Monday 16 July 2012

And that's a wrap!

The book is now complete. That's it. 113 films. Assorted introductions and prologues and wotnots. The whole thing, except for Sean Pertwee's Foreword, and I've sent this off to his agent now so that's in hand.

There's still a bunch of editing to be done. I've trimmed the text down to under 110,000 words and now I've got to spell-check, proof-read and format before sending it off to Denis at Hemlock. That will keep me busy for a week or so.

Finishing off the book is what has kept me slightly out of the loop recently, so apologies if I haven't replied to an e-mail or posted something you sent for the blog/website.

I now really, really want to watch something that isn't a recent British horror film. And then... I've got a bunch of DVDs waiting to be watched, most of them - you've guessed it - recent British horror films.

Film 113: Mum and Dad

Wow, talk about saving the best till last! I've put off watching this until the very end because I knew it would be the very last film in the book, released on Boxing Day 2008.

The release it what makes it interesting: the first British film to do cinemas, DVD and VOD simultaneously. It's also interesting as the first 'microbudget' film funded by a regional film body. But on top of all that, it's freaking awesome.

Great script, greast cast, great direction, awesome production design, great effects and make-up, great sound design. Pretty near perfect.

Sunday 1 July 2012

Film 112: MindFlesh

The second feature from Robert Pratten, this 'Buddhist sci-fi/horror' movie couldn't have been more different from London Voodoo.

It's something to do with a London cabbie who has repressed childhood trauma, something to do woth a sexy goddess from another dimension, and something to do with alien monsters. Head-scratching but stylish and thought-provoking.

One more to go! One more to go!

Film 111: Beyond the Rave

Only four years old and almost completely forgotten, this was the debut of the revived Hammer Film Productions.

Originally released on MySpace in 20 webisodes, except it seems that Episode 20 was held back and only appeared when the DVD was released, two years later!

Not great by any means but also not terrible, unless you're a Hammer fanboy. Its main problem is that it was outdated before they shot a frame: when was the last time you heard of anyone going to a rave?

Film 110: Experiment

Dan (Stormhouse) Turner's debut is a psychological/paranoid conspiracy thriller with horror overtones.

Nicely shot with very strong performances from the two leads (plus the ever-louche David Gant) and great use of Prague locations.