Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema review: Frightfest regulars, prepare to get a glowing feeling inside with this love letter to everyone’s favourite Bank Holiday weekend.
Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema review by Kat Hughes.
Frightfest : Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema Review
Frightfest is a film festival that has been held annually for nineteen years now. It happens each and every August Bank Holiday, and takes over one of the cinemas in the West End, for a number of days devoted to films that celebrate the dark heart of cinema. Now filmmaker Chris Collier has created a film about the men behind the films – Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema.
The documentary, which opens this year’s film selection at The Prince Charles cinema, features interviews with all four men that routinely bring the festival to life. These men being Alan Jones, Paul McEvoy, Ian Rattray and Greg Day. The foursome of fear discusses the festival from inception right up to today, with insights into all the location moves that have happened over the years. They also discuss some of the high profile screenings they have had, and their love of the Frightfest attendees.
Regular attendees also feature as they reminisce about their first event, the friends they’ve made over the years, and the magic of the festival; amongst these attendees are filmmakers Adam Green and Joe Lynch. In addition to screening their films at Frightfest, the pair have also visited as regular film-watchers on numerous years, and here they explain why.
Potentially only a film that attendees will get, it still does try to explain to those not in the Frightfest family what it’s all about. Nonetheless, it might be a tad too niche for many to actively seek it out. A true love-letter to the festival, this is a must-watch for anyone within the Frightfest community. If you’ve been going for a few years you might also spot yourself, as the film features many clips from Frightfests of years gone by.
Made by the Frightfest audience, to be watched with the Frightfest audience, Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema is a love letter to Britain’s favourite genre festival.
Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema review by Kat Hughes.
Frightfest: Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema screened as part of Arrow Video Frightfest 2018.
