Archive for October, 2009

Now in it’s fourth year, Abertoir festival will provide much more than horror movies and sheep (sorry)… it will be a fun packed horror party crammed with fantasticness including music, theatre, book signings, special guests, prizes, bar promotion, and of course an abundance of films from premieres to cult viewing plus a few classics.

Here’s the Press Release:

Abertoir, the National Horror Festival of Wales, will run at Aberystwyth Arts Centre from Wednesday 4th – Saturday 8th November 2009. Now in its 4th year Abertoir has grown from its humble beginnings to become one of the genre’s most vibrant, credible and recognisable festivals. With support from the Film Agency for Wales, Abertoir has grown to become an internationally acclaimed festival and a premiere event of the year for horror fans.

Over the past years Abertoir has not only hosted premieres and international genre stars, but also helped to launch the careers of directors such as Marc Price. Marc juggled making his debut film – Colin – with his job at a courier firm and he wrote, directed and produced the entire film for almost nothing. Colin was screened at Abertoir 2008 and as a result came to the attention of sales agent Helen Grace. Helen urged Marc to take the film to Cannes where it wowed the critics and won a deal for nationwide release: Colin will be released in UK cinemas on the 23rd of October and on DVD three days later.

This year Abertoir will screen over 20 films, and will open with a rare screening of the cult 80’s movie The Keep, filmed in Wales at Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llanberis, this film is not available on DVD and shouldn’t be missed in its original 35mm glory.

Abertoir guests this year include the legendary director Herschell Gordon Lewis. Herschell will present a rare filmmaking masterclass exploring the ins and outs of low budget movie-making and also premiere his new film the Uh-Oh! Show, starring a previous Abertoir guest, Lloyd Kaufman. Doug Bradley, aka ‘Pinhead’ in the Hellraiser movies, will return for a second year running with his presentation – The Man in The Mask – an entertaining talk about masking and film makeup effects. Abertoir will also be screening the latest edition of Doug’s Spine Chillers talking visual book series with Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, as well as his new movie Umbrage.

And what Welsh horror festival would be complete without a look at the iconic film An American Werewolf in London? The evening will also feature a movie-length documentary about the making of the film, and writer Gavin Baddeley, a Reverend in the Church of Satan, will present a fascinating talk on the history of werewolf hunting. Abertoir will also present An Evening at the Grand Guignol, a special theatre performance of three classic Grand Guignol plays from early 20th century France. An Evening at the Grand-Guignol offers a rare and exciting opportunity to experience a recreation of this unique and influential theatre form. Live music will be provided by the cult band Zombina and the Skeletones. Zombina and the Skeletones have been wrenching 100% pure rock n’ roll genius from the very pits of their tortured, vampiric souls since 1998.

You can get all of this for just the measly price of £40! Tickets for Abertoir events can be booked by contacting the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Box Office on 01970 623232 or online at www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre. Individual tickets are also available. For more details, please visit http://www.abertoir.co.uk

GO BUY TICKETS NOW!