FrightFest, also known as Arrow Video FrightFest is an annual film festival held in London and Glasgow. The festival holds three major events each year: a festival running five days over the UK late August Bank Holiday weekend, a Halloween event held in London in late October, and a festival in Glasgow held around February as part of the

Glasgow Film Festival The Glasgow Film Festival is an annual film festival based in Glasgow, Scotland. The festival began in 2005. By 2015, the festival had seen audience figures top 40,000 for two consecutive years. 2008 2008's festival took place between 14–24 Feb ...

. The first event was held in London in 2000 and the first Glasgow festival was held in 2006. As its name indicates FrightFest primary focus is on the horror film genre, however, the event regularly features documentaries, science fiction and thriller films.

History

Paul McEvoy has stated that his initial idea for FrightFest "came from my love and admiration for the seminal 'Shock Around The Clock' events of the 1980s organised by Stefan Jaworszyn and Alan Jones." He then reached out to Ian Rattray, journalist Alan Jones, film and television PR person and Greg Day, with whom he founded and ran the event. Question and Answer sessions are also compered by them. For five years the festival was held at the

Prince Charles Cinema The Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) is a repertory cinema located in Leicester Place, 50 yards north of Leicester Square in the West End of London. It shows a rotating programme of cult, arthouse, and classic films alongside recent Hollywood releas ...

(PCC). In 2005, it moved to the

Odeon West End The Odeon Luxe West End is a two-screen cinema on the south side of Leicester Square, London. It has historically been used for smaller film premieres and hosting the annual BFI London Film Festival. The site is on an adjacent side of the squar ...

(OWE) due to increasing audiences. In 2009, it found a new home in

Empire, Leicester Square The Empire, Leicester Square is a cinema currently operated by Cineworld on the north side of Leicester Square, London. The Empire was originally built in 1884 as a variety theatre and was rebuilt for films in the 1920s. It is one of several ci ...

. Various one-off events have been held at venues across the UK. The Fright Fest brand has been included in the

Cambridge Film Festival The Cambridge Film Festival is the third-longest-running film festival in the UK. The festival historically took place during early July, but now takes place annually during Autumn in Cambridge. It is organised by the registered charity Cambri ...

and the

. The Festival has been host to many personal appearances by those involved with the making of the films being shown. Notable attendees include

George A. Romero George Andrew Romero (; February 4, 1940 – July 16, 2017) was an American-Canadian filmmaker, writer, editor and actor. His ''Night of the Living Dead'' series of films about an imagined zombie apocalypse began with the 1968 film of the ...

Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...

Paul W. S. Anderson Paul William Scott Anderson (born 4 March 1965) is an English filmmaker who regularly works in science fiction films and video game adaptations. Anderson made his feature film debut with the British independent film ''Shopping'' (1994), and ...

Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook ( ; born 23 August 1963) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. He is considered as one of the most prominent filmmakers of South Korean cinema as well as world cinema in 21st century. H ...

Danny Boyle Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on films including ''Shallow Grave'', '' Trainspotting'' and its sequel ''T2 Trainspotting'', '' The Beach'', '' 28 Days Later'', '' Su ...

Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and actor. He directed the Academy Award–winning fantasy films ''Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006) and ''The Shape of Water'' (2017), winning the Academy Awards for Be ...

(twice),

Brian Yuzna Brian Yuzna is an American producer, director, and writer. He is best known for his work in the science fiction and horror film genres. Yuzna began his career as a producer for several films by director Stuart Gordon, such as ''Re-Animator'' (1 ...

Neil Marshall Neil Marshall (born 25 May 1970) is an English film and television director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. He directed the horror films ''Dog Soldiers'' (2002) and ''The Descent'' (2005), the science fiction action film ''Doomsday'' (200 ...

Uwe Boll Uwe Boll (; born June 22, 1965) is a German filmmaker. He came to prominence during the 2000s for his adaptations of video game franchises which often starred international stars like Jason Statham, Burt Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Christian Slater, E ...

John Landis John David Landis (born August 3, 1950) is an American comedy and fantasy filmmaker and actor. He is best known for the comedy films that he has directed – such as ''The Kentucky Fried Movie'' (1977), ''Animal House, National Lampoon's Animal ...

Don Mancini George Donald Mancini (born January 25, 1963) is an American screenwriter and film director, most notable for the ''Child's Play'' franchise. Career Having been a horror fan since his childhood, Mancini's inspiration for '' Child's Play'' were ...

Barbara Crampton Barbara Crampton (born December 27, 1958) is an American actress and producer. She began her career in the 1980s in television soap operas before starring in horror and thriller films—both paths would define her continued accolade-winning care ...

(twice),

Kane Hodder Kane Warren Hodder (born April 8, 1955)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905–1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Americ ...

Gaspar Noé Gaspar Noé (, ; born 27 December 1963) is an Argentine filmmaker based in Paris, France. He is the son of Argentine painter, writer, and intellectual Luis Felipe Noé. In the early 1990s, Noé along with his wife Lucile Hadžihalilović were ...

Richard Brake Richard Colin Brake (born 30 November 1964) is a Welsh-American character actor, known for his supporting roles as Joe Chill in ''Batman Begins'' (2005), Doom-Head in '' 31'' (2016), and the chemist in '' Mandy'' (2018), as well as his lead role ...

, Adam Green, and

Tobe Hooper Willard Tobe Hooper (; January 25, 1943 – August 26, 2017) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influenti ...

. FrightFest has had a number of different sponsors over the span of its life, including the Horror Channel,

Film4 Film4 is a British free-to-air television network owned by Channel Four Television Corporation launched on 1 November 1998, devoted to broadcasting films. While its standard-definition channel is available on Freeview and Freesat platforms, it ...

, Volkswagen Lupo, ''Bizarre'' magazine (of which the August issue was given away free), Xfm,

Zone Horror Zone or The Zone may refer to: Places Climate and altitude zones * Death zone (originally the lethal zone), altitudes above a certain point where the amount of oxygen is insufficient to sustain human life for an extended time span * Frigid zone, ...

and

Play.com Rakuten.co.uk is a website owned by Rakuten, that operates as an online marketplace. The website does not sell any products directly, but instead allows third party sellers to sell their products. The website replaced Play.com, which was origin ...

. Poster and logo designs are provided by the artist

Graham Humphreys Graham Humphreys is a British illustrator and visual artist best known for producing film posters. During the 1980s, Humphreys worked with Palace Pictures, producing publicity material for films including '' Dream Demon'', '' Basket Case'', '' T ...

London Festival Line-ups

The following is a listing of each film and shorts (and previews) shown at the festival each year.

FF2000

The first FrightFest was held for four days from Friday 25 through Monday 28 August 2000 at the

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

, London. Films shown at the inaugural FrightFest were ''

Lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

Ed Gein Edward Theodore Gein (; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul, was an American murderer and body snatcher. Gein's crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, ga ...

, Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby,''

Dario Argento Dario Argento (; born 7 September 1940) is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and film critic, critic. His influential work in the horror film, horror genre during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the subgenre known as ...

's ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...

'', ''

Christina's House ''Christina's House'' is a 2000 Canadian independent horror-thriller film directed by Gavin Wilding, and starring Allison Lange, Brendan Fehr, Brad Rowe, and John Savage. Its plot follows a teenaged girl who experiences bizarre occurrences in h ...

'', ''

Scary Movie ''Scary Movie'' is a 2000 American slasher parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans (who both also star), alongside Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Starring Anna Far ...

'', '' Pitch Black'', ''

Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane ''Blood, Guts, Bullets, and Octane'' is a 1998 American independent film, independent action comedy film written, produced, edited, directed and starring Joe Carnahan in his feature-length directorial debut. For years the film was under negotiat ...

, Ringu 2,

Blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...

, The Criminal, Anatomie, Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre, Dario Agento an eye for horror, The 13th Sign,

Audition An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer. It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece giv ...

,'' and ''

Cut Cut may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely-directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** Cut (e ...

.'' The short films ''Purgatory'' and ''In Memory of Laura'' were also shown.

FF2001

The second FrightFest was again held at the Prince Charles Cinema, where it screened ''

The Devil's Backbone ''The Devil's Backbone'' ( es, El espinazo del diablo) is a 2001 gothic horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro, and written by del Toro, David Muñoz, and Antonio Trashorras. The film is set in Spain, 1939, during the final year of the ...

'' prior to its screenings in the United States and Canada. The film received a positive reception, prompting director Guillermo Del Toro to dub the festival “the Woodstock of gore”. Films shown were '' The Bunker'', ''

Revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. Background Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...

'', ''

Kiss of the Dragon ''Kiss of the Dragon'' (''Le Baiser mortel du dragon'' in French) is a 2001 French-American action film directed by Chris Nahon, written and produced by French filmmaker Luc Besson, and starring an international cast of Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and ...

'', ''

Cubbyhouse ''Cubbyhouse'' is a 2001 Australian horror film, directed by Murray Fahey and starring Joshua Leonard (of ''The Blair Witch Project'' fame) and Belinda McClory (''The Matrix''). It screened at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. It was produced ...

, Sleepless,

Scary Movie 2 ''Scary Movie 2'' is a 2001 American supernatural parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It is the sequel to ''Scary Movie'' and the second film in the ''Scary Movie'' film series. The film stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans and M ...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'' (also known as ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2'') is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film directed by Tobe Hooper. It is a sequel to ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'', also directed and co-written by Ho ...

Cradle of Fear ''Cradle of Fear'' is a 2001 British horror film, directed by Alex Chandon. It was released direct-to-video on 4 July 2001. Taking inspiration from the anthology films produced by Amicus Productions in the 1970s, it features three separate ha ...

, Dust,

Brotherhood of the Wolf ''Brotherhood of the Wolf'' (french: Le Pacte des loups) is a 2001 French period action horror film directed by Christophe Gans, co-written by Gans and Stéphane Cabel, and starring Samuel Le Bihan, Mark Dacascos, Émilie Dequenne, Monica Bel ...

, Battle Royale, Alone,

The Isle ''The Isle'' is a 2000 South Korean film written and directed by Kim Ki-duk, his fifth film, and the first to receive wide international acclaim for his now recognizable style. The film has gained notoriety for gruesome scenes that caused some vi ...

Ginger Snaps A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavored with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavored with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove. There are many recipes. The bri ...

, ''and '' Jeepers Creepers.'' An episode of the television series '' Urban Gothic'' and the short films ''The Window'' and ''Universal'' were also screened.

FF2002

The third year of the London FrightFest was held again at the PCC, where the front rows became available to weekend passholders for the first time. Director

screened the first reel of ''

28 Days Later ''28 Days Later'' is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. It stars Cillian Murphy as a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to discover the accidental release of a highly contagi ...

'' and

and producer

Jeremy Bolt Jeremy Bolt (born 1965) is a British film producer. After co-founding Impact Pictures with Paul W. S. Anderson in 1992, Bolt has produced the majority of Anderson's films. He is most well-known for producing the ''Resident Evil'' series and '' D ...

appeared to show a promo for ''

Resident Evil ''Resident Evil'', known in Japan as is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...

''. Films screened at the festival were '' Nine Lives'', '' Frailty'', ''

The Princess Blade is a 2001 Japanese action film directed by Shinsuke Sato. It is a reimagining of the manga '' Lady Snowblood'' by Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura. Story Yuki is the last surviving royal of the House of Takemikazuchi, who live in a futuristic ...

'', ''

Donnie Darko ''Donnie Darko'' is a 2001 American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and produced by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katha ...

'', '' The Eye'', '' Halloween: Resurrection'', ''

One Hour Photo ''One Hour Photo'' is a 2002 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Mark Romanek and starring Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, and Eriq La Salle. The film was produced by Catch 23 Entertainment, Kil ...

'', ''

My Little Eye ''My Little Eye'' is a 2002 British horror film directed by Marc Evans about five adults who agree to spend six months together in an isolated mansion while being filmed at all times. The idea for the film came from reality television shows su ...

'', ''

Swimfan ''Swimfan'' is a 2002 American teen psychological thriller film directed by John Polson and written by Charles Bohl and Phillip Schneider. Starring Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, and Shiri Appleby, the film is about a high school swimming sta ...

'', ''

Tuno Negro ''Black Serenade'' ( es, Tuno negro, links=no) is a 2001 Spanish slasher film directed and written by Pedro L. Barbero and Vicente J. Martín about a serial killer who, dressed with a Tuna (music), tuno cape and a mask, kills underperforming unive ...

'', ''

Dark Water Dark Water may refer to: Books * '' Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil'', 1920 book by American philosopher W.E.B. Du Bois * ''Dark Water'' (book) (仄暗い水の底から; ''Honogurai mizu no soko kara''; literally ''In the Depths of Dark ...

'', ''

Spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

'', ''

The Happiness of the Katakuris is a 2001 Japanese Musical film, musical comedy horror film directed by Takashi Miike, with screenplay by Kikumi Yamagishi. It is loosely based on the South Korean film ''The Quiet Family''. The film is a Surrealism, surreal horror-comedy in the ...

'', ''

Bloody Mallory ''Bloody Mallory'' is a 2002 film directed by Julien Magnat at his directorial debut, and written by Magnat and Stéphane Kazandjian. The film stars Olivia Bonamy, Adrià Collado, Jeffrey Ribier, Laurent Spielvogel, Valentina Vargas, Julien B ...

'', ''

Insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...

'', and ''

Ted Bundy Theodore Robert Bundy ( born Cowell; November 24, 1946 – January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. After more than a decade ...

''. The short films for this event were ''Pissboy', ''The Cicerones'', and ''Whacked''.

FF2003

The fourth FrightFest was held at the PCC. The films screened at the event were ''

Octane Octane is a hydrocarbon and an alkane with the chemical formula , and the condensed structural formula . Octane has many structural isomers that differ by the amount and location of branching in the carbon chain. One of these isomers, 2,2,4-Tri ...

'', ''

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' (''LoEG'') is a comic book series (inspired by the 1960 British film ''The League of Gentlemen'') co-created by writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O'Neill which began in 1999. The series spans four volum ...

'', ''

Beyond Re-Animator ''Beyond Re-Animator'' is a 2003 horror film directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs, Jason Barry, Elsa Pataky, Simón Andreu and Santiago Segura. It is the third and final installment in the ''Re-Animator'' film series. An internatio ...

'', ''

Tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several Process of tatt ...

'', '' Malefique'', ''

Cypher Cypher is an alternative spelling for cipher. Cypher may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * Cypher (French Group), a Goa trance music group * Cypher (band), an Australian instrumental band * Cypher (film), ''Cypher'' (film), a 2002 film * C ...

'', ''

Jeepers Creepers 2 ''Jeepers Creepers 2'' is a 2003 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva. A sequel to the 2001 film '' Jeepers Creepers'', the film finds the Creeper, a demonic creature and mysterious serial killer who pursues a school bus fi ...

'', ''Charlie's Family'', '' Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary'', ''

Phone A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into ele ...

'', ''

The Last Horror Movie ''The Last Horror Movie'' is a 2003 British found footage horror film directed by Julian Richards. On 24 August 2003 it premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival and stars Kevin Howarth and Mark Stevenson. ''The Last Horror Movie'' w ...

'', ''

Gozu is a 2003 Japanese horror comedy crime film directed by Takashi Miike and written by Sakichi Sato. The film blends yakuza stories with ghost stories, bizarre vignettes, and urban legends. Plot Ozaki (Aikawa), a mentally unstable yakuza, kills a ...

'', ''

Cabin Fever Cabin fever is the distressing claustrophobic irritability or restlessness experienced when a person, or group, is stuck at an isolated location or in confined quarters for an extended time. A person may be referred to as stir-crazy, derived from ...

'', '' House of the Dead'', ''Between Your Legs'', ''

Fear X ''Fear X'' is a 2003 psychological thriller film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. The first film to be produced from one of Hubert Selby Jr.'s original screenplays, its eventual box-office failure would force Refn's film company '' Jang Go Star ...

'', and ''

House of 1000 Corpses ''House of 1000 Corpses'' is a 2003 American black comedy horror film written, co-scored, and directed by Rob Zombie in his directorial debut, and the first film in the ''Firefly'' film series. It stars Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon, Ka ...

''. In attendance were directors Marcus Adams, Eric Valette, Julian Richards, and

. The short films that were screened were ''Virus'', ''Suspended'', and ''The Last Dream''. The festival also screened "Trailer Trash", a compilation of rare and odd trailers.

FF2004

The fifth FrightFest marked the final year that the event would be held at the PCC. This was also the first year the short movies were shown in one block and had an earlier start time for Saturday through Monday. Directors and producers who presented at the event included

Alexandre Aja Alexandre Jouan-Arcady, known professionally as Alexandre Aja, (; born 7 August 1978) is a French filmmaker best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. He rose to international stardom for his 2003 horror film ''High Tension, Haute ...

and actress

Cécile de France Cécile de France (; born 17 July 1975) is a Belgian actress. After achieving success in French cinema hits such as ''L'Art (délicat) de la séduction'' (2001) and ''Irène'' (2002), she gained international attention for her lead roles in ''Hi ...

, Paco Plaza and Brian Yuzna, John Fawcett and Paula Devonshire, Hamish McAlpine, Brad Anderson, and Christopher Smith and actress

Franka Potente Franka Potente (; born 22 July 1974) is a German actress. She first appeared in the comedy film ''After Five in the Forest Primeval'' (1995), for which she won a Bavarian Film Award for Best Young Actress. Her breakthrough came in 1998, when she ...

. Smith and Potente held a Q&A session after the film.

was also present to screen his film ''Hellboy'' alongside actors

Ron Perlman Ronald Perlman (born April 13, 1950) is an American actor. His credits include the roles of Amoukar in ''Quest for Fire'' (1981), Salvatore in ''The Name of the Rose'' (1986), Vincent in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–199 ...

Selma Blair Selma Blair Beitner (born June 23, 1972) is an American actress. She played a number of roles in films and on television before obtaining recognition for her leading role in the film '' Brown's Requiem'' (1998). Her breakthrough came when she s ...

, and

Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series '' The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's '' Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in '' Bridge ...

, who similarly held a Q&A session after the film. Films shown at the event were '' Oldboy'', ''

Haute Tension ''High Tension'' (French: ''Haute Tension'', ; released in the United Kingdom as ''Switchblade Romance'') is a 2003 French slasher film directed by Alexandre Aja, co-written with Grégory Levasseur, and starring Cécile de France and Maïwenn, ...

'', ''

Toolbox Murders ''Toolbox Murders'' is a 2004 American slasher film directed by Tobe Hooper, and written by Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch. It is a remake of the 1978 film '' The Toolbox Murders'' and was produced by the same people behind the original. The fi ...

'', ''

Profondo Rosso ''Deep Red'' ( it, Profondo rosso), also known as ''The Hatchet Murders'', is a 1975 Italian Thriller film, thriller- giallo film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. It stars David Hemmings as a musician wh ...

'', '' The Tesseract'', '' Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt'', '' The I Inside'', ''

Hellboy Hellboy is a fictional superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in ''San Diego Comic-Con Comics'' #2 (August 1993), and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers ...

'', '' Monster Man'', ''

The Card Player ''The Card Player'' (Italian: ''Il cartaio'') is a 2004 giallo film directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Stefania Rocca and Liam Cunningham and is Argento's second giallo feature of the decade (following '' Sleepless''). The film features ...

'', ''

Buppah Rahtree ''Buppah Rahtree'' ( th, บุปผาราตรี also ''Rahtree: Flower of the Night'' and ''Buppah Rahtree: Scent of the Night Flower'') is a 2003 Thai comedy-horror film written and directed by Yuthlert Sippapak. With its comic references ...

'', ''

Code 46 ''Code 46'' is a 2003 British film directed by Michael Winterbottom, written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, and starring Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton. Produced by BBC Films and Revolution Films, the film is a dystopian sci-fi love story, explorin ...

'', '' Calvaire'', '' Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning'', ''

The Eye 2 ''The Eye 2'' is a 2004 Hong Kong supernatural horror film directed and edited by Danny and Oxide Pang. It is a standalone sequel to '' The Eye'' (2002). Produced by Mediacorp Raintree Pictures and Applause, the film was released in Hong Kong on ...

'', ''

One Point 0 ''Paranoia: 1.0'' (originally ''One Point O'', also known as ''1.0'', ''One Point Zero'', ''Version 1.0'', and ''Virus 1.0'') is a 2004 cyberpunk dystopian horror mystery written and directed by Jeff Renfroe and Marteinn Thorsson. The film is a K ...

'', '' The Hillside Strangler'', ''Casshern'', ''

The Machinist ''The Machinist'' is a 2004 psychological thriller film directed by Brad Anderson and written by Scott Kosar. It stars Christian Bale as the title character, a machinist struggling with guilt, paranoia, and delusion after being unable to sleep ...

'', and ''

Creep Creep, Creeps or CREEP may refer to: People * Creep, a creepy person Politics * Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), mockingly abbreviated as CREEP, an fundraising organization for Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign Art ...

''. The Short Film Showcase screened ''Rex Steele Nazi Smasher'', ''Oltro Ladrillo En La Pared'' (Another Brick in the Wall), ''La Guarida Del Ermitano'' (In The Hermits Lair), ''L'Autre'' (The Other), and ''Amor So De Mae'' (Love from Mother Only). The event Trailer Trash was not present this year, but was replaced with the second reel of ''

Alien vs. Predator ''Alien vs. Predator'' (also known as ''Aliens versus Predator'' and ''AVP'') is a science-fiction action horror media franchise created by comic book writers Randy Stradley and Chris Warner. The series is a crossover between, and part of, th ...

''.

screened a rough cut trailer for ''

Seed of Chucky ''Seed of Chucky'' is a 2004 black comedy slasher film, the fifth installment of the ''Child's Play'' series, and sequel to 1998's ''Bride of Chucky'' as well as the first film to be distributed by another company since the original '' Child's ...

''.

FF2005

In its sixth year FrightFest moved to Screen One of the Odeon West End. Another change from the prior festivals was that this year the festival started early on Friday morning. This was to support the opening movie ''Land of the Dead'' by screening the three preceding ''...of the Dead'' movies.

Gregory Nicotero Gregory Nicotero (born March 15, 1963) is an American special make-up effects creator, television producer, and director. His first major job in special effects makeup was on the George A. Romero film ''Day of the Dead'' (1985), under the tutelag ...

made an appearance and displayed zombie props used in the making of the movies, after which director

presented ''

Land of the Dead ''Land of the Dead'' (also known as ''George A. Romero's Land of the Dead'') is a 2005 post-apocalyptic horror film written and directed by George A. Romero; the fourth of Romero's six '' Living Dead'' movies, it is preceded by ''Night of the Li ...

''. Others that presented their films at the festival included

Jake West Jake West (born 1972) is a British film director, known mostly for his horror films and for a series of documentaries looking at film censorship and interviewing well-known directors, actors and industry figures. Biography West's first feature f ...

, Conor McMahon, Carl Daft, Samantha Shields and Nicola Muldoon,

Ti West Timon C. West (born October 5, 1980) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, and occasional actor, best known for his work in horror films. He directed the horror films ''The Roost'' (2005), ''The House of ...

, David McGillivray, Paul Spurrier, Christian Alvart, and Greg McLean with

Cassandra Magrath Cassandra Magrath (born 1981) is an Australian actress. She played Miranda Gibson in the Australian ABC 1998–2000 television series ''SeaChange'' and Liz Hunter in the 2005 Australian horror film ''Wolf Creek''. Acting career Magrath began ...

and

Kestie Morassi Kestie Morassi (born 9 August 1978) is an Australian film and television actress. She played Natalie in the TV series '' Satisfaction'' (2007). Morassi has also appeared in the films '' Dirty Deeds'' (2002), '' Wolf Creek'' (2005), ''The Illu ...

. This year also saw the creation of Alan Jones' FrightFest Year Book. The book is a retrospective of genre films of that year and included an opening chapter concerned itself with the Fest itself. The book was published through Revolver Books in 2006. Films screened at this year's festival were ''

Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, with a screenplay by John Russo and Romero, and starring Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven peop ...

'', '' Dawn of the Dead'', ''

Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...

'', ''

A Bittersweet Life ''A Bittersweet Life'' (; lit. "The Sweet Life") is a 2005 South Korean neo-noir action drama film written and directed by Kim Jee-woon. It stars Lee Byung-hun as Sun-woo, a hitman who becomes targeted by his boss after he spares the latter's chea ...

'', '' Evil Aliens'', ''

Do You Like Hitchcock? ''Do You Like Hitchcock?'' (orig. ''Ti piace Hitchcock?'') is a 2005 made-for-TV giallo film directed by Dario Argento. The film is a homage to the acclaimed thriller film director Alfred Hitchcock. Plot Giulio, a film student, spies on Sasha, ...

'', '' Dead Meat'', '' Ban the Sadist Videos'', '' The Neighbour No. 13'', '' Wild Country'', ''

The Collingswood Story ''The Collingswood Story'' is a 2002 American Screenlife (film format), computer screen supernatural horror film written and directed by Mike Costanza, Michael Costanza, and starring Stephanie Dees, Johnny Burton, Grant Edmonds, and Diane Behrens. ...

'', ''

Marebito ''Marebito'' ( or ) is an ancient Japanese word referring to a supernatural being who comes from afar bringing gifts of wisdom, spiritual knowledge and happiness. The word ''mare'' means "rare," while -''bito'' (from the word ''hito'') means bo ...

'', '' Red Eye'', '' Night Watch'', '' Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist'', ''

The Roost ''The Roost'' is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Ti West. Plot On television show Frightmare Theatre, the Horror Host welcomes viewers and introduces them to the film they are about to see, ''The Roost''. Four friends – T ...

'', ''

2001 Maniacs ''2001 Maniacs'' is a 2005 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Sullivan and starring Robert Englund, Lin Shaye, Jay Gillespie, Dylan Edrington, and Matthew Carey. It is a remake of the 1964 film ''Two Thousand Maniacs!'' written and dire ...

'', '' Born to Fight'', '' Day of the Dead 2: Contagium'', ''P'', ''

Antikörper ''Antikörper'' (German for ''Antibody'') is the second studio album by the German rock band Eisbrecher, released on 20 October 2006. It debuted on the Media Control Charts at number 85 and on the Deutsche Alternative Charts at number 10. Tra ...

'', and '' Wolf Creek''. This year's shorts were not screened in a block as with the prior year. The short films screened were ''The Eel'', ''The Ten Steps'', ''The Victim'', and ''Mrs Davenport's Throat''.

FF2006

For its seventh year FrightFest began screening its films on Screen Two due to the increase of attendees. The festival brochure/programme expanded too with an original comic strip (Intermission by John-Paul Kamath of

London Horror Comic ''London Horror Comic'' is a British horror comic book anthology. The book is written and published by John-Paul Kamath who founded London Horror Comic Ltd. The London Horror Comic was featured on BBC Radio 4 as part of a documentary about The Gorb ...

) and an original short story by author/critic

Kim Newman Kim James Newman (born 31 July 1959) is an English journalist, film critic and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's ''Dracula (1931 ...

. Dave Andrew composed music for FrightFest, which played between movies and a FrightFest exclusive trailer for ''

Hot Fuzz ''Hot Fuzz'' is a 2007 action comedy film directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg. Starring Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton, and Jim Broadbent, the film centres on two police officers investigating a series of mysteriou ...

'' was presented by

Edgar Wright Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical genre films, which feature extensive utilisation of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zooms and a ...

. This year also marked the return of the Trailer Trash event. A charity screening ''

Severance Severance may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Severance'' (film), a 2006 British horror film * ''Severance'' (novel), a 2018 novel by Ling Ma *''Severance'', a 2006 short-story collection by Robert Olen Butler * ''Severance'' (TV series), a ...

'' was held as the opening event to the festival with the proceeds going to the

Teenage Cancer Trust Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It ...

. Director Christopher Smith and screenwriter James Moran presented the movie.

and Alfonse Cuarón were also present at the festival for the UK premiere of ''

Pan's Labyrinth ''Pan's Labyrinth'' ( es, El laberinto del fauno, lit=The Labyrinth of the Faun, links=no) is a 2006 dark fantasy horror film written, directed and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro. A Spanish-Mexican(78% Spanish production, 22% Mexican productio ...

'', which occurred after an afternoon ''Hammer'' retrospective. Other presenters at the festival included Adam Green, Billy O'Brien, Jordan Baker, Adam Mason, Simon Rumley, Mark Duffied, Hadi Hajaig,

David Soul David Soul (born David Richard Solberg; August 28, 1943) is an American-British actor and singer. He is known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television series ''Starsky & Hutch'' from 1975 to 1979; Joshua Bolt on ' ...

, and

Nick Moran Nick Moran (born 23 December 1968 or 1969, sources differ) is an English actor and filmmaker, best known for his role as Eddie the card sharp in ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels''. He appeared as Scabior in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly H ...

. Additional films screened at the festival were ''

The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set i ...

'', ''

Countess Dracula ''Countess Dracula'' is a 1971 British Hammer horror film based on some of the legends surrounding the Countess Elizabeth Báthory. The film was produced by Alexander Paal and directed by Peter Sasdy, both Hungarian émigrés working in Englan ...

'', ''

Twins of Evil ''Twins of Evil'' (also known as ''Twins of Dracula'') is a 1971 British horror film directed by John Hough and starring Peter Cushing, with Damien Thomas and the real-life identical twins and former ''Playboy'' Playmates Mary and Madeleine C ...

'', ''

Hatchet A hatchet (from the Old French , a diminutive form of ''hache'', 'axe' of Germanic origin) is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade on one side used to cut and split wood, and a hammerhead on the other side. Hatchets may also be use ...

'', ''

Frostbiten ''Frostbite'' ( sv, Frostbiten) is a Swedish comedy horror film from 2006 directed by Anders Banke. As well as the horror theme, various parts also have pure humour elements, and it is considered a horror/comedy by some newspapers that rated it ...

'', '' Isolation'', ''

Earthlings Ugly Bags of Mostly Water Earthling or Earthlings may refer to: Film and television * Earthling (film), ''Earthling'' (film), a 2010 sci-fi film * Earthlings (film), ''Earthlings'' (film), a 2005 animal rights documentary * ''The Earthling'', a 1980 drama film * Earthling ...

'', '' See No Evil'', '' Open Water 2: Adrift'', ''

Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror ''Hood of Horror'' (a.k.a. ''Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror'') is a horror film adaptation of a fictional comic book, which is an anthology of three short tales set in an urban milieu in a style reminiscent of ''Tales from the Crypt'' and ''Tales ...

'', ''Broken'', '' The Living and the Dead'', '' Ils'', ''

Grimm Love ''Grimm Love'' (original German title ''Rohtenburg'', a pun on ''roh'' "raw" + Rotenburg) is a 2006 psychological horror film inspired by the Armin Meiwes cannibal murder case. Plot Keri Russell plays Katie Armstrong, an American student in Germa ...

'', '' The Lost'', ''

Sheitan ' (; ''devils'' or ''demons''), singular: (شَيْطَان) are evil spirits in Islam, inciting humans (and jinn) to sin by "whispering" (وَسْوَسَة, “waswasah”) to their hearts (قَلْب ''qalb''). Folklore suggests that they a ...

'', '' H6: Diary of a Serial Killer'', ''

Ghost of Mae Nak ''Ghost of Mae Nak'' ( th, นาค รักแท้/วิญญาณ/ความตาย) is a 2005 Thai horror film thriller about a protecting ghost directed and written by British director Mark Duffield. The film stars Pataratida P ...

'', ''Puritan'', '' Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon'', and '' The Host''. Short films screened at the festival were ''Gasoline Blood'', ''In the Place of the Dead,'' ''Out of the Darkness'', ''snatching time'', ''Missed Call'' and ''Deadly Tantrum''. The festival hosted the CUT! competition short film showcase, which was made up of ''Hammer Falls, Torn Flesh, The Silent Scream, Natural Birthing, A Very Grimm Fairytale, The Collector, Curta Veraso, The Fall Down, Dead Wood'', and ''Kasting''. This year also marked the first Frightfest Halloween All-Nighter, which would be traditionally held on 30 October of each year.

FF2007

The eighth FrightFest opened on Thursday, 24 August 2007 and ran until 27 August. It was held in Leicester Square and was sponsored by

. It was organized by Alan Jones, Ian Rattray, and Paul McEvoy. On the festival's final day FrightFest supported an attempt to break the Zombie Walk record to tie in with the showing of ''

The Zombie Diaries ''The Zombie Diaries'' is a 2006 British independent Found footage (film technique), found footage horror film written, produced and directed by Kevin Gates and first-time feature-filmmaker Michael Bartlett. It stars Russell Jones (actor), Russe ...

''. The walk was unsuccessful in breaking the record, falling short of the then current record held by a zombie walk held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Presenters at the event included Andrew Macdonald,

Mikael Håfström Jan Mikael Håfström is a Swedish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the 2003 film ''Evil'', and the movie adaptation of Stephen King's short story '' 1408''. Early life Born in Lund, Sweden, Mikael Håfström studied film at ...

, Paddy Breathnach,

Roar Uthaug Roar may refer to: Film and television * ''Roar'' (film), an American adventure-comedy film starring Tippi Hedren and Melanie Griffith * '' Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans'', a 2014 Hindi-language Indian animal horror feature film * ''Roar'' (199 ...

, Joe Lynch,

Kit Ryan Kit Ryan is a film director and screenwriter. Filmography *'' Botched'' (2007) *''Dementamania ''Dementamania'', also stylized as ''DementaMania'', is a 2013 British horror film that was directed by Kit Ryan. The film had its world premiere on ...

Chris Stapp Chris Stapp is a New Zealand actor, director and musician best known for his role as stuntman Randy Cambell in '' Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television''. He and ''Back of the Y'' co-star Matt Heath appear in season 6 of ''Eating Media Lunch''. In ...

and

Matt Heath Matthew Philip Heath (born 1 November 1981) is an English former footballer who last played for Tadcaster Albion. Heath has previously played in the Premier League for Leicester City and in the Football League for Stockport County, Coventry Cit ...

Jonathan King Jonathan King (born Kenneth George King; 6 December 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He first came to prominence in 1965 when "Everyone's Gone to the Moon", a song that he wrote and sang while still an undergraduate, ...

Tom Shankland Thomas Otto Shankland (born 7 May 1968) is an English film and television director and screenwriter. He is known for directing the horror films ''WΔZ'' (2007) and '' The Children'' (2008), and television series such as ''The Fades'' (2011), '' Ri ...

and Clive Bradley,

Juan Antonio Bayona Juan Antonio García Bayona (born 9 May 1975) is a Spanish film director. He directed the 2007 horror film '' The Orphanage'', the 2012 drama film '' The Impossible'', and the 2016 fantasy drama film ''A Monster Calls''. Bayona's latest film i ...

and

Sergio G. Sánchez Sergio Gutiérrez Sánchez (born 1973) is a Spanish film director and screenwriter. Sánchez has written and directed his own screenplays for short films such as ''Temporada baja'' (2003) and ''7337'' (2000). Born in Oviedo, Sánchez's first fil ...

, Adam Green, Mike Williamson, and Rigoberto Castañeda.

hosted a double bill with a Q&A session while Adam Green and Alan Jones conducted a live commentary for ''

.''

Reece Shearsmith Reeson Wayne "Reece" Shearsmith (born 27 August 1969) is an English actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for being a member of ''The League of Gentlemen'', alongside Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. With Pemberton, he lat ...

and other cast and crew previewed footage from their film '' The Cottage'' and

Emily Booth Emily Katherine Booth (born 26 April 1976), also known by her stage name Emily "Bouff" Bouffante, is an English actress and television presenter. Early life Booth was born 26 April 1976 in Chester, Cheshire, growing up in Hastings, East Susse ...

introduced a grindhouse trailers documentary. Films presented at the event were ''

Black Sheep In the English language, black sheep is an idiom that describes a member of a group who is different from the rest, especially a family member who does not fit in. The term stems from sheep whose fleece is colored black rather than the more comm ...

'', '' Black Water'', ''

'', ''

The Sword Bearer ''The Sword Bearer'' (russian: Меченосец, Mechenosets) is a 2006 Russian superhero thriller films directed by Filipp Yankovsky, based on Yevgeni Danilenko's book of the same name. Plot summary Sasha walks through his life, leaving a blood ...

'', '' The Signal'', '' 1408'', ''

Teeth A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

'', ''

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane ''All the Boys Love Mandy Lane'' is a 2006 American slasher film directed by Jonathan Levine and starring Amber Heard, Michael Welch, Whitney Able, and Anson Mount. The plot centers on a group of popular high schoolers who invite an attractive o ...

'', '' Shrooms'', ''

Fritt Vilt ''Cold Prey'' ( no, Fritt Vilt, lit. " Open Season") is a 2006 Norwegian slasher film directed by Roar Uthaug. It premiered in Norway on October 13, 2006, received positive reviews, and was hailed as one of the best modern Norwegian horror movie ...

'', ''

Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...

'', ''

Storm Warning At sea, a storm warning is a warning issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when winds between 48 knots (89 km/h, 55 mph) and 63 knots (117 km/h, 73 mph) are occurring or predicted to occur soon. The wi ...

'', ''

Wrong Turn 2 ''Wrong Turn 2: Dead End'' is a 2007 slasher film directed by Joe Lynch and starring Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins and Texas Battle. An international co-production between the United States and Canada. It is a sequel to '' Wrong Turn'' (2003) a ...

'', '' Disturbia'', ''

The Devil Dared Me To ''The Devil Dared Me To'' is a New Zealand film written by and starring Chris Stapp and Matt Heath. The film revolves around a fictional stuntman, Randy Cambell, who aspires to be the greatest living New Zealander in that profession. The charact ...

'', '' Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door'', ''

'', ''

Kilometer 31 '' Kilometer 31'' (Kilómetro 31 or km 31) is a 2006 Mexican supernatural horror film, written and directed by Rigoberto Castañeda. The film is inspired by the Crying Woman legend (La Llorona) and legends about highway ghosts. Plot Followin ...

'', ''

Spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point. Helices Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are:Botched'', ''

WΔZ ''WΔZ'' (pronounced ''double-u delta zed'') is a 2007 British crime horror thriller film directed by Tom Shankland and starring Stellan Skarsgård, Melissa George, Selma Blair and Tom Hardy. The film was released in the United States with the ...

'', '' Postal'', ''

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

'', '' Skinwalkers'', and '' Dnevnoy dozor''. Other footage shown at the festival was the screening of extra features from the ''

28 Weeks Later ''28 Weeks Later'' is a 2007 post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who co-wrote it with Rowan Joffé, Enrique López Lavigne and Jesus Olmo. The sequel to the 2002 film ''28 Days Later'', it stars Robert Carlyle, ...

'', ''

Doomsday Doomsday may refer to: * Eschatology, a time period described in the eschatological writings in Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios of non-Abrahamic religions. * Global catastrophic risk, a hypothetical event explored in science and fict ...

'' preview footage, and a ''Don't'' fake trailer from ''

Grindhouse A grindhouse or action house is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter and exploitation films for adults. According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a film ...

''. The short film ''The Bride'' was screened at the festival and on Saturday the Short Film Showcase was made up of the films ''We're Ready for you now, Dead @17, The Dear Hunter, Pig Tale, and Little Brats''. FrightFest Xtra a one-day event held at The Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley on the following Saturday and presented ''Santo in the Wax Museum'', ''Espectro'', and ''

Mr. Brooks ''Mr. Brooks'' is a 2007 American psychological thriller film directed by Bruce A. Evans starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt. It was released on June 1, 2007. The film follows the eponymous character, a celebrated Por ...

''.

FF2008

The ninth FrightFest was held from 21 through 25 August 2008 and was once again sponsored by Film4. It would also be the last year that it would be held at Odeon West End and that that FrightFest 2009 would move to the

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

in Leicester Square. This year's programme featured artwork by Graham Humphreys and weekend passes for the event sold out on the first day of sales. The festival's opening film was ''Eden Lake'', which was presented by James Watkins and actors

Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender (born 2 April 1977) is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Award ...

and

Jack O'Connell Jack O'Connell may refer to: * Jack O'Connell (actor) (born 1990), English actor * Jack O'Connell (Australian politician) (1903–1972), member of the Victorian Legislative Council * Jack O'Connell (diplomat) (1921–2010), American diplomat and C ...

. Directors Adam Green and Joe Lynch were also present at the festival as "The Douche Brothers" and provided 5 short movies depicting their fictional journey to FrightFest 2008, each of which played before the day's early evening movie. The opening reel of ''

Book of Blood A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arr ...

'' was shown, as were trailers for ''Grace'' and the ''Friday the 13th'' remake. Preview footage was shown for '' Into the Dark: Exploring the Horror Film'', ''

Dead Set ''Dead Set'' is a British zombie horror miniseries written and created by Charlie Brooker and directed by Yann Demange. The show takes place primarily on the set of a fictional series of the real television show '' Big Brother''. The five epi ...

'', and ''

Lesbian Vampire Killers ''Lesbian Vampire Killers'' is a 2009 British comedy horror film directed by Phil Claydon and written by Stewart Williams and Paul Hupfield. The film stars James Corden and Mathew Horne, with MyAnna Buring, Vera Filatova, Silvia Colloca and P ...

''. The footage was presented by

Paul McEvoy Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

Charlie Brooker Charlton Brooker (born 3 March 1971) is an English television presenter, writer, producer and satirist. He is the creator and co-showrunner of the sci-fi drama anthology series ''Black Mirror'', and has written for comedy series such as ''Bras ...

, and

MyAnna Buring MyAnna Buring (; born 22 September 1979 as Anna Margaretha My Rantapää) is a Swedish actress, known for her roles in ''The Descent'', ''Kill List'', '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', ''Ripper Street'', ''The Witc ...

, respectively. Other presenters at the event included Stacey Edmonds and Doug Turner, Steven Goldman,

Perry Benson Perry Benson (born 9 April 1961) is a British character actor best known for his regular roles in British television sitcoms ''You Rang, M'Lord?'' (1988–1993), ''Oh, Doctor Beeching!'' (1995–1997) and ''Operation Good Guys'' (1997–2000). ...

Dido Miles Dido Miles is an English actress. She is known for her role as Emma Reid on the BBC soap opera ''Doctors'', for which she has won two awards for at the RTS Midlands Awards. From 2001 to 2002, she starred in the CBBC children's series ''Oscar Cha ...

Ainsley Howard ''Mum & Dad'' is a 2008 British horror film by director Steven Sheil. Its premiere was on 22 August 2008 during the London FrightFest Film Festival. One day later it was shown during the Fantasy Filmfest in Germany. The film is the directorial ...

, Steven Shiel, Amanda Martin,

Paddy Breathnach Paddy Breathnach (born 1964) is an Irish film director and producer. He directed ''Man About Dog'', ''Blow Dry'' and ''Shrooms (film), Shrooms''. He was also involved in the production of ''The Mighty Celt'' and ''Ape (2012 film), Ape''. Filmog ...

Andrew-Lee Potts Andrew-Lee Potts (born 29 October 1979) is an English actor and director. He is best known for his role as the quirky Connor Temple on ITV's British science fiction programme ''Primeval'' and Space's Canadian spinoff '' Primeval: New World''. ...

Frank Henenlotter Frank Henenlotter (born August 29, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter and film historian. He is known primarily for directing horror comedies, especially '' Basket Case'' (1982), ''Brain Damage'' (1988), and ''Frankenhooker'' (199 ...

Charlee Danielson Vera Luttenberger (born January 28, 1993), better known as Charlee, is an Austrian electropop singer. Career At the age of 14, she signed with Universal and started working on her debut album, ''This Is Me'', which was produced by Hubert Molande ...

, Anthony Sneed, Gregg Bishop, Patrick Syversen and Nini Bull Robsahm,

Joey Evans Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...

, Chris Daly, Bradley Maroney, Audrey Elizabeth Evans,

John Ajvide Lindqvist John Ajvide Lindqvist (; born 2 December 1968) is a Swedish writer of horror novels and short stories. Early life Lindqvist was born and raised in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg. Before becoming a published writer, Lindqvist worked for 12 ...

Pascal Laugier Pascal Laugier (; born 16 October 1971) is a French screenwriter and film director. Career Laugier is a former assistant to director Christophe Gans, having directed the "making-of" documentary about Gans' 2001 film, ''Brotherhood of the Wolf' ...

, Adam Green,

Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson are American husband-and-wife filmmakers, known for their work in the horror genre. Adam Gierasch is also known as an actor and director, and he released his directorial debut ''Autopsy'' in 2008. Filmography ...

, Trevor Matthews,

Johnny Kevorkian ''The Disappeared'' is a British thriller/ horror film directed by Johnny Kevorkian and starring Harry Treadaway, Greg Wise, Tom Felton, and Ros Leeming. Plot Matthew Ryan (Harry Treadaway) has just been released from a psychiatric hospit ...

Kerry Anne Mullaney Kerry Mullaney is a Scottish film director, writer and producer. She won the 2009 Best Director (Silver Unicorn) award at the 10th Estepona International Horror and Fantasy Film Festival for her 2008 triller/horror film '' The Dead Outside''. Sh ...

, and

Kris Bird The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...

. The films screened at the film festival were ''

Eden Lake ''Eden Lake'' is a 2008 British horror thriller film written and directed by James Watkins and starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender and Jack O'Connell. The film was nominated for the Empire Award for Best British Film. It is among a grou ...

'', ''

I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plural ...

'', '' Scar-3D'', '' Time Crimes'', ''

King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...

'', ''

Trailer Park of Terror ''Trailer Park of Terror'' is a 2008 American horror film directed by Steven Goldmann and written by Timothy Dolan. It stars Nichole Hiltz, Matthew Del Negro, Trace Adkins, Myk Watford and Jeanette Brox. Plot summary Based on the Imperiu ...

'', ''

Mum & Dad ''Mum & Dad'' is a 2008 British horror film by director Steven Sheil. Its premiere was on 22 August 2008 during the London FrightFest Film Festival. One day later it was shown during the Fantasy Filmfest in Germany. The film is the directorial ...

'', '' The Strangers'', ''

Freakdog ''Freakdog'' is a 2008 British horror film directed by Paddy Breathnach, that originally went under the title ''Red Mist''. Plot The film follows seven medical students who, while out partying one night, spike the drink of an unknowing and lone ...

'', ''

Bad Biology ''Bad Biology'' is a 2008 American black comedy horror film directed by Frank Henenlotter. Produced by rapper R.A. the Rugged Man, it stars Charlee Danielson and Anthony Sneed as sexually unfulfilled people who are drawn together because of their ...

'', ''

Fear(s) of the Dark ''Fear(s) of the Dark'' (french: Peur(s) du noir) is a 2007 French black-and-white animated horror anthology film on the subject of fear produced by Prima Linéa Productions and written and directed by several notable comic book creators and gra ...

'', '' Dance of the Dead'', ''

Manhunt Manhunt may refer to: Search processes * Manhunt (law enforcement), a search for a dangerous fugitive * Manhunt (military), a search for a high-value target by special operations forces or intelligence agencies Social organisations * Manhun ...

'', ''

The Chaser The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedy group, best known for their television programmes and satirical news masthead. The group take their name from their satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste. The ...

'', ''

The Midnight Meat Train ''The Midnight Meat Train'' is a 2008 American horror film based on Clive Barker's 1984 short story of the same name, which can be found in Volume One of Barker's collection '' Books of Blood''. The film follows a photographer who attempts to tr ...

'', ''

Tokyo Gore Police is a 2008 Japanese action splatter film co-written, edited and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and starring Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer. ''Tokyo Gore Police'' was released to several film festivals in North America. It receiv ...

'', '' Bubba's Chili Parlor'', '' From Within'', '' Let the Right One In'', ''

Autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...

'', ''

Martyrs A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...

'', '' Jack Brooks Monster Slayer'', ''

The Dead Outside ''The Dead Outside'' is a 2008 Scottish horror/thriller film, the feature debut of director Kerry Anne Mullaney (who also co-wrote the film), produced independently by Mothcatcher Films. Synopsis Set in a world devastated by a neurological ...

'', '' The Disappeared'', ''

Mirrors A mirror or looking glass is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the ...

'', and '' Death Race''. Other FrightFest events included the Zone Horror Cut short movie competition and the

FrightFest short film showcase. The short films in the showcase were ''The Chest'', ''The Amazing Trousers'', ''Homework'', ''is anyone there'', ''Psycho Hillbilly Massacre'', and ''Total Fury''. Other short films shown at the festival were ''The Listening Dead'' and ''Left Turn'', and

Norman J. Warren Norman John Warren (25 June 1942 – 11 March 2021) was an English film director best known for such 1970s horror films as '' Satan's Slave'' (1976), ''Prey'' (1977) and '' Terror'' (1978). Warren is also known for sex comedies such as '' Oute ...

introduced a separate compendium of shorts.

October event

An all-night Halloween film festival was shown on 30 October 2008. Films shown at the event were ''

Gnaw Gnaw is a New York City noise band founded in 2006 by Alan Dubin (of OLD, Khanate), Carter Thornton (of Enos Slaughter and others), Jun Mizumachi (a former live member of Ike Yard) and drummer Jamie Sykes (of Burning Witch). Guitarist/sound desi ...

'', ''

Hush Hush may refer to: Film and television * ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young * ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi * ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...

'', ''

Book Of Blood A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arr ...

'', ''

Treevenge ''Treevenge'' is a 2008 List of Christmas films, Christmas Horror film, horror short film written and directed by Jason Eisener, and produced by Yer Dead Productions. Shooting started in November 2007, and ended in February 2008. Post-production w ...

'', ''

My Name Is Bruce ''My Name Is Bruce'' is a 2007 American comedy horror film directed, co-produced by, and starring B-movie cult actor Bruce Campbell. The film was written by Mark Verheiden. It had a theatrical release in October 2008, followed by DVD and Blu-ray r ...

'', '' The Children, Langliena: Una Storia Macabra,

Escape From New York ''Escape from New York'' is a 1981 American science fiction action film co-written, co-scored and directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dea ...

Splinter A splinter (also known as a sliver) is a fragment of a larger object, or a foreign body that penetrates or is purposely injected into a body. The foreign body must be lodged inside tissue to be considered a splinter. Splinters may cause initia ...

,'' and ''

Pig Hunt The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

''.

FF2009

FrightFest 2009 ran from 27 to 31 August and was held at its new venue, the Empire in Leicester Square. This tenth incarnation of the festival marked the first time the festival took place on two screens, a "Main Screen" for the major films of the festival and the "Discovery Screen" for some smaller entries which are repeated during the festival.

was in attendance over the weekend and also introduced the screening of '' An American Werewolf in London''. Joe Lynch and Adam Green returned as "The Douche Brothers" and screened the short "The Road to Frightfest" films they had created for last year's festival. Films shown on the main screen were ''

Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...

'', '' The Hills Run Red'', ''

Infestation Infestation is the state of being invaded or overrun by pests or parasites. It can also refer to the actual organisms living on or within a host. Terminology In general, the term "infestation" refers to parasitic diseases caused by animals su ...

'', '' The Horseman'', '' Beware The Moon'', '' An American Werewolf in London - Remastered'', ''

Shadow A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, o ...

'', ''

La Horde ''The Horde'' (french: La Horde) is a 2009 French horror film co-written and directed by Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher. It stars Claude Perron, Jean-Pierre Martins, Eriq Ebouaney and Aurélien Recoing. Plot A group of French policemen emba ...

'', ''

Macabre In works of art, the adjective macabre ( or ; ) means "having the quality of having a grim or ghastly atmosphere". The macabre works to emphasize the details and symbols of death. The term also refers to works particularly gruesome in natu ...

'', ''

Smash Cut A smash cut is a technique in film and other moving picture media where one scene abruptly cuts to another for aesthetic, narrative, or emotional purpose. To this end, the smash cut usually occurs at a crucial moment in a scene where a cut would ...

'', ''

Hierro El Hierro, nicknamed ''Isla del Meridiano'' (the "Meridian Island"), is the second-smallest and farthest-south and -west of the Canary Islands (an autonomous community of Spain), in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a populati ...

'', ''

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' (original title in sv, Män som hatar kvinnor , lit=''Men Who Hate Women'') is a psychological thriller novel by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson (1954–2004). It was published posthumously in 2 ...

'', ''

Giallo In Italian cinema, ''Giallo'' (; plural ''gialli'', from ''giallo'', Italian for yellow) is a genre of mystery fiction and thrillers that often contains slasher, crime fiction, psychological thriller, psychological horror, sexploitation, and, ...

'', ''

Trick 'r Treat ''Trick 'r Treat'' is a 2007 American anthology horror comedy film written and directed by Michael Dougherty and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin and Brian Cox. It relates four Halloween horror ...

'', ''

Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl is a 2009 Japanese gore film. It was directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and Naoyuki Tomomatsu and premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival in June 2009. It is based on a manga of the same name by Shungiku Uchida. Plot In a typical Tokyo high ...

'', ''

Dead Snow ''Dead Snow'' ( no, Død snø) is a 2009 Norwegian comedy horror film directed by Tommy Wirkola, starring Charlotte Frogner, Stig Frode Henriksen, Vegar Hoel, Jeppe Laursen, Evy Kasseth Røsten, Jenny Skavlan, and Lasse Valdal. The film centers ...

'', ''

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) ''The Human Centipede (First Sequence)'' is a 2009 Dutch body horror film written, directed and co-produced by Tom Six. The film tells the story of a deranged German surgeon who kidnaps three tourists and joins them surgically, mouth to anus, ...

'', ''

Coffin Rock ''Coffin Rock'' is an Australian melodramatic thriller film directed by Rupert Glasson and produced by David Lightfoot. The movie stars Lisa Chappell, Robert Taylor (Australian actor), Robert Taylor and Sam Parsonson. Plot Rob (Robert Taylor (Au ...

'', '' Night of the Demons'', '' Clive Barker's Dread'', ''

Zombie Women of Satan ''Zombie Women of Satan'' is a 2009 British comedy horror film directed by Steve O'Brien and Warren Speed. It was written by Warren Speed with contributions from Seymour Mace and O'Brien. Speed, Victoria Hopkins, and Christian Steel star as a g ...

'', ''

The House of the Devil ''The House of the Devil'' is a 2009 American horror film written, directed, and edited by Ti West, starring Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig, A. J. Bowen, and Dee Wallace. The plot concerns a young college student who is ...

'', ''

Case 39 ''Case 39'' is a 2009 American supernatural horror film directed by Christian Alvart, and starring Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Bradley Cooper and Ian McShane. Plot Emily Jenkins (Renée Zellweger) is a social worker living in Oregon who i ...

'', '' Heartless'', and ''

The Descent Part 2 ''The Descent Part 2'' is a 2009 British adventure horror film and sequel to the 2005 horror film ''The Descent''. It was directed by Jon Harris from a screenplay by James McCarthy, J Blakeson, and James Watkins. The film was produced by Chr ...

''. The short films ''Deadwalkers'', ''Paris By Night of the Living Dead'', and ''Sad Case'' were also hosted on this screen. Films shown on the discovery screen were ''

Best Worst Movie ''Best Worst Movie'' is a 2009 American documentary film about the making of the infamous 1990 horror film ''Troll 2'' and its subsequent resurgence as a cult film. Directed by Michael Stephenson, the child star of ''Troll 2'', the film was dis ...

'', ''

I Sell the Dead ''I Sell the Dead'' is a 2008 horror comedy, the feature film debut from Irish director Glenn McQuaid. The film is a period horror comedy about grave robbing and stars Dominic Monaghan, Ron Perlman, Larry Fessenden and Angus Scrimm. Plot While ...

'', ''

I Think We're Alone Now "I Think We're Alone Now" is a song written and composed by Ritchie Cordell that was first recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells. It was a major hit for group, reaching number 4 on the US Hot 100 in April 1967. It finished at No. 12 on ''Bil ...

'', '' Colin'', ''

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

'', ''

Evil Things ''Evil Things'' is a 2009 American horror film written and directed by Dominic Perez as his feature film debut. Plot Five college students leave New York City for a weekend in the country, and 48 hours later they vanished without a trace. ...

'', ''Fragment'', '' It's Alive'', and ''

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

''. The discovery screen also hosted 'The Horror of Writing' Competition.

October event

An all-night Halloween film festival was shown at the Empire Cinema on 30 October 2009. Films shown at the event were ''

Umbrage {{Short pages monitor