Thursday 19 September 2019
Interview with Kevin J. Kennedy by David Kempf
When did you first become interested in writing?
Roughly, 5 years ago. Outside of English class in high school, I’d never written anything. One day I was on Facebook and seen an advert for a horror anthology that was looking for stories. It mentioned you didn’t have to be previously published. I had never really wanted to be a writer but I had always been an avid reader of horror and had made the comment on a few occasions that it would be cool to have a story in a horror book. I never planned to write one. It was just one of those general ‘it would be cool if’ comments but I had a little time, I wrote a story, sent it in and they accepted it. I’ve just never stopped from that moment forward.
How did you get involved in horror?
When I was a young lad, my uncle used to have a little corner store. It was back in the 80s and he used to have a few shelfs of VHS tapes that he would rent out. Every Sunday when we visited my gran, we would stop into his shop and I’d always borrow a horror movie. There were certain ones I wasn’t allowed but overall my parents were pretty cool and let me take my pick. Nightmare on Elm street movies were a no no but I don’t remember them telling me no to many others I picked. If we go back further, I suppose I started where a lot of people did with Scooby Doo. Loved the monsters, even though they always turned out to be people. I collected Monsters in my Pocket as a young boy too. I’ve just always been drawn to monsters and horror. I’m not sure why. It just appealed to me.
Tell us about your first publisher.
The first publisher to accept a story by me was Alucard Press, run by C.S. Anderson, who I am still friends with and we often send each other stories for anthologies that we are running. The first publisher to put some of my work out there as it was published before the Alucard Press book, was Indie Authors Press in a title called Spooky Halloween Drabbles. I had never heard of a drabble before but fell in love with them as soon as I discovered them. I’ve now published 3 of my own drabble books called 100 Word Horrors and they have been pretty popular.
How would you classify the genre you write?
Definitely horror but within that, I cover most sub genres. I am a big reader as I said, and I love everything from post-apoc to bizarro to coming of age to comedy horror to extreme. The only horror sub-genre I’m not a fan of is the slow burn stuff. Just not to my taste. I have enjoyed a few slow burn stories but overall I’d prefer to read something with a faster pace.
Why do you think horror books remain so popular?
I wouldn’t say the horror genre is overly popular when you compare it to other genres, but I would say it has a strong following. I think it allows people a release from everyday life to focus on something that isn’t quite as scary as the things that are actually going on in the world. A lot of horror fans read gruesome stuff but on the other hand are some of the most empathetic people you could ever meet. Movie wise, I think the genre is going strong. Chart wise for novels, novellas and Anthos, I don’t feel that horror ranks as strongly as other types of books. It’s my main genre for reading, so probably the only genre I will ever work in, but I hope that it increases in popularity for readers, the way that horror movies have become more mainstream. When you look at horror authors who have been about for a while, that have good sales, their books are often released as thrillers.
What inspires your stories?
Everything. I find the world we live in to be a scary place. The fact that we have psychos in charge of countries, all over the world doesn’t fill me with hope. A lot of my stories are centered around people who are evil, but I do love monster stories and more farfetched stuff but sometimes I will be reading a kids book or watching a comedy movie and an idea springs to mind for a horror story too.
A while back I was re-watching loads of Tarantino movies and then I was looking through my books and the Wizard of Oz came on the TV. I thought to myself ‘what if Tarantino had done the Wizrd of Oz,’ and from that, I came up with an idea for a story that you will find in my solo collection, ‘Dark Thoughts.’ It borders on the extreme but that’s how Tarantino rolls so it had to. Some people love it and it’s one of their fave stories and others hate it because they don’t like the spin on the characters. I knew that would be how it would go before I put it in the book, but I love it. Every book I put out is really for me. That way, if I get a bad review, I can generally assume that the reader and I have wildly different taste.
Goodreads is a godsend. You can compare books with people who review you and I find that any negative reviews I get are from readers who have wildly different tastes from me. It’s all down to the readers personal taste so you can never expect to please everyone.
What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?
Not much to me. I was in a British VS American horror antho, and from memory, there was no real difference. I believe that the opinion is that British horror isn’t as extreme. I’m not sure if that is true anymore. What I would say is that America has more conventions, celebrates horror more, has more authors, and overall more readers. I think there is more opportunity in the US and I do a lot better sales wise there. I think the UK is also still stuck in a mainly reading mass market stuff and doesn’t go online as much to take advantage of a wider selection, but, to be fair, when I bought a lot of physical books from small presses in the US, the delivery charges are a killer if you are getting them delivered to the UK so that could play into it to. Amazon is the best bet for getting books from all over these days, especially if you have Prime and get free delivery.
What are your favorite horror books?
There are far too many to mention but here is a list of some that have stuck with me, off the top of my head:
Blood Crazy by Simon Clark
The Beast House, Island, Savage, Funland, Dark Mountain, The Traveling Vampire Show and Midnight’s Lair by Richard Laymon.
City Infernal, The House, The Pig & Header by Edward Lee
The Folks 1 & 2, Serpent Girl & Lot Lizards by Ray Garton
Hero by J.F. Gonzalez and Wrath James White
Yaccub’s Curse by Wrath James White
The Clicker series by J.F. Gonzalez and Brian Keene from book 2 onwards
Swan Song by Robert McCammon
Clusterfuck, Warrior Wolf Women of the Wasteland, Clownfellas & Cannibals of Candyland by Carlton Mellick
ASBO, Housemates & Sea Sick by Iain Rob Wright
Dead Sea, Terminal, Urban Gothic & An Occurrence in Crazy Bear Valley by Bryan Keene
The Killing Kind & Depraved by Bryan Smith
These are just a few of my favourite books that I love by authors that I have read almost their entire catalogue, but as I said, there are too many too mention.
There are very few books in here that I have read in the last few years as I feel that it should have stuck with me for quite some time to call it a favourite.
What are some of your favorite horror movies?
Growing up I loved the Friday the 13th movies, Demons 1 & 2, The Hills Have Eyes 1 & 2 and the Nightmare on Elm Street movies (Once I was able to get my hands on them, without my parents knowing). In more recent times, I loved the reimagining’s of the Hills Have Eyes movies, I like the Annabelle movies, Dog Soldiers was brilliant & I loved Train to Busan. I’ve always liked zombie movies too. I liked the 90s Night of the Living Dead and the remake of Dawn of the Dead too. The Return of the Living Dead movies were a lot of fun as well.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?
Just being out there and having people read my work. It still seems weird. A few years ago, I had never written a story. Now I appear in books with a lot of guys that I have been reading for 20 years and my solo collection is doing really well.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Get stuck in and write as much as you can. Sub your story somewhere then start something else. You will get rejections. Everyone does. Don’t take it personally. One publisher might not like it and another may accept it. Maybe the story needs some work. Try and get a few people to read it that will be honest with you rather than just telling you everything you write is brilliant. Keep writing and you will see your writing get better with each story as long as you take feedback. Oh, and read lots. I’ve seen a few authors say they don’t read. I don’t get that. If I wasn’t a reader, I wouldn’t write. I only do it because I love books.
What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?
Probably over 50% of the books I read are self-published. The big 4 lost touch a long time ago. Even going back 20 or 30 years, most decent authors complained about how their books were changed by them and now you see books being released as the author intended. Having an editor is one thing. Being told to rewrite large chunks of your book based on a publisher’s idea of what their market wants would never be something I could do. I don’t think mass market publishers really like horror anyway. It’s always thriller. I could never see one of the mass market guys releasing one of Edward Lee’s hardcore books for example. Some of the small press that are around are great but I’m impatient and I don’t want to wait for a year or more on my book being published. With self-pub, you write it, re-write it, get it edited, get some people to read over it to catch any errors that were missed then get it published. It suits me a lot more than the other options that are available, and you keep a larger cut of the profits.
What are your current projects?
I’m just finishing up the 4th Horror Collection book. This will be the White Edition which is Christmas themed. I’m waiting on the proof copy of 100 Word Horrors book 3 arriving but the Kindle version is already online. My second solo collection is in edits and the cover is being designed so that should be available in coming months. I then need to finish up Halloween Land which is a novella that was originally an 8K short that was really popular, and I got a lot of people contacting me and saying they wished it was longer. I’m also working on book 2 of Screechers with Christina Bergling. We are about 6K into it. After that I’m not sure. I plan to spend more time writing and less on Anthos for a while, but we will see what happens.
Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
Kevin J Kennedy is a horror author & editor from Scotland. He is the co-author of You Only Get One Shot, Screechers and has a solo collection available called Dark Thoughts. He is also the publisher of several bestselling anthology series; Collected Horror Shorts, 100 Word Horrors & The Horror Collection, as well as the stand-alone anthology Carnival of Horror. His stories have been featured in many other notable books in the horror genre.
He lives in a small town in Scotland, with his wife and his two little cats, Carlito and Ariel.
Keep up to date with new releases or contact Kevin through his website: www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk
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Kevin J. Kennedy
Monday 16 September 2019
COMPETITION: Win Kaleidoscope on DVD
Kaleidoscope is out on DVD from 23rd September.
Synopsis
GARNERING CRITICAL acclaim on its theatrical release, one of Britain’s greatest actors of today Toby Jones ‘glows’ (The Guardian) as the lead in Kaleidoscope, a bleak, nightmarish psychological thriller written and directed by brother Rupert Jones in his feature film debut.
A sparse, drab flat, on a housing estate in London, loud frantic knocking and a dog barking. We meet Carl Woods (Toby Jones – Don’t Forget the Driver, Detectorists, Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy), an ex-prisoner with dreams of starting a gardening business, as he’s abruptly awoken from his sleep on the sofa. He goes to the door…no-one is there. Exploring the house, he notices lipstick traces on a glass, an ashtray full of cigarette butts, he goes upstairs and finds a shocking discovery, a dead body in the bathroom. But is everything as it seems?
As the narrative twists and turns we follow Carl’s footsteps as he chats with his neighbour Monique (Noble), prepares for his first date in 15 years with someone he met online, Abby (Matthews) and gets a message announcing an impending, unwanted visit from his overbearing mother (Reid)…
With time running out, Carl’s relationship with his mother and the ramifications of his night with Abby now collide in dramatic, surprising, unforgettable ways.
Buy from Amazon by clicking here (Opens in a new window)
For your chance to win just answer the question below.
COMPETITION CLOSED
Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-09-19
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
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Kaleidoscope
Monday 2 September 2019
Competition: Win Double Date on DVD
Double Date is out on DVD & Blu-ray from 9th September.
Synopsis
After its much-lauded theatrical release and fantastic reception on its Fright Fest premiere, the bloody hilarious comedy-horror Double Date – written by and starring Screen International/FrightFest Genre Rising Star 2017 award winner Danny Morgan – is set to arrive on digital, DVD and Blu-ray from Sparky Pictures.
Self-assured, and irritatingly cocksure, one thing Alex (Michael Socha – This is England, Chernobyl) can boast about is his loyalty to his dearest friend, Jim (Danny Morgan – On The Road). As Jim’s 30th birthday approaches, Alex promises to help get his best friend laid, so he won’t reach this unwelcome milestone a virgin.
They muster up the courage to arrange a double date with sisters Kitty (Kelly Wenham - Dracula: The Dark Prince) and Lulu (Georgia Groome – Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging), but little do the boys know, their partners have other plans for the night ahead…
With appearances from the inimitable Big Narstie (The Big Narstie Show), and renowned actor and director of the moment Dexter Fletcher (Eddie The Eagle, Rocketman), Double Date is fun, ferocious, and full of surprises.
The iconic Prince Charles Cinema will be hosting a special screening of Double Date on Thursday 5 September, followed by a Q&A with the director Benjamin Barfoot, producer Matt Wilkinson, and stars Michael Socha and Danny Morgan. Tickets are on sale now, and the film is out on digital, DVD and Blu-Ray from 9 September.
If you’re looking for the love of your life, be careful…Double Date could be the kiss of death.
Buy from Amazon by clicking here (Opens in a new window)
For your chance to win just answer the question below.
COMPETITION CLOSED
Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 16-09-19
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
Labels:
Double Date
Sunday 1 September 2019
Exclusive Interview with Actor Sean Dillingham
1. The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre is a film that puts pro wrestling and zombies in the same arena, when you started out in your acting career, did you ever imagine yourself appearing in a wrestling film, a zombie film, or even a film that combined both?
No! Hahaha! But then again there are a lot roles and things I couldn’t imagine! Being thrown out of a cave by a polar bear, playing a miniature worker that works inside a side machine, etc. I was exposed to wrestling at a young age, in the 1970’s. Before it was about big arenas and whatnot. When tv shows held a studio audience of 100 and the ring was right there in the audience. The wrestlers had to be not only great wrestlers and performers but had to have the big personalities to boot! The best one? Ric Flair! Wooooo! Zombie movies have always fascinated the public, and I’m a fan as well! Night of the living dead, all the cult classics!
2. You star as a wrestler called "Big Wang", I hate to even think where that name comes from, what can you tell us about your character and do you know if it was based on a real wrestler, or does the writer just have a vivid imagination?
Well, here’s the story and then I will leave it up to your imagination and just tell people, you have GOT to see this film! It’s not based on any real wrestler, and the truth is, I read for 3 or 4 characters in this film, the producers and director narrowed it down to a character named Big Wang, which originally called for an Asian actor, but since they had complete creative control, allowed me to bring to the character what I wanted and brother, it is funny! I auditioned with heart shaped sunglasses a faux-hawk hairdo, no shirt with a black fur lined cape. This movie will be a cult classic!
3. The film also stars two of history's legit toughest men, Randy Couture and Bas Rutten, what was it like to work alongside these two? Did you ever feel intimidated or are they the proverbial pussy cats in real life?
Well, I wouldn’t call them pussy-cats, but they were perfect gentlemen and professional actors. Everyone on the crew and cast was just superb and super focused!
4. The "Zomedy" seems to be the route for most Horror Zombie films these days, and this film falls under that banner, as a zombie comedy, how much fun is it to be a part of a film that doesn't take itself too seriously? Or is the making of such a film very serious, despite the nature of what the film is about?
If the film turns out half as fun as it was to make, it is sure to be a hit! I mean come on, pro-wrestlers past their prime and zombies?? What could be better?!?
5. Before acting in this film, were you ever a fan of zombie films, or pro wrestling?
Always liked the zombie flicks and was a fan of pro-wrestling. Still watch it today with my family and even go to live events.
6. You have appeared in over 50 films in your career, with the exception of this film, which would you say was your favourite, and why?
I have a film coming out called “Space Munchies” about an alien encounter and a trailer dwelling hillbilly. Hilarious story, great production, great script and it hits every angle, action, comedy, sci-fi you name it. The production value was super high on it!
7. As an actor, you have appeared in films, TV series, commercials, performed stand up, as well as voice over work. Which do you enjoy doing the most, and is there any kind of work in the entertainment business that you have yet to try that you would be interested in? For example, could you see yourself appearing in a WWE Wrestling ring.
Film work by far. A commercial you shoot in usually 1 or 2 days - its very rushed. A tv show about a week, whereas in film, you shoot little chunks of dialogue, little bits of scenes, you really have an opportunity to dig deep into a character, story, scene, etc - the fact that it’s not rushed, and everyone is really shooting for perfection on every level in every aspect is wonderful! Love it! In a wrestling ring? Hahaha - no, only to promote the film or do a sequel!
8. The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre is due to be released in 2020, is there anything else you would like to tell us about the film.
See it! Its got action, zombies, pro wrestling and it is going to be HILARIOUS!!
9. And finally the question that actors get asked the most, what is next for Sean Dillingham?
Tons! A Better call Saul episode coming out, a Netflix feature called Rattlesnake, a terrific part in a video game called Wasteland 3 and several features including Echoes of Vengeance & Double Blind.
Links
Actors Access:
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/SeanDillingham
LA Casting Link:
www.LACasting.com/SeanDillingham
IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226936/
Bio:
As an actor, Sean Dillingham has appeared in over 98+ commercials and 50+ films and 17 national television series. Sean has had network television appearances on Operation REPO, Discovery ID, Buried in the Backyard, The NightShift, Longmire, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, This is Us, There’s Johnny, Yellowstone, & Better call Saul! He has acted alongside Kevin Costner, Tony Danza, Jane Seymour, Patrick Duffy, Roger Bart, Don Ameche, Stacy Keache, John O’Hurley, Andre Braugher, Andy Samberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Bob Odenkirk, and more.
THE MANSON BROTHERS MIDNIGHT ZOMBIE MASSACRE
Synopsis
Wrestling's most hated tag team, The MANSON BROTHERS, now in the twilight of their careers and relegated to doing smaller wrestling promotions, take a MIDNIGHT cage match on Halloween night, only to find themselves trapped in the arena with wrestlers and fans infected with a mutated rabies ZOMBIE virus. Armed only with their wrestling skills, and enchanted lucha libre masks, they must fight for their lives and ensure the virus is contained to prevent an all-out MASSACRE and pandemic.
Labels:
Sean Dillingham
Wednesday 28 August 2019
Interview with Lee Murray By David Kempf
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNC6OxZKP_OzbRwIakN1m8ce9cqvu1AIZt4TCccHNkLBfOvLPhpYmDB5kCHtvUrQvTsHNSXhmq9D3zy5CwsS8vWT_VWrhyNQ9_wdPczbYOvbDWyoZHMy0l-IUM8QhXcXWPQ3qx6sFxWBo/s320/Lee+at+the+Stokers+2019.jpg)
When did you first become interested in writing?
It’s hard to separate writing from reading, isn’t it? From the moment I was born, my parents read to me, instilling a passion for books and story that I’ve never been able to wean myself from. I remember loving words, and the sounds the words made, and I liked the shape of them. I think I was two when I learned the shape of the word Christmas, with its festive, bauble-shaped ‘i’ in the middle. I remember struggling to decipher ‘who’ from ‘how’ and the difference between ‘their’ and ‘there’. I felt lucky that Lee was short and perfectly formed, starting with an elegant straight-backed ‘L’ and then those lovely identical ee’s that were so hard to get right.
At bedtime, Dad would read to my brother and me—Horton the Elephant was a popular choice—or tell us stories he made up himself. One of Dad’s recurring protagonists was the brilliant and intrepid inventor, Professor Morgan—naturally, Dad’s name is Morgan—who created machines out of junk which he then put to work solving important world problems. Professor’s Morgan’s most famous invention was the Zzz-Burp, a steampunk-style zeppelin, named for the noise it made as it travelled. Dad made the best noises. There were other stories too, including a series of hilarious tales about a pair of frogs named Horace and Aristotle who lived in the creek at the end of our road. In the tradition of all comic duos, there was a dumb one (Horace), and a smart one (Aristotle). It wasn’t until much later, that I worked out where he’d stolen the names from. The thing about Dad’s stories, was that they were always in development, sometimes the whole family taking part. For example, when we took road trips, he would tell us that our cousin, Jocelyn, was following the car, taking rides on surprised cows, running through houses, and effectively inventing parkour in a frantic attempt to catch us up. Only, any time our poor cousin looked like she might reach us, some other dreadful calamity would intervene to prevent it. Looking back, it was classic plotting; Dad showing us how to throw up obstacle after obstacle to prevent the protagonist from reaching her goal. Eventually, if the story looked like it was going to end, my siblings and I would jump in with a suggestion. Oh no! She’s got stuck in some tar! Whoops, look out for that washing line. To this day, I’m not sure any of us ever revealed to Jocelyn that she was the heroine of some of the most amazing adventures ever told, stories that entertained us for hours as we drove to the beach for the weekend, or to the city to visit our grandmother.
Since those early days when my love of story was kindled, I’ve always scribbled, writing long newsy tales in letters to family, keeping notebooks, and penning blog posts and articles. Strangely though, becoming a ‘real’ writer felt as impossible as growing up to be a princess. On the encouragement of my parents, I opted instead for the stability of test tubes and autoclaves. Sometimes, I wish I’d side-stepped the science degrees, but then I remember that everything we do informs our writing, so heading off on that tangent hasn’t been a waste. I got married, worked other jobs, travelled, and finally wrote my first book in my mid-thirties, working on the manuscript during my children’s nap times. I didn’t decide to make writing my career until a decade later, when my husband encouraged me to take the plunge.
How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?
I started by borrowing all the science fiction and fantasy I could find the Taupō Public Library. As children, we visited the library every Friday evening, where the four of us were allowed to borrow up to twenty books each! This meant my weekends almost always involved being immersed in some fantasy world or other: Tolkien, Lewis, Barrie… So when it came to write, it seemed natural that I would also choose to write in this genre. However, one of my earliest novels, which I call my practice book, is a chick-lit title, a Kiwi romp based around my long-distance running experiences. That old ‘write what you know’ adage might have something to do with it. Anyway, the book’s internal conflicts focused on personal growth, selflessness and perseverance, but the external barriers the heroine faced were less meaty and included wardrobe malfunctions, cupcake deprivation, attempts to avoid paparazzi. Set in my hometown, was a lot of fun to write, and readers still tell me they enjoy it, but I realised then I wanted to examine more deeper themes, and that naturally led me to horror.
Tell us about your first publisher.
My first publisher, Taramea Publishing, was a small Māori publisher based on New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsular. The publisher, Werohia, herself a writer of New Zealand picture books in both English and te reo Māori, was a keen proponent of New Zealand-flavoured stories with strong spiritual and mythological underpinnings, which she hoped would resonate for local children, and also inform other readers about life here in the Land of the Long White Cloud. I did some research, and, convinced my work was a good fit for her stable, I sent her a standard query, attaching a rather dark middle grade speculative novel called Battle of the Birds, in which a homesick Kiwi named Annie travels back home to New Zealand on an American eagle, only to discover she’s arrived in the wrong time, and right in the middle of a battle between the flighted and flightless birds. As it turned out, Werohia was sick at the time, so she made herself a hot drink, curled up in bed, and read the manuscript from cover to cover. The next thing I knew, she’d sent me a contract. I could barely read the legalese, so I contacted a much-loved local writer for children, Susan Brocker, who I’d never met, to ask her for advice. Happily, Suzy was able to point me to organisations and resources to help me decipher what the words meant. Once the contract was signed, we got on to the business of creating the book. The press was small, employing only part-time staff, but the focus was always on putting out a high-quality work, so I was able to work closely with the house’s formatters, artists, assessors, and editors. For me, it was a massive learning curve, but those early experiences have proved to be hugely helpful over the course of my career. The book was launched by Bay of Plenty writer-celebrity and kaumatua, Tommy ‘Kapai’ Wilson, and went on to earn me my first Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel for science fiction, fantasy, and horror writing. New Zealand children’s book expert, Trevor Agnew, listed it in The Dominion Post’s best books for children. Several years later, Werohia and I parted ways, rights for Battle of the Birds returning to me when her focus changed. It turned out that instead of writing and publishing adventures, Werohia wanted to live them, winning herself a spot as a sailor on a now-famous 2012 expedition that saw two waka hourua (double-hulled canoes) travel from New Zealand to Rapanui in a round trip of 10,000 nautical miles (18,500km). The crews used strictly traditional navigational methods to guide them, relying on the stars, moon, sun, ocean currents, birds and marine life to make the epic journey. Nowadays, Werohia helps other people discover their own life adventures, offering isolated bush retreats and holiday accommodation to visitors to the Bay of Plenty. I’m always very grateful to her for launching my own writing adventure.
How would you classify the genre you write?
Another tough question! My own view is that the term ‘genre’ provides a convenient means for booksellers and librarians to classify works into broad categories which will enable readers to find the kind of books they enjoy on the shelves. It’s easy enough to classify the book when we’re talking about memoir, a cookbook, or children’s non-fiction. However, when it comes to fiction, classifications can be entirely arbitrary and sometimes a little foggy. Is Attwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale a classic literary work with sociopolitical underpinnings, or would you classify it as a speculative fantasy? Is Andy Weir’s The Martian a suspenseful techno-thriller or a work of hard science fiction? The truth is, they are all of these things, depending on the reader’s perspective. For example, my books for adults have been categorised as military thriller, supernatural crime-noir, new pulp, kaiju fiction, speculative fiction, action adventure, magical realism, mystery, science fiction and fantasy, and horror. That’s a lot of categories. When people ask me what I write, I tend to say that I am a New Zealand writer of New Zealand stories, since almost all of my work is set here at home in our dramatic volcanic landscape, involves Kiwi characters, or explores some aspect of local mythology and culture. Calling my work New Zealand fiction first and foremost feels like an important part of my identity as a writer. Here at home, I’m best known for science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction—for adults and children—however you’re unlikely to discover entirely new worlds in my works. There are few elves, dwarves, or beleaguered kingdoms described in my stories. However, almost all of my work features magical realism or supernatural elements, set in a recognisable contemporary or historical setting. And most of my work includes horror elements, although I wouldn’t call it classic horror, since there are no haunted houses, malevolent children, cabins in the woods, or red balloons. That said, it is very dark in places, and tends to explore familiar horror themes of isolation, superstition, otherness. A recent feature article published in a local paper named me New Zealand’s Mistress of Menace! If only menace was a genre. Overall, I think the terms that best describe my work are dark Kiwi speculative fiction.
The question of genre is a sensitive one for many writers, though. Most of us agree that readers should have ready access to books they’ll find entertaining, informative, even provocative, but grouping writers and writing into ‘genres’ has other consequences. There’s a positive aspect, since it allows writers to find their ‘tribe’, offering opportunities for us to network with colleagues who share our creative perspectives. The romance writers’ group is one of the most welcoming thriving writing communities in New Zealand, for example, and the same can be said for our speculative and horror communities. Believe me, there is nothing more inspiring than a bunch of horror writers having a chat over coffee, and the convention post-award room parties are ultra-fun. However, these same genre classifications also open us up to exclusion by funders, festival organisers, booksellers, and even readers, since there’s a long-held (and entirely false) view that says only ‘literary’ fiction has merit. One critic, who is well-known in New Zealand science fiction and fantasy fandom, demonstrates this bias by proudly announcing that she won’t read New Zealand speculative fiction, and nor will she read horror. In her view, they can have no merit. Of course, that is her choice; she’s free to read, or not read, these types of books if she likes. Personally, I think excluding great chunks of our literary smorgasbord is like removing a food group from your diet. Without that balance, our individual and collective well-being is compromised.
Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?
It’s true people have always been fascinated by horror/fantasy and while affordability and accessibility have played a part, from the early pulp fiction comics, through to current film and book distributors like Netflix and Amazon, a key reason for that interest is that horror and fantasy works address important themes that are universal to us all, real issues that have an impact on our lives. And there’s a lovely paradox in play too because horror fantasies allow us to face our fears head on, while still maintaining a measure of distance. Also, wherever we have horror, it is juxtaposed with hope, since in examining those hard topics, horror encourages us consider possible solutions. Let’s face it, it stands to reason that when the zombie apocalypse inevitably comes, readers of Maberry’s Patient Zero are going to be one step ahead of the horde.
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This is probably an odd answer, but our New Zealand landscape plays a big part. Writing the Taine McKenna adventure series, and also the Path of Ra supernatural crime-noir series which I co-write with Dan Rabarts, the New Zealand landscape, with its geysers, crater lakes, mountain ranges, and dense mist-filled forests has been a wonderful source of story, and New Zealand storytellers have only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible. And if our local storytellers imbue our stories with our history and culture, throw in the call of the kōkako and the whims of our gods, and add in the Māori concept of the landscape representing our ancestors, then there is a point of difference, something unique that doesn’t appear in other literature. As a New Zealand writer, I feel there is a responsibility for us to tell our stories, to offer our perspectives in this moment, and our landscape is essential to that viewpoint.
What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?
As an outsider, the differences are hard to pinpoint—apart from the obvious spelling and idiom.
I think British horror retains an island mentality, that idea of isolation and separation that we see captured in New Zealand fiction, whereas American horror conveys a sense of vastness. It’s a place where villains and monsters are able to disappear into obscurity. Who knows what the Americans have hidden underneath Area 51? And British horror seems steeped in tradition and propriety, whereas writers in former colonies like New Zealand, and previously the USA, might have more pioneering freedom to dash off into unknown worlds.
What are your favorite horror books?
Oh this is too hard. Please don’t make me do this. I have so many favourites. Instead, to give you an idea of what I like, why don’t I tell you what I’ve been reading over the past couple of weeks? For example, I’m speeding through Fountain Dead by Theresa Braun, and if I’m bleary-eyed today, it’s all her fault. To be honest, I’m late to the party on this one—it was released last year—and I only wish I’d got to it sooner. A fresh take on the gothic haunted house thriller, Braun’s writing has a wonderful clarity, and wow, she knows how to write tension. Not quite finished it yet, but already I can recommend it. I’ve also been enjoying Alessandro Manzetti’s gorgeous graphic novel adaptation of Poppy Z. Brite’s short story, Calcutta: Lord of Nerves, a surprise gift print copy which arrived for me in the post last week. Calcutta Horror is illustrated by Stefano Cardoselli, whose stunning black and white images perfectly capture the gritty, lonely aspect of the story. A real treat. In fact, I’ve enjoyed a veritable banquet of Manzetti’s writing lately, dipping into his most recent poetry collection The Place of Broken Things which is co-written with the indomitable Linda D. Addison, who is a Lifetime Member of the Horror Writers Association, one of the most significant and eloquent poets of our time, and perhaps our most hard-working champion of diversity in writing. I’ve been savouring this wasabi-sharp collection in small bites, partly because this examination of the nature of trauma is not only deadly brutal, but also because the words are so powerful, the images so astounding that it requires some reflection. More Manzetti: I’ve also had the privilege of reading the English language version of his speculative Cold War novella The Keeper of Chernobyl, which is forthcoming from Omnium Gatherum. Already published to some acclaim in Italy, weird science lovers are going to devour this one. Gruesome and compelling!
For a quick read over coffee, I gobbled up Lit-RPG short story Thirty to Fifty Feral Hogs, a recent bestseller by Australian horror writer Matthew Barbeler, and a spin-off from his Rise of the Crimson Order world. I’m new to Lit-RPG which is a break-the-fourth-wall approach to game adventure. I enjoyed this short read; it’s great fun, and well-orchestrated in Barbeler’s hands. For those readers who prefer their fiction without the gaming intrusion, I recommend sampling some of Barbeler’s other horror works. Carnifex, a chompy, uniquely Australian tale, written in his penname Matthew Hellscream, is a favourite of mine.
One of the best perks of being a writer is that, occasionally, I’m offered sneak peeks at work written by my colleagues. Recently, I was lucky enough to read Christine Morgan’s fabulous deep-sea horror-thriller Trench Mouth. I’m still gasping. With Morgan, you know the water’s going to run red. Trench Mouth is 100,000 words of breathless, action-packed terror. I’ve also read Kathleen’s Kaufmann’s Diabhal, which is releasing soon from Turner Publishing, and EV Knight’s debut novel The Fourth Whore (Raw Dog Screaming Press). Both beautifully crafted narratives with feminist themes, everyone needs to read these empowering and important novels. And for fantasy lovers, I’ve been loving Omens, the final title in A.J. Ponder’s hilarious YA fantasy send up The Sylvalla Chronicles, told by revered wizard academic Freddie Fraderghast and following the exploits of the Princess Sylvalla, better known for the point of her blade than she is for needlepoint.
Omens is a standalone adventure, but if you’re quick you probably still have time to read the first two books in the series: Quest and Prophecy. Sons of the Curse, the second book in my colleague Dan Rabart’s Children of Bane comic fantasy epic is also due out soon too. Picking up from where Brothers of the Knife left off, it’s hard to categorise this book which incorporates many of the best elements of traditional fantasy—elves, dwarves, wyvern, betrayal, intrigue, family squabbles, and meals eaten on the hoof. Did I mention the steampunk airship and the tragic love story? Finally, I have a poem appearing in the HWA’s upcoming Poetry Showcase VI anthology, so I’ve seen a proof preview of the entire text and I all I can say is I’m extremely humbled to have my name appear alongside so many poets I admire and respect. Edited by Bram Stoker winning poet Stephanie Wytovich along with poets Cynthia Pelayo and Christa Carmen, this is a stunning collection and not to be missed.
What are some of your favorite horror movies?
This is where I admit that while most of my reading is speculative and horror, I don’t watch horror movies. Nope, nope, nope. Horror movies terrify me. I have tried it three times and each time they have given me night terrors. The first time, I stayed up late and watched Trilogy of Terror by myself in 1976 (at age 9), and later I saw the 1920s silent version of The Cabinet of Dr Caligari in class while I was in middle school in 1978. And the last time I watched a horror movie was at the cinema in 1981, when I went with friends to watch Friday 13th Part, II. After watching Freddie slaughter those teenagers, I screamed in my sleep for weeks, so much so that my parents asked me not to see any more horror movies, please. Even now, all these years later, images and scenes from those three movies still repeat in my head and make me wake up in a sweat. Sometimes I yell. Maybe it has something to do with the immediacy of the media. I don’t know. In any case, in the interests of sleep, I do not watch horror movies or even horror movie trailers (except by accident).
(Also, this kills me because so many of my writer friends have wonderful work that has been adapted into film that I would love to see.)
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?
In 2017, I was awarded New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award for Services to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, and last year I became SpecFicNZ’s first life member. I consider these some of my greatest accomplishments as an author, since I am most proud of my community-building work. Stemming in part from my writing, I undertake a lot of ‘mostly-free’ work intended to develop new writers and readers. For example, together with my colleague and dear friend, Piper Mejia, I co-founded volunteer group Young New Zealand Writers and for the past decade we have been offering national writing competitions, full-day writing workshops, mentorship, and publishing opportunities for New Zealand school students. Receiving sometimes as many as a thousand entries to our competitions, we still provide individual feedback to every student who sends us their work. In recent years, we’ve run some of our workshops alongside the New Zealand national convention, including this year’s GeyserCon where I was the convention’s programme director. I undertake a lot of mentorship, usually juggling up to four or five mentees at a time.
Not only do I learn a lot myself through mentorship, but it’s especially rewarding to see writers I’ve worked with produce high quality work and develop their careers further. Several of my mentees have simply surpassed me, winning major literary awards, or obtaining those little orange Amazon bestselling flags. For community building, it helps that I’m involved in a number of writing organisations where it’s easy to jump on board and support ongoing initiatives or gain support for project ideas I might have. I’m a member of a number of international groups (ITW, HWA, AHWA) and am actively involved in several local writing organisations such as SpecFicNZ, the New Zealand Society of Authors, and Tauranga Writers—New Zealand’s longest-running writing group.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
If you can, grow a carapace.
Seriously though, welcome to all our new writers! Come over to the dark side. There’s a place for you here in horror.
What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?
Self-publishing has become a vital part of our industry, and with opportunities for traditional publishing retrenching, many of my colleagues are turning to the hybrid model of traditional and self-publishing to fund their careers. Diversification is just good business sense. Self-publishing can be quicker, more lucrative, and writers retain more autonomy over their work than they would with a traditional publishing house. However, the barriers to entry are low—anyone can upload their homework and call it a book—so self-publishers are not always well received within the industry, their work seen as inferior despite some top-class writing coming from that sector. Even for traditional writers, there is merit in self-publishing at least some work to gain an idea of what the publisher’s role is, and all the tasks required to produce and sell a quality product.
What are your current projects?
Thanks for asking! I’ve just completed Blood of the Sun, the final book in the supernatural crime-noir series I write with my colleague Dan Rabarts, so right now I’m taking advantage of the break in novel projects to work on some overdue short story commissions. I’m busy organising a New Zealand book launch for my middle grade adventure, Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse, releasing in October from IFWG Publishing, Australia. Together with UK editor Marie O’Regan, I’m wrapping up the last edits on Trickster’s Treats: Seven Deadly Sins a Halloween charity anthology for Things in the Well, Australia. I’m also about to guest edit Issue 10 of Breach Magazine, a dark fiction magazine showcasing Australian and New Zealand writing, and towards the end of the year I’ll be co-judging a national writing award on behalf of the New Zealand Society of Authors. In the works for 2020, is a short story collection, and also a couple of secret squirrel projects that I’m bursting to tell people about. Needless to say, I envisage a lot of cheese-on-toast dining in my future.
Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
Lee Murray is a New Zealand-born Chinese writer of dark speculative fiction for adults and children. Despite her penchant for darkness, there is nothing scary about her. She is five foot flat and wears teeny size 5 shoes. Born with clicky hip syndrome, doctors told her parents she would never walk, so being naturally contrary, she didn’t just walk, she went on to run 25 marathons, countless half marathons, and an ultramarathon, running the same way she writes—slowly. The oldest of four children, her siblings describe her as bossy.
She goes by Lee, Lilee, and Floss. She sometimes sings in the shower, and it is probably best it stays that way. She loves the New Zealand bush, family trips in the caravan, and a naughty Jack-tzu named Bella. Lee is lucky enough to have lived in New Zealand, England, France, and Wisconsin USA, all places which have allowed her to pursue her passion for cheese. Married for the past thirsty years to David, the best spouse a writer could dream of, they have two fantastic grown up kids (one Slytherin, one Hufflepuff, both Browncoats).
Lee speaks fluent French, but regrets never learning Cantonese, her mother’s language, and only having a smattering of words in Māori, which she considers one of the most beautiful and evocative languages in the world. She’s done quite well with this writing caper, even winning some literary awards, which is probably just as well since she isn’t fond of housework, cooking, or gardening. And when it comes to getting a duvet cover on the duvet, please, don’t go there. Lee says that while it’s wonderful that people enjoy her stories, and thank you for all your lovely positive reviews, if she’s remembered for anything, she hopes it’s for being kind.
Bio:
A multi-award-winning writer and editor of science fiction, fantasy, and horror (Sir Julius Vogel, Australian Shadows) and a two-time Bram Stoker nominee, Lee Murray’s works include the Taine McKenna military thrillers (Severed), and supernatural crime-noir series The Path of Ra, co-written with Dan Rabarts (RDSP). She is proud to have edited twelve dark fiction works, including the award-winning anthology Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror. Lee lives in New Zealand where she conjures stories for readers of all ages from her office overlooking a cow paddock.
Links:
@leemurraywriter
www.leemurray.info
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Murray/e/B0068FHSC4
https://www.facebook.com/lee.murray.393
https://www.instagram.com/leemurray2656/
Labels:
Lee Murray
THE DEVIL’S CANDY gets its long-awaited UK TV premiere on Horror Channel. Plus Chad Archibald’s BITE gets channel premiere
Horror Channel has seven prime-time premieres in September, including the UK TV premiere of Sean Byrne’s THE DEVIL’S CANDY; an absorbing, unnerving and devastating ride into psychological trauma, starring Ethan Embry (“Sneaky Pete”, “Grace & Frankie”).
There are also channel premieres for David Chirchirillo’s deadly dating thriller BAD MATCH; Chad Archibald’s BITE, a fearless fusion of slime, shivers and shock; box-office supernatural horror hit THE PACT; and Mick Garris’s macabre tale of horror and eroticism, SLEEPWALKERS, starring Ron Perlman and John Landis. Then there’s the original sly monster croc comedy LAKE PLACID starring Bridget Fonda and Bill Pullman; and psychic debunking chiller RED LIGHTS, starring Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Olsen and Robert De Niro.
Full film details in transmission order:
Fri 6 Sept @ 21:00 – BAD MATCH (2017) *Channel Premiere
Be careful who you swipe for...Harris (Jack Cutmore-Scott) seems to have it all - a great job, plenty of friends and an active sex life thanks to a range of dating apps. But that all changes when he matches with Riley (Lili Simmons). Unlike Harris, Riley isn’t looking for a one-night-stand and, while at first, Harris just assumes she’s clingy, he’s about to find out the truth is something far more sinister.
Fri 13 Sept @ 21:00 BITE (2015) *Channel Premiere
While on her hen party getaway to exotic Costa Rica, bride-to-be Casey gets a seemingly harmless bite from an unknown insect while bathing in an idyllic jungle pool. But after returning home with matrimonial cold feet, she starts exhibiting alien behaviour as what crept under her skin starts taking hold. Between physical transformation and wedding anxiety, Casey succumbs to her new instincts and begins creating a hive that not only houses her translucent offspring, but also feeds on flesh.
Sat 14 Sept @ 21:00 – THE PACT (2012) * Channel Premiere
Following her mother's funeral, Annie reluctantly returns to her childhood home - a place she would rather forget. Then as her sister and cousin inexplicably disappear, Annie is forced to unlock the doors to the past to discover the hidden secrets of the house and in doing so finds a room that she has no memory of. Things take a sinister and terrifying turn as Annie soon realises she isn't alone in the house...
Fri 20 Sept @ 21:00 – THE DEVIL’S CANDY (2015) *UK TV Premiere
Unfulfilled artist Jesse Hellman moves his wife and fellow metal music-loving teenage daughter Zooey into a rustic Texas home with a violent past. Soon his paintings start taking on a darker, disturbing and more prophetic turn as anxieties and family tensions get ramped up. Then the clearly unbalanced Ray appears on his doorstep wanting to move back into the house where his parents tragically died. When Ray sees Zooey, nothing prepares the family for the shocking chain of events.
Sat 21 Sept @ 22:55 – SLEEPWALKERS (1992) *Channel Premiere
Tanya (Mädchen Amick) falls for Charles (Brian Krause), the new boy in school, only to learn too late that he’s a life-sucking sleepwalker. Charles and his mother, Mary (Alice Krige), are the last of a dying breed who are able to stay alive only by feeding on the life force of virtuous young women. But it turns out that the sleepwalkers’ Achilles’ heel is the domestic house cat, with whom they share genetic information. As the tension mounts, and the casualties pile up, the town’s tabbies gather for a final chilling showdown with the monsters in their midst.
Fri 27 Sept @ 21:00 – LAKE PLACID (1999) *Channel Premiere
Welcome to Black Lake, Maine. This tranquil setting is probably the last place you'd expect to find a 30-foot man-eating crocodile. But this is what confronts Kelly Scott (Bridget Fonda); an emotionally fragile, nature-phobic, New York palaeontologist who's been reluctantly dispatched for her first real field assignment. She teams up with an eccentric billionaire Jack Wells (Bill Pullman) to find this multi-toothed menace.
Sat 28 Sept @ 21:00 – RED LIGHTS (2012) *Channel Premiere
Two investigators of paranormal hoaxes, Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her young assistant Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy), study the most varied metaphysical phenomena with the aim of proving their fraudulent origin. Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a legendary blind psychic, reappears after a thirty-year absence to become the couple’s greatest international challenge. Tom quickly begins to develop an obsession with Silver, and as the two get closer, his worldview is threatened to its core.
Horror Channel: Be Afraid
TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138
Website: http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk/
Monday 26 August 2019
Competition: Win Memory: The Origins of Alien DVD
Synopsis
The iconic scenes and sequences from seminal sci-fi horror ALIEN are firmly embedded in film history and popular culture: the creepy eggs and HR Giger designed spacecraft on a long dead planet; the pivotal facehugger attaching itself to one of the crew of the Nostromo; the shocking chest-bursting sequence and much, much more…
But while we may all now know that "in space, no-one can hear you scream", how did Ridley Scott and the creative team come up with the ideas for a blockbuster that changed both the horror and sci-fi genres and truly terrified audiences around the world?
As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the game-changing film a fascinating feature documentary MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN, from writer/director Alexandre O. Philippe (78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene), uncovers the origin story behind Scott’s cinematic masterpiece, which arrives in cinemas on 30 August 2019 followed by DVD and on demand on 2 September from Dogwoof.
Buy from Amazon by clicking here (Opens in a new window)
For your chance to win just answer the question below.
COMPETITION CLOSED
Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 09-09-19
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
Labels:
Memory The Origins of Alien
Sunday 25 August 2019
BBC Three announces new original horror series Red Rose
Red Rose is an original horror series written by the Clarkson twins - Michael and Paul - for BBC Three.
The eight-part series was commissioned by Fiona Campbell, Controller of BBC Three and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama and will be co-produced by Eleven (Sex Education, The Enfield Haunting) and global independent studio Entertainment One, eOne (Sharp Objects).
The story follows a disparate group of teenagers, adrift in the long hot summer following GCSEs, hanging out on the Bolton moors with little sense of direction or purpose now that school is over. Rumours circulate of the Red Rose app, an urban legend that blooms on the smartphones of teenagers, encouraging them to undertake a series of challenges increasingly dangerous in its demands. On the fringes of her group of friends, Rochelle Jackson downloads the mysterious app, naively inviting darkness into her life. What she sets in motion is a series of events that take the town by storm, and bring the friends together to battle the unseen forces of a seemingly supernatural entity.
Red Rose will explore the precarious relationship between teenagers and their online lives, the seductive power of what is not real versus what is and often less exciting; but ultimately it is a story of friendship told through the prism of a classic horror-thriller.
Tuesday 13 August 2019
Interview with Howard & Jon Ford ahead of UK TV release of THE DEAD 2 and OFFENSIVE
Ahead of Horror Channel’s UK TV premieres of THE DEAD 2 and OFFENSIVE, (part of the FrightFest season), brothers Howard and Jon Ford discuss the trials and tribulations of filmmaking, healing wounds and why THE DEAD 3 won’t be happening any time soon…
Horror Channel will be launching their massive 13-night FrightFest Season with the UK TV premiere of THE DEAD 2. Excited?
Howard: Well it’s a surprise, but a lovely one! Until I was asked to do this interview, I had no clue The Dead 2 had even been picked up by Horror Channel! But yes, I’m very excited.
Jon: I hope the viewers enjoy the film. We went through much pain and effort to make this film, in tough parts of India. We were on a very modest budget and didn't go to the usual tourist places. It made me laugh when I saw a review stating "they obviously had a lot more money", I take that as a compliment.
And Jon, the season ends with the first ever TV showing of your debut solo directorial debut, OFFENSIVE. What are you hoping the viewers will take from the film?
I hope viewers will appreciate a true revenge film for a change. I hope they enjoy that rare gasp of fresh air that only a truly independent film dare give. And notice the messages about modern technology and today's society.
OFFENSIVE is an award-winning film that has wowed festival audiences around the world since its World Premiere at FrightFest in 2016. What’s the latest news on release dates?
Jon: Thanks yes, it has won many awards including "Best Film", Jury and audience awards, which is apparently a first. So I'm very proud of it. Of all the things I've filmed in my career it's the one I like the best. I think because I remained pure to the original idea. We're still in negotiations at this very moment so stand by on release dates.
Howard, you have quite a meaty acting role in OFFENSIVE. How did you convince Jon to cast you?
Howard: I think what first appealed to Jon was how cheap I was going to be! Ha. Also I owed him one, on-screen as he came out to Morocco and Spain for Never Let Go and I had him run over by a truck (an in-gag from the Dead 1) and he had to lay in the road covered in blood so now it was my turn to get bloody! I loved shooting those scenes in Offensive, who doesn’t want to Axe up a few Nazi’s?! I just wish I had done more, but the experience and the fact I got away with it did give me a bit of a taste for that acting thing!
Did the global success of THE DEAD put a lot of pressure on you both to keep working together and come up with a sequel?
Howard: I’ve got to be honest with you, we did The Dead 2 so we could get paid some of the profit from The Dead 1! We saw all these millions of dollars in revenue on the statements for The Dead 1 in the US, but, some clever wording in the distribution contract meant we were going to see almost nothing of it. We knew we had the remake rights as we felt there was potential for a sequel. We originally planned to continue from where we left off but it was such a traumatic shoot in Africa we decided to do a stand-alone movie in India. The great thing is, it means you don’t have to see The Dead 1 to watch The Dead 2. It’s a different journey with new characters across zombie infested India!
There’s a lot of hope amongst your fans that they’ll be a third THE DEAD film. Can you give us an update?
Howard: We just had a chat about this and we decided that we will do it when we get the rights back to both films. Right now, we get precisely zero from all those amazing fans who buy the movie.
Jon: When you've gone through the hell we went through to make both The Dead movies and see those bank statements with millions of dollars going to other people, it's a bitter pill to swallow. We want to make a Dead trilogy but as Howard mentioned, we'll probably have to wait a good few years to get the rights back.
Having gone on to pursue solo careers, do you think it will harder or easier to co-direct again?
Howard/Jon: There was a lot of tension on those shoots and frustration from every angle trying to bring audiences something different by shooting them in far flung inaccessible locations, but we have a lot of hindsight now and some of the wounds have healed a bit, so I think we’d actually be able to collaborate a lot easier now. We’ve also scratched a lot of our own itches!
Howard, you’ve just released ADVENTURE BOYZ, a big departure from your genre roots. Tell us a bit about the film and what inspired you to make it.
Howard: Adventure Boyz is always going to be the film I love the most. It’ll be that one I’ll be hitting replay to as I crack open my third bottle of wine and cry into it while watching my little boys come and rescue their dad from a jail cell (That’s in the plot by the way, I hope to stay out of jail in real life!). I made the film to inspire my two young sons, who also star in the movie, and remind them that there is more to life than staring into a device or spending time on social media. Adventure Boyz is about re connecting us to the things that matter. It’s also very Goonies meets Home Alone, so I hope our horror fans who have kids can show them this movie as no one swears or gets their head cut off and it has lots of positive messages!
Jon, what’s next for you?
Jon: I'm going to be directing a feature film adaptation of Don Quixote. So will be shooting in August this year. It's a crazy film about a scarecrow that's struck by lightning and comes to life in the form of Don Quixote.
I'm also going to be directing and writing a Medieval thriller, set during the Black death. It's uncanny how close to "Zombies" the plague victims became. they became crazed, dripping blood from every orifice, and would attack people, infecting them in seconds. It's a bit 28 days later so maybe I'll satisfy my running zombie itch in a way after all?! We'll be shooting that in 2020.
And Howard, is there anything you can tell us about your next film?
Howard: I am due to direct The Ledge soon for GFM films which is very taught, tight, thriller/horror, you might say a female cliff-hanger about one girl, a witness to a heinous crime, who is being pursued up a mountain by five guys who cannot let her leave alive. I'm also developing my own projects, one being a ghostly affair!
Finally, is there anything in the FrightFest season that you’ll be watching?
Howard: Jon: We both loved Wolf Creek so would love to check out the sequel!
THE DEAD 2 has its UK TV premiere on Horror Channel, Fri Aug 18, 9pm.
OFFENSIVE has its UK TV premiere on Horror Channel, Sun Aug 25, 9pm.
Friday 9 August 2019
Arrow Video FrightFest announces 2019 Short Film Programme
From unseen forces to dangerous desires, from the remorseful living to the remorseless dead, from under the earth to creepy closed doors, Arrow Video FrightFest 2019 continues the festival’s fine tradition of showcasing the best in global genre short filmmaking.
This year’s five continent selection unleashes the newest creations from both upcoming and established filmmakers and embraces a record fifteen UK films, seven spotlighted selections from Canada and a breakthrough entry from The United Arab Emirates.
Hana
Homegrown talent continues to energise the UK film industry, as reflected in this year’s entries. There’s Folk Horror (WITHER, MARIANNE) and Body Horror (THIS LITTLE DEATH, THE HISTORY OF NIPPLES), whilst lethal women lurk around every corner in SLEEP TIGHT, UNDER THE PARASOL and DOG SKIN. Katie Bonham returns with ticking terror thriller MIDNIGHT and Josefa Celestin is back with the darkly apocalyptic TOMORROW MIGHT BE THE DAY. Another fearsome futuristic tale is OLD BEGINNINGS, while unseen danger lurks in THE GAME OF THE CLOCK and THE DEAD ONES starring Vinette Robinson. There’s also danger of the male predatory kind in PATRON, starring Far From The Madding Crowd’s Jamie Lee-Hill, and in THE CUNNING MAN (starring Games of Thrones’ Simon Armstrong and actor/magician Ali Cook), magic takes on a macabre animalistic twist. And in the sinister SERVICE, you don’t always get what you’re trying to pay for…
Canada is a spotlight country this year, with seven stellar entries. Watch in horror as a scientific experiment test a couple’s relationship with food in FIVE COURSE MEAL, while two young women have a strange addiction and hobby in GLITTER’S WILD WOMEN. Isolation can bring out strange creatures in HUNTING SEASON but too many friends can The Dead Ones bring trouble in ONE IN TWO PEOPLE. Some people take big risks to make a living in RE-POSSESSED HOMES, and the elderly find themselves at inadvertent risk in TORCHING THE DUSTIES. And you’ve never seen advertising quite like THE VIDEO STORE COMMERCIAL.
The Dead Ones
From other corners of the world, dangerous people roam the Australian highway in THE HITCHIKER, babysitting has its creepy drawbacks in Japanese entry HANA; from Finland comes ‘grave’ dangers in ABYSSUS and from the United Arab Emirates, a con artist picks the wrong house to conduct an exorcism in MAKR.
The US provides four gripping tales: Jill Gevargizian is back with ONE LAST MEAL, starring Matt Mercer, Izzy Lee directs THE OBLITERATION OF THE CHICKENS, hunger can get you into big trouble in TOE and psychopathic animal behaviour reaches a violent conclusion in PIG.
Programmer Shelagh Rowan-Legg said today, "I never cease to be amazed at the range and quality of short films we are fortunate to screen at Arrow Video FrightFest. The fantastic genres allow filmmakers to let their imaginations soar, and in our shorts programmes, you will see films that will delight and amaze, films that will make you laugh, a few that will make you cry, and several that will have you cowering in fear."
Full line-up
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 1
SATURDAY 24 AUG – PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2
From 13:00
Wither (World Premiere)
Director: Ethan Evans. Cast: Lamissah La-Shontae, Phillipa Howard. UK 2019. 4 min.
A young girl finds herself vulnerable to a sinister mythological farmer after failing to contribute to the annual tradition.
Hana (London Premiere)
Director: Mai Nakanishi. Cast: Hee-jin Jeon, Do Eun Kim, Jeongbi Lee. Japan 2018. 13 min.
Not all babysitting jobs are alike, as college student Sujin is about to discover when she is left in charge of a strange young girl.
Marianne (World Premiere)
Director: Matthew Losasso. Cast: Mae Losasso. UK 2019. 7 min.
A distinguished investigator is called to the grounds of an isolated rectory in a remote English hamlet to observe an enigmatic young tenant.
The Hitchhiker (European Premiere)
Director: Adele Vuko. Cast: Liv Hewson, Brooke Satchwell. Australia 2018. 13 min.
Jade and her friends are on their way to a music festival when they pick up a strange hitchhiker, who makes Jade an offer she might not be able to refuse.
The Dead Ones (European Premiere)
Director: Stefan Georgiou. Cast: Olivia Hallinan, Sebastian Armesto, Vinette Robinson. UK 2019. 19 min.
In this world, those whose lives are cut short by violence do not disappear; they live to haunt the person who killed them.
Abyssus (UK Premiere)
Director: Kim Westerlund. Cast: Sampo Sarkola. Finland 2019. 9 min.
A man regains consciousness as he is being buried alive. Overwhelmed by panic, he tries to force his way out of the box.
Glitter’s Wild Women (UK Premiere)
Director: Roney. Cast: Grace Glowicki, Cotey Pope. Canada 2018. 13 min.
In the Canadian backwoods, sisters harvest and smoke glitter that gives them super strength.
The Video Store Commercial (UK Premiere)
Director: Cody Kennedy. Cast: Joshua Lenner, Kevin Martin, Jesse Nash. Canada 2019. 4 min.
A desperate video store owner hires a crew to shoot a commercial in his shop. But when they accidentally destroy a cursed VHS, suddenly, all their lives are in danger.
The Cunning Man (World Premiere)
Director: Zoë Dobson. Cast: Simon Armstrong, Ali Cook, Ian Kelly. UK 2019. 13 min.
An old farmer must resort to extreme measures to clean up his dead cattle or face a hefty fine from the Inspector.
The History of Nipples (World Premiere)
Director: Bailey Tom Bailey. Cast: Joseph Macnab, Lily Wood. UK 2019. 10 min.
'What are my nipples for?' With this question Ron falls into an existential crisis which seems to have only one solution.
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 2
SUNDAY 25 AUG – PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2
From 15:45
Service (London Premiere)
Director: Theo Watkins. Cast: Paul Clayton, Alison Lintott. UK 2019. 8 min.
Ted is just trying to pay for his shopping, but the shoddy self-service till and eerily elusive shop workers have other, more sinister ideas.
One in Two People (European Premiere)
Director: Ali Mashayekhi. Cast: Katie Strain, Jade Hassoune, Ashley Leggat. Canada 2019. 8 min.
Emily’s friends are getting a bit tired of her insistence that someone in her room is trying to kill her. But maybe they should listen more closely.
Old Beginnings (London Premiere)
Director: Suni Khan. Cast: Hannah Arterton, Lewis Reeves. UK 2019. 16 min.
A young couple trying to rid themselves of the past use an unorthodox and bizarre ritual as they rekindle their love.
Tomorrow Might Be the Day (London Premiere)
Director: Josefa Celestin. Cast: Jocelyn Brassington, Tim Barrow. UK 2018. 20 min.
A fanatical believer sets into motion a chain of dark events that he believes will spare his rebellious niece from the impending apocalyptic doom.
Five Course Meal (London Premiere)
Director: James Cadden. Cast: Melissa Kwasek, Murray Farnell. Canada 2018. 6 min.
Mark and Jenny agree to take part in a mysterious experiment for money. Things get exceptionally messy.
Under the Parasol (London Premiere)
Director: Stanislava Buevich. Cast: Sarine Sofair, Joe Wredden. UK 2018. 6 min.
Marie comes to the beach to catch some sun. The only problem is that it's nighttime...
Makr (UK Premiere)
Director: Hana Kazim. Cast: Mansoor Alfeeli, Mohammed Ahmed, Madiya Humaid. United Arab Emirates, 2018. 15 min.
A fake exorcist visits the home of a man who thinks his wife is possessed by a Djinn, only to find out that things are not as they seem.
Patron (World Premiere)
Directors: Emily Haigh, Alon Young, Cast: Mhairi Calvey, Jamie Lee-Hill. UK 2019. 11 min.
Vickie has her employment sights set high, but the questions from her faceless male interviewers soon become predatory.
The Obliteration of the Chickens (European Premiere)
Director: Izzy Lee. Cast: Bracken MacLeod. USA 2019. 3 min.
The universe does not care. The abyss is stupid. Existence is banal.
Torching the Dusties (International Premiere)
Directors: Marlene Goldman, Philip McKee. Cast: Clare Coulter, Eric Peterson. Canada 2019. 14 min.
Frank and Wilma are finding that retirement life is more trouble than they had imagined, as protestors appear outside making some very serious demands.
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 3
MONDAY 26 AUG – PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2
From 13:00
Pig (European Premiere)
Director: Evan Powers. Cast: Aaron LaPlante, Lindsey Rose Naves, C.J. Vana. USA 2019. 8 min.
A self-conscious psychopath struggles with his body image while terrorizing a group of unsuspecting campers.
One Last Meal (European Premiere)
Director: Jill Gevargizian. Cast: Matt Mercer, Jake Martin, Tim Marks. USA 2019. 11 min.
A prison guard is forced to fulfil an unusual request from a violent criminal on death row.
Dog Skin (World Premiere)
Director: Tiago Teixeira. Cast: Maxwell Cavenham, Laura Obiols. UK 2019. 13 min.
A man in a self-imposed exile is haunted by a mysterious dog, who transforms into an elusive woman every night.
Re-Possessed Homes (UK Premiere)
Director: Matthew Evans Landry. Cast: Natalie Lisinksa, Jordan Gavaris. Canada 2018. 15 min.
Shirley Parker is a real-estate godsend who has discovered a niche market. However, it might put her family in some danger.
Hunting Season (European Premiere)
Director: Shannon Kohli. Cast: Hannah Levien, Luke Camilleri. Canada 2018. 11 min.
It’s a creepy evening when gas station attendant and recovering alcoholic Callie must deal with a wild beast roaming the area, and the men who are determined to hunt it down.
This Little Death (London Premiere)
Director: Alex Hardy. Cast: Sarah Bauer, Jay Simpson. UK 2018. 19 min.
Young chef Zoe who falls for Mortimer the poet. The beginning is filled with love, lust and laughter, but as the months pass, they realise they have very different ideas of happiness.
Toe (European Premiere)
Directors: Neal O'Bryan, Chad Thurman. Cast: Cassie Carey. USA 2019. 7 min.
A starving boy eats a toe he finds sticking out of the ground. Later that night, something ghastly comes to his bedroom wanting it back.
Midnight (World Premiere)
Director: Katie Bonham. Cast Eleanor Crosswell, Ian Recordon. UK 2019. 8 min.
A ticking clock. Hurried footsteps. A woman struggling. Who are the ghosts that come haunting your apartment at the stroke of twelve?
The Game of the Clock (UK Premiere)
Director: Michele Olivieri. Cast: Simone Mumford. UK 2018. 7 min.
A young woman innocently comes to a friend’s home, only to find herself stalked by menacing creature, and time is running out fast.
Sleep Tight (World Premiere)
Director: Lewis Taylor. Cast: Mark Field, Joseph Richard Thomas, Péline Liberty. UK 2019. 8 min.
A wheelchair-bound teen complains about lack of personal space to his overly attached father. But maybe he shouldn’t complain when the lights go out.
Arrow Video FrightFest runs from 22nd-26th August 2019 at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema.
Single tickets ae now on sale and, alongside the few remaining Festival and day passes, are available to buy online: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html
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