News

Exclusive: Lacretta is set as a series regular opposite Chris Messina and Ari Graynor in FX’s single-camera comedy pilot from Atlanta and What We Do in the Shadows executive producer Paul Simms.

Written by Simms, the untitled comedy is about a family surviving a widespread technological crisis. Lacretta will play Nancy, a humorous immigrant from Grenada who now is the nanny for the son of Hunt (Messina) and Rachel (Graynor).

Simms executive produces with M. Blair Breard. FX Productions, where Simms is under an overall deal and Breard has a first-look pact, is the studio. Baskets co-creator/executive producer Jonathan Krisel directs.

Lacretta played a major supporting role in Peter Segal’s romantic comedy Second Act, starring Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini and Milo Ventimiglia. On television, she played the series-regular role of Bouncy in the ABC drama pilot Salvage from writer-producer Don Todd. Her other credits...

The South by Southwest Film Festival has selected the world premiere of “Pet Sematary” as the closing night film on March 17.

Based on the Stephen King horror novel, Paramount’s remake stars Jason Clarke as Dr. Louis Creed in the story of a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the Maine woods near the family’s new home. Amy Seimetz and John Lithgow also star.

The film comes three decades after the original adaptation of the King classic. “Starry Eyes” helmers Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer directed the movie. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian are producing the remake with Jeff Buhler and David Kajganich writing the script, and Alexandra Loewy executive producing. The film opens in theaters on April 5.

SXSW’s 26th edition will open March 8 in Austin, Texas, with Jordan Peele’s horror-thriller “Us.” John Krasinski’s thriller “A Quiet Place” launched the festival last year.

SXSW also...

Salvage director Lawrence Gough is back behind the camera for the upcoming thriller Gatecrash and as always we have the latest for you right here. Dig it! From the Press Release: Bird Box Pictures are now in production on Gatecrash… Continue Reading →

The post Gatecrash Heads into Production appeared first on Dread Central.

Simon Brew Apr 27, 2017

How do you go about directing an episode of Doctor Who? We chat to Lawrence Gough, director of series 10's The Pilot and Smile to find out.

The first two episodes of the current Doctor Who run, The Pilot and Smile, were both directed by the same man. That man is Lawrence Gough, who comes to Doctor Who for the first time, having built up an impressive collection of TV credits following his low-budget horror feature, Salvage. In between the transmission of The Pilot and Smile, he chatted to us about his work on the show…

I’ve just been watching footage of you receiving a film award from Sean Connery back in 2009!

Yes! God, yes.

That was a Trailblazers award from the Edinburgh Film Festival eight years ago, and since then, you seem to have had quite a journey. Can you take us through it?

Yeah!

You know, several times a day we think about how cool it would be to open up shop across the pond so that we could easily be there for all of the great shit they have going on. Film4 Frightfest, great Blu-ray editions we get the shaft on here, the seductive usage of the word "randy" ... so very much to love. Now, to further make us drool, The Horror Channel UK (yes, they have one of those there, too) is churning out another dosage of fright to get fans watching the carnage, Cruel Britannia.

From the Press Release

Cruel Britannia: The Cutting Edge of British Horror

April 8 – April 29, 2011

The Horror Channel celebrates the best of contemporary British horror with a special season of UK TV premieres which showcases some of the finest home-grown directorial talent around.

Kick-starting the season on Friday 8th April is the UK TV premiere of Steven Sheil...

The Horror Channel is to celebrate the best of contemporary British horror with Cruel Britannia – a special season of UK TV premieres which showcases some of the finest home-grown directorial talent around.

Kick-starting the season on Friday 8th April is the UK TV premiere of Steven Sheil’s debut feature Mum & Dad – a film described as “one of the defining British horrors of its generation”. Imbued with a terrifying ferocity, it centres around a young Polish immigrant (Holby City’s Olga Fedori) who finds herself imprisoned in a suburban House of Horrors. It also stars Perry Benson (This Is England, Somers Town).

This is followed by the UK TV premiere of Gerard Johnson’s debut, the dark, brutal and bleakly amusing Tony: London Serial Killer, transmitting on Friday 15th April. It has drawn favourable comparisons to John McNaughton’s seminal Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and features a star-making...

Rejuvenated Hammer Films franchise launches publicity campaign as part of a summer of hair-raising new releases from UK directors and writers

Hammer Films are to launch a summer publicity campaign ahead of what is being billed as a full-blown revival of the alternative British horror genre. A welter of horror films are scheduled for release this summer, while Ghost Stories, the theatrical show whose programme carries a warning to those of a nervous disposition, is packing in audiences for its West End run.

Joe Cornish, of the comedy duo Adam and Joe, is to make his directorial debut with Attack the Block, a film produced by the team behind Shaun of the Dead, and a reborn Hammer Films, once the greatest film studio in British horror, is to make a 3D feature film based on Susan Hill's modern gothic novel The Woman in Black.

The ghostly thriller, which became a long-running West End hit,...

Tony Us DVD Artwork

Director/writer: Gerard Johnson.

Revolver Entertainment is a film distribution company, which was formed in 1997 within the United Kingdom. They spanned the globe in 2007 with a Los Angeles office and this proficient film company has released Destricted, Mum and Dad and Lawrence Gough's Salvage. One of their most recent releases is the independent feature Tony, which focuses on a serial killer roaming the seedy neighbourhoods of East London. Receiving much needed funding in 2009, Tony showed for the first time at the Edinburgh Film Festival in Scotland and released in North America, on DVD, April 6th. Tony is an interesting character study of a serial killer and Peter Ferdiando's portrayal of Tony is frightening in its realistic delivery.

In a few simple words, watching Tony is like following a serial killer through his routines, habits and daily rituals over the course of "a week" (Revolver). Tony...

Quiet Earth and the good people at Revolver Entertainment want to mail you a copy of Lawrence Gough's British shocker Salvage. Shot by Director of Photography Simon Tindall (Bright Star; The Queen, 28 Days Later) on location in and around Merseyside and on the set once used for the popular TV drama series Brookside, this highly effective shocker is one of the best British horror movies to come along in years.

How to Win:

- Email your full name and mailing address to contest[at]quietearth.us (replace "[at]" with"@").

- Subject line should be "Salvage Contest"

- Enter by Monday July 12, 2010.

We've got three R1 DVDs, but the contest is still open to anyone living in the Us, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Good luck y'all!

Trailer after the break.

Synopsis:

Christmas Eve, and the residents of a quiet British cul-de-sac are suddenly plunged into a world of violence,...

Terrorist attacks, biological infection, parental irresponsibility – all of those fears lie in this film.

After being dropped off by her father, Jodie (Linzey Cocker) arrives early at her estranged mother’s home to spend Christmas Eve with her. Unfortunately, due to what her mother Beth (Neve McIntosh) is doing instead causes Jodie to storm out of the house in a fit of anger. As an audience, we get a character shift to what looked like was going to be a story from the daughter’s perspective to the mother’s. Shortly after this incident, Beth, the mother, along with the whole neighborhood goes into a state of lock down as military black ops personal invade the British cul-de-sac to eradicate a threat. While the threat is unknown, residents are forced into their homes and are shutoff from all communications.

While the scenario sounds like Déjà vu, director Lawrence Gough actually...

Lawrence Gough’s bloody directorial debut, Salvage, is a startling horror thriller that quickens the heartbeat as much as it affects the mind. As an allegory for terrorism, his film focuses on a few panic-stricken prey rendered helpless in protecting themselves and their families, even at home.

A mysterious, gaping shipping container on a nearby beach thrusts a quiet neighborhood into a murder zone and a military state. Trigger-happy special forces contain frightened citizens in barricaded houses as the area descends into chaos.

Cowering into the center of the mayhem are Beth (Neve McIntosh) and Kieran (Shaun Dooley), a pair coupled by a one-time hook-up but otherwise strangers to one another. Separated from her estranged daughter by merely a suburban street, Beth agonizes over reaching her while an unidentifiable terror lurks between them.

Like fellow British filmmaker Neil Marshall’s first feature, Dog Soldiers, Gough stages much of his action...

Salvage Us DVD ArtRevolver Entertainment Group has generously provided two extra copies of director Lawrence Gough's thriller Salvage for giveaway. Revolver is an international distributor of home entertainment titles in various formats and this company is one of the largest international distributors in the biz'. There newest title Salvage releases on DVD July 6th in North America and this title has been reviewed (here). The film is a suspenseful ride through a possible terrorist attack that reveals itself to be something much more ugly and murderous. Horror and thriller fans living in Canada or the United States are welcomed to enter the contest at the e-mail address below. Also, a red band trailer is available inside with the DVD's extras features, all courtesy of Revolver Entertainment.

The synopsis for Salvage here:

"Christmas Eve, and the residents of a quiet British cul-de-sac are suddenly plunged into a world of violence,...

In anticipation of the American home video debut on DVD and iTunes this coming Tuesday, July 6th, of Lawrence Gough's different kind of infected film, Salvage, Revolver Entertainment has unleashed a brand new clip.

Dig on all the goodies, including the trailer, below; and click here for Gareth's Salvage UK DVD review. And also be sure to check out our interview with director Lawrence Gough.

Synopsis:

It’s Christmas Eve, and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror, and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter, Jodie (Linzey Cocker), who is visiting...

Many indie films can’t help but live under the shadows of the movies that inspired them. In that realm, “Salvage” feels like a product of Danny Boyle’s great 2002 film “28 Days Later” that set into motion its own sub-genre in gritty, modern British horror films. What we get with “Salvage” is an indulgently gruesome and overtly cruel horror flick that jumps from moments of inspired independent filmmaking to silly plot twists.

The salvaging begins when the British military swoops down upon a quiet Welsh suburb to contain and capture some unknown malignant beast that is brutally killing anyone in sight. There is no reason why the creature is doing this; there is some hint of a government conspiracy, but the story seems undecided. It’s during this carnage that Beth (Neve McIntosh), a troubled mother, attempts to rescue her estranged daughter who is hiding out at the neighbor’s house across the street.

Low-key concepts and limited budgets have given British horror films a gritty realism that is the envy of the industry – but can they ever really compete with their Us rivals?

Unlike the western or the musical, the horror movie never seems to be under threat of extinction. The occasional phenomenon – a Blair Witch Project or a Paranormal Activity – helps to fortify its commercial appeal, as do hits like Scream or Hostel, which refresh the familiar conventions. But horror remains in perpetually good nick, not least in its UK outpost, from which some of the most inventive shockers of the last 10 years have emerged. Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later kicked off a new wave of Brit horror in 2002, but it fell to emerging film-makers to properly paint the town blood-red, from Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) to Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent), Michael J Bassett (Deathwatch, Wilderness) and Christopher Smith (Creep,...

With his debut feature film, the Brit horror Salvage (review here), landing in UK theatres and homes in a number of formats this week, director Lawrence Gough took some time to talk with Dread Central about the creation of the film and where he's headed next.

Gareth Jones: Salvage was produced as part of the Liverpool "City of Culture" award/presentation. How did that work as far as pitching the movie and eventually getting it made?

Lawrence Gough: The money came about through BBC Films and the UK Film Council and was tagged onto [the "City of Culture" program]. [Myself and writer Colin O'Donnell] were working on a feature at that time after making various shorts and trying to adapt one into a feature; then this money was kind of dangled as something that could be applied for – and they were looking for certain types of projects that would fit a budget, and we felt that what we were working on did,...

Apparently the Portuguese love themselves some horror. This year’s Fantasporto film festival, the leading film festival in Portugal, wrapped up its week-long exhibition on March 6th by awarding several new genre films.

The top honors were given to Heartless, a British film from Philip Ridley (The Passion of Darkly Noon) who hadn’t directed a film in fourteen years. The film, which stars Timothy Spall, is a horror-fantasy that follows a man with a mysterious heart-shaped birthmark on his face who discovers demons on the streets of East London.

Not only did Heartless score the award for Best Film, it also took home Best Direction for Ridley, and Best Actor for Jim Sturgess. For those of you lucky enough to live on Ridley’s side of the pond, the wait for this acclaimed film shouldn’t be too prolonged — it will hit UK cinemas on Friday, May 21, and DVD/Blu-ray on Monday,...

Director: Lawrence Gough. Review: Adam Wing. If I was to tell you that Salvage is written by Hollyoaks scribe Colin O’Donnell, taking place on and around the set of Brookside Close in Liverpool, you’d be forgiven for moving onto the next article, forgiven but ultimately foolish. Salvage is the debut feature from director Lawrence Gough, a low budget horror movie that has built up quite the following at festival screenings, and on DVD it delivers one of the most enjoyable nights in of the year. Its Christmas Eve and teenager Jodie (Linzey Cocker) is travelling to her mother’s house for the holidays, after a blazing row she storms over to her friend’s house on the other side of the street. Jodie’s mother Beth (Neve McIntosh) has had company for the night, not that she can remember his name (Eden Lake’s Shaun Dooley) and wasn...

Get ready for a bloodbath on Brookside Close.

British horror flick Salvage is released in cinemas by Revolver Entertainment this Friday, March 19.

Starring Neve McIntosh (Bodies, Doctor Who, Gormenghast) and Shaun Dooley (Married Single Other, EastEnders), it's the feature debut of director Lawrence Gough and has been a big hit at film events.

At the Fantastic Fest in Texas, Neve Mcintosh won the Best Horror Actress Award.

It's written by Hollyoaks scribe Colin O'Donnell and was shot by director of photography Simon Tindall (Bright Star, The Queen, 28 Days Later) on location in and around Merseyside and on the Brookside Close housing estate set that was built for the TV soap Brookside.

Here's the official synopsis:

"It's Christmas Eve and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering...

The horror film Salvage is coming to DVD July 6th and we have the details from the studio. Described by the media as “thrilling” (Bizarre), “scary and believable” (Sci-Fi London), and “a seriously shocking chiller for our times” (Alan Jones, Frightfest), Salvage, the stunning debut feature from director Lawrence Gough, is a brand new British horror film that redefines the genre with a strong female heroine and a topical plot that positions the terror right on our doorstep.

Written by Colin O’Donnell (Hollyoaks) and starring Neve McIntosh (Dr. Who; Gormenghast), Shaun Dooley (Married Single Other; Eden Lake), Linzey Cocker (Wild Child), Trevor Hancock (Behind Closed Doors), Dean Andrews (Life on Mars), Kevin Harvey (Everyone Loves Sunshine), Paul Opacic (Bad Girls) and Shahid Ahmed (28 Weeks Later), the film has already thrilled audiences at the London Frightfest, the Edinburgh Film Festival and at Texas’s prestigious Fantastic Fest where the film...

Salvage

Stars: Linzey Cocker, Shaun Dooley, Neve McIntosh | Written by Lawrence Gough & Colin O’Donnell | Directed by Lawrence Gough

When a mysterious container washes up on the shores near Liverpool, the residents of a sleepy cul-de-sac are plunged into violence, terror and paranoia after a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, single mother Beth (Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter Jodie (Cocker), who is visiting her for the holiday but is now stranded across the street in a neighbour’s house. However, the trapped residents soon discover that the imminent threat is far more monstrous than any of them could have possibly imagined.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing Salvage ever...

Fantasporto 2010, Portugal’s leading film festival, just concluded on March 6th, and not only did the UK's Heartless (review here) receive the Best Film Award, but several other horror films garnered awards as well, including Audience Favorite Solomon Kane.

In addition to being named Best Film, Heartless's Philip Ridley received the Best Direction Award, and its star Jim Sturgess was recognized as the Best Actor.

Heartless is a dark psychological thriller about a young man with a large heart-shaped birthmark on his face who finds himself confronting demons on the streets of East London. Heartless will be in UK cinemas on Friday, 21 May, and on DVD, Blu-ray, and all other formats on Monday, 24 May. No word yet on a Stateside release.

Heartless - Trailer

Uploaded by dreadcentral. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.

Along with Solomon Kane being honored with the Audience Award, the film’s producer Samuel Hadida...

British horror thriller “Salvage” marks the directorial debut of helmer Lawrence Gough, and now arrives on DVD via Revolver following a successful run at international genre festivals. The film has a decent pedigree, boasting the talents of Director of Photography Simon Tindall, who recently worked on the likes of “Bright Star”, “The Queen” and “28 Days Later”. Of interest to UK viewers is the film’s soap opera connections, with it having been written by “Hollyoaks” scribe Colin O’Donnell, and having been shot on one of the old sets from the long running “Brookside” series. The film takes place on Christmas Eve, and is set in a quiet suburban cul-de-sac, where a teenage girl called Jodie (Linzey Cocker) returns to spend the holiday season with her estranged mother Beth (Neve Mcintosh), only to find her in bed with a stranger. Angry and confused, the poor lass runs off and takes shelter with the neighbours.

Salvage, the debut feature from director Lawrence Gough, is a brand new British horror film that redefines the genre with a strong female heroine and a topical plot that positions the terror right on our doorstep.

It’s Christmas Eve and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter, Jodie (Linzey Cocker), who is visiting her for the holiday but is now stranded across the street in a neighbour’s house. However, with growing dread, the trapped residents soon discover that the imminent threat is far...

In anticipation of the limited UK theatrical run of Lawrence Gough's Salvage beginning on March 19th, followed a few days later (on the 22nd) by a DVD release, Revolver Entertainment has provided an updated trailer for the film.

Along with playing in the cinema, Salvage (UK DVD review here) will be available via Sky Box Office, iTunes, FilmFlex, and LOVEFilM on the 19th as well. Hopefully the previously reported July 6th date will hold firm for the Us DVD.

Synopsis:

It’s Christmas Eve, and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror, and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in...

The The theatrical trail has just dropped for Lawrence Gough’s very promising Indy scare flick Salvage. To our eyes it’s virtually identical to the previous one we posted a couple of weeks ago, but better quality, and with a couple a minor additions. Still looks great, and we are keen as the proverbial mustard to see it. On that front, we’ve news of note for all those outside the UK - including all you region free savvy folk in the U.S - eager to give it a watch. Salvage is release in UK cinemas on 19th March, but we’ve just learnt that it also hits DVD just one short week later, on March 22nd. Nice! Synopsis: Christmas Eve. When a ship container washes ashore nearby to a sleepy cul-de-sac, the residents are plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia.

The The theatrical trail has just dropped for Lawrence Gough’s very promising Indy scare flick Salvage. To our eyes it’s virtually identical to the previous one we posted a couple of weeks ago, but better quality, and with a couple a minor additions. Still looks great, and we are keen as the proverbial mustard to see it. On that front, we’ve news of note for all those outside the UK - including all you region free savvy folk in the U.S - eager to give it a watch. Salvage is release in UK cinemas on 19th March, but we’ve just learnt that it also hits DVD just one short week later, on March 22nd. Nice! Synopsis: Christmas Eve. When a ship container washes ashore nearby to a sleepy cul-de-sac, the residents are plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia.

Strange containers, cheating boyfriends, and a town cut off from the rest of the world? Sounds like a recipe for a good, bloody time. Check out a trailer for Lawrence Gough’s “Salvage”. The plot: When a container washes ashore the residents of a sleepy cul-de-sac are plunged into violence, terror and paranoia. Ring fenced by the military a single mother must overcome all the odds to save her daughter. It’s Christmas Eve and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter, Jodie (Linzey Cocker...

I'm not sure what to make of this one. The trailer's not great, but it's picked up a fair amount of praise on its festival run (Frightfest London, Edinburgh Film Festival, Fantastic Fest), so should be worth a peak.

"It's Christmas Eve and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter, Jodie (Linzey Cocker), who is visiting her for the holiday but is now stranded across the street in a neighbour's house. However, with growing dread, the trapped residents soon discover that the imminent threat is...

One of the films I was most impressed with at last year’s Film4 Frightfest in London is Lawrence Gough’s claustrophobic creature feature Salvage (review here). Finally the flick will be slamming in with a limited UK theatrical release (along with Sky Box Office, iTunes, FilmFlex, and LOVEFilM) on March 19th. A few days later, on the 22nd, it will appear on retail shelves on DVD -- all courtesy of Revolver Entertainment.

Synopsis:

It’s Christmas Eve, and a quiet cul-de-sac is suddenly plunged into a world of violence, terror, and paranoia when a group of heavily armed military personnel storms the area, sealing off the close and ordering the residents at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes. Unsure if this is the first sign of a terrorist attack, or something worse, one local single mother, Beth (Neve Mcintosh), finds it in herself to fight to save her estranged daughter,...

A big batch of stills have been unveiled for the UK DVD release Salvage which arrives overseas on March 22. Simply click on the image below for the full gallery. Lawrence Gough directed this effort which sounds pretty damn interesting. When a container washes ashore the residents of a sleepy cul-de-sac are plunged into violence, terror and paranoia. Focus falls on a single mother who is trying to get her estranged daughter who is across the street. But that's easier said than done. Gough is presently at work on The Drought : After a massive drought ravaged the planet, a couple living outside of London head into the city on a dangerous mission to secure water for themselves and their ailing daughter. Hope to hear more about Salvage 's domestic debut soon! Scroll past...

Director Lawrence Gough’s stunning debut film Salvage is to finally get a UK theatrical release next month. A big hit at both the London FrightFest and the Edinburgh film festivals last year, this small budget gem packs punches well above its class. Intelligent horror, with plenty of scares. Oh go on, we’ll force ourselves. Salvage hits British cinemas March 19th and then DVD a week later on March 22nd. Good news for all you region free ready folk, eager to see it! No official trailer for the film as yet, but you can take a gander at the original red band promo, used for the Edinburgh film fest. Christmas Eve. When a ship container washes ashore nearby to a sleepy cul-de-sac, the residents are plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia. A group of heavily armed military personnel storm their road ordering them at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Director Lawrence Gough’s stunning debut film Salvage is to finally get a UK theatrical release next month. A big hit at both the London FrightFest and the Edinburgh film festivals last year, this small budget gem packs punches well above its class. Intelligent horror, with plenty of scares. Oh go on, we’ll force ourselves. Salvage hits British cinemas March 19th and then DVD a week later on March 22nd. Good news for all you region free ready folk, eager to see it! No official trailer for the film as yet, but you can take a gander at the original red band promo, used for the Edinburgh film fest. Christmas Eve. When a ship container washes ashore nearby to a sleepy cul-de-sac, the residents are plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia. A group of heavily armed military personnel storm their road ordering them at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Director Lawrence Gough’s stunning debut film Salvage is to finally get a UK theatrical release next month. A big hit at both the London FrightFest and the Edinburgh film festivals last year, this small budget gem packs punches well above its class. Intelligent horror, with plenty of scares. Oh go on, we’ll force ourselves. Salvage hits British cinemas March 19th and then DVD a week later on March 22nd. Good news for all you region free ready folk, eager to see it! No official trailer for the film as yet, but you can take a gander at the original red band promo, used for the Edinburgh film fest. Christmas Eve. When a ship container washes ashore nearby to a sleepy cul-de-sac, the residents are plunged into a world of violence, terror and paranoia. A group of heavily armed military personnel storm their road ordering them at gunpoint to retreat inside their homes.

Lawrence Gough won this year's emerging-talent Trailblazer Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival for his paranoid horror Salvage. And it's stood him in very good stead, since his next project, The Drought, is being fast-tracked into production.Yes indeed, readers, it's our second apocalypse-movie story of the morning. John Hillcoat and Roland Emmerich have a lot to answer for. Armageddon is the new black. Nobody is mentioning Jg Ballard, whose novel The Drought, originally published in 1964 as The Burning World (a counterpoint / companion piece to his The Drowned World), sees the Earth's population heading seaward after man-made ecological disaster causes the world to run dry of precious H20.Gough's version, written by Colin O'Donnell, who also wrote Salvage, has a similar basic premise, but apparently revolves around a couple and their child heading searching for water in London.London? Why London? Do the taps still work there? Have New Labour...

The Works International is partnering with Mann Made Films on The Drought, an ecological action horror set in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world. The film will be directed by Lawrence Gough, winner of the Trailblazer Award for emerging talent at this years Edinburgh Film Festival for his debut feature, Salvage. Colin ODonnell, Goughs long time writing partner, is writing the script. The Drought is set in a near future where the world is plunged into a state of emergency with millions dying of thirst and national infrastructures collapsing. A desperate couple who have avoided the mass exoduses and eked out an existence in their suburban home, head for London in a last-ditch attempt to find the water they badly need to save themselves and their ailing daughter.

A new eco-horror film entitled The Drought is heading into pre-production under Works International and Mann Made Films. Pic will be directed by Lawrence Gough ( Salvage ) who is working from a script by Colin O'Donnell. According to Screen Daily, The Drought is set in a post-apocalyptic future where water is highly in demand. The story focuses on a desperate couple who travel to London to score some H20 for themselves and their ailing daughter. Filming is to begin next summer. Casting announcements are expected shortly.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, British filmmaker Lawrence Gough, who currently has Salvage (pictured) doing the festival circuit, will next direct Drought for The Works International and Mann Made Films. The movie is an ecological action/horror story in the vein of John Hillcoat’s upcoming Cormac McCarthy adaptation The Road.

The screenplay by Colin O’Donnell, who also scripted Salvage, focuses on a couple with a sick daughter struggling to survive in a world depleted of water. Having survived as long as possible in their suburban home, they set out on a trek to London, plunging them into a bloody fight for their lives. Currently being presold at the American Film Market, Drought is scheduled to start filming next summer, with the budget contingent on casting. Salvage, which won the Trailblazer Award at this year’s Edinburgh Film Festival and has also screened at Austin, TX’s Fantastic Fest and London’s Film4 Frightfest,...

More Afm news

Plans for another ecological action horror set in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world are being fast-tracked in the wake of the John Hillcoat-directed adaptation of Cormac McCarthy novel "The Road" and "2012," from Roland Emmerich.

But this time it looks to be a very British affair with the main protagonists in "The Drought" faced with a world running out of water.

Lawrence Gough, who won the Trailblazer Award for emerging talent at this year's Edinburgh Film Festival for his debut feature "Salvage," will direct from a script by his long-term writing partner Colin O'Donnell.

U.K. sales and finance house the Works International has teamed up with London-based Mann Made Films on "The Drought" and are in advanced discussions to bring the U.K.'s Jonescompany's Robert Jones ("The Usual Suspects" ) on board to produce.

Scott Mann ("The Tournament") will exec produce alongside James Edward Barker and Alan Graves for Mann Made Films.

Terror in the home can be some of the most effective use of fear in horror. We can stay out of the ocean and avoid Camp Crystal Lake, but when the call is coming from inside the house, you have to take it. So it's clear what the potential for a film like Salvage is - the use of an unknown enemy and a gun-toting military force in your backyard. That potential, sadly, is never brought to fruition, and what results is an ultimately frustrating film experience. A strange cargo container washes ashore near an idyllic cul-de-sac in Liverpool, and with it comes a strange killer and the full force of the black ops who take over the neighborhood. With a monster lurking in the shadows and the automatic-weapons-wielding force lurking in plain sight outside, there's no safe haven for the residents, but Beth (Neve McIntosh) is desperate to find her daughter and take her to safety...

Year: 2009

Directors: Lawrence Gough

Writers: Lawrence Gough & Colin O'Donnell & Alan Pattison

IMDb: link

Trailer: link

Review by: rochefort

Rating: 5 out of 10

"Salvage", a new low-budget, U.K. horror thriller directed by Lawrence Gough, takes place in a small Liverpool suburb the day that a strange cargo container has washed up on a nearby shore. As a testament to what's possible with limited funds, it's yet another confirmation that close attention to story, character and performance will always elevate a movie, no matter what the cash flow. In this particular case, however, the actual horror elements fizzle, and the whole thing comes up a bittersweet bust.

It's Christmas Eve, and Jodie (Linzey Cocker) is on her way to Liverpool to spend the holiday with her estranged mother, even though she'd prefer to stay with her more loving father Clive (Dean Andrews). Moments after Clive drops her off and drives away, Jodie...

If there's one thing I know about film festivals, it's that being content with having your film play for an enthusiastic audience is for losers. Chugging a beer on stage in front of a cheering crowd after winning is for winners. You can tell that I'm right because the word "winning" is a close cousin of "winners." Celebrating the art of the film is one thing, but damn it, it's about taking home the coveted cup. Two or three nights ago (the details are hazy), Fantastic Fest Co-founder Tim League emceed an awards ceremony that featured some Festival fans, filmmakers and the people who wandered in already inebriated and looking for the karaoke party. You can guess which group I was in, and, yes, I stayed at the ceremony despite a shocking lack of amateurs singing "Baby Got Back." Also, I had to present all of the awards for the Fantastic Features Category. There...

For those of you who weren't in Austin, TX from September 23-30, you missed out. Fantastic Fest lived up to its name and presented some of the newest, most anticipated, and best films of the year. From the comfort and coolness of the Alamo Drafthouse (which serves Awesome food during movies) to the palatial Paramount Theater, Austin showed that it knows how to treat fans of genre films.

Think about it: Seven days filled with movies like Zombieland, Paranormal Activity, and Survival of the Dead, side-by-side with some truly creative short films, foreign films, low-budget indie movies, and stars, all put within a mile of each other. It was a movie-lover's paradise. But alas, all good things must come to an end (until next year), but not without a few parting shots.

Below are the announced winners of the various Fantastic Fest contests, and while I can't say I agree with all the decisions,...

At a ceremony Monday night hosted by Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League, the festival gave out awards to some of the top films and filmmakers in attendance. Awards given out this year include ones for animated and live action short film, horror and “fantastic” shorts, horror and “fantastic” features and the next wave award which showcases emerging talent.

In addition, in conjunction with G4 TV and writer/director Uwe Boll, the fest gave out the “Filmmaking Frenzy” award for the best video game trailer with a “fantastic” twist. Winners of some of these prestigious awards included the comedic drama Down Terrace, which took home the Next Wave award, Human Centipede, which won for best horror film and Mandrill, which was given the Fantastic Feature award.

Check out a list of all the winners below.

Jury results – Shorts Awards

Animated Shorts:

Best Animated Short – I Am So Proud Of You (Don Hertzfeldt...

So, the August bank holiday has passed for another year and that means one thing – The Film4 Frightfest in London has just finished. This year held a special meaning to the festival though, with it greeting its 10th year in existence having moved, during that time, from humble beginnings in the Prince Charles Cinema, to the grander Odeon Leicester Square and finally, for the first time this year, to the Empire Cinema (also in Leicester Square). The Empire houses the largest cinema screen in the UK, which was used to display the main catalogue of films this year round. Trust me, this thing is absolutely massive.

Second to this, also for the first time ever, Frightfest organisers Alan, Ian, Paul and Greg decided to commandeer a smaller screen to show those movies they felt should be in the Fest, but couldn’t be worked into the main programme. This screen...

From the director of Salvage comes a new film billed as an "ecological horror about a drought in the UK". The Drought is still in development but had pre-sales at the Cannes Market and will also be at Afm where there will be concept art, a trailer and casting announced according to Lawrence.

Synopsis:

Mal and Joanne Stead have it all. A lovely home. Great careers. Two beautiful kids, Shaun and Neve. But when Shaun’s snatched from their garden one day, the couple’s lives changes forever. Fifteen years on, global drought has scorched the earth. The UK is unrecognizable. Billions are dead. The UK has evacuated, but the Steads have remained in their home, hopeful one day Shaun may return. Now running on empty and, with Neve’s life hanging in the balance, Mal and Joanne decide they must venture out to find water. But with lawless scavengers...

Following the success on the festival circuits of their debut feature as a team with the hard hitting horror Salvage (arriving in U.K cinemas early 2010), director Lawrence Gough and writer Colin o’ Donnell have announced their next project, the eco-horror-thriller The Drought. Whilst the story might be symbolic allegory of our time, reading through the plot summary you get the impression there’s going to be something a wee bit more dangerous than just a lack of water, lurking in the movie. Synopsis: Mal and Joanne Stead have it all. A lovely home. Great careers. Two beautiful kids, Shaun and Neve. But when Shaun’s snatched from their garden one day, the couple’s lives changes forever. Fifteen years on, global drought has scorched the earth. The UK is unrecognizable. Billions are dead.

Following the success on the festival circuits of their debut feature - the hard hitting horror Salvage (arriving in U.K cinemas early 2010), director Lawrence Gough and writer Colin o’ Donnell have announced their next project, the eco-horror-thriller The Drought. Whilst the story might be symbolic allegory of our time, reading through the plot summary you get the impression there’s going to be something a wee bit more dangerous than just a lack of water, lurking in the movie. No word yet on who will star in the flim, so while we wait for more info, check out the trailer for Salvage at the link. Synopsis: Mal and Joanne Stead have it all. A lovely home. Great careers. Two beautiful kids, Shaun and Neve. But when Shaun’s snatched from their garden one day, the couple’s lives changes forever. Fifteen years on, global drought has scorched the earth.

Film festivals are often a conumdrum for me because I sometimes wonder how they get started and, more to the point, who picks the films that get shown at them. My problem is that the films selected for many of the festivals don’t usually seem all that appealing (at least to me) and are often a collection of “art for art’s sake” films overwhelmed by their own sense of self-importance.

Fortunately, I don’t have this problem with the Fantastic Fest in Austin, which runs from September 24th to October 1st. The films selected for this festival represent an eclectic mix of genres and filmmakers and what I consider to be some of the most interesting, innovative and creative films being produced today. Sure, they’re not all potential Hollywood blockbusters, nor are they for everyone, but they are all pretty much guaranteed to be interesting, entertaining and in their own way,...

That's right, the first 32 titles have been announced for Austin's Fantastic Fest and the opening film will be the latest from Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) which stars Jemaine Clement (Eagle vs Shark)! I think I'm going this year!

Also playing will be the likes of...

Nicholas Refn's Bronson (review)

Pieter Van Hees Dirty Mind (review)

Esther Gronenborn's Kaifeck Murder (review coming shortly)

Lawrence Gough's Salvage (review)

Cory McAbee's Stingray Sam (review)

Full list of features and shorts after the break.

42nd Street Forever Volume 5: The Alamo Drafthouse Edition

The hugely popular Synapse trailer compilation series 42nd Street Forever is featuring the Alamo Film Archive for it's fifth volume. Here's your chance to check out a sneak preview screening of the actual 35mm trailers which are featured in the DVD compilation

Breathless

(dir. Yang Ik-june, 2009, South Korea)

Breathless is a foul-mouthed drama that delivers an unlikely mix of pathos,...