COMPETITION: Win Wired Shut on DVD

Wired Shut  - Released on DVD from 30th August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on DVD to give away.

Synopsis: 

Jaw dropping slasher Wired Shut from director Alexander Sharp, in his feature film debut, will have you open-mouthed with fear when it arrives on DVD and digital 30 August 2021 from 101 Films.

Famed author Reed Rodney (Blake Stadel – Riverdale, The Twilight Zone) seems to have it all – international acclaim for his writing, a sweeping secluded mansion and money beyond his wildest dreams – but life isn’t always what it seems on the surface. Behind the glossy exterior lies the shell of a man, an alcoholic haunted by his past transgressions that destroyed his family.

When a horrific car crash leaves him in bad way, he faces reconstructive surgery and his jaw is wired shut, leaving him unable to speak. Forced to recover at home alone, the isolation threatens to overwhelm him… then his estranged daughter Emmy (Natalie Sharp – The Flash, Supernatural), turns up.  Is she there to reconnect after all these years or does she have an ulterior motive?

When a dangerous secret emerges and a menacing intruder shows up, Reed and Emmy must band together to try and survive the night… 

Get totally wired with gore-filled splatter-fest Wired Shut.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jb9LeK

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 06-09-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Sound of Violence on Blu-ray

Sound of Violence  - Released on Blu-ray from 30th August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis: 

In thrilling new horror Sound of Violence, a young girl recovers her hearing and gains synthetic abilities during the brutal murder of her family. Finding solace in the sounds of bodily harm, as an adult she pursues a career in music composing her masterpieces through gruesome murders.

From the mind of talented new writer-director Alex Noyer and featuring a stunning lead performance from Jasmin Savoy Brown (2022’s Scream, The Leftovers), Sound of Violence is one of the most original and shocking horrors of the year.

Sound of Violence has its UK Premiere at Arrow FrightFest, 26th - 30th August

Dazzler Media presents Sound of Violence on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 30th August

 

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W9SMkk

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 06-09-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Random Acts of Violence on Blu-ray

Random Acts of Violence  - Released on Blu-ray from 23rd August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis: 

Jay Baruchel writes, directs and stars in his horror debut Random Acts of Violence, which makes its UK Blu-ray debut from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, following its success on the streaming service.

 

Fan favourite Jesse Williams (Cabin in the Woods) leads in this gore-filled slasher as his own creation is bought to life by a fan hell-bent on committing Random Acts of Violence in increasingly gruesome murders.  The film will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and on digital to download and keep on 23 August 2021.

 

Comic book creator Todd Walkley (Williams – Grey’s Anatomy), his wife (Jordana Brewster – Fast and the Furious), assistant (Niamh Wilson –Saw III) and best friend (Jay Buchel – This is the End, Sorcerer's Apprentice) are heading to NYC Comic Con when bad things start to happen – a lot of people are getting murdered. It soon becomes clear that a crazed fan is using his “SLASHERMAN” comic as inspiration for the killings. As the bodies pile up, and Todd’s friends dropping like flies, he is forced to face the killer and put an end to his notorious comic.

 

Will Todd be able to stop the spree or will he fall victim to his own creation?

 

Get in on some Random Acts of Violence.

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3g4J0Xl

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-08-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Tigers Are Not Afraid on Blu-ray

Tigers Are Not Afraid  - Released on Blu-ray from 23 August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis: 

Lauded by horror royalty Guillermo del Toro and Stephen King, Issa López’s critically acclaimed Tigers Are Not Afraid is a harrowing and enthralling film that is set amid life in Mexico where the cartel wars are part of everyday life and is shown through the eyes of innocent children. Premiering at FrightFest and originally released on Shudder, this astounding feature is now set for its UK Blu-ray, DVD and digital release.

 

Drawing comparisons to Pans Labyrinth with its dark fairytale nature, and combining real life horror with fantasy, Tigers Are Not Afraid captivates and shocks its audience with its young cast bringing the tale to life. Critically acclaimed at international film festivals, and with beguiling performances from Juan Ramón López in his feature debut and Paola Lara in the lead role makes the movie all the more terrifying and poignant.

 

Estella (Paolo Lara) lives in Mexico where a sprawling drug war is raging. When a harrowing shooting takes place near her school, her teacher passes her three pieces of chalk capable of granting three wishes. When she returns home, she finds her Mum missing, taken by the drug lords. Using one of the wishes, she’s plunged into a supernatural misadventure. Forced to join a street gang to get answers, and take down the cartel, will Estella be able to find out what happened to her mum and defeat the villainous crime boss Chino?

 

Tigers Are Not Afraid is a not to-be missed stunningly original piece of filmmaking that shines a light on the shocking lives of children embroiled in the cartel wars, set against a thrilling supernatural fantasy.

Tigers Are Not Afraid  - Released on Blu-ray from 23 August

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jX12f5

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-08-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win A New World Order on DVD

A New World Order  - Released on DVD from 23rd August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and a copy on DVD to give away.

Synopsis: 

Black Mirror meets A Quiet Place in gripping sci-fi thriller A New World Order from director Daniel Raboldt in his feature debut, which gets its UK premiere on DVD and digital 23 August 2021 from Reel 2 Reel Films.

In a dystopian future, there is a war raging between humankind and machines. Staying completely silent is the only way to avoid detection, and Thomasz (Stefan Ebel), a deserter who tries to hide away from the war, doesn’t want to be involved in the violence at all. However, he soon meets Lilja (Siri Nase – Perfume) who is the sole survivor of a resistance group and wants to fight the machines – soon Thomasz’s plan of laying low is upended as he’s dragged into Lilja’s fight.

As the machines get closer and the threat grows, Thomasz and Lilja must band together to stave off the danger, but will they be able to cling on to life and avoid the seemingly inevitable path of destruction? 

Shot beyond the arctic circle in Finland, this visually and aurally stunning sci-fi thriller is almost dialogue free and will challenge your senses with its innovative cinematic style.

A New World Order  - Released on DVD from 23rd August

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iOmC68

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-08-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview with Leroy Kincaide - Director of The Last Rite

Ahead of the World premiere screening of his debut feature film THE LAST RITE, writer / director Leroy Kincaide talks about his new movie, the enlightenment of being an undertaker, his personal experiences with sleep paralysis and the ‘badassery’ of 80s horror movies.

Leroy, you began your working life as an Undertaker. How did that come about?

I was introduced to the undertaking industry through my uncle who was also an undertaker at the time. I was only 17 when I took the job, They had a vacancy and I needed the work, so I guess I sort of just fell into the role as I had no real education when I left school. I worked there for just over a year and probably did upwards of 400-500 funerals in that time. I found it a very enlightening and uplifting experience as it taught me the value and perspective of life at a very early age. 

I have certainly witnessed a lot of stomach-churning things that a lot of people would not like to see, for me I have found a certain type of solace in my experience that keeps me grounded and serves massively in my filmmaking process.  The oddity about being an undertaker at 17 was that I was witnessing certain realities/horrors first-hand, and the shocking tolls life can take on the human body, all before the legal age of being able to buy an 18 rated movie ticket…Go figure that one out.

Then, even more amazingly, you became one of the UK’s top professional wrestlers for over 10 years, juggling this with a career as an actor. What made you give up the ring and concentrate on the stage?

In my days as a Pro-Wrestler, I was very fortunate to meet some of the world’s top wrestlers and even as a career highlight, I had a singles match on WWE Smackdown.  Wrestling was one of my biggest passions back in the day and a part of me still misses lacing up my boots and stepping out into the ring to put on a show.

I really loved the sport and the energy that I got from being a wrestler but unfortunately, I fell out of love with the business. I made a promise to myself early on that when the ride stopped being fun I would walk away. For a few years just before I quit, if I’m honest I felt rather cursed, as I was too good to quit but I had really fallen out of love with it and was very uncertain about the future that I wanted.

The crazy thing about my decision, was at the time of me leaving the business everything was lined up. I was doing regular shows, I was on main events for some of those shows but I just wasn’t happy…Happy in myself and the direction I was going as a Wrestler. So eventually I had to listen to my heart and bow out gracefully on top.

Did your career as an Undertaker influence your love of genre films?

Undertaking has had a very real-life impact on the way I view gore and horror itself, but ultimately the seed of my darkness and noir perspective comes many years before I was working in the undertaking industry.

You have a particular passion for horror films from the 80’s & 90’s. Why?

Some of the films that I heavily draw inspiration and passion from are for the most part from the 80’s, films like The Thing, Poltergeist, The Entity, Amityville II: The Possession and Aliens. Of course, there are many other films that I could list, but these are the ones I remember first watching as a child and I guess they have stuck with me ever since.

The 80’s and parts of the 90’s for me was a time where characters were allowed to be characters, and it was also a time when stories were exactly that. You put your tape into the VCR, possibly rewind it before hitting play and you would sit through 1hr 45min to 2hrs of ‘badassery’ - a term for story that has now become known as a slow burn movie. 

THE LAST RITE is your directorial feature debut. How was it born?

The Last Rite stems from a few places, some of my biggest draws on the story was my own personal life experiences with sleep paralysis and also the paranormal happenings. Not only were my personal experiences relevant, but I am very heavily influenced by real life cases of the paranormal also.

Many hours of research and digging have led me down a path, and one that I firmly believe that as much as we live in this world, there are forces that we do not understand and sometimes when we look into the void of darkness, the darkness looks back at us.

With such a heavy life experience on things, it just absolutely made sense to direct an inspired by “true events story” in an area that I not only love but also have some experience with… And thus, The Last Rite was born.

The film will have its World premiere at FrightFest. What does that feel like?

Bloody awesome! I cannot express my gratitude enough to the team at FrightFest for having us and showing my film to such a dynamite audience. It feels rather surreal to know that my film is going to be playing in such an amazing festival, not only because it’s my debut feature but more so because of the prestige that FrightFest has behind its name. I am more than a little excited.

You have gone on record as saying you’ve had real life paranormal experiences. Can you tell us a bit more and how they informed the making of the film?

Having had first-hand experience with sleep paralysis and being a former paranormal investigator, there were things that I just naturally understand about the paranormal subgenre. I understand that by the sheer nature of the unknown itself, it can be a rather scary but also daunting thought to get your head around. For me, it just felt like the absolute best fit for my debut feature film. 

I believe that facts are always much stranger than fiction, so making sure that I served the truth as much as I could, all through the eyes of the experience itself, was very important to me.   

You brilliantly set up a dark sense of uncertainly throughout the film. How did you achieve this? And what films played an influential role?

As the Writer, Director and Director of Photography the key was to execute what I believe was the right fitting for The Last Rite’s world, and that was to give the night its very own characteristic that represented the horror in the story. So much so, the night always feels like there can be something lurking in the sickly tone of moonlight. It was a subtle add but for this story it worked brilliantly.

For very intense and physically demanding scenes I always set the tone with atmospheric dark music from film scores like, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister. This really allowed the ambience to take a hold, especially at 03:00am on a Friday night with candles fully ablaze about to raise some demonic hell. 

You founded Nocturnal Pictures in 2014 and have written & directed three short films and a number of music videos. What is the overriding ambition for the company and for you?

In years to come I envision Nocturnal Pictures as being a pioneering production and distribution company for other passionate filmmakers. It would be amazing to not only make films but also give others a chance at telling their story under the Nocturnal brand. This is definitely some years off but I 100% want to build a platform that will be a leading company in the Horror and Action genres of film.

You’ve been short-listed for this year’s Screen Genre Rising Star Award. How do you feel about that?

It feels absolutely bloody awesome to have been short-listed for the Genre Rising Star Award, especially to be one of very few selected among other talented individuals.  I want to build worlds and stories that exist with horror themes and dark conventions riddled through its backbone. So now that I’m in the running for such a prestigious award, it only feels right to focus on what could happen next. Regardless of the outcome I want to offer up a fresh voice to the genre…

You have another film, FACILITY 7, in development. What can you tell us about it?

Currently I have two features that I am working on, they are called Facility 7 and Hollow Ones, both horror films of course!

The script for Facility 7 is ready to go and the film is somewhat of a combination of 28 Days Later meets Aliens. Again, very dark, atmospheric but certainly takes no prisoners when it comes to the horror gauntlet. Oddly, this script was finished before I even started writing The Last Rite, but for it being such a big scale movie, I wanted to have another film as my first feature to get my style of filmmaking further ingrained in my psyche.  

Hollow Ones, is currently in the 2nd draft stage and is naturally excessively dark, I’m calling it “MY ANGRY MOVIE”. This story is a home invasion horror that’s a bit like Strangers meets I Spit On Your Grave.

THE LAST RITE will screen at Arrow Video FrightFest on Saturday Aug 28 at The Cineworld Leicester Square. Tickets: www.frightfest.co.uk

COMPETITION: Win Scare me on DVD

Scare Me  - Released on DVD and Blu-ray from 16th August

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on DVD to give away.

Synopsis: 

Critically acclaimed comedy horror hit Scare Me, from Josh Ruben in his feature directorial debut, which he also writes and stars in, makes its UK Blu-ray debut this August from Acorn Media International in conjunction with Shudder, following its success on the streaming service.

 

This ‘Imaginative and witty, razor-sharp horror comedy’ (Bloody Disgusting) combines innovative sound design and gripping performances from Aya Cash (The Boys, You’re The Worst), Chris Redd (Saturday Night Live) and Josh Ruben for an outside-of-the-box horror, unlike anything you’ve seen before. There may not be monsters and ghouls but Scare Me will still have you cowering behind the sofa with vivid storytelling akin to those dark nights around a campfire. Set to be released on 16 August 2021 on Blu-ray, DVD and digital, this is one horror that will have you both laughing your socks off and scared silly.

 

A chance meeting between new in town Fred (Josh Ruben) and renowned author Fanny (Aya Cash) results in the beginning of a ‘friendship’. During a power outage, they decide to tell each other scary stories. With the pizza delivery driver (Chris Redd) joining in with the fun, the two grow increasingly competitive. The more they commit to their tales, the more real the stories become. As Fred’s masculine pride is challenged, fiction turns to fact as the terror gets all too real.

Scare me- released on DVD & Blu-rayon 16th August 

Pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Xb8xre

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 23-08-21
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.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview with Wednesday Lee Friday - by David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing?

I honestly can’t think of a time when I wasn’t. Before I was literate I would write long strings of letters on paper and explain to anyone who would listen that it was a story. 

I wasn’t sporty, or especially cute. I didn’t really play any instrument well and had no particular gifts except being good with words. I didn’t even see that as a skill until much later when it brought me praise from teachers.

I didn’t attempt to write for publication until I was in my 30s and suddenly found myself laid off. I was determined to make good use of the time, and began my first NaNoWriMo in 2004—which eventually became my first published novel, A Stabbing for Sadie.

How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

Like writing, horror is something that’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Detroit horror host Sir Graves Ghastly was the most important part of any weekend. My mom was also very into horror, so I got taken to see things I was way too young for. I saw Alien and Fulci’s Zombi as a double feature when I was 7 years old. The trailer for Jaws gave me terrible nightmares. I imagine any psychologist could opine on why I was attracted to things that scare the hell out of me. I say “was” but it’s not like that’s changed. 

Tell us about your first publisher. 

Kristopher Stamp at Stonegarden.net publishing was very encouraging and supportive. He was easy to get along with and had a great team of cover artists and editors to back him up. Sadly though, he had a million other interests that sapped his time and forced him out of the publishing world. These days, Crossroads Press & Macabre Ink Digital handles all the stuff I don’t put out myself.

How would you classify the genre you write?

I refer to my work as “horror” and myself as a “horror writer.” Objectively though, my work is more akin to black comedy. It’s brutal and difficult, but it’s also pretty dang funny.

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

People love to be afraid, and to ponder what we might do if we found ourselves in the position of horror characters. We all like to think we could outrun Jason Vorhees or charm Hannibal Lecter with our grace and wit until he decides it would be rude to kill us. Horror lets us do that, not to mention confronting our most crippling fears in a safe environment. 

No matter how bad the world gets, there will never not be a market for horror.

What inspires your stories?

As bougie as this may sound, my stories are built around thematic elements that I think are important. My first book is about why it’s wrong to kill people even if you think you have a really good reason. The next was about what keeps women from being proactive in their own lives. My third book is essentially an instruction manual for society on how to create and enable a serial killer. 

I write books about people that intrigue me—many of which feature main characters that are loose amalgams of people I know. And myself. I’m large with the MarySues.

What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?

I actually have some insight on this since I used to run a magazine that got a ton of subs from British writers. In my experience, the language in British horror is more...I don’t want to say ‘refined’ necessarily—but the authors seem to choose their words more judiciously. There’s less profanity, but it tends to be stronger. 

Overall I noticed a subtle foreboding aspect to British horror—a lot of slow building and suspense. I think when it comes to short stories, we Americans are quicker to get to the point, which is more likely to be gory and over-the-top. I mean, we are the country who invented Sharknados, after all. 

What are your favorite horror books?

Stephen King: Carrie, Night Shift, Skeleton Crew, Misery

Margaret Atwood: Maddaddamm Trilogy, Handmaid’s Tale, Testaments

Brett Easton Ellis: American Psycho

Edgar Allan Poe: Cask of Amontillado, Hop Frog

Richard Matheson: damn near everything he’s written...

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

My top two faves are Psycho and Night of the Living Dead (originals, obvs, but both remakes have lots to like—fight me!).

There are plenty of horror franchises I love—The Omen, Psycho (aaaaallll the sequels!), Grave Encounters, Hell House LLC

I’m also a great fan of made-for-TV horror, especially from the 1970s. 

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?

I was in an anthology with Jack Ketchum. That was amazing, and happened when he was still with us. 

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Lots of people are going to give you advice. Don’t make any big decision based on what another writer told you. Ever. Always get lots of opinions from writers, readers, publishers, editors, and then do your own research. 

Oh, and try not to worry about whether or not you’re a “real writer.” If you’re really writing, you are. 

What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?

I’ve never been big-six published, so I can’t speak to how that goes for people. I can say that for me, the difference between getting published by a small house and self-pubbing is negligible. For my most recent collection, I decided I’d rather arrange my own cover artist (luckily my husband is an amazing graphic designer) and pay an editor out of pocket than to give someone else a share of something that represents more than a decades of writing. 

If you’re not willing or able to invest in your work though, it’s a good idea to find a small publisher who will. 

Your new book has an interesting title. Creepy, Stabby, and Mentally Odd How did you come up with that title?

I should think Creepy and Stabby are pretty obvious. I hadn’t really thought of it until someone mentioned it, but my books are all pretty stabby. I came up with Mentally Odd years ago when I was looking for new ways to describe neurodivergence. I’m a rich tapestry of mental hoosefudge, and have never liked being called ‘mentally ill,’ since illnesses are generally things we endure in the short term. I filed that term away, knowing I’d eventually find a use for it. Then I did. 

The book itself has my best short stories, a few creepy poems, and several issues of a killer comic I did for a year. It’s gruesome AF though, in addition to illustrating my lack of illustration skills. 

What are your current projects?

For the first time ever, my husband is helping me plot my new book, which is about a town that sits on a centuries-old roiling mass of concentrated magic. Plotting is def my weakest skill, so I’m hoping he can overcome this as we deal with an array of characters that includes ghosts, vampires, thieves, murderers, and a few immortals. 

Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

Some quick facts about me:

I can tap dance and play the dulcimer (though not at the same time).

I published a book under a pseudonym that revealed my (not at all) secret fascination with a really repulsive public figure. 

Bombay cats are my favorite breed of cat.

Even though my books are pretty scary and creepy, I’d probably rather make people think than terrify them. Horror allows writers to do both—well, lots of things actually. Horror is kind of a perfect genre because it’s the only one we can all relate to. Not everyone has been in an epic romance, or a non-stop thrill ride. We haven’t all been cowboys or astronauts or in league with cars that turn into robots. But we’ve all been scared. We all relate to that. 

Oh, and more than anything I would really, really, really like to be in an episode of American Horror Story—who is doing some of the best horror we’re seeing these days. 

Links

https://www.amazon.com/Creepy-Stabby-Mentally-Odd-Wednesday-ebook/dp/B0945XVNM2/

FrightFest & Fab Press launch The FrightFest Guide to Grindhouse Movies

FrightFest and FAB Press once again join forces to launch THE FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO GRINDHOUSE MOVIES, which goes exclusively on sale during Arrow Video FrightFest 2021, Aug 26 – Aug 30, The author, Alan Jones, will be present during the festival to sign copies.

Just when you thought it was safe to stop repeating “It’s only a movie… only a movie… only a movie!” it’s time to take a stroll down the dark and deviant back alleys of the Exploitation film industry. Your host, acclaimed film critic and broadcaster Alan Jones, returns with another mind-boggling trawl through the glittering gutters of cinema to uncover yet more obscure Grindhouse gold.

For this astounding sequel to his acclaimed FrightFest Guide to Exploitation Movies, Jones has chosen the most underrated, alluring or flat-out disastrous sick flicks from the eye-opening epoch that created an obsessed generation of slavering besotted fans. From red light district fleapits to neon-drenched 42nd Street dives and late night Drive-Ins, Jones forensically catalogued everything for posterity, pre-determining cult status even though he didn’t realise it at the time.

With a foreword by Jane Giles, the award-winning author of Scala Cinema 1978-1993, along with a highly personal, informative introduction by Jones, you can now take a walk on the wild side of chronic B-movie adoration, guided by the one person who knows the astonishing, once maligned, now lauded genre better than anyone else.   

Jones reflected: “For sixteen years, from 1965 to 1981, I kept a yearly film diary of every Horror, Science Fiction, Sexploitation and Fantasy title I saw, where I saw it, in which cinema, on what date and exactly what I thought. It just so happened that this period coincided with the richest and grubbiest era in the Golden Age of Exploitation, with cheap thrills, seminal gore, full frontal nudity and taboo subject matters displayed across beyond belief marquees”.

Following the success of the previous four editions: The FrightFest Guide to Exploitation Movies, Monster Movies, Ghost Movies and Werewolf Movies, this is the latest in a series of wide appeal books for both the curious spectator and the cult connoisseur.

The exclusive launch of the book is at Arrow Video FrightFest 2021, with official signings taking place at Cineworld, Leicester Square on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 August. The FrightFest exclusive hardcover will be on sale for just £20 and people not attending in person won’t miss out as they have the option to pre-order the book from www.fabpress.com. Pre-ordered books will ship the first week of September.

The Paperback publication date is 12 October 2021.

Hardcover ISBN: 9781913051105. Trade Paperback ISBN: 9781913051112

Arrow Video FrightFest announces 2021 Short Film Programme

Arrow Video FrightFest 2021 has traditionally showcased the best in genre short film from the UK and around the world since 2004, and this year is, despite the additional challenges faced, no exception, with ten countries representing three continents. From creeping terrors to outrageous scares, from spooky laughs to genuine fear, this year’s selection, which includes nine world premieres, unleashes the latest from upcoming and established filmmakers.

The UK is very strongly represented with a record seventeen entries. The presence of monsters is a recurrent theme, from Charlotte Beaumont’s terrifying zombie in Voodoo in My Heart to Alun Armstrong’s invisible enemy in The Nicky Nack and Mandip Gill’s malevolent mixing board in On Air. There are also monsters in the workplace in Night Bus, Hiya Janice, and The Dead Collectors, and some lurking in strange forms and places you least expect in Better the Devil You Know, Wee Shadows, They Called Me David, Puff, Where The Tar Leaks Red, Familiar, Arm, Behind You, and Itch. Other UK entries include creepy dystopian dramas Aria and Standing Woman.

Creepiness pervades throughout the global line-up – from the paranoia of Dutch thriller The Departure, the fear of smart Finnish entry Hysteria, the animated dread of Canada’s Self-Actualization of the Werewolf Woman, the apocalyptic isolation of Ireland’s Terrible Things, the strange hallucinations of Iraq’s Room 217, and be careful of the creature that lurks under the skin in Russian entry Four.

Other horrific treasures from around the world include Spanish revenge drama Dana, the skin-crawling Maltese entry Itch, three more entries from Canada - couple chiller Otherwise, gripping anti-bully fantasy Weirdo, and Trouble, in which a young man must be careful of the danger he cannot see. In Stuck, from the US, a gymnastic coach gets her revenge on a voyeur.

Other Stateside shorts include the International premieres of The Lovers, where romance and horror become roommates, scary comedy Carl the Exorcist, and Posies in which Maddy tries to delay her slow transformation into a monster by hiding flower petals under her skin. There is also a UK premiere for A Puff Before Dying, in which Angela has to learn the hard way that marijuana and driving don’t mix.

Programmer Shelagh Rowan-Legg said today: "To say that the past 18 months have been challenging would be an understatement. And yet, so many filmmakers from the UK and around the world have risen to that challenge, and gifted us with their amazing shorts. it seems there is such deep, rich work, at a time when we need stories that both keep us awake, and help us through the darkest times. Those that scare together, stay together, and the FrightFest audience will stay scared together”.

The full line-up:

FRIDAY 27 AUGUST – SHORT FILM SHOWCASE ONE

CINEWORLD DISCOVERY SCREEN 1 from 15:45

The Nicky Nack (World Premiere)

Director: Tom Oxenham. Cast: Alun Armstrong. UK 2021. 6 min.

A mysterious sound is following a pub patron home, and he can’t seem to shake it.

Standing Woman (UK Premiere)

Director: Tony Hipwell. Cast: Anton Thompson, Yuriri Naka. UK 2020. 15 min.

An insidious government campaign gives prisoners the ‘choice’ to become trees, and one man takes a final journey to see his lover before she forgets him.

Hysteria (UK Premiere)

Director: Anssi Määttä. Cast: Sari Siikander, Heli Sutela. Finland 2021. 7 min.

When a mysterious and deadly fog forces Hannele to lock herself in her car, she faces a choice: risk death by opening the door for her friend, or save herself?

The Departure (UK Premiere)

Director: Nico van den Brink. Cast: Sallie Harmsen, André Dongelmans. The Netherlands 2020. 10 min.

Nora keeps seeing the same man everywhere, and it evokes both fear and anguish.

Voodoo in My Heart (UK Premiere)

Director: Elias Williams. Cast: Charlotte Beaumont. UK 2020. 5 min.

With minutes left before joining her boyfriend as a zombie, Emily tries to find help and solace.

Better the Devil You Know (World Premiere)

Director: Vipin Venugopal. Cast: Mark Kitto, Reza Diako. UK 2021. 8 min.

On his death, Norman discovers the path to heaven is a lot trickier than he anticipated.

Self-Actualization of the Werewolf Woman (World Premiere)

Director: Conall Pendergast. Cast: Josephine Croft, Kristine Norvaishas. Canada 2021. 4 min.

A werewolf and a vampire exchange life stories and philosophical musings.

The Dead Collectors (World Premiere)

Director: Brendan Cleaves. Cast: Elliot James Langridge, Ivan Kaye. UK 2021. 13 min.

When your job is collecting the dead, there’s a lot of waiting. And a lot of smothering.

Terrible Things (UK Premiere)

Director: Ciarán Hickey. Cast: Claire J. Loy. Ireland 2021. 9 min.

A woman wandering the apocalypse landscape alone finds brief refuge in a forgotten cottage.

Puff (World Premiere)

Director: Zara Symes. Cast: Victoria Emslie, Sam Benjamin. UK 2021. 2 min.

A pregnant woman can’t sleep, convinced there’s something she cannot see.

Dana (UK Premiere)

Director: Lucía Forner Segarra. Cast: Thais Blume, Josean Bengoetxea. Spain 2020. 18 min.

After a vicious attack, Diana decides to become a vigilante, which she learns takes strength, cunning, and some odd supplies

FRIDAY 28 AUGUST – SHORT FILM SHOWCASE TWO

CINEWORLD DISCOVERY SCREEN 1 from 13:20

Room 217 (International Premiere)

Director: Srwsht Abarash. Cast: Zheer Faraidoon, Abdul Muhammad. Iraq 2021. 14 mins.

A man might be able to check into Room 217 on a rainy night, but will be able to leave?

They Called Me David (World Premiere)

Director: Lindsay Hallam. Cast: Millie Hallam, Damo Alexander. UK 2021. 6 min.

Is David a friend or foe? A saviour or destroyer? A lonely child or a demon in disguise?

Arm (World Premiere)

Director: Jill Worsley. Cast: Katharine Markwick. UK 2021. 9 min.

In a moment of pandemic isolation madness, a woman makes an impulse purchase she could soon regret.

Night Bus (London Premiere)

Directors: Henrietta Ashworth, Jessica Ashworth. UK 2020. 13 min.

Natasha’s on the night shift, and something untoward seems to have joined her.

Itch (European Premiere)

Director: Susannah Farrugia. Cast: Alexandra Dowling, Loren O’Dair. UK/Malta 2021. 8 min.

A novice nun who develops a severe skin condition which continues to worsen along with her mental state as she struggles with her feelings for another nun.

Otherwise (European Premiere)

Director: Ali Mashayekhi. Cast: Jade Hassoune, Farid Yazdani. Canada 2021. 7 min.

When a couple breaks up, they no longer recognize each other.

Aria (UK Premiere)

Director: Christopher Poole. Cast: Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Susannah Fielding. UK 2021. 13 min.

Jenny and Tom are excited to install a new Aria "smart security system" in their home. Tom becomes increasingly paranoid about what may be lurking outside their front door at night and eventually confronts it.

Weirdo (London Premiere)

Director: Ashlea Wessel. Cast: Spencer Hanson, Shawn Vincent. Canada 2020. 7 min.

A poor teenager getting bullied lets out something unexpected and dangerous.

On Air (UK Premiere)

Director: Syd Heather. Cast: Mandip Gill, Marnie Baxter. UK 2020. 6 min.

A sound engineer finds she can control elements beyond her mixing board, but might soon get caught in the trap.

Stuck (UK Premiere)

Director: David Mikalson. Cast: Nicola Lambo, Davey Johnson. USA 2020. 14 min.

When a man tries to spy on her students, a gymnastics coach takes matters into her own hands.

MONDAY 30 AUGUST – SHORT FILM SHOWCASE THREE

CINEWORLD DISCOVERY SCREEN 1 from 13:10

Trouble (UK Premiere)

Director: Naledi Jackson. Cast: Dalmar Abuzeid, Aurora Browne. Canada 2020. 7 min.

A young man takes a music gig at a former plantation, and finds that the past is not as deeply buried as it should be.

The Lovers (International Premiere)

Director: Avra Fox-Lerner. Cast: Meryl Williams, Annapurna Sriram. USA 2020. 9 min.

A woman wonders if her roommate expects too much of her, yet their codependent cycle is hard to break.

Where The Tar Leaks Red (London Premiere)

Director: Dominic Stewart. Cast: Racquel Stewart, Celia Learmonth. UK 2021. 5 min.

Lamia’s sleep paralysis threatens to rob her of something far worse that a good night’s sleep.

Carl the Exorcist (European Premiere)

Director: Jordan McKittrick. Cast: Zach Tinker, Christina Wolfgram. USA 2020. 10 min.

Carl is finally getting to perform his first exorcism – but he might not be as prepared as he thinks.

Posies (International Premiere)

Directors: R.H. Stavis, Katherine Fisher. Cast: Anna Diop, Andy Favreau. USA 2020. 16 min.

Maddy tries to delay her slow transformation into a monster, by hiding flower petals under her skin.

Familiar (UK Premiere)

Director: David J. Ellison. Cast: Hugo Nicolau. UK 2021. 10 min.

A man is the familiar of a vampire, and his duties become as unbearable as the monster beneath him.

Behind You (World Premiere)

Directors: Gavin Williams, Mark Lediard. UK 2021. 10 min.

After eye surgery, a woman becomes convinced there is something behind her that she cannot see.

Wee Shadows (London Premiere)

Director: Steven Goodison. UK 2021. 3 min.

Two grave robbers find the physical and emotional burden of their clandestine task a little too much to bear.

Four (International Premiere)

Director: Irina Dorosh. Cast: Igor Ivanov, Milla Volkova. Russian Federation 2021. 11 min.

Three friends dare each other to visit an abandoned apartment building, where something has found a terrifying home.

A Puff Before Dying (UK Premiere)

Directors: Michael Reich, Mike Pinkney. Cast: Annie Mebane, James Kirkland. USA 2021. 10 min.

Angela is going to learn the hard way that marijuana and driving don’t mix.

Hiya Janice (World Premiere)

Director: Rob Hayes. Cast: Jack Holden, Carla Mendonça. UK 2021. 7 min.

Janice might be Declan’s most annoying co-worker, but will she literally drive him into the arms of monsters?

Arrow Video FrightFest runs from 26th - 30th August 2021 at Cineworld Leicester Square.

Tickets & passes are now available to buy online: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html