OK, so I’ve had some time to digest the line-up for this year’s Frightfest in London this August and I’ve managed to secure my weekend ticket! As ever, it’s an interesting line-up consisting of a wide range of movies from those I’ve been looking forward to based on their notoriety (A Serbian Movie) to interesting-sounding movies I’ve never heard of before (Burning Bright, Bedevilled) and everything in between.

The usual Frightfest routine seems to be here. First, we have a première to open the weekend (actually 3 as all the movies on the Thursday are world premières!) and a première to close. We also have weird and wonderful Asian and Aussie movies for the midnight screenings and a few special surprises including the return of the movie quiz.

The discovery screen returns again from last year, providing some movies that would not otherwise have been shown. I like the line-up here a little more than last year, although I’ve already seen 2 of the movies listed (Amer and Fanboys) but the scheduling looks a bit more in line with the main screen so I won’t have to miss too much if I decide to go in.

We also see the return of a feature from last year – a classic movie on the big screen. Actually, this time it’s a bigger event than last year’s An American Werewolf In London screening with a full 7 hours (including breaks) dedicated to Tobe Hooper. Star of the show, of course, is the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre but we also get a screening of his ultra rare debut Eggshells and a 45 minute Q&A session with the man himself. I expect lots of questions about why he’s not made anything particularly good since Texas Chainsaw 2 as well as lots of probing about his actual role in Poltergeist (which he is credited with, but most people think Spielberg really directed).

Standout movies from the main screen line-up, for me, would include: Primal (an Aussie movie with an intriguing screenshot on the Frightfest site), Dead Cert (which from the cast – including Danny Dyer and Dexter Fletcher – sounds like a horror version of a Guy Ritchie movie), F (another premiere with an intriguing screenshot), The Loved Ones and Monsters (both of which have had very good buzz).

There doesn’t seem to be any 100% Hollywood filler like in previous years, but there’s the unnecessary remake of I Spit On You Grave and the bland looking The Tortured that might fill that description. There’s nothing on the main screen that I feel I really want to miss, but I would like to see Burning Bright, Wound or Finale on the Discovery screen if I can!

As ever, reviews will be forthcoming following the event, and I’ll expect special guests and surprises that we haven’t been warned about beforehand! So, on to the final countdown and get my flights booked…

OK, so there’s been an early announcement about this year’s Frightfest and it’s a good one! The opening and closing films have been announced as:

Hatchet 2 – Adam Green is a long-time Frightfest contributor, and it’s the successful screening of the original Hatchet that really got his career under way. After not being able to attend February’s Frightfest screening of Frozen (due, ironically, to snow and ice preventing the plane from taking off successfully), it’s great that Green has chosen the festival for his new movie’s world première!

The Last Exorcism – I’ve not heard too much about this film apart from the fact it’s filmed in a documentary style and produced by Cabin Fever, but it sounds promising. According to IMDB, the director Daniel Stamm has directed another documentary style movie called A Necessary Death, I’ll have to check it out before the festival though it doesn’t seem to be on DVD. This will be the European première.

So there we have it. It’s slightly disappointing that no British movies have been chosen but I’m not entirely sure what’s on the horizon and the new movies from festival stalwarts Neil Marshall and Christopher Smith have already been released. Can’t wait till July 2nd, when the rest of the line-up is announced, and then July 3rd when I get to be able to buy the actual tickets!