Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Half Hour of Horror with Love Horror, the show where the frights you forgot are revisited within half an hour. Well, usually, anyway. Yeah, most of the time. not Not all the time.
Speaker: Not this time around, because actually today we're doing a one-off special. I'm Tom Atkinson. joining Joining me as always is Alex Humphrey. Say hello. Hello. Hello there.
Speaker: And for this special episode, we've also brought in another member of the Love Horror team, Darren Gaskell. Say hello. Hello, everybody. Thanks for having me on. So can you remember how long you've you've you've written for Love Horror, Darren? You've been in the team for a long time. Wasn't it 20...
Speaker: 2019 I think my first review was a short I think the first feature was in the line of duty it was an Aaron Eckhart movie you've got a really good memory it was an okay movie but you know it was it was it was an inauspicious start but everything got better from there exactly and now you can see from strength to strength Now you can see why Darren's here. If he can remember his first review for us and whether he even liked it or not, then you know he's the right guy to be on this sort of a podcast.
Speaker: um Today we are, as I said, doing something a little bit different. Tubi Fright Fest. Tubi? Tubi? Tubi. 2026 is almost upon us. is almost upon us And I think it's safe to say that this is the biggest event in the horror film festival calendar in the UK and beyond really Fright Fest.
Speaker: yeah um So in this episode, we're turning our attention to the history of the event, highlights and the sheer chaos of one of the biggest festivals there is. So we'll be looking back at how Fright Fest began.
Speaker: We'll be sharing some of our own memories from festivals past, picking out our favorite moments, and ah also, most importantly, revealing the films that we're most excited to see this year.
Speaker: Hell yeah. So Darren has gone above and beyond with a list of 10 films, so we can all look forward to that. And Alex and I are taking it a bit easier with only a list of yeah five films each.
Speaker: And I'll also be digging into the festival archives of five strange, surprising and possibly slightly disturbing facts from Fright Fest history at the end. Oh, God. Oh, God. So before we start the timer...
Speaker: Alex has got something he's going to have. Well, yeah, we normally, so yeah, we normally, you know, I'm sure Darren knows, I'm sure he loves our podcast, but ah we normally do a little tribute before the, ah before the film, but I have this time, I've got a tribute to Fright Fest.
Speaker: So I, I don't know if people might know, might've mentioned it. I worked at the Prince Charles cinema ah for a few years and I ah was privy to some of their archives and um Prince Charles was where Fright Fest started and in their archives, i Don't tell them I stole these. We've got Fright Fest 2023 there. or to Sorry,
Speaker: And the brochure from Fright Press 2004. So some pretty vintage ah vintage brochures here. 2003. Shall we see what was on on 2003? You've got Jeepers Creepers 2.
Speaker: um You've got... What else have you got? Butterfly Effect was on. Oh, wow. Cypher. And... and and Charlie's Family is really pretty small mean like if you look at the look if you look at that that is that's the films just a double spread there that's all the films over over the four days that's nothing thing exactly that's got it's good I like the cover though it's a pretty cool cool cover and then 2004 it's a bit more meaty bit bigger than it kind of gone a bit more up budget gone a bit higher with the production values we've got what have we got where's the listings here Old Boy pretty good Switchblade Romance, Hort Tension, so getting pretty good.
Speaker: Toolbox Murders, Profondo Rosso, ah um all Roma Santa, Werewolf Hunt, which I remember, don't know if saw it there. Hellboy, the first Hellboy by Guillermo del Toro, um The Car Player, Dario Argento.
Speaker: Obviously, they love bit of that. Not one of his good ones, but it's our winter. I think that's just had a re-release, actually. It's coming out on 4K now. Ginger snaps back the beginning. um yeah Yeah. So, yeah. Oh, and the Eye, the Eye 2. I mean, it's not bad. Cashin, Machinist.
Speaker: Yeah, it's a pretty good lineup in here. But yeah, so this was a bit of a fatter brochure, this one. There's lot more in it, a bit more. They were doing well. So there you go. So that's my my tribute is that from the yeah from the archives of Frightfest past.
Speaker: that's Were you attending Frightfest back then, Darren? Did you go to one of those? I'm a relative newcomer to Frightfest, I have to say, because okay um in fact, i was kind of doing those more regional ones.
Speaker: And at one point I was thinking, well, I'll probably never end up getting to Frightfest. But yeah, that's... that's all that's all changed completely we we helped out with that hope yes absolutely yes yeah now you just have to always make the time every year to because it's getting bigger and longer need a whole week off work or whatever it's true we'd be upset if you didn't attend is basically how it's gone now ah know i'll know i'll I'll still be there. I'll still be there until they throw me out. Unless I do something weird at the karaoke, then I think I'll be all right. That's true. That's true. I've got a little tribute.
Speaker: Wait, oh I've got a little tribute as well. Oh, I didn't expect that. Oh, not really. Just because you had a program. I've got last year's program. Oh. And the reason why like this, this is a shameless ah plugging of Love Horror, obviously, is because our ad is in it.
Speaker: was a very cool ad, which no one at home is going to be able to see, particularly if they're only listening to this. But I had a nice, bloody, gory hand in it. So I'm keeping that. Yeah, good one. Good tribute. A little thing I keep in my drawer. So you want me to start the timer now, Al, before we go. then you're going to tell us a bit about Fright Fest. I'm going to give you an overview of the history of Fright Fest.
Speaker: Okay. before but that's And that's within the timer. I reckon for the timer. that Oh, yeah. For the timer this time, we always have a sound that's related somehow to the event. yeah um Usually with films, it's a bit easier to do. But this was the best I could do for this one. So when the time is up and we stop, in theory, you'll hear this sound.
Speaker: Turn off your bloody phones. Perfect. So i'm perfect for those of you that don't know, that's from one of the famous kind of, um what do you call them? Like little mini commercials. Little aren't they? Or used to between Fightfest films. So you turn off your phone before the film.
Speaker: So anyway, ah without further ado, I'm going to start. Three, so two, oh one, go. Right. So Fries Fest was conceived by Paul McAvoy, the previous program coordinator for the UK Horror Channel and co-owner of the highly successful cinema store. Ian Rattray, a retired film programmer, film distributor, filmmaker and designer for over 30 years plus of experience within the UK film industry. And Alan Jones, an internationally renowned journalist, broadcaster and author of the fantasy, horror and sci-fi and genres.
Speaker: The first event was back in 2000, as we mentioned, at the legendary Prince Charles Cinema off Leicester Square. Its August bank holiday weekend date has remained a fixture ever since. Greg Day, an experienced film and television publicist who has worked with Dario Argento and Alexander Jodorowsky, among other famous horror names, joined the company as co-director in 2006.
Speaker: So due to rapidly increasing audiences and its budgeting reputation as a must-attend event, Frightfest moved home to Screen 1 in the Odeon West End Leicester Square in 2005 and staged the Land of the Dead premiere with legendary icon George Romero in and in attendance. 2006 found Frightfest having to move again to the larger Screen 2 auditorium in the Odeon West End and and extending its length from four days to five days, which is kind of what it is now. i mean, you get other things that you get. the The quiz is kind of in there as well. And there's little bits, but it's kind of the five days is pretty much what what we're talking now. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, bank holiday, Monday.
Speaker: 2009, the festival's 10th anniversary marked Frightfest's biggest leap so far. Moving just a couple of hundred yards across Leicester Square, the festival upgraded to the UK's largest traditional cinema screen at the Empire Cinema. The move heralded the most ambitious lineup of new genre movies presented to date. Additional screens soon followed, plus the addition of the popular Discovery Strand.
Speaker: After moves in 2014 and 17, the Fantastic Festival finally returned to Odeon Cinemas at Leicester Square and West End in 2025, where it's grown bigger and bloodier than ever.
Speaker: So that's a kind of little. So they did a lot of moving around, a lot of ah shifting around and a lot of growing of the... ah kind of of the strands and the amount of films. and as you saw from those brochures, they started off with a relatively small amount of films and it's just kind of got bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger, really. So, yes, okay. All for the positive, though. All for the all for the better, having more films, I think. It's kind of... It means, I think, that they now... I'm sure you guys agree, but they now take on... There's a lot of sci-fi in there as well, isn't there? and There's a lot of action. There's a lot of things that are...
Speaker: Horror adjacent, shall we say. It's not pure horror, ah which it probably used to be. There's a lot of stuff in there that's a little bit different from maybe more broader tastes. Yeah. Where do you stand on it, Darren? Is bigger better?
Speaker: Yeah. but Well, in this case, I think bigger is better because you do get stuff that's not really classed as horror, but kind of, yeah as you say, it's horror adjacent. Things like, well, there's one that I'm going to be mentioning a little bit later on, and and I don't think that would play in any Inverted commas, normal horror fest. Oh, yeah. yeah It's good that they've kind of expanded a bit. There were a few last year which I kind of thought, well, this is more of a thriller, but I can kind of see why they've put it in the list as well. So, yeah, I like the fact that you have got a little bit more choice. It's just it's not always people getting chased around a cabin by some maniac. So, yeah, I like it. I like the breadth of the coverage. So if there's something that you don't like on one screen, there's probably something that going to really like on another screen. 100% I think that's a really nothing that's that's a good bit of advice is I know I've seen people do it definitely sometimes I've seen people who've like started off on one film and then just walked out they probably just walked into something else and there's nothing wrong with that because I think you've got so much playing that you might walk into something that you kind of go well what the hell's this and then when you you actually get ah ah a different experience or kind of a you know totally unexpected experience which is great
Speaker: it can be a bit brutal on the people that worked on the film when everyone just gets up and walks out. Yeah, it's very brutal when you know that they're there and you're kind of sitting there thinking, I kind of need to sneak out here, but I want to make you as quiet as possible. It must be dreadful to sit there having made this one and then somebody like me just kind of wandering out of the screen. Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, I don't generally do it a lot, but I'm waiting for the point where somebody follows me out of the screen and says, right, okay, what's your problem with this movie? that would be amazing. I'd love that. Do that. If anyone's listening and you've got film. Yeah.
Speaker: Look out for him. If he walks out, you know it's not good. Yeah, go grab him. yeah um One thing I was going to say, actually, because it is so big now, and I think, again, this is another um good argument for bigger is better. ah i think you need to put a bit more that time into researching the films, and that's why this podcast will be helpful, actually. Yeah.
Speaker: When you've got 84 films or whatever it is, 83 films. Yeah. You need to look through, you need to read up on them. If you can see a trailer, not a lot, a lot of them still haven't got trailers at the moment. But i think as long as you do that bit homework first and plan it out, I don't think you're really going be disappointed, especially if you get a bit kind of la feedback from trusted sources first and things. Yeah, definitely.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. No, definitely. Yeah. So I guess we're moving on to everyone's personal memories of Fright Fest. We've got a thing about your favourite Fright Fest moments. I guess it was more just like, has anyone got a little personal, I guess maybe your first Fright Fest is an easier way to do it? Can you, Darren, can you remember your first Fightfest or do you have another memory you wanted to share? Yeah, I mean, my first Fightfest in person was only about three years ago. So, I mean, I'd covered it remotely for quite a number of years before that.
Speaker: And so it was bigger in scale than any other of the um horror movie festivals that I go to. But i was expecting that. um So it is a ba it is a bit bewildering when you get there as a newbie, but you soon settle into it. and And I guess because I've been to other festivals then, it's not that much of a shock. No. I do remember the the first – in fact, it was pretty much the first – five minutes I was outside the Odeon somebody came up to me and asked me if I was something to do with the festival and then I said well no i'm not but I'm but I'm here to I'm here to review things and they said oh we've got a screener would you would you well and it was just it was a screener that I hadn't seen it was it was the last podcast actually Oh, wow. And that's be a really good movie. But yeah, just bumped into somebody outside and they said, oh, really we'll give you our screener. So I've kind of, ah I've been there like five minutes and I've got a screener off.
Speaker: It's the beauty of Fightfest. That's what it's all about. Yeah. Yeah. That's really good. How about you, Al? Can you, My first one, weirdly, is actually was before Love Horror was even ah when it was a twinkle in our eye, I believe. It was my first one was as a punter 2006 when it was at the Odeon West End.
Speaker: I think it was the old Odeon West End. And I watched the host there. I bought single tickets. think it with some other people. don't think you were there, Tom, but don't know if you remember this. Were you there then?
Speaker: No. Watched the host. Yeah, I'm still struggling. Yeah. Yeah, and it obviously amazing film, absolutely brilliant film. ah Loved that. But the other thing was, made it special, was I looked down the row from me, And bit behind and Derren Brown was in the, ah in the audience on his own.
Speaker: And he had, there were these two young guys sitting in front of him and they clocked him as well. And they kind of turned around and went to talk to him. And he just gave them this very Derren Brown freaky kind of like stare and just stared at them. Wouldn't speak, just stared at them.
Speaker: And then they got really freaked out, turned around, just watched the film And I was kind of like, oh to kind of oh, I don't know how i feel about that. And then in the end, he basically tapped on the shoulder was I'm really sorry about that. I just just wanted to watch the film. I didn't want to be disturbed before the film. But like, you know, and just chatted some really nicely and like did an autograph for them or did stuff for them. But it was just that he did it. He was in the zone to watch the horror and he didn't want to be disturbed. And I was kind of like, well, I quite respect that. I feel like that's, a you know, that's what you want from Darren Brown, really.
Speaker: You should have just hypnotized them or something, shouldn't you? Maybe. The way you stared at them, it was it was something like that. So, yeah. So that was my kind of first, yeah, for it first experience, definitely.
Speaker: Weirdly. So that was 2006, was it? Yeah. Yeah. yeah Because I'm pretty sure I went, because I've just looked up because i was so I don't remember the first one I went to. I'm pretty sure the first one I went to, I saw x Exorcist the Beginning. Oh, wow. um And ah that's 2004.
Speaker: And I'm pretty sure you were there. So, don't I don't remember. Unless you weren't there. Maybe we there. Maybe. I don't remember. I remember it being a bit of a letdown in the film. But yeah, a better memory than the film that was a bit of a letdown. um i I clearly remember sort of going to, I think was The Descent Part 2. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And I know not a lot of people really like it, but i remember seeing it on one of the really big screens and it was really loud. and it was really dark and yeah yeah i just remember really enjoying that and yeah just definitely got the sort of full benefit of the kind of fright fest experience from that I think that was when it really clicked because yeah before that it was a lot of kind of sitting in a seat for a long time getting back pain you know maybe getting a good film maybe not getting a good film and spending hours in there but um yeah that was that was the first one when I was like yeah this is the way to do it but that's I mean, Descent 2 is okay. If you ignore the retcon, it's a perfectly decent movie. It's just when you kind of get to it and think, hold on a minute. That didn't happen at the end of the previous one. But if you can sweep all of that aside, then it's ah it's a perfectly fine movie.
Speaker: yeah Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I enjoyed it. Films are, normally as well, films feel, I think a lot of films are better at Fright Fest, like when you're there with the crowd and the audience and all that. There's films that probably you'd have maybe given not a so-so review, but being in that in that space all the horror fans and seeing on the big screen and having an intro or having a Q&A afterwards, I think you kind of get in a free badge or something, it kind of gives you gets you in the right headspace to be like, oh, yeah, it just kind of makes it better in a way. Definitely enhances the films for sure, I think. Definitely. That's kind of one of the beauties of it.
Speaker: What was everyone's, so we got, what's your, what's some of your favourite Frightfest moments from the past? Darren, what's, what can you, what's some have been, yeah I you haven't been going for very long, but have you created any favourite moments so far? Yeah, there was a really good one last year because, and it happened, it happened after the karaoke actually. So I was singing, well, the Merton singing's not really what I do. I was me murdering werewolves of London. Sorry, Warren Zevin, you know, breast his soul. So I'm singing this song. And um as I got off the stage, there was somebody standing there waiting for me. And I thought, oh, is this a Warren Zevin fan that's going to smack me around the chops for winning their hero song? And it wasn't. It was Vilyar who directed the film Good Boy, which I, through various um various kind of,
Speaker: bits of shenanigans was I ended up at an executive producer on Goodbye, the Norwegian horror movie. And then they were also showing the follow-up above the knee, which I had nothing to do with. So I could review it with sort of no, no kind of bias to all. But he said, Oh, I'm Vilyar. We haven't met. It's because we hadn't, because everything was done ah online. And, you know,
Speaker: and any any sort of feedback they gave me on the movie or i was couldn't give them it was all done by facebook and messenger and sort of chats and things like that so so we never met anyway he was there um and he just said oh yeah it's nice to meet you and then he said above the knee was playing the following day yeah and he said um yeah all the sort of the the sort of behind the scenes folks here we've got a we've got a row of seats um we've got a couple of spare places come and watch the movie with us so i went and watched the movie oh that's brilliant oh that's a good one that's a good one oh tom what's one of your you got any personal favorite moments um yeah i was just trying to think i think i went to a screening of there's a frankenstein film one of the many frankenstein films but it was the 2015 bernard rose one
Speaker: bernard rose one Yeah. and um And which had Tony Todd in, which was nice. But the thing that I really liked about it, the thing that made it a standout moment is because um Danny Huston, is it Danny Huston, turned up and introduced the film.
Speaker: And I think at the time i was watching, I don't know if it was too early for it. I feel like I was watching an American Horror Story with him in the time. yeah So when he got up, i was like, I don't know. Is that too early for that? I feel like it's around sun. Either way, I remember he got up on stage and I was like, oh my God, that's really cool.
Speaker: Either that or I saw American Horror Story afterwards and was like, hey, I've seen him. and well I know that guy. One way or another, it's it's in my mind that I've seen him in real life. And I thought, oh, he's cool dude. Yeah, he's really good. And he was good playing ah Frankenstein as well. I remember you liking that. I remember you saying that that was pretty good. Yeah, it was pretty good. Yeah, modern what interpretation. It was good.
Speaker: How about you, Al? i wrote I've got a few, but one of my, probably the one of my best ones, Frightfest 2016 was at the Shepherd's Bush View. So it wasn't in, I mean, it's still London, but it wasn't in the West End at all. it was quite a trek and it was a bit of a weird, they had the whole cinema, which was quite cool. But it was a bit odd not being in Leicester Square and being in Shepherd's Bush. And it's like, you know, by the way shopping centre, it's bit odd.
Speaker: But that year, ah the film Pet got its yeah UK premiere, which is a kind of like that, yeah, kind of serial killer type vibe thing with Dominic Monaghan in it.
Speaker: And they did a kind of round table interview with him. And I got included with that with few other reviewers and stuff. And it was in one of the, they had an empty screen and they just did it there with him. And he was really good and he was really great. And i was, I knew I've done that kind of thing before and I know you don't get much time. So I was very conscious of like, I need to use my time well if I if i get to ask questions.
Speaker: And everyone was just asking about Lord of the Rings. And he was very patiently and nicely just answering, which is, you know, to his credit, he must be sick to death of talking about that. um And what I did, because there's a bit in the film, because it's about a stalker,
Speaker: i basically I basically had stalked him and looked into all the... And there's a bit where you see his list. is It's a shot in the film where he's got likes and dislikes for the girl. And I'd written on a piece of paper, likes and dislikes for him.
Speaker: And like, what we shared in common. was like, oh, you know, you like this and I like that too. And like, tried to like, deliberately kind of freak him out. But he took it really well and like, was kind of like, thought it quite funny. And, you know, like, you know, because I was just trying to do something different than asking about... Lord of the Rings what happened with the yeah didn't want to talk about that so yeah so that was that was quite a good one because that felt like a kind of very special moment also kind something you only really get a fright fest to kind of do these interviews and meet these people who you probably wouldn't get a chance to meet you know regardless of whether you're punter or a reviewer but it's kind of like you say seeing these people in person and meeting the kind of people behind the films is part special magic of it I would say definitely absolutely yeah 100%
Speaker: So it's now the time we talk about the films, Al. Why not? Let's get in with our let's get in with our picks. So, yes, Frightfest 2026. Oh, I don't know. Do you want to – should we go – because me and you have got left. got paper, scissors.
Speaker: ah Should it be like – maybe how about you, Tom, then Darren, then me? How about that? I think that feels fair. Okay. Yeah, you go first, Tom. Tell us all about the things you're most excited to see. me bring up my list. So first on my list, I've tried to get make it a bit mixed. this is And these are films I'm genuinely going to watch at the festival and yeah very good reasons why with each. So ah first choice is Grind, which ah the reason I really wanted to see it is because I've been hearing a lot about it at other festivals. It's been doing well. um Directed. So it's an anthology directed by...
Speaker: Ed Doherty, who previously worked as a producer, I think, on ABCs of Death and Faceless as well. Then Brie Grant, who worked on Torn Hearts and, of course, 12 Hour Shift, which I think, Darren, you're a big fan of.
Speaker: Yeah, one of my favourites, 12-hour shift, loved it. Yeah, but lots lots of people loved that film. um And then also Chelsea Stardust, ah who worked on a Satanic Panic, another film called Into the Dark. But yeah, it's, um yeah, few good people in it.
Speaker: Barbara Crampton is in it. i would so i was going to get to this point. Yeah, there's a bit of a theme, as some as you as you'll see. Well, that's one of the... You can't not go and see a Barbara Crampton film, can you? no, no. You can't. No, it's true. It's true. But also, there's a couple of other people in as well. A guy called ah Rob Hubel, who does a lot of um TV and film sort comedy stuff. And in the little bites of it that I've seen, he's really funny as well. So actually, it's really going to be really fun.
Speaker: It's ah an anthology about ah tackling the modern work landscape through four timely perspectives, the constant hustle culture of multi-level marketing campaign, the endless repetitiveness of being in a gig economy, ah of being a big, a gig economy food delivery driver, the online horrors of content moderation, moderation and also the unionization of a high street coffee shop franchise.
Speaker: So, um, basically, ah For anyone who's ever hated their job, had a bad boss, or felt taken advantage of at work.
Speaker: Everyone. Yeah. I've felt like that. So I love an anthology. And yeah, couldn't relate to that. So second one. Sorry, I'm i'm going on too long. It's Hungry. Very different. So Hungry is a killer hippo movie is the easiest way to say it. Ah, yes. Yep, yep, yep.
Speaker: Thought this be a good choice because it's going to be just bombastic kind of fun sort thing. It'd be good with a crowd at Fright Fest. Directed by James Nunn, who directed the one-shot films and also Tower Block as well. yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I didn't mind that. That was quite good.
Speaker: And I think he previously worked with the guy that did Primate, I can't remember name, director. Another British guy. So more Brits directing. Looks good fun. um Basically a Louisiana swampland so not set in Africa group of holidaymakers embarking a gator airboat tour and unaware of the dangers in the bayou in the shape of a big killer hippo more than one is it going to be like a reason why the hippo's there it's pretty well researched film so yeah there's there's gonna be a good a good reason why you know I know they are very aggressive. helic cost So yeah, there that is a thing. Yeah, I think they account for the what the most. but were At one point, they were like accounting for more deaths of humans than lots of other animals. I'm i'm not going to put a number one, but yeah, it's a big chunk of it
Speaker: um So yeah, so that's going fun. ah Third choice, Oddities by ah Tyler Savage. ah His most recent film was Stalker in 2020. But this film is basically, he made a short that did really well at festivals, won awards and things. So he's now made this feature length version of the film.
Speaker: This stars Adrian Barbeau. So a bit like the Barbara Crampton thing. I'm not going to not watch it. Fair enough. But yeah, big fan of her work and um The Fog in particular. So yeah, definitely want to check that out. ah I've heard lots of good things about it. Essentially, it's a thriller ah ah which follows the fates of two self-destructive best friends who accidentally kill their drug dealer.
Speaker: With no other recourse than to Flea Town, they stop at a seemingly sleepy roadside antique shop run by Adrienne Barbeau's character.
Speaker: And they quickly discover that she's not as innocent as she might seem and become a cropper, essentially. Sounds good. ah Fourth choice, Rubberhead, The Life and Monsters of Steve Johnson.
Speaker: Yeah. so ah directed by Nick Taylor. This is a documentary. So mixing things up. This will be a nice break. Really looking forward just sitting back, not being terrified for a bit, just watching something educational. And um yeah, for anyone who doesn't know, Steve Johnson did loads of ah special effects work, worked a lot with actually Rick Baker as well, the other legend in special effects work. So worked on things like American Werewolf in London, Ghostbusters. You'll see the Slimer thing in the in the poster.
Speaker: Predator, things like Poltergeist 2, like that weird tequila worm thing that comes up. He even worked on The Fog and Videodrome in the makeup department. So he's worked on everything. So it's going fascinating. and there's loads of cool people in it.
Speaker: And finally, the spooky one, The Nameless Ballad, um directed by Federico Zempaglioni. The reason I want see that is because looks like it's going to be a bit more of a brooding, slow build, haunted house number.
Speaker: um I think this either his third or fourth Frightfest film. He had The Well there, i think, two years ago, which I really liked. It's good fun. And i'll feel like this is going to be a similar thing.
Speaker: And it's about an under-pressure musician who's struggling to get his like next album out. He's looking for a bit of inspiration. So he takes refuge in Italian villa and only discover that he's got an ancient piano and sort of artifacts around the house that sort of send him into this spiral of sort of obsession, supernatural sort of visions and madness. Really? So ah seeing as how Federico's musician himself, I'm feeling like this might be based on a true story or something, which would be pretty cool.
Speaker: Never know. You never know. that's but That's me. That's my five. No, The Well, I really enjoyed it. I mean, I gave it a pretty good review as well. And for about two days, I had a bit of an Italian fan club who were popping in my DMs to say what an amazing review of The Well. so Definitely.
Speaker: Yeah, and that's the thing as well. He really likes love horror. We've done lots of interviews with him in the past as well, he's a very humble person, and he's very passionate. And, yeah, he let he loves Fright Fest as much as the the biggest fans of Fright Fest, I think. He's, um yeah, a great guy. So, yeah, can't wait.
Speaker: Very girls good. That was a good little list. o Darren, are you going to give us gonna give us all of yours? Do you want to do five and then me and then your next five? let me do five because I don't want people to be falling asleep after like seven or eight. Give us your first five then. Right, the first five, right. Okay, so aren from the opening day, Colony, which is Yong Sang Ho, his latest one.
Speaker: Anything that's in into in the Trent Abusan universe, I am there. yeah i yeah um' I'm really, really looking forward to it. so yeah yeah I don't think that needs a lot more explaining because you know if you've seen Trent Abusan, you'll just know how good it is. certain yeah know If Colony is half as good as Trent Abusan, I will be satisfied. I'm hoping it's going to be as good.
Speaker: But yeah let's let's see where he goes with that one. Yeah, definitely. So that's Colony. um Video Nasty, Heritage coming up with the next one, Faces of Death, which I'm quite looking forward seeing. I'm quite glad that they've not done a shot-for-shot remake of Faces of Death. I don't i don't actually know that if you could still get that released in this country if you did that.
Speaker: I was going to ask. Have you seen it? You've you've watched the original? I have. it's It's revolting. It's absolutely revolting. I mean, I know that there's there's some there's a you know there's some point to some of it, but some of it is just, yeah, this this is just not enjoyable in on any level whatsoever.
Speaker: so But yeah, as a bit of a video nasty connoisseur, I have seen Faces of Death and, and yeah well, seen it once. So that should tell you what I thought. That's enough. But at least they're using this as a stepping-off point. It's somebody inspired by the Faces of Death movies. And yeah and it's the guy who did um a directed Cam and How to Blow Up a Pipeline, and it's from the writer of Cam as well. I was a big fan of Cam. I thought it was a great movie. So I think that's got a lot of promise. And and hopefully it's not going quite as nasty as Faces of Death because, yeah you know... You don't want to put your audience off to that level.
Speaker: I'm sure it'll be fine. Next one on the list, ah Full Moon Rising, another documentary. It's Sarah Appleton's documentary about Charles Band, who ran Empire Pictures and now runs Full Moon Entertainment. I was a big fan of Empire Pictures stuff when it was on video, things like Rage War, Trances, Metal Storm, all of that sort of stuff. yeah So this is right up my street. And there's some surprising contributors to this. John Carpenter oh is in this movie, apparently. So i'm keen to I'm keen to find out what the link between John Carpenter and Charles Band is. I'm sure it's ah it's a good one. But yeah, it's a movie that i I... And again, like you said with with the documentary, it's it's a bit of a change of pace.
Speaker: when you've been digging your fingernails into your seat for several days, then to to go and to sit but sit back and enjoy a documentary about somebody who does genre movies. I don't think there'll be a huge amount of jump scares in this. But, um I mean, Charles Bond's made, well, he's probably made about three movies in the time we've been talking, so it'll be an interesting movie. Yeah.
Speaker: so Next one up, Gator Face. Again, Aquatic Menace on another podcast I do. ah we've We've been going through so many shark movies and then have moved across to other menaces of the water, including gators. So it's ah padraig Padraig, oh, I can't remember. is Is it Padraig Reynolds, I think? yeah yeah that's right yeah yeah um but but the thing that um intrigues me about this is that the effects are practical and there's nothing that there's nothing that gets me to a movie quicker than practical effects sure there's the problem with shark movies is that a lot of them are really really crappy cgi and that kind of takes you out of it but if you've got it doesn't really matter how rubbish the rubbery effects are if they're practical i'm there for it so yeah Gator Face will be, I'm hoping it's going to be brain-off, funny, gory.
Speaker: And it's kind of got a bit of a flavour of the sort of stuff like Death Trap, the sort of buying swamp movies. Yeah, definitely. I'm hoping there's going to be a bit of influence of that, which would be great.
Speaker: And so... The last time of my first five, ah unsurprisingly, if anybody knows me, The Glorious Dead, the latest movie from the Addams family. I absolutely love these people. They make great movies and they're absolutely lovely people as well. And this is the latest one, which is...
Speaker: kind of a zombie movie but does look like it's it's also a bit of like mumblecore kind of apocalyptic sort of character study as well which is right up my street i know a lot of people are very marmite on the adamses and i can get why because they have a very very specific style and they very very specific way of telling stories but i cannot wait to see glorious dead i think it's going be brilliant Yeah. But again, that's the great thing about Fyre Fest is, yeah, you can have people like that and there are going some who won't want that. But like like Tom said, do a bit of research. If you know the sub director you like, you that's perfect for you to be able to see that and then other people can be seeing seven other films at the same time. It's why it's great that you can have all those things playing all at the same place.
Speaker: I definitely need spend more time trying to get into Adam's family films because, yeah, listened to a podcast and it was talking about how they are just all so hands-on and they all get involved in everything and, like, very limited budget and just a lot of kind of DIY aspects to it, but, like, with amazing results at the end. So it's definitely made me more intrigued, I think.
Speaker: Another good list. Okay, I'll mine then. I'll do mine and then we'll go back to Darren because he's the expert. um So yeah my first one is Labyrinth, ah who which is directed by the guy that did Midnight Meat Train, which is, i bloody love that film. If anyone thinks Vinnie Jones can't act, watch Midnight Meat Train. He doesn't talk. That's why it's so good. um But yeah, like I'm not going to say a director's name because it's a Japanese name. I'm going to get it wrong. But yeah, i love that film. And this kind of, from the write-up, it's kind of like a Saw thing. It's about a boot... bunch of strangers all put together to be judged on their past transgressions in a facility designed to test their mettle against a gauntlet of deadly challenges. So that sounds great. So, I mean, his stuff is quite out there anyway. um And, um you know, I think i would like that that sounds like a good mix to me. It's something I'm behind, definitely. ah My second choice is Spider Island, um which is directed by Christopher Smith, who did Creep, Black Death, Triangle, Severance. Another British director,
Speaker: quite like all of those. well Not bad films, always quite interesting. um it kind of sounds like it's a bit of a like kind of arachnophobia. Oh, we're going to carry on anyway. that was over going in minute we We're never to make never make We tried. Yeah, we tried. it of sounds like kind of vibe. like i think as i I don't find spiders scary, so i don't know if that's like a break for me. Although don't like bugs, but I don't really... I've not got big spider phobia, but think that'd be quite fun, like a kind of creature. heartwarming film then, maybe. Maybe. and i got yeah Maybe I'll just... I'll be all right, yeah. um I've got a documentary as well. I've got The Fright Stuff, ah which is an all-access documentary. takes a viewer behind the scenes of the haunted house industry in America. I think it's kind of thing we miss out in England. We don't have enough of these. I've seen very few of them and ah quite like, I like how the big they go in America. And I think I can imagine it's going to show, kind of showcase a lot of the stuff they do and a lot of the kind of, um,
Speaker: the ups and downs of kind of how they, you know, how the creation behind it and the kind of like just seeing seeing all those things, it kind of feels like, you know, I think that's like I say, I wish we had the tradition of that in England for Halloween, those those haunted houses. And, you know, we should. Maybe this will inspire it I don't know.
Speaker: in my life, oh yeah that'd be good uh my last two are i don't know is sal mo mock g whispering water the highest grossing korean horror film of all time it says um i like i like uh k horror said about the host um so kind of intrigued by this it looks kind of it looks interesting bit kind of um bit more supernatural, a bit different from the rest of the stuff, I think could be good. and Not that because its highest grossing means it's a good film, but I think it's good when you get a higher grossing foreign film. I think that is kind of interesting. Again, like Fightfest can bring over stuff like that where you might not see that mainstream cinema. So I think that's always that's always good. um And my last one um also stars ah Adrian Balboa, as well as ah Tony Todd, Dee Wallace and Daniel Harris. The Pitchfork Retreat, um which is another um anthology movie. Three genre writers journey to a secluded island for a life changing competition at the high stakes horror jigsaw retreats.
Speaker: um I like an anthology film. That's a lot of good people. um I think anthologies are great in festivals as well because you if you don't like a bit, you know there's going to be... It's like watching load of short films. You know you're going to be moving on to something else soon. So I think it's kind of... ah you know An anthology is a nice palate cleanser sometimes in a horror film festival because you don't need to... And I think it is actually his last film, isn't it? like As opposed to i Final Destination...
Speaker: Yeah, I feel like a lot of films have claimed to be his last film. This also says it is. I feel like a lot of things have been sold on being his last appearance. um But yeah, I love Tony Todd and it'd be good to see him see him again in another, you know, doing what he does best. So yeah, so that's that's my choices.
Speaker: um Back to you, Darren, another five, please. yeah Well, as as an aside, I've met Dee Wallace and she's lovely. oh nice that's all good she's absolutely fabulousious very funny there one Oh, okay. okay. Oh, wow. Yeah. So ah sir I'm going to put my Dee Wallace fandom to one side. My other five movies, Homebodies, which has played Fantasia. Casey Walker directs it. um And it's from, i mean, I think he produced In a Violent Nature.
Speaker: This is very, very different. It's about sort of two kids in a very mysterious setting. And I know a couple of people that have seen this at Fantasia and yeah basically said, you'll really like this movie.
Speaker: So I don't know what that says about the movie or anything, but... Yeah, the couple of people that I know have already seen it said, yes, you need to see this movie. It's something you'll really enjoy.
Speaker: And I think it's more sci-fi leaning as well. I don't think it's out-and-out horror. It's more sci-fi, which, yeah as you said, there are things that kind of... move away from the horror genre. They've got slightly more sort of sci-fi bent with this one.
Speaker: um Next one is Impostors, which, again, it's Jessica Ross. Absolutely love Jessica Ross. Sour Infection, Fright Fest Halloween, and was absolutely blown away by her performance. that The movie was very good, but she she made the movie. So anything with Jessica Ross in it's like, right, yes, I'm going to go see it. um That sounds another kind of a, ah like very much like affectionate. sounds like ah an intriguing premise, which you don't know which direction yeah it's going to go in.
Speaker: He goes to a cave and then comes back with us of a sort of a baby covered in blood, and it's like, okay, well, I'm in now. Now you've told me that, I'm sold. I'm going to watch the movie. but But yeah, i'm I'm sure it's going to go in a completely different direction after that. So ah that's Impostors. Next one, um because if you've read my reviews, I'm a fan of alliteration. I'm going to try and pronounce this without falling over it. The the Peril at Pinsa Point.
Speaker: it' ah it's It's a British movie. It's black and white. It's homage to all these British chillers. And it's a guy who's sent to a remote island to capture a particular sound. And, yeah it's it yeah, I only had to read the description. I was like, yeah, yeah I'm in with that. It yeah it sounds really atmospheric.
Speaker: And it sounds like it's a throwback to sort of old-fashioned British chillers, which yeah is right up my street. That'd be fantastic, oh hope. um Right at the other end of the spectrum, another British movie, Welcome to G-Town.
Speaker: It's a movie that is set in Glasgow. It's an alien invasion. It's a splatter comedy. Oh, right. It's set in Glasgow. i mean, i love I love Glasgow, having gone up to Glasgow Frightfest a number of times. Mm-hmm.
Speaker: ah Hopefully this can't go wrong. If it's, if it's Glaswegians v. Aliens, it's got to be good. Come They should, no way, that's a better name for it. i was just going to say, I didn't even know G-Town was for Glasgow. Glaswegians versus Aliens would have been a better name.
Speaker: So, yeah, but that's I'm hoping that's going to be a laugh. I hope that's going to be kind of a switch your brain off, relax, enjoy Glaswegians having a go at extraterrestrial menace.
Speaker: And the last one, and again, it's something that really isn't a horror movie. It's Makoto Ueda's directorial debut, You Are the Film. He wrote Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes and River, but this is his first directoral directorial debut. And it's about two actresses that are kind of, it's like a dual timeline thing again, but it's it's about two actresses. um And it amount me that you are the film. They're they're in each other's movie.
Speaker: Yeah, it sounded a bit crazy. It's a time-limited thing, so very much like beyond Beyond the Infinite two minutes where it kind of ran for two minutes and then and then looped back and did the two minutes again. So it's it's kind of ah ah a time-bending movie again. And it's only 68 minutes long.
Speaker: so it's that's ah um I'm all for movies that ah you know that lean into brevity as well. If it if it doesn't need to be longer than 68 minutes, just make it 68 minutes. Yeah, that's true. yeah that's A lot of quite first films are are quite short. That is a good thing. yeah yeah I was having this argument the other day. There are too many long films now. They just make films really long for the sake of it, don't they? Yes. Usually to the detriment. 100%.
Speaker: hundred percent but yeah Good choices all round, I'd say. yeah ah do jeff haveson I know we've gone beyond the time, but we don't care. It's Fightfest. We're allowed to. Have you got some ah have you got some scoop spooky facts about Fightfest for us, Tom? Yeah.
Speaker: I have indeed. So, you know, I'll find out if you know these. Actually, I you'll probably both know most these. um First fact, Fright Fest's most notorious film fest film never actually screened.
Speaker: i Can you guess? I know this. It's a Serbian. I'm pretty sure it was a Serbian film. Yes. There you go. In fact, I think that was one of the years that I was there. And it was, yeah, they just, it got pulled, didn't it? they they Yeah. The BBFC went mental about it and it all just they lost the license for it, I think. Yeah, yeah think they they wouldn't they couldn't show an uncut version of it, so they just yeah pulled it. I think and the BBFC got very upset about Serbian film when it went in.
Speaker: Yeah, basically were given the choice of cutting it. It was about four minutes they were going to take out or not play it, and they just ah didn't play it. so yeah I think Alan Jones lately described it as the only time the festival had been prevented from showing a film it had selected.
Speaker: Wow. So, yeah, that's impressive. um Fact number two, a director was too young to watch his own horror film there. Do you know which film that was? Yeah. no You guys know this one, Darren? No. You look like you might.
Speaker: No, no, I'm i' i'm thinking this guy. Was it a short movie? or Was it one of the shorts? No. um So it says one of Fright Fest's strangest age-related stories came in 2015. It was a French filmmaker.
Speaker: Yeah. so on Nathan Ambrosione. And it was Hostile was the film. And he was only 14 when he wrote and directed the film. Wow. So he went to Fright Fest and then in theory, technically, one wasn't allowed to watch the film he'd made. Yeah.
Speaker: I thought it might have been Alice Mayo-McCay, because she's directed a lot of movies, but I can't remember. But I think by the time her movies got to Fright Fest, she was probably old enough to see them. Oh, okay, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, it must been a bit of a letdown. This guy just had to stand outside, waiting waitinging for everyone to come out. Was it any good? Did you like it? um So third one, Guillermo del Toro was more nervous at Frightfest than Cannes apparently. Wow. So Frightfest hosted in... Well, was going say, as we've said, it's a bit more of a brutal audience. I mean, I know Cannes audiences can be bad, but I think ah disappointing fans or disappointing reviewers or industry people, that's i think if you feel like you've disappointed fans, then that's that is a bigger deal, I think, probably.
Speaker: it feels like there's a lot of mutual back patting that can as it's like oh yeah yeah great even if people don't really like it 20 minute standing aversions as well i mean that's nonsense yeah why would you why would you clap them i mean you know applaud a movie by all means but don't it be 20 minutes that's just that's just let's take it take it and make that is 20 minutes And as you said earlier, Darren, if people don't like your film at Frightfest, they just get up and walk out, even if you are Guillermo del Toro.
Speaker: Yeah, I don't think I'd dare walk out on Guillermo del Toro, regardless of how bad he's moved. He'd be like, no, I just ah can't do this. So it was Pan's Labyrinth that was screening, and he told the crowd he was more nervous than can And, ah you know, people have since said it was a good compliment to Fright Fest's audiences who have got now a bit of a reputation of being vocal, knowledgeable and brutally honest.
Speaker: So that's that's you guys they're talking about. true and That's true. That's fair. Fourth one. ah Fourth, Frightfest, and Alex actually talked about this earlier, Frightfest once took over an entire 12-screen cinema. So as you touched on earlier, Al, when there were renovations going on in Leicester Square, they relocated to the View Shepherd's Bush, and instead of just doing one or two cinemas,
Speaker: They did all 12 screens. It was pretty cool. They had a lot of like in instead installations as well. It was weird because they had all the space. They put stuff in and I remember that it was quite cool. And like i say, the interviews could take place in an empty screen because they had these empty screens that they were using. And it was quite cool to have to walk in and know that everyone there was just... Because you get that weird thing thing sometimes with Fright Fest where you're with a group of people and they're in there to see like a Disney movie or something. But they're queuing in the same place as your queue. It's a bit odd. um Yeah, no, it was good. yeah it was a good Like I say, it was different, but it was a good vibe, I remember.
Speaker: basically paved the way for the kind of, like you know, having a much larger number of films, previews, discovery screen events going on all at once. And also it was the first year.
Speaker: ah Well, actually it said the year also marked the end of the traditional sleepy queue. So does that mean it was the last year that they did the, so that's when people would get up really early in the morning and go and start queuing so they could get their passes and stuff because online ticketing,
Speaker: um then replaced it. So, um yeah, basically that was the end of that chapter of Fightfest history. And the final one was a zombie walk reportedly took over a London sightseeing bus.
Speaker: um any any Can anyone guess which film? It was 2007. They screened a film, a zombie movie, and zombies turned up. Can you guess what the film would be? two thousand and seven No. Zombie Diaries, the Zombie Diaries.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. So, and apparently was partly to do with a film, but part of record attempt as well. They were trying break the world record for a number of zombies. And weirdly, they didn't have enough zombies to break the world record. But tons of zombies still swarmed through Leicester Square and even reportedly got onto a sightseeing bus with lots of tourists who then were freaked out, probably. That's a bit of disappointing one, but...
Speaker: Yeah. So you go five Fright Fest facts about Fright Fest. Excellent. Excellent. Well, that's when we would have normally stopped the clock, but we're about half hour over that. But you know what? That's that's how we roll on this podcast. That's how it is.
Speaker: um that's kind of you i mean that's That's it really. i mean you know the yeah Anyone who wants to go to Fright Fest, tickets are available now. Hit up frightfest.co.uk. Remember you have to be over 18. It's an over 18 event only. doesn't matter about the ratings of the films. Everything's 18. To be honest, everything normally is 18 that they show, but it's there's no good looking it up and saying...
Speaker: Oh, but this is a 12 on BBFC. Most stuff's unrated anyway, isn't it? That's how kind' how they get away with a lot of what they show is that it's unrated. So it's eighteen to only. um But yeah, there's tickets for it. runs from so It runs from Thursday, 27th of August to the bank holiday, Monday, the 31st. Thursdays normally the film's just in the evening. Every other day, it's all day. And you can buy day tickets. You can buy couple like day passes. and You can buy whole festival passes. You can just pop up for a single ticket. And all the details are online. So check it out.
Speaker: Come up. You can just come out and hang up, can't you? Like, come up and hang out, can't you? It's not really, you know, people do do that as well. You don't don't just have to go see a movie. You can just kind of be there and suck up the vibe. There's normally weird things going on. Yeah, I've got friends who are coming to just meet up with me during the festival. They're not going to see any movies. They're just going to hello.
Speaker: That's what you want. That's what you want. Yeah. And of course, if you do go and you see us there, then come and say hello because definitely there'll be a few people from Love Horror there. Come over and say hello.
Speaker: And let's know what you think of what we've thought of the films. Yeah. yeah wellll We'll all be there definitely. And there might be a few other people from Love Horror there as well. And we are, again, we're we're very lucky to be a sponsor again this year.
Speaker: So you'll see our our name. ah You'll see this. Not with that, but you'll see this everywhere, which is good. We're very happy about that. but so As you say, second year in a row of doing it. So pretty good. It's pretty good. Pretty proud of that achievement. So, yeah.
Speaker: Well, thank you for joining us, Darren. It's been a lovely little chat. good It's been a good thing to get everyone's, hopefully that's whetted everyone at home's appetite for the yeah for the movies. um Anything else, anything you wanted to kind of say? any have a little extra, what's the what's your top tip for someone who's going to Fright Fest? What would you say is the most important thing they need to remember?
Speaker: I would say just understand that everybody is there to have a good time. And if you're feeling a little bit out of it, just go over and chat to somebody because chances are that you know they'll they'll welcome you into the Frightfest family. um yeah ah Come and have a chat to me if you want. I mean, you know it's not that a lot of people may want to avoid me like the plague with with my behaviour at Frightfest. but if you think oh yeah I recognize that guy from somewhere I'm quite happy to chat movies or whatever else yeah no that's brilliant that is 100% brilliant advice is it's nice to be in a place unified you know you've ultimately you know you can chat to anyone about horror because they're there to watch horror films so you've instantly got on in haven't you or at the end of a film you can say what do you think of that like I've done that before and it's yeah definitely yeah definitely yeah good one any advice Tom before we leave
Speaker: Yeah, if you've got dodgy back like me, when you get the opportunity between films, get up and have a little walk. Maybe go to get a snack. Pop to Greg's or something. Yeah, stay hydrated. Yeah, festival back is a real thing.
Speaker: Yeah, stay hydrated, definitely. And maybe, you know... If you need a nap, come to the first film of the day and have like have the nap on that first film maybe and then get better for for later on. No offence to those first few films, but maybe, you know, yeah, that's that's your napping time. Save yourself for later.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. Well, yes. Well, thank you for loving horror as much as we do. We'll be back to our normal, regular programming next time. Sadly, Darren won't be with us, um but maybe he'll put back another time. Who knows?
Speaker: As a little guest. Yeah, happy to do so. Brilliant. Yeah. And then what is, Tom, what is our next film that's going to be on Half Hour of Horror? from memory i think it's going to be an animated film this time is that right i think it's going to be i bet you've got the list in front of you and me i know what it is it's gonna be is it perfect blue it is perfect blue um darren would you you what's your opinion on perfect blue just before we won't we're not doing that i think it's really really good it it's a really good movie
Speaker: There you go. There you go. You heard it from him first. You heard it from him first. He won't be here, but you know he likes it. So, yeah. So, join us ah soon, whenever it will be for Perfect Blue. And, yeah. Goodbye.
Speaker: you at Fightfest. See you at Fightfest. Exactly.
