Fright Fest Day 5

And so it is here.  The last day of the festival and a return to normal life tomorrow. 

The last walk to Euston underground to embark upon the Northern Line to a day of terror, the last time we'd go past the little coffee shop which enthusiastically advertises "the best coffee in London" (incidentally we decided to stop there the next day before going home and the coffee was very good indeed, as was the full English breakfast) as we carry our passes proudly around our necks for the last time this year.

Today carries a number of lasts but also a number of firsts, we were treated to UK premieres of After and Chained, the European premiere of The Possession and the world premiere of Tower Block.

But to kick us off was a preview of Jen and Sylvia Soska's (The Twisted Twins) new work, American Mary.  They came up on stage to introduce the film and were a welcome mash of beauty and insanity as they spoke to the crowd.  In these two we potentially have the new darlings of Fright Fest - if they didn't get numerous marriage proposals I'll be amazed.  But they also have the talent to back it up, in American Mary we have a stunning look into the world of body modification, prostitution, revenge and where people will go to fulfill their desires. 

Out for a short breath of fresh air and then back to the seats for more of a fantasy next in After.  The tale of two people involved in a car accident and what happens to them after.  It was an all too simple premise with not a lot going on.  Picked up a little towards the end but weak performances and shoddy scripting made this one of my least favourites of the weekend.

Thankfully the wonderful Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David, brought her new film, Chained for us.  This was an intensely disturbing look at how monsters are made and brought the best performance I have seen from Vincent D'Onofrio since his powerful turn as Private Pile in Full Metal Jacket.  Jennifer was also incredibly humble and welcoming when talking to people. 

Everything seemed on a very tight schedule today as again it was a very short break and back in for Possession.  Very Hollywood, very average and very pointless. Very disappointing seeing as it had Sam Raimi attached as the producer.  So swiftly onto the last film of the night, the second of the fest for writer James Moran (Cockneys vs Zombies), Tower Block.  This was certainly a more serious film than Cockneys where a group of residents, that are the last in the block to be rehoused, start getting picked off one by one by a deadly accurate sniper.  Whilst the film had flaws, they could be forgiven as it was a very entertaining an tense affair. A good closer for the weekend.

It was straight off to the after party where I drank with the Pierce brothers (Deadheads), the Twisted Twins and Katherine Isabelle (star of American Mary).  Shuffled off back to the hotel at around 2.30am and that was that.  Fright Fest the 13th was done. 

It was a weekend full of ups and downs, guests aplenty, meeting up with familiar faces, getting to know new ones, less beer than I thought and some truly stunning films.  It's sad to say its over but the memories will linger.  So until next year Fright Fest.