SciFiNow-August2018

investigation

FrightFest

w w w. s c i fi n ow.co.u k

Arrow Video FrightFest is just Around the corner. we tAlk to AlAn

jones And greg dAy About A horror institution And why this yeAr’s

FeAst oF genre is going to be bigger And better thAn eVer...

where horror lives

WORDS jonAthAn hAtFull

032 |

when you hear the word
‘fandom’, you tend to think
of marvel movies, star wars,
supernatural... anything that has
accumulated a fanbase of dedicated viewers
who have a powerful personal connection to
their chosen passion.
For whatever reason, you don’t tend to
think of horror, but if there is one thing
that the genre has, it’s an incredibly strong
and devoted community with a fierce level
of expert knowledge.
Since 2000, that community has descended
on London once a year for several days of
horror movies: FrightFest. Run by Alan
Jones, Paul McEvoy, Ian Rattray and Greg
Day, FrightFest has been described by
Guillermo del Toro as the ‘Woodstock of
gore’, and has shown everything from Cabin
Fever and Wolf Creek to The Babadook and
The Devil’s Backbone, not to mention the fact
that del Toro picked the festival to host the
UK premiere of Pa n’s Laby r int h.
Over the years, the festival has gone
from strength-to-strength as its scope and
community has grown. There are a record
70 films playing over the five days in
Leicester Square this year and the excitement
levels among the FrightFest faithful are
dangerously high. We take a look back at its

history with Alan Jones and Greg Day, get

some tips on how to make the most of the

fest, and look at some of the films you can’t

afford to miss this year...

what can first-time attendees

expect from frightfest?

Alan Jones: The best community spirit

in the world, a warm welcome from

everyone, a fantastic line-up of under-the-

radar horror and must-sees, and the best

time of their lives.

there are a record-breaking

70 films this year! what’s the

selection process like? is it tricky

to whittle the choice down to a

feasible number?

AJ: It changes from year-to-year. 2018 was

quite an easy programme to put together

because we knew what were going to be the

hottest titles well in advance. What does take

some engineering is making sure we don't

have too many of the same concept. A few

years ago, there were way too many girls-

chained-up-in-a-perv’s-basement movies, so

you pick the best ones to highlight the trend.

This year it seems we have a surfeit of nuns!

Greg Day: As I’m sure Alan and Paul will

testify, you can only choose from what’s

actually being made but a mix is very

important. It’s a bit like putting together

an elaborate globally-influenced menu for

people to gorge on for five days.

AJ: Of course, one of our bugbears, still, is

how sponsors/distributors etc think we are

just a horror festival when we show thrillers,

sci-fi, docs, everything. I always point out

that we were the first festival in the world to

show the original The Girl With The Dragon

Tattoo and that usually gets them on the

same page. This year we veer from slasher

and social realist horror to South American

shockers and Mike Leigh infused giallo.

Variety is the spice of life after all, even in

genre terms.

the community spirit is obviously

such a great part of every

frightfest. when did you

first become aware of this

family atmosphere?

AJ: I think we noticed it in our third year

when it became clear the audience was

bonding, greeting old friends from the same

row, making new ones and supporting each

other. Obviously, the rise in social media

has helped that aspect. It's not that I didn't

expect it, but I didn't realise how strong

a connection there was until we had an

unexpected death of a beloved fan and his

funeral was jam-packed with FrightFesters

wanting to pay their respects. The fact

his mother insisted he be buried with his

weekend pass was one of the most moving

moments I've ever experienced. We've

had births, marriages and deaths during

FrightFest, so all human life is well and truly

with us, in the greatest of conjugations.

GD: For me, it was in 2003, when I first

asked to get really involved in the fest. I

found it quite nerve-wracking at first as I

felt like a bit of an imposter, not thinking I

had the ‘genre credentials’ but when I went

on stage with the others for the first time in

2006, the reception overwhelmed me and I

realised that I had nothing to worry about.

The FrightFest crowd don’t judge each other,

only the movies.

at the moment horror is

everywhere, with box-office

success and phrases like ‘elevated

genre’. have you noticed ebbs

the community atmosphere

is a huge part of the fun.

©

julie

edwards