Book Review: Floaters by Garrett Boatman

 

Reviewed by Emerian Rich

Content Warning: Gore and descriptive cutting, fighting, and dismemberment.
Zombie Type: Mid-fast, come from the water.
For: Zombie fans who just want to read some good ‘ole zombie-fighting.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from zombie-loving readers is… “There’s not enough zombie-killing action.”

Well, this book answers that call.

Floaters by Garrett Boatman is an action-filled, zombie-squelching, fight fest. The action in this zombie novel starts right away. There is no information about how the zombies came about and there is no build-up or pre-apocalyptic preamble. From page one, the reader is steeped in Victorian London and the underground happenings of the gangs there. The underground life seems genuine and interesting. I also liked that these zombies are different from what you normally see. Since they come from the water, they are bloated, waterlogged, and original. The descriptions are terrifying and will have you looking at any body of water you pass with trepidation.

When the undead emerge from the water, the gangs get nervous. Since most of their work takes place on the docks or in the under-city tunnels, they are the first target for the zombies. As the gang numbers decrease on the live side and increase on the dead side, they decide to make a plan to destroy the “Deaders.”

As the undead attack anything in their path, regular citizens pack up their belongings and jam all the non-aqua exits out of the city, but the gangs aren’t willing to give up their territory. In a scene reminiscent of the gangs gathering in The Warriors movie circa 1979, the gangs of London gather to plan how they are going to deal with this new adversary. Each gang has their own look and members and although they are normally against each other, they commit themselves to peace until the undead are conquered. One copper is tolerated at the gathering, and they come up with a plan to save London.

While reading this book, I felt more like I was watching a great Victorian zombie flick rather than reading a traditional novel. There are tons of weapons descriptions and I found myself wanting to know what each of these weapons looked like. Because of all the action, I never got the chance to connect with any of the characters and there are a lot of them. With all the names and gang titles it was a little hard to figure out who was what, and the body count rose by the page, but if you’re interested in a zombie-killing spree, that won’t bother you. If you like fighting sequences, you will love this book. There is nonstop zombie-fighting action here. You won’t be disappointed.

Chilling Chat Special: Simon Osborne’s Ghost Bus Tour

Simon Osborne was born in 1970 in Cornwall, UK, and started acting professionally in British TV at the age of 10. At the age of 17, he played Prime Minister Pitt the Younger in BBC TVs Blackadder 3. He appeared in many productions before and after but is best known for Blackadder. Later, he studied history and has spent a few years working in heritage in Wales, UK. 

NTK: Welcome to back to Chilling Chat, Simon! Thank you for joining us today.

SO: Thank you.

NTK: You recently participated in the Ghost Bus Tour. Could you tell us what that is?

SO: Yes, it is in a few cities, but it was the London one my wife and I recently took a tour on. It is an old Routemaster London bus, but instead of the usual Red, it’s painted Black. These Routemasters all date from the 1950s and 1960s, but they were still in use when I lived in London in the 90s. Some still run in the centre of London. This one has tables and lamps. The destinations displayed on the front are changed to make them sound more frightening such as ‘Drowning Street’ instead of ‘Downing Street’. The guides are actors and give you a tour of Central London while telling you some of the ghost stories that are related to each historic place you pass. There are some electronic special effects, and the whole thing is very entertaining, but also informative. Johnny Depp once went on the London Ghost Bus and recommended it!

NTK: What was the name of the bus you boarded?

SO: The London Necrobus which, according to the London Ghost Bus Company, was used to carry corpses across London at night until the 60s.

NTK:  Why? Was it transporting them to morgues or cemeteries?

SO: Yes, ready for burial, but I think that maybe just a story the company give to set the scene. Corpses were actually moved around London by train.

NTK: Wow! That is so creepy! Did you have to buy tickets to ride the bus? How do you join the tour?

SO: You should book in advance, the bus wasn’t full when we were on it, but at busier times it is full. You can book directly with the London Ghostbus Company or many of the online ticket sellers.

NTK: What was your experience like? Was it scary? Funny?

SO: It was more funny than scary. I knew most of the history the guide was telling people, but I did learn a few things too. One of the stops was at a hidden graveyard near London Bridge. I didn’t know about this before we went there. It’s called Crossbones Graveyard, and it was used from Medieval times up to the 18th Century. They buried people who weren’t considered good enough for ordinary graveyards, such as ‘Ladies of the Night,’ there. When it stopped being used it was soon lost, but in the 1990s when an extension of the London Underground was being dug, they suddenly came across bodies! Archaeologists from the Museum of London were called in. They discovered that this was the lost graveyard that they knew was near London Bridge but had been lost for about 200 years! They found about 150 bodies, but they think that is only about 10 per cent of them. It is now closed off by high railings, but you can look in through the gates.

There are also stories of ghosts, Jack the Ripper, and executions.

NTK:  Wow! Who was the tour guide? Was he the conductor of the bus?

SO: Yes, just him and a driver. He was very funny, and the special effects added to what was going on. It’s definitely more fun than scary, but you are learning real history, stories that are believed to be real ghost stories, and the lost graveyard was very real!

NTK: Could you give us an example of one of the ghost stories?

SO: There was one very funny one, which is supposed to be true. We stopped in a quiet but wide street near the Bank of England. Here, there had been reports from different people over many years of a ghost called Fanny who makes a scratching sound in the night. It all happened in just one building in a narrow street just off the wide street called Cock Lane. Obviously, you can’t help but laugh when you realise that the story is known as Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane. It most likely didn’t sound as funny when this ghost was first reported a couple of hundred years ago.

NTK: (Laughs.) That is funny! You mentioned special effects before. What kind of special effects were used on the bus?

SO: We sat upstairs, and the guide gives his guided tour from the stairs. So, everyone can see him, there are cameras around the bus and a screen at the front. The speaker system is occasionally ‘taken over by spirits’ and you hear them speaking rather than the guide. You are also asked to carry out rituals to send them away. I don’t want to give too much away as you don’t want to know too much if you get a chance to go on one of these tours.

NTK:  How long was the tour?

SO: A little over an hour, maybe an hour and fifteen minutes. It leaves from Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. When the tour finished, we recovered by having a drink in The Sherlock Holmes Pub, nearby.

NTK: What was it like to drink in the Sherlock Holmes pub? Is there a lot of memorabilia in there?

SO: Yes, it’s full of Holmes memorabilia! I had walked past it many times when I lived in London, but this was my first time inside. I even had a pint of Sherlock Ale.

NTK: That’s great! So, aside from riding the Ghost Bus, what have you been up to lately, Simon? Any future plans Horror Addicts should know about?

SO: Still waiting for the Shadow Chasers series to be aired. As you know, I filmed an episode of that in Cardiff about four years ago, but it has been delayed by the Pandemic. I am about to start a business giving talks in historical locations. This will be mostly me dressed as a Victorian or Edwardian (which is how I dress anyway) and telling the history of the places and such things as the history of Gentleman’s fashions of the times.

NTK: Awesome!! Thank you for chatting with me about this, Simon!

SO: Thank you.

Addicts, you can find Simon on his website and on Twitter. And catch his first Chilling Chat here.

Odds and Dead Ends: Hyde and Seek

Why Stevenson’s classic still haunts us

It’s hard to think that Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, could be anything like a surprise today, with the story so deeply ingrained in the popular conscious, at least at a basic level. But when the story was unleashed in 1886, it changed the face not only of gothic fiction but everyday thought. It altered how we look at ourselves. Its names are used so frequently as short-hands that we don’t even realise we use them. Its story is so potent because, at some instinctual level, we’ve known it all along.

That both Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are two halves of the same person is so obvious to us now, that it is hard to remember that this was the novella’s major twist. Although the concept of the doppelganger had been used before; never quite like this. In an age of scientists beginning to look at the mind, Stevenson kick-started the psychoanalytic influence of popular culture. That later Freudian theories of the ‘id’ and the ‘ego’ would so closely mirror Henry Jekyll splitting his consciousness into its good and evil sides, is only to be expected. Studies into schizophrenia, insanity, and other levels of mental illness,  still the property of the scientist in the asylum, just beginning. That this madness could spill into the streets of London was unthinkable.

What I think captivates us most is that the moral dilemma proposed in the story is so deeply personal and human. After a single transformation, Jekyll gets a taste of his new, unrefined freedom. The dark activities that Hyde participates in thrill him, excite him so much that he voluntarily changes over and over again. When he realises that it’s getting harder to remain as his good side, something seems to change in Jekyll’s narrative. This is something much older, instinctual, a kind of self-possession. And when he thinks he is rid of Hyde for good, temptation strikes again, leading to the downward spiral that spells out his doom.

Therefore, we ask ourselves questions. Is evil inherent in all of us, and is it only a matter of time until temptation unleashes it? Once a single crack appears, have we set up an inevitable chain of events that will lead to our final demise? Though Jekyll’s potion may have rattled the initial cages, eventually Hyde possesses the key to his own lock. What about those of us who are perhaps weaker than he? Will one day our darker sides discover that the cell door, if rattled hard enough, will break on its own?

By now, the doubling trope is so old and worn down that it is hard to see it as new and refreshing. And yet, just like most of our movie monsters, time and time again it crops up. The reveal in Fight Club is one of the most well known in cinematic history, and even The Usual Suspects has a trace of it. Primal Fear (another Ed Norton movie, and another movie from the 90’s; perhaps there’s a follow-up article on the prevalence of doppelgangers in that particular decade?) also follows through on this concept. Psycho is perhaps one of the most influential examples of this theme being carried across, and Stephen King has used it several times in his various writings. Any ‘evil inside’ story is dubbed ‘a modern-day Jekyll-and-Hyde’. How many stories can you think of that receive this kind of treatment?

One of the best doppelganger movies of recent times is Jordan Peele’s Us. If you haven’t yet seen it, I highly recommend you do so immediately. Peele takes the concept and fills it with additional meaning. It isn’t just evil inside, but all of our lost hopes and griefs, all of the unfilled desires. The Untethered are our lost childhoods let loose and raging at the world. Life has crushed its dreams into the cookie-cutter pattern of capitalist aspirations that never manage to satisfy.

Never before have we been so aware as a people that, sometimes, we’re just as bad as the monster’s we have dreamed up to take our place. When before we created entities to embody our fears, we now project them as altered versions of ourselves as an attempt to come to grips with the evil inside. We don’t create avatars and fill them with our darkness anymore, because the avatar staring back at us is every bit ourselves as we are right in the beginning.

Even in The Exorcist, Karras must eliminate all doubt that the disturbances in the McNeill household are not being caused by Regan herself, before he can convince the Church that an exorcism is needed. He must go into the investigation with the initial belief that Regan, as a result of the breakup of her parents, the overworking of her mother, and her journey through puberty into adulthood, has unleashed a subconscious identity with parapsychological powers. In this story, demons are less readily-believed by the Church than Regan unknowingly having a ghostly Mr Hyde.

And so the legacy of Stevenson’s story lives on. Through its dozens of adaptations, its thousands of reworkings, and the endless imaginations his characters have inspired, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has touched us all because, very simply, it gets us to ask ourselves a very potent, and disturbing, question. “Am I evil?” I don’t think there’s a person in the world that hasn’t at some point thought they had a bad side waiting to destroy the world, and perhaps this little novella is the reason we all started looking at others, and ourselves, with a little more trepidation than we did before.

-Article by Kieran Judge

-Twitter: @KJudgeMental

Bibliography

Fight Club. 1999. [Film] Directed by David Fincher. USA: Fox 2000 Pictures.

Primal Fear. 1998. [Film] Directed by Gregory Hoblit. USA: Rysher Entertainment.

Psycho. 1960. [Film] Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. United States of America: Shamley Productions.

Stevenson, R. L., 2006. Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In: R. Luckhurst, ed. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales. New York: Oxford, pp. 1 – 66.

The Exorcist. 1973. [Film] Directed by William Friedkin. USA: Hoya Productions.

The Usual Suspects. 1995. [Film] Directed by Bryan Singer. USA: Blue Parrot.

Us. 2019. [Film] Directed by Jordan Peele. USA: Monkeypaw Productions.

FrightFest 2011

FrightFest 2011 appeared to have one of its strongest line-ups for years, and after five days of intensive horror viewing in the country’s largest cinema I can confirm that it did not disappoint.

Despite the handicap of having Leicester Square being dug up for refurbishment ahead of the London Olympics in 2012, which meant horror fans could not flood out into the famous London landmark to socialise between screenings, FrightFest 2011 still had its trademark atmosphere created by the organisers and genre fans who love the festival so much.

Even the weather, which was typically British, could not dampen the spirits of the 1000-plus horror fans who gathered in the heart of London to see the best of brand new horror cinema at The Empire, Leicester Square.

DAY ONE.

Unlike all the following days, Day One of FrightFest doesn’t start until the evening. As we gathered in the massive Empire Screen One to take our seats the buzz and excitement was palpable. Eventually the house lights dimmed to a rapturous applause and we were treated to a “welcome to FrightFest” short-film based on Escape From New York, which was the first of many homage’s over the weekend to the works of John Carpenter. After this had got everyone in the mood the festival organisers, lead by the inimitable Alan Jones, took to the stage briefly to welcome us all to 5 days of horror, and introduced the opening film of FrightFest 2011.

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark (UK Premier) was a solid enough opening to this year’s festival. A typically strong performance from Guy Pearce and also from the child lead (Bailee Madison) combined well with exceptional creature effects to make an atmospheric offering. Although it was co-written and produced by the legendary Guillermo Del Torro it contained the hallmark of the great filmakers style, but lacked the uniqueness of his directorial pieces. None-the-less director Troy Nixey did a good job of reimagining the 1973 original; and was perhaps judged by higher standards due to del Torro’s involvement.

Next up was the UK Premier of Final Destination 5 – 3D. Being in 3D and the fifth movie in an extremely homogenised franchise (I don’t have to run through the plot, do I?) – I wasn’t expecting much from this film. How wrong I was!

As predicted the plot had not so much been recycled, rather completely reused, from previous entries to the series; but this was thoroughly enjoyable, brainless, fun. Perhaps it helped being surrounded by the fantastic FrightFest crowd who cheered every kill like a score at a sporting event – but I enjoyed every minute of Final Destination 5 – 3D. This was the movie 3D was made for; usually surplus to requirements the 3D here was well done and creatively used. It was even subtle in places, adding depth of field and interesting reflections.

The opening “disaster scene” was amazing to behold, and the imaginative deaths – the trade mark of this series – did not disappoint. This is a perfect film to switch your brain off for a bit, have a couple of beers, and just enjoy the bloody carnage!

Day One closed disappointingly to the poorly conceived anthology The Theatre Bizarre (European Premier). Having read the synopsis I was looking forward to this one, but the lack of cohesion and loose editing on the overly-long and not particularly engaging stories saw me literally fall asleep at one point – although that could have been more to do with a combination of rum and the post-midnight timing! The directors stated that they did not confer when scripting their individual stories for the anthology – and it showed.

As the lights of London flashed by through my taxi window after Day One, I considered the irony that the one film I wasn’t bothered about on Opening Night was my pick of the day. Sometimes being a horror addict is all about switching off and having fun – tonight was a perfect case in point.

DAY TWO

Having not got into bed until 3am, Day Two of FrightFest 2011 started sedately! After a great veggie breakfast, the only decent thing to do in order to prepare for a big day of movie action was to get into one of the many pubs on Leicester Square for a few rums. Once properly lubricated, we joined the FrightFest faithful for the UK Premier of Urban Explorers.

Set beautifully within the claustrophobic catacombs under Berlin Urban Explorers starts promisingly enough following a group of young adults who get their kicks investigating the hidden areas of the urban environment. Hooking up with a guide they found via the internet, they travel deep into the tunnels in search of a wartime Nazi bunker. So far, so good. Sadly after the initial set-up, this film became rather standard fare once the explorers start getting picked off by a murderous German living underground. Not without its merits, and the villain was interesting – but some of the characters were a little one dimensional and behaved in an unrealistic manner. Had the director made better use of the setting and delivered more empathetic characters, this film might have elevated itself beyond the average offering it became.

A quick stop for refreshments, and we’re straight into the World Premier of Crisitan Solimeno’s The Glass Man. Starring FrightFest favourite Andy Nyman and also Neve Campell sporting a just passable English accent; The Glass Man shows us the despair of Martin Pyrite (Nyman) who has lost his job and has spiralled into debt, the shame of which leads him to keep the desperate situation from his wife (Campbell). Just as the situation starts to completely unravel, a menacing stranger arrives who appears to offer salvation, if Martin will do his bidding for just one night.

The acting throughout was excellent, especially Nyman’s performance, but whilst the film started strongly it dissipated once it became clear that the movie was employing a trope which is starting to become clichéd now. I won’t spoil what it was, as there is a lot to be enjoyed with this movie – but I for one was left feeling a little empty at how events unfolded.

Is this the year of horror comedy done well? If the preview screening of Tucker & Dale vs Evil is anything to go by, it certainly could be. The titular Tucker and Dale are two hillbilly types who only have desires on renovating their cabin in the woods. When vacationing college kids arrive misunderstandings lead to a rapidly rising body count. Hilarious and gory in equal measure, this one was thoroughly enjoyable and went down a storm with the FrightFest crowd.

DAY THREE

Day Three of FrightFest 2011 began with a morning preview screening of Troll Hunter. This Norwegian film has been gathering a decent following around the film festival circuit and prior to FrightFest it was certainly one of my “must see” movies on this year’s schedule. I was not disappointed. Fantastic in both senses of the word, Troll Hunter was impressively made and every bit as entertaining as you would hope from a film with a title like that! The CGI trolls were convincing and imaginative, the acting was solid and the humour was sprinkled throughout the script with an effectively light touch. A great start to the day.

Despite the allure of the pub doors having long since opened and the desire to pig-out at the nearby Maoz Falafel restaurant, we decided that no serious horror fan could miss the 30 year follow-up to The Wicker Man, presented by director Robin Hardy himself at this European Premier of The Wicker Tree. Well, we could have and we should have.

As the aged Mr Hardy graced the FrightFest stage and introduced the cast of The Wicker Tree, one could feel the warmth of the assembled crowd towards him. The Wicker Man is one of the greatest films of all time and a reference point for all serious students of horror cinema. I was not going to delude myself; I knew that there would be little point in comparing Hardy’s latest film to his 1973 classic – I resolved to watch it for what it was, in isolation, and not in comparison to its legacy. Even on that basis, The Wicker Tree was a terrible disappointment.

An evangelist, who is also a famous singer, travels as a missionary to preach Christianity on a Scottish island. Clichéd and riddled with holes, the plot – such as it was – trundled along getting further bogged down by performances that were either instantly forgettable or unbelievable in their delivery of the sub-par script. On the closing credits, we retired quickly to a local bar as I’d have felt embarrassment watching Robin Hardy talk about his film we’d just witnessed. I chose to remember him for his excellent previous achievements.

After lunch we returned to The Empire for a preview screening of Fright Night 3D – a reimagining of the 80’s vampire classic. I had my reservations about this one, the original is a film I remember fondly from my childhood, and I’m no fan of 3D. Although it did nothing to change my opinion of 3D cinema, Fright Night 3D was well paced and competently delivered. It chose not to get too laboured with the issue proving the existence of vampires, and got straight down to the action. David Tennant’s was amongst the strong performances that had all but the ardent opponents of remakes thoroughly entertained and ironically, for me at least, it breathed a bit of new life into the tired vampire genre.

The evening spot on Day Three was taken by the UK Premier of Lucky McKee’s The Woman. Notorious after an offended individual at Sundance had to be removed (such was his upset at the movie), it was clear the FrightFest audience was up for this one – even Mr McKee conceded that the Sundance punter had “made the movie’s trailer for him!”

The Woman is the kind of sensational, high quality, boundary-pushing filmmaking that makes thousands attend FrightFest every year. This film was moving, intelligent, insightful and, yes, brutal. It is not, however, a movie designed to shock or repulse. Co-written by the author Jack Ketchum and director Lucky McKee The Woman delves deeply in the nature of abuse and abusive personalities, how this affects others and society. It deals with the hubris of those who think their version of civility and existence is the one true way and what happens when they seek to enforce their world view on others. This movie could be seen as a metaphor for the attitudes such as those behind British Colonialism and also the current American foreign policy. It is also a story of personal empowerment, and how power can be used, abused or denied. The Woman tells the story of a father who encounters a feral woman whilst out hunting. He captures her and imprisons her in order to “civilise” her; a task in which he involves the whole family.

Lucky McKee manages to avoid the potential pitfalls that lesser talents might have fallen into with such a premise and also coaxes brilliant performances out of his cast, not least the mesmeric Pollyanna McIntosh as “The Woman”. Ms McIntosh’s portrayal of untamed femininity was so powerful it was almost unnerving to see her on stage for the post screening Q&A session, during which she divulged that she spent several days living wild to prepare for the part.

After such an intense movie experience we called it a night (after the obligatory trip to the bar) in preparation for Day Four of FrightFest 2011.

DAY FOUR

Day Four started well, and early, with a preview screening of Xavier Gens’ new work The Divide. What began as a rather standard example of survivors in a post-apocalyptic setting elevated itself rapidly via some interesting character development; culminating in a tense, claustrophobic and violent payoff.

We ducked out for Andy Nyman’s Quiz From Hell, I’m sure Mr Nyman was as entertaining as ever – but we needed some liquid refreshment and there is no way we’d have been able to outscore the more knowledgeable FrightFest horror die-hards. We made sure we were back for this year’s International Short Film Showcase – after the high standard in 2010 I was really looking forward to this. It’s a dozen or so short films from up-and-coming directors, and whilst the standard wasn’t as high this year, there were still some real gems on display. For sheer over-the-top comedy gore, my pick of this year’s entries was Brutal Relax from Spain, directed by Adrian Cardona. Where other than FrightFest will you see a sea monster get beaten to death with a dead baby!?

The afternoon spot was filled by the UK Premier of Ti West’s The Inkeepers – this turned out to be another fantastic movie. Having first captivated the audience with the interaction between well developed and likeable characters, West begins the slow-burn of a haunted hotel story which leads to a fulfilling conclusion. I really enjoyed West’s previous offering House Of The Devil, but some people found the ending to be unworthy of the build up, I disagree – but I’d urge such people to give him a second chance with The Inkeepers; he directs with a competent hand and crafts the story in mesmerising fashion. I was particularly impressed with his sterling demonstration of how to create a proper jump scare (as opposed to a cheap smash-cut) – I actually left my seat, and enjoyed it because I hadn’t been cheated.

The 9pm evening spot was taken by the much-hyped UK Premier of Kill List, which followed the exploits of two hitman carrying out their work. It was a reasonable effort which quickly descended into a farce of ambiguity. It is a fine line to tread when trying to inject a story with plot points from the leftfield, and if you don’t feed the audience some point of reference earlier in the piece – it will fail, as it did for me with Kill List. Still, the acting was strong, and it wasn’t without its merits, it just fell well short of its hype due to a poorly constructed final act.

DAY FIVE

The final day of FrightFest, and therefore tinged with sadness, expectation and no small degree of tiredness!

First up on the main screen was the UK Premier of the zombie-comedy Deadheads. This really didn’t work, but I’m no fan of the “told from the zombie perspective” sub genre so it was perhaps wasted on me. Two zombie friends go off in search of a girl whom one of them is in love with. Yes, really!

All hail Alex Chandon for coming to the rescue with the World Premier of Inbred. Seemingly with a bigger budget than his previous films and with a great cast, Inbred follows the story of a group of teens and their youth workers who end up staying in an isolated village in rural Yorkshire. Sadly (for them) the locals are all sadistic cannibals! Served up with Alex Chandon’s trademark blend of dark humour and explicit gore, Inbred entertained from the start and refused to compromise to the very end. Distinctly British, and distinctly Alex Chandon, Inbred is the kind of film that beats at the black heart of FrightFest and it was a distinct pleasure to see it on the giant Empire screen with over a thousand cheering horror fans.

With the alcohol and blood sugar levels dropping, we grabbed some dinner and drinks before rushing back to catch the closing movie of FrightFest 2011 – the UK Premier of A Lonely Place to Die. With beautiful cinematography, a stunning location, excellent acting (particularly from Melissa George) and a sensational premise: climbers find a young girl buried in an underground cell in remote wilderness – it was hard to understand how the original promise was allowed to slip away. Eventually too many suspensions of disbelief were asked, and a plot which got sillier by the minute resulted in a missed opportunity to build on a good start and create an excellent film.

As ever FrightFest provided five wonderful days of horror cinema, spanning the entire genre from tense supernatural thrillers to in-your-face gore films. The organisers provided something for everyone, and such was the quantity and quality of the films on display it really didn’t matter if a particular title wasn’t to individual tastes as something else exciting was always around the corner.

Frightfest is more than just the films though; it is the people who attend that make it something special. Everyone is friendly and wanting to chat about what they have seen; the organisers mix with the fans, and the actors and directors are always milling about between screenings. Long may it continue, and see you in 2012!

The Unofficial HORROR ADDICTS.net FrightFest Awards 2011

Best Film

The Woman.

Best Director

Ti West, for The Inkeepers.

Best Screenplay

Jack Ketchum and Lucky McKee for The Woman.

Best Actress

Pollyanna McIntosh for The Woman.

Best Actor

Andy Nyman for The Glass Man.

Best Kill

Gymnast in Final Destination 5 – 3D.

Scariest Moment

Male ghost in torchlight, in The Inkeepers.

Funniest Moment

Chainsaw and wasps nest in Tucker & Dale vs Evil.

Goriest Moment

Shot in the head, Inbred.

London FrightFest 2011 – Full Schedule Announced!

BREAKING NEWS:

The full film schedule for this years Film4 FrightFest – to take place at the prestigious Empire Cinema in London’s Leicester Sqaure – has been announced; and it’s every bit as varied and interesting this year as British horror fans have come to expect.

Here’s the lowdown on what’s happening this August:

PROGRAMME – SCREEN 1

THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 2011
18:30  DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (UK Premiere)
100 mins   Director Troy Nixey   Australia 2011

21:15  FINAL DESTINATION 5 3D  (UK Premiere)
95 mins   Director: Steven Quale   USA 2011

23:30  THE THEATRE BIZARRE  (European Premiere)
108 mins   Directors: Richard Stanley, Tom Savini, Douglas Buck, Karim Hussain, Buddy Giovinazzo, Jeremy Kasten, David Gregory   USA/France 2011

FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2011
10:40  ROGUE RIVER  (UK Premiere)
90 mins   Director: Jourdan McClure   USA 2010

12:45  THE HOLDING (World Premiere)
90 mins   Director: Susan Jacobson   UK 2011

15:05 The Total Film Interview
Larry Fessenden in conversation with Jamie Graham
 
 
American Horror: A Panel Discussion
 
With Ti West, Lucky McKee, Adam Green, Joe Lynch and Andrew van den Houten to discuss the US horror scene.

17:00  URBAN EXPLORERS  (UK Premiere)
88 mins   Director: Andy Fetscher   Germany 2011

19:05  THE GLASS MAN  (World Premiere)
120 mins   Director: Cristian Solimeno   UK 2011

21:55  TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL  (London Preview)
86 mins   Director: Eli Craig   USA 2010

23:55  VILE  (World Premiere)
88 mins   Director: Taylor Sheridan   USA 2011

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 2011
11:00  TROLL HUNTER  (Preview)
99 mins   Director: Andre Ovredal   Norway 2010

13:15  THE WICKER TREE  (European Premiere)
90 mins   Director: Robin Hardy  UK 2011

15:35  PANIC BUTTON (World Premiere)
95 mins   Director: Chris Crow   UK 2011

18:00  FRIGHT NIGHT 3D  (Preview)
120 mins   Director: Chris Gillespie   USA 2011

21:00  THE WOMAN  (UK Premiere)
100 mins   Director: Lucky McKee   USA 2011

23:30  CHILLERAMA  (European Premiere)
115 mins   Directors: Adam Rifkin, Tim Sullivan, Adam Green, Joe Lynch   USA 2011

SUNDAY 28 AUGUST 2011
10:30  THE DIVIDE  (Preview)
110 mins   Director: Xavier Gens   USA 2011

13:00  THE HORROR CHANNEL PRESENTS THE SHORT FILM SHOWCASE

+ ANDY NYMAN’S QUIZ FROM HELL 2

16:00  THE INNKEEPERS  (UK Premiere)
102 mins   Director: Ti West   USA 2011

18:35  SAINT  (UK Premiere)
85 mins   Director: Dick Maas   The Netherlands – 2010

20:50  KILL LIST (UK Premiere) – SPONSORED BY TOTAL FILM
90 mins   Director: Ben Wheatley   UK 2011

23:30  DETENTION  (UK Premiere)
93 mins  Director: Joseph Kahn   USA 2011

MONDAY 29 AUGUST 2011
10:45  GUINEA PIGS  (World Premiere)
90 mins   Director: Ian Clark   UK 2011

13:10  DEADHEADS  (UK Premiere)
90 mins   Directors: Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce   USA 2011

15:30  SENNENTUNTSCHI: CURSE OF THE ALPS (UK Premiere)
110 mins   Director: Michael Steiner   Switzerland 2010

18:30  INBRED  (World Premiere)
95 mins   Director: Alex Chandon   UK 2011

21:00  A LONELY PLACE TO DIE  (UK Premiere)
98 mins   Director: Julian Gilbey   UK 2011

PROGRAMME – DISCOVERY SCREEN

FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2011
10:35  THE MAN WHO SAW FRANKENSTEIN CRY  (UK Premiere)
75 mins   Director: Angel Agudo   Spain 2010

12:30  A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE  (Preview)
95 mins  Director: Adam Wingard   USA 2010

15:00  MIDNIGHT SON (UK premiere)
95 mins Director: Scott Leberecht  USA 2011

17:15  RABIES  (Preview)
90 mins   Directors: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado   Israel 2010

19:30  BLOOD RUNS COLD  (UK Premiere)
80 mins   Director: Sonny Laguna   Sweden 2011

21:30  KIDNAPPED  (London Preview)
85 mins   Director: Miguel Angel Vivas   Spain 2011

23:30  STORMHOUSE  (London Preview)
88 mins   Director: Dan Turner   UK 2011

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 2011
10:30 THE DEAD (Special Event)
90 mins   Directors: Howard J. Ford & Jon Ford   UK 2010

13:00  ATROCIOUS  (UK Premiere)
75 mins   Director: Fernando Barreda Luna   Spain 2010

15:30  MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE  (European Premiere)
80 mins   Director: Emily Hagins   USA 2011

18:00  THE CALLER  (London Preview)
88 mins   Director: Matthew Parkhill   USA 2011

21:05  THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS  (World Premiere)
75 mins   Director: Sean Hogan    UK 2011

23:00  A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE

SUNDAY 28 AUGUST 2011
11:15  KIDNAPPED

13:15  RABIES

16:15  BLOOD RUNS COLD

18:45  MIDNIGHT SON

21:15  THE MAN WHO SAW FRANKENSTEIN CRY

MONDAY 29 AUGUST 2011
11:00  THE CALLER

13:00  THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS

15:45  ATROCIOUS

18:35  MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE

Tickets go on sale tomorrow (2nd July 2011), checkout the FrightFest website for more details – but Horror Addicts will keep you up-to-date with all the information from the biggest event in UK horror.

 

www.frightfest.co.uk

 

Ep 62 British & European News: FRIGHTFEST 2011

It’s all about FrightFest this episode! Check out this years amazing Key Artwork and follow the link for all the details discussed on the show.

www.frightfest.co.uk