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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.66.23.11
Posted on Monday, July 08, 2013 - 04:04 pm:   

Early bird tickets on sale from today - only £48.50.

that's nearly half price for a full weekend of new horror films and guests
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 217.212.231.112
Posted on Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - 10:12 am:   

Early bird tickets are available till 8th August. Great bargain for all horror fans.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.237.187.186
Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 12:31 pm:   

I'm saving my money and energy in the hope of getting to Fantastiq in Derby in August instead. I think Grimmfest tends to concentrate on newer films and I know Fantastiq is showing older ones too (I think they're doing a Peter Cushing centenery tribute for starters). Personally, I prefer the older ones so I'm going to try to get to Fantastiq.

Thanks for letting us know though, Weber. Grimmfest has a great reputation and would be great for someone in that area like you.

Oh, and I guess there will be the Fantastic Films Festival in Manchester in September too? (that's the one Ramsey is patron of I think).

I'm still gutted that the Fantastic Films Weekend in Bradford is no more.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.8
Posted on Friday, July 26, 2013 - 10:03 am:   

Just booked my ticket for this! %0 quid for nearly 20 films on the big screen and shedloads of guests!


Whoops - just noticed the subject line should be Grimmfest 2013!
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Thursday, October 03, 2013 - 03:10 am:   

Grimmfest 2013 Opening night

The first film up was Hansel and Gretel get baked. This wasn't something I thought sounded particularly good, but it was included on my early bird pass so I couldn't not go.

I'm glad I did. This is by no stretch of the imagination a classic film, destined for cinematic legend, but it can be safely filed under "so much better than it sounds". It's basically a modern day version of H&G with the old witch luring unsuspecting potheads to her house by selling the best dope ever. Lots of gore and mayhem ensues. 7/10

This was followed by the restored version of The Wicker Man, being released in this never before seen version for the 40th anniversary. There's a number to make lots of people suddenly feel very old. Especially if you were old enough to see it on it's original release...

We all know the film, the "new" bits don't reall add much to the story, although it does bring Lord Summerisle in a lot sooner. an easy 8/10

Then we had a short film, Radio Silence. A grim little affair with a woman trapped in her home by a zombie apocalypse, desperately trying to call for help on a radio. Satisfyingly bleak, 7/10

To finish the night we had another film I had low expectations for - Curse of Chucky. Number 6 in the franchise which had veered shaply off the rails in the previous film Seed of Chucky.

Once again, I was very pleasantly surprised. This was a tense and creepy little number which actually deserves a cinema release rather than the straight to DVD that it's getting next year.

Brad Dourif's real life daughter plays the wheelchair bound heroine superbly. Having been brought up with a disabled parent, I can always spot mistakes in the way able bodied actors play handicapped people. the body language is normally all wrong. Young Ms Dourif though, is pitch perfect and looks like she genuinely has been in the chair her whole life.

The story is set in one location, a creepy old house out in the middle of nowhere. ms Dourif lives there with her mother. A parcel arrives out of the blue which contains a familiar looking doll. Soon the mother is dead and the rest of the family show up for the funeral. The rest of the film is a cat and mouse game with characters who either don't know or don't believe what's going on until it's too late.

This is a revenge thriller with Chucky as the aggrieved party. It's different in tone to all the previous outings and has plenty of in jokes and references for the fans of the franchise. Items that appear to be lapses in continuity are dealt with effectively later on in the film., in particular the fact that the doll in in one piece and not scarred.

This may well be my favourite in the franchise, but I'll need to rewatch Bride first. 7.5/10
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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 212.219.63.206
Posted on Thursday, October 03, 2013 - 01:10 pm:   

Nice to know there's a festival named after me. I'm very touched!

Regards
Terry Grimwood
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Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Thursday, October 03, 2013 - 01:17 pm:   

That's the third time I'll have to buy a new "definitive" version of 'The Wicker Man' on DVD.

But only 8/10 Weber!!

For me it's a resounding 10 (in whatever version) and one of my Top 10 horror movies of all time.

A warning to the curious, however... do not, under pain of death, be tempted to watch Robin Hardy's follow-up feature, 'The Fantasist' (1986). It's in the bottom 10. A film so gob-smackingly, embarrassingly awful as to defy logic and all common decency. Pure unadulterated bollocks!!

Has anyone here seen 'The Wicker Tree' (2011)?
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Friday, October 04, 2013 - 02:31 am:   

Yup, only 8/10. there are flaws to the narrative, several of the worst Scottish accents committed to film, an inbred scottish Island that's welcomed no newcomers in a century yet has a german librarian (good old Ingrid Pitt keeping her own accent no matter how anachronistic) and teh Island is either bigger than the Isle of Mann or it wasn't filmed on an island.

Summerisle is just too big. The views go on for many miles with no sign of a coastline. And even Robin Hardy says that the music where Edward woodward is leading the girl up through the caves sounds clumsy and just doesn't fit in with the film.

Anyway, let me get my programme for today and I'll give the rundown.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Friday, October 04, 2013 - 04:25 am:   

Grimmfrest day 2

Lots of films today so I'll be brief

To Jennifer - a found footage road trip to see the central character's girlfriend who is apparently cheating on him. This gets progressively darker. Nicely played but a tad predictable. 6.5/10

The Gloaming - a short film, beautifully shot and acted with some nosferatu type monsters. However tyhis is so short there's no time for any character development or story development. Should have been a lot longer. As it was, the brevity and absence of real story - 5/10

Next Exit - another short. This one sees a woman accepting a lift from a stranger and he drives her off into the middle of nowhere. This looked like predictable drivel to start with but moved off in truly unexpected directions and had one of the cleverest and creepiest ideas at the centre of it that I've seen for a long time. 8/10

Home sweet Home - a home invasion film, well shot, looks fantastic, well acted by all involved. One or two minor quibbles but a very good example of its type. 7/10

Girl at the door - another short. A bout of rough sex leads to a groundhog day type experience for an unfortunate man. not bad. Once again, it looked fantastic and was really well acted. 6.5/10

Attack of the Brainsucker - another short - a young girl in the 50s obsessed with horror films is convinced that the brainsuckers are out to get her. At times funny and disturbing with a nasty kick to the end of it - 7.5/10

Angst Piss and Shit - a foreign serial killer thing, focussing on a guy trying to reconnect with his girlfriend so they can go out killing together again. Stylish and darkly funny. 6/10

House with 100 Eyes - i think this is now one of my favourite found footage films. Through the use of static cameras set up throughout the house, hence the title, we manage to avoid the whole shakycam thing that spoils a lot of these films.The story follows husband and wife serial kilelrs as they try to create a snuff film with three victims.

The central couple are brilliantly played as slightly pathetic characters who really aren't up to the task in hand. There were walkouts in this when it reached a particularly nasty torture sequence. If you have a strong stomach this is a funny and remarkably original found footage film. 8.5/10

Crazy for you - a cracking little short about a serial killer and his new girlfriend - starring Arthur Darvill. This is as much a rom com as a serial killer flick and the juxtaposition really works. 8/10

The Borderlands - another found footage film, this time about a trio of church investigators looking into an alleged miracle. It's nicely done but lacking something. 6.5

On Air - the first complete pile of crap of the festival. A german story of a sadistic serial killer who challenges a shock jock pirate radio broadcaster to stop him from killing his latest vic. It starts reasonabley well but decends into the most ludicrous twists and stupidest plotting I've seen in any film this year. 2/10

Now I'm going to bed as I have another full day of films tomorrow
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.237.187.186
Posted on Friday, October 04, 2013 - 08:41 pm:   

Wasn't there a Robin Hardy Q&A with the showing of The Wicker Man, Weber? I saw him a few years ago - when he was launching the book Cowboys for Christ (which became the film, The Wicker Tree) - and he was an interesting interviewee.

Stevie - I haven't seen The Wicker Tree, but the above-mentioned book upon which it's based reads pretty much like a film script. I thought it would make a reasonably good film - though it wasn't a particularly well-written book.

Sounds like you're enjoying the fest, Weber. Wish I was there too!
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 - 02:51 am:   

There was a Robin Hardy Q&A but it was far too short.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 - 03:23 am:   

Grimmfest day 3

This kicked off with the documentary "My Amityville Horror" where Daniel Lutz - oldest son of the family - gives his side of the story. This was definitely a very interesting film which tries to stay balanced and let the viewer make up their own mind. Daniel's claims become more ludicrous as the film goes on though and he may regret agreeing to it. His two siblings refused to appear. 7/10

Next up was Smiley - easily the best film poster of the festival

smiley

Shame the film was a fairly weak and silly teens in peril that borrowed far too heavily from its influences. That said, the female lead was rather good and the Smiley mask is extremely creepy. 5.5/10 I'm feeling generous.

Next was a short film called The plan. It looked nice but wasfairly unremarkable despite the impresive technical elements. 5/10

Next film was Antisocial. However I didn't see it because someone made me look like this

me
me2

The next event was a demonstration by Shaune Harrison - the make up and prosthetics expert from harry Potter, World war Z, Sunshine, Hellraiser 3, Nightbreed and dozens of other huge films. As you may have guessed, I was his subject for zombification. He worked on me for an hour backstage, putting on the larger couple of prostheses before he took me out in front of the audience and put on the rest of the prostheses and painted it all up.

And here's something that tells you all you need to know about Manchester on a Friday. I went to Teso in the full make up, complete with a bloodied T-stirt and jacket, looking like I'd been in a horrific car smash, and barely anyone batted an eyelid...

Next film was Hellraiser 2. We all know this one. I must say I found it far better on the big screen with an appreciative crowd than I found it on my pan-and-scan grainy VHS copy. 7/10

Then Shaune gave a talk about his career and I was called up onto the stage again.

The next film was a short called The Guest. Simon Bestwick thought it was very good. I only caught the last minute of it because I was having the zombification reversed.

The night finished with Jughead. I think this is my new favourite film of the festival. A stone cold classic. In the backwoods of some southern state of the USA a small colony lives near a pit in which lives some form of lovecraftian monster - which wisely we never see. They use the pit to heal their sick but it demands sacrifices. And if the Pit doesn't get what it wants, it gets angry. Throw into the mix one of the most dysfunctional families ver committed to film and this is just brillian film-making. The world these characters inhabit is revealed to us piece by piece and is always convincing. the acting is top notch, the gore is minimal but very effectively used. I highly recommend you go see this if you get the chance. 9/10
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.237.187.186
Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 - 02:08 pm:   

Wow, Weber, I didn't realise you were so handsome!

Seriously, that zombification must have been fun. I'm dead jealous. I bet I'd look good as a zombie - after all, I *feel* like a zombie most of the time (that's what chronic fatigue does to you).
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Craig (Craig)
Username: Craig

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 99.126.164.88
Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 - 04:29 pm:   

Ha! That make-up's awesome, Weber!

I think you mean Jug Face, btw, the film you're talking about. Indeed, it does sound good.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 185.26.180.13
Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 - 11:05 pm:   

I did indeed mean jugface
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 185.26.180.35
Posted on Sunday, October 06, 2013 - 03:06 am:   

No film run down tonight. I've only just left the festival and by the time i've walked home it'll be at least 3. I'm knucking fackered to put it politely.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Monday, October 07, 2013 - 02:02 am:   

Grimmfest day 4

Modus Anomali - An indonessian film, interesting concept, a man wakes with no memory of who or where he is, find a house where his pregnant wife was murdered on camera and he's being stalked by an unknown stranger. sadly not quie as good as it coud have been due to a couple of very poor performances from the younger members of the cast and a drawn out end sequence/explanation. 6/10

I missed thr two shorts, Out There and Sleepworking because Chris Fowler's Q&A overran. I did however find out the Chris Fowler (of Bryant and May fame as constantly lauded by Stevie) wrote possibly the most famous film tagline from 1979... 10 points to anyone (other than Stevie) who guesses it.

Next film I saw was The Human race. I was constantly reminded of Stephen King's The Long Walk in this film although they are entirely different treatments on a similar theme. 80 people vanish from a city block and find themselves forced to run round a trcak, anyone who leaves the track will die, anyone who is lapped twice will die etc... It's a nice concept well handled. 7/10

Samuel and Emily Vs the World - fairly cliched short film set in a zombie apocalypse. 5.5/10

Found - a psychologically completely fucked up story of a twelve year old who realises his idolised big brother is a serial killer. There are a few plot holes - in particular why are the police not chasing after this guy, is his brother better thandexter at hiding the bodies? especially when a young boy is one of the victims. Also a scene with the school bully picking on our young lead is specatacularly badly done. Even with actors this young it's possible to make a fight look real and brutal, and this fight needed to look like that. Not the anodyne little clearly staged punch that we saw.

Despite the gripes, this was one of my favourites in the festival 9/10

Kiss of the damned. I can't rate this one. Whether it was me or the film I'm not sure, but I was falling asleep in this one and went out to buy an energy drink or two.

The Conspiracy - a cracking fake documentary about a pair of film-makers trying to find the truth behind a conspiracy theorist's disappearance. I wish they hadn't used as much actual fact and stuff I know to be true when making this. Insidiously disturbing. 8/10

Big Bad Wolves - an Israeli film about teh capture and torture of a suspected paedophile. This is abut as black as comedy gets before it turns into something else entirely. I wish they'd had a different ending though as it offered the viewer an easy out and allowed us to feel good about our reaction to the film. They should have taken the opposite tack IMHO with the ending. Apart from that 7.5/10

John Dies at the End - One of my favourite books I read last year and now a pretty good film. However they did cut about 80% of the book. This is partly a good thing, as it meant the film made more narrative sense for its full length than the book did, but it does mean that a lot of very good material was left by the wayside, including my favourite running joke in the book which was trurned into a rerally horrible and creepy concept at the end. 7/10
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Monday, October 07, 2013 - 02:20 am:   

Grimmfest day 5

Thanatamorphose - a woman rits and decomposes whilst still alive - in graphic and realistc sfx and makeup. I'm not sure enjoy is the right word for the feelings of watching this film (it had several walkouts) but I'm glad I watched it. Unrelentingly bleak doesn't begin to describe this film. I'm not sure when I might want to watch it again but... Definitely only for the strong wiled and strong stomached, 8/10 for being the easily the most horrific film of the weekend.

The Butterfly Room - fetr Thanatamorphose they could have played a double bill of Snowtown and martyrs and it would have seemed cheerful. This is a good old fashioned ckilelr romp starring loads of cult names - most notably Barabara steele. This jumped back and forth in time and was occasionally confusing and I'm not sure if the timelines were worked out in sufficient detail... a letter she receives at one point should definitely have been received later in the film timeline if one was to lay it out chronologically. Not bad at all though and I think Mr and Mrs prort would love this one. 7/10

Wither - very predictable cabin-in the-woods attacked by zombies film. Nothing new to offer at all 5/10

Stalled - easily the best horror comedy of the whole 5 days. This takes the "trapped in a confined space and surrounded by zombies" idea to a whole new extreme by trapping our hero in a toilet cubicle... With sections toward the end which were genuinely emotional as well as some great comic set pieces (Geoff from IT was a brilliant touch) I can't recommend this film enough - 9/10

The Body - a short film about a killer trying to transport a dead body to its early unmarked grave on halloween night. very funny. 7/10

Shell shocked - another short - set in a trench in WWII where a pair of opposing soldiers reach an uncomfortable partnersip before being attacked by creatures from beyond the grave. directed by a guy out of Emmerdale... 5/10

The Machine - closing film for the festival and not bad at all. A sci fi thriller about AI and robotics. It doesn't deserve the comparisons to blade-runner that I've read but it's a good way to kill a couple of hours. 6.5/10
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.109.0
Posted on Monday, October 07, 2013 - 02:26 am:   

So best short film was Next Exit
Best comedy - Stalled
Best Horror - either house of 100 eyes or Jugface... I can't decide.

I know - Best found footage - House of 100 Eyes
best not-found-footage horror - Jugface.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 86.134.108.137
Posted on Thursday, November 07, 2013 - 01:03 am:   

http://www.rue-morgue.com/2013/11/grimmfest-2013-recap/

A really good write up of the festival

and a great pic of me in there as well

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