FrightFest Presents & Icon announce further titles

Icon Film Distribution (IFD) and FrightFest, the UK’s leading horror fantasy film festival, have announced a further three films which will be released under the curated banner ‘FrightFest Presents’.

The new titles are;

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEB, directed by Kyle Rankin starring Maria Thayer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Michael Cassidy (Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice), Christopher Marquette (Just Friends, The Girl Next Door) and Ray Wise (Infestation, Twin Peaks).

After a girls' night out, endearingly awkward Deb wakes up in the apartment of the most attractive guy in Portland, Maine. She's thrilled, but can't remember much of what got her there. Ryan only knows it was a mistake, and ushers her out the door into a full-scale zombie apocalypse. Now, a walk of shame becomes a fight for survival as the mismatched pair discovers that the only thing scarier than trusting someone with your life... is trusting them with your heart.

SOME KIND OF HATE, directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer starring Ronen Rubenstein (It Felt Like Love), Sierra McCormick (Disney’s ‘’Ant Farm’’), Grace Phipps (Fright Night, Tales of Halloween), Noah Segan (Starry Eyes, Looper), Lexi Atkins (Ted2, The Boy Next Door, Zombeavers), Spencer Breslin (The Happening, The Kid), Michael Polish (The Astronaut Farmer)

When a troubled teen is subjected to severe bullying, he accidentally conjures Moira Karp. Once a teenage girl pushed to suicide, Moira is now an unstoppable force on a mission of gruesome retribution. But when she goes too far, he must prevent her from spiraling out of control in this passionate and vividly supernatural thriller.

Some Kind of Hate is being sold for International by Devilworks.

LAST GIRL STANDING, written and directed by Benjamin R Moody starring Akasha Villalobos (Where the Red Fox Lies), Danielle Evon Ploeger and Brian Villalobos.

Five years ago, a masked killer brutally murdered a group of friends. Since then, Camryn (Akasha Villalobos), the lone survivor, has struggled to reclaim her shattered life. Wracked with guilt and paranoia, Camryn leads a depressingly lonely existence until Nick (Brian Villalobos), a new co-worker, befriends Camryn and attempts to integrate her into his group of friends. Just when she might be ready to start a new life, Camryn’s past comes back to haunt her. Can Camryn ever have a life again, or is she destined to be alone?

All three titles recently had their UK theatrical premieres at the FrightFest five day festival at the Vue Leicester Square.

The exclusive Icon and FrightFest partnership, first announced in April, will see titles released across the UK and Ireland via the distributor’s digital partners (including  iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google  Amazon, Xbox , Blinkbox, Google, Wuaki, TalkTalk and Volta) giving film fans instant access to some of their favourite FrightFest titles.

‘FrightFest Presents’ launches officially on 19 October with a consumer campaign pushing out from the beginning of the month. Each release has the collective backing of IFD and FrightFest across all marketing, PR and social channels.

Previously announced titles include AAAAAAAAH!, THE SAND, AFTERDEATH, LANDMINE GOES CLICK, EMELIE, THE LESSON and ESTRANGED.

Since FrightFest was set up 15 years ago, it has grown in size and stature, and is today internationally renowned for discovering exciting and original horror fantasy genre films.   Last August, the festival screened 74 of the best horror films from around the world to UK audiences, with many world and European premieres. Over the years the festival directors, Greg Day, Alan Jones, Paul McEvoy and Ian Rattray, have also brought masters of the genre to the festival including Guillermo del Toro, George Romero, Dario Argento and Sam Raimi. FrightFest has developed into a brand leader for horror film, expanding its footprint in the UK by hosting special strands at other festivals to great success, such as the recent three-day event at the Glasgow Film Festival.

IFD has a longstanding track record in releasing genre films, from breakout hit PARANORMAL ACTIVITY which grossed a phenomenal £10 million at the UK box office to the cult vampire thriller 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, as well as re-issues of classic Hammer titles including DRACULA and THE MUMMY.  Most recently, IFD released the critical and box office hits IT FOLLOWS and THE BABADOOK, Jennifer Kent’s psychological horror story, which burst out of FrightFest’s August festival to become one of the most talked about horrors of 2014.

THE HALLOW - FIRST LOOK CLIP, NEW POSTER & FRIGHTFEST DEBUT‏

First playing at Frightfest this Saturday (29th). The film is being released in the UK on Friday 13th November

Synopsis
When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family.

Cast
Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Joseph Mawle, Michael Smiley

Social
www.facebook.com/TheHallowUK
www.twitter.com/TheHallowUK

Trailer


Clip

Competition: Win Odysseus - Voyage to the Underworld on DVD

Odysseus - Voyage to the Underworld is released on DVD on August 31st, and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to win on DVD

Synopsis:
Troy has been defeated and Odysseus has begun his 10 year journey to return home to Ithaca. Accompanying Odysseus and his small team is the poet Homer, who is acting as the scribe and recording Odysseus' adventures as they travel along. The story about to unfold is so horrifying that Homer decided to leave it out of his Odyssey.

During their travels, they become lost in a deep fog and encounter horrific winged creatures that kill several men and drink their blood. In disarray, the crew lands at the Isle of the Mists, a terrible place where death is in the very air.

Eventually, they become imprisoned by Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, who was banished to the Isle of the Mists and sealed there by the Hellfire. Now the men must find a way of killing her and escape the island before she is freed to enslave humanity.

Win This:
Odysseus - Voyage to the Underworld [DVD] 
 
To enter all you have to do is answer this easy question...

Who is the director of Odysseus - Voyage to the Underworld?

To enter Email us on competition@mastersofhorror.co.uk with your answer, along with your name and address.

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.

Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Barbara Crampton Interview

On the eve of Film4 FrightFest 2015, Barbara Crampton talks about part of  the ‘horror club’, scary scripts, still doing the laundry and why Abner Pastoll is one to watch.

Q: Welcome to FrightFest Barbara. What was your initial reaction when told you were this year’s special Icon guest?

A: First of all, I want to say thank you for having me. The importance of these film festivals for young directors to get their work seen and recognized is of the upmost importance in today’s film market. The competition to be included in one of the major genre film festivals is extremely high. When I was a young actress there were a handful of festivals where people could showcase their work. Today, there are many genre festivals across the globe that introduce the hungry audiences to their deepest fears, anxieties and monsters in the bedroom. That being said, to be invited to one of the best genre festivals around today, to be remembered for my past horror movies and to share some of my recent work, to support the new young film makers that I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with is very meaningful to me. I have worked in this genre for a long-time but only recently have come to realize how important these movies have been to me and continue to be for so many people. Finally, I feel like I am part of a club I didn’t realize I have been in for a long-time. To be this year’s special guest is an honour and one for which I am truly grateful.

Q: You have four films at FrightFest. You seem busier than ever. What is the secret to your career longevity?

A: My longevity is a complete surprise to me. About 15 years ago when I moved up to San Francisco with my husband I thought I was done. I got married, I had two kids back to back; that was something I felt was really missing from my life. So the years with my growing family were very precious and important to me. I completely lost myself in being a mom, happily so. When I got the call to appear in YOU’RE NEXT, I thought it would be a brief diversion from family life. Little did I know how much fun I was going to have playing with all of these burgeoning, creative film makers and that I would easily be lured back a few more times. Currently, I am able to balance my home life and work life. I do have a few other acting jobs coming up and I am producing one movie and have another in development. My family has been incredibly supportive and I, in turn, keep coming back to do their laundry, shop for their back to school supplies and organize their after school activities. I am even planning a get-a-way vacation with my husband! I think for me the longevity is about doing all of these things that I really love, leaving space for all that comes up in life.

Q: SUN CHOKE is getting a lot of positive reaction and you are brilliant in the film. What made you choose to play that role?

A: When I first read the script it really scared me, the role I mean. The film is very dark and explores some very fearsome inclinations in one’s psyche. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go there or even if I could. But it is so different than any other character I have ever played that I didn’t want the fear of playing the role get in the way. So with a lot of trepidation, I said yes and was treated to an amazing, collaborative experience with one of the best actresses I have ever worked with and some of the best material that’s been offered to me. I am glad it’s getting so much positive response. I think the writer/director Ben Cresciman is extremely talented and the production team I worked with was top notch. I am glad my fear didn’t get in the way of being scary.

Q: WE ARE STILL HERE has been very popular on the festival circuit. Is that because director Ted Geoghegan is a horror buff and knows all the fanboy tricks?

A: Potentially there’s a small amount of truth to that but is too simplistic a statement to make. My friend Ted has a rich knowledge of the genre, that is true, but he also has a deep heart and soul that can connect to varying characters and their motivations. The story he created works on many levels. It has a grounded foundation in two people’s grief and loss, and many supernatural scares. It has a connection to history, first of the genre and to something endemic to the story. Not to mention the fact that Ted was aided by two of the most important people that made WE ARE STILL HERE a festival favourite, Karim Hussain, our stylish and formidable Director of Photography and our Producer, Travis Stevens whose guidance, smarts and kindness improved every aspect of the film.

Q: ROAD GAMES is Abner Pastoll's feature debut as a director? You seem to like supporting first time directors?

A: I have worked with one of the best horror directors of the 1980s but I think it’s important to support the young filmmakers of today. They have interesting stories to tell that reflect their state of mind and current popular culture. When Abner reached out to me personally to ask me to play a part in his movie, I read the script and was completely floored by it. It was one of the most well crafted screenplays I ever read and had a unique sense of humour. I think Abner is one to watch in the coming years.

Q: You only have a small cameo in TALES OF HALLOWEEN. You are in Axelle Carolyn's episode at a party scene with directors Stuart Gordon and Mick Garris and actress Lisa Marie. Fun to do?

A: Yes! We had a great evening all together, it is a party scene so we acted like we were at a party. I know these people quite well and we had a great time between set-ups, getting caught up and reminiscing. Two people in the scene that I didn’t know very well were Lin Shaye and Alex Essoe. I was excited to work with both of them as I am a fan of both actresses. I had just seen Alex in STARRY EYES and she impressed me with her work as a starving actress who will do anything to get what she wants. Also, I really wanted to support my friend, Axelle Carolyn. She’s the one who came up with the original premise for TALES OF HALLOWEEN. She put it all together. She’s a woman, she’s fierce and I wanted to help her see her vision realized, no matter how small a part I ultimately had to play. The movie itself has been getting a great response and I am so happy and proud of her.

Q: What keeps drawing you back to the Horror Genre and how do you feel being crowned a ‘Scream Queen’?

A: Horror movies are like a thrill ride, they’re fun and exciting and you don’t know exactly how your body is going to feel after dipping off the high precipice of some downward spiraled roller coaster of scares. At first I was surprised to find myself in this genre. Then I felt warmed and welcomed by the creatives making these spectacles and also the audiences who appreciate them. It is now a genre that I proudly call my home. I find myself watching more horror movies on my off time than any other genre. In an odd way, I actually feel relaxed after watching one. Your body tenses up and is on high alert and at the end when everything is safe you can finally relax because the hero/heroine has won. Another thing horror movies does for you is prepares you for tragic things to occur, including the loss of a loved one or even your own death. If you can go through the experience of watching a horror movie subjectively than objectively it could soften the potential blow of horrific things to come, you’ve been prepared. People always ask me this question about how I feel being crowned a ‘Scream Queen,’ I don’t know if I have ever come up with the ultimate answer. But the fact that people keep asking me to be involved is completely gratifying and satisfying. You can call me Barbara, Miss Crampton or Miss Queen, just keep calling me…

Q: You grew up on the Carnival circuit. Can you describe what that was like?

A: Fun, exciting, weird. We were always in a new town every week so I would make friends with the ride boys, the fried bread dough sellers and the bearded lady. I could ride any ride I wanted on the lot for free, play any game, see any show and I had hundreds of stuffed animals in my room at home. The carnival world was full of questionable and interesting characters mostly living on the fringe of life. A lot of people working in that industry felt like they didn’t belong; being on the road and constantly moving oddly gave them a sense of peace. There was a unity and camaraderie that we all experienced coming from different backgrounds. It enabled me to completely put myself in other’s shoes and be non-judgemental which is one of the greatest gifts my family has ever given me. I hope it continues to afford me the momentum of treating all others with respect and kindness no matter who they are, where they come from, what bodies they choose to inhabit or whom they want to love.

Q: You have a stage background. How important an influence has this been and continues to be?

A: I am very happy that I had a full education for my acting background. Scene study, character analysis, stage combat, movment, voice lessons. All these things help inform every role I have ever played. To have a classic background and education in acting is something I think is missing in the young actors of today. Everyone seems to just act as who they are naturally. Where is the character development? I think sometimes the British actors are a little more advanced in that area than we are. Working on the stage really prepares you to engage your whole physical being in the process of creating a character.

Q: We all remember you from RE-ANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND of course but how do you reflect on what those two films did for you?

A:  A loose quote, but as Herbert West once said, “They gave me life!” I don’t think I would be where I am today without having had the glorious opportunity of working on two beloved films by Stuart Gordon. Those films, especially RE-ANIMATOR launched my career as an actress. I am forever grateful to both Stuart Gordon for giving me the role of Megan Halsey and for the other girl who had it first and turned it down.

Q: How do you think the Horror genre has changed/evolved over the years since you started out?

A: That’s a big question! Do you have an hour? In short, as far as I can tell, there are some major things that have evolved. It’s easier than ever to make a movie, anyone can do it, perhaps not well, but anyone can. We have digital instead of film so it’s a faster process. It’s more collaborative than it’s ever been and everyone seems to understand each other’s jobs. There are many more platforms on which to show your work and also one thing has never changed: no one is ever completely satisfied, the artist or the audience. We are smarter and more difficult to please than ever.

Q: What has been your favourite role so far?

A: My favourite role so far is the one I am doing right now.

Q: And the favourite role you’d love to play?

A: I probably won’t know that until after I have finished it because it’s in the doing of things and the immediacy of performing that I think we get our deepest personal rewards.

Competition: Win Zombie Fight Club on DVD

Win a copy of Zombie Fight Club on DVD!

The Raid meets Dawn of the Dead in this crazy zombie smackdown!

While the zombie apocalypse brings Taipei to the brink of collapse, an apartment block in the corner of the city becomes riddled with crime. But things go from bad to worse when it’s overrun by zombies; infecting the residents, bystanders and even a SWAT team sent in to help. Surrounded by zombies and with no way out but down, the last remaining survivors Andy (Andy On) and Jenny (Jessica C) soon find themselves trapped in an underground arena of the undead. With nothing left to do but fight, can they battle their way through the hordes of zombies and escape the apocalypse?

Zombie Fight Club is out on DVD from 31st August 2015

Win This:
Zombie Fight Club [DVD]

To enter all you have to do is answer this easy question...

Competition Closed

Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Film News (UK): Saws, psychos & nasty spirits invade the Horror Channel in September

Autumn just got a lot darker as Horror Channel unleashes three UK TV premieres and eight network premieres across the weekends during September – including network premieres for fear-franchise hits SAW V, SAW V!, a 15th year anniversary broadcast for Mary Arron’s sickly slick adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ AMERICAN PSYCHO and the menacing erotic thriller AFTER.LIFE, starring Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson.

There are also UK TV premieres for Alex Chandon’s teeth-clenching horror-comedy INBRED, controversial director James Cullen Bressack’s blood-soaked PERNICIOUS and the found-footage shocker DARK FEED directed by Michael & Shawn Rasmussen. Other network premieres are the creepy CATACOMBS, starring Pink, THE DEVIL’S TOMB, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ron Perlman, and Ray Winstone, SUNDOWN: THE VAMPIRE IN RETREAT, starring Bruce Campbell and David Carradine and Glenn Standinf’s Vampire tale PERFECT CREATURE, which stars Dougray Scott, Saffron Burrows, and Leo Gregory


Sat 12 Sept @ 22:50 – AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000) * Network Premiere

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is young, white, handsome and indistinguishable from his Wall Street colleagues. Shielded by conformity, privilege, and wealth, Bateman is also the ultimate serial killer. After a colleague presents a business card superior in ink and paper to his, Bateman's blood thirst sharpens, and he steps up his homicidal activities to a frenzied pitch. Hatchets fly, butcher knives chop, chainsaws rip, and surgical instruments mutilate-how far will Bateman go? How much can he get away with? Also stars  Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto and Chloë Sevigny. This broadcast marks the film’s 15th year anniversary.


Sat 19 Sept @ 23:00 – SAW V (2008) *Network Premiere

Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) might be dead, but his traps live on in this fifth Saw entry, which finds the series' production designer David Hackl at the helm for his directorial debut. Costas Mandylor reprises his role as Hoffman, the detective whose involvement in the string of grisly murders turns out to be more than meets the eye. Picking up where the fourth entry left off, Hoffman is revealed to be a hidden accomplice in Jigsaw's grisly games of death. Saw IV scribes Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan return to pen the screenplay.


Sun 20 Sept @ 21:00 – AFTER.LIFE (2009) *Network Premiere

After a horrific car accident, Anna (Christina Ricci) wakes up to find the local funeral director Eliot Deacon (Liam Neeson) preparing her body for burial. Confused, terrified and still feeling very much alive, Anna doesn’t believe she’s dead, Trapped inside the funeral parlour, she is forced to face her deepest fears and accept her death. With an unrelenting edge of menace, this stylish and erotic chiller provocatively questions the line between life and death. Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo.


Fri 25 Sept @ 22:45 – INBRED (2011) *UK TV Premiere

From Alex Chandon, director of Cradle of Fear and Pervirella, a screamingly hilarious warped nightmare with nowt taken out. Four young urban offenders and their two care workers embark on a community service weekend in the remote Yorkshire village of Mortlake. Before you can say ‘Ey up’, they upset the yokels with their city ways and put themselves in the gravest of dangers. This best bad taste un-PC gore-soaked riot is more fun than a ferret down the trousers. Starring Jo Hartley, James Doherty, Seamus O’Neill, James Burrows and Nadine Rose Mulkerrin.


Sat 26 Sept @ 23:05 – SAW VI (2009) *Network Premiere

Saw VI concludes the second trilogy of the series that focused on the posthumous effects of the Jigsaw Killer and the progression of his successor, Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) Hoffman sets a series of traps for an insurance executive, William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), and his employees. Meanwhile the FBI trails Peter Strahm, now suspected of being Jigsaw's last accomplice, and Hoffman is drawn into a violent, sadistic battle to protect his secret identity.

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70

www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

Competition: Win Infernal on DVD

Infernal is released on DVD on August 24th, and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to win on DVD.

Synopsis:
A newlywed couple Sophia have just moved into their new home together when Sophia delivers the news that she’s pregnant. Nathan digests the news, proposes to her and they get married, hoping to live happily ever after...

The couple welcomes their first child into the world shortly after getting married, but their joy quickly turns to panic when the girl starts acting strangely and unexplainable things start happening around the house. Fearing their daughter could be possessed, the parents call in a priest to perform an exorcism, but when that goes horribly wrong, the parents start to wonder if they will ever be able to rid their daughter of the evil power lurking within her?

Will the hidden demons ever leave their presence?  Find out for yourself when INFERNAL is released on DVD on 24th August.

Win This:
Infernal [DVD]

To enter all you have to do is answer this easy question...

Who is the director of Infernal?

To enter Email us on competition@mastersofhorror.co.uk with your answer, along with your name and address.

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.

Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Trailer:

Full Movie - The Perfect Letter (2015)

A writing assignment leads an author on a frightening quest for answers and sanity in this experimental horror project. Starring Kelsey Zukowski, Monique Dupree, Anita Nicole Brown, BEKA, Kaylee Williams and Nathyn Masters with Elena Chernyakova and Deann Baker

Competition: Win Treasure of the Black Jaguar on DVD

Treasure of the Black Jaguar is out on DVD on 24th August! and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 DVDs to give away

Synopsis:
Dubbed “Sergio Leone meets Robert Rodriguez”, TREASURE OF THE BLACK JAGUAR follows the violent quest of buddies Anthony (Cameron Van Hoy) and Shlomo (Michael Drayer) to uncover a valuable but cursed artifact.

They break out of prison with famed treasure hunter Blake West (Timothy V. Murphy) and journey into the unforgiving Californian desert. There they come up against Blake West's former employer, a Japanese industrialist (Masayuki Imai), who is determined to beat them to the treasure by any means necessary…

Cited as a “real gem of indie cinema” by Flickering Myth, the film is directed by Mike Bruce, whose video for Noel Gallagher's AKA...What a Life! made the Top 20 Most Awesome Videos of 2011

Win This:
Treasure of the Black Jaguar [DVD]


Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.


Competition Closed

Goodnight Mommy - Official Trailer (2015) Horror Movie

In Theaters - September 11

In the heat of the summer lays a lonesome house in the countryside where nine year old twin brothers await their mother’s return. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before and the children start to doubt whether this woman is actually who she says she is. What ensues is a terrifying observational struggle with fatal consequences on par with THE SHINING and DEAD RINGERS.

Genre: Horror, Thriller
Directors: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Writers: Veronika Franz (screenplay), Severin Fiala (screenplay)
Stars: Susanne Wuest, Elias Schwarz, Lukas Schwarz