Features, Monster Fest, New Releases
MONSTER FEST 2013
ATTENTION: You cannot book your ticket via this or the Monster Fest site. To book tickets please go to http://www.pozible.com/project/172826
For those of you who don’t know (and why the hell not) Monster Fest is mere weeks away! The annual festival of all things genre hits Melbourne’s Cinema Nova, November 21st – 1st December.
The festival program is now available across Melbourne. Those among you familiar with the communications behemoth, a downloadable PDF can be found here!
The Monster Fest site lists everything you could possibly need to know about the eleven day event including:
SESSION TIMES – a trailer and description of each film is available to help ease the decision–making process!
SPECIAL EVENTS – the Queen Bee of Horror, Linda Blair will be in attendance!
TICKET INFORMATION – think fast and get yourself one of only 25 premium tickets!
The festival opens with the aforementioned appearance of Linda Blair, on hand to introduce the director’s cut of The Exorcist, from which her famed performance is notorious. Linda will then take part in a Q&A with the audience. To close this very special occasion, Linda will sign and take photographs with fans.
Murderdrome opens the festival officially on Fri 22nd. The first roller-derby-come-slasher-film of its kind, Murderdrome will have fans of the sport and gore-hounds alike salivating in the isles!
A Premium Opening Night Ticket will also get you entry into the Opening Night Party – not to be missed!
The following weekend (Sat 23rd and Sun 24th) will play host to the very best in Australian genre. Monster Fest presents a slew of premieres over the opening weekend – each with a Q &A session with directors, cast and crew. My personal picks include:
THE JUNGLE. The third in a series of films from director Andrew Traucki, focusing on the one-two punch of isolation and nature. Having subjected Australian audiences to their deepest fears with Black Water (crocodiles) and The Reef (sharks), Traucki moves away from our shores to bring us big cats from Java!
CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY VANILLA. Stuart Simpson directs a psychological journey into the mind of an unassuming, ice-cream van driver. The fantastic new poster is worthy of your attention, if nothing else!
THE LAST DAYS OF JOE BLOW. The only documentary to be shown at Monster Fest, Richard Wolstencroft’s The Last Days of Joe Blow recounts Michael Tierneys foray into the bizarro world of the porn industry.
SORORAL. Sam Barretts third feature, after No Through Road and Esoterica, sees the young director hit his stride with an homage to Italian Giallo. A young female artist named Cassie is tormented by horrific visions which she commits to canvas, in an effort to clear her mind. She soon discovers her works are manifesting themselves physically – with many of her friends and family falling victim to her imagination.
Monday 25th plays host to a mini festival in itself – the Fantastic Asia Film Festival. If you like zombies, teddy bears, sexual provocation and boat-loads of gore, then you’re in for a treat! As an added bonus, tickets for these screenings are at a reduced rate – you’re the bestest Cinema Nova!
Throughout the following week, Monster Fest premieres the very best in horror from around the world. Another couple of picks include;
BIG ASS SPIDER. Remember Eight Legged Freaks? Well, this looks set to follow in its footsteps. An archaic B-grade picture with an A-grade budget, Big Ass Spider popularity is inevitable. A gross-out, fun-filled romp aimed at the masses, this is much more than the slew of direct-to-DVD monster movies we’ve been bombarded with. Bring all your friends – this is going to be huge fun!
HATCHET 3. For those of you who were brought up on Freddy and Jason, look no further than Adam Greens third take on the slasher sub-genre. Greens monstrous creation, Victor Crowley is back as the Bayou-Butcher of New Orleans. Green and director, BJ McDonnell are two such cats who like their teens nubile, and there dismemberment inventive. Despite the body-count, Hatchet 3 has a nice line in nostalgia – with Victor Crowley the last of a dying breed of elemental boogeymen.
HELL BABY. Featured on the Monster Pictures site back in September Hell Baby looks set to be one of the better comedy/horrors in recent years. From the deviants who brought you Reno 911, Hell Baby tells of a newlywed couple who move into a New Orleans fixer-upper, only to discover the place is possessed. A questionable conception and a hefty gag-to-gore ratio ensue!
KISS OF THE DAMNED. Along with Argento’s Dracula 3D, Kiss of the Damned is the second vampire film to grace the screens at Monster Fest. Xan Cassevetes (daughter of John) brings an adult flavour back to the vampire mythos. With European sensibilities, Kiss of the Damned harks back to the eroticism of the 70’s. Beautifully photographed and nicely acted, Kiss of the Damned will undoubtedly breathe new life into the vampire genre.”
This festival also hosts a slew of special events such as:
TOM SAVINI PRESENTS FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
Tom Savini was scheduled to appear as a special guest at Monster Fest this year but unfortunately, last minute work commitments have meant that Tom is unable to travel at the end of November. But all is not lost Monster Freaks. Tom will be joining us live via Skype on the big screen before From Dusk Till Dawn and will introduce the film and participate in a Q&A session. So come along, enjoy one of the most entertaining horror films of all time, plus get all the gossip about the world’s most famous crotch-gun wielding Sex Machine! – not to be missed!
MONSTER MICRO-NASTIES CHALLENGE: THE CANNIBAL PROJECT
A couple of months ago, Monster Pictures in conjunction with JMC Academy, Open Channel, Mnemonic Audio, Raven Banner Entertainment and Pozible put out a call to filmmaking mavericks of Australia about a joint film production initiative that set the nation on fire!
In this all or nothing Grand Final Event, the six grand finalists will pitch a ten-minute concept for their quality micro-budget exploitation feature flick! Pitches will be judged by a combination of audience vote and expert panel that will award the winner with development, funding, production and distribution of their film.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST – ALL NIGHT MARATHON!
One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you…
For the first time ever at Cinema Nova an all–night horrorthon, and what better way to get the blood curdling than with the genre defining A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST series! Screening parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 back to back, this horror lock-down invites you to spend an evening with Freddy Krueger – AKA “The Bastard Son of a Thousand Maniacs”!
Featuring giveaways, trivia competitions and a few other surprises, join us to celebrate director Wes Craven’s emblematic character in all his gory glory. Come dressed in your PJ’s and join fellow Dream Warriors in this all night “sleep” over! Be prepared, get ready and remember, what ever you do – DON’T FALL ASLEEP!
VHS RESSURECTION! Swapmeet + Secret Screening + Video Nasties Documentary.
Forget the digital age, the VHS revolution is here Monster Freaks! Yes that’s right, VHS is where it’s at and to celebrate the finest viewing format known to humanity, Melbourne cassetologist, Zak Hepburn, presents an afternoon of rewinding, fast-forwarding and tracking that will blow your grubby minds!
VHS Swapmeet
Join Zak and other local tapeozoids to discuss, swap and admire your most treasured VHS items – bring your favorites to show off and doubles to trade!
Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide
International guest Jake West presents his incredible documentary that delves deep into the furore surrounding the “video nasties” controversy in Thatchers Britain in the 1980’s. A festival hit around the world, presented by one of the most exciting and extraordinary filmmakers on the planet – tape, sleaze and buckets of outrage, who could possibly ask for more?
Secret Video Nasty
Zak and Jake West join forces and present a secret screening of an original VHS ‘video nasty’ – projected directly from the tape
To be honest, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what is sure to be yet another memorable celebration of all things genre! The good people at Monster Pictures have left no stone unturned in securing some of the best projects from around the world. Be sure to check out the festival site for a closer look at the program of events. We hope to see you there!
