News

This week on the Film Stories Podcast Network: time spanning hunters, out of depth astronauts, crooked old cops and much more. Here’s what we’ve been up to…

Podmetheus

Switching things up from an Alien focus, host Aj Black and guest Dan Owen wrestle with Dan Trachtenberg’s animated feature, Predator: Killer of Killers…

At the Movies in the 90s

Houston, we have a problem, but we’re sure Mark McManus and guest Ian Buckley can sort it out as they examine Ron Howard’s 1995 space epic, Apollo 13…

MovieVersaries

Two legends square off against each other this time, and no we’re not talking about Bo Nicholson and Ian Buckley, but rather De Niro and Pacino in Michael Mann’s searing Heat from 1995…

Writers on Film

You can’t fight in here, this is the war room! John Bleasdale has to resist quoting this and a fair few other...

Feed your appetite for the grotesque when Eating Miss Campbell takes a bite out of Blu-ray on March 11 via Troma Entertainment.

Lyndsey Craine (Book of Monsters) and Lala Barlow star in the gory high school horror-comedy from British writer-director Liam Regan (My Bloody Banjo).

Vito Trigo (Return to Nuke ‘Em High), James Hamer-Morton, Charlie Bond, Emily Haigh (Jane Eyre), Michaela Longden (Book of Monsters), Sierra Summers, Alexander J. Skinner, Justin A. Martell (Return to Nuke ‘Em High), Annabella Rich, Dani Thompson, Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede 2) round out the cast.

Of course, Troma president and The Toxic Avenger creator Lloyd Kaufman makes a cameo.

Special Features:

Introduction From Lloyd Kaufman Audio Commentary 7 Days of Hell: Making of Documentary Deleted Scenes Outtakes Gore Reel VFX Reel Raw B-Roll Cast Interviews Behind the Scenes Footage Frightfest Premiere Trailers

Beth Conner is a vegan-goth introvert who attends an elite high school in England.

This September, the Dead Northern Horror and Fantasy Film Festival will celebrate its fifth year, offering a weekend packed with scares, new films, and plenty of thrills for horror fans. Taking place from Friday, 27th to Sunday, 29th September 2024 at York’s City Screen Picturehouse, the festival will showcase some of the best independent horror films, special screenings, and live events, making it a must-attend for film buffs based in the north of the UK.

The festival has become a key event for the horror and fantasy film community in the UK, attracting hundreds of attendees each year. Last year’s edition saw over 700 admissions, a clear indicator of the growing interest in indie horror. This year promises even more, with a carefully curated programme that mixes classic horror films with fresh, cutting-edge indie features and shorts.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, the festival will...

Stars: Lyndsey Craine, Lala Barlow, Vito Trigo, James Hamer-Morton, Charlie Bond, Emily Haigh, Michaela Longden, Sierra Summers, Alexander J Skinner, Justin A. Martell, Annabella Rich, Dani Thompson, Laurence R. Harvey | Written and Directed by Liam Regan

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, despite the obvious age difference, I share writer-director Liam Regan’s fondness for satellite TV channel Bravo – especially during the “horned devil” logo years, where late nights were made up of cult TV shows, weird obscure films and a Ton of Troma movies. So much so that I too consider that period of the channel as a now legendary time in UK broadcasting. It was the channel that introduced me to a wider range of Troma movies outside of The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke’Em High (which were stalwarts of my local video shop And that guy that used to rent tapes...

GenreBlast Film Fest has announced its lineup for the seventh year of their international independent genre film festival, beginning this upcoming Thursday, September 1st.

The four day in-person event will feature fourteen feature films and roughly ninety short films from around the world as well as the results of their annual screenplay competition. Emanating from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Winchester, Virginia, GenreBlast continues to champion truly independent genre cinema and this year features one of its strongest lineups of cross-genre fare so far. With horror, science-fiction and fantasy, action, and even cult and midnight offerings, the fest prides itself on being an eclectic mixtape of genres and filmmakers.

Of the thirteen features selected this year, there are two world premieres, one North American premiere, one U.S. premieres, one east coast premiere, four regional premieres, and four Virginia premieres and a special advance screening.

Liam Regan’s satirical bloodbath...

In his latest interview/podcast, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks to filmmaker Liam Regan (Banjo aka My Bloody Banjo) about his new film Eating Miss Campbell, which has its World Premiere at Frightfest 2022 later this month. A life-long Troma fan, Regan also picks his Top 5 Troma Films, including:

Bloodsucking Freaks (1976), directed by Joel M Reed “As a cultural artefact, and as an example of the worst uses of creative energy, however, Bloodsucking Freaks is a must-see. Just remember, if you are offended by it, the joke is on you.” From Classic-horror.com Rob Wrigley Combat Shock (1984) directed by Buddy Giovinazzo Anton Bitel writes on VODZilla – Combat Shock is a downbeat, depressing film, dripping with a persistent pessimism that runs counter to the prevailing Reaganite ideology of the day. For here, instead of conspicuous affluence and yuppieism, we get an alternative view of street-level life on the destitute, desperate margins of Eighties America,...

Arrow Video FrightFest, the UK’s most popular horror and fantasy film festival, is back at London’s Cineworld Leicester Square and the Prince Charles Cinema from Thursday August 25th – Monday 29th August for five days of the very best of global genre cinema. Celebrating its 23rd blockbuster edition with thirty-two world, twenty-two International / European and eighteen UK premieres, the world renowned event leads the way in attesting to the versatility of the genre and this year is no exception, with seventeen countries represented, spanning five continents:

The festival opens with the World premiere of The Lair, an action-packed gore shocker from Neil Marshall, who calls his latest monstrous creation “The Dirty Half Dozen meets The Thing”. Neil will be attending with star Charlotte Kirk and will also introduce a special 4K restoration screening of his modern classic, Dog Soldiers.

The Closing night film is the European premiere of Scott Mann’s Fall.

If Troma ever remade Drop Dead Fred it would be Liam Regan’s Banjo… so I guess he beat them to it! However, there’s no hard feelings because there’s a cameo from Troma CEO Lloyd Kaufman. In this podcast/interview Nerdly writer and host of the Britflicks podcast, Stuart Wright, talks to Liam about making his first feature film; which tells the story of …“a young man [who] becomes manipulated by his imaginary friend to exact revenge on his tormenting co-workers.”

Check out my review of Banjo right here.

Having already screened at FrightFest in August, the Bram Stoker Film Festival and winning the Best Feature Film 2015 award at SpookyEmpire Film Festival in Orlando this past weekend, Banjo next screens at the Weekend of Horrors in Bottrop, Germany on Saturday 7th of November at 16:10.

Stars: James Hamer-Morton, Damian Morter, Laurence R. Harvey, Dan Palmer, Dani Thompson, Vito Trigo, David Curtis, Eloise Daye | Written and Directed by Liam Regan

It’s a credit to a film festival like Frightfest that so many of its attendees not only are wannabe filmmakers, but actually put their proverbial money where their mouth is and make movies – be they shorts that screen as part of the ever-popular Short Film Showcase and the fantastic Shortcuts to Hell competition the festival held last year or, as in the case of Banjo, full length features.

Based on the short film of the same name, Banjo tells the story of Peltzer Arbuckle, a bullied office employee, humiliated by his megalomaniac boss, teasing colleagues and cheating partner. Stuck in his mundane, nightmarish reality, once news about an embarrassing sexual accident circulates the workplace, Peltzer decides to put up with his misery no more, and...

What do Barbara Crampton, Rick Wakeman, James Cosmo, Toyah Willcox, Neil Marshall and Bernard Rose have in common? They’re all set to make an appearance at this years London Film4 Frightfest!

Scream Queen legend Barbara Crampton (pictured above) is Film4 FrightFest’s special guest icon, appearing in no less than four films in this year’s line-up. She stars in We Are Still Here, Road Games and Sun Choke plus makes a cameo appearance in Tales of Halloween. Not only will Barbara be introducing all her films, she’ll also be talking about her amazing career during a special interview event, hosted by Alan Jones, on Sun 30th August at 9.15pm.

Says the legend herself:

To say that I am overjoyed, excited and eager to attend FrightFest as a guest is putting it mildly. This festival has been on my radar for some time and to be included and...

The moors of Yorkshire turned red with blood this weekend as the first ever HorrorCon took place at the Magna Science Adventure Centre this weekend in Rotherham.

Guests in attendance – signing autographs and giving talks – included Leatherface himself, Gunnar Hansen (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre); Dacre Stoker (great-grand nephew of Bram Stoker); Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead); artist Tom Hodge, aka The Dude Designs; Hammer Horror stars Caroline Munro and Martine Beswick; Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) and the legend that is SFX god Tom Savini (The Burning, Night of the Living Dead)

But HorrorCon was not just about the guests – there were plenty of activities taking place over the weekend too. Including the likes of The Pit – a “walk through event” that scared the bejesus out of all those that dare take part; the Cabinet of Curiosity, a display of weird and wonderful delights the was billed as “not...

After the announcement of the Fightfest’s opening and closing films a week ago, the UK’s premiere horror festival has announced its complete line-up… And they’re not making it easy for us to bring you reviews of the majority of the films screening this year!

Yes, not only is Frightfest taking over the Vue cinema on Leicester Square again this year but they’re also taking over an extra screen, Screen 1, at the old home of Frightfest, The Prince Charles Cinema – which will be the location of Another “Discovery” screen strand.

From the press release:

Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen...

The 16th edition of genre film festival unveils full line-up.

Film4 FrightFest will mark its 16th edition with its largest line-up ever, showcasing 76 films across five screens at the Vue West End in Leicester Square from Aug 27-31.

This year’s line-up features 20 world premieres, a record-breaking 16 European premieres and 26 UK premieres, with 18 countries represented. In addition, there will be a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, marking a return to the festival’s original home.

As previously announced, the European premieres of Cherry Tree and Tales of Halloween will bookend this year’s edition.

World premieres at this year’s FrightFest include Paul Hyett’s creature feature Howl, anthology A Christmas Horror Story, Steve Oram’s comedy Aaaaaaaah! and Liam Regan’s revenge thriller Banjo, while European premieres include Ben Cresciman’s Sun Choke, Paz Brothers’ Jeruzalem and Adam Mason’s Hangman.

Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein, Ted Geoghegan’s haunted house throwback We Are Still Here, [link...

Shadow people, sharp-fanged co-workers, and insistent sinister spirits will just be a few of the monsters haunting the theaters at this year's Film4 FrightFest. The full lineup for the upcoming event is packed with 76 films aimed to unforgettably frighten audiences.

Press Release: "Film news (UK): Film4 FrightFest serves up a fearsome feast with a record 76 films, embracing 20 world and 42 UK & European premieres

Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen countries representing five continents with a record-breaking sixteen European premieres and twenty-six UK premieres. In addition, there is a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, signalling a welcome return to FrightFest’s spiritual home.

We’re just a few days away from this year’s Cannes Film Festival, kicking off May 13th. Today we’re happy to report that UK filmmaker Liam Regan’s Banjo will be premiering at the event, fresh off a successful Kickstarter campaign a… Continue Reading →

The post Liam Regan Brings His Banjo to Cannes Film Festival appeared first on Dread Central.

TromaDance returns to terrorize Asbury Park, NJ for their 14th annual edition, which will be held — for free! — at Asbury Lanes on April 12-13. It’s two days and nights of gonzo short films from all over the world, plus a few low-budget feature-length genre excursions and one documentary.

But, the big highlight of the fest will be a special workprint preview screening of Troma daddy Lloyd Kaufman’s latest epic of grotesqueness and debauchery: Return to Nuke ‘Em High Vol. 1, the fourth trilogy-busting entry in the classic Nuke ‘Em High series. This will screen on the 13th at 8:00 p.m. and will be preceded by a Q&A with the always entertaining Kaufman himself.

Other features include Quentin Dupiex’s 2nd flick, the missing dog comedy Wrong; angry birds of prey return to terrorize L.A. in James Nguyen’s Birdemic 2; werewolf soldiers invade NYC in Battledogs; a...

The 14th Annual TromaDance Film Festival will invade Asbury Park, New Jersey on April 12th and 13th. We have the official schedule for both days, and details on the recently announced secret screening of Return to Nuke ‘Em High: Volume One:

“TromaDance is the first film festival wholeheartedly devoted to filmmakers and fans. Unlike every other film festival, TromaDance does not charge filmmakers to submit their films. Entrance to all screenings is free and open to the public. Also, there are no VIP reservations or preferential treatment regarding films, panels, or parties of any kind given. The organizers of TromaDance believe films are meant to be seen, especially when it comes to new filmmakers. Art – in all its forms – is for the people!

TromaDance features a range of films made independently, usually without big stars, big money and far removed from the Hollywood studio system. The official selections of TromaDance...