Competition: Win Disorder on DVD

Disorder is out on DVD on 25th July! and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies to win.

Synopsis:
Paranoid thriller directed by Alice Winocour. Vincent (Matthias Schoenaerts) is suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Afghanistan as a French Special Forces soldier. When he returns home and takes on the role of bodyguard for Jessie (Diane Kruger), the wife of a wealthy but shady businessman living in France, he becomes enchanted by her.

Suffering from hallucinations and unable to cast off the role of alert on-duty soldier, he becomes convinced that the woman he is protecting is in danger from a strange outside threat. This paranoia blurs the distinction between reality and illusion and for Victor becomes all-consuming.

Starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Diane Kruger
Directed by Alice Winocour

Win This:
Disorder [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.

Exclusive Interview with David Kempf About His New Book Travel Bug

I have known David Kempf for many years now, and we have had a great relationship, whereby I have published some of his short stories on this site, as well as interviewed him many times regarding his various books. David is a highly intelligent man, with a great and unique writing style. I was very happy to sit down with David and talk not only about his new book "Travel Bug" but also about he started in writing and his interest in Horror and Fantasy, so sit back and read this interview.

When did you first become interested in writing?
I was never good at math or science so naturally I was attracted to English. I majored in English in college; writing papers saved me from low grades in other subjects. When I was in high school and college, I wrote screenplays for the short movies my friends and I made. After graduating from college, I wrote for local newspapers doing small-town news events, feature stories and movie and theater reviews.

How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?
I guess I’ve always been interested in it. When I was a kid I liked Scooby- Doo and the stop motion animation movie Mad Monster Party. That’s when I was very young. When I was a little older I liked watching the classic horror movies like Dracula and The Wolf Man. On TV I liked to watch creature features and Ultraman, Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot was also a favorite. The first horror novel I ever read was The Shining and then I read Jaws. Edgar Allan Poe followed and I was hooked on reading horror. Star Wars and Alien also inspired me, the books and the movies. I wrote short thriller stories in college and grad school for the local fiction magazines Lemuria and The Grackle. When I was younger my friends and I made short films for the local cable station. Then I started writing for you, I wrote interviews, I wrote stories and then finally I wrote my first novel Dark Fiction in 2009.

What do you see as the primary difference between British and American horror?
That’s a good question. England is the birthplace of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein and Dracula. Americans, of course have Poe and Ray Bradbury. I would say the main difference is that in many cases American horror is about how the monster is the other. British horror seems to be largely about how the monster is us. John Carpenter said that a lot better than I did (about the difference between leftwing horror and rightwing horror) but I think you get the gist of the message.

What are your favorite horror books?
There are probably too many to name but here goes. It’s kind of a three way tie between Jonathan Maberry’s Patient Zero, Peter Straub’s Ghost Story and Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. In addition to that I think the classics like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Anything by Poe would come to mind. Stephen King’s Pet Sematary is the most terrifying book I have ever read. I also enjoy just about anything by Ray Bradbury and William F. Nolan. I like to listen to audiobooks as well. Ray Porter’s reading of Richard Matheson’s Hell House is brilliant. Every summer I listen to the audiobook of Jaws. The differences between Peter Benchley’s novel and the movie are profound. Clive Barker’s Books of Blood are the best collection of short stories I have ever read.

What are some of your favorite horror movies?
John Carpenter’s The Thing, Alien, The Evil Dead (1982), Black Christmas, The Exorcist, The Shining, The Dead Zone, The Fly (1986), Hellraiser, Poltergeist (1982), Scream, Psycho 2, The Hunger, Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, The Haunting, Dressed to Kill, An American Werewolf in London, The Silence of the Lambs, Fright Night (1985), Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen. The Changeling, and An American Haunting. Last but not least on the list would be Halloween III: Season of the Witch. I will always stand by it and defend it. May those who hate on it spend eternity in a realm where no Halloween candy is available. Those are my favorites but I still like the so bad its good stuff and I think amazing work can be done on a low budget. Don Dohler’s Nightbeast and Fiend come to mind. Douglas McKeown’s The Deadly Spawn is another good one. Jaws is my favorite movie of all time and always will be.

Tell us about Travel Bug.
Travel Bug is my third novel. It’s very different from the first two Dark Fiction and The Petsorcist. It’s the combination of science fiction and horror that I love so much. It’s about a young man and his great grandfather traveling through time to find the identity of his parents’ killer. Along the way they discover that human history is not what it seems to be in terms of the history books. Cherished and sacred beliefs are shattered during their travels. Among them is the idea that people are more good than evil.

Travel Bug focuses on controversial things like politics, religion and the meaning of life. Why did you want to get into those awkward topics?
If you actually had a way to travel through time, I think these elements would be inevitable. You would have to confront them. Human history and civilization is full of conflicting beliefs and actions. The basic premise (at least as far as the antagonist is concerned) is that time travel dispels most of your most cherished beliefs. Now what happens after that?

Is the story meant to be taken literally?
Not necessarily. The opening line of one chapter is “Are they revelations or hallucinations?” I think that kind of leaves the door open for the reader to interpret the story. There are many fantastic elements in the story combined with real life events and things that don’t exist. Let’s face it there has never been any evidence of time travel. At least they don’t exist as far as I know. So I think whether the story is real, a hallucination or a dream is in the eye of the beholder.

Is this a sequel to Dark Fiction in any way?
No but it takes place in the same twisted universe as Dark Fiction. There is even a certain professor who makes a cameo appearance. So Dr. Wells and Christopher are mentioned in passing but mostly its new characters who struggle under much different circumstance. The evil genies The Jinn are occasionally mentioned but this story is not about them.

Are the characters of Harold and Andrew based on people in your own family?
Yes, to a certain extent they are. Andrew is my son and Harold was my grandfather. The book is dedicated to him. He was an avid reader. My grandfather was a devout Catholic and his favorite book of all time was James Clavell’s Shogun. The book’s main premise was that the world would have been better off without Christianity. That’s hilarious. He had an open mind. Still, these are fictional characters. Typically I take a composite of real life people and blend them together. The result is often that they take on a life of their own.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?
The fact that I haven’t given up, I guess. My books have received mixed reviews and occasionally some folks have told me they don’t understand them or that they are “really out there.” Other than that I suppose actually writing my first novel and seeing it come to fruition. I can’t tell you how many times people tell me they are going to write a book someday. They almost never do it. I think probably the most meaningful accomplishment I’ve had is putting all of my interviews together for The Horror of It All.

Do you have any advice for new writers?
Yes. Write everyday if you can. Read all that you can. Read outside of your genre. If you write two pages a day in a year you will have a novel. Then you won’t have to be one of those poor souls who talk about doing it and never do. If you write horror then write about what scares you. Don’t hold back because you might surprise yourself by how far you will go. Then once you have something good or at least half decent, get other writers to read your novel.  You should try to get as many blurbs as possible. I ask a lot of people to write them, sometimes they say yes and sometimes the answer is no. I think that it’s a good idea to diversify too. Some of my blurbs are from other novelists but I also try to get editors, short story writers and people in the movie industry.

What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?
Where would we be without Amazon? It’s the great equalizer that makes things fair for the independent author. They have standards so it’s not like people can publish anything. Still, there is a great deal of freedom now. Most new writers will not land major book publishers and small publishers are limited. Some traditionally published authors believe it’s producing a lot of bad books. Others think that books that would have not otherwise been published can now be available to the public. I think that many of the major publishers are similar to movie studios in that they are obviously looking for the profits of a sure fire hit. Sadly, this explains why we keep getting the same unoriginal stuff over and over in the bookstores and certainly at the movies. So I certainly welcome the self-publishing trend. I also love visiting independent bookstores and I hope they can co-exist with the phenomenon of eBooks which I believe will be the future of publishing.

What are your current projects?
I’m working on a novel that is a direct sequel to Dark Fiction with all of the characters returning in it. There will also be some new ones I hope the reader will find interesting. I’ve also written some stand-alone novellas that will eventually be published.

Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 
I’m a horror and science fiction novelist and short story writer. I believe that every book from The Wizard of Oz to Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue has something to teach us about the human condition. I like to take some traditional monsters and put some new twists on them. So I hope to be entertaining and disturbing at the same time. I want the reader to know that no one is safe, death is coming for all of us and I hope I do it with a good sense of humor.

Thank you for joining us for this interview David, below you will find some links, please everyone go check them out!

Buy Travel Bug from Amazon
UK: - Travel Bug
USA: - Travel Bug

David Kempf - Amazon About Me Page

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/DavidKempfsDarkFiction/

Film news (UK): Horror Channel FrightFest 2016 announces line-up, including 19 World and 35 UK & European premieres

From grindhouse to art-house, feel-good to squeal-good, blockbuster to ghostbuster FrightFest returns in all its gory glory, now housed at the 12-screen Vue Cinema at Shepherd’s Bush, West London, from Aug 25 - Aug 29.

In its 17th year, the world renowned genre film festival will present 62 new feature films, embracing sixteen countries and bringing together established filmmakers, British first-timers and emerging international visionaries from six continents.

The opening night attraction is the European Premiere of MY FATHER DIE, Sean Brosnan’s brutal and beautiful feature debut – an ultra-stylish, uber violent revenge thriller that’s a calling card for Brosnan’s brilliant talents.  And our closing night film is another breakneck paced masterpiece - the UK Premiere of TRAIN TO BUSAN, so join ‘The Commuting Dead’ as director Sang-ho Yeon takes you on a first class horror action thrill-ride, mixing slaughter, suspense and splatter with incredible visual élan.

My Father Die

In between these two banner titles are the scream of the crop from all over the globe, strongly represented in our line-up of World Premieres by the incredible Italian supercar tension-ratcheting MONOLITH, the gory Dutch treat THE WINDMILL MASSACRE, the stunning South African nightmare FROM A HOUSE ON WILLOW STREET, Tricia Lee’s creepy Canadian chiller BLOOD HUNTERS and three American shock absorbers KNUCKLEBONES, ENCLOSURE and the Eurotrashy radical BLOOD FEAST remake.

Reflecting a productive year for British horror, there are twelve UK World Premieres, including Shaun Robert Smith’s intensely powerful BROKEN, Jon Ford’s visceral revenge thriller OFFENSIVE, Wyndham Price’s dark fantasy CROW, Kate Shenton’s auto-satire EGOMANIAC, Ben Parker’s claustrophobic THE CHAMBER, Marty Stalker’s shock-doc HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL and Andy Edward’s sun, sea and sex gore-fest IBIZA UNDEAD.

Five of the UK World Premieres make up the ‘First Blood’ strand, in which home-based directors are given a chance to shine with their debut efforts. These are: Phillip Escott’s harrowing CRUEL SUMMER, Brad Watson’s urban gang shocker  HALLOW’S EVE, James Crow’s deadly HOUSE OF SALEM, Stewart Spark’s 666 Short Cuts To Hell entry THE CREATURE BELOW and Lawrie Brewster’s PTSD-inspired THE UNKINDNESS OF RAVENS.

Let Her Out

Other festival highlights in the Main Screen strand include the European Premiere of Adam Wingard’s intense chiller of the moment, THE WOODS. destined to be one of the key horrors of 2016. We also have this year’s most ferocious possession movie in Cody Calahan’s LET HER OUT, as well as Todd William’s superb Stephen King adaptation CELL, starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Then there is the top box office Italian sensation THEY CALL ME JEEG ROBOT, Adam Rifkin’s tour-de-force DIRECTOR’S CUT, starring Penn Jillette, Rob Zombie’s ultra-violent grindhouse slasher 31, ‘Saw’ man Darren Lynn Bousman’s graphic novel inspired ABBATOIR, Simon Rumley’s latest visionary masterpiece JOHNNY FRANK GARRETT’S LAST WORD, Jackson Stewart’s supernatural switcheroo BEYOND THE GATES, the zombie theme park hell ride THE REZORT, the full-blooded cracker RED CHRISTMAS, the cryogenic chiller REALIVE, the home invasion twister MERCY, the darkly unpredictable PET, starring Dominic Monaghan and the beguilling THE MASTER CLEANSE, with The Big Bang Theory’s Jonny Galecki and Anna Friel.

South America is rapidly becoming a major genre player and FrightFest is proud to be presenting seven specialities from Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico. Daniel de la Vega’s WHITE COFFIN is co-written by FrightFest favourite Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Laura Casbe’s BENAVIDEZ’S CASE stretches surrealist boundaries, Patricio Valladares’ DOWNHILL mines H. P. Lovecraft for inspiration, THROUGH THE SHADOW puts Henry James’ classic tale of terror ‘The Turn of the Screw’ through a south of the border filter, THE SIMILARS is pure ‘Twilight Zone’ inspiration, FRANCESCA a thrilling Buenos Aires take on giallo and WE ARE THE FLESH comes with serious artistic endorsements from fellow Mexican filmmakers Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

Train To Busan

The Discovery Screen strand is as bold as ever and includes a restored version of Shelden Renan’s controversial documentary THE KILLING OF AMERICA, Anna Biller’s gloriously art-directed THE LOVE WITCH, the cursed silent movie FURY OF THE DEMON, the Berlin Film Festival break-out, SHELLEY, the visionary sci-fi fantasy LOST SOLACE and the darkly hilarious ghost-busting ANOTHER EVIL. Then there’s Julian T. Pinder’s chilling murder investigation POPULATION ZERO, Martin Owen’s High-tec underground thriller terror LET’S BE EVIL, Tim Reis’ slimy creature feature BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE and Michael Boroweic’s acute study of alien paranoia, MAN UNDERGROUND.

Plus, you can witness the stag party from hell in THE UNRAVELLING, the bad taste shenanigans of NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE, , the viral thrills of THE EVIL IN US, the vehicular chills of PARANORMAL DRIVE, the die-hard dystopia of HERE ALONE, the eye-popping shocks of FOUND FOOTAGE 3D, and the ‘goriously’ insane  ATTACK OF THE LEDERHOSEN ZOMBIES.

Ahead of its FrightFest Presents DVD release, there is an encore airing for ROAD GAMES, this time with a live interactive commentary with director Abner Pastoll and a London premiere for one of the most popular movies shown earlier this year at FrightFest Glasgow, Sean Byrne’s THE DEVIL’S CANDY.

The Duke Mitchell Film Club is back with the UK premiere of Kim Sang-Chan’s outrageously infectious KARAOKE CRAZIES and a first showing of all three episodes of the mesmerising French TV mini-series BEYOND THE WALLS.

Alan Jones, co-director of FrightFest, said today: “For seventeen years now FrightFest has led the way through landmark changes in the genre, altered perceptions of fandom and embraced the revolutions in platforms and distribution models. It continues to do so this year with a breathtaking selection of genre attractions with the widest appeal and breadth of focus.  We stand out because we stand for something special – a one-stop roadmap through everything you need to see to be totally up to speed with what the next year in horror fantasy will be all about”.

This year’s special events, retrospective programme, the guest list and the Short Film Showcase entries will be announced in the coming weeks.

Festival and day pass sales will go on sale Sat 2 July at noon and will only be available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

Single tickets will go on sale on Sat 23 July.

For full programme details and timetables go to: www.frightfest.co.uk

Horror Channel bares its teeth this July

There is real bite to July’s line-up on Horror Channel, as killer sharks, a rampaging tiger, a family of cannibals, a vengeful Chupacabra and a wolf in serial killer clothing herald in a premiere-packed month on the UK’s only channel dedicated to the dark side.

There are four UK TV premieres: Jim Mickle’s brilliant re-imagining of Jorge Michel Grau’s Mexican art-house cannibal fantasy WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, Greg McLean’s  WOLF CREEK 2, which sees the return of Australia’s most famed pig-shooting psycho, Carlos Brooks’ wonderful ‘Tiger in a House’ nerve-jangler BURNING BRIGHT and Alastair Orr’s Panamanian creature thriller PREY. Plus, there is the network premiere of THE REEF, the scariest shark chiller since Jaws.

As well as the four UK TV Premieres, Horror Channel is bringing you ‘Tropical Terror’ season this July. Take a slay-cation you’ll never forget with our collection of sun-drenched shockers featuring the aforementioned PREY and THE REEF, as well as David Twohy’s adventure thriller A PERFECT GETAWAY and James Cullen Bressack’s Thai-holiday-turned-nightmare horror PERNICIOUS.

Horror’s season of Tropical Terror is every Friday at 10:50pm from Friday 8th July.

Full details of premieres in transmission order:


Sat 2 July @ 9.00pm – BURNING BRIGHT (2010) * UK TV Premiere

Johnny Gavenau’s latest get-quick-rich scheme is to turn his Florida ranch into a Safari Park. As the main attraction he buys a dangerous Bengal tiger from an unscrupulous circus trader. But the ravenous beast gets loose, its only refuge the ranch house interior where stepdaughter Kelly and her autistic little brother Tom reside... Nature runs amok but human nature proves to be the real villain in director Carlos Brooks’ taut twist on the home invasion chiller. Look out for a guest appearance from Meatloaf.


Fri 8 July @ 10.50pm – THE REEF (2010) *Network Premiere

For four old friends it seemed like a dream come true – a week cruising the world’s most beautiful coral reef on their own yacht. But when the vessel capsizes, leaving them stranded on the over-turned hull, that dream turns into a nightmare. They take to the open water – only to learn, too late, that they are being stalked by a deadly great white shark. Director Andrew Traucki’s true-life shocker puts ordinary people in an all-too believable extreme situation, where small actions become epic tragedies.


Sat 9 July @ 10.50pm – WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (2013) *UK TV Premiere

Following the unexpected death of their mother, teenage daughters Iris and Rose Parker are ordered by their father to carry on a macabre ancestral ritual at all costs. But when a torrential storm hits their upstate New York region, the town’s river overflows and the local authorities start uncovering long-buried clues that lead them to the Parker family’s cannibalistic secret. Stunning performances from the cast add enormous weight to Jim Mickle’s superb film craft and subtle horror nuance. Stars Bill Sage, Ambyr Childers, Julia Garner, Michael Parks and Kelly McGillis.


Fri 15 July @ 10.50pm – PREY (2014) *UK TV Premiere

Originally released as Indigenous, Alastair Orr’s  exotic horror fantasy centres on five friends who meet in Panama for a vacation. While partying, they hear a native story about a beautiful waterfall deep in the jungle. Ignoring the many warnings, they set off to find the waterfall. When they reach it, the group discovers that the stories about the mythical, blood-sucking Chupabra are not only true, but that it has now developed a taste for humans.


Sat 16 July @ 10.50pm – WOLF CREEK 2 (2013) *UK TV Premiere

The gravel-voiced, sneering maniac Mick Taylor is back with a few more days to kill! Bolder. Gorier, and placed on a far bigger canvas than the original Ozploitation classic, star John Jarratt and director Greg McLean return with an even more twisted shocker. WOLF CREEK 2 maintains the original’s savagery and nerve-jangling tension, while dazzling further with a spectacular and surprising use of Down Under landscapes and creatures. Two arrogant cops, two unwitting German backpackers and a Good Samaritan British tourist become the prey for the crazed pig-shooting psycho as the outback is drenched in rivers of blood.

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel | facebook.com/horrorchannel

Film News (UK): Cannibal romantic horror TEAR ME APART available to download NOW.

Alex Lightman’s post-apocalyptic dish of murder, meat and mysticism is now available to buy or rent exclusively from www.tearmeapartmovie.com

Exclusive bundles that explore the story world more are also available for pre-order now. They include the Forgotten Women novella series with prologue written by actress Jennie Eggleton, web comics, and interviews with the cast and producers. This additional content is due to be released throughout July and August.

Synopsis: 
Living in a cave in a barren part of the Cornish landscape, two brothers turn to cannibalism to survive. Although the eldest (played by Frazer Alexander) clings to the notion that their father will reappear, bringing with him the return of the ‘old world’, the younger brother (Alfie Stewart) has no such moral compass and relishes the meat he can get from the bodies of nomadic wanderers who stray into his sights. Then one day, a different kind of prey appears, in the form of a beautiful teenager (played by Jennie Eggleton). She is possibly the last girl alive and her powerful presence ignites a sexual maelstrom. A dangerous game is about to be played. Animalism versus humanity.  Love versus survival. Love. Kill. Eat.

TEAR ME APART is directed by Alex Lightman, written by Tom Kerevan and produced by Alex Lightman, Tom Kerevan & Ern Herrmann. It stars Alfie Stewart, Jennie Eggleton and Frazer Alexander - all making their lead feature film debuts.

Receiving its World Premiere at Austin Film Festival 2015, the film is the first project from Cannibal Films, who are already in development with their second feature, a psychological thriller.

Competition: Win Ghosts on DVD

Ghosts is out on DVD on 27th June! and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to win.

Synopsis:
Six contestants win a competition to appear on a LIVE reality TV show at a secret location in rural England. The next ten hours will be spent on a paranormal investigation with a TV crew, searching for the truth behind ghost stories that haunt an old railway station museum. But something evil awaits them and soon they'll discover that they are not alone.

Win This:
Ghosts [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.

The Laughing Mask acquired by Leomark Studios; June 24 digital release

The Laughing Mask acquired by Leomark Studios; June 24 digital release

Director Michael Aguiar's indie slasher The Laughing Mask, starring John Hardy, Sheyenne Rivers, Gabriel Lee and Jeffrey Jenkins, has been acquired by Leomark Studios for digital, bowing June 24.

Jake (John Hardy) has lost his wife to the Laughing Mask killer. Recently, his daughter has been kidnapped by this same madman. Jake must work with the diligent detective, Kate O'Malley (Sheyenne Rivers), to track down this elusive man. But, where the Laughing Mask takes him, Jake is unprepared to go. Jake must deal with a strange assortment of monsters and creatures, within the Laughing Mask's darkened lair.

The film was scripted by Aguiar.

NEW TRAILER!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkWmFpnpVOU

Film news (UK): Brit films takes centre-stage in Horror Channel’s June line-up

British-made horror takes centre-stage as Horror Channel broadcasts five premieres during June, including the UK TV premiere of Christian James’ brilliantly executed British horror comedy STALLED, the network premieres of two classic British ‘sexploitation’ movies: Norman J Warren’s hypnotic sci-fi mystery PREY and Ray Austin’s tale of carnage and covens, VIRGIN WITCH.  There is also the UK TV premiere of Andreas Prodromou’s debut, Brit suspense thriller EDEN LODGE and the UK TV premiere of SIREN, Andrew Hull’s seductive sea-fearing thriller.

Full details in transmission order:

Sat 4 June @ 10.55pm – VIRGIN WITCH (1972) *Network Premiere

Betty (Vicki Michelle) and her sister Christine (Ann Michelle) are two young models who are lured by a lecherous older lesbian to spend a weekend at a country house being photographed by a trendy photographer. In reality, Ann is being set up for a virgin sacrifice and induction into a witch’s coven. Stars Ann Michelle (House of Whipcord; Haunted), Vicki Michelle (‘Allo ‘Allo) and Patricia Haines (The Night Caller). The screenplay, by one ‘Klaus Vogel’– actually a pseudonym for Hazel Adair, one of the creators of TV soap Crossroads,


Fri 10 June @ 10.50pm – STALLED (2013) *UK TV Premiere

It’s Christmas Eve. A down-on-his-luck janitor is cleaning cubicles in an office block.  Unfortunately for this forlorn floor-sweeper, he becomes trapped in the washroom the very second a zombie outbreak occurs. Will he be able to hit the emergency alarm with severed fingers and a catapult bra? Has he met his Waterloo? Will he just go potty? Or will he simply remain…STALLED? Director Christian James’ remarkable comedy horror is THE EVIL DEAD meets PHONE BOOTH in a toilet. Stars Dan Palmer, Antonia Bernath, Tamaryn Payne, Mark Holden and Giles Alderson.


Sat 11 June @ 11.05pm – PREY (1977) *Network Premiere

A carnivorous alien with a canine-like appearance arrives on earth, choosing the English countryside as his predatory location. He attacks a young couple and manifests the body of the male. Choosing a name for himself, Anderson, (Barry Stokes) he stumbles on the cottage home of two lesbian lovers, the dominant Jo (Sally Faulkner) and the sweeter, Jessica (Gloria Annen). But soon they become wary of his mysterious intentions…and for good reason! Shot in 10 days, Norman J Warren’s fantastically deranged shocker has become warmly embraced by horror fans.


Fri 17 June @ 9.00pm – SIREN (2010) *UK TV Premiere

Ken (Eoin Macken) and his girlfriend Rachel (Anna Skellern) set off on a yachting holiday, inviting along Rachel’s college friend Marco (Anthony Jabre). The trio have planned a relaxing break, which is ruined when they come across a castaway brandishing a knife and bleeding from his ears, who dies once aboard their boat. Confused and concerned, they bury his body on the island they rescued him from only to find it holds another inhabitant, the mysterious Silka (Tereza Srbova) who moves them on a path of death and destruction that they seem powerless to avoid.


Sat 18 June @ 11.00pm – EDEN LODGE (2015) *UK TV Premiere

A married couple, along with their new born baby, retreat to the idyllic English countryside in an attempt to repair their fractured marriage. However, things rapidly take a turn for the worse when their car breaks down and they are forced to spend the night at a remote bed and breakfast known as Eden Lodge. This is the debut feature from Andreas Prodromou, and stars Georgina Blackledge (The Last House on Cemetery Lane), Cyd Casados (Blood Feast 2) and Ivy Corbin (Apocalypse Z).


TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel | facebook.com/horrorchannel

Interview with Stars of cannibal horror romance "Tear Me Apart" - Alfie Stewart, Jennie Eggleton and Frazer Alexander

As this year’s meatiest post-apocalyptic cannibal horror romance TEAR ME APART gears up for its UK Theatrical Premiere and worldwide VOD release, we spoke to the three young leads, Alfie Stewart, Jennie Eggleton and Frazer Alexander to discuss their roles.

Q: For all of you this is your first lead role in a feature film. Describe your feelings when you were told you’d won the role.

 

Alfie: I was quite surprised because my audition was one of those ones where you can’t really gauge how well you’ve done. I wasn’t expecting to get the part, which made it even sweeter! I was ecstatic when I got the news. I couldn’t wait to bring the story to life.

Jennie: Overwhelming joy and excitement - and shock! At the final recall everyone was so good that I was certain I hadn’t got the role so when I got the call from my agent I was speechless! As well as being my first lead it was also one of my first professional jobs so I was thrilled to be given the chance to be part of such an amazing project.

Frazer: This was not just my first lead role, it was my first professional audition, and saying I was surprised would be a complete understatement. Completely over the moon and mildly/embarrassingly emotional would probably be the best way to describe it.

 

Q: The film deals with some pretty (forgive the pun) ‘meaty’ issues. How did you process the challenges presented?

 

Alfie: With a vivid imagination. I really tried to immerse myself in the character and the world, exploring the depths of his psyche and his place within the story. I think that once I understood the character, the ‘meaty issues’ were processed easily because they are necessary to the story. I think challenges are fun - they keep you on your toes!

 

Jennie: Whilst the film deals with issues that I hope we will never have to deal with, at its core there are issues that are pretty universal and relevant to us now - love, sex, growing up, the need to survive. I found that there was a lot of myself in Molly so when dealing with the difficult issues there were already routes that I could use to approach the character and what she has to deal with.  She can change between being innocent and manipulative very quickly, and will do almost anything to survive.  I find that complexity in such a young character fascinating.

 

Frazer: I highly doubt that I will ever get to play a character I like everything about, but it’s important as an actor to never judge the character’s flaws and their behaviour, it is part of who they are and therefore part of me whilst I am in front of the camera.  Dealing with the ‘meaty’ issue was really as simple as that, plus my character is not as open to the cannibalism side of things anyway so I’m sure this was probably slightly more of a challenge for Alfie than myself.

 

Q: The film really depends on the chemistry between the three of you, which is pretty electric. Tell us what it was like to work with each other.

 

Alife: I feel very lucky to have worked with such talented and easy-going co-stars. We had an amazing time, on and off set. There were points where it felt like Frazer was actually my brother, we bonded brilliantly. The crew were equally as amazing, and the experience of making this film was very special.

Jennie: Well, it is very rare that you are on set with the same people day in day out for a month, living together in tiny rooms, without getting on each other’s nerves, but the boys were so supportive, kind and funny that the whole process was a dream.  They both have a wicked sense of humour so I never stopped laughing. I’m glad that a fraction of our relationship has been captured on screen and that we get to share it with audiences, as it’s pretty special.

Frazer: It was a complete dream.  The chemistry was exactly the same off set as well.  I learned a massive amount about the industry from Alfie, as he has worked on a vast array of projects. Jennie is elegant by nature and the most beautiful actress. She sees things others don’t and has a wonderful grasp of the language, two traits that I would happily have worn off on me.

 

Q: Alfie, your character, although only 16 years-old, carries a highly complex mix of instincts and emotions. How much of an acting challenge was this, particularly the cannibalism scenes?

 

Alfie: It was a challenge upon which I thrived. The character fascinates me, his animalistic and boyish nature allowed for a lot of freedom and expression. Delving into the complexity of his mind was intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't actually like the meat they used in place of human flesh though. I remember spitting it out quite repulsed after each take. I think it was Parma ham from M&S. The art department were slightly annoyed that I didn't like it because it was relatively expensive! 

Q: Jennie, you play a young woman who could be the last female on the planet.  Daunting or what? Did you bring any personal feelings about such an extreme situation to the role?

Jennie: HA - yeah, no pressure there!  That was one of the themes that attracted me about the script early on.  She is dealing with the weight of that, what she has seen done to other women in her past, how men treat her, and also how her sexuality can be powerful.  It’s an incredibly complex situation to be in. I’m a feminist and I definitely brought my own feelings on equality and the treatment of women to Molly. 

Q.  Frazer, as the older brother you carry the darkest, most violent threat in the film.  Yet you are also perhaps the most vulnerable of the three.  Was this a difficult balance to achieve?

 

Frazer: Yeah, it was difficult during the initial stages of the rehearsal process.  It was important to remember that the character had not actually been brought up in a normal family, he survived solely on his own intuition and a naïve one at that.  The character does have some awful flaws, but that being said, I hope the audience manage to relate to him and realise that he is not all bad. He does have his brother’s best interests at heart.

 

Q: What do you hope audiences will take from the film?

 

Alfie: First and foremost I hope that the audience is entertained. I also hope that the story captures their imaginations and makes them think about some of the themes. My character has been brought up in a world extremely different from the one we currently live in and has therefore grown into a more primitive, instinctive and animalistic being. Constantly inundated with comforts, we often forget that we are animals, we are PART OF nature and not separate from it. It is an interesting thing to ponder. I hope the film inspires creativity and impresses people.

Jennie: I hope as well as enjoying the amazing landscapes and Ern’s beautiful shots, they take away a story of three young people growing up.  I think the undercurrent of this film is a touching coming-of-age story, exploring how they negotiate their way through growing up under pretty dire circumstances!

Frazer: I hope the audiences enjoy the film as much as we all enjoyed making it.  I hope people argue over which characters they preferred and who was right and wrong in their actions, I really hope some of them side with the older brother as well!

 

Q: Although not strictly a horror film, genre fans will embrace its dark themes and execution. Are you horror film fans? Do you have a favourite horror film?

 

Alfie: I think that horror films can sometimes be overwrought with clichés, and quite predictable. However, when an original idea is executed well and the film isn't tainted by cheese they can be thoroughly entertaining and unsettling. I appreciate the darkness. ‘The Babadook’ is an excellent horror film, definitely one of my favourites.

Jennie: I have to say I generally don’t watch many horror films.  Whenever I do I end up lying in bed replaying the whole film in my head and imagining shadows are people! ‘The Shining’ is my sort of scary movie - the one that plays with your mind.

Frazer: I love ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, Anthony Hopkins’ performance is nothing short of impeccable and the relationship between Hannibal Lector and Clarice Stirling was encapsulating to watch.

 

Q: Finally, what are all you up to next?

 

Alfie: Playing my guitar religiously, waiting for the phone to ring. Aside from that I’ve filmed an episode of Channel 5’s ‘Suspects’, which will air later this year.  

 

Jennie: I’m currently auditioning - so watch this space!

 

Frazer: I’ve recently signed with Cole Kitchenn and I’m excited about the future and what it holds in store.

 

TEAR ME APART is released online on June 17, 2016, following its UK theatrical premiere at The Genesis, Whitechapel, on June 16.

Competition: Win Freshwater DVD

Freshwater is out on DVD on 6th June! and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies to win.

Synopsis:
Lake Charles in Louisiana is the idyllic spot to catch some sun and enjoy the tranquil miles of freshwater. When a group of 20-somethings meet up at their island lake house for a weekend of partying, one of the friends never shows up.

As more lake visitors are yanked underwater by what seems to be some giant alligators, the screams bring the group out of the lake house. Frantically discovering their boat has drifted away, they have to watch helplessly as more of their friends are pulled under the water. Will anyone get off the island alive, in one piece? Something more sinister seems to be at play…

Win This:
Freshwater [DVD]

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