Random Weekend Thoughts...

London Frightfest 2013 has been and gone, this forum is available to post film reviews, chat, etc. from the festival.
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sherbetbizarre
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by sherbetbizarre »

Yeah, I've never had this problem, but sometimes you can spot a couple a few rows ahead, turning up late almost every screening... :x
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by DeanoG »

sherbetbizarre wrote:Yeah, I've never had this problem, but sometimes you can spot a couple a few rows ahead, turning up late almost every screening... :x
Not going to lie, I turned up late to three screenings.

One was Dyatlov Pass Incident, then RIPD, the other was Corruption in the disco.

Reason for the first one, was the trains messed up on me( even though I left two trains earlier than needed to be sure to get there on time, transport was DIRE all weekend, well worth the money for the season ticket TFL), I managed to sneak in without obstructing anybodies view, into an empty row...in theory no harm done, I didn't miss enough of the movie to ruin my enjoyment and it might even net an extra sale, if I buy it to see the beginning, Net Gain for the film studio.

Reason for the second, was that the time I am pretty sure on the website and on the programe ( and I think the one on the marquee ) where all different, went to eat, should have still had five minutes before the start time, no such luck( thought it looked a bit empty when we strolled through the foyer ), probably missed, five minutes at the very most of the film.

Reason for the third, The conspiracy over-ran a little bit, the guy on the door said they knew people would be late, no harm done, missed none of the film.

So the most I ever turned up late was probably ten minutes due to transport issues and that was showing up to a half empty screening, the alternative would be to skip the film completely and lose that from the overall price I paid for the ticket.

On all occasions we snuck in on the end of the row, where it would cause minimal interruption.

I agree, it is not a good thing to arrive late, but you have to realize it is not always the persons fault and it is not always a calculated attempt to be directly disrespectful to you, or the festival/filmmakers and ruin everyones experience.

Frightfest although it is GREAT value overall is not a cheap ticket ( its a big chunk of a monthly take home wage for the average person ) and if I have the choice between skipping a movie completely or quietly entering with my head ducked down and sneaking in on the end of the row, I am going to go with the latter, especially if its only five minutes into the film.

As an aside how is somebody arriving late and sitting down quietly more distracting than somebody who has to get out to go to the bathroom ? Or do people also have to sit there and hope they don't wet themselves too in order to correctly honor the movie ?

Apologies if I obstructed anyone's view for about ten seconds. :(

If you want to discuss disrespectful/pet peeves I have a couple of things that irked me. ( time to be even more unpopular )


People having a loud conversation while the Q and A is going on, basically in earshot of the people on stage.

Immediately bitching loudly about every movie as soon as it finishes, before and during the Q and A, I was around (admittedly a minority of ) people, in front and behind who, honestly, god knows why they showed up to a horror/fantasy festival, as they hated EVERYTHING, maybe I am too easily pleased, but these folks hated every single thing, it was like bitchfest more than Frightfest at times, can't the opinion wait until the foyer ? Or at least until the Q and A has finished ?

Double pet peeve, if you harp on about being in "the industry" and then rag on every film that is playing, the people around you do not care and do not necessarily value your opinion more than the folks on stage, because you have worked a couple of days one time on a set.

Shouting things at the screen. VHS2 had the worst example, where I recall somebody decided a filmmaker was a pedophile and chose to yell it out.

Shouting turn off your bloody phone. ( I'm sorry somebodies phone ruined your enjoyment, but I can't see it, I can however hear you shouting out turn off your phone )

Breaks...I would love at least one break somewhere in the day, long enough to eat a decent meal, I know that might not be possible due to the already jam packed festival schedule, but it would be nice not to have to skip a film just to eat, I tend to have to skip at least two late movies during the weekend to be able to get more than 8 hours sleep the entire weekend ( thanks again transport for London ) I understand there may be nothing the festival can do about this, and it is not Frightfest's fault that even though I live in a London borough I have next to no transport options after midnight. :x


Other than a little bit of whingeing there, I had an amazing time, probably the best line up yet, I loved all the variety, hope to be back again for the ...fifth ? time ...I am going to hopefully be at the all niter ready for more frights and despite a couple of minor complaints, Frightfest has THE BEST audience in the world, I miss it at soon as its over and there is no festival like it anywhere else, even with some minor niggles its still the best in the world.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by DJBenz »

DeanoG wrote:So the most I ever turned up late was probably ten minutes due to transport issues and that was showing up to a half empty screening, the alternative would be to skip the film completely and lose that from the overall price I paid for the ticket.

On all occasions we snuck in on the end of the row, where it would cause minimal interruption.
I think the difference though, is you tried your best to turn up on time and were foiled by outside factors. People who turn up 10-15 minutes late for everything (and you get to know them if they're weekenders and near you) obviously haven't even tried.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by DeanoG »

DJBenz wrote:
DeanoG wrote:So the most I ever turned up late was probably ten minutes due to transport issues and that was showing up to a half empty screening, the alternative would be to skip the film completely and lose that from the overall price I paid for the ticket.

On all occasions we snuck in on the end of the row, where it would cause minimal interruption.
I think the difference though, is you tried your best to turn up on time and were foiled by outside factors. People who turn up 10-15 minutes late for everything (and you get to know them if they're weekenders and near you) obviously haven't even tried.
Nonetheless, I am sure I annoyed some people, so apologies to anybody whose screening of RIPD was interrupted by a random head passing by, sadly, it was not part of the 3D experience.

:D :D
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by Bigcat »

I turned up late to just one film so took a seat in an empty row at the top back to minimise disturbance. Actually it was lovely to see the whole panorama of the audience before me.

I think the lateness is only a problem if the person is consistently late for film after film - then it shows a lack of respect. On my row, it wasn't a problem, nor was talking or anything else.

Other than that I think I was fairly well behaved, so hopefully I can come back next year.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by thatcambridgebird »

DeanoG wrote:
Shouting turn off your bloody phone. ( I'm sorry somebodies phone ruined your enjoyment, but I can't see it, I can however hear you shouting out turn off your phone )
This. Yes. I agree with this. Some girl or other did it during.... The Last Days, I think. Granted, I didn't like that film very much, but it's as rude as those people actually on their phone in the first place! If you don't like them being on their phone, why not get up and go over to point it out to them quietly, or point it out to an usher, rather than shouting out at a pivotal point (which I think this instance was - she shouted it right at a critical bit of the plot) and disturbing most of the cinema. My friends who hadn't been before noticed it a few times over the weekend, and found it really odd/irritating. The zero tolerance thing to phones is exactly how all cinemas should be, but not when it turns into something equally annoying that audience members do.
DeanoG wrote: Breaks...I would love at least one break somewhere in the day, long enough to eat a decent meal, I know that might not be possible due to the already jam packed festival schedule, but it would be nice not to have to skip a film just to eat
Yeah, also this. Again, I know like you that transport issues can't be helped for the late night stuff, and we're all grown ups with the ability to either book ourselves hotels, or make the choice to stump up for taxis/the late bus, but a proper gap somewhere in the middle of the day, of longer than an hour for dinner would be great. I love being in the festival, and try to sit through as much as possible (though had to leave that viking crap on the Saturday...Hammer of the Gods, as it was so poor), so I really hate rushing some fast food or cinema hotdog because half the fun of any cinema trip (for me) is also having the opportunity to chill for a bit with friends afterwards, and talk about the films we've seen so far. Sometimes it feels a bit like an endurance event, especially if everything on the screen is excellent (as it so often is), and you only have a day pass, so want to cram in as much as possible!

Regarding lateness - we were in row L, seats 12-16, on the Sunday. There were three people in the row ahead of us who consistently arrived late (once, at least 20 minutes in to one of the films. I'd have been lost :roll: ) but who were day pass holders because of their bands. One then appeared to leave completely after Dark Tourist, and the other two left her seat as a gap between them, but kept leaning over to talk to each other, even during the films. It's just outright rude, especially when you consider how much all of us have paid to be there and enjoy the experience, not someone else's conversation. :x
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by DeanoG »

thatcambridgebird wrote:
DeanoG wrote:
Shouting turn off your bloody phone. ( I'm sorry somebodies phone ruined your enjoyment, but I can't see it, I can however hear you shouting out turn off your phone )
This. Yes. I agree with this. Some girl or other did it during.... The Last Days, I think. Granted, I didn't like that film very much, but it's as rude as those people actually on their phone in the first place! If you don't like them being on their phone, why not get up and go over to point it out to them quietly, or point it out to an usher, rather than shouting out at a pivotal point (which I think this instance was - she shouted it right at a critical bit of the plot) and disturbing most of the cinema. My friends who hadn't been before noticed it a few times over the weekend, and found it really odd/irritating. The zero tolerance thing to phones is exactly how all cinemas should be, but not when it turns into something equally annoying that audience members do.
DeanoG wrote: Breaks...I would love at least one break somewhere in the day, long enough to eat a decent meal, I know that might not be possible due to the already jam packed festival schedule, but it would be nice not to have to skip a film just to eat
Yeah, also this. Again, I know like you that transport issues can't be helped for the late night stuff, and we're all grown ups with the ability to either book ourselves hotels, or make the choice to stump up for taxis/the late bus, but a proper gap somewhere in the middle of the day, of longer than an hour for dinner would be great. I love being in the festival, and try to sit through as much as possible (though had to leave that viking crap on the Saturday...Hammer of the Gods, as it was so poor), so I really hate rushing some fast food or cinema hotdog because half the fun of any cinema trip (for me) is also having the opportunity to chill for a bit with friends afterwards, and talk about the films we've seen so far. Sometimes it feels a bit like an endurance event, especially if everything on the screen is excellent (as it so often is), and you only have a day pass, so want to cram in as much as possible!

Regarding lateness - we were in row L, seats 12-16, on the Sunday. There were three people in the row ahead of us who consistently arrived late (once, at least 20 minutes in to one of the films. I'd have been lost :roll: ) but who were day pass holders because of their bands. One then appeared to leave completely after Dark Tourist, and the other two left her seat as a gap between them, but kept leaning over to talk to each other, even during the films. It's just outright rude, especially when you consider how much all of us have paid to be there and enjoy the experience, not someone else's conversation. :x
Evidence to support me being easily pleased, I kind of liked Hammer of the Gods, I was pleasantly surprised that it was more Conan the Barbarian, than a straight faced viking movie, but it was an unusual movie to be there I will give you that,
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by The Soapmaker »

DeanoG wrote:I agree, it is not a good thing to arrive late, but you have to realize it is not always the persons fault and it is not always a calculated attempt to be directly disrespectful to you, or the festival/filmmakers and ruin everyones experience.

As an aside how is somebody arriving late and sitting down quietly more distracting than somebody who has to get out to go to the bathroom ? Or do people also have to sit there and hope they don't wet themselves too in order to correctly honor the movie ?

If you want to discuss disrespectful/pet peeves I have a couple of things that irked me. ( time to be even more unpopular )


People having a loud conversation while the Q and A is going on, basically in earshot of the people on stage.

Immediately bitching loudly about every movie as soon as it finishes, before and during the Q and A, I was around (admittedly a minority of ) people, in front and behind who, honestly, god knows why they showed up to a horror/fantasy festival, as they hated EVERYTHING, maybe I am too easily pleased, but these folks hated every single thing, it was like bitchfest more than Frightfest at times, can't the opinion wait until the foyer ? Or at least until the Q and A has finished ?

Double pet peeve, if you harp on about being in "the industry" and then rag on every film that is playing, the people around you do not care and do not necessarily value your opinion more than the folks on stage, because you have worked a couple of days one time on a set.

Shouting things at the screen. VHS2 had the worst example, where I recall somebody decided a filmmaker was a pedophile and chose to yell it out.

Shouting turn off your bloody phone. ( I'm sorry somebodies phone ruined your enjoyment, but I can't see it, I can however hear you shouting out turn off your phone )

Breaks...I would love at least one break somewhere in the day, long enough to eat a decent meal, I know that might not be possible due to the already jam packed festival schedule, but it would be nice not to have to skip a film just to eat, I tend to have to skip at least two late movies during the weekend to be able to get more than 8 hours sleep the entire weekend ( thanks again transport for London ) I understand there may be nothing the festival can do about this, and it is not Frightfest's fault that even though I live in a London borough I have next to no transport options after midnight. :x
Good post, and good points. I agree with all you said there.

I try not to be late, and I hate disturbing people and stumbling over their bags etc, but I'm not someone who can live on cinema junk food for five days, dehydrating and never leaving my seat, so given the very short breaks I often cut it pretty fine getting back in time for films. And I did have to go to the toilet during one film, again I hate having to do so and I did wait until the people at the end of my row had also left their seats, but sometimes when you've gotta go you've gotta go; if it's a 90-minute film I'll probably be OK, but if it's 120 minutes and I'm desperate by halfway, well.....

And I must confess at the end of Dark Touch when Paul asked if it was good, I had to shout "No it was shit". Couldn't help it I'm afraid.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by TheDukeAbides »

People arrive late for films for various reasons, its not like I'm on a hunt for anyone who turns up as soon as the lights go out.

I think most of our pet peeves are due to a very small minority - people turning off their phones just as a film starts are not the same as people constantly on their phones throughout a film.

People turning up to a film +20mins in are my problem.

Don't really have a problem with people needing to pee during a film, biological process can't wait. Many is the time I've sat uncomfortably debating how much longer the film can be left vs need to disturb people vs chance I'll get straight to a urine receptacle when the credits roll.

I have to laugh at the idea of what is more annoying - shouting at someone to turn off their phone or getting up and either going and telling them or getting an usher to do it for you - which creates the bigger disturbance.

Back to the toilet thing - I did notice a massive amount of door banging during quite a few films over the weekend - hopefully the new designed screens will have some kind of soft close doors.

Had a fair few people near me talking through the Q&A's too, though they did shut up when told to.

My favourite person getting up to pee story happened when I was watching Kill Bill at the cinema - who must have been the right distance between me and the screen to become a very odd behaving extra in this scene:

[youtube]People arrive late for films for various reasons, its not like I'm on a hunt for anyone who turns up as soon as the lights go out.

I think most of our pet peeves are due to a very small minority - people turning off their phones just as a film starts are not the same as people constantly on their phones throughout a film.

People turning up to a film +20mins in are my problem.

Don't really have a problem with people needing to pee during a film, biological process can't wait. Many is the time I've sat uncomfortably debating how much longer the film can be left vs need to disturb people vs chance I'll get straight to a urine receptacle when the credits roll.

I have to laugh at the idea of what is more annoying - shouting at someone to turn off their phone or getting up and either going and telling them or getting an usher to do it for you - which creates the bigger disturbance.

Back to the toilet thing - I did notice a massive amount of door banging during quite a few films over the weekend - hopefully the new designed screens will have some kind of soft close doors.

Had a fair few people near me talking through the Q&A's too, though they did shut up when told to.

My favourite person getting up to pee story happened when I was watching Kill Bill at the cinema - who must have been the right distance between me and the screen to become a very odd behaving extra in this scene:

[youtube]People arrive late for films for various reasons, its not like I'm on a hunt for anyone who turns up as soon as the lights go out.

I think most of our pet peeves are due to a very small minority - people turning off their phones just as a film starts are not the same as people constantly on their phones throughout a film.

People turning up to a film +20mins in are my problem.

Don't really have a problem with people needing to pee during a film, biological process can't wait. Many is the time I've sat uncomfortably debating how much longer the film can be left vs need to disturb people vs chance I'll get straight to a urine receptacle when the credits roll.

I have to laugh at the idea of what is more annoying - shouting at someone to turn off their phone or getting up and either going and telling them or getting an usher to do it for you - which creates the bigger disturbance.

Back to the toilet thing - I did notice a massive amount of door banging during quite a few films over the weekend - hopefully the new designed screens will have some kind of soft close doors.

Had a fair few people near me talking through the Q&A's too, though they did shut up when told to.

My favourite person getting up to pee story happened when I was watching Kill Bill at the cinema - who must have been the right distance between me and the screen to become a very odd behaving extra in this scene:

[youtube]People arrive late for films for various reasons, its not like I'm on a hunt for anyone who turns up as soon as the lights go out.

I think most of our pet peeves are due to a very small minority - people turning off their phones just as a film starts are not the same as people constantly on their phones throughout a film.

People turning up to a film +20mins in are my problem.

Don't really have a problem with people needing to pee during a film, biological process can't wait. Many is the time I've sat uncomfortably debating how much longer the film can be left vs need to disturb people vs chance I'll get straight to a urine receptacle when the credits roll.

I have to laugh at the idea of what is more annoying - shouting at someone to turn off their phone or getting up and either going and telling them or getting an usher to do it for you - which creates the bigger disturbance.

Back to the toilet thing - I did notice a massive amount of door banging during quite a few films over the weekend - hopefully the new designed screens will have some kind of soft close doors.

Had a fair few people near me talking through the Q&A's too, though they did shut up when told to.

My favourite person getting up to pee story happened when I was watching Kill Bill at the cinema - who must have been the right distance between me and the screen to become a very odd behaving extra in this scene:

[youtube]People arrive late for films for various reasons, its not like I'm on a hunt for anyone who turns up as soon as the lights go out.

I think most of our pet peeves are due to a very small minority - people turning off their phones just as a film starts are not the same as people constantly on their phones throughout a film.

People turning up to a film +20mins in are my problem.

Don't really have a problem with people needing to pee during a film, biological process can't wait. Many is the time I've sat uncomfortably debating how much longer the film can be left vs need to disturb people vs chance I'll get straight to a urine receptacle when the credits roll.

I have to laugh at the idea of what is more annoying - shouting at someone to turn off their phone or getting up and either going and telling them or getting an usher to do it for you - which creates the bigger disturbance.

Back to the toilet thing - I did notice a massive amount of door banging during quite a few films over the weekend - hopefully the new designed screens will have some kind of soft close doors.

Had a fair few people near me talking through the Q&A's too, though they did shut up when told to.

My favourite "person getting up to pee" story happened when I was watching Kill Bill at the cinema - who must have been the right distance between me and the screen to become a very odd behaving extra in this (censored) scene:

http://youtu.be/-jhTRqgTZSM?t=5m54s
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by thatcambridgebird »

I heard you the first time :lol:

I accept, it's as disturbing to go tell someone to turn off their phone. But you have to understand it's really jarring to have someone shout out 'Turn off your phone!!' in the middle of a plot you're engrossed in. I don't really know the way round it - both are irritating, the person on the phone, and the person shouting - but I guess the minority will continue to exist in both camps.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by Donut »

Groundhog Duke.
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Re: Random Weekend Thoughts...

Post by ZombieRandm »

I've had a few weeks to mull over the festival, and have to say it was pretty incredible. The overall quality of the films this year was really good, with a few films I'd consider outstanding. Thanks to Alan and co for sorting it out again :). It remains one of my highlights of the year.

Film highlights for me:
- Curse of Chucky
- You're Next
- V/H/S 2
- Cheap Thrills
- Wither

It would have been nice to have a separate section for all the short films like the previous years. Unfortunately I can't usually make it to all the films and there are probably a few short films that I'm going to miss if they are programmed between films. It was always cool getting tickets for the full short-films showcase and seeing them as one glorious horror hit :).

I've written a quick blog covering my overall weekend thoughts:

http://shapejam.com/blog/frightfest-201 ... -send-off/
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