Film Event: FILM4 FrightFest 2015 - Part II

Hello, hello. Happy Tuesday! How was everyone's bank holiday? As you all know by now, this past weekend saw the 16th annual Film4 Fright Fest event and today I'm sharing Part II of the festivities!


This year's Frightfest saw the World Premiere of Enrages (translation, Rabid Dogs). Based on Mario Bava's original 1974 classic, and following a poorly planned bank heist, three french criminals go on the run taking a young woman, a father and his sick child hostage. Now a deadly road trip, the race is on to reach the border and escape with the money. 
Unlike the original, this film is french-speaking (not Italian) and made for the masses with Hollywood inspirations. Channeling Drive (2011) and oozing with film noir style, Rabid Dogs is ultimately swarve, beautifully constructed and with an extremely satisfying and thrilling twist. This was truly one of my favourites from the whole weekend and gets a Sophie star rating of 3.5 stars. 

Bex and Dawn own a tea and cake market stall in a run-down, West Yorkshire town. In the hopes of one day opening in their own shop, they meet with countless banks only to be denied a loan but when a seemingly nice guy offers to invest in their business venture, they get in way over their heads at the hands of a vicious, sleazy loan shark who makes their lives a living hell. 
Directed and written by Emmerdale's own Dominic Brunt and starring his own wife, Joanne Mitchell, as Bex, comes this refreshing take on a British salvation horror. Though there is a tremendous amount of gallows humour, the true reality of it's story-line makes it all the more chilling with it's grittiness and violence adding to it only further. Jonathan Slinger gives an excellent performance as a human depiction of the monster and despite a few cheesy lines and hilarious special effects, this tongue-in-cheek horror gets a Sophie star rating of 3 stars and is cinemas next week!

Anna (Beth Riesgraf) has isolated herself from human contact for nearly ten years. Suffering from crippling agoraphobia and holed up in an old Victorian mansion on the outskirts of town, when her brother passes away, she is left utterly alone. Believing her to be away at her brother's funeral, a trio of small-time criminals break in to her home in search of a hidden stash of cash. She can’t bring herself to flee, but what the intruders don't realise is that agoraphobia is the least of her psychoses. 
Another one of my favourites from the weekend is Shut In. It had a fantastic plot twist by which the revenge structure is turned completely on it's head. I thoroughly enjoyed it and whilst it may not have been the greatest of the entire weekend, it's certainly up there in my top picks. Shut In gets a Sophie star rating of 3 out of 5 stars. 
During the outbreak of a mysterious deadly epidemic ravaging a rural European village, sisters Ayia and Mirra promise their dying mother to look after each other. When Mirra also falls victim to the disease, a desperate Ayia realises that conventional medicine is not the answer. And at Father Herman’s house she discovers a Shamanic book containing spiritual healing rituals and clings to the hope this therapy will save her sister. But the mystical cure involves complete immersion into the victim’s deepest subconscious.
Paying homage to  Russian fairytales and Tarkovskian surreality, III is visually very stunning yet the CGI and golden glows undermine it. If you can suspend reality and take it at face value, it is a good yet strange fantasy horror, if in some places a little cheesy. Beautifully dark, III gets a Sophie star rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

And finally, a grey cloud was cast over the festival on Monday when it was announced that horror director and writer (not to mention, legend), Wes Craven had passed away from brain cancer, aged 76. Responsible for some of the greatest on-screen horrors, Craven established an entire sub-genre all of his own. Renowned for Last House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), the Scream franchise and of course, The Nightmare of Elm Street films, the genre will never be the same without him. May he rest in peace!

That's it for another Film4 Fright Fest! It was such a great weekend, with some amazing celebrity guests and films. It's safe to say I am knackered! I hope everyone had a great bank holiday weekend. Have you ever been to FrightFest? What did you get up to this bank holiday weekend? Would you watch any of the films above? As always, I love reading your comments so please do leave them below and don't forget to vote for me for the Bloggers Blog Awards here!

Until next year horror fans,







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18 comments

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    1. None of them would have been released yet as these were premieres for most of them. Hopefully you'll see them in cinemas soon though! :) x

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  2. I would have loved to go to Frightfest - it looked like such a great time! Congrats on the Bloggers Blog Awards shortlist by the way - I totally nominated you :D x

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    1. Thanks so much! I really appreciate it! You should totally go if you get a chance, it's an awesome day or couple of days :) xx

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  3. When you described III as paying homage to Tarkovskian surreality, my interest was piqued. In reading Wes Craven's obituary, I noticed he also directed Swamp Thing (1982) which I have vague memories of watching on television (and being good) in addition to all the films and franchises you mentioned.
    Btw, congratulations on your two year meeting anniversary with Jack. You two look ridiculously cute together :)

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    1. It is certainly interesting! I wasn't massively sold on it but it's very original and visually stunning. I think Russian's do horror very well. Aw thanks so much! That's very sweet of you :P We're both nerds! I think our proper anniversary is in October so no doubt we'll be doing something fun then. Hope you're having a great week, Gil :)

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  4. Totally want to go to fright fest - looks so fun! Love a good horror.

    Such sad news about Wes Craven :(

    Chloe Mary Davis | www.lovefromlucky

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    1. You also need to come to London and visit me sometime soon! I'm thinking of heading up to Bristol sometime at the end of the month or possibly October failing that and we must have a coffee or something! I know, devastating isn't it? Bless him :( x

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  5. ALSO CONGRATS ON THE SHORT LISTING FOR THE AWARDS LADY!

    Totally voted for you ... obviously.

    Chloe Mary Davis | www.lovefromlucky

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    1. Thanks babes! I really appreciate that, I can't believe I got nominated!! xx

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  6. I really want to see Shut In, I've heard great things but not sure if it'll get much of a release here in the States. I look forward to giving these a watch, thank you for your recommendations! x

    Ashley x
    www.imamovienerd.wordpress.com

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    1. It's pretty good, I loved the twists in it and thought it was very well done. Definitely one of my favourites from the weekend! If you get a chance to see it, I'd love to hear your thoughts! x

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  7. ooh that wouldn't be a festival for me, I am so scared of horror movies,
    but it looks like a lot of fun for someone who enjoys them.
    And that little magazine with the bunnies is so cute and funny - I probably
    would be staring at them the whole time. ;)

    la-ailurophile.blogspot.de

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    1. Haha it is a required taste really. Not all of them are scary/that gorey but might not be best for you if you don't like the genre. The adverts they had before each film were so funny, they'd have baskets of kittens and dogs and say "don't worry, it's only a film - enjoy some kittens" haha xx

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  8. Yayy.. all of it seems like a must watch.. ah, will ask my bf for this movies!
    Thanks for sharing, hun!
    Btw, I just followed you on Twitter and Bloglovin :)

    xoxo
    Jhem | JhemSays.com

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    1. Some of them are definitely worth a watch if you can get them. I think most of them come out in the cinema very soon :) Thanks so much for following, I appreciate it! x

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  9. These all look so good! You can't beat a good horror movie can you?! I would love to go to Fright Fest!

    Fix Me In Forty Five - A Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
    Blog Lovin' // Instagram

    xx

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    1. Definitely not! I loved it, I hope you get a chance to go next year - it's so worth it! xx

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