FrightFest 2010 - Day THREE

The festival was set to kick off at 11:00am, giving me a WHOLE 15 more extra minutes to sleep in this time. I don't think it helped much, though...

I, yet again, stocked on my usual Starbucks and arrived at the cinema for the first screening at the discovery screen.

Before I went in, I was greeted by the FrightFest welcome sign:



Notice two familiar faces in the crowd?

The first film being showcased in discovery screen was this new French horror mystery, CHRISTOPHER ROTH.



Having been directed by the cinematographer who had shot all of Alexandre Aja's past films, I knew CHRISTOPHER ROTH had some quality talent behind it. It tells a story of a murder-mystery author who drifts into the countryside with his wife in order to find inspiration and continue work on a forthcoming thriller novel. While there, he gets embroiled in a string of real life murders that force him to use his mystery skills as a writer to find the masked killer.

I actually enjoyed CHRISTOPHER ROTH far more than the audience around me. Although the plot lingered on far too long, never pushing the story forward, the film was shot with a really creative eye. There were some brilliantly composed murder sequences that perfectly evoked the inventive nature the film dabbled in. Worth watching at least once. 7/10.

After the screening, I caught up with my Dad for the next film being screened in the main auditorium, THE TORTURED.



THE TORTURED deals with a story of a couple extracting revenge on the killer who murdered their child. It toys with the philosophy of justice and questions the morals of passing judgment.

When it comes down to it, the film just turned out to be a regular by the books revenge film, going over the same themes and anecdotes, never exploring new thoughts or perspectives. Although the extraction of the revenge was gleefully gory and fulfilling, the film boasts an ending twist that is utterly absurd which totally derails the entire film. 5/10.

After a short break, the only werewolf film being screened at the festival was up next. With the cast and crew in attendance, 13 HRS took center stage at the EMPIRE CINEMA.



Simple scenario, trapped teenagers in a haunted house inhabited by a werewolf. The film basically boiled down to simplistic characters, uncreative murders, redundant ideas, and an uninspired script that tried to be far too smart for itself in the final act. Utterly forgettable. 4/10.

With over an hour break on our hands till the next film, we were able take our first proper break. We returned to the cinema at 6:30 for the European premiere of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.

Before the screening we were greeted with a surprise appearance by Tom Six, director of last year's FrightFest favorite, THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.

He started off by discussing the impact the film had made since its world premiere debut at FrightFest 2009, including how some now despise him to the point where they compare him to Hitler and even demand to have him circumcised! Random, I know.

It was rather funny stuff to hear his detailed accounts with his eccentric dutch accent. He then further went to iterate that the sequel to THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE has started production just a few weeks ago here in London. We were then presented with a batch of special behind the scenes photos of the current shoot taking place. The sequel looks to be just as absurd, over-the-top, and controversially extreme as its predecessor. Looking forward to it!

Here's a snapshot I got of Tom Six with his ultra-cool cowboy hat:



After that short presentation, the aforementioned screening of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE then commenced.



Based on the 1978 classic, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE paints a gritty revenge tale of a woman who is raped but returns to extract viscous revenge on the assailants.

I went in expecting a very weak remake; I mean how do you successfully remake I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE? The original was such a testament to its time and to recreate such a film today would just be impossible. Having said that, and although I think the original is quite good, the remake trumps its predecessor.

I know the original was so influential and infamous back when it was initially released, spawning a brand new sub-genre, the rape-revenge film (yes, there actually is such a genre), but the remake does everything the original did, but better. Although the remake is not as grungy or sexually graphic as the original, it boasts far more interesting and complex characters, along with a second half of revenge that is energetic, fulfilling, and totally engrossing. A wicked revenge film, plain and simple. 8/10.

The major premiere of the evening was next, MONSTERS, with director Gareth Edwards and co. attending the exclusive preview.



The cinema ended up selling out of the screening, so the cinema was utterly packed with every single seat occupied.



MONSTERS uses the DISTRICT 9 documentary style do document an invasion and eventual containment of a tentacle mutated alien race on earth. It follows a journalist and a traveler currently trapped in South America, trying to navigate their way back to the United States. The only problem is the aforementioned containment zone is in Mexico. Now if you know your geography, to get to the United States from South America you have to venture through Mexico first. Sounds like one fun road trip!

MONSTERS conjures up a really fascinating scenario that has the ability to work an enthralling chase adventure under cape of a realistic science fiction invasion. The only problem is the entire film feels like a buildup. The aliens are always teased and never utilized, and although the film leads down a path where you hope some excitement, intrigue, and energy would seep through, nothing really comes to past. It coasts along a very safe and uneventful path, forcing the viewer to pray for something unique or exciting to happen. On a positive note, the film is shot beautifully with striking vistas, lush jungles, and exotic locations. But considering the ridiculous amount of attention the film got both before and after the screening, it truly was the definition of a disappointment. 6/10.

After the sold out screening of MONSTERS, the auditorium slowly emptied out with the final film of the night ending up having a very small audience.

A pattern normally occurs here at FrightFest. While many don't stick around for the late night screening, the final film of the night always ends being the most extreme, outrageous, and downright standout film of the day. DAY 3 was no different.



DREAM HOME deals with a poor Chinese cleaner who has dreamed of owning an apartment for herself one day. For years she has endured the pain and suffering of poverty, but has now eventually saved up enough money to finally buy the apartment she has dreamed of since she was child. But due to circumstances that work against her, the apartment ends up being sold to an irrelevant wealthy businessman. Gutted by the result, she takes it upon herself to rid the entire apartment complex of unworthy owners who do not appreciate the luxury of living in such a fortunate space.

DREAM HOME takes a realistic circumstance and throttles it to the extreme that ends in an epic blood bath, full of violence, gore, and sheer madness. Using only practical effects, DREAM HOME works up some eventful murder sequences with some very unsuspecting items that feel refreshingly original.

The lead in the film is a bruised individual who is easily identifiable with. She has gone through so much abuse and heartbreak, to see her unleash such wrath seems oddly understandable. Although the story stretches itself too far into the second half, with not enough material to cover ground, DREAM HOME is still a surprisingly inventive thriller that gives us a legitimate attachment to the protagonist, something not normally seen in horror films today. 8/10.

As they were shutting down for the night, My Mom and I quickly took a picture with poster of DREAM HOME:



The madness was set to continue on Day 4 with no hint of a slowing down. With 15 outrageous films already burnt into my brain, I questioned whether I'd be able to survive 9 more.

Doesn't matter, sleepy time...

FrightFest 2010 – Day TWO

Friday began with the noise of my alarm going off at a very early 9:45am. After I got prepared, I trekked out towards the cinema, stopping once at a Starbucks to stock up on some much needed caffeine. Was definitely going to need as much of it as I can get today.

As I arrived to the cinema, many attendees had already arrived and were gearing up themselves for the start of what was sure to be an eventful day.

The festival was now housing two screens, the main screen, reserved for the more bigger and popular horror films, and the discovery screen, geared towards the lesser known horror pictures.

I decided that the first film showing at the discovery screen was far more appealing to me compared to the odd experimental film being showcased in main screen.

The film at the discovery screen was an Australian thriller called, BURNING BRIGHT.



Taking a note from William Blake's famous poem "The Tiger", the story focuses on two siblings trapped in a house with a vicious and blood thirsty African tiger. With no communication available, they must use all their assets in order to survive the terrifying ordeal.

With a such a unique story in hand, the film did manage to hold a good sense pace throughout the duration. Although you could sense the budget was holding back some of the ideas the makers wanted to fully flesh out, they did a good job in working under such constraints. Although its far from being a masterpiece of suspense, it is well made thriller that that is definitely worth checking out. 7/10.

Afterward, I hopped over to the main screen to catch the closing minutes of EGGSHELLS, Tobe Hooper's directorial debut from 1970.



From what I saw its filled to the brim with ridiculous hippie iconography, psychedelic montages, and random hallucination sequences that made absolutely no sense. I figured that the randomness of it all was because I came in soo late, but everyone around me also seemed to have the same lost expression. I question whether Hooper even knew what he was shooting. It was just plain weird.

After a short break, the next film was a digital screening of the classic TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.



Nothing really more needs to be said on how utterly ferocious and raw THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is. It's one of the finest of the genre and a true blueprint on how to make a proper horror masterpiece. 10/10.

After the screening, Tobe Hooper arrived on stage to discuss both his life and career. This was the first time he had traveled to the United Kingdom in over 19 years, so this really was a special appearance.

In the Q&A it was quite interesting to hear his reflections on the numerous films he had worked on in the past, including the over input Spielberg had on POLTERGEIST and the weak critical and public response given to the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2.

When a signing session was announced after the Q&A, a line formed that reached all the way outside of the cinema. For horror fans, Hooper is the pinnacle. He's their Micheal Jackson or Lebron James.

With my Mom and Dad in line with me, we got 3 very cool things signed, including my laserdisc, poster, and Blu-Ray of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. As he was signing, I asked what his thoughts on Dario Argento were. He responded, saying that he loved Argento and they are very good friends. He further went on to state that SUSPIRIA is his favorite film out of all of Argento's films. Smart man, this Hooper is.

At 5pm the festival resumed with the world premiere of the revenge film, ISLE OF DOGS with the cast and crew in attendance.



ISLE OF DOGS revolves around an affair taking place and two lovers hatching a plan to rid the husband and run off with a secret stash of cash. As you can predict, all does not go according to plan.

The film had some nice touches throughout, especially in the first quarter of the film, evoking the signature Giallo vibe with some creative murder setpieces and also inventively toying with the timeline really well. Unfortunately, the film became far too predictable and tedious as it wore on. 6/10.

After the Q&A, the cast and crew headed out to the lobby to hang out. Here's a random shot of the crowd after the screening.



Here's a cool snapshot I got of my Mom with the director.



Here also are some shots of the lead actress, Barbara Nedeljakova, whom you may know from HOSTEL.



She turned out to be really down to earth and graciously signed all my HOSTEL memorabilia.

Next up at 7:15pm was another British horror film, F. Do you notice a trend yet? If not, you will.



It takes the concept of Assault on Precinct 13 and mixes it with hooded schoolboys as mysterious assailants.

Although I dug the way it was shot with strong, cold colors, giving off a very icy flavor, the story was utterly generic with characters that came off very one dimensional. Also, the pacing was totally off in this one, it seemed as if the entire film was just a build up. So much so, think I must of have feel asleep during the third act. Now I don't know if that was because of lack of sleep or just poor filmmaking, but suspect the latter had much more to do with it. 5/10.

After F, I opted to head back to the discovery screen and catch this new Japanese horror film based on a very popular manga titled, HIGANJIMA: ESCAPE FROM VAMPIRE ISLAND. The film was over two hours long and I questioned whether I would have the stamina to take in such a film. I mean after the screening of F, my mind was slowly drifting into unconsciousness.

But I decided against such weak ramblings, ran to Starbucks and pumped by blood with an overload of coffee to keep me conscious for the next two hours.



HIGANJIMA tells a supernatural story of a group of friends heading off to a mysterious and haunted island in search for the lost of brother of one of their companions. The island ends up being inhabited to by a cult of ancient vampires, who wish to drink every drop of blood from these new trespassers. The companions are forced to fight both tooth and nail against the vampires, while searching for their lost companion and escaping the island. Along the way, they join forces with a rebellious group of ninjas fighting against the vampire cult and also encounter an array of fantastical creatures including harpies, giant spiders, and immortal monsters.

HIGANJIMA ended up having a great atmosphere that mixed both horror and adventure seamlessly well. The film is always exciting and creative and never repetitive or cliche. It's funny without being cheesy and engaging without being melodramatic. The action in the film is also pretty damn slick. HIGANJIMA is ridiculously fun, gory, bloody, and basically downright brilliant. 9/10.

After HIGANJIMA, the final film in the main screen was being still running, so I jetted over and caught the final hour of the amazingness titled, ALIENS vs. NINJAS.



The story is exactly what the title claims, ancient ninjas battling costumed aliens in the forests of feudal Japan. The film is soo over-the-top. Random action encounters, slime of every color spraying all over the place, cheesy effects, all accelerated to the Japanese extreme. It was the perfect midnight film to screen and the crowd really ate it up. 9/10.

We were finally released from the shackles of DAY 2 at FrightFest at a moonlit 2am.

As we left, here's a quick photo I grabbed of some of the upcoming films showing at the festival:



DAY 3 was set to provide us with werewolves, a revenged crazed female, alien-octopus' (don't ask), and a psychotic Chinese killer. Sounds like a great day ahead of us!

FrightFest 2010 – Day ONE

Sorry for the lack of updates. It’s been a very busy past week for me, but it's now time to play catch-up.

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

My Mom, Dad (who had just arrived recently), and myself planned to leave for the much anticipated film festival, FrightFest on Thursday August 27^th.

For those of you unaware, FrightFest is a genre film festival that specializes in showcasing 30+ of the latest horror films from across the world over the course of five days.

Throughout the weekend, the cinema is packed with serious fans, special guests, surprise previews, horror premieres, and buckets of blood. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s basically pure nirvana.

The festival was set to kick-off at 6:30 on Thursday evening, so we planned that leaving for London at about 10am would give us ample time to both check-in to the hotel and make it to the festival on time.

Well firstly, I awoke at 10:30am to find everyone else still asleep. After seeing how we had totally missed our aim, I jumped out of bed and quickly woke them up. So much for leaving at 10am…but wait, it’s not over yet.

Another event that made its way onto the itinerary was participating in a family ceremony that involved our new-born in the family having her hair cleanly taken off. Don’t ask why, I’m still trying to figure out the reasoning behind it myself. I think it has something to do with cleansing the baby, or at least something along those lines.

Here are some priceless caps taken after the shaving:

So after a very looong, but quite pleasant shaving session and an unnecessary tea break, we jetted out to London at a ridiculously late 4pm.

Due to the madness called the London traffic, we didn’t end up getting to the EMPIRE CINEMA till 7:30.

As I rushed in, the opening film for the festival was well deep into its running time. The
opening film was the world premiere of the slasher picture, HATCHET II.

The hype amongst horror fans prior to the premiere at FrightFest was quite strong. Although I wasn’t able to catch the first hour of the film, the final half was ridiculously gory fun, filled the creative and atmospheric horror setpieces that really got the audience into the slasher vibe.

After the screening, director Adam Green and three of his cast members, including Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, and Danielle Harris took the stage for a Q&A.

During the session, I was able to ask a question to Adam Green, inquiring what his influences as a filmmaker were. He responded that Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg (boo!) were his prime heroes. I was awarded two cool posters for asking a question, and was able to get Adam Green and Kane Hodder to sign them after the screening. I guess asking questions does pay off!

Here's a quick picture I took with Adam Green:

The next film in the line-up was a new Australian horror film called PRIMAL.

This one I didn’t enjoy too much. It was filled with over-the-top screams, overuse of slow motion, and trumped by a really weak cast of characters. Although there were some really interesting ideas floating in the film, concerning a battle against nature and such, nothing ever materialized. The climax was surprisingly shocking, though. 6/10.

At 11:30, the final film of the night was the upcoming British vampire film, DEAD CERT.

One of the unique things the film was supposedly showcasing was its mix of the vampire genre with a gangster twist. Unfortunately, the actual result turned out to be quite sloppy. It seemed as if it wanted to master both genres, but just ended up failing in both. The characters came off very clichéd and the plot wandered down the predictable path very early on. FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, it wasn't. 5/10.

After the film, the director and cast participated in a Q&A. Two of the lead actors in the film had actually provided voices for characters in Infinity Ward’s MODERN WARFARE 1 and 2, and showed up for the screening.

But, there was only one problem; I didn’t know how they looked. I could only recognize them by their voices. I mean it was a video game after all.

So using my spidey senses, I just closed my eyes and listened in. Suddenly, I heard the voices that reflected their characters in MODERN WARFARE. Afterward, I reluctantly inched forward to the chosen suspects, and reluctantly presented them with MODERN WARFARE to sign. I was quite relieved to find out I was right when they gladly signed my copy. Getting my copy of MODERN WARFARE 1 and 2 signed by both of them was just plain wicked, considering how amazing those two games are.

We ended up leaving the EMPIRE CINEMA at 2am and crawled out of Leicester Square and returned at the hotel at very late 2:30am.

The next day was going to showcase at least 6 films back-to-back, laced with signings, interviews, and all sorts of things horror, all starting at a very early 10:30am. It seems like sleep was going to be something I would need to stock up on.