October is of course the month of the horror genre festival. Last week we brought you reviews for the films screening at Grimmfest, this week we’ll be bringing you all the best from Mayhem Film Festival. Held at the Broadway cinema in Nottingham, Mayhem will run from Thursday 12th October to Sunday 15th October. The festival is in its thirteenth rotation and will see a heap of films screen over three and a half days, as well as a quiz, several Q&A’s with filmmakers, a short film showcase, and a live reading of a lost Hammer film – Zeppelin V Pterodactyls. With so much going on we’re here to highlight the films that you should catch at all costs.
Double Date
Mayhem Festival Highlights
Mayhem opens with a bang on Thursday with the stunning Double Date. Starring Nottingham native Georgia Groome, and Michael Socha whom is from just up the road in Derby, the opening film definitely has a local vibe. Better still, Georgia, director Benjamin Barfoot, and lead actor Danny Morgan, will all be fielding questions post-screening.
The film tells the story of perpetual virgin Jim (Morgan). He’s about to turn thirty and has never been intimate with a lady. His mate Alex (Socha) is horrified by this news and sets out to get his pal laid. Their night on the town sees them cross paths with sisters Kitty (Kelly Wenham) and Lulu (Groome), two females whom are way more dangerous than they appear; the boys are in for the night of their lives. Somehow the film is The 40-Year-Old Virgin meets Fatal Attraction, it’s both horrifying and funny. Seductive, hilarious and deviously disturbing, with Double Date Barfoot and Morgan have burst onto the British movie scene with a brilliant blend of horror and comedy. With a killer soundtrack (be prepared to get Yazoo’s Only You trapped in your head) and ferocious performances, Double Date is one appointment you should not miss.
Double Date screens on Thursday 12th October at 7:30PM.
M.F.A
Mayhem Festival Highlights
Following immediately after Double Date, and proving that opening night is a real corker, is another film with a strong female central character, M.F.A. Playing the lead is Francesca Eastwood, daughter of acting and directing institution Clint Eastwood. With M.F.A she proves that the talent has certainly been passed down from the older generation. Eastwood is currently working her way around the indie film circuit and turning heads as she does. Earlier this year she was a supporting player in the fantastic Cardinal X. In M.F.A she stars as shy art student Noelle. In her final year in her Masters of Fine Art, Noelle is struggling to stand apart from her classmates. She then gets inspiration from an unlikely place after being raped by a fellow student. Determined to not let her attacker or others like him get away with it, she sets out on a one woman vigilante killing-spree, uncovering her artistic voice along the way. M.F.A is a modern and relevant take on the rape-revenge genre.
M.F.A screens on Thursday 12th October at 10PM.
Friday the 13th Part III 3D
Mayhem Festival Highlights
Now you can’t host a genre festival that takes place over an October Friday the 13th and not show one of the Friday the 13th films. Thankfully Mayhem have their heads screwed on correctly and not only are they screening a Jason film, they’re screening it in extra special 3D format. That’s right, for one night only you can turn up to Broadway Nottingham and experience Friday the 13th Part III 3D. It’s sure to be a magical affair, made all the more special by screening on the hallowed date. Get ready to see Jason Voorhees stalk his victims in the fully immersive environment of the third dimension. It’s gonna be a scream baby and we’ll see you there!
Friday the 13th Part III 3D screens on Friday 13th October at 10PM.
Mayhem
Mayhem Festival Highlights
On Sunday night Mayhem have a rather special little movie up their sleeves which has something very important in common with the festival, it’s name. Directed by Joe Lynch, Mayhem is set to cause, well mayhem, at Mayhem. Starring The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun, Mayhem is set in an office building during one day. Yeun’s character Derek is fired just as a dangerous virus, ID7, infiltrates the office. ID7 allows a person’s ID to take control and their inhibitions to be lost. Cue fighting, f*cking and you guessed it, mayhem as Derek decides to seek-out the higher-ups and get his job back via any means necessary. A film for the disgruntled office workers, Mayhem is a balls to the wall dark, action-thriller that has a wicked sense of humour. A perfect way to spend a Sunday evening, and may insight the odd resignation letter come Monday morning.
Mayhem screens on Sunday 15th October at 7:45PM.
Dead Shack
Mayhem Festival Highlights
When it comes to closing a genre festival you need to go out on a high, you need a film that will unite the audience one last time, Dead Shack is that film for Mayhem. We caught it all the way back at Fantasia and found it to be an old school eighties throwback horror comedy. Think along the lines of early Joe Dante and you’re along the right track. The film follows shy teenager Jason as he joins his best friend and family on a weekend vacation in a cabin in the woods. It soon becomes clear that the weekend will be anything but restful however, after they uncover a deadly secret about the cabin next door. Directed by Peter Ricq, Dead Shack is a horror comedy that isn’t afraid to push the laughs, or gore, and is a mixture of The Inbetweeners and The Lost Boys. A bonkers, blood-soaked horror comedy, Dead Shack will close Mayhem on a fun-filled high.
Dead Shack screens on Sunday 15th October at 9:30PM.
Get your tickets for Mayhem here.
