Arrow Video FrightFest returns to its home at Cineworld Leicester Square from 26th August – 30th August. The annual scare event will showcase sixty new movies that embrace the darker heart of cinema. With these films split out across three screens it can be a bit of a mental minefield trying to work out and schedule exactly what you want to watch at the festival. We’ve been fortunate to see advance previews of several films and have devised a list of some of our favourites to help those out there who are indecisive.
Coming Home in the Dark
First up we have Coming Home in the Dark, which also featured on our list of Fantasia International Film Festival films to watch. At the time of compiling that list we hadn’t been able to see the film and were purely going on how passionately actor Daniel Gillies was about the project when we spoke to him for his other recent film Occupation Rainfall. Since then we have been able to view the film, and I can confirm that this must be on your watchlist if you like your FrightFest films dark and intense. Based on a short story by Owen Marshall, Coming Home in the Dark is the first feature from New Zealand director James Ashcroft, and he’s starting with a bang. The story sees a family taken hostage by two drifters, and as they drive back to their house (so that the drifters can rob it), the two factions realise that they share a common past. As old scars begin to surface, revenge and retribution set-in and a battle to survive ensues. Perfectly paced and phenomenally acted, Coming Home in the Dark is bleak and brutal, enveloped in dread and violence. In short, it is a remarkable viewing experience that shouldn’t be missed on the big screen.
Sound of Violence
Mix American Psycho and Saw together and you wouldn’t be far off of the journey that Alex Noyer takes the viewer on in Sound of Violence. The movie explores the phenomena of synesthesia, joining Alexis (Jasmin Savoy Brown), a formerly deaf young aspiring musician who, after a traumatic childhood experience, has the ability to see sounds. She can’t see every noise, just those achieved through acts of pain or violence. After fearing that her hearing may be about to disappear again, Alexis intensifies her life goal of creating the perfect piece of music. Cue lots and lots of vicious carnage. The idea began as a short film (available to view online), which given its limited runtime, focused purely on the spectacle aspect. Having now expanded the concept to full-blown feature, Noyer has been able to explore his antagonist and protagonist in greater detail, creating a blisteringly violent, but exceptionally absorbing film that far outclasses its source. You’ll need a strong stomach and set of ears to make it through Sound of Violence intact.
Prisoners of the Ghostland
Wondering why you should watch Prisoners of the Ghostland? We have two words for you Nic and Cage, which obviously means it is an absolute must-watch. Better still, it is screening during the Saturday night prime time slot, which just sounds like a beautiful way to spend the evening. Cage himself has gone on record as saying that it’s one of the most insane projects that he’s ever worked on. If you’re familiar with the actor’s back catalogue you’ll understand what a bold statement that is. Directed by Sion Sono, Prisoners of the Ghostland will see Cage battle ghosts, ninjas, and samurai, as he hunts down the local Governor’s missing grand-daughter. Epic.
Mystery Spot
In recent years, triple-threat (writer, director and actor) Graham Skipper has become a firm friend of FrightFest. Since his appearance in Jackson Stewart’s Beyond the Gates at FrightFest 2016, Skipper has become a regular fixture. This year he stars in Mel House’s Mystery Spot, a mind-bending and captivating slice of science-fiction laced drama. A film best left to experience rather than know too much about ahead of time, the story revolves around the titular mystery spot and its hold on the people staying at the nearby hotel. In Mystery Spot, Skipper is allowed to get a little more serious than we’ve seen him before, and the movie has the added highlight of also starring Nightmare on Elm Street alum, Lisa Wilcox.
The Sadness
Our final pick, The Sadness, is going to require a lot of resolve to endure. The Taiwanese set and spoken movie from first-time Canadian director Rob Jabbaz is going to divide FrightFest attendees. Jabbaz’ debut has the prestige of being the closing film of the five-day scarefest, and with it playing against no competition, if you’re a weekend passholder you really will have no excuse to miss out. Warning – The Sadness is not an easy watch, it’s a truly extreme film that comes with pretty much the full set of trigger warnings. As such it will alienate a portion of the audience, and will make even more uncomfortably shift in their seats. The story takes place in an alternate version of Taiwan, in the midst of a pandemic. After a mutation of the virus causes the afflicted to enact fantasies, both violent and sexual in nature, a young couple must battle their way through the city to find one another. Good or bad, one thing for certain is that The Sadness will be the film of the festival that everyone will be talking about.
If you are still in need of your full weekend pass, or if you just fancy checking out a couple of the films discussed, you can purchase them on the website.
