Press release: Abduct, new UK paranormal thriller

Abduct is a 2016 UK produced Mystery, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller from director Ilyas Kaduji. Starring Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil), William B. Davis (The X-Files Cigarette Smoking Man), Jack O'Halloran (Superman), Mark Arnold (Teen Wolf), Mhairi Calvey (Braveheart), Art Bell (Coast to Coast). The film is set in a remote town called Fate in Texas, US. The plot follows a radio paranormal talk show host as he tries to help a young woman who is being hunted by sinister, dark forces.

The film is part of the Official selection of the SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival 2016 and will have its UK Premiere at the Stratford PictureHouse 1st of May at 7pm and 4th of May 1pm.

SYNOPSIS
In the minds of some paranormal groups, the fate of Humanity lies in the hands of a few open minded and dedicated individuals who investigate the occult connections to many of the unexplained phenomenon like UFO's, alien abductions, Demon possessions, the real Men in Black, The Shadow People, sleep paralysis and Ancient Aliens. These mysterious and dark phenomena have plagued thousands of people across the world. However, in the eyes of charismatic, paranormal radio host Ridley Kay, these topics are his passion as well as all fun and games... until a strange young woman called Crystal comes literally crashing into his life. Crystal is a Texan orphan with a horrible and tragic past. Her parents ritually abused her. One night, strange lights and sounds appeared outside her home. Crystal blacked out and later awakened to find them brutally murdered.

Years pass. Now a young adult, a paranoid Crystal flees her orphanage believing that otherworldly forces are after her. When Crystal arrives at a remote ranch in Texas, the adventurous Ridley Kay is forced to protect her but welcomes the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study a real-life paranormal phenomenon first hand. The legendary real life radio host Art Bell also calls into Ridley’s show to help unravel some of the challenging mysteries that Ridley and his fellow investigator friends have to face. However, the strange lights and sounds follow Crystal wherever she goes. People get hurt and mysterious government agents seek to take Crystal into custody. No matter how far the young woman flees, they’re always fast on her heels; a sinister Woman and Man in Black named... Angelica Dark and Alistair Cruel are never far behind…

ABOUT THE FILM
The film was shot in Texas - USA, London and Tintagel Farm - Wokingham in Berkshire.

The original edit of the film was 2h.40m long before being cut down to just under 2 hours leaving more than enough deleted scenes for the DVD extras and directors’ cut fans. The film was highly supported by its entire crew and cast that worked intensively and restless to bring the project to life. Post-Production was very demanding involving some pick up shots and lasted for several months.

Abduct was inspired by Ilyas Kaduji’s childhood fascination with space, aliens, ghosts and UFOs, as well as  classic Sci-Fi films of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T and Star Wars. He was also inspired by a magazine entitled The Unexplained: Mysteries of Mind, Space, & Time that quickly became a popular magazine published in the U.K. between 1980 and 1983 by Orbis Publishing. Then ten years later in 1993 a new TV phenomenon was born - The X-Files - and it had everything Ilyas could have wished for aliens, UFOs, cover-ups, action, adventure with a touch of romance.

William B. Davis, the X-Files Cigarette Smoking Man stars as Zane MacAlister in Abduct. His character, actually mentions the cult series in one of the scenes of the film.

Resident Evil star Sienna Guillory plays 3 different characters in Abduct.

Known for his role in Superman, Jack O'Halloran plays a sinister government agent who keeps stalking and tormenting the young woman who is haunted by strange events played by actress Mhairi Calvey who played young Mel Gibson’s love interest, Murron’s Mhairi in the film Braveheart.

Mark Arnold, known as Michael J. Fox’s antagonist Mick in the film Teen Wolf, plays the paranormal entertainer radio show host inspired by and based on the real life legendary Art Bell and his hit show that dealt with topics related to the paranormal, UFO’s and conspiracy theories.

Art Bell is an American broadcaster and author known as one of the founders and the original host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. The show started back in 1984 in the US and Canada achieving audiences of between 10 to 15 million listeners per week. Art Bell plays himself in the film Abduct and helps Ridley to unravel some of the challenging mysteries that Ridley and his friends have to face. Interesting fact to note is that Art Bell did have the creator of  The X-Files, Chris Carter, on his show.

Cannibal horror Blood Lust coming to DVD in May

Some time ago I wrote a draft of a script that Benedict Mart was developing called The Wicked Mr Danior. Later, Ben asked me to write the screenplay for a project called Siren. I wrote a cracking treatment but didn’t pursue it, principally because the executive producers were insistent that the film – about a man lured to his doom by a mysterious woman on an isolated island – must be not only filmed on the Isle of Wight but actually set there.

Sorry, but half a million holiday-makers a year travel to the Isle of Wight via three regular scheduled ferry services. It’s not an isolated island where someone could be lured. I wished Ben well and recommended that the title be changed, perhaps to Siren Song, as there had recently been another British horror film called Siren.

Sometime later I heard from Ben that the film had finally been made, with no less than DTV king C Thomas Howell in the lead role (and with different executive producers). It wasn’t set on the Isle of Wight and the title had changed to Siren Song.

And so we come to 2016 when the film has popped up on Amazon.com, set for release on 3 May via Inception Media Group. It’s now called Blood Lust. Here’s the synopsis:

When Daniel is lured to an isolated island guesthouse by his new on-line girlfriend Kelly, his hopes for a romantic weekend get-away are quickly shattered. As other guests around the estate begin to disappear, he suspects that she or her monstrous sisters may have a gruesome menu planned for their dinner. Now he and a friend race to escape this wicked trap hoping to survive beyond the dawn.

Lisa Edwards, Fletcher N Brown and Brigitte Allen are credited with the script.

The Wicked Mr Danior remains in development hell. And if anyone would like to see my treatment that I wrote for Siren, which is very different to what eventually got made, just drop me an email.