Interview with Chris Sivertson, director of Monstrous

 

Ahead of the UK digital release of his feature film MONSTROUS, writer / director Chris Sivertson talks about the joy of working with Christina Ricci, monstrous inspirations and why horror films are our modern day fairy tales.


What drew you to take the helm on MONSTROUS, given that you usually direct films you’ve either written or co-written?

Christina Ricci was already attached to the script when it came to me so that was a huge draw. I’ve loved her as an actress for decades and have always admired the interesting choices she makes in material. Then I got even more excited when I read the script. I just thought it was a beautiful and emotional story and it clicked perfectly with my sensibilities. I saw pretty clearly what I could bring to it as a filmmaker.


You drew a magnificent performance from Christina Ricci. What was it like directing her?

I had a fantastic time working with Christina. She has extensive experience and is such a great talent. Her instincts about the character were deeply intuitive. It’s an intense role because the material is pretty heavy. And on a practical level it was very demanding because she is essentially in every scene of the movie. It’s a true character study and the character is put through an emotional rollercoaster. Christina is able to delve into deep and dark emotions very quickly and then she’s able to let go of those feelings just as quickly - at least that’s how it seemed from my perspective. That ability of hers made for a very enjoyable working experience. Even when we were dealing with some pretty depressing stuff, her professionalism and wicked sense of humour kept things fun on set. That was important because we had so many logistical challenges in making a pretty ambitious low budget movie during the height of the pandemic. The crew loved her.


You’ve described the film as an emotional fairy-tale. Can you elaborate?

I’ve always loved fairy tales. I started my first movie ‘The Lost’ with a “Once upon a time” title card to make it clear that it doesn’t take place in the real world. I was talking to Kate Dolan (‘You Are Not My Mother’) at FrightFest Glasgow and she said she considered horror movies to be our modern fairy tales and I completely agree. Fairy tales vacillate between being beautiful and horrific. The laws of normal logic don’t apply - it’s the emotional truth to the stories that’s important. That’s what I responded to when I first read the script for Monstrous - the emotional truth of the main character Laura’s journey. There’s a scene where she’s reading Billy Goat’s Gruff to her son before bedtime - and that was the feeling I wanted the whole movie to have - a bedtime story with a very clear emotional arc to it.



What were the challenges of setting a film in the 50s?

The main challenge was figuring out how to create believable 50s sets on our small budget. We spent a lot of time location scouting and found some great places to use. But then it was up to our Production Designer, Mars Feehery, to actually transform them into beautiful 50s sets. There were several points during pre-production where it seemed impossible to pull off what we needed with the money we had, but Mars worked tirelessly to make this a reality. Morgan DeGroff, our Costume Designer, made a lot of the gorgeous outfits that Christina wears by hand. And our cinematographer Senda Bonnet’s work is stunning. The whole team put in so much attention to detail. Being on set once we started shooting felt magical. It was like we were in our own little 1950s fantasy world.


What inspired your monster creation?

The monster first comes out of a pond, so the initial inspiration was water itself and also aquatic creatures - both real and imaginary. Water and liquid were important because the creature is a shape-shifter. It is able to take on different forms out of water. That gave us license to not just have one single monster look, but to create several different looks that the creature could inhabit. We also got to make a movie-within-the-movie that we see parts of on TV - a 50s creature feature in the vein of ‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’, so that movie was a definite influence as well.

You burst on the genre scene with The Lost (2006), your superb adaptation of Jack Ketchum’s crime novel. Do you intend to do any more literary adaptations?

Definitely. Over the past year or so I have adapted some really awesome twisty thrillers written by novelist Adele Parks. I don’t know when those will be made, but Adele is a great writer and I’m excited to see those stories come to life. And years ago I wrote an adaptation of a horror novel written by an author that fans of Jack Ketchum will know well. I’m still hoping that movie will see the light of day eventually, but I can’t say the title right now because certain rights issues need to be worked out again before it can move forward.


You further gained cult fandom with your Lindsay Lohan starring film I Know Who Killed Me. Why do you think that has happened, given its initial negative reception?

It was such a bizarre movie, released by a major studio during the peak of the summer movie season. I consider that one a fairy tale too. We even had Lindsay busting open a Snow White sort of glass coffin at the end of the movie to be reunited with her long lost sister - straight out of a fairy tale. The movie is filled with strange tonal shifts - there’s melodrama, humour and extreme violence - sometimes all within the same scene. I think all of the things that people hated about it when it came out are what some people embrace now. Of course there are plenty of people who still think it’s terrible, and that’s a fair opinion, but I think the fact that it’s so strange has given it a much longer life than anyone expected.


You’re known for your collaborations with Lucky McKee (All Cheerleaders Die). Any plans to work together in the future?

I imagine we will work together in some capacity sooner or later. We always read each other’s scripts and watch various cuts of each other’s movies. We have a couple scripts and stories that we’ve worked on over the years that have yet to be made - including one unfinished project that is more epic in scope than anything we’ve done before.


Is it important to you to remain an indie director?

Not really. Indie productions don’t necessarily offer more creative freedom than studio productions. They definitely can in some cases, but indies can be plagued with all the same politics and interference that studio productions are known for. Studios obviously offer more resources and a larger canvas to work on, so that’s a huge appeal. But indies still tend to be the current place where the more interesting and unexpected material is made - but that’s certainly not always the case.


Finally, what’s next?

As a director, I’m not sure what will happen next. As a writer I have plenty to keep me busy. I’ve had my hands full with writing assignments and I also have my own original scripts that I’m developing - some of which I’ve been toying with for years. It’s kind of nice when an older project that I thought was dead suddenly becomes a possibility again. That’s been happening recently, so we’ll see what the future holds!


MONSTROUS will be released in the UK on Monday 11h July, courtesy of Koch Films. It will be available via Amazon, as well as Sky Store, Virgin Movies, Apple TV / iTunes, Google Play, Rakuten TV and Xbox.

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/3zTzscw

Interview with Layton Eversaul By David Kempf

When did you first become interested in horror movies?

I’ve loved horror from a terribly young age (probably around 6 or 7-years-old), and my parents really didn’t monitor what I watched whatsoever. Growing up in the 1990s, while even the tamest of horror movies would scare me back then I couldn’t help but want to see more. So, I guess you could say that it’s been a life-long obsession.  

What gave you the idea for your channel and getting on YouTube?

Obviously I’m not alone in making retrospective videos, and several other Youtubers definitely inspired and influenced me to start my own channel on the subject, but I’ve also loved behind the scenes documentaries ever since I was a child, which is probably the result of the very nature of VHS, because they would usually stick the bonus content in front of the movie - my parents probably had no idea I was even consuming all this. But, at the core of it, I find the personal experiences from cast and crew, as well as the studio politics aspect endlessly fascinating, and I believe that you can’t truly know the story of how a film was made without exploring these aspects.  

I love the behind the scenes information. How do you research?

My research method has definitely evolved over the years, but it always starts the same: Wikipedia. While Wikipedia is somewhat unreliable and usually ends up leaving out a whole lot of context, it’s a great place to start to help structure my video and find the “bones” of the story. As I move through the paragraphs on Wikipedia I independently research each name and subject that is mentioned through deep Google searches, sometimes finding what I’m looking for in the most obscure places (old blogs, chat boards, galleries, etc.). Once I’ve gone through the information on Wikipedia, and have weeded out any misleading or incorrect statements, I jump over to another basic but valuable resource: IMDb. There, I basically perform the same method, including using the Trivia page. Sometimes if there’s a discrepancy between the two resources, then I have to turn to a third resource (like Box Office Mojo or whatever is appropriate) to reconcile the difference. I also come across quite a bit of interesting information while researching clips and pictures to use in the video, so this always ends up adding the final touches to my script. In some cases, I’ve even had to check out a book from the library, but that’s not as common. After all of my online research is completed, I usually turn to the DVD or Blu-Ray. If there’s an audio commentary then I always listen to that first and take notes, otherwise I take notes from the behind the scenes features.

How did you develop an interest in fantasy/horror?

The earliest movies I remember watching in these genres were 1933’s “King Kong” and the original “Jaws”, but I was also into comic books and comic book movies, especially Batman and Superman, so it was likely a combination of all these early influences. However, there was also this T.V. show on Nickelodeon called “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”, which was a children’s horror anthology show from Canada, and I watched that religiously every Saturday night in the early 90’s.  

Is this a full time job?

Unfortunately not; it’s primarily supplementary income right now. Many of my videos are un-monetized due to copyright claims, and even though my content falls under Fair Use, it’s often not worth it to fight the studios on the matter, although I have before and won. I also have a Patreon account where I receive monthly donations from pledged supporters, which really helps.   

Do you have any plans to make films or write fiction yourself?

Yes, definitely. I’ve been writing novels or scripts since I was twelve-years-old and don’t see that changing anytime soon. As far publishing goes, however, I haven’t worked up the courage to do that quite yet (I’m kind of a perfectionist). To no one’s surprise, I mostly enjoy writing in the horror/fantasy genre, but I have dabbled in literary fiction, as well. I’d say I’ve made more attempts at novel writing than screenwriting, but if I ever write a script worth producing I’d rather direct it myself.  

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

When it comes to horror, everyone likes being scared, and whether they want to admit it or not, everyone has some level of morbid curiosity - we all want a peak behind the curtain of death. Fantasy is raw escapism, like dreaming, and even liberating in some ways. The idea that you can just make up your own world, from top to bottom, and tell a meaningful story within it is far too enticing to ever fall out of popularity. I don’t think either genre, of which there are numerous blends, are going anywhere - they are born from what we are on a primal level and you can’t get rid of that. 

What inspires you?

Seeing someone else’s accomplishment and wondering if I could do it too. I think that’s the very foundation of why I became interested in the world filmmaking. It wasn’t just enough for me to see Oz, I had to meet the Wizard.   

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

American horror, in its most consumable form, is much more action-focused and bombastic in general, usually packaged as some kind of thrill ride. British horror tends to lean more heavily into atmosphere and mystery-building, an element often left undercooked in U.S. horror. To put it musically, American horror is rock n’ roll and British horror is a string quartet. 

What are your favorite horror books?

As cliched as it is, Stephen King is at the top of my list in horror fiction - I mean, how can he not be? And I’ll be covering plenty of his adaptations on my channel. That being said, Jonathan Mayberry, Dean Koontz, Victor LaValle, and even King’s son, Joe Hill, are really fun reads, as well. I also enjoy reading the classics, Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” being among my all-time favorites, along with the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe.

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Oh boy. Just to name a few off the top of my head:

The Thing

The Howling

Let the Right One In

Interview with the Vampire

Hour of the Wolf

The Exorcist

The Exorcist III

Psycho (1960)

An American Werewolf in London

The Prowler

Evilspeak

Nosferatu (1922 and 1979)

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Halloween (most of them)

Friday the 13th (even the bad ones)

Creepshow

Deep Red

The Stuff

Killer Klowns form Outer Space

Do you have any advice for folks who want to create a YouTube channel?

First and foremost, be yourself. It sounds simple, but if you are true to yourself and you believe in your own voice, then people will want to watch. Don’t follow trends and don’t pander, and always put quality before quantity. And, lastly, don’t worry about making mistakes, that’s how you learn and grow.    

           

Do you have any advice for new writers or filmmakers?

Break the rules. 

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

It’s a fantastic way for independent authors to have their voices heard and to get a seat at the table. I have no idea how this is effecting the publishing companies, but the more writers getting their work out there the better. 

What are your current projects?

As far as videos go, I’m currently working on two: “The Story of Friday the 13th Part II” and, for a change, a martial arts movie, “The Story of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” “Friday the 13th” will probably be out before “Crouching Tiger”. I’ve got so many video ideas and yet so little time. 

As far as my writing is concerned, I’m always bouncing back and forth between a million ideas - some take flight and some don’t. Creatively, I just like to go where the wind takes me.  

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

Layton Eversaul has been creating Youtube film reviews and analysis’s since 2014, as well as in-depth film retrospectives since 2017. While his channel mostly focuses on horror, he has covered a wide variety of cinematic genres, and hopes to provide both entertaining and educational content for those who match his eclectic movie tastes. Layton’s channel continues to evolve as he strives to make each video to a higher standard than the last, and wants his channel to be a resource for those interested in the process and history of filmmaking.

Check Out Layton's Youtube page at https://www.youtube.com/c/DoctorFilmReviews/

And Layton's Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/LaytonReviews/

Horror Channel continues to unlock THE VINTAGE VAULT this June with four more Sunday night classic genre double-bills

This June, Horror Channel once again journeys into the history of genre cinema with THE VINTAGE VAULT, presenting double-bills of classic sci-fi and horror films every Sunday night.

The vault is unlocked on Sunday June 5th with Nathan Juran’s Ray Harryhausen inspired 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. This is paired with Fred F. Sears’ rampaging alien bird yarn THE GIANT CLAW. Then on Sunday June 12th, we have THE MONOLITH MONSTERS, in which the world is attacked by thirsty giant crystals, followed by the beastly mutant classic THE DEADLY MANTIS.

 

On Sunday June 19th, the brilliantly lurid THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957), directed by Terence Fisher, hits our screens, followed by drive-in favourite THE BLOB, starring Steve McQueen. Finally on Sunday June 26th, a Terence Fisher double-bill as the hypnotically sensual and gory DRACULA (1958) swoops onto the channel. This adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic launched Cushing and Christopher Lee into global stardom. This is followed by Fisher’s equally successful adaptation of the classic Universal monster movies, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, again starring the incomparable Peter Cushing.

 

Full film details in transmission order:

Sunday 5 June @ 21:00 – 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957)

A manned space flight from Venus crash lands in the Mediterranean, losing its most precious cargo: reptilian eggs from the planet's surface. Italian zoologist (Frank Puglia), his American granddaughter, Marisa (Joan Taylor), and returned astronaut Calder (William Hopper) must battle to the creature before it destroys everything in its path.

 

Sunday 5 June @ 22:35 – THE GIANT CLAW (1957)

When a strange flying object is spotted, it is believed to be a UFO. However, it turns out to be an extraterrestrial bird made of anti-matter which leaves a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

 

Sunday 12 June @ 21:00 – THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (1957)

A meteor crashes in the desert, leaving behind huge black chunks. While being analysed in a science lab, the crystalline stones are accidentally drenched with water and begin to grow to gargantuan dimensions. A sudden rainstorm further exacerbates the situation, causing the monoliths to grow to hitherto unimagined heights. Can the world be saved by the saline solution which the scientists are hurriedly developing in the lab?

Sunday 12 June @ 22:30 – THE DEADLY MANTIS (1957)

When a giant insect attacks several people in a remote Arctic region, Col. Joe Parkham (Craig Stevens) swings into action. Parkham and his associates, Dr. Ned Jackson (William Hopper) and Ned's assistant Margie Blake (Alix Talton), track the predatory mantis as it heads southward to Washington DC.

Sunday 19 June @ 21:00 – THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957)

Scientist Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) will stop at nothing in his quest to reanimate a deceased body and assembles a hideous creature (Christopher Lee) out of dead body parts. He succeeds in bringing it to life, but the monster is not as obedient or docile as Frankenstein expected…

Sunday 19 June @ 22:40 - THE BLOB (1958)

Two teenagers, Steve (Steve McQueen) and his best girl, Jane (Aneta Corseaut), notice a shooting star fall to earth, destroying an elderly man and growing to a terrifying size. The blob continues to grow, killing many, until the teenagers, with the, initially reluctant aid, of policeman Dave (Earl Rowe) discover a way to stop it.

Sunday 26 June @ 21:00 - DRACULA (1958)

On a search for his missing friend, Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen), vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is led to Count Dracula's (Christopher Lee) castle, where he finds an undead Harker in Dracula's crypt and discovers that the count's next target is Harker's ailing fiancée, Lucy Holmwood (Carol Marsh). With the help of her brother, Arthur (Michael Gough), Van Helsing is determined to protect Lucy and put an end to Count Dracula's parasitic reign of terror.

Sunday 26 June @ 22:35 - THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957)

Having escaped execution and assumed an alias, Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) transplants his deformed underling's brain into a perfect body, but the effectiveness of the process and the secret of his identity soon begin to unravel. Directed by Terence Fisher, this was a sequel to THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and the second instalment of Hammer’s Frankenstein series.

TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138

COMPETITION: Win The Terror: Season 2 "Infamy" on Blu-ray

The Terror: Season 2 "Infamy" - Released from 23rd May

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

Synopsis: 

Lauded series The Terror garnered international acclaim from critics and viewers alike and now with a brand-new premise and setting but with the same stunning production values and gripping story lines, the second series The Terror: Infamy is set to hit our screens. Following its run on BBC2, the series is set for its Blu-ray, DVD, and digital release from Acorn Media International on 23 May 2022. The Terror One and Two Box set will also be available on Blu-ray and DVD.

 

The Terror: Infamy is a thrilling supernatural series set against the backdrop of World War II and the Japanese internment camps and boasts powerful performances from an outstanding cast of international talent. The line-up includes a stand-out turn from renowned actor George Takei (Star Trek) who himself spent time in an internment camp as a child and acted as a historical consultant on the drama.  

Chester (Derek Mio – Grey’s Anatomy, Geek) lives with his family on Terminal Island, a few miles south of Los Angeles, just off the coast of California. He and his father, Henry (Shingo Usami – Unbroken), are fishermen but Chester seeks more. He’s in love with a Spanish-American student named Luz Ojeda (Cristina Rodlo – Miss Bala, Too Old to Die Young) and doesn’t understand why his immigrant mother, Asako (Naoko Mori – Torchwood) and father choose to remain confined to a small swath of the big world – especially after travelling so far in the pursuit of freedom.

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbour, the family’s comfortable life is about to change forever as they’re forcibly uprooted and shipped off to an internment camp, where fear lurks in both supernatural and human form.

A string of relentless, brutal and bizarre deaths haunts the community, and Chester and his family are menaced by a mysterious and murderous shapeshifting entity. What spirit lies behind The Terror, and can the family overcome it and save those dearest to them?

Craftily weaving a semi-historical narrative with modern parallels, co-creators Max Borenstein (Godzilla) and Alexander Woo (True Blood) deliver an enthralling and potent exploration of monstrosity – both mythical and man-made. The Terror: Infamy is an unsettling, compelling and captivating must-watch.

Pre-Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3LbyslS

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 30-05-22
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.

Horror Channel launches assault of premieres for June plus further seasons of FARSCAPE

Ryan Simon’s British supernatural chiller DEMON EYE, starring Darren Day, and Liam Fox, and Brad Baruh’s Coen-sequel mystery thriller NIGHT DRIVE, starring AJ Bowen and Sophie Dalah, both receive Friday night UK TV premieres on Horror Channel.

There are also channel premieres for John Carpenter’s cult classic ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and Finnish-German sci-fi Nazi horror spoof IRON SKY: THE COMING RACE, directed by Timo Vuorensola (Iron Sky) and starring Udo Kier, reprising his role as Adolf Hitler.

Plus, cult classic FARSCAPE returns with the channel premieres of Season 3 and 4. This Australian-American Sci-Fi TV series, created by Rockne S, O’Bannon, has proved s big hit with Horror Channel audiences.

Full details in transmission order:

From Thurs 2 June @ 18:00 – FARSCAPE: SEASON 3 (2001) *Channel Premiere

Crichton remains a virtual prisoner in the Ice Planet lab. Now that the chip – and the clone - implanted in Crichton's brain have been removed, Scorpius is free to examine the secrets of the wormhole technology. However, something is awry. An imprint of the Scorpius Clone remains trapped inside Crichton's mind. Faced with this intolerable existence, the clone tells John that there is only one way to escape the unholy partnership – Crichton must die.

Fri 3 June @ 21:00 – DEMON EYE (209) *UK TV Premiere

Inspired by the 1850’s tale of the Saddleworth Witch, a young woman returns to her father’s country house on the moors, following his mysterious death, and finds a cursed amulet, connected to local witchcraft. She discovers the amulet has dark powers and will grant you your greatest wish, but in return, she must unlock two deadly demons…

Sat 4 June @ 21:00 – ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976) *Channel Premiere

An LA gang’s revenge-fuelled killing spree leads them to a half-abandoned police station in the throes of closing down. Under siege with power and phone lines cut, a lone cop and his skeleton staff recruit a condemned killer from the cells in a desperate battle to survive the night. As the gang close in the tension escalates to boiling point in John Carpenter’s brutal and unrelenting cult classic.

Friday 10 June @ 22:45 – NIGHT DRIVE (2021) *UK TV Premiere

Russell (AJ Bowen) is a taxi driver in LA, who’s reeling from a series of bad decisions. While his life seems to be caught in a downward spiral, a business proposition from an enigmatic passenger (Sophie Dalah) proves too good to turn down. A simple ride turns deadly, catapulting Russell into an even darker place, but his alluring passenger may be the key to the second chance he thought he’d never have...if he can make it through the night.

Fri 17 June @ 21:00 – IRON SKY: THE COMING RACE (2019) *Channel Premiere

Twenty years after the events of Iron Sky, the former Nazi Moonbase has become the last refuge of mankind. Earth was devastated by a nuclear war, but buried deep under the wasteland lays a power that could save the last of humanity - or destroy it once and for all. The truth behind the creation of mankind will be revealed when an old enemy leads our heroes on an adventure into the Hollow Earth. To save humanity they must fight the Vril, an ancient shapeshifting reptilian race and their army of dinosaurs.

From Thurs 30 June @ 18:00 – FARSCAPE: SEASON 4 (2002) *Channel Premiere

Continuing work on his theories of wormhole technology, Crichton ekes out an existence on board Elack - an old, dying Leviathan. The peace is shattered by the intrusion of a female alien, Sikozu, and a squad of Grudek mercenaries intent on harvesting Elack's neural tissue. Crichton fights to save his new home, his struggle hindered by the Grudeks' pet: a vicious and deadly alien canine called the Brindz Hound.

TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138

COMPETITION: Win Wyrmwood: Apocalypse on Blu-ray

Wyrmwood: Apocalypse  - Released from 16nd May

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

Synopsis: 

Having thrilled UK audiences – and sated horror fans’ thirst for bloody-bedlam on its UK premiere at FrightFest Glasgow, now Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is set for its Blu-ray, DVD, and digital release on 16 May from 101 Films. Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and Wyrmwood: Apocalypse will also be available as a Blu-ray double set.

Australian brothers Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner have penned another gut-splattering sensation with this fantastically frenzied feature, so get set for a hellish, high-octane return to the Aussie outback for some outlandish, blood-oozing rampaging zombie action in Wyrmwood: Apocalypse, the highly anticipated sequel to cult-classic Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead.

In a zombie infested Australian wasteland, hard-edged soldier Rhys (Luke McKenzie – Jack Irish) – who uses zombies as fuel for his barbie – dedicates his days to tracking down and capturing survivors of the Zombie apocalypse for the Surgeon (Nicholas Boshier – The Moth Effect) in hope of finding a cure for the zombie plague. But all is not as it seems, and Rhys’ moralistic misadventures are much more macabre than he knows...

This playfully deranged zombie-action thrill-ride will leave audiences with little time to catch their breath, but plenty of time to savour the spectacle.

Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is gory good fun at its most explosive.

Pre-Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3LTjt14

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 23-05-22
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 Stewart Sparke

Ahead of Horror Channel’s UK TV Premiere of BOOK OF MONSTERS, on May 14, director Stewart Sparke talks about the influence of horror fans, his obsession with the Alien franchise and collaborating with horror icon Nicholas Vince.


Did you know from a young age that you wanted to be a film director?

I remember first realising that I wanted to make films during one of many viewings of ‘The Mummy’ (1999) on VHS in my bedroom on an old 15” TV. I became quite obsessed with the film and tried to make all my friends come over to watch it because I wanted to share all the amazing trivia about how they made the special effects. This sparked the idea that perhaps I could make my own films and so my first effort was to remake the entirety of the Phantom Menace in my bedroom with myself and my friends miming along to the audio of the VHS being played in the background. I didn’t even have a camcorder back then, so we shot the whole thing from a webcam mounted to the top of my computer monitor! Things escalated from there and I have been making films ever since, although I’m glad to say that we upgraded from the fixed webcam long ago!


How did Book of Monsters come about?

Book of Monsters was the result of myself and writer Paul Butler’s love of all things 80s horror. We love movies like Evil Dead 2, The Monster Squad and Fright Night. We developed a story designed to be filmed on a low budget in a single studio set over just a few weeks and doubled down on our commitment to practical effects, bringing in the fantastic team from DDFX Studio to create our monsters!

The movie was also heavily influenced by the horror community who, via Kickstarter, actually chose which monsters showed up in the movie and how some of our hapless characters were brutally dispatched! I’m still really proud to say that Book of Monsters is very much a movie made for horror fans, by horror fans as they had a huge hand in the way everything turned out on screen!


It’s very different to you first feature, The Creature Below, was this a deliberate choice?

As a psychological horror movie, ‘The Creature Below’ took itself very seriously which was something of a blessing and a curse to shoot. On the one hand, Paul and I loved drawing upon the Lovecraft mythos for inspiration and playing with the serious themes of madness and motherhood in a very domestic setting. At the same time however, we had so much fun with the practical effects creatures in the film that we felt somewhat shackled by the serious tone which restricted us from doing some of the more camp, 80s inspired, silly fun that you can have with a killer squid monster that you’re keeping in your basement. Which is why, when it came time to make ‘Book of Monsters’ that we fully committed to going all out on a practical effects driven movie with lots of opportunity to have some Gremlins 2 style fun!


Did it take long to cast?

We already knew going in that we wanted to bring back some of the fantastic cast that we’d had the pleasure of working with on The Creature Below but this time in very different roles. Anna Dawson (Arya), Michaela Longden (Mona) and Daniel S. Thrace (Gary) all returned to be splattered with buckets of fake blood and were fully on board for the shift to a more comedic tone this time round. Lizzie Arryn-Stanton had previously auditioned for our last film and we immediately thought of her for the role of Beth, making our job very easy! For our lead Sophie, the incredibly talented Lyndsey Craine came on very early in development as we knew immediately that she could convey the sweet and unassuming nature of our final girl who could swing a chainsaw with the best of them.


What was it like working with the legend that is Nicholas Vince?

Working with Nick was an absolute dream come true! We were lucky enough to have met him a few times at FrightFest and had the pleasure of being guests on his horror themed interview series Chattering with Nicholas Vince when we were promoting ‘The Creature Below’ (he is now hosting the brilliant The Chattering Hour on YouTube which is well worth checking out!). As someone who is known for playing horrific monsters on film, we really wanted to give Nick a completely different role in ‘Book of Monsters’ and he excelled in the movie as Sophie’s father.

Was it a tough shoot as it takes place in just one location?

 

Having the single location of Sophie’s house made things an absolute dream to shoot! We built the entire interior of the house at Prime Studios in Leeds which is just next to ITV’s old Emmerdale studios. Having a set build rather than an actual location meant that we had so much more control over lighting and could do whatever we wanted when it came to flinging fake blood and guts all over the walls! With everyone being confined to the studio for two weeks the set almost started to feel like home by the end of the shoot and it was sad to see it all taken down when we wrapped shooting.


It has a cool retro vibe to it; was the feeling and tone of the movie influenced by horror from the 80s and 90s?

Writer Paul Butler and I were hugely influenced by 80s and 90s horror. Since the movie came out people have likened it to everything from ‘Spookies’ to ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and they’re not wrong! We drew inspiration from the entire spectrum of horror from those decades, specifically creature features which we absolutely adore. A huge part of my childhood was wearing out VHS copies of ‘Tremors’, ‘Gremlins’ and ‘Aliens’ which all burned into my brain and influenced so many moments in Book of Monsters!


There’s a lot of practical effects here for fans of old school horror, was this a deliberate choice?

We made a commitment to have all of the film’s monsters realised with practical effects as soon as we had settled on the basic concept of the movie. As huge fans of old school horror, it was incredibly important to us that we paid tribute to the genre and did things how they would have been done in the 80s. CGI has its place and we did end up using it to enhance a few effects but when it came to the monsters themselves, we knew it could only be practical. The beauty of practical effects creatures is that they are a real, tangible presence on set that the actors can interact with and react to. Even if it’s a performer in a rubber suit, once you get the lighting right and slather on the slime, the monster comes alive in a way that CGI can never realise. It’s also an amazing feeling to see everyone on the cast and crew light up with joy every time we had an actual monster on set!


Did you have much budget to play with?

The entire budget for ‘Book of Monsters’ was probably the equivalent to what a Hollywood movie would spend on just a single shot so I’m proud of what our amazing cast and crew were able to achieve on such a tiny budget. We have the incredible international horror community to thank for making the film a reality in the first place as most of the film’s budget was raised on Kickstarter. Without their belief in us and the movie, I wouldn’t be talking about it with you right now, so I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who backed the Kickstarter campaign and the outpouring of support that we’ve seen for the film since its release!


Are you a big fan of monster movies and do you have a favourite?

I absolutely adore monster movies and my all-time favourite is ‘Aliens’! I’m obsessed with the Alien franchise in general and the Lovecraft-esque mystery of the Xenomorph as a monster is so intriguing to me. ‘Aliens’ really expanded that mythology with the Queen and it’s a movie I can watch repeatedly without ever getting bored. Coming in at a close second is ‘The Thing’ with a creature design that is just stunning in every way. Rob Bottin’s work on that movie is timeless and the monster is truly terrifying. The defibrillation scene completely blew my mind when I first saw it and it's movies like that which inspire me every day.


You’re a multi-talented creative, do you have a favourite job?

Directing is certainly my favourite role as there’s nothing quite like being on set with passionate, like-minded people who love monsters as much as you do. The reward of seeing something you’ve spent months (or sometimes years) visualising in your head suddenly materialise in front of you is unparalleled. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have directed two features and on both I was blessed with cast and crew who poured everything into making the films the best they could be.


So, what are you up to at the moment?

Since ‘Book of Monsters’, myself and Paul Butler have been busy working on the script for our next movie which will be produced by our studio, Dark Rift Horror. We’re excited to start shooting the movie this summer and whilst we can’t reveal anything just yet, fans of old school, practical effects driven monster movies will be very happy!

Dark Rift Horror is also working with the wonderful Nicholas Vince to adapt his one-man stage show I Am Monsters into a feature film which has been such a privilege for us. Those who were lucky enough to see the show during its run will know how witty, fascinating, and uplifting Nick’s story is and we’ve had a blast working with him to give it a cinematic feel that does justice to his incredible journey.

Finally, we’ve been working with some hugely talented indie horror filmmakers to bring their movies to Blu-ray later this year under our new Dark Rift Presents label. We had great success when we released ‘Book of Monsters’ as a UK exclusive Collector’s Edition Blu-ray last year and that inspired us to give more indie horror movies the premium physical media release they deserve. We will be announcing our first two titles later this year, but horror fans can expect plenty of practical effects driven blood and guts with a darkly comedic edge!

BOOK OF MONSTERS will be broadcast on Horror Channel on Saturday May 14, 10.55pm.

COMPETITION: Win The Boy Behind the Door on Blu-ray

The Boy Behind the Door - Released from 2nd May

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

Synopsis: 

The Boy Behind The Door is the dramatic and evocative feature film debut from writing-directing duo David Charbonier and Justin Powell. This Shudder Original from the talented team – who went on to create the critically acclaimed horror The Djinn – has been described by the NME as ‘practically flawless’ and is now set for its UK Blu-ray, DVD and digital release, from Acorn Media International.

The film, set for its UK physical premiere on 2 May 2022, is unrelentingly fast-paced and conjures up the nerve-jangling sense of dread of a childhood nightmare.

A night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis – This Is Us) and best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey – The Djinn) when they are abducted on their way home from school and taken to a house surrounded by miles of bleak, dark country in every direction.

Bobby manages to escape his confines and quietly navigates the dark halls in a bid for escape, but when he hears Kevin’s screams, he realises he can’t leave his friend behind... Avoiding his kidnapper (Kristin Bauer van Straten – True Blood) and her menacing acquaintance (Micah Hauptman – Everest) at every turn and with no means of calling for help, Bobby embarks on a high-stakes rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive...or die trying.

Filmed from the perspective of the two young protagonists The Boy Behind the Door tackles an undeniably dark and disturbing subject matter, while giving audiences a gripping and commanding tale of endurance and alliance in the face of evil.

What ensues is a suspenseful, chilling and expertly crafted game of cat and mouse, so tense that viewers will watch with the same trepidation as The Boy Behind The Door.

Pre-Order DVD from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3kbCoYE

Pre-Order Blu-ray from Amazon at https://amzn.to/38hrXAb

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 09-05-22
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.

Horror Channel celebrates history of genre cinema with THE VINTAGE VAULT

Starting in May, Horror Channel journeys into the history of genre cinema with THE VINTAGE VAULT, which will present double-bills of classic sci-fi and horror films every Sunday night.

The season premieres on Sunday May 1st with THE INVISIBLE MAN, in which Claude Rains delivers a remarkable performance in his screen debut. This is paired with BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, the celebrated sequel to the 1931 classic with Boris Karloff reprising his role as the monster. Then on Sunday May 8th, we have Christy Cabanne’s frightening chiller masterpiece THE MUMMY’S HAND, followed by FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN, featuring the original Wolfman, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's monster.

On Sunday May 15th the heart-pounding Alien invasion classic IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, hits our screens, followed by pulp-horror favourite TARANTULA. Sunday May 22nd brings us REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, the sequel to Universal's fabulously successful The Creature from the Black Lagoon, twinned with mutant octopus-rampaging IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA. Finally, on Sunday May 29th, Fred F. Sears’ saucer-invading caper EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS, crash lands on the channel, followed by the subterranean monster thriller THE MOLE PEOPLE, ,

Full film details in transmission order:

Sun 1 May @ 21:00 – THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)

Claude Rains plays a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives at a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discovery. But the same drug that renders him invisible slowly drives him to commit acts of unspeakable terror. Based on H.G. Wells' classic novel and directed by the master of macabre James Whale, The Invisible Man not only fuelled a host of sequels, but also features some special effects that are still imitated today.

Sun 1 May @ 22:25 – BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

This celebrated sequel to the 1931 classic finds Mary Shelley's monster alive and well and forcing the good baron to create a mate. Horror film icon Boris Karloff reprises his role as Dr. Frankenstein's fabled creation and Elsa Lanchester co-stars as his monstrous lady love.

Sun 8 May @ 21:00 – THE MUMMY’S HAND (1940)

Two broke archaeologists, Steve Banning (Dick Foran) and Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford), head to Egypt to uncover the legendary sarcophagus of Princess Ananka. Not only is the tomb cursed, it has its own guard - an eternal mummy named Kharis! When expedition members start dying at the mummy’s hand, it’ll take wits and courage to survive the undying horror uncovered under the sands.

Sat 8 May @ 22:20 – FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN (1943)

Two of the silver screen's most fearsome creatures battle it out when the Wolfman (Lon Chaney reprising his role) seeking to end his curse, looks to the notorious Dr Frankenstein for a cure. However, his mission pus him on a collision course with Frankenstein’s monster, played by Bela Lugosi.

Sunday 15 May @ 21:00 – IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953)

John Putnam (Richard Carlson), an amateur astronomer, is looking at the skies with his fiancée, schoolteacher Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush), when they see what looks like a huge meteor crash into the desert. As events unfold, various townspeople start to disappear, including Ellen, to be replaced by alien ‘duplicates’ As the townspeople become aware of the danger, the likelihood of bloodshed becomes apparent. Based on a story by Ray Bradbury.

Sunday 15 May @ 22:35 – TARANTULA (1955)

This classic science fiction film featuring screen legend Clint Eastwood, tells the story of a scientist who, while researching the effects of a new synthetic nutrient, releases a giant spider in the American Southwest. Directed by Jack Arnold and starring John Agar, Mara Corday and Leo G. Carroll.

Sun 22 May @ 21:00 REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1954)

Two oceanographers (John Bromfield and Robert B. Williams) capture the creature and put him on display. Here the hapless Gill-Man is taught a few words of English by compassionate ichthyologists, John Agar and Lori Nelson. Eventually, however, the creature reverts to type, kills one of his captors and goes on a rampage, managing to abduct the heroine and carry her off. Intense underwater photography and practical effects make "The Revenge of the Creature" a horror classic.

Sunday 22 May @ 22:35 – IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1956)

While on a routine mission, Cmdr. Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey) runs into trouble when his submarine is nearly sunk by an unknown creature, which is identified as a giant octopus from the nether reaches of Mindanao Deep. The beast has been awakened by nearby nuclear testing and now, radioactive and monstrously huge, the rampaging leviathan is heading toward the North American Pacific Coast.

Sunday 29 May @ 21:00 – EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956)

UFOs from a doomed star system invade Earth with plans of world conquest. Surrender is not an option so the human race must fight to the bitter end. Special effects are by Ray Harryhausen.

Sunday 29 May @ 22:40 – THE MOLE PEOPLE (1957)

John Bentley (John Agar), leads a Middle Eastern expedition in search of a lost tribe of Sumerians. He and his cohorts follow a tunnel deep below the surface of the earth, eventually coming across a tyrannical tribe of albino Sumerians, who use the semi-human Mole People as slaves. Aware of the danger the scientists pose, the subterranean High Priest wants them eliminated.

TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138

COMPETITION: Win Agnes on DVD

Agnes - Released from 18th April

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

Synopsis: 

Face your fears in a bold and audacious new horror not to be missed.

In Agnes, a nun’s disturbing behaviour sparks rumours of demonic possession at a remote convent. When a priest-in-waiting and his disillusioned mentor are sent to investigate, their methods backfire, leaving a wake of terror and trauma. Starring Molly C. Quinn (Castle, Doctor Sleep), Agnes is written and directed by Mickey Reece (Climate of the Hunter). 

Dazzler Media presents bold, original new horror Agnes coming to DVD & Digital Download from 18th April

Pre-Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3DYShLf

Pre-Order from iTunes at https://apple.co/3jHU7XL

For your chance to win just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 25-04-22
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.