Carrion Film Director Ashley Thorpe has been interviewed by Caustic Critic Stuart ‘Feedback’ Andrews for Rue Morgue Radio, Toronto’s all horror broadcast. The interview follows the recent release of ‘The Hairy Hands’ and Rue Morgue magazines previous feature on the animations ‘Scayrecrow‘ and ‘The Screaming Skull‘ for their ‘Abbreviated terrors‘ back in February 2010.
The interview focuses on the processes behind the creation of the short film, the origin of the myth itself aswell as further reflection upon the previous animations, particularly ‘Scayrecrow‘ and its influences. A brief review of ‘The Hairy Hands‘ will be appearing in a future issue of the magazine.
Stuart ‘Feedback’ Andrews: “This week I’m talking to British filmmaker Ashley Thorpe from Carrion films: a company behind a series of uniquely stylised short horror films which include their masterwork ‘Scayrecrow’: a gorgeously animated hypnotic love letter to both Hammer horror and the folklore of the British highwayman. Their latest short ‘The Hairy Hands‘ is currently playing the festival circuit and was recently featured at the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival.”
“I have to say that it was a bit of an honour being part of this show actually. I tend to listen to it in the mornings while I’m working, so to actually be on it is pretty bizarre, especially as the films produced thus far have been very low budget short films, very modest little things really, so it’s amazing to receive this kind of attention and enthusiasm…Stuart is another massive Hammer horror fan and I know that he’d really love me to adapt ‘Scayrecrow‘ into a feature length piece, very keen, so as soon as some of these current script commitments are complete …who knows? It would absolutely be the summation of everything I’ve done so far as I’d want it to have the subtlety of performance in ‘The Hairy Hands‘ twinned with the bold painterly qualities of ‘Scayrecrow‘. With this kind of support , y’know, it could really happen...” – Ashley Thorpe
The interview is the culmination of an extraordinary New Year for Carrion films thus far which has seen a wealth of positive reviews for ‘The Hairy Hands’ and features in ‘Fangoria magazine‘ (Issue 293), ‘Rue Morgue magazine’ (Issue 98) and the horror press internationally.
The full interview can be heard via podcast (or downloaded) via Rue Morgue Radio.
DOWNLOAD UPDATE: Since the ‘Monster Invasion‘ feature in Fangoria magazine Carrion film has been inundated with enquiries regarding when / if the film will become available to view online or purchase as a download.
Director Ashley Thorpe: “It’s lovely that people are really anxious to see and own it but the simple answer to this one is – potentially but not imminently. The reason for this is twofold. Primarily it’s a matter of negotiation between the funding sources and if in the near future we can organise how this would work then I’d almost be more tempted to get the films out as a collection on a DVD, ‘Penny Dreadful’s volume One’, all in one place, with perhaps some new exclusive stuff in there to make it worthwhile and desirable. Secondly, with regards to getting the film accepted into festivals internationally, there are still quite a few that are unhappy with a submission being readily available commercially before the festival screenings. Even having a presence on things like Vimeo. So potentially by making the film available you’re ironically limiting its chances of being seen. So apologies in the short term but hopefully in the long term something potentially even better might materialise.”