Grab some popcorn and get comfortable because In Search of Darkness is back!
In Search of Darkness Part III is here to rightly resurrect the 1980s and discuss all things slashers, splatters, and sleaze-fests, digging into what many would describe as the golden age of horror cinema.
In the 1980s, horror movies were blood-ridden and sheer full-throttle rides into extreme horror, taking the exploitation factors seen within 1970s grindhouse flicks and the desensitised sensibilities that were on the rise during the eighties to create films oozing with sex and violence. The subtext during this time was feral. The UK was up in arms with the video’s nasty panic, and the public was hungrier than ever for violent feasts. In Search of Darkness perfectly captures all of this with an energetic discourse that keeps the 5hr 38min runtime refreshing.
The segments follow in similar succession to its predecessors, allowing each year within the decade to be easily accounted for. Joining the dense sequences of film explorations are the stellar interviews that accompany each section and offer a range of experts’ and aficionados’ opinions on the genre greats from the decade.
The sheer beloved devotion that the documentary shows is a dedication to horror cinema, almost like a bloodied love letter to all things slashers that interestingly enough refuses to gatekeep the decade’s work to its original fans. In fact, In Search of Darkness welcomes new viewers and curiosity-seekers with open arms, abandoning the harsh mentality that younger generations only flock to the latest blockbusters and jumpscare-ridden frights.
Each segment, whether it’s cataloguing the greatest horror villains of all time, describing the most horrific death scenes from the classics, or revisiting the outstanding practical effects of the decade, every minute is covered by the best experts in the field. It will be of no surprise to anyone who is a keen viewer of the previous documentaries that Part III includes the notorious legends from horror cinema, including the likes of John Carpenter, Robert Englund, Barbara Crampton, Joe Dante, Linnea Quigley, Felissa Rose, Caroline Williams, Tom Savini, Bill Moseley, and Tom Atkins.
In Search of Darkness Part III is an encyclopaedia of 1980s horror that belongs on every horror fan’s radar.
Catch ISOD 3 right now on shudder, or order the physical release this via CreatorVC.
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Whether you’re a fresh fresh-faced youngster who’s just turned 18, new to the horror genre or a veteran fan who decided to venture from the comfort of their couch. There’s a chance you’ve never been to a horror film festival, so we’ve put together this short guide on what to expect.
At Dead Northern, we have our own unique way of doing things, but there are themes and experiences that are common to all film festivals (horror or otherwise). So whichever event you choose you’ll find a great place for fans and filmmakers alike to come together and celebrate their love of all things spooky and showcase some of the best and most unique horror films from around the world. You’ll often find special guests, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, costume contests, and other exciting activities.
Here’s what you can expect at a horror film festival:
Screenings The focus of any horror film festival will be its line-up of movie screenings so expect to see some truly terrifying movies. You’ll get to see new releases, classic favourites, and a host of shorts from up-and-coming filmmakers.
One thing that makes horror film festivals so exciting is their variety of films. Whether it’s slasher flicks, psychological thrillers, or supernatural tales, there will be something for everyone at these events. You can also expect to find some lesser-known independent films that don’t normally get much attention in mainstream media outlets. Many festivals also include short programs or themed blocks that focus on specific subgenres such as zombie films or creature features. There’s usually something new and unexpected each year!
Panels & Events Many horror film festivals also include panel discussions with filmmakers, actors, and other experts in the industry. This is a great opportunity for fans to interact directly with their favourite creators and gain insight into how they make their movies come alive on screen. Other events may include Q&As with cast members or costume contests where attendees can show off their best ghoulish looks! Don’t forget to bring a pen and a programme as the end of a Q&A can be the perfect opportunity to get some celebrity signatures.
Q&A with Charlie Adlard at ThoughtBubble 2022
Special Guests
Many horror film festivals feature special guests from the world of filmmaking who provide unique insight into their work and experiences with making scary movies. These guests often include directors, writers, actors, producers, and other industry professionals who have made significant contributions to the genre over the years.
You may also find that these special guests are there for the duration of the festival, so keep that pen and programme handy for signatures.
Just remember that because someone is famous, they’re still human beings. So, treat them with respect, no one wants a pen shoved in their face and they don’t owe you a signature.
Fun Activities & Events
Most horror film festivals go beyond just screening movies by offering fun activities like costume contests, trivia nights, scavenger hunts, escape rooms, haunted houses, and more! This is a great way for attendees to take part in some extra entertainment while celebrating their favourite genre.
At Dead Northern, we’ve hosted a Séance (pretty sure that’s a first), campfire ghost stories with the audience and A horror-themed Prom just to name a few.
Spirits with Spirits – Telling Ghost stories with audience participation
Merchandise Horror movie buffs know that merchandise is an important part of fandom culture which makes it no surprise that many horror film festivals have vendors selling memorabilia like posters, t-shirts, DVDs, collectables and more at their events. It’s always fun browsing through these booths filled with spooky goodies! Check out our Dead Northern Signature merch here or go to our Etsy page for more horror-related merch click here
Friends & Community
Like most things in life, doing them in the company of others only enhances the experience. So, if you’ve got like-minded friends book together and come as a group.
If not, it doesn’t matter if you come on your own. You’re in a cinema, and you’re going to be watching movies and likely sitting next to a stranger for days, so just say “Hi”. Ask any film festival regular and they’ll be able to point to at least one close friend they made from attending an event. And don’t worry about being shy, if one of the Dead Northern team sees you floating around on your own, we’ll come and chat with you. It’s all part of Northern hospitality!
Old and new Friends at Waxy O’conners Frightfest 2022
Networking
There’s a time and a place to be throwing business cards out like a magician, and the festival isn’t one of them. That said festivals are a hive of industry talent so talk to people (outside the screenings!). You never know, the next person you talk to may just be the scriptwriter you’ve been looking for.
Networking at Dead Northern 2022
Parties
When the movies stop the parties start! Every film festival will have a party of some sort. At Dead Northern expect live entertainment, live music, awards, and a bar that’s open ‘til the early hours. This part we love. Dead Northern was born from a beer festival, we like a party.
After party and awards at Dead Northern 2022
Atmosphere
Last but not least – don’t forget about the atmosphere when attending a horror festival! Expect lots of cosplayers dressed up in costumes inspired by characters from your favourite scary movies along with plenty of decorations throughout the venue set just the right mood for some frightful fun! Overall, if you love horror films then attending a local or international festival should definitely be on your bucket list this year! There are so many amazing experiences waiting just around the corner – all you need to do is take that first step towards discovering them yourself…
We can’t wait to meet you at one of our events but it’s only fair to give a shout-out to the other festivals scaring people up and down the country – Check out our post about the other horror film festivals in the UK.
If you’ve decided you’re going to join us at one of our events make sure to read our top ten ways to survive a horror film festival.
In M. Night Shyamalan’s latest hit, patience levels, the boundaries of fact or fiction, and one’s very belief systems are tested. Knock at the Cabin valiantly hits where it hurts the most, where even the most sardonic of viewers will be left in floods of emotions.
The film follows Eric (Jonathan Geoff), Andrew (Ben Aldridge), and their daughter Wen (Kristen Cui), as they embark on a tranquil getaway. However, when a group of strangers arrive and ask for the impossible, their harmony soon becomes a fight for survival.
Knock at the Cabin may utilise a small cast and setting, but the performances are far from compact. Whilst every character shines within their roles, particular attention has to be paid to Dave Bautista, Alridge and Geoff, with each of them providing a dense, intimate portrayal of humanity on the brink of erosion. The portrayals of the anxious, on-the-edge group enhance the overall emotive tone of the film, literally commanding attention and forcing the viewer into becoming emotionally invested.
Further infusing the film’s tonality with a sense of lingering dread is the overall look of the film. Cabins are no stranger to horror, they go hand in hand, particularly in an isolated, rural location where no one can hear you scream. Except, what Knock at the Cabin does differently with the trope is that it refuses to simply rely on seclusion alone. Shyamalan chooses to additionally focus on the claustrophobic aspect of the setting. When Eric and Andrew are faced with a group of strangers telling them that tragedy is near, the vast surrounding forests are no longer open and vacant. Instead, the high trees act like a giant gate and the warm cottage transforms into a dungeon of sorts.
There is no escape and there is no redemption in finding brief capacities of freedom. In its most simplistic terms, the film truly roots its horror within the transformative nature of the script. What could be considered peaceful is made eerie, and what could be considered chilling is turned homely. And as with any Shyamalan film, expect the unexpected.
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Skinamarink has ruled the horror scene ever since its premiere at the festival fun last year, with many flocking to the web to bellow endless praise over creator Kyle Edward Ball’s debut feature film.
In what can only be described as an experimental film that relies on psychedelic exteriors and eerily sinister dramatics, is Ball’s personal account of fear, particularly the fear that sows its seeds into one’s psyche at an early age, and just manifests, adapts, and worsens as time goes on. As a guide for Skinamarink’s rooted terror, it is worth noting that in order for Ball to get right down into the nitty gritty of horror, he would ask via his youtube channel for audiences to comment on their worst nightmares, which often would stem from the boogeymen and monsters under the bed that we dream-up during childhood.
Skinamarink was born from Ball’s curiosity into fear, and more importantly, everyone’s fear; leading to a thoroughly fleshed-out understanding of how to scare an audience.
The film follows two children who upon suddenly waking up during the night discover that their father is missing and their house is now barren.
Skinamarink clearly works on a simple scale, with the story itself not bearing ludicrous, overdeveloped plot points and turns, instead Ball sets up a modest scene and allows the camera to take over and our imagination to run wild amidst the rather lonely, cold exterior.
Skinamarink employs the slow-burn route, taking sometimes excruciating amounts of time to build a chilling core that grapples with a harsh soundscape with classically sinister and gothic imagery. However, although the film has a ubiquitously atmospheric aura, Skinamarink certainly is not to everyone’s tastes.
Much of the criticism is mediated from the ‘obvious’ scares. Whilst keeping this as discreet and spoiler free as possible, many of the heightened moments focus on the aspect of a ‘forced scare’, akin to an updated, predictable jumpscare. But is there such a thing as an effective horror film that remains unquestioned?
It’s certainly a film that is going to create an interesting dichotomy. For some it will sow its seed deeply and for others it will be an entertaining watch and that’s it. I side with the former; it’s a brave expedition into white knuckled terror, taking both contrasting subtlety and outlandish subtexts to infuse a ghostly haunting tale of pure nightmare fuel.
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With Scream 6’s release just around the corner, the highlighting of Scream’s staple duo Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) has never been more important. The pair nail the opposites attract trope, with Gale’s fierceness and Dewey’s softness being a perfect match to track down the copious Ghostface killers. Their on-screen chemistry was made even more present due to the fact that Arquette and Cox were married for over a decade.
2- Chucky and Tiffany (Bride of Chucky)
Chucky (Brad Dourif) and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) are the definitive killer couple who really are bad to the bone (or plastic in their case). The murderous team bring tough love to the forefront as their brutal jabs, constant bickering, and subsequent decimation of one another somehow lead to an iconic horror couple. Over the years, the pair have appeared in four movies together, as well as featuring in Chucky (2021-), the acclaimed TV series adaption of the franchise.
3- Evelyn and Lee (A Quiet Place)
Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee Abbot (John Krasinski) belong to the blossoming Quiet Place franchise, which revels in the duo battling an apocalyptic landscape whilst still devoting themselves entirely to their marriage and children. In what can only be described as an extremely emotional state of affairs is the parting of Lee and Evelyn’s long partnership after the tragic ending of the first film. But the reason why the couple made such an impact with just one film is due to their impeccable connection in real life, with the pair being together since 2008.
4- Shaun and Liz (Shaun of the Dead)
Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Liz (Kate Ashfield) stray more on the unconventional side, particularly as they spend the majority of the film trying to juggle a fresh breakup with the impending doom that comes with a zombie outbreak. The beauty of Shaun and Liz revolves around the simplicity of their relationship, they break up, they make up, and ultimately create a dishevelled vibe that makes the dreaded zombie situation all the more heightened.
5- Seth and Veronica (The Fly)
Lying beneath the visceral body horror and Cronenbergian madness is The Fly’s rather emotional tonality as we see Seth (Jeff Goldblum) metamorphosis into a grotesque fly as his love interest Veronica (Geena Davis) has to watch him succumb to his illness. The Fly lures us in with all of its dismay and visual aesthetics, but what truly forces us to stay invested is the tragedy that comes between Seth and Veronica coming to terms with the impending deathly fate.
6- Adelaide and Gabe (US)
Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) and Gabe (Winston Duke) are one of the rare horror couples whose relationship remains unchallenged throughout the film; there are no affairs, serious disputes, or mentions of past mistakes. Rather than act as an instigator of tension, Peele simply infuses their marriage as part of the story. Through this subtlety it’s a given that we become invested in the outcome of the characters, meaning that every knock, blow, and tragedy stings just that little bit more.
7- Deena and Sam (Fear Street)
The Fear Street trilogy was certainly a standout surprise when it hit Netflix back in 2021, with each film surveying the unique stylisations that come with Summer slashers, witchy archaic atmospheres, and modern-day teen horror. Amidst all the chaos and thrills of every film, one running aspect that remained strong was the relationship between the two leads Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch)—acting as a refreshing spin on the typical jock and cheerleader dynamic seen within the archetypal teen horror flick.
8- Morticia and Gomez (The Addams Family)
Whilst the world has taken Wednesday under its wing, the relationship between Morticia (Anjelica Huston) and Gomez Addams (Raul Julia) has simultaneously grown in popularity amongst newer audiences. But, Gomez’s cinematic love story has been brewing for years with their relationship first appearing on screen all the way back in 1964 in the original sitcom.
9- Big John and Little John (Halloween Kills)
Now… Big John (Scott MacArthur) and Little John (Michael McDonald) may not hold the strongest presence within the horror genre as their appearance in Halloween Kills was very much brief, but their impact was definitely not underwhelming. The hilarious duo is possibly one of the best factors in Halloween Kills, with the pair’s stellar comedic line delivery, and eventual brutal dismay making for a more than memorable watch.
10- Ed and Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring)
Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) have been at the top of the horror love story hierarchy since their appearance in the first of many entries in the ever-growing Conjuring universe. The possession-battling duo are always shown battling it out together, at each other’s side. So much so, that even the latest Conjuring film (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) focused on the relationship between the Warrens as a backbone for the entire film.
