Andrew Parkinson's three features to be re/released

Jinga Films, the fine label run by Julian Richards, is planning to release three features by Andrew Parkinson next year, and all of them are excellent films worthy of your attention.

I, Zombie is still, after all these years, one of the very best British horror films of the past 20 years, a bleak, powerful tale of horror, introspection and social realism. And of historical interest as the debut credit for the UK's number one prosthetic make-up guy (and now director too) Paul Hyett, who was just a teenager when he worked on Andy's film.

Dead Creatures was the follow-up (but not sequel) and is a second brilliant slice of post-modern zombie horror: a study in contrast between dark, brutal savagery and caring companionship. Not as iconic as I, Zombie but just as good. A superb example of the burgeoning millenial rebirth of British horror cinema.

Both zombie films have been released before (I, Zombie was originally on VHS!) but this will be the first release of Parkinson's third feature. Enigmatic, Cronenbergian body horror science fiction set in an evocatively desolate British seaside locale, Venus Drowning is an extraordinary film, sort of The Brood meets Liquid Sky.

The success of Little Deaths has raised Andrew Parkinson's profile recently. If you haven't seen these earlier features, buy them when released. And hopefully we won't have to wait five years for the next Andy Parkinson movie.

'The Shadow of Death' on YouTube

The Shadow of Death, directed by Gav Chuckie Steel, is the latest BHR title to be posted in its entirety on YouTube. Gav posted it online back in June but I've only just become aware.

Gav actually sent me a screener of this a while back but I didn't review it because it's a bit of a marmite film. You really need to be a major slasher fan to appreciate it, and I'm not. Anyway, you can see the film for yourself now. It was shot in 2011 and premiered in May 2012.

Synopsis
Set in an English woodland countryside, Debra and her best friends Jamie and Nancy pick up Dan, Nancy's ex, to go out to the woods to score some weed. Unknown to them a killer who resembles death is cleansing the countryside. With a wannabe policeman and an assortment of the public out for some fresh air, the woods are no place to go down today.

Navin Dev directs 'The Judas Curse'

Navin Dev, director of the marvellous Red Kingdom Rising, is working on a new feature.

"The Judas Curse is a horror film that seeks to recreate the classic, down and dirty style of the 1970s typical of the John Carpenter style where the suspense is relies heavily on atmosphere and suggestion, and of course the music.

"It will be shot on location in the dark and mysterious ruins of Horio which are largely unknown to filmmakers but which provide the perfect backdrop to a story that draws inspiration from some of the historic myths and legends that have built up around Judas Iscariot over the centuries. On Symi there is still an annual and controversial ritual involving the burning of Judas.

"Of particular interest to dedicated horror fans is an extremely challenging cryptic competition involving famous quotes from classic films of the genre. This is no walkover and even the most dedicated horror fan will be up against it to solve the ten clues. But to the person who manages to get the most correct answers will be awarded the prize of being able to name a character in the film and deciding to whom the behind-the-scenes lavishly illustrated book about the making of the film shall be dedicated."

Attached cast are Rebecca Grant (Holby City), Wookie Mayer (Heimat 2) and Lorna Doyle (The Tudors). The script is by James Collins, the DP is Felix Schmilinsky (My Brother the Devil) and the composer is Michael Bishop.

There's a Kickstarter thing here. Production is planned for October in Greece.

Synopsis
“When a renegade father dies investigating an ancient myth, he leaves behind a mystery that only his son will be able to unlock. But some secrets are best left buried as Chris Trelawney discovers when he comes to a remote Greek island to collect his late father’s belongings.

"Meeting a beautiful and mysterious woman, Stavroula, he slowly learns to accept that there are stranger things in heaven and earth than he ever dreamed possible. It is not long before he is forced to question everything he holds to be true as one by one the remaining villagers take their own lives, in violent, horrifying ways.

"But will simply unlocking the secret be enough to save the village, Stavroula, and his own son as a dark force 2,000 years old stalks the island, growing stronger with every suicide until there is only one way out. Death. But when under the Judas Curse, death is the easy option.”

Teaser trailer

Wasteland screening needs zombies

New British zombie feature Wasteland has a cast and crew screening at the Showcase De Luxe, Derby on 24th August - and you could get in to see the film. The producers want a bunch of zombies lurking around the cinema, so if you can supply your own costume and make-up and can maon "Bwaains!" in a convincing way, contact them. More details here.

Wasteland is written by Tommy Draper and directed by Tom Wadlow

Synopsis:

Scott Miller, a man carving his life out of a world torn apart by an 'infection' that has almost totally wiped out the human race. His days are spent finding water, food and avoiding the dangers that lurk outside while he waits for the return of Beth, the love of his life.

WASTELAND, a story of man's journey as he fights to survive, to find hope, to find purpose within this new world.

What is there left when all hope is gone?

What kind of life is there?

Will Scott give up or will he look for something bigger, will he look for a meaning, will he look for hope?

Borley Rectory - forthcoming short from Ashley Thorpe

Ashley Thorpe, who makes extraordinarily good animated horror shorts (as well as writing and painting stuff for Fangoria), is working on a new film, a 20-minute animation about notorious haunted house Borley Rectory.

The film is being produced by Tony Earnshaw (currently putting the finishing touches to the first Fantastiq festival) with narration by Julian Sands (Warlock, Tale of a Vampire) and music by Steve Severin (London Voodoo, Nature Morte).

There is an Indiegogo page for Ashley's project here.

Win 'The Dead 2' prizes including props, premiere party tickets etc

The Dead 2: India, the sequel to (in my opinion) the best British zombie film ever,  is set to premiere as the opening film at Film 4 FrightFest in London on 22nd August. As part of the promotional campaign in advance of the film’s release, the PR company are giving away two tickets to the FrightFest premiere, including the after-party where you can hang out with directors Howard and John Ford as well as the film's star Joseph Millson.

To enter the contest, you simply need to tell us what you would do in order to #StayAlive during the zombie apocalypse. You can submit their ideas on any of those modern social media wotsits including Facebook, Twitter and stuff called Tumblr, Instagram and Vine. Possibly some others. It's all a bit beyond me, to be honest. Where are my slippers?

The important thing is that you use the hashtag #StayAlive.

Alongside the grand prize, there are also lots of ongoing smaller prizes, including signed copies of Howard Ford’s 'making of' book Surviving the Dead: "a harrowing and at times hilarious blow-by-blow account of the trials and tribulations involved in the production of the Ford Brothers previous feature, The Dead."

They will also be offering select, one-of-a-kind props from The Dead and The Dead 2 as prizes. These actual props were used on-set in Africa and India and can be seen in both films. Beyond being just mere memorabilia, these props are genuine artifacts of zombie film history and will be coveted by fans of the zombie film genre.

Please note: I'm not organising this competition, just passing details on, so please don't ask me anything!

New zombie short: Attack of the Unliving

Micro-budget zombie shorts are ten-a-penny of course but there's something special about this one that I can't quite put my finger on...