If you’ve brought yourself a day or weekend pass to this year’s Arrow Video Frightfest, it’s almost time to make that very big decision – what do I watch? Each of these ticket types allows full access to all the seventy-eight films screening over the course of five days and four screens. Obviously, you can’t watch everything, so about now, you’ll be trying to plan out which films are the ones for you. Remember that if any of them happen to screen in one of the Discovery screens, you’ll need a separate ticket. These pass-holders tickets go up for grabs on Saturday, so we thought now would be the perfect time to shine a light on the films that are not to be missed at this year’s event. We’ve not included opening film Come to Daddy or closing film A Good Woman is Hard to Find as we know you’ll all be watching them anyway.
DANIEL ISN’T REAL
In 2015 Adam Egypt Mortimer showcased his feature debut, Some Kind of Hate to the Frighfest masses. Now he returns with his follow-up film, Daniel Isn’t Real. It tells the story of a young man who calls upon his old imaginary friend after a family tragedy. The film has been touring the festival circuit for the last couple of months and, after chasing it for several months, I finally get the opportunity to watch it. Reviews coming out of screenings so far all tell that Daniel Isn’t Real is a film not to miss, and who am I to argue?
Daniel Isn’t Real screens in the main screens on Sunday 25th August at 3:45pm and 4:15pm.
DARK ENCOUNTER
If you like your Frightfest film with an otherworldly element, then Dark Encounter is the film for you. Set in early eighties America, Dark Encounter begins with the disappearance of young Maddie Anderson. A year later her family gather to remember her, but their grieving is put to one side when strange lights appear in the sky. Directed by Carl Strathie, Dark Encounter is a fairly unique alien abduction story, but one that still has a load of scares on offer. The moment of first contact is subtle and chilling, but it’s the second contact, where things literally pulsate, that will sear into the retinas.
Dark Encounter screens in the main screens on Friday 23rd August at 10:30am and 11:00am.
DEATH OF A VLOGGER
Death of a Vlogger kicks off this year’s First Blood strand of films. The strand takes over one of the Discovery screens for the whole of Saturday and introduces some exciting new names on the genre circuit. One such name is Graham Hughes and his Death of a Vlogger offers a nifty new slant on the found footage movie. Told as a documentary, the film charts the life of vlogger Graham (played by Hughes himself) whom, after capturing footage of a paranormal incident, goes viral. All is great initially, but then both the internet audience and supernatural entity turn on Graham and he begins a dramatic fight to survive. What Death of a Vlogger does well is that it offers a compelling ghost story alongside a commentary on social media, it may well be Paranormal Activity for the vlogging generation.
Death of a Vlogger screens in Discovery One on Saturday 24th August at 10:30am.
DEPRAVED
Written and directed by everyone’s favourite genre star Larry Fessenden, Depraved offers a modern take on the Frankenstein story. Set in modern day New York, our Doctor Frankenstein this time around is a PTSD-suffering military medic determined to stop death. Our creature is the hapless soul whom has his brain transplanted into a new ‘body’. The Frankenstein tale may have been told hundreds of times before, but Depraved still feels completely fresh. Our review of this one is already live on site and (spoiler) it got the glowing five-star treatment. A film of true beauty, both creatively and performed, Depraved is anything but what the title suggests. A truly special moment in the lineage of a beloved movie monster, Fessenden has crafted the best take on Frankenstein since Shelley herself. Do not miss this one folks.
Depraved screens in Discovery One on Sunday 25th August at 10:45am.
FEEDBACK
Eddie Marsan is one of those actors that seem to be in practically everything. He’s not necessarily the lead, tending to instead have a small but pivotal role, one that is always memorable. However, in Feedback Marsan is front and centre as he plays a late night DJ whose night goes from bad to worse after his radio station is attacked by masked maniacs. One of these maniacs is none other than Frightfest fave Richard Brake so you know Feedback is going to go to some dark places. It’s not your traditional Frightfest selection per-se, but it hides an incredibly dark heart, one that is very relevant in the time of the #MeToo movement. There’s also an exceptional performance from Marsan, one that will hopefully snag him some more leads.
Feedback screens in the main screens on Saturday 24th August at 3:20pm and 3:55pm.
GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR
Girl on the Third Floor is one of the few films on this list that this writer hasn’t actually been able to watch yet. Why is it on your list then? I hear you cry; two words – Travis Stevens. Travis Stevens is a producer extraordinaire responsible for some of the best genre films of the last decade or so. Starry Eyes, 68 Kill, We Are Still Here and Cheap Thrills are just a few titles that he has had a hand in creating. It’s a stellar list of films; now Stevens has made the move behind the camera himself with, what he describes in his own words, as a ‘very gooey’ movie. It stars Phil Brooks (better known to the masses as CM Punk) as a man whose Victorian home renovation is hiding more than he planned for. Whilst I might not have caught the film yet, I am pretty desperate to see this film and you should be too. Just please wait until I’ve managed to snag a ticket to the screening first.
Girl on the Third Floor screens in Discovery One on Friday 23rd August at 1:15pm.
HARPOON
A peaceful day out at sea becomes a living nightmare for a trio of friends in the devilishly dark Harpoon. Part survival drama, part psychological thriller, and part black comedy, Harpoon is one of the most fun films screening at this year’s Frightfest. Starring Turbo Kid’s Munro Chambers and directed by Rob Grant, Harpoon follows the fates of ‘friends’ Jonah, Richard and Sasha as their relationship disintegrates into jealousy, distrust and murderous thoughts after they find themselves stranded in their yacht. Given the single location setting, and how popular these have become, you might think that you’ve seen all that Harpoon has to offer before, but there’s much more here hiding under the surface.
Harpoon screens in Discovery One on Friday 23rd August at 9pm.
RABID
It seems like only yesterday that The Soska Sisters were at Frightfest, but it’s actually been seven years! Now they return with a remake of David Cronenberg’s cult classic Rabid. Set in Canada, and starring Smallville and Bitten star Laura Vandervoort as Rose, the film moves into the world of fashion design. Here we meet the shy and timid Rose whose life is changed forever after getting into a horrific accident. After agreeing to take part in an experimental treatment she finds herself cured and even gains a newfound confidence…she also finds herself craving human flesh, leaving a host of contagion in her wake. Those that are wary of remakes should rest assured that The Soska Sisters have made their version of Rabid completely their own, whilst at the same time honouring Cronenberg’s version.
Rabid screens in the main screens on Monday 26th August at 5:45pm and 6:15pm.
TALES FROM THE LODGE
Tales From the Lodge
Every year at Frightfest the team pick a film that is unashamedly British in production and tone. Given that several characters frequently discuss the merits of quiche, it’s safe to say that this year’s pick is Tales From the Lodge. Starring Mackenzie Crook and Johnny Vegas the film follows a group of friends whom meet for a weekend away to memorialise their departed friend. During the weekend, they start telling each other scary stories before realising that something even scarier is about to happen to them. Director Abigail Blackmore is up for the Screen Genre Rising Star Award so you know this is something special.
Tales From the Lodge screens in the main screens on Monday 26th August at 3pm and 3:30pm.
VOLITION
Volition Movie
If all that horror takes its toll on you over the weekend, and you fancy something a little different, then we suggest you seek out Volition. It’s one of the few science-fiction films screening this year, and it has a lot to offer. James is a young man suffering with the affliction of clairvoyance. He earns a living using his gift to make bets and such, but his simple existence is thrown into turmoil after he witnesses his own death. James, with the help of new friend Angela, frantically starts to try and solve the riddle of his own mortality. I urge you to seek this one out as this is a film that has much more to it than meets the eye.
Volition screens on Saturday 24th August at 11:10pm.
Arrow Video Frightfest runs from Thursday 22nd – Monday 26th August. Single tickets are available to purchase now, with pass-holder Discovery tickets going on sale on Saturday 17th August at noon.
