Saturday in main screen. Thoughts?

[BabyJaneHudson]

I wouldn't use the mainstream press as a guide to what is worth seeing and not seeing. I remember The Hills Have Eyes 2 being totally trashed and I ignored the critic as I usually do, if he/she is obviously one that doesn't like the horror genre. You can pretty much tell from the first few sentences when you read what they have to say, that they don't dig horror movies generally. Which begs the question why bother reviewing something you don't like before you've even started! I saw HHE 2 and enjoyed it for what it was - gory horror entertainment. The horror press might be a better guide because they love the genre, but even then, I often find some movies are hyped more than they deserve.

I also saw a video on youtube with a guy and girl reviewing 'The Haunter' and quite frankly as soon as they said that' 'Splice' was a great movie and other inane shite, I thought no, you aren't a horror movie lover like people I know, who can judge things fairly and constructively, who have decent taste and a sense of fun about the whole experience - you're just pretenders trying to be trendy and therefore YOURE ANNOYING AS F**K

Don't get me wrong, Im not entirely sure about the Haunter myself judging from the trailer, but I would say watch the trailers to get the best feel for the movies.

FRANKENSTEINS ARMY - Like the look of this. Trailer not too bad.

HAMMER OF THE GODS - Looks pants

NO ONE LIVES - Acting looks very bad

RIPD 3D - Terrible CGI'd baddies so no

CHEAP THRILLS - Like the look of this one too.

PARANORMAL DIARIES: CLOPHILL ----> YES Really want to see
THE DESERT -----> YES Really want to see
REWIND THIS ----> YES Really want to see
WILLOW CREEK ----> YES Looks quite good
BRING ME THE HEAD OF MACHINE GUN WOMAN ---> MAYBE Could be cool in a Grindhouse type of way, but it doesnt look or feel quite grindhousey enough for me.

[digitalsoul]

So far my plan is as follows

1. Stalled
2. Frankenstein's Army
3. Undecided between the 2 disco films, but edging towards Cannon Fodder
4. No One Lives
5. Going to go and grab some food and a drink - No interest in RIPD
6. Cheap Thrills

Its a shame that having bought the day pass I'll only be seeing 3 films in the main screen as I imagine that's where the best atmosphere is, but 2 of the films look terrible and The Hypnotist just looks too slow and serious for the first film of the day.

[digitalsoul]

Hmm. Just noticed that both Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central panned no One Lives, with Bloody Disgusting saying it sets horror back 10 years. Ouch. Maybe need to rethink that time slot too http://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/31 ... -10-years/

[DJBenz]

Hmm. Just noticed that both Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central panned no One Lives, with Bloody Disgusting saying it sets horror back 10 years

When BD and DC's opinion of films starts to matter, we'll sit up and take notice. I've seen No One Lives and it's fantastic. Destined to be a real crowd-pleaser at FF.

[digitalsoul]

Hmm. Just noticed that both Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central panned no One Lives, with Bloody Disgusting saying it sets horror back 10 years

When BD and DC's opinion of films starts to matter, we'll sit up and take notice. I've seen No One Lives and it's fantastic. Destined to be a real crowd-pleaser at FF.

Fair point. Its just hard when you have such a choice across 3 screens to know what to see. I think I'm just going to have faith in the main screen films and experience the atmosphere of seeing them in there. After watching the trailers I'm actually even quite looking forward to Hammer of the Gods now.

[BabyJaneHudson]

I think that each horror fan is very individual and my approach is that anything that ticks the essential and relevant boxes required to engage me on a number of levels (acting, atmosphere, script, musical score, suspense, gore, camera work etc.) is fine by me. Thats what is so great about this genre - it is very diverse and there is something for everyone. Even if all of those boxes are not ticked I can still enjoy a movie overall even though it won't blow me away.

However, there are certain types of movie which I really don't enjoy like horror comedies. They are my least favourite type of film with the exception of Return of The Living Dead which uses humour in the right doses as far as I am concerned and is a definite classic. Anyone watching horrors on VHS back in the 80's after school with a box of KFC 'round your mates house will remember this movie with fond memories - even though I am much more a fan of the classic black and white movies of the 30's and 40s, some sci-fi or horror from the 50s (Invasion of the Body Snatchers & Night of the Hunter for example) and movies from the 70's and the odd great movie like Rosemary's baby from the 60's as these are what my age group were weaned on really on late night TV before VHS video nasties came in.

So bearing in mind the greatness I have see since a child with regards to the horror genre with some exceptional actors, it takes a A LOT for me to rave about a movie in the way I still rave about movies like ALIEN, THE THING, ROSEMARY'S BABY, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE, THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE SHINING, PSYCHO, THE OMEN, HALLOWEEN, JAWS, etc and thankfully there have been some real crackers like REC 1, 28 DAYS, INSIDIOUS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, DEVILS REJECTS, SAW, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, MISERY, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE OLD BOY and many more besides.

Are there any movies on Saturday as good as the ones above?.....you never know. Whether there are or not, Im going to milk my festival pass for all its worth and see as much as I can. If I cant get into the DS1 & DS2 movies I'll still watch movies I don't think Im going to like that much with an open mind and see if I am surprised. Either way I will enjoy just indulging in hours of horror movie watching.

[digitalsoul]

So bearing in mind the greatness I have see since a child with regards to the horror genre with some exceptional actors, it takes a A LOT for me to rave about a movie in the way I still rave about movies like ALIEN, THE THING, ROSEMARY'S BABY, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE, THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE SHINING, PSYCHO, THE OMEN, HALLOWEEN, JAWS, etc and thankfully there have been some real crackers like REC 1, 28 DAYS, INSIDIOUS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, DEVILS REJECTS, SAW, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, MISERY, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, OLD BOY and many more besides.

Cool that you include Requiem for a Dream in that list. A modern classic and a film that truly commits to its bleak human horror! That and Old Boy are two films in your list that truly blew me away when I first saw them. Dont feel the same way about Devils Rejects and the Woman in Black, whilst effective, was pretty by the numbers old school spooker, but a very good list overall. We have similar tastes. I'd add The Others, The Orphanage and Let the Right One in to that list also. Plus, do the first 2 Hellraiser films classify as 'modern' in 2013?

Anyway, I'm not anticipating being scared at any point on the Saturday, I just don't think any of the films offer that type of experience unfortunately, but hope that theres still other thrills to be had with some of them.

[Kris]

Maybe we need a bigger Discovery Screen?

[brad1000]

The best way to judge these movies is to read the reception they got at other festivals. Simple.Oh and that review of No one lives on BD is just BS.It will go down great at FF.They have done the same with Morituris and i cant wait to see that.

[digitalsoul]

Heres my Pessimists guide round-up of the days main screen titles

The Hypnotist: Mr Hallström's clumsily plotted Swedish policier is more lukewarm than chilling. Hollywood reporter

Frankensteins Army: The 'found footage' conceit brings little to proceedings and for a horror movie there just aren't enough scares. IGN

Hammer of the Gods: It's an entry-level love letter to Zach Snyder, the type of movie someone might draft in their high school video class and then piece together in front of a green screen after having watched 300 the night before. Slant magazine

No One Lives: No One Lives is soulless garbage whose problems begin and end with an appalling script. Bloody Disgusting

R.I.P.D: it's an awful, awful film. Rogerebert.com

Cheap thrills: Actually this appears to be getting great reveiws everywhere, so hope youre still awake by then!

[DJBenz]

Heres my Pessimists guide round-up of the days main screen titles

Probably best to skip Saturday then.

[stshaw]

I won't be at Fright Fest this year (I have decided to attend Fantasy Film Fest which is on in Germany at the same time instead) but of the films showing I have already seen:

American Scream - above average horror doc.
Bring Me the Head of Machine Gun Woman - average
Curse of Chucky - surprisingly good and Mancini gives a good Q&A.
Demons Rook - quite poor.
Frankensteins Army - not as good as I had hoped.
Missionary - excellent.
No One Lives - excellent.
Painless - still one of the best films I saw this year (back in February).
Rewind This - really enjoyable documentary which deserves a good audience.
Willow Creek - I loved this and Bobcat's Q&A's are usually worth the price of admission alone.

See you all next year (when FFF and FF run consecutively providing the opportunity for nearly three weeks of cinema)

[morralex]

I won't be at Fright Fest this year (I have decided to attend Fantasy Film Fest which is on in Germany at the same time instead) but of the films showing I have already seen:

American Scream - above average horror doc.
Bring Me the Head of Machine Gun Woman - average
Curse of Chucky - surprisingly good and Mancini gives a good Q&A.
Demons Rook - quite poor.
Frankensteins Army - not as good as I had hoped.
Missionary - excellent.
No One Lives - excellent.
Painless - still one of the best films I saw this year (back in February).
Rewind This - really enjoyable documentary which deserves a good audience.
Willow Creek - I loved this and Bobcat's Q&A's are usually worth the price of admission alone.

See you all next year (when FFF and FF run consecutively providing the opportunity for nearly three weeks of cinema)

I'm really looking forward to The Demon's Rook. It looks right up my street!

[scoutthehorizon]

[quote="morralex]I'm really looking forward to The Demon's Rook. It looks right up my street![/quote]

It's pretty fun Alex, from what little we've spoke I think you'll dig it. Fulci tastic & chock FULL of homemade-love.

[morralex]

[quote="morralex]I'm really looking forward to The Demon's Rook. It looks right up my street!

It's pretty fun Alex, from what little we've spoke I think you'll dig it. Fulci tastic & chock FULL of homemade-love.[/quote][/quote]

sweet. so psyched to see that on big screen, probably more than most things at the moment haha.