The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

The place to discuss FrightFest 2018 - Dates this year are 23 - 27th August.
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TheDukeAbides
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The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by TheDukeAbides »

I don't know.

I've been going to these since I accidentally stumbled on the first one and this year it was just a bit...meh.

The long queue and the back search before hand was a nonsense. I am fully versed in licensing laws but for future reference maybe start this thing a bit earlier so (if it is in the Prince Charles again) people can get a drink in.

Having said that, I don't think the downstairs lends itself to the vibe of the party; the stage being above the audience (as it were) rather than below doesn't make for a great performing amphitheatre, more like a lecture, plus the throwing of Moams can be quite deadly from this new angle.

Also the clips are getting a bit ragged and even forced these days. It felt too polished and therefore had lost its shine.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by ChrisReynolds »

It did feel like it was turning into an episode of Tarrant on TV this year. The larger audience and theatre meant there weren't many opportunities for people to come out to the front and get involved in questions and dancing. This is one screening that would have really benefited from being in the more intimate surroundings of the Cineworld Discovery screen, where there could have been more of a party atmosphere.

The clips were also a bit weak this year, with multiple showings for the Junior Christian Teaching Bible Lesson Program and the safety films. It ended up feeling a bit like watching an episode of Tarrant on TV. And I don't think it helped that the Hell is where Home is director opened proceedings by screening the trailer for Philosophy of a Knife. Recreations of Japanese war crimes don't exactly scream party-time to me.

I do have to give props to Jenn Wexler for her editing together of Larry Fessenden's two different versions of Habit. That was the sort of genuinely unique, horror-themed material that I want to see at these screenings.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by scarebear »

As a first time Duke Mitchell visitor, i found it a real laugh. Except for the nazi war clip at the beginning.

I know this was a very popular event, one which a lot of my fellow Frightfester friends who have been before told me to go to. And fortunately we all sat quite close (and near the front). The layout of PCC downstairs does not suit this sort of event but if you haf moved it to the Cineworld discovery screen which is better then you would have only got 1/3rd of people in.

I do admit it was crazy the bar closing before anyone was let in, this is the one time you would love to take a drink in and the security guys on the door to ensure you weren't getting any was stupid. We should have been allowed in earlier. Maybe that was bad organizing by the cinema (although i know they have to get special licenses for their allnighters sometimes). Yes, it should have started earlier amd and maybe gone on for longer as i think the guys had plenty of stuff they could have shown.

Its a difficult one to put the finger on, but Petpourri will be remembered by me fo a long while!
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by Wolfshade »

I found it a bit toe curling to be honest, a love in for the FF "in" crowd. Didn't find it funny or entertaining in the slightest and left after 45 minutes, one to avoid for me next year.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by Whiptail »

Yeah, it wasnt a great one this year. The japanese experiments probably wasnt the best thing to start with but loved the Pet show one, and Graham and Barbara's films were fun!

But maybe put it in cineworld discovery or upstairs in the PC for that more intimate experiance that this show needs to have to work well.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by TheDukeAbides »

Wolfshade wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:48 pm I found it a bit toe curling to be honest, a love in for the FF "in" crowd. Didn't find it funny or entertaining in the slightest and left after 45 minutes, one to avoid for me next year.
Were you the guy that sprayed Kronenbourg all over himself?

To be fair, it has reached "in crowd" potential, where people do ask each random things based on previous events for extra kudos.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by iomega »

The whole no drinks thing was dropped on us at the last moment. We have since had a debrief meeting with the PCC management about how the weekend went at the cinema and the Duke Mitchell was mentioned. While we can't do away with bag searches - we now know this is cinema policy for late night events - the bar issue has been addressed and will be open next year and the event will be retimed slightly earlier to give FrightFesters time to get a drink plus to also finish earlier so we can all get over to the Phoenix to continue the party.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by leytonrocks »

I got lucky... The bag search found my bottle of tonic water, water but no my gin...
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by leytonrocks »

I've always felt welcome and enjoy seeing the filmmakers who've travelled to FF give us a little bit of themselves ... Hardly an in crowd if most of the contributors on stage are first time attendees of FF, let alone Duke Mitchell :)

I missed last year in the smaller PCC room - it was oversubscribed and anyone with out a physical ticket couldn't stay for fire safety reasons... I got my ticket early this year, but there was bags of room for all who wanted to attend which was the plus side to it

TheDukeAbides wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:20 pm
Wolfshade wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:48 pm I found it a bit toe curling to be honest, a love in for the FF "in" crowd. Didn't find it funny or entertaining in the slightest and left after 45 minutes, one to avoid for me next year.
Were you the guy that sprayed Kronenbourg all over himself?

To be fair, it has reached "in crowd" potential, where people do ask each random things based on previous events for extra kudos.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by TheDukeAbides »

I wasn't on about the participants on stage, I was on about the crowd, felt all rather cliquey, no spontaneity.
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by EvrimErsoy »

Hey everyone;

Evrim here - one half of the Duke Mitchell - I've been meaning to jump on this thread since the beginning of October but unfortunately have not been able to - I apologize for the delay in responding to you all.
We, at The Duke, appreciate all your comments and criticisms and praise - it wouldn't be a Duke show if we didn't hear from you how we could make it better.
With that in mind, I wanted to respond to some of the outstanding points below which I felt warranted discussion:

1 - Upstairs theatre vs Downstairs theatre - I hear you. For 4 years, I was resistant to the bigger space with my reasoning being that we'd not be able to keep the spirit of the show. But 2017 and the over-crowding was a really difficult issue - half the guests AND ticket-holders could not get in and we spent almost 40 minutes of the show trying to seat people. So the choice has become: do we want to accommodate everyone or make it into a random pot luck as to who gets in? I'd rather try and find a workaround for a bigger room - ideally something half the downstairs theatre. Who knows, maybe this year, there can be other screens available? I just hate the idea of someone not getting in.

2 - Philosophy of a Knife - Heard. Let me just say though that since the beginning, the idea of the show was NOT to make everyone laugh and just watch weird clips - we ask people (the talent especially_)to share with us the moments that mean something to them - whether it's Ian's trains or Leatherface, it's a way of the creators to connect with us, the audience. And we don't censor or change their choices. So this was the one that was chosen - I accept that the film is a difficult piece of filmmaking which is why it was right at the beginning of the show. Sometimes we may have tonally veering content - I hope we can learn to like that.

3 - Queue and the bag search and the lack of the bar. I hated this, too. I could not even give our guests a drink. Well, I could but by that point it was so, so so, so, late. I'm sorry. We will address this.

4- An in-crowd event - I hate that anyone would even think this. All those guests are attending for the first time, just like you. Usually, I encourage people to NOT sit in their seats and come and get closer. I was apprehensive this year in case we had sold out. Suffice it to say I will be making you all mingle more. We are all meeting for the first time so let's have fun together.

5- Quality of the clips - Not much I can say here. Sorry if they didn't click. We've been doing this for 15 years and share the best of what we find. Maybe if you give it another chance, you'll see something better suited to your liking.

All in all, I appreciate the feedback and if you want to ask me anything else - feel free.

Evrim
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Re: The Duke Mitchell Party 2018

Post by TheDukeAbides »

Thanks very much for that clear and convoluted reply, Evrim.

Also thanks to you, Alex and everyone else for your work in bringing the party to FrightFest. I'm glad you took the criticisms as trying to be constructive and not a slight on your work.

Till 2019 - because I can't not go.
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