Thursday 23 December 2010

Jonny's Cult Films Podcast - Episode 3,Its christmas!!!!!!

Hello Folks!
Here is the Christmas 2010 Podcast,In the show we(well mainly me)have the odd rant  and rave,especially my Danny Dyer rant(i'm not a fan!)and this years weird Human centipede,but its mostly about the best and worse films that we and the listeners have seen this year,the second part of the show is a preview of films we are most excited to see in 2011,So happy xmas to  you all and have a very happy new year and a big thanks to all the listeners!
Have a good one!
Jonny t and the boys!

DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW!

JONNYS CULT FILMS PODCAST,IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!

Tuesday 14 December 2010

An interview with N.J.Hallard-Aurthor of Breaking news:An Autozmbiography

AN INTERVIEW WITH NJ.HALLARD


Hello Folks,
I have just read the fantastic book from N.J.Hallard"Breaking news an Autozombiography"and i must say its pretty fantastic!
This guy is one of the best upcoming horrors writers around and i have been fortunate enough to interview him for this blog and for your pleasure!

An Interview with N.J Hallard.

1-From reading the book it seems very personal with a lot of the characters and indeed the dog,are these based on people you know?

Very perceptive - you're the first person to ask me this! Just under half the main characters in Breaking News: an Autozombiography are based on my friends and family. We've all spent so many hours talking about surviving a zombie apocalypse that any story I was going to write had to include them. But also as this was the first novel I've ever written, I suppose I wanted to make the writing experience as unthreatening and therefore as easy as possible.
Their character traits - and indeed those of the two dogs - made for an easy starting-point, enabling me to concentrate on the storytelling. But as the writing progressed, the characters in the book evolved to something beyond the actual people. Everyone who is in the book has read it (indeed for a year or so the ONLY people who had read the book were those who are in it - so it was tough working out if all the positive feedback I was getting was purely because people like reading about themselves lopping heads off zombies and looking pretty damn cool!).
As it turns out almost everyone who has read it now, says its a real page-turner - even those who don't know me or my little group of friends, so that was reassuring! For the legal beagles amongst your listeners, I have sought (and received) the express permission of every one of my acquaintances who makes an appearance in 'Breaking News: an Autozombiography'.

2-Within the book there are a lot of pop culture and zombie film references,were these your main inspirations for the book?

My main inspiration for the book is to get more people like you and me writing - so much creativity goes to waste these days. I want anyone to be able to self-publish their own 'Autozombiography', and use that word in the title without signing anything or paying any fees. The only thing I would suggest is that the structure of the outbreak in your book sticks roughly to the simple, generic timeline available on Baron Cissbury's blog.
England's people are still quite tribal, and our long history is in evidence all around us. This is especially so in buildings and structures (sometimes created for past battles) that could be adapted to protect humans from the undead - castles, keeps, caves, islands, tower blocks and the like. If you haven't played out your own zombie-survival narrative in your head, you're not a true zombie fan!
I wanted this book to inspire people to get writing, because I found creating a 300 page book far, far easier than I ever thought it could be. If you have ever discussed with friends what surviving the zombies would be like on, say, a docked passenger ferry, or in your boarded-up local pub, you need to write your own Autozombiography. I tried to touch on the possibilities in my own book, with my characters hearing rumours of other encampments - like how a Hell's Angels chapter sets up camp at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall - to inspire people to think of the coolest way they could survive in their area, and what shape their band of survivors might take.
As for the zombie film references, I wanted the story's universe to be here and now - including the fact that zombies exist in fiction, and therefore some people will know what to do already. This was a chance for the horror geek to reign supreme! But also I think the biggest cliché in zombie movies is when people look after a bitten friend - you KNOW these chumps have never seen a Romero movie. But what if zombies really came tomorrow? You, me and all your listeners would instantly know what to do, and I found that a fascinating concept to work with.
3-How are the sales of the book going?

Given that I have created, published and am marketing the whole book with a budget of less than £200... very well indeed! I dread to think how much the marketing budget for some fiction is. Money invested is directly proportional to copies sold, so I'm not going to be retiring anytime soon.
A big boost came when I finally got my head round Kindle and how to format a book for e-publishing. The main publishers - the people who hold the .pdf file of the whole book - are Lulu.com., and if you buy from them I get around 30% of the cover price of £12. I had to submit it to Amazon, because I'd be mad not to, and if you buy from Amazon I get less than 10%. However, if you buy the Kindle edition from Amazon for five quid or so I get 50% of the cover price as there's not physical layout for either party in terms of ink, paper or postage. However, by far the largest amount shifted have been paper versions sold from Amazon, so a sale doesn't necessarily mean a significant difference in my bank balance each time a book is sold. In a word, pretty well but I've not quite broken even yet! I didn't do it for the money though, in all honesty.

4-I see from your website that you fight against the zombies is constantly updated,when can we expect to see a sequel?

Well, I do know exactly what will happen in a sequel for 'Breaking News: an Autozombiography'. I keep the Twitter and blog events separate and kind of free from the constraints of time. I occasionally let the Baron post news on the blog which will back up the starting point of the sequel (about a year after the last page of the current book), such as re-fortifying the ancient barricades of Cissbury Ring.
Its a toss-up between writing a sequel and something totally different. I am confident that I can write another book, and I have lots of ideas. I am most excited by the direction I can take the inhabitants of the Cissbury Ring encampment though, if I'm honest. Time is another factor of course - it took four years from writing the first word to having the finished paperback in my hand. When I started writing it, print-on-demand didn't even exist! A second book will be at least a year, even if I started writing it tomorrow, but I have a two-year-old now, as well as a wife, mortgage and my own business. If anyone wants to give me an advance to write, I'd drop everything like a hot brick - er, except perhaps the family!
5-What do you think of the conversion from page to the screen in "The Walking Dead"
I am really O.C.D. with regards to 'reading' films and good TV, which are my passion. I always try to leave a gap between the publicity explosion for things I know I'll like, and actually watching it. Hence I haven't seen a single screen shot of the series, and as far as possible haven't read anything to do with the series (even though some people on Twitter seem to delight in posting spoilers). Hype can taint how I perceive a text, and I'd rather see it in as pure way as possible. I didn't know anything about Zombieland for example until the BluRay was in my PS3 and the first frame was onscreen.
I hate to have other people's opinions floating about my head as I watch something for the first time. Its about maximising my own enjoyment, and I can't recommend isolating yourself from a film's hype enough as a way to do this. Probably not what the host of a film podcast wants to hear, but there you are! So I can't say, but I will be buying the whole lot on BluRay when it is available. I have of course read the graphic novels, but I was bought them for my birthday whilst I was writing 'Breaking News: an Autozombiography'. They stayed on my shelf, unread, until I had finished the book.

6-Would you like your book to make it on to the big screen or even TV?

Does the pope shit in the woods?! Of course! I have even chosen the soundtrack for the trailer! If anything I had my other passion of video games in mind when writing the book. I love the open worlds of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead, but also the pinpoint visceral accuracy of shooting moving objects in Call of Duty (I hit 100,000 kills on Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare's online multiplayer the other day by the way). I really enjoy the customizable weaponry of Dead Rising and the collectable activities found in management games like Pocket Frogs. I think 'Breaking News: an Autozombiography' lends itself to all of these gaming passions of mine. But of course the holy grail is a movie.
7-If it were to be made in to a film,who would you have in mind to play the lead role and who wouldd you think would do it justice as a Director?

The main character in 'Breaking News: an Autozombiography' is unnamed throughout the book. He is an 'everyman' as far as I could make him, but he is me in essence. A video game would be great in the first-person, which means we never see the main character, but this would be almost impossible in a mainstream film.
Everyone in the book is rather unfashionably in their thirties, but I wouldn't want to change that. My money's on Sam Worthington (from the awesome Terminator Salvation; the dog's egg that was Avatar; and funnily enough the voice of Mason in the latest Call of Duty). He'd have to lose a bit of weight though, as he's pretty built but I'm more like under construction. I fancy seeing if Kate Moss can act to play Lou. Al would be played by a skinhead Colin Farrell. Jay by Jack Black, if he can muster a decent accent and a straight face.
The zombies would use the same green-screen technique from Terminator Salvation with a mix of prosthetics and CG - they built solid structures which half-covered green lycra suits. In post-production they modeled whirring cogs and pistons to map onto the bits of green left visible, which appeared to be within the bodies of the actors playing the various Terminators. In my world, the zombies would have cloth and flaps of prosthetic flesh covering the green body suits, but the CG element would be glistening organs and sinews which would appear to be inside their body cavities.
As for directors, I was very impressed with McG when I watched him on the extras of Terminator Salvation. However, my two old college friends have found much critical acclaim with their recent indie flick Down Terrace and I've worked with them on a sci-fi feature before (as production designer), so I'd have to give them first dibs. Actually, I'd probably direct it myself!

8-What is your favourite zombie film?
That's not fair. I love Night of the Living Dead for genuine creepiness, but Dawn of the Dead is my favourite Romero because it made such an impact on me as a young lad. It still really, really freaks me out. Shaun of the Dead was an absolute masterstroke, and I'll admit I am a little in love with Frost and Pegg. Zombieland was pretty awesome, but some of the decisions the characters made towards the end (er, close the gate behind you? Twats) spoilt it a bit for me, although Harrelson is magnificent.
28 Days Later is not a zombie film. Zombies don't run, and these ones are all still alive but infected, as far as I can make out. If I may quote from my own book, "...I'd rather watch Aliens, or Zulu...". Hence the remake of Dawn of the Dead, in my opinion, just simply chugged monkey cock for an hour and a half. That is a lovely opening sequence though, I'll admit. But, speaking as a genuine ex-film student, if you really want to see someone playing a dead bloke who WILL come and visit your dreams, look no further than Max Schreck in F.W Murnau's Nosferatu from 1922. Seriously.

9-Would you recommend any other good zombie fiction?

No. I just simply haven't read any which I was that impressed with. How arrogant am I?!
10-Any messages to your fans?

Just simply a huge thank you. I tweet on Twitter as the main character from the book, from the encampment, using a battered iPhone salvaged on a raid which somehow connects to the internet (this isn't in the book at all). Dozens and dozens of people from all over the world regularly interact as if they are surviving the zombie holocaust in their own encampment. This is the creative drive I think people should tap into to create their own Autozombiography - their imagination and creativity always take me by surprise. Thank you!
 
 
So there you have it folks!A great man with a great book and he is so great that he even gave me a copy of his booked"signed"as a contest prize!
So for your chance to win Please answer the following question,
How many Zombie Films has George a Romero made to date.
Email me at jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com with the answer.The contest will end on january the 5th so good luck!
If you would like to  pick up a copy before your chance to win,it would make a great pesent for any horror fan it is available now on  ww.amazon.com  http://www.amazon.co.uk/ also on amazon kindle and lulu!
 
Please also when you get the time head over to http://www.njhallard.wordpress.com/ for all the updates on the zombie story a ton of other great stuff from Baron Cissbury!

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Jonnys cult films Podcast-Episode 2(kind of!)



Hello Folks!
Yes we made it back,again!
In this episode we discuss episode 1 of The walking dead,having been fans of the comic book for a very long time we were not disappointed,also the competition winner of "Dark:a horror anthology"book from the last show will be announced,the show also features a great MP3 feedback clip from DJFrenchy666 as well as many an opinion from people who contributed to our show with thier opinions on The walking dead through Facebook,Please click the show title above to listen or download.
 hope you all enjoy!
Jonnyt.

Sunday 14 November 2010

THE STONING OF SORAYA M.


When a deadly conspiracy became a shameful cover-up,
 one witness refused to be silenced.
 
Synopsis

Academy award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog) stars in the heroic role of Zahra, an Iranian woman with a burning secret. When a journalist (Jim Caviezel, The Passion of the Christ, Deja Vu) is stranded in her remote village, she takes a bold chance to reveal what the villagers will stop at nothing to keep hidden.

Thus begins the remarkable account of what happened to Soraya (Mozhan Marno), a kind, spirited woman whose bad marriage leads to a cruel, divorce-seeking husband to conspire against her, trumping up charges of infidelity, which carry an unimaginable penalty. Moving through a minefield of scheming, lies and deceit, Soraya and Zahra will attempt to prove Soraya's innocence in a legal system that is stacked against her. But when all else fails, Zahra will risk everything to use the only weapon she has left - her fearless, passionate voice that can share Soraya's story with the world.

The Stoning of Soraya M. is inspired by Paris-based journalist Freidoune Sahebjam's acclaimed international best-seller of the same name which, rife with intrigue and moral outrage, first brought global attention to the real Soraya, who in 1986 was buried to her waist in her hometown square and stoned to death by her fellow villagers.

Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh
Written by Betsy Griffen Nowrasteh & Cyrus Nowrasteh





Ok, so I've been putting of watching this for a while, not because I didn't want to see it. As Jonny would say, "ooh that sounds like a happy film, right up your street!". No, it was more that, from the title, you know straight away it's going to be a rough ride.

When I watched this film for the first time I cried pretty much from start to finish (I am a girl, give me a break!). Watching it now, for the second time, this film hasn't lost any off its power. I still have that same foreboding feeling as i did first time round (less crying this time though!) From the first scene where Zahra walks down to the river and buries the little that is left of Soraya's body, you are transfixed. Everybody involved is excellent, especially Shohreh Aghdashloo, who plays Zahra with such strength and fearless determination, and Mozhan Marno, whos dignified portrayal of Soraya does justice to her memory. Also,the actor who plays Soraya's husband(Navid Negahban) did such a good job that i'll find it difficult to like him in anything else he does, sorry!

I don't really want to go through the film step by step, we know how it's going to end and It would be a shame to ruin the journey you have to go on to get there. I will say though, that although some parts are pretty horrific it's worth every minute and I've been left with an overwhelming feeling of hope.

If you're thinking this film is just about some outdated and cruel form of justice that goes on in other countries far away from our cosy little western lives, it isn't. Its essentially a good old fashioned film about good and evil and it gives you back that belief that, as one person, you can still make a difference.

Anyway, I don't think any review i write can do this film justice so go and watch, NOW! (oh, and be kind, this is my first ever written rewiew, I just usually rant over a glass of wine, thanks) ,

Please click the link
www.thestoning.com

Please view the trailer below.

Friday 5 November 2010

SHREDDER-By Garry Charles.

Hello Folks,
I Would like to bring you attention to the new novella by the great writer Gary Charles,
It called"Shredder".
Its an action/horror crossover, an insane hybrid of Alien, Predator, Dog Soldiers and The Thing.
I Have been fortunate enough to have read this and i must say its pretty fantastic indeed!
I will be available for a free download,yes that's FREE!!From 7pm Saturday night november 6th.
From http://www.garrycharles.co.uk/ where you will also find more free fiction to dowmload,so get yourself over there and check this one out,Even if you don't read much fiction but you are a fan of horror i would say you have to give this a look.You can also get a preview sample from-garrycharles-author-screenwriter.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
Jonny t!


WE ARE WHAT WE ARE

Hello Good people,
Check out this preview for the awesome looking"We are what we are"Looks pretty top!
Coming soon!!
Artificial Eye presents


                               WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (Somos Lo Que Hay) (TBC)

Directed by Jorge Michel Gras
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS
A middle-aged man dies in the street, leaving his widow and three children destitute. The devastated family is confronted not only with his loss but with a terrible challenge - how to survive. For they are cannibals. They have always existed on a diet of human flesh consumed in bloody ritual ceremonies... and the victims have always been provided by the father. Now that he is gone, who will hunt? Who will lead them? How will they sate their horrific hunger? The task falls to the eldest son, Alfredo, a teenage misfit who seems far from ready to accept the challenge... But without human meat the family will die. Shocking, bloody and deeply moving, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE is a remarkable reinvention of the horror genre - a visceral and powerfully emotional portrait of a family bound by a terrible secret and driven by monstrous appetites.
 

Sunday 24 October 2010

Paranormal Activity 2-Review

Hello All,
Well it was a wet and windy Saturday afternoon with not a lot to do after finishing work, so me and my lady decided to go and see"Paranormal Activity 2". Which in light of the fact that we both really did not enjoy the 1st one, was a surprising choice.
But i must say that not seeing any reviews, as it been held back from press screenings and general reviews or have you seen posters or anything on google images?I find it quite odd with all the viral marketing the 1st on had,you couldn't go to the loo in a pub without seeing a poster,but this one,nothing,reverse psychology or crap marketing exec,who cares!we didn't know anything about it apart from the obvious comparisons from the 1st film in 2007,
So we sat down in a sold out cinema(which i usually hate due to the general idiots in today's society)and the film started.
From the start,say maybe the 1st 10-15 minutes in it was the usual character building etc with like in the 1st film night shots from CCTV with you waiting for something to happen then nothing does!
But then things really do start to happen,i can't really say too much without giving the best scenes away but this one is WAY better than than the 1st!
The story starts with the young family bringing home their newly born son"Hunter"and goes through the padding out sequence of the film by showing you his room and general house things and then one day they return home to find their house totally trashed with no explanation,nothing stolen from the house,just ripped apart.very odd.
So they decide to install camera's within every room in the house,where upon that's when we start seeing thing's that they don't,The very 1st thing is when Hunter awakes crying and his mum goes to check he is OK and take him into the bathroom then the Mobile that is attached to his bed starts to turn on its own,which is creepy and was funny as the lady in front of me pointed to the screen and said to her fella"ooh look its moving!!"no shit!
Things stroll along on Ala the 1st film but to me it seemed that this time around in my eyes anyway that everything that was wrong with the 1st film they got right in this one,better characters,better scares more tension building and loads better pay offs.I don't mean to sound harsh to the 1st film as i know it was super low budget but i really do think that it did set up the premise and expansion of the idea that has more than come to fruition in this scary flick,great stuff.
I must say our enjoyment was probably elevated somewhat by the fact that we did see it in the cinema with a full house,the reaction,the loudness when it started kicking off etc made it a lot more enjoyable but i would say if you get chance,go cinema,if not and you watch it at home,turn off the lights and crank up the volume but don't have a drink in your hand when you think things may happen as you may just jump out of your skin and spill it!
On a final note i must add that there is a great tie-in with the 1st film that is very rewarding indeed!
Thanks Paranormal activity people for giving me the film i had expected the first time around,
7.5/10,go see!
The website is probably all you will see on the web for now,
Worth a look,please click link below.
http://www.paranormalmovie.com/

Monday 11 October 2010

Jonnys cult films podcast,Episode 1 Part 2

Download the episode here!Epsode 1,Part 2. also available on I-Tunes.

Hello People,
Well at last here is part 2 of episode 1 of"Jonnys cultfilms podcast"
We were going to cover"Escape from New York"and"The Thing"within this episode but with our time restraints we just ended up doing the classic"Escape from new york"Such a great film and so much to talk about!
Also this episode are some more great Voice mails from mike at Mike at cadaver lab along with stephen from JAFMP and A great contest from my good friend and brilliant author keith latch to win a signed copy of"The Dark:a horror anthology"also Some fantastic advise from my good friend RootRot that we should all take note of!
So enjoy and feedback is always welcome!
Jonny t.


For the Chance to win"Dark:A horror anthology"Email me the answer to the question on the show to-jonnys cult films

Sunday 26 September 2010

Dawn and Day of the Dead amazing DVD Releases!

Hello People,
If your a fan of the classics"Dawn of the Dead"and"Day of the Dead"you really must check out these releases from Arrow Dvd,These it has to be said are the definitive releases of these 2 classic zombie movies!
They are available now on DVD and Blu-ray so go buy now!
Jonny.



Both these titles are avaiable here.
Dawn of the dead-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dawn-Dead-DVD-David-Emge/dp/B003TTBA1C/ref=sr_1_5?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1285514943&sr=1-5
Day of the dead-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-of-the-Dead-DVD/dp/B003TTBA1M/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1285514999&sr=1-4


THE DEFINITIVE DVD EDITION OF ROMERO'S CLASSIC ZOMBIE SHOCKER


From Arrow Video comes the ultimate four-disc DVD edition of George A. Romero's Dawn Of The Dead featuring three different cuts of the feature presentation plus a whole host of specially produced extras previously only available on Arrow Video’s Blu-ray release of the film.
A National Emergency grips the US as the zombie population grows at an inexplicable and alarming rate. Two Philadelphia Police S.W.A.T. officers, a helicopter pilot and his TV reporter girlfriend escape the city and take refuge in an abandoned, suburban shopping mall after securing it following a series of brutal confrontations with the undead. Their survival is threatened when a band of looters leave a door open allowing the zombies access to the mall once more.
The first sequel to George A. Romero's seminal 1968 zombie classic "Night Of The Living Dead", the equally powerful and apocalyptic Dawn Of The Dead was hailed by respected film critic Roger Ebert as "One of the best horror films ever made."
The four-disc Dawn Of The Dead (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£19.99) by Arrow Video on 20th September 2010.
Features include: George A. Rombero approved theatrical cut of feature presentation; audio commentary by George A. Romero, Tom Savini and Chris Romero; audio commentary by Richard P. Rubinstein; Document Of The Dead documentary plus The Lost Interview and deleted scenes; Fan of the Dead; Director’s Cut of feature presentation; The Dead Will Walk documentary; Dario Argento Cut of feature presentation; US and German trailers; TV and radio spots; reviews Giallo trailers; Scream Greats documentary on Tom Savini; four sleeve art options; double-sided fold out poster; For Every Night There Is A Dawn collector’s booklet.



THE ULTIMATE TWO-DISC DVD EDITION PACKED WITH A HOST OF WORLD EXCLUSIVE EXTRA FEATURES.


From Arrow Video comes the ultimate two-disc DVD edition of George A. Romero's Day Of The Dead featuring a whole host of specially produced, world exclusive extras previously only available on Arrow Video’s 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release of the film.
In this, the third instalment in Romero’s ongoing zombie saga, the living dead have now taken over the world and only small pockets of human resistance survive. One such group of desperate survivors, a motley crew of scientists and soldiers, are holed up in a 14-mile long underground missile silo. As the scientists experiment on forcibly captured zombie specimens to try and find a way to control them, the soldiers become increasingly impatient with the lack of results and are eager to wage an all-out war on the undead. Soon, the tension between the two human camps erupts into a violent situation that is only overshadowed by the vicious zombie slaughter that surrounds them.
Easily the bleakest, goriest and most chilling of Romero’s zombie movies to date, Day Of The Dead sees Tom Savini and his special effects team hitting an all-time career high with an endless succession of super-realistic flesh tearing, bone snapping, gut spilling mayhem that for some viewers will prove almost too much to endure. The setting within a seemingly endless series of underground caverns adds an unbearable tension to a movie that is still as shockingly violent and claustrophobic today as it was twenty-five years ago.


The two-disc Day Of The Dead (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£19.99) by Arrow Video on 13th September 2010.
Features include: audio commentary by special effects team members Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, Everett Burrell and Mike Deak; Joe Of The Dead documentary; Travelogue Of The Dead; The Many Days Of Day Of The Dead documentary; Behind The Zombies footage; Romero Zombography; Photo Album Of The Dead; Souvenirs Of The Dead; Night… and Dawn… trailers; The Audio Recollections Of Richard Liberty; TV Ads Of The Dead; Wampum mine promo; two sleeve art options; double sided fold out poster; Day Of The Dead: Desertion – exclusive 24-page collector's comic book featuring new 'Bub' storyline; For Every Dawn There Is A Day collector's booklet.

Thursday 16 September 2010

La Horde-Out on DVD in the UK!!!!



La Horde-UK DVD Release

Hello People,
Finally"La Horde"The fantastic fench zombie flick is being released on DVD in the uk,I have to say this is probably one of THE best zombie movies in recent years,it has everything,Gore/Action/Scares basically everything you want from your zombie flicks,so i would say if you are into horror or zombies this is a must buy!I would give this a very strong 9/10.
Jonny.
See press release and details below.

“AN INTENSE BLAST OF ZOMBIE MAYHEM!” – BILLY CHAINSAW, BIZARRE MAGAZINE.


PRESS RELEASE.
‘Assault On Precinct 13’ meets ‘Dawn Of The Dead’ in The Horde, the latest addition to the ever-rising wave of superlative French horror cinema. Winner of the International Fantasy Film Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography at the 2010 Fantasporto International Film Festival, this impressive debut feature from writing-directing team Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher is a must-see for zombie movie fans, not least because it features some of the most awesome, edge-of-your-seat, close-combat human versus zombie beat-downs ever committed to film.


When a high-ranking and well-respected police detective is found murdered by a gang of homicidal mobsters, a small group of his closest colleagues on the force take it upon themselves to avenge his death vigilante-style. Heavily armed and determined to see justice done, they manage to infiltrate the upper floors of the suburban high-rise apartment block that serves as the criminals’ hideout. But during the raid things go wrong and the cops find themselves overcome by the gang, who take them prisoner and begin to torture them.


Meanwhile, one ground level, the gang’s lookout men become aware of a strange disturbance in the streets immediately surrounding the building, with the sounds of explosions and sirens filling the air. Incredibly, it becomes apparent that the commotion is being caused by ever-growing crowds of crazed people with a hunger for human flesh. It’s not long before the gang of criminals and their captive cops realize they are trapped together on the top floor of an unfortified building that is becoming rapidly infested with blood-thirsty legions of the living dead. Their only chance of making it to ground level and getting out of the situation alive is to join forces, but with their numbers dwindling and each side having a score to settle, the odds of survival really don’t look good for anyone with a pulse.



Starring Claude Perron (Chrysalis; Amelie), Eriq Ebouaney (Thirst; Transporter 3), Aurelien Récoing (Intimate Enemies) and Doudou Masta (Arthur And The Minimoys), The Horde is an action-packed, axe-swinging, gun-toting, ass-kicking zombie flick that pulls out all the stops to breathe refreshing new life into the genre.




The Horde (cert. 18, tbc) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by Momentum Pictures on 20th September 2010. Special Features include: ‘Making of’ featurette; ‘Rivoallan’ (9-minute short film); zombie concept art; storyboards; teaser trailer; Easter Egg – rehearsal of a scene.

You can pre-order here-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horde-DVD-Antoine-Oppenheim/dp/B003TFUJPO/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1284702090&sr=1-1

Win "Death Tube"DVD

Hello all,
I have been given 3 copies of the excellent new asian shocker"Death Tube"To give away,all you have to do is answer the simple question below.
Closing Date is 27th,all entries must be over 18 and please where possible include you address so the DVD can be dispatched as soon as possible.
Email the answer to-mailto:to-jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com
Good Luck!
Jonny.
Question-Name the episode of "Masters of horror"Directed by Takashi Miike that was banned from tv.


Death Tube on DVD
Chilling new Japanese horror Death Tube comes to DVD on 20th September 2010.


From, Yohei Fukada, the director of “Chanbara Beauty” and “Tokyo Gore School”, and reminiscent of "Saw" series, this extreme splatter game takes place on-line at the site known as "DeathTube". Tragedy begins with curiosity. The on-line killer website broadcasts scenes of death in real time. Viewers are drawn to the website through curiosity, and then are shocked by what they see.


Against their will, random viewers are selected to enter the killing game. It is literally a life and death situation to survive in this cruelest of spectator sports. Log in at your own risk!
You can pre-order "Death Tube"here-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Tube-DVD/dp/B003NEQ702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1284698188&sr=8-1-catcorr

Monday 13 September 2010

Grim up North-Horror Festival and contest!

Hello people!
Coming soon is the fantastic looking"Grim up North"horror festival and i have been sent this press release and your chance to win some goodies,
Please read below,
Good Luck,
Jonny.

GRIMM UP NORTH horror and Sci-fi festival is back in Manchester this Halloween. Were screening over 30 films and bringing you exclusive horror gaming, exhibitions and seminars.

To celebrate the release of our early bird festival passes, we thought we'd give fans a chance to win some exclusive goodies. We have two copies of RESIDENT EVIL: THE DARKSIDE CHRONICLES for the Wii up for grabs and four exclusive DARKSIDE CHRONICLES t-shirts as runners up prizes (not available in the shops!)

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is go to our website: http://www.grimfest.com/ and answer this question: How many films from this year’s festival line up have been announced so far and what are they? Please email all answers to info@grimfest.com

The deadline is 5pm, Friday 17th Sept, winners will be announced on the week of the 20th Sept. And remember to check out our fantastic early bird festival passes while you are there!

Monday 6 September 2010

Jonny's Cult Film Podcast - Episode 1

Hi all.

The first episode of the podcast is also now available at archive.org

Grab it here

Sunday 5 September 2010

JONNY'S CULT FILMS PODCAST EPISODE 1.

Hello people!
Well here it is at last, Jonny's Cult films Podcast Episode 1.
In this episode we discuss, in our own way, 2 films of the great man John Carpenter. We will be talking about his first 2 full feature films, Dark Star and Assault on precint 13.

Please Click the player below to play the podcast or the button below to download.

Download

We will be covering in part 2 Escape fron New York, The Fog and The Thing. It was all going to be within this podcast but it ran at nearly 3 1/2 hours so we have decided to split it and the next part will be out in a few weeks time.

The Podcasters

From left to right-Nutron69(fact corner)Bob(Sex machine)Jonny(clueless)Mr Nova(The Mediator)
I would like to thank everyone who has sent in mp3's for  the show this show features mp3's from Graciespoppy, proud leader of the forums over at http://cadaverlab.com/  and a great mp3 from the legendary and very aware podcaster http://www.midnightcorey.com/ and finally a huge thanks to Misfitboy who has now become the voice of the intro and Zoe(Britzombiegirl)For the awesome artwork you see above.
The podcast features me(jonny)Bob,Jonny Nova and Nutron69 and occasianly in the background you will here comments from Emma and Sue!
Please be aware that it does contain strong language so if easily offended we apologise now,ha!!!
If you have any comments or ideas for future shows that you would like to see us cover then please feel free to email me at jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com
Enjoy,
Jonny t!

Thursday 2 September 2010

The Torment-Contest!

Hello good people,
Just to let you know that i have been fortunate enough to see"The Torment"and its a cracking little british horror!I have also been give a signed DVD as well as Exclusive concept art from the film also signed!The film is having a run at The Lexi theatre in London from the 3rd of September,so if your are around these parts i urge you to go and see it on the big screen whilst you can,
The link for the showing is here:-http://thelexicinema.co.uk/2010/08/12/the-torment-independent-cinema-london/

Here is the Press Release.
The Torment (released in the US as ‘The Possession of David O’Reilly’) is an Independent made British psychological horror film. It’s a tale of demonic possession, strange goings-on, and human beings being tortured to the brink of insanity by forces we don't fully understand."Horror enthusiasts owe it to themselves to check it out." Cinematical


David O’ Reilly has a terrifying secret. He’s been seeing and hearing things in his house, forcing him out of his home in utter terror. He seeks shelter at his friend’s house, telling them only that his girlfriend has been cheating on him. But by leaving his house, David has not left ‘them’ behind... the haunting is with him. Not for the faint hearted, this chilling story will grip you as it unfolds towards a nerve shattering climax. Hold on tight!
Written and directed by Andrew Cull / Steve Isles (co-director)


Cast: David O’Reilly (Giles Anderson)

Anna (Francesca Fowler)

Kate (Zoe Richards)

Alex (Nicholas Shaw)
 
HERE IS THE TRAILER

 
So for your chance to win a Signed DVD and signed Concept art just answer the question below:
What is the name of the last film that the great Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee starred in together?
Email the answer to- jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com
Please include you address on the email so i can get the winners prizes out straight away!
Winners will be announced on September 20th.
Good luck!
Jonny t.
 
                 CONCEPT ART PRIZE!
More useful links.
Follow them on Twitter- @tormentmovie
Check out there Facebook page- http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/The-Torment-2010/114562018595873
You can but the DVD here- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Torment-DVD-Giles-Alderson/dp/B00355CGW2/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1283497596&sr=1-1

Win Death Note 1&2 Blu-Ray Box set!

Hello good people,
I have been given 3 Blu-Ray copies of the fantastic asian films"Death Note 1&2"To give away!
For your chance to win just answer the question below.
The contest will close at 6pm on September the 20th.
Email me the answer to- jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com
Please include you address on the email so i can get the winners prizes out straight away!
Good luck!
Jonny t.

On September 6th Death Note and Death Note: The Last Name are being released together as a boxset; with an addition two disks packed full of extras. To celebrate the release of the hugely successful 25 million selling live adaptation of the Death Note manga series, we have 3 copies of the boxset to giveaway.



The DEATH NOTE films centre on Light Yagami (Tatsuya Fujiwara - Battle Royale), a university student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the titular "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a shinigami (death god) named Ryuk. The Death Note grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose face they have seen, by writing the victim's name in the notebook. The story follows Light's attempt to create and rule a world cleansed of evil using the notebook, and the complex conflict between him, his opponents and a mysterious detective known to the world only as L.

Check out the full trailer here-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3aOSj4hOkI
You can pre-order it here-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Note-Vol-Blu-ray-DVD/dp/B003NEQ6ZS
For your chance to win just answer the following question. In which iconic 2000 film did Tatsuya Fujiwara star?
A. Requiem for a Dream

B. Battle Royale

C. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Wednesday 1 September 2010

SPLINTERED-Review and Interview with director Simeon Halligan


SYNOPSIS:
"Something has been killing lives stock in a remote part of North Wales and now it's started attacking humans....
Sophie,a teenager with a troubled past,puts herself and her friends at the mecy of this wild beast,when her obsession of the unexplained leads them deap into the Welsh countryside.
Looking for evidence within an abandoned building,Sophie witnesses a vicious attack oh her friend then finds herself incarcerated in a locked room.She cannot escape and her only hope is that her friends manage to find her before her captor makes them his lates victim......"

Hello people,
Last night i watched the new uk horror"Splintered"From 1st time uk director Simon Halligan and i must say i was very impressed!
The film starts with a very creepy dream like sequence in wich we see the young Sophie(Holly Weston)in bed troubled by something lurking within the shadows of her room,she then jumps ou of bed when the thing approaches and hides underneath only to be swiped at viciously by the arm of whatever the beast it,this scene i thought was very reminicent of the Oliver Reed classic"The shuttered room".
The film then jumps forward a few years to where we Sophie and friends driving up to some remote woods in North Wales to investigate a mysterious creature within the woods,you get to see sheep torn apart and various death sites leading you to believe that the woods contain something like a Werewolf,but you would be wrong!
Sophie and her friend then go off together into the night to investigate when her friend is savagely attacked and killed leaving the helpless Sophie to run away but that does not work,she is then set upon and thrown into a locked room containing only a bed and a statue of the virgin Mary.
Within the door of the room is a hatch wich she looks out of only to see a crazed man talking to himself whilst chopping meat with a huge axe,The guy approaches the door and reasures her that all will be ok as she is still a"virgin"and boy is he creepy!
You then get the by now very shaken up Sophie trying her best to get out of the room before nightfall and before whatever is out there comes to get her or is it just the creepy man with his loony persona?
This is where i'll let you watch the film for yourselves without revealing any spoilers,needless to say as i said earlier this did really remind me of old 60's/70's british horror such as"Tower of Evil"and the such like it also had a feeling of the early Neil Marshall films such as"Dog soldiers".
Not overly gory but the end does has a very top gory pay off,Filmed on a low budget and on location at St Joseph's seminary near Skelmersdal wich was once a gothic training school for preists but its now semi derelict this is perfect location shooting also surrounded by acresof creepy woods,a directors dream location.
I would reccomend this thoroughly.
8/10
Jonny t.


SPLINTERED is released on DVD 6th September.

You can pre order it here:-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Splintered-DVD-Stephen-Martin-Walters/dp/B003N774D8/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1283342371&sr=1-1



AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR "SIMON HALLIGAN"

How did the idea for"Splintered"come about?
The idea was brewing for some time in different shapes and forms through a bunch of different treatments and script ideas.The consistent elements being:a young female central character on the run from an abusive past and her relationship with an estranged man,living outside society in an abandoned building.at first it wasn't a horror film,more psychological thriller

I Read that the film is shot with a 4K camera system,What is the 4k camera system and why was it chosen for the production?
We worked at a 4k resoloution,wich meant the quality of image is hugely detailed but it requires an awful amount of memeory drive space to store the footage.The camera captures onto cards or hard drives and the material can then be transferred to an edit system directly without using film or tapes as a recording medium.

Where the any particularly difficult scenes to film?
We shot for around five and a half weeks and every day seemed to short!Any scenes containing a lot of action or special FX were always the most difficult under the time restraints.Obviously scenes in which Gavin and Vincent interact were particularly tricky to shoot as both characters are played by the same actor Stephen Walters.These Sequences were shot in two passes,each time Stephen would play one or other of the characters and we would use body doubles for the other brother.There isn't one SFX sgot used in the film to put both brothers into a scene,it's all done with cutting!

Did you shoot predominately on location and where were these locations?
Finding the key location,the abandoned catholic orphanage,was a journey in itself,as i knew much of the fil relied heavily on the enviroment and how the characters interacted with it.I'd seen pictures of st Joseph's and knew a little and had tried unsuccessfully to reece it previously,i'd heard it was completely out of bounds.But after some effort,we managed to persuade the landlords.I've nevers seen anything else quite like St.Joseph's;a huge rambling,gothic monestary of a building,which used to house a preist school.

There seems to be a preoccupation with doubles,pairings and opposites within the film,what does this mean?
I guess the clue is in the title;the SPLINTERED fragmentation of the human psyche,wich echoes through the peice as a whole.There was a deliberate intention to show characters that are split in two,or can only function fully as part of or half of a whole.

It seems that Sophie is actively seeking out the threat-is this a subconcious desire for her to resolve the reocurring nightmare that she has?
Sophie is constantley looking for answers,but in chasing myths and legends she is subconciously avoiding having to find real answers to real questions and/or to confront the nightmare locked inside her head.She has spent her adult life trying to avoid the inevitable and horrific truth about her own life.

When did your interest in film making begin?
I'm one of those filmakers who knew that i wanted to get involved wit the medium from an early age.1977 was probably the catalyst year.I was 10 and dragged my parents along to see STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.In return tmy folks dragged me along to the re-release of 2001the same year.I think my fate was sealed.

Did you make any short films prior to SPLINTERED?
Yes-my very first was a somewhat over ambitious 27 minute blac and whie film noir pastiche called TRIPLE EXPOSURE,set in forties Chicago!SLEEP MY LOVE gained financial support from the UK Film's Council digital shorts scheme and showed at a whole bunch of festivals once complteted.Influenced by Nolan's MEMENTO and Ian Mcewan's novel A CHILD IN TIME,the film portrayed the breakdown of a relationship after the death of a family member;the truth is revealed at the end as the story unravels backwards through time.

Monday 30 August 2010

The Blackout-Review


PLOT SYNOPSIS.
When the lights go out...the feeding begins


"Los Angeles, Christmas Eve: a series of power outages, minor earth tremors and other strange events threaten to ruin the holidays.

But when the residents of a suburban apartment block experience a sudden total blackout, they are determined to investigate. Deep in the cavernous basement they make a shocking discovery - what is seemingly the breeding ground of a new race of blood-thirsty creatures
With it quickly becoming apparent that the frightening occurrences overtaking LA are connected, this group of rag-tag neighbours must put aside their differences and fight to save their city from an eternal blackness.
With time running out and the murderous creatures just getting started, they know they must restore the power, as when the lights go out for good, the feeding will "

Described by Horror-Movies as “A Masterpiece"
Written by: Jim Beck
Directed by: Robert David Sanders

Hello all,
I have just been sent and watched"The Blackout"and i loved it!Its a horror film that to me really harped back to the great low budget of the 80's,had a real "Deadly Spawn"feel to it,I've just thought i haven't got that,must get it!
The strory revolves around a tower block in Los angeles on christmas eve,we see lots of individuals in various apparments getting ready in their own way for christmas day.
Then things start to fall from the sky causing several powercuts throughout the city and apparment block,
A resident goes down into the basement and find out what happening,MISTAKE!!
This is where we see the first of the"Creatures that only come out in the dark and start feeding and boy do they start feeding!This has on the uk been given"18"certificate and it's easy to see why as it does not skimp on the gore.
You do get to relate to the characters really well and this makes the suspense and impending doom all the more relevant,a great little horror on a low budget all the budget really never shows with some great creature fx and bucket loads of gore,so if you love your creature features with plenty of suspense and gore this is for you!
7/10.
Jonny.
You can buy this dvd now on amazon-http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackout-DVD-Robert-David-Sanders/dp/B003ATD7O4/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1283161768&sr=1-1


PLEASE VIEW THE TRAILER BELOW!!!



Wednesday 25 August 2010

THE 7TH DIMENSION
Starring
Kelly adams(Bronson,The Boxer,Holby City,Hustle)
Jonathan Rhodes(Bar Stewards,Confetti,Dead Eyes,Life Translated)
Lucy Evans(Coronation Street,ITV'S The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders)
Calita Rainford(Iron Cross,BBC's Auf Wiedersehen Pet)
From the production teams behind DIE ANOTHER DAY,HARRY POTTER AND TORCHWOOD.
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY BRAD WATSON.
SYNOPSIS.
"Ever wanted to predict the future?Ever believed in a conspiracy?The members of Beacon 77,A deicated group of computer hackers do and now they have hacked in they cannot get back out.....
Taking on the vatican's secrets with their computers,these hackers are now faced with puzzles of the Bible code,a code that if cracked would give anyone who uncovers it ultimate knowledge and ultimate power.But,once Beacon 77 discovers the worlds Conspiracies who is left to trust?
Never before has the battle between science and religion been so serious as never before has the future of the universe been in so much danger.
Who will win:the unprepared hackers who have discovered the deadly 7th Dimension or the omnipresent power that is far greater than any computer?"
 
"Managing to be both creep and tense,its refreshing to see a homegrown horror that is hugely entertaining"GOREZONE
"A Supernatural techno thriller.......Breathtaking"Brussels International Film Festival"
 
 
Hello all,
This week i have watched"The 7th dimension"a great little british sci-fi/horror title from director Brad Watson.
The story revolves around the 5 main characters in search of secrets held within the all poweful Vatican.The 2 main ladies Zoe ad Sarah decide to go to theretutors house because Zoe has a crush on him,When they arrive they discover that they are in fact computer hackers and when they discover how to hack into the Vaticans computer they end up finding way more than they ever bargained for,They find every answer to every conspiracy ever dreamed up by man,i always knew we were right!The action mainly takes place in there london flat with them trying everything to crack the codes and boy they do just that! Some great performance from some of the uk's up coming actors,This in  my opinion is a great little film that could easily be turned into a mini series and may well be you never know.
From the Producers of the fantastic tv series"Torchwood"you can really see the influences in this,its like a cross between"The Davinci Code"and"Hackers"in my opinion.
So if you are a fan of conspiracies and sci-fi this is the one for you!
Enjoy,
Jonny t.
 
You can buy this dvd here-http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=the+7th+dimension&x=18&y=23
 
Many thanks to Kaleidoscope Home entertainment for the preview DVD
http://www.kaleidoscopehomeentertainment.com/

The walking Dead-Ofiicial trailer

Hello people,
Well its not long now before the start of the brilliant looking"Walking Dead"TV Series,
The official trailer has now been released and is below.
There is also an official website as well http://walkingdead.fxuk.com/ with loads of real cool stuff to look at,so enjoy my freinds,enjoy!!
jonny t.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Win"Meat Grinder"and review!

Hello all,
Just seen the new much talked about asian horror"Meat Grinder"and i must say it lives up to the hype in EVERY way!On the great site mailto:http://www.asian-horror-movies.com/ it is currently sitting in there top 5 and i can see why.
Its the story of 3 generations of basically man hating women who like nothing more than to kill these unfortunate chaps and feed them to others,there is obviously a hell of a lot more to it than that but i would be revealing a lot by going into too much detail and really do not want to spoil this for anyone.
You get the idea of what's going on when the film has been on only about 10 minutes and she chops the leg of one unfortunate man then rubs his stump in marinate and stuffs his mouth with a mixture of herbs and spices until his cheeks bulge out like a fat greedy hamster!!But by all means that is NOT the end for him,She then decides to nail his hands to the floor,i thought"ooo hands and nails"but she then produces 5 nails for each hand and yes you guessed it,bangs a nail through each of his finger nails,its very hard to watch especially when he starts to move and his his fingers up and down and you see his nails moving up and down the nails,ouch!!!Then there is the scene with a few men in her cafe for dinner,But i will now stop and reccomend that you get it too see! 9/10.

So good people here is the press release and contest
"On August 23rd the gruesome, calculated and gory cannibal feast Meat Grinder arrives on DVD. To celebrate we have 5 copies of the film to give away on DVD.
A proud member of the "torture porn" sub-genre; Meat Grinder is an unforgiving horror film which slipped passed the BBFC uncut. Destined for cult status, the over-the-top gorefest stars Mai as a deranged woman who runs a noodle stall and is hearing voices in her head all the time. When she finds a dying man in her stall one night, she gets the idea to chop him up, and grind the body parts into meatballs as ingredients for her noodle soup. It turns out to be a popular dish, and as the stall gets more and more business, she must find a steady supply of fresh human meat to feed her customers.."






For your chance to win just answer the following question:
In the Meat Grinder trailer which body part is floating in the pot?
a. Hand

b. Foot

c. Head

d. Arm
Trailer link: https://www.yousendit.com/download/aHlSOGNWUnJiR0t4dnc9PQ

Many thanks to he guys at http://www.4digitalmedia.com/ for supplying the contest prizes and i would reccomend have a look at the other great films they have!!

Just e-mail me the answer to jonnyscultfilms@gmail.com The Contest will end on 30th august and the winners will be contacted by e-mail,you can pre order this title from http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=meat+grinder
good luck!
Jonny.

Sunday 8 August 2010

An interview with Jeremiah Kipp.

Hello people,
I have been fortunate enough to have interviewed Jeremiah Kipp the director of the creepy short film"Contact".
Its a very creepy black and white short that involves drug taking,nudity and weird imagery,all in the style of David lynch.I found it excellent and similar to "Eraserhead"in tone,The short has recieved critical acclaim and his next film"The Sadist"he is working with non other than the great Tom Savini,So "Jeremiah Kipp" is Definately a name to watch out for,Enjoy the interview and click the link to view"Contact".
Jonny.

1. Hey Jeremiah, tell us a little bit about your film making background.
My first movies were shot in the backyard when I was 12 years old, gathering all of the kids in my neighborhood to play zombies or vampires. After making around 300 of those, I cut together a reel and used it in my application to NYU film school. Running around the streets of New York with a 16mm film camera sealed the deal for me, and ever since I have worked in the movie business, directing short films and producing and assistant directing features. I just wrapped my first feature, THE SADIST, which was a "terror in the woods" movie starring Tom Savini.


2. The film is shot in black and white and to me has a very "David Lynch" feel to it. Was that the intention?
David Lynch is one of the great filmmakers of our time, and he taps into a heightened reality that, to me, more accurately represents our direct experience than most so-called naturalistic films. I would hope that kind of super-activity, or surrealism, is part of CONTACT, since I made the film because I am interested in people, and the connections forged in relationships, whether they be romantic or familial. If the film has a David Lynch feel to it, I hope that means it is about who we are, what we want, what we're afraid of. People think Lynch films are dreamlike, but I find them to be piercingly real, sometimes painfully so.


3. Are all the people in the film friends of yours? I especially like the character of the big drug dealer man, he was awesome!
It's good to work with people that you trust, both in front of and behind the camera. There are bonds of loyalty there, as well as an inherent knowledge that you understand and appreciate their work. Alan Rowe Kelly played the drug dealer, and I embraced having him in the role because in addition to being a cult actor and indie film icon, appearing in many low budget horror pictures, he is also a director. I've worked with him on set, and saw that he has amazing qualities as a leader, and an inherent magnetism and toughness that he doesn't often get to play onscreen. In addition to having a strong look, I liked the idea of having Alan in the role of a potential threat, as well as a character with punk dignity. He reminds me a little of Morrissey in CONTACT; an aging and poetic punk icon who could beat you down with a bicycle chain.


4. What was you inspiration for the subject matter of the film?
There is an annual horror film festival in New York called Sinister Six that screens short genre films every Halloween. The curator, Bryan Enk, asked me to contribute a film last year, which was to be the final incarnation of the festival. He called it "Sinister Six Must Be Destroyed!" and said that the filmmakers have to include gore and nudity. Aside from that, the content was up to us. From that emerged CONTACT. I was inspired by an image from an Edvard Munch painting called "The Kiss", as well as themes from my previous short film THE POD. That led to this project, which was put together fast and filmed quickly. The inspiration was hopefully a subconscious one.


5. What response from people/film makers have you had since the release of CONTACT?
The response has been very positive. I put the film online so audiences would have easy access to it. Festival exposure tends to be very expensive, and I wanted the movie to be for the people; it's meant to be available to anyone. The blog-o-sphere caught on and gave the movie tremendous exposure, and genre filmmakers such as Frank (BASKET CASE) Henenlotter, Larry (THE LAST WINTER) Fessenden and Paul (GRACE) Solet have shown great support and encouragement. The film was seen by two feature film producers, Frank Wibhey and Joe Pisani, who hired me to direct THE SADIST based on the strength of contact.







6. Is this your first feature and what upcoming projects do you have?
THE SADIST is my first feature. Principal photography was completed two days ago, and I found the experience of making the picture and working with Tom Savini both personally and professionally rewarding. I hope to make many more genre films, and already have some plans in the works.


7. Who if you could choose anybody would you like to work with on one of your films?
Tom Atkins is an outstanding actor; his work in genre films such as NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE FOG and MANIAC COP is impressive, and he invests his roles with depth and humanity. I also thought he gave a powerful performance as Kevin Bacon's father in LEMON SKY. Hopefully someday I'll have the opportunity to work with him. But there are so many actors and actresses I would love to work with, given the opportunity.


8.Do you have a website where people can follow upcoming projects?
The best place to view CONTACT is here http://contact.shroggle.com/  I can also be found, like everyone else, on Facebook.


9. Any plans to show CONTACT at any festivals?
I have and will, but have found its life on the internet to be more rewarding.


10. Any final words you'd like to add?
Thank you to those who have supported CONTACT, and I hope not to disappoint with THE SADIST, which is a down and dirty horror movie and also, I hope, an emotionally loaded terror piece as well as a roller coaster ride. Stay tuned.


Sunday 1 August 2010

LET HIM HAVE IT-Review

Hello all,
I was luky to recieve a preview copy of the finally release british classic"Let him have it"here is the synopsis:-

"From the director of The Krays comes a horrifying true story of injustice and murder.....
A policeman is shot dead and two South London boys stand accused of his murder. The verdict and the sentence passed upon the young Derek Bentley (Christopher Eccleston) proved to be as controversial as the crime. Both the verdict and the sentence were subsequently quashed. This is the case that shocked the nation."
THE TRUE STORY OF AN UNBELIEVABLE MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
STARRING:
CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON
(Shallow Grave, Elizabeth, eXistenZ, The Others)
TOM COURTENAY
(Doctor Zhivago, Nicholas Nickleby, The Golden Compass)
DIRECTED BY:
PETER MEDAK
(The Krays, Romeo is Bleeding)

Well i have to see i did this this a few years back and i'm glad to say that its finally getting a dvd/blu-ray release.
It tells the story of"Derek Bentley"played brilliantly by"Christoper Eccleston".
The story starts during the blitz in london where we see the young derek being plucked lucky to be alive from a pile of bricks,then goes onto his teenage years where he is caught with a group of friends trying to steal tools from an old mans shed,when the old man confronts him Derek collapses and has his first of very many epeleptic fits,we then forward on seeing him released in his teenage years from a reform school,wich during the film he insisits it's not"prison".
Following derek through his teenage years its obvious that he's not reaaly all there,and during the trial of Derek it was quite astonishing that the fact of that he only had a mental age of 11 never came out.
His sister finally gives him the confidence to leave the house after not going out for nearly a year and takes a trip to the local record shop,this builds his confidence and his soon taking out his beloved dogs for walks when he comes across a local young villain/ganster wanna be.
Derek gets slowly sucked into the fantasy world of the young thugs comparing and distorting the real world from the glitz and glamour of hollywood gangster's(James Cagneys"White Heat"can be seen playing at the local cinema)
Dereks mother and father can see the way its going with the gangsters when one day Derek's father gets a birthday gift from him,stolen cigarettes.
In an attempt to finally get him away from the local thugs Derek's dad tries to conscript him into national service but this fails when(in a harrowing scene)the army test his statement that he has"epilepsy"by testing him with electrodes on his head wich in turn does enduce another fit.
So derek returns home and decides to say in again forever,in the meantime the young thug who was his best friend finds out that his brother has been caught for armed robbery and gets 12 years in prison,in what i can only think was sympathy for his friend Derek steals the keys from a local butcher's and in an attemp to impress his freinds he tells them he has the keys and one night the are going to"do the place"so it's on.
Derek meets up with his 3 friends and they take a trip to the butchers only to find that he is cleaning down for the day so 2 of the friends decide it's a waiste if time and decide to go elswhere whilst derek and his friend decide to hang around on the roof to awiat the butchers departure,but whilst climbing on the roof they are spotted by a local who in turn phones the police.
This is where it all really turns on its head.The police arrive,turn up on the roof and derek's friend points a gun at one of the policemen,derek shout"Let him have it"and his friend shoots..........................
We then see the scene play out with derek so distraught,it really is a brilliant scene where you really do feel for derek.The film then switch's to the trial where all the evidence is given and to say this is a true story you really cannot believe the verdict when Derek is found guilty and sentenced to hang,unbelievable indeed.
This is one of the biggest misscarage's of justice ever seen in the uk justice system and is indeed a fascinating case worth reading up on once or before you've seen this film.
Brilliant performances all round,great locations,historically acurate in every way this is in my eyes a rarely mentioned british classic,i would put it up there with"10 Rillington Place"also i noticed in the closing credits that"iris bentley"dereks sister was a consultant on the film and it shows.
brilliant stuff.
9/10.
"Let Him Have it" is released on 4 digital media dvd on August 9th and is a worthy collection to your dvd shelf!
http://www.4digitalmedia.com/