Film4 FrightFest 2010

If you are still unfamiliar with FILM4 FRIGHTFEST it's time to come out from under that rock and embrace the UK's premiere fantasy and horror film festival.

Now in its eleventh year, each August thousands of genre fans gather together in the heart of London's West End at the prodigious Empire Cinema for five packed days of premieres, previews, personal appearances, signings and surprises.

FrightFest first hit the scene in August 2000 and right from the start the festival set out its stall with the World Premiere of Ed Gein and UK premieres of Scary Movie, Pitch Black and Audition. Then based at the world famous London grindhouse cinema The Prince Charles, the annual 4-day festival has grown to become, in the words of Time Out, “the premiere event of the year for horror fans”, in the process helping to launch the careers of directors Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance) and Simon Hunter (Mutant Chronicles) plus hosting many first UK screenings including Shaun of the Dead and Eli Roth’s Hostel.

We have been fortunate enought to attend events at Frightfest in previous years and will be going along this year which looks to be the biggest and best yet.

The schedule for this year's 5 day extravaganza is as follows:

FILM4 FRIGHTFEST 2010
Thursday 26th to Monday 30th August 2010.

MAIN EMPIRE SCREEN	DISCOVERY SCREEN
Thursday 26th August
6.30 - HATCHET II 9.15 - PRIMAL 11.15 - DEAD CERT
Friday 27th August
11.00 - EGGSHELLS 1.00 - TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3.00 - TOTAL ICON TOBE HOOPER 5.00 - ISLE OF DOGS 7.15 - F 9.25 - RED HILL 11.30 - ALIEN VS. NINJA	10.45 - BURNING BRIGHT 12.45 - THE CLINIC 3.00 - FINALE 5.00 - WOUND 7.15 - OUTCAST 9.45 - HIGANJIMA: ESCAPE FROM VAMPIRE ISLAND2
Saturday 28th August
11.00 - CHERRY TREE LANE 1.15 - THE TORTURED 3.15 - 13 HRS 6.30 - I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE 9.00 - MONSTERS 11.30 - DREAM HOME	11.00 - CHRISTOPHER ROTH 1.15 - FANBOYS 3.30 - AFTER.LIFE 6.35 - FINALE 9.00 - BURNING BRIGHT
Sunday 29th August
11.00 - THE PACK 1.00 - ANDY NYMAN'S QUIZ FROM HELL + FILM4 FRIGHTFEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 4.00 - WE ARE WHAT WE ARE 6.30 - DAMNED BY DAWN 9.00 - A SERBIAN FILM 11.30 - THE LOVED ONES	11.00 - HIGANJIMA: ESCAPE FROM VAMPIRE ISLAND 1.30 - OUTCAST 4.05 - WOUND 6.35 - AMER 9.05 - THE CLINIC
Monday 30th August
11.15 - VIDEO NASTIES: MORAL PANIC, CENSORSHIP AND VIDEOTAPE 1.15 - THE DEAD 3.30 - BEDEVILLED 6.30 - RED WHITE & BLUE 9.00 - THE LAST EXORCISM	11.00 - AMER 1.30 - AFTER.LIFE 3.35 - FANBOYS 6.35 - CHRISTOPHER ROTH

The full schedule can be found here!

This year, highlights for me include; a Total Film discussion with Tobe Hooper (director of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre), screenings of Gareth Edwards eagerly anticipated Monsters and the Eli Roth produced The Last Exorcism.

Film4 FrightFest 2010

Where:
The Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London 26th to 30st August 2010

When:
Thurs 26 - Mon 30 August 2010.

More info:
Over at the FrightFest website and tickets on 08 714 714 714 or over at the Empire Website

2010 Film4 FrightFest Opening & Closing films announced: Hatchet II & The Last Exorcism

The 2010 Film4 FrightFest will kick off with the world Premiere of Adam Green’s Hatchet II. The highly anticipated sequel to his instant stalk-and-slash classic relating the murderous antics of the bayou butcher Victor Crowley.

Green has promised more of everything – fun, laughs, nastiness, splatter - in the new adventure that picks up from the moment Hatchet ended and follows Marybeth as she escapes from the clutches of Victor Crowley, learns the truth about his curse, and heads back into the haunted New Orleans swamp to seek revenge for her family and kill Victor Crowley once and for all.

It's probably worth noting that 55 gallons of blood were used in the making of the first Hatchet, Hatchet 2 reportedly used over 120 gallons of fake blood in principal photography alone.

It's rumoured that a number of the cast will be attending the Premiere.

Director: Adam Green
Starring: Danielle Harris, Tony Todd (Yes, Candyman), Kane Hodder (Yes, Jason Voorhees), Tom Holland, R.A. Mihailoff, Parry Shen, AJ Bowen

USA 2010, English

The closing night's film is..... the European premiere of Daniel Stamm’s The Last Exorcism.

A terrifying look at possible demonic possession as seen through the documentary lens of a camera crew following the career of repentant preacher Cotton Marcus. Attending the glittering European premiere will be director Stamm and producers Eli Roth and Eric Newman.


Director: Daniel Stamm
Starring: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Louis Herthum, Iris Bahr, Caleb Landry Jones, Tony Bentley

USA, 86 mins, English

The rest of the programme will be announced on July 2, the day before weekend passes go on sale.

2010 Film4 FrightFest Opening & Closing films announced: Hatchet II & The Last Exorcism

Where:
The Empire Cinema, 5-6 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7NA

When:
Thurs 26 to Mon 30th Aug, 2010

More info:
Over at the Film4 FrightFest website

Black Death Review & Premiere

I love seeing films in advance of the general public as limited exposure to marketing hype and word of mouth allows me to experience the film first hand and with no expectations. Such was the case with Black Death.

Plague-ridden medieval England: Bodies lie scattered in their hundreds, the country is in turmoil. One hope remains, rumours of a village that is unaffected by the deadly disease. As Gods ambassador, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is tasked in leading the fearsome knight Ulrich (Sean Bean) and his group of mercenaries to the remote village. Their quest is to hunt down a necromancer - someone able to bring the dead back to life.

Their journey is treacherous and filled with danger; encountering deadly bandits and vicious witch-burnings that will put their faith to the ultimate test. Though its upon entering the village that their true horror begins...

From Christopher Smith, director of cult hits Creep, Severance and Triangle, comes a brutal and terrifying epic that guarantees to chill the blood and stir the soul.

Black Death is the film you wanted to see when you first heard about Inglourious Basterds (before Tarantino wryly pulled the carpet out from under us) - with the exception that it is set in the much darker and dangerous bubonic Plague ridden Middle Ages. This men on an intense mission doesn't let you forget the complex fundamental religious issues at its core whilst by no means being a "message movie".

Much bigger and broader than Creep and Triangle live wire Christopher Smith's direction is top notch and really allows the cast to flourish. Black Death is the return to form of the Great British Darkness.

The UK Premiere of Black Death was hosted by FrightFest at The Coronet Cinema in Notting Hill. Director Chris Smith and cast members; Andy Nyman, Kimberley Nixon, Johnny Harris & Jamie Ballard were in attendance and did a short QA after the screening. Also spotted at the Premiere were Actress & Author Axelle Carolyn & Director Neil Marshall.

Queue gathering outside the Coronet Cinema for the Black Death Premiere.
It went all the way around the block - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

FrightFest organisers Alan Jones, Paul McEvoy & Greg Day with
Actress & Author Axelle Carolyn & Director Neil Marshall

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

FrightFest organiser Alan Jones introducing Black Death Director Christopher Smith

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Black Death Director Christopher Smith hanging with FrightFest organisers
Paul McEvoy & Ian Rattray during the introduction

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

FrightFest organiser Alan Jones introducing Black Death Director Christopher Smith

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Black Death Director Christopher Smith introducing Black Death and cast members;
Andy Nyman, Kimberley Nixon, Johnny Harris & Jamie Ballard

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Black Death Director Christopher Smith introducing Black Death and cast members; Andy Nyman, Kimberley Nixon, Johnny Harris & Jamie Ballard

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Catching up with Black Death Director Christopher Smith after the Premiere.
Sorry the pics so blurry but I prefer the moment captured in this one over the the non blurry pics.
Super talented Christopher Smith is one of those dynamos that kinetic energy seeps from

Black Death Premiere - Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

Director: Christopher Smith
Starring: Sean Bean, Carice van Houten, Eddie Redmayne, David Warner, Kimberley Nixon, Andy Nyman, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Johnny Harris

UK / Germany, 2010, 101 mins, French with English subtitles

Black Death Review & Premiere

More info:
Over at the Black Death website

FRIGHTFEST: UK PREMIERE of Millennium: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Join us at FRIGHTFEST the UK's Leading fantasy & horror film festival. For The premiere event of the year for horror fans - Time Out

UK PREMIERE MILLENNIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (18)

Directed by Niels Arden Oplev

Cases rarely come colder than the inexplicable 1960s disappearance of a teen heiress from her family’s remote island retreat. Nor do fiction debuts come any hotter than the European best seller ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson on which this gripping nail-biter is based. Director Niels Arden Oplev’s atmospheric and strikingly original thriller introduces the provocative odd couple of a disgraced financial journalist and a multi-pierced hacker with severe social behaviour problems. Together they uncover an undetected chain of serial killings when investigating the decades-old mystery in a startling and near-the-knuckle giallo Swedish style. With very disturbing and intense scenes, and an international superstar-making performance from Noomi Rapace as the tattooed Lisbeth, MILLENNIUM is the Euro sensation of the moment. The other two parts of the MILLENNIUM movie trilogy, based on ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ and ‘The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest’, are released soon.

FRIGHTFEST: UK PREMIERE of Millennium: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Saturday August 29, 2009 at 3:45pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA

Movie-Con II 2009: Video Highlights

Updated : Movie Con 2 - Day 1 Triangle Presentation

In my previous round up of Movie Con 2 Day 1 I omitted to mention that Christopher Smith (Severance, Creep) gave us a taste of his new film Triangle. If the tension of Creep is maintained with the added dimension of Smith's intention to take you somwhere new, works out. Be prepared to have your mind thrown, dropped and kicked. Triangle will premiere as the opening film for the Film4 FrightFest on Thursday August 27, 2009. More info here!

FRIGHTFEST 2009: World Premiere An American Werewolf In London (Remastered)

WORLD PREMIERE - Director John Landis’ classic 1981 horror, that set the standard for the modern werewolf movie, is back where it belongs. Fully restored, looking pristine and fabulous, and on the Big Screen just around the corner from where its stunning action climax was filmed in Piccadilly Circus. A brilliant meld of side splitting laughs, hair-raising terror and Rick Baker’s Oscar-winning man-into-wolf prosthetic special effects transformations, Landis’ lycanthropic masterpiece has never been bettered. David Naughton and Griffin Dunne are the two Americans backpackers attacked on the English moors by a snarling creature that changes their mortal lives forever. Jenny Agutter is the nurse Naughton moves in with before realising he’s roaming the West End committing brutal murders in werewolf disguise. One of the most influential horror movies ever in terms of gory comedy horror, Film4 FrightFest will be assembling as many of the cast and crew we can muster on the Empire stage.

Friday August 28, 2009 at 8:00pm

The Empire Cinema
Leicester Square
London, England WC2H

FRIGHTFEST 2009: World Premiere - The Descent: Part 2

FRIGHTFEST 2009 CLOSING FILM - WORLD PREMIERE

Terror mounts as fear cuts deeper in the chilling continuation to the globally successful horror hit THE DESCENT. Dazed, confused and traumatized, Sarah Carter emerges alone from the cave system where she confronted frightening enemies: herself and her darkest dread. With no rational explanation to what exactly happened or why she’s covered in blood, the authorities force her back into the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing girlfriends. But as the rescue party enters further uncharted domains, flashbacks start haunting Sarah as shocking memories of the recent past hideously hit home. Only she realizes the full horror of their futile mission. And only she knows what lurks to trap them in the eerie shadows of the labyrinthine warrens. For they are venturing into the habitat of a new tribe of Crawlers, inbred, deformed and even more viciously feral than Sarah faced before in the black recesses of her worst nightmares.

FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere - The Descent: Part 2
Monday August 31, 2009 at 9:15pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA

Film4FrightFest 2009

FILM4 FRIGHTFEST is the UK's premiere fantasy and horror film festival. Now in its tenth year, each August thousands of genre fans gather together in the heart of London's West End at the prodigious Empire Cinema for five packed days of premieres, previews, personal appearances, signings and surprises.

The Film4 FrightFest 2009 celebrates ten years of chills, thrills and kills by moving to the Empire Cinema, Leicester Sq, to serve up its distinctive and controversial mix of must-see and yet-to-be discovered genre movies from around the world. From Thurs 27 August to Monday 31 August the UK’s top event for horror fans will unveil thirty five new films in two screens. Empire 1 will house the main event while ‘FrightFest Discovery’ will play in Empire 4.

This year twelve countries are represented across four continents and there are a record eleven world premieres and fifteen UK premieres. British horror scores heavily with the world premiere of Christopher Smith’s shocker TRIANGLE opening the festival and the world premiere of the much anticipated THE DESCENT: PART TWO as the closing night finale. There is also the world premiere of Philip Ridley’s unique horror fantasy HEARTLESS and the UK premiere of CLIVE BARKER’S DREAD.

Internationally, the festival strikes gold with the UK premiere of MILLENIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, based on the best selling novel by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson. Then there’s Dario Argento’s latest thriller GIALLO, HIERRO, from the producers of PAN’S LABYRINTH, the eagerly awaited slasher tribute THE HILLS RUN RED, Christian Alvart’s powerfully disturbing CASE 39, Ti West’s occult masterpiece THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL and from the producers of WOLF CREEK, an Aussie gripper – COFFIN ROCK. Monsters loom large in this year’s line-up with zombies particularly in good form. There’s DEAD SNOW (Nazi zombies), COLIN (low-budget zombies) THE HORDE (angry zombies) and ZOMBIE WOMEN OF SATAN (burlesque zombies). Monster mayhem and murder take centre-stage with a sinister collection of night-creatures in the riveting horror anthology TRICK R TREAT and an army of big bad bugs in INFESTATION. Then there is the aptly named VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL and perhaps the most controversial film at this year’s event – THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.

Fans of AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON will get the chance to meet John Landis, who is attending the festival, alongside the cast, to present a fully restored version of the classic, as well as a never-seen-before documentary feature. Other directors currently confirmed to attend include:, Adam Gierasch (NIGHT OF THE DEMONS), Ti West (THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL) Dave Parker (THE HILLS RUN RED), Lee Demabre (SMASH CUT), Christopher Smith (TRIANGLE), Philip Ridley (HEARTLESS) and Federico Zampaglione (SHADOW). Other special guests include directors Adam Green, & Joe Lynch and actors Jim Sturgess and David Hess.

FrightFest Discovery makes its debut this year in Empire 4, where nine new films will be screening including the world premieres of EVIL THINGS, directed by Dominic Perez and FRAGMENT, directed by Andrew Miles – both films using the device of camera footage to chilling effect. Also showing are Cannes headline grabber COLIN, reputedly made for £45, the critically-acclaimed PONTYPOOL and the grisly remake of Larry Cohen’s cult classic IT’S ALIVE. Also this year there is a horror writing competition (details to be announced), a ‘100 Best Deaths’ event, hosted by DEAD SET actor Andy Nyman, plus the usual special guest appearances, Q & A’s, sneak previews, a short film strand, signings, competition prizes and give-aways – all of which goes to make up the unique experience that fans across the world have come and made their own.

Film4FrightFest 2009

Thursday August 27, 2009 - Monday August 31, 2009 from 5:00pm - 12:00am

Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA

FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere Triangle - OPENING FILM

The Boat That Shocked! First came CREEP. Then SEVERANCE. Now Film4 FrightFest is delighted to premiere British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour, it jangles her already distraught nerves. But little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. For their boat is overturned in a weird storm and they take refuge on a strangely deserted liner that suddenly cruises into view. All is not as it seems on board the SS Aeolus, yet Jess just can’t put her finger on why… From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, TRIANGLE is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work. His sophisticated and intricate script is always kept on an intriguing angle, the sudden violence is jolting, the atmosphere remains continually creepy and Melissa George gives an exceptionally haunting and moving performance.

FRIGHTFEST: World Premiere Triangle - OPENING FILM
Thursday August 27, 2009 at 6:30pm
Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
5-6 Leicester Square London
London, England WC2H 7NA
OPENING FILM - WORLD PREMIERE