Horrorthon (23-27 October)

spooky donkey · 16-09-2008 2:20pm #1

OK I Have the dates but no other details as of yet.
That was all I could find on the IFC web site.
Im planing on heading into horrothon this year any one else?

if any on gets any more film details post here.
I did look at a list of up and coming horror films and over half of them are remakes, so lets hope the other half are good.

Creature · 16-09-2008 2:36pm

Yeah I'll go if there's something that interests me. I'd love to see The Thing on the big screen but I understand that they showed it at a previous horrorthon a few years ago so it's unlikely they'll show it again

Mr. Fancypants · 16-09-2008 4:08pm

Looking forward to it this year, hopefully there will be some decent films on show. Surprise film was a let down last year when they showed Shrooms which was god awful.

Otis Driftwood · 16-09-2008 5:18pm

Didnt go to any of the showings last year as frankly none of them really appealed to me.Will wait and see what the line up is.

spooky donkey · 17-09-2008 11:06am

AH i liked Shrooms, there are a lot of films coming out soon so Im sure 1 of them will be a suprise showing.

mbv · 17-09-2008 11:30am

The only thing that appeals to me about the horrorthon is the special guests they have and maybe one or two films throughout the weekend. It seems to have gone a bit stale lately.

The last time I went the surprise film was 'See no evil' I was so scared I ran out of the cinema crying.:rolleyes:

Cactus Col · 29-09-2008 1:11pm

mbv wrote: »

The only thing that appeals to me about the horrorthon is the special guests they have and maybe one or two films throughout the weekend. It seems to have gone a bit stale lately.

The last time I went the surprise film was 'See no evil' I was so scared I ran out of the cinema crying.:rolleyes:

I've been going for the last few years, and have to say that I thought last years one was great fun!

I don't think you can go to the horrorthon and be too serious about films.

Anyway, they released a list of films, but I don't think everything has been 100% confirmed yet:

THURSDAY OCTOBER 23rd

QUARANTINE
BAD BIOLOGY

FRIDAY OCTOBER 24th

TOBE HOOPER'S THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
FRIDAY THE 13th PART V - A NEW BEGINNING ??? (Paramount)
MINDFLESH + Short Film : INTO THE MIRROR
TIME CRIMES
NIGHT OF THE LEPUS (1972)

SATURDAY OCTOBER 25th

THE WITCHES
THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE
THE HUNGER (25th anniversary)
THE DISAPPEARED
CHILD'S PLAY (20th anniversary)
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN ??? (Momentum) + Short Film : DEAD BONES
SEER

SUNDAY OCTOBER 26th

GRINDHOUSE TRAILERS
MUM & DAD
SURPRISE FILM
MARTYRS
EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE
GHOSTWOOD

MONDAY OCTOBER 27th

PLAGUE TOWN
GEORGE A. ROMERO'S DAWN OF THE DEAD (30th anniversary)
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
JAWS 2 (30th anniversary)
THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN

BaconZombie · 29-09-2008 1:30pm

"INTO THE MIRROR" is a must see

Mr. Fancypants · 29-09-2008 2:03pm

Let the right one in, Martyrs, Mum & Dad and Meadnight Meat Train interest me out of that lot.

Otis Driftwood · 29-09-2008 10:34pm

Interested in seeing Bad Biology.Its Frank Henenlotters new movie and his first since 92.For those that dont know he is the man behind the Basket Case trilogy and Frankenhooker.Here is a trailer for BB

NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK

http://www.dreadcentral.com/videodread/?bcpid=464121041&bclid=1329235037&bctid=1442372416

Would also love to see Dawn of the Dead on the big screen.

Creature · 30-09-2008 12:37am

I would also love to see Dawn of the Dead on the big screen. Also interested in Midnight Meat Train, Let The Right One In and Martyrs.

Karl Hungus · 30-09-2008 1:58am

You know, I might take a trip over yonder just to see Let The Right One In.

Decuc500 · 30-09-2008 10:05am

Pretty disappointing line up. I've been going since the first year and this looks, well, crap. As usual there's way too many old movies being shown. I might just end up going to see 2 or 3 films this year.

Cactus Col · 01-10-2008 8:02am

can't say I know too much about a good number of the films on there. I will be getting the 5 day ticket though. The only film I'm dissappointed in seeing on the schedule is Jaws 2. Usually it's a bit more of a landmark movie shown on the monday.

Otis Driftwood · 01-10-2008 11:19am

Cactus Col wrote: »

can't say I know too much about a good number of the films on there. I will be getting the 5 day ticket though. The only film I'm dissappointed in seeing on the schedule is Jaws 2. Usually it's a bit more of a landmark movie shown on the monday.

Dawn of the Dead?

spooky donkey · 01-10-2008 11:54am

well Im up for going to see that Quarantine and dawn of the dead.

As some one who has never been to this thing before how does hte 5 day ticket work is it worth my while as There is about 4 films I want to go see.

djkeogh · 01-10-2008 2:15pm

nedtheshed wrote: »

Interested in seeing Bad Biology.Its Frank Henenlotters new movie and his first since 92.For those that dont know he is the man behind the Basket Case trilogy and Frankenhooker.Here is a trailer for BB

NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK

http://www.dreadcentral.com/videodread/?bcpid=464121041&bclid=1329235037&bctid=1442372416

Would also love to see Dawn of the Dead on the big screen.

Thats quite the trailer. Can't say the flick looks all that good. I did like the Basket Case films but that looks like a bit of a departure.

Gonna be away for all but the 1st and last night. Defo gonna see Dawn of the Dead. Been meaning to watch that again for ages at this stage.

I'll skip quarantine coz I only recently saw [REC]. Will look into the other films on the last night. Jaws 2 gets a big 'meh' from me.

Otis Driftwood · 01-10-2008 2:33pm

Ah I know that but how often will the chance to watch a movie like this on the big screen come around?

Karl Hungus · 01-10-2008 10:38pm

I can't believe I'm the only one excited about Let The Right One In, everyone here should be at the least intruiged, it's been getting amazing reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vreC0pWNObU

Otis Driftwood · 01-10-2008 10:41pm

Had never even heard of that but the trailer does look pretty damn interesting.

Karl Hungus · 02-10-2008 9:23am

Posted it over on Films as well, but here's a shiny new US trailer for the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50aI6zU-FTM

TerrorFirmer · 02-10-2008 9:25am

Lot of interesting stuff in there, Bad Biology is definitely my keenest interest....Midnight Meat Train as well. I know I've looked at the others in detail, I just can't match titles to plots - time to IMDB it.

Cactus Col · 02-10-2008 11:26am

nedtheshed wrote: »

Dawn of the Dead?

oh yeah ... had forgotten that ... should be on in the jaws 2 slot!

Looking forward to Dawn of the Dead ... haven't watched it in years, but always considered it to be pretty over rated, and quite honestly boring. Hopefully this will be a good environment to see it in and I'll see what everyone else seems to see in it.

Otis Driftwood · 02-10-2008 1:14pm

Cactus Col wrote: »

considered it to be pretty over rated, and quite honestly boring.

Blasphemy!!!!!!!!

WadeTalon · 02-10-2008 2:09pm

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I can't believe I'm the only one excited about Let The Right One In, everyone here should be at the least intruiged, it's been getting amazing reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vreC0pWNObU

Im with you on this one, This movie has been getting rave reviews, Really looking forward to it. Some Hollywood producer has already bought up the rights for the re-make and it hasn't even received a general release yet.

Im also looking forward to The Hunger, And Im interested how Midnight Meat train has turned out, having read the original short story in Clive Bakers Books of Blood

Cactus Col · 03-10-2008 10:55am

Here's an update:

Here is how the programme is looking, there may be a slight change but not by much...

THURSDAY OCTOBER 23rd

20.30 : QUARANTINE
22.30 : BAD BIOLOGY

FRIDAY OCTOBER 24th

14.00 : THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
15.45 : EVIL DEAD 2
17.30 : SAW V
19.15 : MINDFLESH + Short Film : INTO THE MIRROR
21.00 : TIME CRIMES
23.00 : NIGHT OF THE LEPUS

SCREEN 2

23.00 : SEER

SATURDAY OCTOBER 25th

SCREEN 2

11.00 : Roland Dahl's THE WITCHES (Children's Halloween Horror Film)

MEETING ROOM

11.00 : TIM SULLIVAN : MASTERCLASS IN LOW BUDGET FILMMAKING

SCREEN 1

13.00 : THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE
14.45 : THE HUNGER (25th anniversary)

16.30 : THE DISAPPEARED + Short Film : DEAD BONES
18.45. :CHILD'S PLAY (20th anniversary)
21.00 : NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD .
23.00 : NIGHT OF THE CREEPS

SCREEN 2

23.00 : GHOSTWOOD

SUNDAY OCTOBER 26th

13.00 : DEMONS 2
14.45 : GRINDHOUSE TRAILERS
16.50 : BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA

19.10 : SURPRISE FILM
21.00 : MARTYRS
23.00 : THE IMPOSSIBLE KID (Sequel to FOR YOUR HEIGHT ONLY)

MONDAY OCTOBER 27th

13.00 : PLAGUE TOWN
14.45 : DAWN OF THE DEAD (30th anniversary)
17.00 : MUM & DAD
18.50 : JAWS 2 (30th anniversary)
21.00 : THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN

Karl Hungus · 03-10-2008 11:00am

Wait wait wait, what happened to Let The Right One In?

Cactus Col · 03-10-2008 11:19am

Mustn't have been able to get the right permissions ...

ciaran76 · 03-10-2008 11:23am

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Wait wait wait, what happened to Let The Right One In?

Maybe its the surprise film ?

Otis Driftwood · 03-10-2008 12:10pm

Demons 2 is great fun.Was on the IFI site yesterday and cant find any info on prices for the 5 day pass.

Cactus Col · 03-10-2008 12:38pm

They don't usually release the ticket prices til very close to the date, maybe as soon as two weeks before hand. Last couple of years it was 120 euros for the 5 day.

I'll be getting it anyway.

Decuc500 · 03-10-2008 2:59pm

I'm not surprised Let The Right One In has been dropped. They're always announcing films for this event weeks before and then not securing them. Very shoddy. At least they're showing Childs Play :rolleyes:

Mr. Fancypants · 03-10-2008 3:57pm

Bah, was looking forward to let the right one in a lot. Seems its being shown at every other festival so maybe it will be the surprise film, although that is probably wishful thinking.

Running Bing · 06-10-2008 8:37am

Cant believe nobody has mentioned Martyrs:eek:

Its supposed to be unbelievable. Definately the highlight of the festival for me.....problem is I wont be able to make it on the Sunday night:( I was so looking forward to that.

Whats the chance of it getting an Irish release after Horrorthon?

Tusky · 07-10-2008 6:32pm

Disappointed the DOTD is on at 2:45 in the afternoon. It should be one of the evening movies.

Martyrs looks interesting.

spooky donkey · 07-10-2008 7:01pm

yes that 2:45 time is putting me off also. IM really having to juggle my time for that weekend as it is.

djkeogh · 08-10-2008 9:26am

2.45 time slot is horrible for Dawn of the Dead. Surely it should be up there in place of Jaws 2. I'd love to see Evil Dead 2 with an audience on the big screen but I'll be away. Gonna miss a good few that I would otherwise have defo been interested in seeing.

NunianVonFuch · 15-10-2008 4:18pm

djkeogh wrote: »

2.45 time slot is horrible for Dawn of the Dead. Surely it should be up there in place of Jaws 2. I'd love to see Evil Dead 2 with an audience on the big screen but I'll be away.

Evil Dead 2 is on at a far worse slot though - 3.45 on a working Friday??? At least Dawn is on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Glad they picked up a ticket for the Midnight Meat Train. I'll be boarding that carriage for sure, the story was great!

spooky donkey · 23-10-2008 2:37am

well I had big plans to go see a lot of these movies but as things turn out I cant make it now for most of the weekend.
But at least I did get my tickets for Quarntine tomorrow night so Ill get a feel for what horrorthon is all about.
Perhaps next year thinks will work out better for me time wise.

Cactus Col · 23-10-2008 2:59pm

NunianVonFuch wrote: »

Evil Dead 2 is on at a far worse slot though - 3.45 on a working Friday??? At least Dawn is on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Glad they picked up a ticket for the Midnight Meat Train. I'll be boarding that carriage for sure, the story was great!

well, they have to make the early slots somewhat appealing ... otherwise there'd be no point in getting full day passes!

ciaran76 · 26-10-2008 10:09pm

Babybing wrote: »

Cant believe nobody has mentioned Martyrs:eek:

Its supposed to be unbelievable. Definately the highlight of the festival for me.....problem is I wont be able to make it on the Sunday night:( I was so looking forward to that.

Whats the chance of it getting an Irish release after Horrorthon?

Well what did you think of Martyrs because my head was fried at the end.

Inglorious · 26-10-2008 10:22pm

Anyone know what the surprise film was?
I'll be very upset if it turned out to be Let The Right One In...

Sanjuro · 27-10-2008 1:16am

Martyrs was unbelievable. I'm really in two minds about it. One part of me admires just how far the filmmakers went in order to assault the audience. For those who enjoy the Saw franchise (and god almight, Saw sucks), I'd really like to sit them down and see if they can take it. I'd like to see their reaction when that genre is taken to it's inevitable extreme.

The other part of me wonders what exactly was the point in going THAT far. The concept, while interesting, didn't really work as a payoff for what happened in the film.

I wont watch the film again soon. Despite wanting to get a firm grip on my feelings on it. It's a very very difficult film to sit through. Thankfully, there was none of that elaborate death crap that goes along with these types of films. However, the volume and brutality of the proceedings was just a little too much. Which, I guess, was the point. Along with Not Quite Hollywood (for VASTLY different reasons), it's the highlight of the Horrorthon. I wont go tomorrow as I've seen and own Jaws II and Dawn of the Dead, and have little interest in the rest. But it's a highlight for dubious reasons. What's for sure is, it got everyone talking about it. Like it or loathe it, it's certainly a film to talk about.

*The surprise film was Surveillance. And it was dross.

NunianVonFuch · 27-10-2008 6:05am

ciaran76 wrote: »

Well what did you think of Martyrs because my head was fried at the end.

Martyrs, martyrs, martyrs. For me, my mate and my gf it was the most horrifying film any of us have ever seen. We were talking about it all the way home, then we went out and had a few drinks and still talked about it. Then we went home and I had nightmares about it (never happened with any film before). The next day we met up for the surprise film STILL talking about martyrs. Eventually we came to the conclusion that its a masterpiece. It deserves an audience and hopefully this film will be remembered for many years to come. Honestly its kind of ruined horror films in general, as nothing I've ever seen can compare to it. We were so relieved when Survellience turned out to be more of a thriller than anything else! It wasn't too bad, had good and bad parts. Overall worth seeing. French Stewart was great!

Also at the end of Dracula his death-pose? Martyr!!!

lodgepole · 27-10-2008 3:09pm

I'd love somebody who enjoyed (wrong word) Martyrs to explain to me what it was they enjoyed about it. Probably spoilers below.

I found the concept interesting, from the home invasion element at the start to the reasoning of group for kidnapping in the first place*, but the execution was offensive. I have no issue with extreme cinema but the film was gratuitous. On top of that it really didn't seem to know what it was... A Funny Games style comment on how horrible movies have become? A piece of Saw-esque shock entertainment? Those two films are polar opposites but the ideals they each represent were present in Martyrs. I'm struggling to find any value in the film, which is a shame because talented people made it and starred in it.

I'm glad I watched it, certainly, but I won't watch it again.

Here's a documentary where a load of people complain about how the film should have been rated 16's in France instead of fixing the system so that an 18's rated film can get a general release. The one guy who suggests that goes on to wonder what was actually so violent about the film anyway. If ever there was an argument for a strict ratings (not censorship) system, this was it.

* though

when they revealed the crazy dungeon at the end with beautifully prepared hatches and monitors I was pulled right out of it... A home made Fritzl-hole would have been a touch more appropriate and realistic.

columok · 28-10-2008 12:07pm

I really enjoyed Martyrs. I recall a quote by some one or other (about cinema in the 70s) about how it felt like you were sitting in the dark giving your 90 minutes of attention to a madman and you were never sure what would happen next. To me, this is how horror should feel. Cinema to me shouldn't necessarily be comfortable. I don't necessarily want affirmation. Often a punch in the guts can be as valuable and memorable. For example I really loved Irreversible (in particular how the beginning frames a really beautiful poignant ending).

A big problem though was the pacing. I had no idea that the third act was coming so it felt like an ending stretched out for 30 minutes. To be honest everything after the interview with the mademoiselle felt tacked on. I felt a bit of Return of the King syndrome. Made me glad i didn't watch the trailer though. Must do that more often.

The one guy who suggests that goes on to wonder what was actually so violent about the film anyway.

I agree with him. There was nothing so violent about that film that it should be censored or R18ed in France. I think anyone over 16 should be able to see anything. Old enough to kill or father/mother a child...

* though when they revealed the crazy dungeon at the end with beautifully prepared hatches and monitors I was pulled right out of it... A home made Fritzl-hole would have been a touch more appropriate and realistic.

You might wanna spoiler that dude.

Surely that was the equivalent to a temple to these people or at least an altar. I enjoyed the premise actually. The modernised church. I was glad it wasn't too hamfisted in terms of christian imagery.

lodgepole · 28-10-2008 12:32pm

I definitely agree that the film shouldn't be censored, I don't believe it. But a robust ratings system should be in place where adult films should be allowed to enter the market place without stigma attached to them. While I would have disagreed with myself when I was aged 16 I do think that 18 is a reasonable age limit to put on some films and this is a good example. It was incredibly violent both in on screen gore and general tone, and it's the combination of the two that really take a film close to an 18 certificate for me.

Horror should definitely be uncomfortable and I welcome that, I love extreme cinema. A friend put it best in his review of the film saying that a film that goes to those lengths has to have a hell of a pay off and Martyrs didn't have one. It was relentless, and effective in that regard, but the story didn't justify the hardship. If anything the film makers were too talented and put too much depth into something that was actually a relatively empty genre film (with a novel concept).

I didn't dislike the dungeon as an idea, I disliked just how elaborate it was. There's a suspension of disbelief in films like this but as soon as they went down and it looked like an Intel factory it lost an element of realism which had been important to the rest of the film... Imaginary razor blade wielding friends non-withstanding...

That said, here we are discussing it in depth when i'm sure should both be working or studying, so I guess they did something right.

NunianVonFuch · 28-10-2008 1:23pm

columok wrote: »

Often a punch in the guts can be as valuable and memorable. ]

Couldn't agree more. When we were discussing it after that was probably the most horrifying part. The times where she takes a punch or two in the gut were a lot more effective than anything in most other horror films.

On the censorship aspect, it actually wasn't that overly violent. I mean there is the

shotgun blasts and the skin removal, but they're no worse than most other horror films.

IMO The censorship debate is there because you feel each and every blow throughout, its the power of the film more than any gore on display.
Best film of the Horrorthon this year for me, and probably the best I've ever seen.

Oh I had to laugh - in the queue for Midnight Meat Train last night 2 girls were talking about the films they'd seen so far. One of them was lamenting missing Martyrs because it was a "very intelligent horror film." :pac: She then went onto say she "nearly got sick during Hostel. By the end I was white and had a lump in my throat." Anyone else want to setup a camera in front of her while she watches Martyrs in a Clockwork Orange style setup?

columok · 28-10-2008 1:27pm

Good points.

A friend put it best in his review of the film saying that a film that goes to those lengths has to have a hell of a pay off and Martyrs didn't have one.

I maintain that it suffered from being two films essentially lumped together. The second one being very unstructured. (the repeated fade to blacks got old tbh). I agree that it lacked a pay off but I don't think this is connected to the quantity of gore- more good storytelling. As previously mentioned Irreversible for me hits the spot because of an amazing ending.

It's a film in my eyes that succeeds in spite of it's deficiencies of pacing and storytelling largely because of the intensity of the cinematic experience.

Running Bing · 28-10-2008 1:39pm

Well for me Martyrs was very disappointing.It started off well and I felt it could really go somewhere interesting but by the end the whole thing just felt gratuitous, pointless and (perhaps worst of all) unoriginal.

The inner demon of the girl was a nice touch but I dont know if it fit well for me and it felt tacked on. In essence what this felt like to me is somebody sitting down and thinking "I am going to do an extreme film, now how can I fit a story around it". Not saying thats what happened but thats what it felt like to me and I feel that is putting the cart before the horse. At times the film veered a little too far into Hostel territory for my liking and I agree with Aidan that the super underground torture facility contributed to this.

Technically it was a very well made film, no question about that, but it just left me cold and I did not find it anywhere near as affecting as I felt I would have.

I thought the overall concept was interesting but at the same time for me it was flawed. The mademoiselle shows examples of people in the state they desire....one is the women who stole a chicken, another is the man in the car crash. Now if it could be achieved in a short space of time in both these cases what was the need for such elaborate torture and such long periods of time? I just dont think it worked the way it needed to, to justify the level of brutality shown.

By the end I just felt it was a case of Saw/Hostel in arthouse clothing.

Cactus Col · 29-10-2008 12:03pm

I thought martyr's was okay. It really was pretty intense stuff at times. However, during the second half of the film I did suspect that there was a bit of Funny Games going on.

The amount of time Anna spent being tortured is a bit fuzzy, but it was obviously shorter than the other girls. So I didn't see the logic in keeping girls locked up and tortured for so long when it seemed like they weren't going to transcend it all and become a "martyr". For such an organisation it seemed like a large waste of resources.

So that took me out of the film. I can see how people would like it a lot more than I did.

The only film I wasn't a fan of was Mindflesh. Pretty much every other film had something going for it.

"Timecrimes" was a very nice little film, and I'd say that was my highlight.

I thought "The Disappeared" and "Mum and Dad" were nice surprises too. "Midnight Meat Train" I dozed off a couple of times during .... so can't say it was fantastic.

Horrorthon (23-27 October)

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