited (15) adv
13:45 Daddy's Girl + Cam2Cam (18) SPONSORED BY CONTENDER
16:00 GARY SHERMAN Masterclass
18:00 Death Line + Q&A with Gary Sherman (18)
20:15 Mark Gatiss book event – “Black Butterfly” (Tickets £1, redeemable against book)
21:3039: A Film by Caroll McKane (18) adv
23:45 Machine Girl (18) adv
FRI 14th Nov
12:30 I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer (18) adv
14:15 Bane (18) adv
16:45 Maldito Bastardo! (18) adv
17:30 Dan Abnett book signing (no ticket required, note: concurrent with film screening)
18:30 Suspiria + The Dirt + Q&A with Claudio Simonetti (18)
21:30 DAEMONIA Live in Concert
SAT 15th Nov
11:00 Room 36 + Q&A (15)
12:00 DAN ABNETT book signing (no ticket required, note: concurrent with film screening)
13:00 ADELE HARTLEY book event – “Read By Dawn” (free)
14:00 Witchfinder General (18)
16:00 Short Film Competition part 1 (free)
17:00 Colin (18) adv
19:30 DOUG BRADLEY: An Evening With Death
22:00 Martyrs (18) adv
00:00 Tokyo Gore Police (18) adv
SUN 16th Nov
12:00 The Innocents (12A)
14:00 Short Film Competition part 2 (free)
15:30 AXELLE CAROLYN book event – “It Lives Again!” (free)
16:30 Phantom of the Opera - with live accompaniment (PG)
18:30 Doug Bradley's Spinechillers (free)
19:45 On Evil Grounds (15) adv
21:30 My Name is Bruce (15) adv
SEE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.
www.abertoir.co.uk
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