Fright Night Horror

When did you first become interested in horror? I first became interested in horror back in 1968, at the ripe old age of nine. My mother had given me my very first weekly allowance, a whopping fifty cents, and drove me into town so I could spend it. The town was so small there were no comic book shops, or bookstores, and Toys R Us did not exist back then. But there was a Rexall Drug Store, which had a magazine rack. And on the bottom shelf of that rack, I discovered issue fifty-one of Famous Monsters of Filmland; a magazine filled with images of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and other horror delights. It was love at first sight. Famous Monsters literally changed my life. Under the brilliant editorship of Forrest J Ackerman, the monthly magazine assured me it was okay to embrace monsters and all things scary. Best of all, it showed me I wasn't alone; there were others out there who loved horror as much as I did. At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer? I was in the ...

When did you first become interested in horror? I first became interested in horror back in 1968, at the ripe old age of nine. My mother had given me my very first weekly allowance, a whopping fifty cents, and drove me into town so I could spend it. The town was so small there were no comic book shops, or bookstores, and Toys R Us did not exist back then. But there was a Rexall Drug Store, which had a magazine rack. And on the bottom shelf of that rack, I discovered issue fifty-one of Famous Monsters of Filmland; a magazine filled with images of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and other horror delights. It was love at first sight. Famous Monsters literally changed my life. Under the brilliant editorship of Forrest J Ackerman, the monthly magazine assured me it was okay to embrace monsters and all things scary. Best of all, it showed me I wasn't alone; there were others out there who loved horror as much as I did. At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer? I was in th...

  The UK horror/indie horror scene is a tight-knit community. Do you enjoy attending events like Frightfest, interacting with fans and meeting industry peers? It really is such a tight-knit community and that's what I love about it! We all support each other's work. "Video Shop" just premiered at Horror-on-Sea and so many people came out to support it, they actually had to open two screens and play it on both simultaneously. The same thing happened at FrightFest with "LOLA". It is lovely to be part of that community.    What are the best films you have watched recently (horror and any other genre) that you would recommend? I loved last year's A24 horror "Lamb" as I thought it did something really interesting with the genre; it was about a childless couple living in rural Iceland, and how their desperation for a child leads them down a strange path. The cinematography is beautiful and it felt strange and ethereal; it blended horror with fantasy....

  The UK horror/indie horror scene is a tight-knit community. Do you enjoy attending events like Frightfest, interacting with fans and meeting industry peers? It really is such a tight-knit community and that's what I love about it! We all support each other's work. "Video Shop" just premiered at Horror-on-Sea and so many people came out to support it, they actually had to open two screens and play it on both simultaneously. The same thing happened at FrightFest with "LOLA". It is lovely to be part of that community.    What are the best films you have watched recently (horror and any other genre) that you would recommend? I loved last year's A24 horror "Lamb" as I thought it did something really interesting with the genre; it was about a childless couple living in rural Iceland, and how their desperation for a child leads them down a strange path. The cinematography is beautiful and it felt strange and ethereal; it blended horror with fantas...

Dazzler Media presents martial arts-horror Shadow Master, from the maker of Ong Bak, Warrior King and Chocolate, lands on Blu-ray, DVD and Download on 30th January.  And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on Blu-Ray to give away. Synopsis:  From producer Prachya Pinkaew, the filmmaker behind modern martial arts classics, Ong Bak, Warrior King and Chocolate, comes a new hero from a world of supernatural horror… Arrested for the massacre of cultists, the mysterious An is brought into custody. Hired as a Night Watchman, An started out roaming the halls of an abandoned hospital, supervising the squatters that lived there. But he soon discovers that the residents are victims of a cult who kidnap children for ritualistic purposes. Guided by a spirit, he attempts to stop the cultists but is quickly overwhelmed and left for dead. Striking a deal with a Death God known as Hanuman, he is given unlimited power and abilities in exchange for a piece of his soul. ...

Dazzler Media presents martial arts-horror Shadow Master, from the maker of Ong Bak, Warrior King and Chocolate, lands on Blu-ray, DVD and Download on 30th January.  And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on Blu-Ray to give away. Synopsis:  From producer Prachya Pinkaew, the filmmaker behind modern martial arts classics, Ong Bak, Warrior King and Chocolate, comes a new hero from a world of supernatural horror… Arrested for the massacre of cultists, the mysterious An is brought into custody. Hired as a Night Watchman, An started out roaming the halls of an abandoned hospital, supervising the squatters that lived there. But he soon discovers that the residents are victims of a cult who kidnap children for ritualistic purposes. Guided by a spirit, he attempts to stop the cultists but is quickly overwhelmed and left for dead. Striking a deal with a Death God known as Hanuman, he is given unlimited power and abilities in exchange for a piece of his soul. ...

  Dangerous outlaws, crazed serial killers and murderous aquatic beasts haunt a fearsome February line-up on LEGEND, headed up by the UK TV premiere of JESSE JAMES THE UNSTOPPABLE OUTLAW, a thrilling Western in which the famous cowboy takes on the deadliest ride of his life. Plus, there are Channel premieres for Michael Bay’s tough cop caper BAD BOYS, starring Will Smith, serial killer thriller THE FACTORY, starring John Cusack, BRAKE, a dark action drama starring Stephen Dorff and the 1975 Brit crime thriller RANSOM, starring Sean Connery and Ian McShane. There are further Channel premieres for the psychological horror thriller MINDSCAPE, starring Mark Strong and Brian Cox and JOHNNY HANDSOME, Walter Hill’s gritty 1989 American neo-noir crime thriller, starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman. THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to light up Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, headed up this month by the Channel premiere of sci-fi m...

  Dangerous outlaws, crazed serial killers and murderous aquatic beasts haunt a fearsome February line-up on LEGEND, headed up by the UK TV premiere of JESSE JAMES THE UNSTOPPABLE OUTLAW, a thrilling Western in which the famous cowboy takes on the deadliest ride of his life. Plus, there are Channel premieres for Michael Bay’s tough cop caper BAD BOYS, starring Will Smith, serial killer thriller THE FACTORY, starring John Cusack, BRAKE, a dark action drama starring Stephen Dorff and the 1975 Brit crime thriller RANSOM, starring Sean Connery and Ian McShane. There are further Channel premieres for the psychological horror thriller MINDSCAPE, starring Mark Strong and Brian Cox and JOHNNY HANDSOME, Walter Hill’s gritty 1989 American neo-noir crime thriller, starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman. THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to light up Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, headed up this month by the Channel premiere of s...

STUDIOCANAL has announced that a breath-taking new 4k restoration of THE QUEEN OF SPADES is in cinemas now. One of the most evocative and sinister British horror films ever made, Thorold Dickinson’s (Gaslight, The Next of Kin) ghostly chiller will also be available to own on Blu-ray for the first time and on DVD and Digital on January 23. And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on DVD to give away. Synopsis:  Starring Dame Edith Evans (Tom Jones, The Whisperers) in a role that marked her return to cinema following 35 years devoted to theatre work alongside Anton Walbrook (The Red Shoes, Gaslight) and Yvonne Mitchell (The Divided Heart), THE QUEEN OF SPADES is based on a short ghost story by celebrated Russian author Alexander Pushkin, and is considered legendary filmmaker Thorold Dickinson’s most accomplished piece of work. Dickinson was only hired after the original director was fired just a few days before production was due to start, making his achievem...

STUDIOCANAL has announced that a breath-taking new 4k restoration of THE QUEEN OF SPADES is in cinemas now. One of the most evocative and sinister British horror films ever made, Thorold Dickinson’s (Gaslight, The Next of Kin) ghostly chiller will also be available to own on Blu-ray for the first time and on DVD and Digital on January 23. And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on DVD to give away. Synopsis:  Starring Dame Edith Evans (Tom Jones, The Whisperers) in a role that marked her return to cinema following 35 years devoted to theatre work alongside Anton Walbrook (The Red Shoes, Gaslight) and Yvonne Mitchell (The Divided Heart), THE QUEEN OF SPADES is based on a short ghost story by celebrated Russian author Alexander Pushkin, and is considered legendary filmmaker Thorold Dickinson’s most accomplished piece of work. Dickinson was only hired after the original director was fired just a few days before production was due to start, making his achievem...

  Be prepared to devour a devilish feast of dread-filled delights as the UK’s favourite horror fantasy event returns to the renowned Glasgow Film Festival for an 18th year, from Thurs 9 March to Sat 11 March 2023. This year’s daring line-up, once again housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, embraces the latest genre discoveries from around the world, spanning nine countries with an eclectic mix of World, International and UK premieres. Passes are on sale from noon on Wednesday 18 Jan. Festival co-director Alan Jones says, “FrightFest is one of the most potent forces on the horror, science fiction and extreme thriller landscape, a reputation that has firmly placed it in the Top 10 Essential Fantasy Festivals List. And we aim to stay ahead of the chiller curve, returning to the incomparable Glasgow Film Festival with a shiver and shudder showcase of epic proportions”. FrightFest kicks off with two special screenings on Thursday March 9, opening in grand Gallic style with the UK p...