Mayhem Film Festival - Day 2 Reviews

Day 2 of the Mayhem Film Festival presented another eclectic bunch of films, which I have reviewed as follows...


CONFESSION (2022) Dir - Jong-seok Yoon

First film of Day 2 was the South Korean “Confession” from Director Jong-seok Yoon, which appears to be only his second full feature film to date. In this, a wealthy businessman is being charged with murder, after being found unconscious in a locked hotel room, next to the dead body of his mistress.

Maintaining his innocence, he hires a high ranking defence lawyer, who he hopes will get him off the hook. To which he relates his story to and we get to see, through a series of flashbacks.

However, as the story unfolds and it seems that whilst he may indeed be innocent of this particular crime. We discover that he might actually be guilty of something far, far worse.

The film, which is apparently a remake of a 2016 Spanish film “The Invisible Guest”, is really more of a dark crime-thriller, as opposed to a horror, but proved a hit with the audience. I personally enjoyed it, and thought it was extremely well made, boasting more twists and turns than a Hitchcock film.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

Not to be confused with the plethora of other films with the same title. As far as I'm aware, this has not been released in the UK to date. But if gritty crime-thrillers are your thing, you'd be advised to seek it out.


HOLLYWOOD 90028 (1973) Dir - Christina Hornisher

Second film of the Day was the seldom seen, sleezy, arthouse film "Hollywood 90028", which has recently been rediscovered and restored by Grindhouse films in the US.

The film revolves around a budding cameraman named Mark (Christopher Augustine – The Doll Squad), who's desperately trying to get into the movie industry as a cinematographer. But has been reduced to shooting and editing short adult films for the city's porn cinemas and peep shows, just to make ends meet.

But we soon discover that Mark has a darker side. Suffering from severe mental health problems, we see that he kills women that he randomly picks up. So when he starts dating a young porn actress named Michelle (Jeanette Dilger), we are left wondering if she will be next?

Bit of a slowie and a difficult film to categorise, which is probably why it struggled to find any sort of release back in the day. I was somewhat reminded of the film "Peeping Tom", though the film is extremely light on actual killings (I think 3 in total?) and is more of an arthouse film, albeit an exceptionally sleazy one, than anything.

The film has languished in obscurity since the 1970s, having never been released on home video and receiving only a limited theatrical run under different titles. However, Grindhouse releasing have since discovered it and released it onto disc in the US in its original full length form under its original title (the name apparently reffering to an area of Hollywood Boulevard, where the walk of fame is located).
 
View the Trailer on YouTube 

Whilst the film is well shot, it's a bit on the slow side and to be honest, is one that can only really be recommended to die hard cinema enthusiasts who have an interest in 70s cinema. But if you do wish to see it, Grindhouse have put out a very nice special edition Blu-Ray in the US.

 

DEAD MAIL (2024) Dir - Joe DeBoer & Kyle McConaghy

The third film of the day "Dead Mail", was a welcome change of pace, providing some much needed comic relief to the day.

Set in the early 1980s, the workers at a regional post office, tasked with redirecting mail that's got lost in the post, come across a blood stained note begging for help from an apparent kidnap victim. 

Whilst they initially dismiss it as a prank, when one of them, a seasoned investigator named Jasper (Thomas Boykin – 3 From Hell), takes an interest and tries to track down the address, it unleashes a whole series of deadly events.

An extremely bizarre, offbeat thriller, full of dark humour, which revolves around 80s synthesisers off all things. This was a really enjoyable retro romp, with a great cast. John Fleck (Velvet Buzzsaw) was brilliant as the films villain and Sterling Macer Jr. (Where the Crawdads Sing) was aptly cast as the unfortunate victim.

View the Trailer on YouTube.

Bit of a weird one. If Monty Python ever made a thriller, I would imagine it would look something like this.

 

NIGHT CALL (2024) Dir - Michiel Blanchart

The fourth offering of the day was Belgian thriller "Night Call", in which a young locksmith, played by Jonathan Feltre, gets called out to a flat where a young girl has lost her keys.

Unfortunately, after managing to get her inside, he finds he's been duped and the apartment's real owner is none too happy to see him. Particularly after the young girl he helped has stolen something from him.

As a result, he finds himself forced to help a lot of rather unsavoury characters try and recover the missing goods, or he's going to be in a lot of serious trouble. But it seems not everyone in the gang is interested in getting the loot back, and so trying to survive the night is going to be one hell of an ordeal.

A gripping edge of your seat thriller, I really enjoyed this one. The ending to which certainly had the audience on the edge of their seats, as he tries to prevent them getting to the goods, whilst simultaneously dodging the police.

View the Trailer on YouTube.

Being Belgian, the film was in French language with English subs, which might not appeal to all. But if you like gritty, edge of year seat, thrillers, this one comes highly recommended and was actually one of my favourite films of the festival.

 

DADDY'S HEAD (2024) – Dir Benjamin Barfoot.

Final film of the day was the surreal sci-fi (or was it supernatural?) horror "Daddy's Head". About a young boy, Rupert, and his stepmother Laura (Julia Brown – TV's Payback) coming to terms with the recent death of his father.

With his biological mother already dead, parenting duties fall on Laura, who didn't really want kids. But tries her best, despite Rupert not really taking to her.

But shortly after the funeral, strange things start to happen. Mysterious fires in the nearby forest, that have disappeared by the time the fire brigade turn up. Items going missing from the house. Strange noises at night. Plus the dog keeps barking at something. Then Rupert claims to have seen his dead father at night.

Whilst Rupert's claims are dismissed, it seems there might be something lurking in the forest that has taken a particular interest in them and it might not be friendly.

An interesting film, but it's never really explained what this thing is, or what it wanted from the family. Director Benjamin Barfoot was actually in attendance to introduce the film and take questions afterwards, but even he remained tight lipped about it. So, you'll just have to see it and try and figure it out for yourself.

View the Trailer on YouTube.

The film is currently available to stream on the Shudder network.

And that concluded the days viewings, so with that it was back to the hotel to prepare for Day 3.

For more information on the festival and other special events throughout the year, visit the Official Website at: https://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com/

Also visit their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Also checkout http://www.broadway.org.uk/

Mayhem Film Festival 2024 - Day 1 Reviews

The Broadway Cinema in Nottingham was once again host to the annual Mayhem Film Festival this October. Now in it's 20th year, I'd once again managed to blag myself a press pass, so was only too eager to attend.

HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKS CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON (2023) Dir - Ariane Louis-Seize.

The fun kicked off with this French language Canadian Horror-Comedy, which revolves around a family of vampires. Whose youngest daughter Sasha (Sarah Monpetit) finds she doesn't have the heart to kill humans for food, so relies on her parents to keep her supplied with blood packs to live off.

However, when she crosses paths with a downtrodden teenage schoolboy named Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard), who's looking to commit suicide, she thinks she's found the perfect solution. But as their friendship begins to quickly grow, will they actually be able to go through with it?

Marking the feature film Directorial debut of Ariane Louis-Seize, the film was a kind of bizarre cross between “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Let the Right One In”, and was extremely tongue in cheek, in many ways playing like a teenage comedy. Albeit with a lot of slapstick bloody killings thrown in and proved to be one of the more popular films of the festival, which had the audience laughing out loud throughout.

If you're a fan of the aforementioned “What We Do in the Shadows”, you should love it and would definitely recommend Vampire fans check this out.

View the Trailer on YouTube.

The film is currently available to stream on MUBI.


MADS (2024) Dir - David Moreau

Second film of the evening was another French language horror. MADS from David Moreau, which looks at the problems of taking cheap drugs and, to a lesser extent, picking up strangers.

Set in rural France, teenager Romain (Milton Richie) picks up a load of drugs for a party he's attending that evening. However, a chance encounter with a strange woman that he tries to help, who appears to have escaped from a psychiatric ward, sets in motion a series of deadly events.

Having got blood all over his drugs, he simply washes off the outside of the bags and takes them to the party. But shortly after snorting the contents, he and his 2 female friends start behaving rather strangely and they begin to question whether anything they are seeing is real or not.

But when armed soldiers in hazmat suits show up and start shooting people, they realise something's very wrong and somehow they have to try and escape.

Filmed in a series of single long takes, this was a bit of a slow burn horror, in which you're unsure at first whether any of the events you're witnessing are real, or part of their drug induced state. But when things get real, you're still left wondering why it's happening.

The film was rather reminiscent of the Crazies, in which you have these friends, who may or may not be “infected” with something, trying to escape the authorities. But the focus stays on the 3 main protagonists, with each persons story taking up a portion of the film, so you never get to see the full scope of whats going on around them.

Whilst boasting some nice gore, it was a bit too slow for my liking. However, it was well received by the rest of the audience. The Director previously worked on “Them” [AKA “Ils”] (2006)  and “The Eye” (2008), so if you enjoyed those, you may want to check this one out.

View the Trailer on YouTube.

The film should be available to stream on Shudder shortly.

And that concluded Day 1

For more information on the festival and other special events throughout the year, visit the Official Website at: https://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com/

Also visit their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Also checkout http://www.broadway.org.uk/

Horror-Comedy RENFIELD - on 4K UHD

Nicolas Cage’s hilarious horror comedy RENFIELD is being released in a collectable UHD Steelbook edition from 21 October by Altitude

Packed with laughs, splattery special effects, and featuring one of Cage’s most bugged-out and brilliant performances, RENFIELD is a ‘delight to watch’ (Collider), and a must for fans of ghoulish horror comedies like What We Do In The Shadows and Lisa Frankenstein.  

RENFIELD is available in a gorgeous Steelbook edition, with a host of extras including an audio commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes and more. 

Behind every great monster is an overworked sidekick: Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss: Dracula (Nicolas Cage). 

For centuries, Renfield has slavishly served Dracula by procuring his master’s prey and doing his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, Renfield is ready to look for a new life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end the toxic, codependent relationship…

SPECIAL FEATURES: 

- Audio commentary with producer Samantha Nisenboim, screenwriter Ryan Ridley & other crew members
- Eight deleted and extended scenes (17 mins)
- Alternate takes (3 mins)
- Featurette "Dracula UnCaged" about Nicolas Cage as Dracula (5 mins)
- Featurette "Monsters & Men" behind the scenes featurette of RENFIELD (12 mins)
- Featurette "Stages of Rejuvenation" about the transformation of Dracula (6 mins)
- Featurette "Flesh & Blood" about the splatter effects (5 mins)
- Featurette "Fighting Dirty" about the stunts (6 mins)
- Featurette "The making of a Deleted Scene" about Renfield's Dance (3 mins)
- Trailers & TV Spots

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD from Amazon.co.uk

 

Funfair slasher THE MOUSE TRAP - Out now on DVD!

There’s a seemingly familiar face stalking the funfair in THE MOUSE TRAP, a horror chiller that’ll make you look at one of your childhood favourites very differently!

SYNOPSIS: It's Alex's 21st Birthday, but she's stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.

Directed by Jamie Bailey (What Lurks Beneath), THE MOUSE TRAP is written by Simon Phillips (Blood Harvest), who also stars as Mickey, the masked killer, terrorising a gang of friends late one night at an amusement arcade. There’s shocks and gore galore as Mickey dons his mask and goes on a rodent rampage.

With a trailer that’s already scored over one million views on YouTube, this is a horror film that’s sure to get everyone talking. If you enjoyed The Terrifier films and the Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey slashers, then this blood-soaked frightener will be just the ticket.

View the trailer on YouTube. 

Buy the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Elizabeth Hurley stars in twisted tale PIPER - on Digital, Nov

Prepare to pay the PIPER in a fear-inducing new horror starring Elizabeth Hurley. This wickedly creepy fantasy from Anthony Waller (Mute Witness), tells a terrifying tale of children paying for the sins of their parents and following its acclaimed world premiere at FrightFest 2023 is now set for its digital bow from 101 Films this November.

Liz (Hurley) and her daughter Amy (Mia Jenkins) have relocated to a small town in Germany, but as they settle into their new life things start to take a dark turn… a local girl dies in horrifying circumstances and sinister events abound.

A dark secret from Liz's past has awoken the Piper, an evil entity from beyond who seeks redemption by taking the children of any parent who has done wrong… and Mia is in grave danger.

When Amy meets the kind and mysterious, Luca (Jack Stewart), could he be the key to saving her from the Piper’s clutches?

For a twisted take on a children’s legend that’s a parent’s worst nightmare let the PIPER play on.

Starring Elizabeth Hurley (Bedazzled, Austin Powers), Mia Jenkins (Hanna), Jack Stewart (Outlander), Tara Fitzgerald (Brassed Off) and Robert Daws (The Man Who Fell to Earth).

On Digital 18th November 2024

View the Trailer on YouTube.

 

Horror and Genre thrills at Leeds International Film Festival, November

Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) has announced the full programme for its 2024 edition which includes UK premieres, new A-List and innovative new Festival strands showcasing the best in world cinema, retrospectives genre films and documentaries. LIFF is supported by the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Award.

 

Established in 1987, Leeds International Film Festival is one of the largest annual film events in the UK and one of the longest, running for 17 days every November in venues across Leeds and West Yorkshire. Presenting over 250 features and shorts every year, with annual submissions of over 5000 from more than 120 countries, LIFF principally showcases and supports films from new and diverse filmmaking talent and which may not receive profile in the UK otherwise.

The 38th edition of the Festival will run from 1st to the 17th November 2024 at venues across the city including events and screenings at Everyman Leeds, Vue Leeds in the Light, Hyde Park Picture House and Howard Assembly Room. Tickets and passes are now on sale.

Fanomenon is the home at LIFF for fantasy, sci-fi, horror, dark comedy, cult films, the unclassifiable, and much more. Fanomenon opening film is the UK premiere of writer/director Yang Li’s Escape from the 21st Century which uses a dizzying array of special effects, and choreographs kinetic action that brilliantly integrates comic-book animation with magnificent martial art prowess. The Fanomenon closing film is The Killers, a wildly inventive and entertaining collection of four crime stories from South Korea.

Fanathon film marathons return for LIFF 2024 with Sci-Fi day on 2 November with four new features, including two UK Premieres - mind-bending sci-fi tale The A-Frame and U Are the Universe, screening as a UK premiere, a moving and comic story about an astronaut’s search for connection after he is left alone in space when Earth explodes. 

Day of the Dead is back on 9 November with four acclaimed new horror films from Belgium, Nigeria, Taiwan and USA showing at Hyde Park Picture House. Including the UK premiere of Else, smart and suspenseful The Weekend, hilarious dark comedy Dead Talents Society and Dead Mail, a surreal horror thriller that blends retro analogue aesthetics with a twisted tale of obsession, murder, and electronic keyboards. The ultimate all-night horror marathon, Night of the Dead returns with a new mix of wild films guaranteed to deliver plenty of thrills, gore, and chills. Screenings include the world premiere of Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round, produced by Joe Swanberg, and Dark Match, an action-packed horror that puts a small-time group of ‘80s pro-wrestlers in a desperate battle for survival.

Previously announced as screening in the Fanomenon competition, showcasing mind-expanding new genre cinema will be: Niles Atallah’s modern queer fairytale Animalia Paradoxa; Ivana Gloria’s Chlorophyll; Thibault Emin’s mesmerising body-horror debut Else; Benjamin Pfohl’s cosmic coming-of-ager Jupiter; Yannis Veslemes’s psychedelic time travel horror She Loved Blossoms More; Pavlo Ostrikov’s post-apocalyptic Ukrainian sci-fi romance U Are the Universe; Joel Potrykus’s jet-black punk rock comedy Vulcanizadora.

Retrospective collection The Weird of Oz explores the wild and often groundbreaking scene of Australian new wave cinema from the 1970s onwards, expressing the growing pains of the country and garnering attention around the world. There’s highway adventures of Mad Max 2, Road Games and Stone; the hyperreal pop images styles of BeDevil and Razorback; vengeful nature in Lost Weekend and The Last Wave; individuals against the world in Celia and Wake in Fright. 

Visit the Official Website at https://www.leedsfilm.com/

Visit their social media pages...
https://www.facebook.com/leedsfilmfest
https://x.com/leedsfilmfest

 

Sinister crime thriller DARKGAME - Coming to Digital Outlets

The Movie Partnership is releasing the bloody crime thriller DARKGAME, starring Ed Westwick, to own on digital from 21st October.

Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl) stars as hardened Portland police Detective Ben Jacobs. His special unit works on locating to save the victims trapped in a game show playing out for the dark web to gamble on.

While the game masters play with the lives of their victims, Ben and the team are forced to seek the advice from a criminal adversary from their past. As the victims are killed one by one and Ben becomes part of the twisted games, time rapidly runs out before they could put an end to this Russian Roulette without further casualties.

Directed by Howard J. Ford (Escape, The Ledge), DARKGAME is brutally twisted and sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. Don't forget to vote for who you want to stay alive. 

DARKGAME will be available to own on Digital from 21st October.

 View the Trailer on YouTube.

Epic Sci-Fi Thriller ALIEN: ROMULUS - Available on Disc, December

The legendary ALIEN franchise gives birth to an all-new terrifying sci-fi horror thriller when 20th Century Studios’ ALIEN: ROMULUS arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and limited-edition steelbook on 2nd December.  

This truly terrifying sci-fi horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful ALIEN franchise back to its iconic roots. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young colonizers come face-to-face with the most relentless and deadly life form in the universe. 

Starring Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu, ALIEN: ROMULUS is directed by horror master Fede Alvarez from a screenplay by Alvarez and frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett. Ridley Scott, who directed the original ALIEN, produces with Michael Pruss and Walter Hill. 

ALIEN: ROMULUS  is the start of a new chapter with a brand-new story unlike any other Alien movie that came before it, featuring all-new creatures and characters that are “tense enough to grab you by the throat” (Owen Gleiberman, Variety). Fans can delve deeper into the ALIEN franchise with all-new exclusive bonus features, including featurettes with filmmakers Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, behind the scenes content, and extended and deleted scenes.   

Bonus Features

- Return to Horror: Crafting Alien: Romulus 

- The Director’s Vision – Discover how one of today’s greatest horror directors, Fede Alvarez, collaborated with master filmmaker Ridley Scott to craft a new, heart-pounding chapter in the Alien franchise.

- Creating the Story – Learn what inspired the story of Alien: Romulus and see the many easter eggs from previous Alien installments that you may have missed. 

- Casting the Faces – Meet the stars of Alien: Romulus as they take us inside the hearts and minds of their characters. Explore the parallels between Rain and the iconic franchise heroine, Ripley, and learn how filmmakers brought back a face from the past. 

- Constructing the World – Explore the massive, practical sets of Alien: Romulus that hearken back to the futuristic style established in the '80s, and get up close and personal with a hoard of practically built facehuggers, chestbursters, and xenomorphs. 

- Inside the Xenomorph Showdown – Experience the film’s climactic zero-gravity sequence from every angle as filmmakers break down what it took to make the moment spectacular. From sets and performances, to wirework, stunts, and VFX, see how it all came together. 

- Alien: A Conversation – A special conversation with Ridley Scott and Fede Alvarez for the Alien 45th Anniversary theatrical re-release. 

- Extended / Deleted Scenes – Check out scenes that didn't make the final cut. 

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD/BD Steelbook from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD/BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK 4K BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK 4K BD from Amazon.co.uk

FrightFest announces line-up for 2-day Halloween event

FrightFest announces line-up for 2-day Halloween event, with Daisy Ridley, Jane Horrocks & Brian Blessed amongst attending guests

Following the success of its spectacular 25th Anniversary August five-day event, the UK’s most popular genre film festival returns to the Odeon Luxe West End in Leicester Square. Taking over both screens on Friday 1st November and Saturday 2nd November, the Halloween special will feature nine premiere titles from six countries, spanning Europe, North America, South America and Asia, making it a truly spine-chilling display of global talent. Each film will be screened twice.

Opening the event is the UK premiere of Sam Yates’s MAGPIE, a darkly intense psychological thriller which thrives in its classic neo-noir atmosphere, eliciting tension that is seconds away from permanently snapping. Daisy Ridley delivers a tour de force performance as a neglected wife on the edge, and will be in attending the screening alongside her husband, actor Tom Bateman, writer/producer of Magpie.

The second film on the Friday is the UK premiere of PARVULOS, a thought-provoking, zombie ‘Lord of the Flies’, helmed by Mexican director Isaac Ezban, whose fantastic eye for gothic tableaux makes for a powerful and shocking treat.

The first day closes with the World premiere of Airell Hayes’ ADVENT, which charts one woman’s countdown decent into Xmas supernatural hell. Inspired by the terrifying true story of the blue whale game, this is a new kind of Christmas ghost story. Airell will be joined by the film’s stars including Nicholas Vince.

Saturday kicks off with the World premiere of THE BITTER TASTE, Guido Tölke’s outlandish tale of the undead. Watch out for full-bore gore, chainsaws, eye-grazing stunts and one of the best OTT scores by Clemens Damerau.

Then we have the UK premiere of ALIEN COUNTRY, a balls-to-the-wall, extraterrestrial invasion comedy, directed by popular Youtubers Boston McConnaughey, Renny Grames, who are planning to attend.

Up next is the UK premiere of THE DRAFT! a fist-pumping Indonesian body count terror which delights in honouring horror cliches while subverting them totally into a gruesome gore-fest.

This is followed by the UK premiere of TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS, the Meta-universe comedy fantasy of the year from acclaimed writer-producer duo, the Shakespeare Sisters and co-written and directed by Chris Reading. The film stars British comedy royalty in Johnny Vegas, Sophie Thompson, Jane Horrocks, Mark Heap, and is narrated by Stephen Fry. Many of the cast will be attending including Jane Horrocks, Brian Blessed, Laura Aikman, Guy Henry, Brian Bovell, Ruth Syratt, Tom Lenk and Simon Killick, alongside director Chris Reading and producers Hillary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare.

Also attending is Teddy Grennan, the director of CATCH A KILLER, which will receive its International premiere. Grennan has fashioned one of the most exciting neo-noir serial killer thrillers of the year, featuring breakout performances from Sam Brooks and Tu Morrow.

Completing the line-up is the UK premiere of Emma Benestan’s Cannes Critics' Week closer, ANIMALE, a shape-shifting horror drama that takes toxic masculinity by the horns.

Paul McEvoy, FrightFest co-director, said today: “What a perfect Halloween Treat we have lined-up for everyone this year. A wonderful movie mix-tape of nine exciting, exceptional, new and varied genre titles. There is something for every film fan along with an incredible list of guest attendees. This will be a sensational end to our 25th Anniversary banner year and we hope you all enjoy.”

Passes and tickets go on sale at noon on Saturday 5th October.

Prices: Two-day pass - £79 | Friday 1st  day pass - £33 | Saturday 28th Day pass - £59

Single tickets - £14.99

All tickets are subject to ticket costs.

LINE UP:

FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER

OPENING FILM:  MAGPIE (UK Premiere)
(Times: Screen 1: 6.00pm, Screen 2: 6.30pm)

Director: Sam Yates. With: Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Anna Ingrid  Lutz, Alistair Petrie, Hiba Ahmed. UK 2023. 90 mins.,

Synopsis: When Ben and Anette's daughter is cast in a film alongside glamorous movie star, Alicia, Ben is quickly drawn into Alicia's world. As he becomes more intoxicated with Alicia and their affair intensifies, Anette is left at home with the baby, pushed to her emotional limits and on the brink of psychosis.

PARVULOS (UK Premiere)
(Times: Screen 1: 8.25pm, Screen 2: 8.50pm)

Director Isaac Ezban. With: Farid Escalante Correa, Leonardo Cervantes, Mateo Ortega Casillas, Carla Adell. Mexico 2024. 118 mins.

Synopsis: A thought-provoking, slick and visually striking story about the lives of three young brothers tackling life in a post-apocalyptic, infected world, shot largely in monochrome tones, with flashes of colour for special moments. Living in a cabin in the middle of the woods the trio hide a dark, disturbing secret in their basement.

ADVENT (World Premiere)
(Times: Screen 1: 10.55pm, Screen 2: 11.30pm)

Director: Airell Anthony Hayles. With: Nicholas Vince, Mark Arnold, Rasina Pavlova, Cian Lorcan. UK 2024. 77 mins

Synopsis: When a young girl into urban legends unearths a supposed cursed advent calendar, she seeks to find out if the dark stories behind it are true as she opens a door each day in the build up to Christmas. Behind every door is a challenge that grows more disturbing as she starts to lose sight of who she is. As realities collapse, it seems she may have also brought her mother back from the dead.

SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER

THE BITTER TASTE (World Premiere)
(Times: Screen 1: 11.10am, Screen 2: 11.35am)

Director: Guido Tölke. With: Julia Dordel, Nicolo Pasetti, Anne Alexander Sieder, Christiane Ostermayer. Germany 2024. 125 mins.

Synopsis: Five ways to die - one way to survive. After being captured by an undead countess and her cursed followers, Marcia, a retired pentathlete, must rely on her outdated and rusty athletic abilities to endure a terrifying hunt for human prey. Reluctantly she teams up with a mysterious, yet charming fisherman and an irritable cop in a suspicious alliance to increase her chances of survival against all the odds.

ALIEN COUNTRY (UK Premiere)

(Times: Screen 1: 1.45pm, Screen 2: 2.10pm)

Directors: Boston McConnaughey, Renny Grames. With: K.C. Clyde, Renny Grames, Charan Prabhakar, Rachele Brooke Smith. USA 2024. 96 mins.

Synopsis: Reeling from the news of an unexpected pregnancy, Jimmy, a wild and reckless demolition derby mechanic, and Everly unknowingly release an alien invasion in their small town. Now they must learn to work together in order to save each other, their town and evidently, the entire galaxy.

THE DRAFT! (UK Premiere)

(Times: Screen 1: 4.10pm, Screen 2: 4.35pm)

Director: Yusron Fuadi. With: Adhin Abdul Hakim, Winner Wijaya, Ibrahim Alhami, Putri Anggie.  Indonesia 2023. 84 mins.

Synopsis: Fight for your fate! Five college students embark on a weekend trip to an isolated cabin. Upon their arrival, a mysterious older man gives them a cryptic warning about staying there, and later, strange and weird events begin happening around them. Soon they learn they must survive a dizzying battle of wits against an all-powerful dark force that is seemingly undefeated.

TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS (UK Premiere)

(Times: Screen 1: 6.20pm, Screen 2: 6.45pm)

Director: Chris Reading. With: Johnny Vegas, Sophie Thompson, Jane Horrocks, Mark Heap, and narrated by Stephen Fry. 2024 UK. 99 mins.

Synopsis: Real-life best friends Ruth Syratt and Megan Stevenson run a vintage bric-a-brac shop in Muswell Hill, London. Stumbling across a time machine, they embark on trips to the past to stock their emporium with quirky artefacts with no idea of the irreparable damage they're causing to the fabric of the universe. After one excursion too many, an interdimensional fissure appears and Ruth must free Megan from The Unreason, a monstrous netherworld where convoluted gaming is played for all eternity.

CATCH A KILLER (UK Premiere)

(Times: Screen 1: 8.45pm, Screen 2: 9.10pm)

Director: Teddy Grennan. With: Sam Brooks, Tu Morrow. USA 2024. 74 mins.

Synopsis: Otto and Lex are a pair of star-crossed lovers, who do the right thing but make the wrong decision and it costs them everything. When Otto is derailed on his way to becoming the city’s youngest detective, he stays in the police business as a bioremediation specialist cleaning up after a serial killer. With an uncanny knowledge of horror films and his natural born instincts, Otto and Lex crack the code to where the killer is going to strike next…now they  have just got to catch him.

ANIMALE (UK Premiere)

(Times: Screen 1: 10.40pm, Screen 2: 11.05pm)

Director: Emma Benestan. With: Oulaya Amamra, Claude Chaballier, Elies-Morgan Admi-Bensellam, Vivien Rodriguez. France 2024. 95 mins.

Synopsis: Nejma works at a farm where bulls are raised for sport. Against her mother’s wishes, Nejma wants to become the first female bull-runner, a dangerous ambition as many end up wounded or permanently disabled. After one bullfighting dare, she wakes up with a weird, enhanced ability to know what the bulls feel. Shortly afterwards a mysterious rogue bull appears at night to stalk and kill. To save the tourist season and dispel any rumours, all farms unite for a bull-hunt. But as her powers of perception grow, Nejma fears there may be a more supernatural angle to what's been happening...

Tickets available from http://www.frightfest.co.uk/

FrightFest: Website | Facebook | X 

October releases from TetroVideo and GoreDrome

Gorehounds is proud to announce the October releases together with special offers on many DVDs and Blu-rays.

The extreme films MUTILATION THEATRE and SCARLET PISS PRINCESS, the trash horror DELIRIUM COLLECTION, the fantasy horror DARK WAVES, and SPECTERS OF HALLOWEEN (distributed by BlackMafia Films) are available for pre-order on Goredrome Pictures and TetroVideo official websites.

The first four titles come in a numbered limited Mediabook edition with DVD or Blu-ray and Booklet (slipcover and cards are limited to pre-order customers only) along with T-Shirts or keychain bottle openers.

MUTILATION THEATRE

Mutilation Theatre is a collection of extreme short films directed by White Gardenia, the director of the segments “Allison's Mouth fills up with Blood and Semen” and “Yummy Fur” featured in the extreme horror anthologies XXX Dark Web and Vore Gore, respectively.

Mutilation Theatre is now also available in a Mediabook double-disc edition (DVD + Blu-ray + Booklet).

– DISC 1: “Mutilation Theatre”;

– DISC 2: “Introduction to the Coagulation Blood”; “Daniel and Allison Wedding Ceremony”; “Potential Ways to defeat Death”.

SCARLET PISS PRINCESS

Written and directed by Jack Mulvanerty (Doll Fluids, Split), Scarlet Piss Princess (USA - 2023) is an extreme film about fetishism and masochism and the story features a girl who performs dangerous erotic shows via webcam.

Scarlet Piss Princess comes in a limited Mediabook double-disc edition (DVD + Blu-ray) with Trailer and the short film “Experiment 001” in the extras.

DELIRIUM COLLECTION

The Delirium Collection is a collection of 4 trash horror films directed by Jason Impey (Visions of Filth) and is available in the limited Mediabook edition (Cover A and Cover B) with 2 Blu-rays and booklet.

The Delirium Collection consists of the following films: Naked Nazi (2008), Necrophiliac & The Killer Gimps (2015), Snuffology (2017), and Violated (2023).

- Naked Nazi features a woman who, dressed in Nazi clothing, seduces and kills her sex slaves;

- Necrophiliac & The Killer Gimps is a horror anthology film about death;

- Snuffology is a collection of videos about sex crimes and murders;

- Violated is the story of a filmmaker who will mix fiction and reality to make a snuff movie.

DARK WAVES

Dark Waves is a horror/fantasy film written by Andrea Cavaletto (Doll Syndrome) and directed by Domiziano Cristopharo (House of Flesh Mannequins).

The film comes in a limited Mediabook edition (Cover A and Cover B) with Blu-ray and Booklet.

Dark Waves is described as a surreal, dark fairy tale with dramatic and melancholic overtones, in which the protagonists experience a love story among dreams, legends but also pirates, ghostly figures and sea monsters that will force the couple to confront a past they wish to forget.

Nancy de Lucia (The Museum of Wonders), David D'Ingeo (Il fantasma dell’opera), Luca Canonici, Antonella Salvucci (Nightmare Symphony), Arian Levanael (The Transparent Woman) and Gabriele Guerra star.

SPECTERS OF HALLOWEEN

Distributed by BlackMafia Films, Specters of Halloween is available in a standard Amaray edition with DVD + 2 Blu-rays.

The collection includes 3 films about October 31: 3 Dead Trick or Treaters (Canada - 2016), I Love Halloween (UK - 2021) and 4 Halloween (Spain - 2023).

Written and directed by Torin Langen (episode “Slit” in Late Night Double Feature), 3 Dead Trick or Treaters is a horror anthology film consisting of 4 segments (“Fondue,” “Malleus Maleficarum,” “Stash,” and “Delivery") that feature stories of boys who died on Halloween.

Cast: Holden Levack, Jeremy Charles Singer, Emma McDonald and Rebecca McAulay.

I Love Halloween is a documentary film directed by Tony Newton and features interviews with independent film filmmakers/actors (Joe Cash, Laura Barker, Alana Dro, Mathew Fisher, Dean Houlihan...) who gave their views on this horror celebration.

In 4 Halloween by Domiziano Cristopharo, four people will deal with the undead, serial killers, witches and aliens.

The film stars Puccy Polverino, Nicholas Sartori, Megan Vigil and Daniele Arturi.

To order these and other titles, visit http://www.tetrovideo.com or http://www.goredrome.com

British Comedy Horror MEMBERS CLUB - Coming to UK Digital Platforms.

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment is delighted to confirm, that following its rip-roaring success at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, the British horror comedy, MEMBERS CLUB, will available on UK Digital Platforms from 21st October.

Wet Dreams, a middle-aged male stripper group, have hit rock bottom. After a string of disastrous gigs, the gang considers disbanding. Alan, the group's happy-go-lucky front man, takes over the business and books the boys a lucrative and mysterious gig in rural Essex. But when the group arrive at the desolate club, their night quickly takes a dark turn when they find themselves tangled up in a plot to raise a murderous 16th century witch from the dead.

Members Club takes you on a journey from the mundane world of middle-aged male strippers to the down right ludicrous world of talking cheese,  pineapple hedgehogs, whisky drinking toads, OnlyFans for pensioners, and Peter Andre’s most outrageous role yet - leading to a hair-raising finale that has never been captured on film before.

Written and Directed by Marc Coleman, the film stars a host of British talent including Dean Kilbey (ManFish, Boiling Point [2023], Top Boy), Perry Benson (Love Honour and Obey, This is England, Benidorm), Barbara Smith (EastEnders, Call The Midwife, Casualty), Juliet Cowan (Culprits, Cuckoo, Motherland), Mark Monero (Sid and Nancy, Free Fire, Happy New Year Colin Burstead), Steve Oram (Sightseers, The World's End, Aaaaaaaah!), David Schaal (The Inbetweeners, EastEnders, Down Terrace), Alan Ford (Snatch, Cockneys vs Zombies, Toast of London), Liam Noble (Peep Show, ManFish, Bridgerton) as well as Peter Andre (Dragged Up Dirty, On The Other Foot). 

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

MEMBERS CLUB will be available on Digital Download from 21st October

Nicholas Vince's I AM MONSTERS! - Exclusive LE BD Release

Nicholas Vince, most well known for his debut role as the Chatterer in Clive Barker's HELLRAISER, and Kinski (Moon Face) in the cult shocker NIGHTBREED, took to the stage in 2019 with his autobiographical one-man-show I AM MONSTERS!

Synopsis:

I AM MONSTERS! charts Vince’s life from a monster-obsessed child, born undershot, through to an out of the closet actor, propelled to fame by Clive Barker’s ground-breaking films. He speaks openly about being a bullied outsider, the life-threatening operation to reconstruct his face, his battle with being gay in Thatcher’s Britain and reveals what it takes to be a Monster.

Nick commented: "I'm overjoyed to be finally sharing I AM MONSTERS!! on Blu Ray and hope people will enjoy this exploration of the journey which led to the creation of the Chatterer Cenobite, and other monsters on film, in comics and short stories. It's been a long road from the original one man show, presented as part of the London Horror Festival in 2019. Researching and writing the film led me to discoveries about some major surgery, tell more behind the scenes stories from Hellraiser, Hellbound and Nightbreed and share my fascination with monsters”.

I AM MONSTERS! Is a Dark Rift Horror Production, written and directed by Nicholas Vince, with additional poem by Clive Barker. Produced by Paul Butler, Stewart Sparke and Nicholas Vince Cast: Nicholas Vince, Marie Britton, Lyndsey Craine, Stewart Sparke, Craig Burman-Vince. Music by Mitch Bain, Cinematography by Hamish Saks and edited by Nicholas Vince.

The Blu Ray extras will include four postcards, slipcover designed by celebrated graphic artist Graham Humphreys, four short films written / directed by Nick, a four-page booklet. and an exclusive interview, hosted by Emmerdale star and Horror director / devotee, Dominic Brunt (Bait, Wolf Manor)

It will only be available from the Dark Rift Horror website https://darkrifthorror.com/ and will go on sale from October 31^st. available in the UK, US and Canada. Price is £25 + shipping. For £30 there is also the option of a personalised dedication of the buyers choice.

Plus, there is a QR code that enables buyers to download, for free, even more extras, such as the shooting script, and a 10 min documentary on the making of The Night Whispered.

 View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

 

Arrow Video gets "Demolished" this December...

December 2024 releases from Arrow Video

DEMOLITION MAN - On Limited Edition 4K UHD

Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes go head-to-head in this classic sci-fi/action blockbuster from Joel Silver, the producer of Die Hard and The Matrix.

In 2032, arch criminal Simon Phoenix (Snipes) awakens from a 35-year deep freeze in CryoPrison to find a world where crime is almost non-existent – a serene utopia ripe for the taking. 

With the police no longer equipped to deal with his 90s-style brutality, they revive ‘Demolition Man’ Sgt. John Spartan (Stallone), the no-holds-barred police officer unjustly sentenced to CryoPrison who originally took Phoenix down. 

Old-school cop against old-school criminal, settling their scores on the streets of San Angeles? The future won’t know what’s hit it.

With a script co-written by Daniel Waters (Heathers, Batman Returns) and a supporting cast that includes Denis Leary, Benjamin Bratt, and Sandra Bullock in her breakout role, Demolition Man is an awesome mix of action and humour!

 

4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Marco Brambilla
• Includes both the domestic “Taco Bell” and international “Pizza Hut” versions of the film presented via seamless branching
• 4K Ultra HD (2160p) presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary by director Marco Brambilla and screenwriter Daniel Waters
• Brand new audio commentary by film historian Mike White of the Projection Booth podcast
• Archive audio commentary by Marco Brambilla and producer Joel Silver
• Demolition Design, a new interview with production designer David L. Snyder
• Cryo Action, a new interview with stunt coordinator Charles Percini
• Biggs' Body Shoppe, a new interview with special make-up effects artist Chris Biggs
• Tacos and Hockey Pucks, a new interview with body effects set coordinator Jeff Farley
• Somewhere Over the Rambo, a new visual essay by film scholar Josh Nelson
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• 60-page perfect bound collector’s book featuring new writing by film critics Clem Bastow, William Bibbiani, Priscilla Page and Martyn Pedler
• Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley
• 6 postcard sized artcards
• ’Three Seashells’ and ‘Edgar Friendly graffiti’ stickers
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Laurie Greasley

Also available on Blu-Ray in 1080p.

 

THE ADDICITON - On Limited Edition 4K UHD

The mid-nineties were a fertile period for the vampire movie. Big-name stars such as Tom Cruise and Eddie Murphy flocked to genre, as did high-calibre filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, veterans Wes Craven and John Landis, independents Michael Almereyda and Jeffrey Arsenault, and up-and-comers Quentin Tarantino and Guillermo del Toro. 

Amid the fangs and crucifixes, Abel Ferrara reunited with his King of New York star Christopher Walken for The Addiction, a distinctly personal take on creatures of the night.

Philosophy student Kathleen (Lili Taylor, The Conjuring) is dragged into an alleyway on her way home from class by Casanova (Annabella Sciorra, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle) and bitten on the neck. She quickly falls ill but realises this isn’t any ordinary disease when she develops an aversion to daylight and a thirst for human blood…

Having made a big-budget foray into science fiction two years earlier with Body Snatchers, Ferrara’s approach to the vampire movie is in a lower key. Shot on the streets of New York, like so many of his major works – including The Driller Killer, Ms. 45 and Bad Lieutenant – and beautifully filmed in black and white, THE ADDICITON sees the filmmaker on his own terms and at his very best: raw, shocking, intense, intelligent, masterful.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• Brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10/compatible)
• Optional lossless 5.1 and 2.0 soundtracks
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by director Abel Ferrara, moderated by critic and biographer Brad Stevens
• Talking with the Vampires, a 2018 documentary about the film, featuring actors Christopher Walken and Lili Taylor, composer Joe Delia, cinematographer Ken Kelsch, and Ferrara himself
• 2018 interview with Abel Ferrara
• 2018 interview with Brad Stevens
• Abel Ferrara Edits The Addiction, an archival piece from the time of production
• Original trailer
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by critic Michael Ewins and an archival interview with Ferrara by Paul Duane 

 

CRITTERS: A FOUR COURSE FEAST! - On Limited Edition Blu-ray

 

The Krites have landed! Carnivorous creatures from outer space! Vicious vermin with very sharp teeth! The beloved sci-fi/comedy-horror franchise makes its UK Blu-ray debut in this special edition box set from Arrow Video.

A smart homage to 1950’s B-movies, CRITTERS sees a group of small but toothy extra terrestrials escape from an alien prison and land in small-town America with two shape-shifting bounty hunters in hot pursuit. 

Directed by Stephen Herek (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) and starring genre stalwarts Dee Wallace (The Howling) and M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple), the film was a smash-hit on home video, launching a franchise for the ravenous furry fiends. 

Two years later, CRITTERS 2 sees the Krites come back for seconds as leftover eggs hatch and attack the rural town of Grover's Bend. Directed by Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers) with a script co-written by David Twohy (Pitch Black), CRITTERS 2 is one big ball of toothy delight.

Celebrated horror author and screenwriter David J. Schow (The Crow) comes aboard for CRITTERS 3, bringing the Krites to the big city. Marking the feature film debut of none other than Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained), it was shot simultaneously with the darker, less comedic CRITTERS 4, in which the ferocious furballs battle series stalwart Charlie (Don Opper, Android) in outer space, featuring a cast that includes Angela Bassett (Strange Days) and Brad Dourif (Child’s Play).

A four course feast of fun, fur, fear and fangs, served with a platter of new and archive extras to whet your appetite! Go on, get stuck in!

 
4-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all four films
• Original lossless stereo 2.0 and 5.1 audio options
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• 60-page hardbound collectors book featuring new writing on the films by screenwriter Shane Bitterling and film critics Meagan Navarro and Heather Wixson, plus select archival material
• Double-sided fold out posters for all four films
• Limited edition packaging with newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr

DISC 1 - CRITTERS
• Brand new audio commentary by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain with screenwriter Shane Bitterling
• Audio Commentary with producer Barry Opper and star Don Opper
• Audio Commentary with Critter designers Charles Chiodo, Edward Chiodo and Stephen Chiodo
• They Bite!: The Making of Critters documentary
• For Brian: A Tribute to Screenwriter Brian Domonic Muir featurette
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• Alternate Ending
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Image Gallery

DISC 2 - CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE
• Brand new audio commentary by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
• Audio Commentary with director Mick Garris
• Audio Commentary with Critters designers Charles Chiodo, Edward Chiodo and Stephen Chiodo
• The Main Course: The Making of Critters 2 documentary
• Behind the Scenes Footage
• Additional TV Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot
• Image Gallery

DISC 3 - CRITTERS 3
• Brand new audio commentary by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
• Audio Commentary with producer Barry Opper and star Don Opper
• You Are What They Eat: The Making of Critters 3 featurette
• Trailer
• Promo
• Image Gallery

DISC 4 - CRITTERS 4
• Brand new audio commentary by film critics Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain
• Audio Commentary with producer/director Rupert Harvey
• Space Madness: The Making of Critters 4 featurette
• Trailer
• Image Gallery 

 

THE LAST VIDEO STORE - On Limited Edition Blu-ray

A love letter to video rental stores and the B-movie treasures that lined their walls, Cody Kennedy & Tim Rutherford’s debut feature, THE LAST VIDEO STORE, is a genre-loving blast of pure joy: “a real treasure trove for genre fans, both new and old.” (Kat Hughes, THN)

When her estranged father passes, twenty-something Nyla is tasked with the thing she hates the most – cleaning up his mess. Left behind are a collection of VHS tapes, and with them, the burden of returning them to “Blaster Video” a time capsule to an era in which cover art and a catchy movie title were king, run by Kevin, a human encyclopaedia of VHS history and a friend of her father. 

Amongst the returns is an unknown tape, a movie not even Kevin has heard of. Was this the last movie Nyla’s father watched before he died? The mystery is too much to resist. But when Kevin and Nyla press play, they unwittingly activate a long-dormant curse and a series of classic cinematic villains are plucked from B-movie heaven and hell to be unleashed into the store itself!

With style, charm and note perfect performances, THE LAST VIDEO STORE is a must for physical media fans. An elegy to the cinephilic havens of movie wisdom that could once be found on every corner, and the heroes like Kevin who staffed them.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
• Original DTS HD M5.1 audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• New audio commentary by film critics Matt Donato & Meagan Navarro
• The Videonomicon Unleashed, a new visual essay by film critic Heather Wixson co-author of In Search of Darkness
• Nostalgia Fuel, a new visual essay by film critic Martyn Pedlar
• ’Twas the Night of the Tree Beast, a 2012 short by Cody Kennedy & Tim Rutherford
• M is For Magnetic Tape, a 2013 short film Cody Kennedy & Tim Rutherford
• The Last Video Store 2013, the original short from which the feature grew
• The Video Store Commercial, a 2019 short film by Cody Kennedy & Tim Rutherford
• Clips from the first attempted feature version
• Behind the Scenes
• 3 previs shorts
• Trailer
• Image Gallery
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critics Anton Bitel and Alexandra West
• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by John Pearson
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by John Pearson